Kiriath's Guide to end-game Protection Paladin.

[[Blaze]]

Kiriath's Guide to Tanking

Hello welcome to my guide of protection paladins. I take credit for writing this entire thing just for you guys. I will use information from WoWWiki but I will not copy/paste to prove points but not to use all their information.

INDEX
I: Specialization.
a. Starting Spec
b. Mid-range spec
c. End-game spec
II: Gear
a. Entry Karazhan
b. Exit Karazhan/Spell Damage
III: How to: Tanking
a. Steps
b. Morals
IV: WoWWiki's Morals
V: Credits

Part I: Specialization

A. A basic build for getting started, it allows for quick aggro generation. (NOTE: This is if you do NOT have a lot of Block/Parry/Dodge. Some specs are better is you do)

Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

I used this spec when I had greens.

B. A more complex build for those who have blues and get hit less often. It gives mediocre aggro generation but is supplemented by about 200 spell damage.

Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

C. My current spec with all my raiding gear and purple is good for intense damage avoidance and allows minimal aggro generation. Need about 300+ spell damage.

Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft.

II. Gear

Karazhan Entry Set
BC tanking equipment (paladin)/Karazhan - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft

Karazhan Exit Set/ Spell Damage Set
BC tanking equipment (paladin)/Karazhan - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft

As a Protection Paladin you want at least, to enter Karazhan.
10,500 Health
490 Defense
5,000 Mana
17% Dodge
16% Parry
20% Block [50% with Holy Shield.]
50 Spell Hit
15,000 Armor
III. How to: Tanking.

Paladin tanking is vastly different than a warrior spamming sunders. Paladins can't spam an ability to produce major aggro but has to do a combination of proc watching and spell mashing.

Step 1: Apply Blessing of Sanctuary, Blessing of Kings, Blessing of Wisdom.
[Each one is useful for certain situations]

Step 2: Apply Righteous Fury.

Step 3: Use a pulling ability. [Mana Tap; Blood Elves only][Avenger's Shield; now viable after the CC breaking change][Decapitator; I've used it before ]

Step 4: Lay down a consecration. [ONLY if there is no CC'ed targets around you.

Step 5: Pop Holy Shield. [Keep it up at all times]

Step 6: Use [Seal of Righteousness][Seal of Veangence] or [Seal of Blood]. I do not wholly reccomend seal or blood for the fact it is not affect by +spell damage.

Step 7: Judge every 10 seconds.

Step 8: Repeat steps 4-8.

B. Morals to tanking.
1. Take no shit about people saying you're not a good tank because you are a paladin. PROVE THEM WRONG.
2. Spell damage is your friend.
3. Threat = Avoidance. [Don't stack stamina and forget about spell damage]

IV: WoWWiki's morals to tanking...

Morals and ethics of paladin tanking - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft


V: Credits.


Guide written by: Blaze611 [Kiriath]

Information used from: WoWWiki/My own tricks.

BIG THANKS: MY friend who forced me to be a hunter and made me want to be a Paladin for my hatred of begin a hunter.

I will update this guide as much has possible.

[Starny]

I would -rep you if I could... Seriously melee hit rating for a protection paladin? Do you have any clue at all? 50 spell hit? Lol :/

[[Blaze]]

Edited: Happy now? And yes Alliance paladins do need 50 Spell hit so their Seal of Vengeance isn't resisted.

[Starny]

Seal of Vengeance is nice, but its not needed to be able to tank, SoR is just fine, Seal of Vengeance is good even when its on a boss, WITHOUT spell hit, may I ask you what items pre kara, or should i say pre MH / BT is with spell hit?

[Al4crity]

Starny, enchants and a glyph would pretty much make the trick with the spell hit. Although, I agree that spell hit is not an important stat in order to tank.

[Antix]

Spell hit is not an important stat in order to tank - but you have your priorities mixed. Stamina should be your first stat to stack due to the main reason that paladin itemization means you lack it to start off with. After this go for block rating and value, and finally spell damage.

