As of today, September 20th, a series of nerfs have hit to most Firelands bosses, on normal and heroic. There were smaller, more specific nerfs to some boss abilitites, in addition to blanket 20% Dmg and Health and 15% Dmg and Health on normal and heroic, respectively. My guild is 2/7 HM and I for one, am not tickled with these nerfs. Granted some of my exasperation is with the troubles that my own guild has had that have prevented us from performing on a level that we have grown accustomed to, but my primary anger is directed towards Blizzard in this case. Hardmodes should be left alone.2011/09/20
4.2 Nerfs
As of today, September 20th, a series of nerfs have hit to most Firelands bosses, on normal and heroic. There were smaller, more specific nerfs to some boss abilitites, in addition to blanket 20% Dmg and Health and 15% Dmg and Health on normal and heroic, respectively. My guild is 2/7 HM and I for one, am not tickled with these nerfs. Granted some of my exasperation is with the troubles that my own guild has had that have prevented us from performing on a level that we have grown accustomed to, but my primary anger is directed towards Blizzard in this case. Hardmodes should be left alone.
2011/09/14
Rogue Legendary
In an interview with the lead producer of WoW, J. Allen Brack, it was announced that the next legendary may be a dagger for rogues. The exact quotes are as follows:
There's one more piece which is an announcement that we're releasing a rogue legendary weapon. Specific for rogues, so it will be a dagger. There will be some sort of quest, traditionally we've done these quests that players need to participate in order to create the legendary weapon in this case we'll be focusing on rogues that will try to make that happen......We haven't decided on the name and how it's going to work, we just know that we really want a legendary weapon to come out of this tier and we really want it to be a rogue dagger. That's really all we know at this point.2011/09/13
Cooldowns
As Ret pallies, any hope of relevance or even presence in a hardcore raiding environment is hindered on our cooldowns, and how well we use them. In fact, this is my biggest beef with our rotation. The fact that, in order to finish a fight with comparable numbers to classes with a little more to them, we have to hope that our high burst of cooldowns will balance our sustained dps, which, suffice to say, has been dwelling in mediocrity for longer than I care to remember. While we can't expect a major change to this crippling set of mechanics any time soon, we should master our cooldowns and how to use them while we can.
2011/09/11
Censure and Apologies
Took a bit of a break there. With the start of school I've been really busy (go figure, right?) so haven't been able to keep working on making this blog SEMI??!? legit but, I've found myself with a free Saturday night and hot news so away we go!
First off....OH MY GOD RET GOT A BUFF! BLIZZARD DOES KNOW THIS SPEC EXISTS!....phew. Had to get that off my chest. That was the immediate, and quite loud, reaction I had when stumbled into MMO Champ last night and saw the post. To be exact:
Bless you. Sufficient to say I agree that Ret's DPS was worrisome. Well...is worrisome, but I am not one to not be grateful! I think that the Censure buff was a quick, tide-us-over fix for the issue that our dps is seriously gimped in terms of sustainability. Our friends at elitist jerks have been calling this anything from an overall 3% dps increase to 5% to oh what an incredible buff this is! My assessment from spending some time on dummies this afternoon is that its somewhere in the middle. I'll have to take a closer look over the weekend and then again at the logs on Tuesday. I am happy with the buff though, not so much for the minimal change it will bring, but that it shows that Blizzard does recognize Ret's serious fall from grace and that all of us who remember the dear, dear ICC days would like for a sort of step back as opposed to further step forewards.
The small quip about HOW was a fascinating insight into the direction Blizz is considering taking Ret in. The main issue with Ret currently is that, other than a mediocre and mana leeching AOE, our single-target DPS is low. This is mainly because, while our burst damage is very strong (around 2nd or 3rd behind Arcane and occasionally Rogues) we have very low sustainability. Lobster, a very active poster on the pally forums from the Cry Havoc guild on Bonechewer, posted a series on screenshots in one of his post. One showing his DPS around 40/50 seconds into a fight (high/1st) and then 2 minute later (lowish/last), which, in my opinion, was a perfect example of the prime fault of Ret's DPS. Hopefully by spreading our procs damage around among some of our general rotation, we can get a little more sustainability and a little less reliance on procs. They will, however, need to take care not to steal so much of HOW's damage that it becomes obsolete itself.
