Prot Paladin Talent Build

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Update 2: This post is now out of date due to the changes in Cataclysm, and has nothing specific to level 85 tanks anymore.

I can tell you that builds for Paladins have changed in an incredible range of ways, as to has the rotations and use of resources. The Holy power addition means a Paladin Tank is no longer just a AoE tank – target switching is real for all Tanks now. If you don’t like switching targets and loved being lazy then Paladin is probably the best choice for tanking, but you’ll readlly need to be careful and change your style to be effective.

The EJ Forum is the best place to start, read the first sections, and then jump across to TankSpot for more information.

Update: A new post for Paladin Tanks at Level 80 is here, updated for 3.3.3.

The patch v3.0.2 has me thinking of how to spec, and honnestly I just don’t know. I’ve tried to silently troll the usual forums for builds, but found a storm of activity with no clear winners.

So here goes…Here is a spec that is for a level 70 Prot Paladin, is heavy on Tanking, and has little flex into the other talent trees.

Edit: As 3.1 is fast approaching, consider this spec out of date. I’m sure the basics will be ok, but I’m not claiming this is accurate anymore.

Edit: Make sure you read the comments in this post, the build advice changes! Don’t miss out.

Firstly I put less points into Reckoning and  Ardent Defender, because I think these are not as useful as other talents. Secondly I kept the Improved Judgements and Deflection, as 5% parry is good, and I think quick and often judgements will still be part of Prot Tanking.

Also I spent no points in Judgements of the Just, as its not a mandatory but would be handy later. Redoubt is a funny one that confuses me. I took no points in the end as I figured that we cannot be crushed anymore, so a few crits and hits just gives me mana. The total reverse could be true, this could be the cornert stone Tank talent, and avoiding the chance at extra Block could be a foolhardy choice. Block hurts them afterall. We’ll see.

Lastly no Holy, nothing in the Ret tree beyond the above, and as the levels tick toward 80, they’ll all get spent in the Prot tree.

Should mention too that I mean this to be a Prot build up until the leveling process. After that a hybrid Prot/Ret will make more sense. Stacking Ret for the extra dps, with some Prot (or vice versa) will be the go.

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19 thoughts on “Prot Paladin Talent Build”

  1. I’d drop the points in reckoning and one point in Improved Judgement for Redoubt. Reckoning isn’t that great for threat anymore (the extra swings proc seals) and you don’t need more than 1 pt in Improved Judgement.

    Also I wouldn’t bother with Divine Guardian either unless you’re playing offtank a lot. Improved HoJ might be a better MT choice since that’s our main interrupt now.

  2. Oh and one more thing. Ardent defender will only get more useful as your health goes up, especially in synergy with Divine Protection.

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  5. I hardly every use Kings unless someone asks for it. I normally bless Selvation to reduce their threat and Fury to increase mine. Is Improved Kings value added?

    what about Stoicism and Guardian’s Favor?

  6. I rate Kings very highly, as its a buff that you can grant when otherwise Might/Wis is already buffed. In a 10 man you may not have a Ret, and certainly shouldn’t need another Prot Pally, so having Kings is worth it.

    The two extra points are maybe better elsewhere.

    Stoicism and Guardian’s Favor are unworthy of the points though. A reduction in Stun duration is poor to average, as this is a reduction not an immunity. Its being stunned in the first place that causes hell, 10% or so will not make much difference. Likewise with Hand of Protection and Freedom, they are handy to have slightly better, but these two look like anti-PvP abilities for Prot Pally to me, or something that a Ret might consider if they do PvP and have points to spare, doubt it though.

    The altered build above went through Kara like steamroller. We had me as the only Tank. No OT was needed, and bosses were dropping in under a minute.

  8. Pingback: 3.0.2 Talent Builds « WoW Insanity

  9. Since i did my tree – quite similar to the one above, my def rating has gone down 20 points and HP down about 2k!

    Is this normal for everyone?! I know that for a tank, the minimum required def rating was around 495, which i had, but now i’m 475!

    I feel so my less of a tank now! Please tell me the above doesn’t matter and i shouldn’t lose sleep over it.

  10. I’m 61/Prot and am only running 5 mans. So I’ve made up this build http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=sZoxVAcdMteGkho

    I’ll back fill below as I level;
    Touch by the Light (is this a big help?)
    Guarded by the light (is this a big help?)
    Pick up Deflection ( I thought this was nice?)

