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Protection Paladin guide

TankPaladin · WoW Forever

Beta guide, level 30. The WoW Forever beta stops at level 30, so this guide and its build cover levels 1 to 30. We update it for level 60 after launch on November 4.

Protection Paladin tanks with a shield and holy damage. Its threat scales with spell power, and Consecration makes it strong on packs. Forever adds a lot here: Templar's Bulwark (a shield worth your whole health bar), Sacred Duty for Stamina and shorter bubble cooldowns, Seal of Fury, and Shield Specialization refunds mana when you block.

Strengths

  • Strong area threat with Consecration
  • Templar's Bulwark and bubbles make it very safe
  • Mana back from blocks keeps you going in dungeons

Weaknesses

  • Can run out of mana in long single target fights
  • Consecration is weaker against more than 4 enemies
  • No way to close distance quickly

Talent build (level 30) 0/21/0

Protection 21 points

  • Redoubt5/5
  • Anticipation5/5
  • Improved Righteous Fury3/3
  • Shield Specialization3/3
  • Sacred Duty2/2
  • One-Handed Weapon Specialization2/3
  • Templar's Bulwark1/1

21 points in Protection: Redoubt and Shield Specialization for blocks and mana, Anticipation for defense, Improved Righteous Fury and Sacred Duty to survive, and Templar's Bulwark at 30. Holy Shield and Iron Creed come after launch.

Open this build in the talent calculator

Key talents

Templar's Bulwark
New in Forever: an absorb shield equal to your whole health bar for 8 sec.
Shield Specialization
Stronger shield, and blocks restore 4% of your max mana.
Improved Righteous Fury
6% less damage taken while Righteous Fury is on.
Sacred Duty
New in Forever: +4% Stamina and 60 sec shorter cooldowns on your bubbles and Templar's Bulwark.
Redoubt
Hits on you can raise your block chance by 20% for a while.

New in Forever: Protection talents

  • Improved Seal of FuryWhen Seal of Fury's shield is fully absorbed, restore 60 Mana, increased by 15% per level the attacker is above you, up to 45%.
  • Sacred DutyIncreases your total Stamina by 4% and reduces the cooldown of your Divine Shield, Divine Protection, and Templar's Bulwark spells by 60 sec.
  • Swift JudgementFinishes the remaining cooldown on your Judgement ability and reduces the Mana cost of your next Judgement by 100%.
  • Templar's BulwarkWhen activated, this ability grants you an absorb shield equal to 100% of your maximum health for 8 sec. Applies Forbearance for 1 min. Cannot be cast while Forbearance is active.
  • Iron CreedIncreases the threat generated by your Holy Strike ability by 25%. While Righteous Fury is active, Holy Strike also reduces your damage taken by 10% for 6 sec.

Rotation

  1. Keep Righteous Fury on.
  2. Seal of the Crusader and Judgement to open.
  3. Keep Seal of Fury up and Judgement on cooldown (save it if you need a taunt).
  4. Keep Consecration down under the pack.
  5. Holy Strike when it's ready.
  6. Exorcism against Undead.

Several enemies

  • Consecration is your main pack threat: pull, drop it, keep it rolling.
  • Judgement and Holy Strike on the mobs your Consecration misses.

Cooldowns

Templar's Bulwark
Huge shield for a dangerous pull (adds Forbearance).
Divine Protection / Divine Shield
Emergency only: they drop you from the threat table.
Lay on Hands
Full heal on yourself or the healer, costs all your mana.

Stats

Stamina, armor and defense to survive, then hit and spell power for threat. Strength helps a little.

Best races

Alliance

Human
Ruthless: +1% crit with spells and attacks, plus 10% more Spirit.
Dwarf
Stoneform: cleanses bleeds, poisons and diseases and cuts physical damage by 10%. Artisan's Precision adds 1% hit.

Horde

Undead
The only Horde Paladin. Touch of the Grave drains health on hits, Will of the Forsaken breaks fear.

Professions

Blacksmithing for plate and shields with spell power. Engineering for gadgets.

Leveling

Protection kills slowly on its own but almost never dies. Pull several mobs, drop Consecration and let blocks feed your mana.