World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Retribution Paladin: PvP
How Retribution 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 13 of 28 on Open-World PvP
Hammer of Justice or 
Repentance into a double-damage 
Judgement, with immunities to survive, but no slow, no interrupt and no way to close. - While leveling
- Ranked 10 of 28 on Open-World PvP Leveling
Hammer of Justice at 8,
Seal of Command at 20 and Repentance at 30, with immunities to survive, but no gap closer and weak against two. - 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 | Protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burst and kill pressure | 25 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Survival and escapes | 20 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Control | 15 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Fighting outnumbered | 15 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Choosing the fight | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Sustain between fights | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Group fights | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Weighted score | 3.20 | 2.95 | 2.90 | 2.70 |
Strengths and weaknesses
At 60
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Hammer of Justice and Repentance openers | No gap closer |
| Double-damage Judgement of Command | No slow or interrupt |
 Divine Shield,  Divine Protection and  Lay on Hands | Two controls a minute |
 Eye for an Eye | Tight mana |
| Freedom answers roots | 5% hybrid damage cut |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP
Retribution opens with Hammer of Justice (6 s at 54) or Repentance (6 s on a Humanoid, 1 minute cooldown), then Judgement of Command, which does double damage to a stunned or incapacitated target. 
Sacred Arbiter adds 20% to 
Holy Strike and Judgement, 
Hammer of Wrath finishes below 20% health, and 
Vengeance stacks three times at 3% after crits. The 5% hybrid cut and nerfs on 24 Sep, 1 Oct and 15 Oct lower the ceiling. Control is two stuns a minute, 
Seal of Justice to stop fleeing and Freedom for roots, with no slow and no interrupt.
Divine Protection (8 s), Divine Shield (12 s), Lay on Hands and Eye for an Eye make it hard to kill, though Forbearance stops the immunities chaining. Against three players it has 
Consecration and one stun, so the answer is an immunity and then leaving. It has no gap closer, so targets kite it, and Charger and 
Pursuit of Justice at +15% are its only speed. 
Holy Light, 
Flash of Light and Lay on Hands restore it between fights, but mana is tight.
It is not B because it cannot catch a target that runs, has no slow or interrupt, and has little against two or more players. 3.20 is 0.05 short of B.
While leveling
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Hammer of Justice at 8 | No gap closer |
| Seal of Command double Judgement at 20 | Poor against two at every level |
| Repentance at 30 | No slow or interrupt |
| Divine Protection, Lay on Hands and Divine Shield | Burst waits until 20 |
| Freedom at 18 | Little group value |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP Leveling
Hammer of Justice at 8 (3 s) and 24 (4 s) is the first reliable control. Seal of Command with a double-damage Judgement arrives at 20, Seal of Justice at 22, Sacred Arbiter at 25, Repentance at 30 and Vengeance between 30 and 35. Hammer of Wrath comes at 44, so burst is modest until about 20.
Divine Protection at 6 and 18, Lay on Hands at 10, Eye for an Eye at 25 and Divine Shield at 34 give it good survival. It is poor against two attackers at every level, with only Consecration at 20. Pursuit of Justice at 20 and Warhorse at 40 are the only speed, and it has no gap closer. Seal of Command costs drop with 
Benediction by 19, Lay on Hands and Flash of Light recover it, and Freedom at 18 is the only group tool.
It is not B because it is poor against two attackers throughout, cannot catch a runner, and has no burst before 20. 2.95 is 0.30 short of B.
Leveling timeline
The level each of Retribution’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 Seal of Command (talent), Consecration
- Level 22 Seal of Justice
- Level 30 Repentance (talent)
- Level 34 Divine Shield
- 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 Hammer of Justice rank 4 at 54 and Hammer of Wrath ranks, is projected from client data. Nothing past the beta cap of 30 has been played.
- Whether Divine Shield, Divine Protection and Blessing of Protection chain is limited only by Forbearance is read from tooltips and untested.
- Diminishing returns on Forever stuns, incapacitates and fears are not documented.
What would move it: Diminishing returns being documented, a slow or gap closer being added, or play past 30 showing Repentance burst as projected.
While leveling
Rated on assumptions:
- Hammer of Justice rank 3 at 40, Hammer of Wrath at 44 and Warhorse at 40 are client data and unplayed. Levels 31 to 60 are projected; nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Talent arrival levels past 30 (Vengeance, Sacred Arbiter's later effects) are projected from the own tree.
What would move it: Play past 30 showing Repentance and Vengeance lifting its burst as projected, or a change that helps it against two.