World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Holy Paladin
Healer
Flash of Light for most healing, Holy Light for big hits, 
Holy Shock when you must move. Rated at or near the top healer of the beta.
Holy heals with three spells: Flash of Light for efficient, steady healing, Holy Light when someone is in real danger, and Holy Shock as an instant heal on a 10-second cooldown. Holy Shock and Flash of Light crits make your next Holy Light a second faster (Infusion of Light), and Reverence keeps 30% of your mana regeneration going while you cast. From 40, Light's Vigil turns Holy Shock into a party heal. The spec is strong one-on-one and weakest when a whole group takes damage before 40.
Strengths and weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Strong one-on-one healing with efficient Flash of Light and big Holy Light | Weakest when a whole group takes damage before 40 |
| Instant Holy Shock heals while moving | No curse removal, so another class must cover curses |
| Reverence keeps 30% of mana regeneration going while casting | Downranking pays off less, so rank choice needs care |
| Illumination refunds half the base cost on crit heals | Little damage of its own; healing power gives only a third as much spell damage |
| Light's Vigil from 40 turns Holy Shock into a party heal |
Stat priority
- Healing power
- Intellect
- MP5
- Critical strike
- Spirit
- Stamina
Healing power also gives one third as much spell damage. Hit doesn't affect heals. MP5 ranks above crit because MP5 keeps flowing while you cast; Reverence lets 30% of Spirit regeneration continue too. At level 30 the simple list is healing and Intellect, then Stamina.
Do this
- Make Flash of Light your default. Holy Light is for danger or an Infusion of Light proc.
- Spend Holy Shock crits wisely: a Holy Shock or Flash of Light crit speeds up your next Holy Light, but a Holy Light crit does not chain into another.
- Illumination refunds half the base cost on a crit heal in Forever (Classic refunded all of it).
- Keep Judgement of Light or Wisdom on bosses. They last 40 seconds now, and a Ret Paladin refreshes them for you.
Watch out for
- Downranking costs more than it did in Classic: ranks far below your level get less from healing power and proc talents less often. Pick ranks by their real heal and cost, not a Classic list.
- Champion of the Light never added healing. Don't spend Ret points on it for a Holy build.
- Seal of Light heals you when you hit, not your group; its Judgement is what helps the group.
- No curse removal: a Mage or Druid has to cover curses.