    Benediction
    (Maybe) Pursuit of Justice
    Improved Kings
    Improved Devotion

  11. @Groovi – yes, we all lost about 20pts of defence, and that was the def gained from old talents. I had to scrounge some +def gems and rework my gear to get to def 490. BTW its 490 not 495 for level 73 mobs.

    @Aristotke – I like that build as a solid set. The last 10 pts ae hard to do I know. Guarded by the Light is nice as it reduces mana, but it will depend on how much you find mana burning. I use it fast.

    The Parry from Deflection, and extra damage from Seals of the Pure might be the go.

  13. Hey Blooddragon – do you think Divine Guardian is worthy, given you could add 3% on Judgement damage. But then it does make the healer’s job easier to have a concentrated spot to focus on. Good Build!

  14. Thanks Typhoon – settles my mind thinking I screwed something up 😛

    I know I shouldn’t worry so much considering I’ll have to level to 80 soon anyways and everything I have no will be worthless…

    Why do Blizz do this to cas’ players!!!! Just as I get my gear up to a good tanking level and spend money socketing etc, they go an increase the level again /cry… Damn you Blizz!!!

    I’ve always said, they should stop thinkig that increasing player level is a method of providing more gameplay… It’s not… They should just cap the bloody level and start EXPANDING the game outwards, not upwards.

    /dummyspit

    /cower

  15. Hit 61 last night and added “Hammer of the Righteous” (HotR!) OMG!!! I’m soloing mobs like never before. I’m pulling 8 mobs at a time of my lvl. After the first one drops the other go down so fast I can only get judgment on half of them cause the die faster then the cooldown.

    Solo: Light on me, judgement first mob, pull a bunch of mobs, concration, HotR, HotR, HotR, concration, repeat.. all dead! Start again.

    Mana stays up better then ever and health not an issue if you know whats happening.

  16. Hey,I was just wondering what wep I should go for because HotR Is instant. Should I go for 1 that has slower atk speed or faster? And witch would be good for lving and raiding? Thx

  17. Its the cooldown on HotR that stops us just spamming it, and as it will do 4x weapon damage I’d say go for something that will hit hard, rather than often. Being a main hand weapon, there is not a great deal of speed difference between weapons, so look at the min-max values for how it hits.

    Second reason slower is ok is that most of the paladin abilities hit multiple targets, so fast target switching is not something we need to stress too much about.

    However other spells you have might be applying damage/affects per swing so I’m not sure.

    The paranoid part of my brain says that Devs have already thought about the weapon speed vs damage for this, and adjusted the damage accordingly.

  18. Hey, did my first ZA run and i was really shocked when i would take all the agroo after just 1 consecration during a boss fight from a really well gear warr tank. I hear peaple saying that spell power is a pally tanking past, but hell the consecrate and come back 5 min later style still work great in a ZA run. (By the way while tanking the hawk and bear boss i turned up 4 place in damage meter. so not only was i holding agroo i was all so a dps.) http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Blackwater+Raiders&n=Bather

  19. If you are a serious raiding Protection Paladin than 0/56/15 (http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=sZ0xVA0ugteIRhoxf0x) is an ideal spec.

    Common ‘toss-ups’:
    1)No Blessing of Kings: It takes 5 points, I prefeer the points into 5% crit in ret. Kings is best left for ret and holy pallys to spec into.
    2) Reckoning: IF hit cap than this alone will grant anywhere from 1,000-1,700 tps alone.
    3)No Judgement of the Just: Does not stack with Imp Thunder Clap

    I am one to be curious about someone proclaiming a spec to be good so let me reveal my raiding history as prot:
    Situational MT and constant OT throughout all of:
    SSC
    TK
    Hyjal
    BT
    Sunwell
    All WotLK content (including Sarth10/25+3)

    With the previously mentioned tank spec (and Seal of the Martyr) I average 7,000-10,000 TPS on a non-undead/demon, and 13,000+ TPS on an undead/demon.

    I would not be suggesting a spec if I had not created and tested it through end-game trial and error.

    Feel free to pick my brain for anything Paladin.

    –Calon
    Gilneas, Alliance

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