In conclusion, I am indeed HAPPYHAPPYHAPPY with the buff and the promise for more in the future. Ret, it seems, is a spec on the rise. Rejoice! And expect more posts in the future. I swear I'm getting better at this :P.
First off....OH MY GOD RET GOT A BUFF! BLIZZARD DOES KNOW THIS SPEC EXISTS!....phew. Had to get that off my chest. That was the immediate, and quite loud, reaction I had when stumbled into MMO Champ last night and saw the post. To be exact:
Bless you. Sufficient to say I agree that Ret's DPS was worrisome. Well...is worrisome, but I am not one to not be grateful! I think that the Censure buff was a quick, tide-us-over fix for the issue that our dps is seriously gimped in terms of sustainability. Our friends at elitist jerks have been calling this anything from an overall 3% dps increase to 5% to oh what an incredible buff this is! My assessment from spending some time on dummies this afternoon is that its somewhere in the middle. I'll have to take a closer look over the weekend and then again at the logs on Tuesday. I am happy with the buff though, not so much for the minimal change it will bring, but that it shows that Blizzard does recognize Ret's serious fall from grace and that all of us who remember the dear, dear ICC days would like for a sort of step back as opposed to further step forewards.
The small quip about HOW was a fascinating insight into the direction Blizz is considering taking Ret in. The main issue with Ret currently is that, other than a mediocre and mana leeching AOE, our single-target DPS is low. This is mainly because, while our burst damage is very strong (around 2nd or 3rd behind Arcane and occasionally Rogues) we have very low sustainability. Lobster, a very active poster on the pally forums from the Cry Havoc guild on Bonechewer, posted a series on screenshots in one of his post. One showing his DPS around 40/50 seconds into a fight (high/1st) and then 2 minute later (lowish/last), which, in my opinion, was a perfect example of the prime fault of Ret's DPS. Hopefully by spreading our procs damage around among some of our general rotation, we can get a little more sustainability and a little less reliance on procs. They will, however, need to take care not to steal so much of HOW's damage that it becomes obsolete itself.
In conclusion, I am indeed HAPPYHAPPYHAPPY with the buff and the promise for more in the future. Ret, it seems, is a spec on the rise. Rejoice! And expect more posts in the future. I swear I'm getting better at this :P.
2011/08/16
Lord Rhyolith as Retribution
This ancient elemental has an interesting sense of humor and drives like a semi, but can be relatively simple for the right group. Listen to the calls of your driver, or make the right ones if you're behind the wheel, and you'll have an easy time on this encounter. As always, keep eyes on your feet for avoidable damage, and time your cooldowns correctly, and you will have a fun time on this rock Lord here. So buckle up (bad joke, I know) and get ready for Lord Rhyolith. As with all posts on bosses in Firelands, I will assume you already have knowledge of the strategy and mechanics of the fight. For information on this fight and more, visit learntoraid.com for the best guides on the web.2011/08/15
Beth'tilac as Retribution
The next boss in my series on Retribution in Firelands in Beth'tilac. This spidery villain may seem simple, but her abilities, while straightforeward, can be devistating to an unprepared raid. Whether above the web or below it, Beth'tilac provides an interesting test for any Ret Paladin, looking to move further into the Firelands. As with all posts on bosses in Firelands, I will assume you already have knowledge of the strategy and mechanics of the fight. For information on this fight and more, visit learntoraid.com for the best guides on the web.Shannox as Retribution
The typical first fight for any group entering Firelands, Shannox won't be much of a challenge for a capable group. If you watch where you step and manage your cooldowns, this shouldn't be to big of a test for a Ret Pally. So sit back, relax, and flex those DPS muscles. As with all posts on bosses in Firelands, I will assume you already have knowledge of the strategy and mechanics of the fight. For information on this fight and more, visit learntoraid.com for the best guides on the web.Ret in Firelands.
I'm back! I took an initial stab at this blogging jazz and feel that it's time for me to get back in the game. Starting now, I will begin to write a series of posts regarding the role of a Ret Paladin on every fight in the Firelands, based on my own experiences. I will dip into thoughts regarding cooldown timing, strategy, and all the information that you will need to know to do your job well in FL.