And when tanking - Seal of Blood / Vengeance?! No!

Keep SoR up all the time, as soon as you have judged it, repop it! rinse and repeat without trying to lose too much mana!

If neccesary, create a macro.

#showtooltip Judgement
/cast Judgement
/cast Seal of Righteousness (Rank 9)

Initially you should pull with Avenger's shield as it's one of the best initial aggro builders, which can be neccesary on pulls with more than one mob due to hungry locks / mages wanting to start AoE DPS instantly.

Overall not a bad concept, but you really should read up on Protection more!

Check ElitistJerks!

[Alkhara Majere]

you have your priorities mixed. Stamina should be your first stat to stack due to the main reason that paladin itemization means you lack it to start off with. After this go for block rating and value, and finally spell damage.

This is generally ignorance portrayed by warriors and druids who do not know the slightest about paladin tanking mechanics, skills and talents, which is also picked up by people who think they know how to play better than you. You will just have to deal with this and remember their ignorance is only something you can remedy using brute-force tactics by dragging them to 5-mans and heroics. You will be expected to fill all your gem slots with +12 sta gems in order to reach a warrior's health level. This is VERY detrimental to your health. In stacking +12sta gems, you miss out on the pride of tanks, the +8defrating and +8dodgerating gems. A paladin can expect to take upwards of 4-10% more damage than a protection warrior right off the bat, due to the difference between a warrior's [Improved] Defense Stance and your [Improved] Righteous Fury - Pumping your health that 1000 higher does nothing if you have to sacrifice avoidance (Dodge% and Parry%) to achieve it - We already take more damage than warriors, we don't want to take that increased damage more often. This does not mean +12 sta gems are useless, infact they're essential - but they're of equal importance to dodge gems at the very least, with defense gems value lowering after 490 defense. Do not neglect your stamina, but also don't neglect your avoidances either.

http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-gu...tml#post711991

[Starny]

Antix wrote: Spell hit is not an important stat in order to tank - but you have your priorities mixed. Stamina should be your first stat to stack due to the main reason that paladin itemization means you lack it to start off with. After this go for block rating and value, and finally spell damage.

And when tanking - Seal of Blood / Vengeance?! No!

Keep SoR up all the time, as soon as you have judged it, repop it! rinse and repeat without trying to lose too much mana!

___________________________________________________________________

Actually, the thing about SoB & SoV and tanking is incorrect, both SoB and SoV can be used for tanking, however I do not trust the dot enough to make 18 other players go fully nuke from the very beginning, I build abit of threat with SoR at the start, and then SoV if it's not a asscracking boss like VR (hard to keep SoV up if he aint attacking you, imo)

I use SoV when I have a respective threat level.

And tbh I would use SoB if my paladin had it, would be so nice to use in lower level instances, extra dmg taken equals extra mana (Please don't go "But then your healers will go oom") cause if it's a lower level instance their better geared than needed.

Btw may I have a Armory link to your paladin, Blaze611?

[[Blaze]]

Antix wrote: Spell hit is not an important stat in order to tank - but you have your priorities mixed. Stamina should be your first stat to stack due to the main reason that paladin itemization means you lack it to start off with. After this go for block rating and value, and finally spell damage.

And when tanking - Seal of Blood / Vengeance?! No!

Keep SoR up all the time, as soon as you have judged it, repop it! rinse and repeat without trying to lose too much mana!

___________________________________________________________________

Actually, the thing about SoB & SoV and tanking is incorrect, both SoB and SoV can be used for tanking, however I do not trust the dot enough to make 18 other players go fully nuke from the very beginning, I build abit of threat with SoR at the start, and then SoV if it's not a asscracking boss like VR (hard to keep SoV up if he aint attacking you, imo)

I use SoV when I have a respective threat level.

