PVE TBC Ret Paladin DPS Guide (Short)

Paladin Guide

Patch: 2.4.3

Author: Legacy-WoW

Welcome to our PVE Ret Paladin DPS guide for WoW TBC. This guide will show you what you need to know to play a Ret Paladin in dungeons and raids. This guide covers everything from talents to consumables. 

Talents

This is the standard Ret Paladin build for Dungeons and Raids. Once you reach high tier raids, you may want to adjust this build to match your gear and raid composition.

We only have 1/2 Improved Judgement, if you are a new player though 2/2 Improved Judgement will make your rotation much easier.

Having two talent points in Pursuit of Justice allows you to use the Formula: Enchant Boots – Dexterity enchant on your boots. Otherwise you should use the Enchant Boots – Cat’s Swiftness enchant.

Most of the time your raid will have a holy paladin who has Improved Blessing of Might. You may want to take this talent for dungeons where you are the only paladin though.

Blessing of Kings isn’t exactly from your tree but it is a welcome addition to any party. Blessing of Might requires 5 talent points and doesn’t do the spell casters any good.

I recommend using this standard build and once you get more experience playing a Paladin you can adjust it and make your own.

Gems

Gems can change based on your build, equipment and caps. You may need to adjust your gems to account for your gear.

• Meta: Relentless Earthstorm Diamond 
• Red:  Bold Crimson Spinel or Bold Living Ruby
• Blue: Sovereign Shadowsong Amethyst or Sovereign Nightseye
• Yellow:  Etched Fire Opal or Inscribed Pyrestone, Enscribed Fire Opal or Inscribed Noble Topaz 

As far as yellow gems go, Etched Fire Opal is used to get your required hit rating. Inscribed Pyrestone, Enscribed Fire Opal or Inscribed Noble Topaz are used to complete any socket bonuses that seem worth getting. Outside of those, you should fill all yellow sockets with red gems.

We only use blue sockets to activate our meta gem. You should only use as many blue gems as required for your meta gem and fill the rest with red gems.

Enchants

You may need to adjust your enchants to your gear. 

• Head: Glyph of Ferocity
• Shoulder: Greater Inscription of the Blade or Greater Inscription of Vengeance 
• Back: Enchant Cloak – Greater Agility 
• Chest: Enchant Chest – Exceptional Stats 
• Bracers: Enchant Bracer – Brawn 
• Gloves: Enchant Gloves – Major Strength
• Legs: Nethercobra Leg Armor 
• Boots: Enchant Boots – Dexterity or Enchant Boots – Cat’s Swiftness 
• Weapon: Enchant Weapon – Mongoose or possibly Enchant Weapon – Executioner

If you have enchanting, Enchant Ring – Stats is really good to have on both rings.

BiS gear list

• Head: Coif of Alleria
• Shoulder: Demontooth Shoulderpads
• Cloak: Cloak of Unforgivable Sin
• Chest: Bladed Chaos Tunic
• Bracers: Lightbringer Bands
• Gloves: Thalassian Ranger Gauntlets
• Waist: Lightbringer Girdle
• Legs: Leggings of the Immortal Night
• Boots: Lightbringer Boots
• Weapon: Apolyon, the Soul-Render
• Libram: Libram of Avengement for Horde, Alliance should swap to Libram of Divine Judgement
• Neck: Hard Khorium Choker
• Ring: Band of Ruinous Delight
• Ring: Hard Khorium Band
• Trinket: Blackened Naaru Sliver
• Trinket – Shard of Contempt

If you are interested in a Pre-Raid Bis gear list for your Ret Paladin, check out our guide here.

Stat Priority

• Hit (9%, 3% from Precision talent)
• weapon speed of 3.5 or higher

If you are a part of the Alliance you will be using Seal of Command. Your stat priority will be:

1. Strength
2. Armor Penetration
3. Haste

If you are a part of the Horde you will be using Seal of Blood. Your stat priority will be:

1. Strength
2. Haste
3. Armor Penetration

The priority is different because Seal of Blood benefits more from haste while Seal of Command benefits more from Armor Pen.

Rotation

Maintain  Seal of Blood / Seal of Command to keep them up all the time.

Spam Crusader Strike and Judgement on cooldown.

If you have the excess mana and time you can use Consecration. This skill is not very useful on boss fights but can be helpful on the trash before bosses.

During a fight you should use Sanctity Aura although sometimes you will be required to use Devotion Aura.

Professions

• Leatherworking – Allows you to craft Nethercobra Leg Armor which are great leg enchants. You can also further increase your raid utility by crafting Drums of Battle.
• Enchanting – Allows you to Enchant Ring – Stats on each ring for a total of 8 extra stats.
• Alchemy – Assassin’s Alchemist Stone is useful at first but will replaced soon enough. You will also be able to make Flask of Relentless Assault, Elixir of Demonslaying, or Haste Potion which can be very useful.