2011/02/04
Retribution Stats
With the addition of reforging added with Cataclysm, a players stats and cap(s) become a lot easier to customize and move around in order to make the gear you have work with its self. Below are the stat priorities. Please remember that this list will indeed vary depending on the gear available to you, not to mention your level.
2011/01/19
Retribution Talents
Talent Points are at the very core of what you do and how you perform as a player and as a Paladin. How you spend them can take you in one of many directions.
The Retribution tree is, and almost always has been, rather cookie cutter. While with Cata's release we did get some opportunities to sort of find our own way through the last few talents of the tree, even there the debates on which talents to take can be rather 1 sided.
Below, I will go through all talents in the Ret tree of any interest, and then go into the specs as a whole.
Retribution Abilities
Keep in mind that there are indeed more Paladin abilities than the ones that I list here, however any that I don't list is because I don't find them to be useful or pertinent to the spec in question.
Offensive Abilities:
Crusader Strike (CS) - The most basic of a Paladins DPS abilities. For Ret, Crusader Strike is one of the top damage dealers. It generates one holy power, unless Zealotry is active (see below). Use whenever available.
Offensive Abilities:
Crusader Strike (CS) - The most basic of a Paladins DPS abilities. For Ret, Crusader Strike is one of the top damage dealers. It generates one holy power, unless Zealotry is active (see below). Use whenever available.
Judgement (Judge) - Another classic Paladin ability that is used in conjunction with a Paladin's seals (see "Seals" below). With the correct Talent Spec, judgeing a target will set of a series of buffs to the Paladin, notably Judgements of the Pure and Long Arm of the Law. Can generate holy power.
Divine Storm (DS) - This represents the core of a Ret Paladin's Dps abilities. Sharing a cooldown with Crusader Strike, Divine Storm is best used with trash or add pulls of 3 or more. Can generate holy power.
Templar's Verdict (TV) - The primary damage dealer for most Ret Paladins at the moment, Teplar's Verdict is one of two spells with which Ret Paladins us Holy Power on a regular basis. It's damage increases per holy power that the Paladin has when using. Try to only use with 3.
Hammer of Wrath (HoW) - Another primary source of damage when available, Hammer of Wrath is an instant spell that does very high amounts of damage on a short cool down. However, it is only usable when the target is below 20% health, or when Avenging Wrath (see below) is used and talented correctly.
Exorcism (Exo) - Like HoW, Exorcism is a high damaging, sometimes instant spell. When the talent The Art of War procs, Exorcism becomes instant and does significant damage. When this happens, it should be used quickly. Can generate holy power.
Holy Wrath (HW) - An AOE ability, it is the fourth primary holy power generator for Ret Paladins. Significantly more useful when used near multiple targets, one should think twice before using while single-targeting. Can generate Holy Power.
Consecration (Con) - An AOE ability, Consecration puts down a fiery circle of holy energy beneath the feet of the Paladin, damaging all that stand in it. Again, really only useful when used on 3 or more targets, use carefully as it can leave you with very little mana, crippling you.
Cooldowns:
Avenging Wrath (wings) - WINGS!! A classic Paladin cooldown, this buff increases your damage and healing done by 20% for 20 seconds. Also, when talented, enables the use of Hammer of Wrath. Usually nice to pop early in a fight so that you can get a good jump on damage and so that you have the opportunity to use it later in the fight.
Zealotry (Zeal) - Zealotry is an interesting ability that requires 3 holy power to use (yet does not consume them). While Zealotry is active, using Crusader Strike gives 3 Holy Power, making your rotation (assuming Inquisition is up, see below) CS, TV, CS, TV and so on.
Guardian of Ancient Kings (GoAK) - The ability to summon your guardian comes at level 85. While it acts differently for each spec, for retribution it summons an Ancient Crusader, which fights alongside you and grants you Ancient Power whenever he strikes. When the Guardian's time is up, you release your stacks of Ancient Power, dealing damage to all targets near you, based on your stacks.