And tbh I would use SoB if my paladin had it, would be so nice to use in lower level instances, extra dmg taken equals extra mana (Please don't go "But then your healers will go oom") cause if it's a lower level instance their better geared than needed.

Btw may I have a Armory link to your paladin, Blaze611?

The World of Warcraft Armory

RP server, so I may have RP gear from time to time.

-cough- Decapitator -cough-

[Antix]

This is generally ignorance portrayed by warriors and druids who do not know the slightest about paladin tanking mechanics, skills and talents, which is also picked up by people who think they know how to play better than you. You will just have to deal with this and remember their ignorance is only something you can remedy using brute-force tactics by dragging them to 5-mans and heroics. You will be expected to fill all your gem slots with +12 sta gems in order to reach a warrior's health level. This is VERY detrimental to your health. In stacking +12sta gems, you miss out on the pride of tanks, the +8defrating and +8dodgerating gems. A paladin can expect to take upwards of 4-10% more damage than a protection warrior right off the bat, due to the difference between a warrior's [Improved] Defense Stance and your [Improved] Righteous Fury - Pumping your health that 1000 higher does nothing if you have to sacrifice avoidance (Dodge% and Parry%) to achieve it - We already take more damage than warriors, we don't want to take that increased damage more often. This does not mean +12 sta gems are useless, infact they're essential - but they're of equal importance to dodge gems at the very least, with defense gems value lowering after 490 defense. Do not neglect your stamina, but also don't neglect your avoidances either.

http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-gu...tml#post711991

Paladin: Protection - Elitist Jerks
[Paladin] Protection and you! - Elitist Jerks

May I direct you to the article and discussion on ElitistJerks who I believe not only have more up to date but more accurate theory on this subject - just to quote their Gem section if you don't check it yourself:

Gem choices are (generally) rather simple. As with most tanks, you'll most likely want to get as much stamina as you can get your hands on. So +12 stamina (or +15 stamina if you have access to epic gems) are most of the time your best choice.

Socket bonuses are usually not worth considering, though a few exception items in which I find them worth it do exist; [Justicar Shoulderguards] being a prime example, and [Crystalforge Faceguard] being another good example.

In case you do want to grab the socket bonuses, Dodge/Stamina gems are usually the best choice for red sockets while using blue quality gems, while Agility/Stamina are better for red sockets when using epic quality gems[12], while Defense/Stamina gems are the best choices for yellow sockets. Spell damage/Stamina gems are also a viable option for red sockets, but I find upgrading threat to generally be the lowest priority.

Take a look at the top prot paladins at endgame, +15 / +12 stamina gems only, as well as with any gear. You don't need to socket to become uncrushable because by the time you've gathered your level 70 blue gear you should be there already.

Actually, the thing about SoB & SoV and tanking is incorrect, both SoB and SoV can be used for tanking, however I do not trust the dot enough to make 18 other players go fully nuke from the very beginning, I build abit of threat with SoR at the start, and then SoV if it's not a asscracking boss like VR (hard to keep SoV up if he aint attacking you, imo)

I use SoV when I have a respective threat level.

And tbh I would use SoB if my paladin had it, would be so nice to use in lower level instances, extra dmg taken equals extra mana (Please don't go "But then your healers will go oom") cause if it's a lower level instance their better geared than needed.
Btw may I have a Armory link to your paladin, Blaze611?

I'm not saying SoB can't be used - but endgame wise, your healers will go oom still - and seeing as SoB isn't acquired till 64 you shouldn't be worrying.

Of course - any seal is fine when you have a respective threat level, yet at endgame, in raids, your TPS can't keep up with your raid's DPS TPS if you're using SoB / SoV. As said in the EJ article I posted above, it would be much much much more beneficial to apply a debuff seal such as JoW.

I stand by my original post.

[Boydon80]

Nice guide.
I'm still levelling my pala but as soon as I hit lvl 70 I will consider this.

Thank you. +Rep