World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Protection Paladin: PvP
How Protection Paladin fights other players in the open world: where it ranks on the PvP tier lists, and why.
Forecast. Rated from the client data and our research, before anyone has played it at this level on this build. Where the data stops, the write-up says what it assumed. Rated as of , build 1.60.1.70450.
Battlegrounds are not rated yet; builds, matchups and battleground roles are being written for this spec. Honor, ranks, gear and the battlegrounds themselves are on PvP in World of Warcraft: Forever.
Verdict
- At 60
- Ranked 25 of 28 on Open-World PvP
Templar's Bulwark, 
Divine Shield and block hold off a gank or a duo for a long time, but it kills nobody and cannot leave. - While leveling
- Ranked 26 of 28 on Open-World PvP Leveling
Toughness and 
Redoubt by 19, Sacred Duty at 20 and Bulwark at 30 make it hard to kill, but it has no damage and cannot start or end a fight. - Battlegrounds
- Not rated yet.
Profile
The rubric the lists score on, 1 to 5 on each line, with the weight each line carries. The class’s other specs are shown at 60 for comparison.
| Criterion | Weight | At 60 | While leveling | Holy | Retribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burst and kill pressure | 25 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Survival and escapes | 20 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Control | 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Fighting outnumbered | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Choosing the fight | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Sustain between fights | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Group fights | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Weighted score | 2.70 | 2.35 | 2.90 | 3.20 |
Strengths and weaknesses
At 60
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Templar's Bulwark absorbs 100% of max health | Lowest burst of the class |
Divine Shield and  Divine Protection with Sacred Duty | No gap closer |
| Holds two attackers | Any fast target kites it |
| Mana back from blocks |  Hammer of Justice is the only control |
| Holds a point while alive | No slow or interrupt |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP
Protection has the lowest damage of any Paladin: 
Holy Shield (level 40 talent, +30% block for 10 s, 110 Holy damage per block), 
Seal of Fury, 
Reckoning's extra attacks and 
Holy Strike with 
Iron Creed. Its only control is Hammer of Justice, which Improved Hammer of Justice puts on a 45 s cooldown for a 6 s stun. 
Guardian's Favor gives Blessing of Protection a 3 minute cooldown and Freedom 16 s. It has no slow and no interrupt.
Templar's Bulwark (level 30, 8 s) absorbs damage equal to 100% of maximum health, on top of Divine Shield and Divine Protection, and Sacred Duty cuts each of those cooldowns by 60 s. Forbearance still limits chaining. Block, 
Consecration, Holy Shield and Bulwark hold two attackers, but it can neither kill nor escape them, and any fast or ranged target kites it. 
Shield Specialization restores 4% max mana per block every 3 s, and it can hold a point or a flag-carrier chase while alive.
It is not C because it cannot kill anyone and cannot start, end or avoid a fight: it has one stun, no gap closer and only a mount for speed. 2.70 is 0.05 short of C.
While leveling
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Toughness and Redoubt by 19 | Low damage from the start |
| Templar's Bulwark at 30 | Hammer of Justice is the only control |
| Consecration at 20 | No engage |
| Shield Specialization mana from blocks | Cannot end a fight |
| Divine Shield at 34 | Freedom only for a group |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP Leveling
Protection's damage is low from the start, with Seal of Fury at 10 giving a shield. Hammer of Justice at 8 is its only control, as for 
Holy. Guardian's Favor at 15 helps its blessings, and Improved Hammer of Justice at 25 gives the 45 s stun.
Toughness and Redoubt by 19, Sacred Duty at 20, Templar's Bulwark at 30 and Divine Shield at 34 build its survival. Consecration at 20 and 
Righteous Fury hold more than one attacker, and Bulwark improves that at 30. It has no engage. Shield Specialization at 20 to 25 restores mana on a block, and Freedom at 18 is its only group tool.
It is not C because it has no damage, one control tool and no engage, and it can only wait for a fight. 2.35 is 0.40 short of C.
Leveling timeline
The level each of Protection’s PvP tools arrives. A talent shows at the earliest level a point can reach it; the Talented Legacy perk brings talents 5 levels sooner.
- Level 6 Divine Protection
- Level 8 Hammer of Justice,
Purify - Level 10 Blessing of Protection,
Lay on Hands - Level 18
Blessing of Freedom - Level 20 Consecration
- Level 22
Seal of Justice - Level 34 Divine Shield
- Level 40 Holy Shield (talent)
- Level 42
Cleanse - Level 46
Blessing of Sacrifice
Races
The Paladin’s races as Races PvP ranks them, best first.
Alliance
Human: 
Will to Survive is the only full stun break in the game, and 
Ruthless and 
Perception add steady crit and stealth detection.
Dwarf: 
Stoneform is the strongest defensive racial of any race, and the widest class choice helps, but burst and mobility are the weakest.
Horde
Undead: 
Will of the Forsaken breaks fear and charm and 
Touch of the Grave drains in combat, but it has the weakest burst and no mobility.
What we don’t know yet
At 60
Rated on assumptions:
- The level-60 build, including Holy Shield at 40 and Sacred Duty, is projected from the tree and client data. Nothing past the beta cap of 30 has been played.
- Improved Hammer of Justice (−15 s at 3/3) and Guardian's Favor values come from the client's talent texts.
- Diminishing returns on Forever stuns, incapacitates and fears are not documented.
What would move it: Documentation of how Forbearance and Bulwark interact in PvP, or Holy Shield damage measured high enough to threaten a player.
While leveling
Rated on assumptions:
- Holy Shield at 40 is projected from the own tree; Improved Hammer of Justice at 25 (−15 s at 3/3) and Sacred Duty at 20 are client talent levels. Levels 31 to 60 are projected; nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Divine Shield at 34 is client data and unplayed.
What would move it: Play past 30 showing Holy Shield at 40 adding real damage, or a way to end a fight.