Speakingofweaknesses,we'llalsoneedtopickupAvenger'sShield,whichisprettymuchtheonlyrangedpullingabilitywe'vegot.It'sbeenbuffedtobeinstantcast,dealmoredamage,anditsdazeeffectextendedto10seconds.Weliketheinstantcastandhigherdamage,buttheslowisjusttoomuchicingonthecake.OneoftheworstpartsaboutpullingwithAvenger'sShieldisthewaitbetweenthepullandthemobfinallygettingtoyou.Goodthingalotofbossesareimmunetodazemechanics.AlsoontheninthtierisTouchedbytheLight,whichconvertsourStaminatospellpower.WecanstoprollingonallthoseMageswordsnow.Withthistalentalone,everythingchanges,aswe'llbelookingtosharegearwithProtectionWarriorsandbenefitfromthesamemitigationandthesameStaminawithoutourthreat-whichisbasedoffspellpower-takingahit.Italsohasahealingbonuscomponentwhichisreallyjustgravy.
Bynow,mostreaderswho'vereadmypostshaveseenmeproselytizeaboutJudgements.ProtectionPaladinshaveneverhadaprobleminsertingitintothespellrotation,butJudgementsoftheJustontiertenmakesitallthemoresweet.Judgingtotakelesshits?Yesplease.ShieldoftheTemplarisgreatandall,butreally,we'llskipit.Bynowyoushouldalreadybefeelingthebloat,andwe'llneedtosetasidefivepointsforDeflectionontheRetributiontree.
We'realsogoingtopickupDivineStrengthonthistier,whichwasmovedfromtheHolytree.It'simportanttonotethatprettymucheverythingweusescalesoffattackpowernow,too,somoreStrengthmeansmorepain.Andmorepainmeansmorethreat.Strengthalsocontributestoblockvalue,sowe'llbelookingtogetStrengthinourgear,too.We'reskippingStoicismandGuardian'sFavor,bothmoreusefulinPvPthanactuallytankinganything.Instead,we'llgrabfivepointsofAnticipation,whichwasmoveduptotiertwoandreworkedtoconferDodge.We'repickingeverythinguponthethirdtier,likethenerfedImprovedRighteousFury.
Isaynerfedbecausethethreatcomponentwasremoved,soitdoesn'tfeellikeit'sasvaluableastheoldversion.Trustme,though-youwon'tmissit.We'llalsogetToughness,whichwasmovedhereinaswapwithAnticipation.Toughnesswasbuffedtoreducethedurationofmovementimpairingeffects,whichisprettycool.ImprovedDevotionAurawasmoveddownherefromthefirsttierandbuffedwithanawesomehealingbonus.ThisisafantasticraidbuffthatprettymuchsealsthedealforDevotionAuraastheauraofchoiceforProtection.
NomoreofthatRetributionAuranonsense.LeavethatforthoseRetadins.Well,maybesometimes.ImprovedHammerofJusticeandDivineGuardian?Skipthemboth.Mostbossesareimmunetostunsandyoureallydon'tneedtotakeanymoredamagethanyouhaveto.BotharegreatforPvP,though,butwe'llneedallthepointswecangetdeeperintothetree.Iknow,wewishReckoningwouldactuallywork,butwe'llskipitherejustlikeweusedtobeforethepatch.It'sunchanged,soitscalesbadlywithgear-thebetteryouravoidance,thelessitwillproc-andyoudon'twantmorechancesforbossestoparryyou.
BlessingofSanctuary,alsoonthefifthtier,isthesinglemostbeautifultalentintheentiretree.No,really.It'ssoprettythatallyourraid'stankswillbegyoutoputitonthem.Nowthis,myfriends,isatalentthatscaleswithgear.Yes,itlostitsdamagecomponent,butagain...youwon'tmissit.Youwillcastit,youwilltakeonmanyenemies,andyouwillgomadfromthesheerjoyitbringswheneveritprocs.
One-HandedWeaponSpecializationwasbuffedtogive10%moredamagefrom5%.RememberwhenIsaidyou'llbemostlygeneratingthreatfromyourDPS?Wellhere'syour10%addedthreatrighthere.You'llalsowanttopickupSacredDutybecause-justincaseyouhaven'theard-itnowincludesDivineProtection,whichisthePaladinversionofShieldWall.Doesthatrock?Yes,itdoes.TheaddedStaminawillcomeinhandylateron.Ontotierseven.ObviouslywehavetopickupHolyShield,right?It'sbeenbuffedwithmorecharges,moredamage,andalowercooldown.Itwasessentialthen,it'sessentialnow.Noticehowtheaddedthreathasbeenremovedfromthespell-it'sallrolledin,sodon'tworryaboutit.We'llgetArdentDefender,too.Whenabossgetsanunluckycrit,ourhealersaregoingtoneedallthehelptheycanget.
TheeighthtierwillgiveusCombatExpertise.Wewantthis.It'salsobeenbuffedtograntcritinadditiontothe6%Stamina(downfrom10%beforethepatch).Thecritseemstoonlyworkformeleehits-Ican'tconfirmthisbutwe'rereallyaftertheexpertiseandtheStamina,anyway.Thecritisamerelyabonusforourthreat.Redoubtfromthefirsttierwasmoveddeephereandnowgrantsabase30%additionalchancetoblock.Wewantthis,too,forobviousreasons.That'ssixpointsspentontiereight.Ontheninthtierwe'vegotGuardedbytheLight,whichreducesthemanacostofourkeytankingspells.That'scoolandall,butthe6%spelldamagereductioniswhatreallysealsthedeal.Wecanblock,parry,ordodgeprettymuchanything...exceptspells.Thistalentgivessomeaddedmitigationagainstoneofourprimaryweaknesses.
Tags:Patch3.0.2