Defensive Abilities & Buffs:
Inquisition (Inq) - A buff that is at the core of a Ret Paladin's rotation. With the talent Inquiry of Faith the spells length is increased to 30 seconds with 3 charges of holy power. (10 seconds for 1. math r hard.) For optimal dps, this should be kept up continuously. In long fights especially it will, inevitably, fall off, however even if you only have 1 holy power you should use it, and then use holy power generating abilities in those 10 seconds so that you are ready to re-apply it again.
Seal of Truth (SoT) - This will be the primary seal for doing damage on a Paladin. Seal of Truth applies a dot to the target called Censure, which does a significant amount of damage to the target. Should always be up, which isn't too hard to do as it lasts half an hour.
Hand of Salvation (Salv) - A Paladin has a series of utility abilities called "Hands", the most useful of which to Retribution is Salvation. Salv simply lowers the threat that you do, so that you avoid pulling a mob or, even worse, boss off of the tank. I recommend using to start a fight when you are using cool downs, and whenever you see yourself getting close to pulling threat.
Hand of Freedom (HoF) - Another "Hand", Freedom frees you from any slowing abilities, making it extremely useful in all parts of the game. If you need to get away from that damn mage or just need to hustle out of that slowing green goo that the boss put right under you, pop this baby.
Divine Shield (DS) - Ahh the bubble. A Paladin's trademark ability. Very useful in both PVP and PVE, the bubble makes the Paladin immune to all damage for 8 seconds, though reduces your damage by 50%. Useful to dump threat or to save you if you're in a jam.
Divine Protection (DP) - Divine Protection is a simple ability that reduces all damage taken by 20% for 10 seconds. If you can anticipate an upcoming spike in damage, using this might make things a little easier on your healers.
Lay on Hands (LoH) - Lay on Hands is a huge instant heal that will usually return you or your target to full health. Best saved for situations where death is imminent, if you see yourself or someone else dropping dangerously low on heath, throw this their way.
Divine Storm (DS) - This represents the core of a Ret Paladin's Dps abilities. Sharing a cooldown with Crusader Strike, Divine Storm is best used with trash or add pulls of 3 or more. Can generate holy power.
Templar's Verdict (TV) - The primary damage dealer for most Ret Paladins at the moment, Teplar's Verdict is one of two spells with which Ret Paladins us Holy Power on a regular basis. It's damage increases per holy power that the Paladin has when using. Try to only use with 3.
Hammer of Wrath (HoW) - Another primary source of damage when available, Hammer of Wrath is an instant spell that does very high amounts of damage on a short cool down. However, it is only usable when the target is below 20% health, or when Avenging Wrath (see below) is used and talented correctly.
Exorcism (Exo) - Like HoW, Exorcism is a high damaging, sometimes instant spell. When the talent The Art of War procs, Exorcism becomes instant and does significant damage. When this happens, it should be used quickly. Can generate holy power.
Holy Wrath (HW) - An AOE ability, it is the fourth primary holy power generator for Ret Paladins. Significantly more useful when used near multiple targets, one should think twice before using while single-targeting. Can generate Holy Power.
Consecration (Con) - An AOE ability, Consecration puts down a fiery circle of holy energy beneath the feet of the Paladin, damaging all that stand in it. Again, really only useful when used on 3 or more targets, use carefully as it can leave you with very little mana, crippling you.
Cooldowns:
Avenging Wrath (wings) - WINGS!! A classic Paladin cooldown, this buff increases your damage and healing done by 20% for 20 seconds. Also, when talented, enables the use of Hammer of Wrath. Usually nice to pop early in a fight so that you can get a good jump on damage and so that you have the opportunity to use it later in the fight.
Zealotry (Zeal) - Zealotry is an interesting ability that requires 3 holy power to use (yet does not consume them). While Zealotry is active, using Crusader Strike gives 3 Holy Power, making your rotation (assuming Inquisition is up, see below) CS, TV, CS, TV and so on.
Guardian of Ancient Kings (GoAK) - The ability to summon your guardian comes at level 85. While it acts differently for each spec, for retribution it summons an Ancient Crusader, which fights alongside you and grants you Ancient Power whenever he strikes. When the Guardian's time is up, you release your stacks of Ancient Power, dealing damage to all targets near you, based on your stacks.
Defensive Abilities & Buffs:
Inquisition (Inq) - A buff that is at the core of a Ret Paladin's rotation. With the talent Inquiry of Faith the spells length is increased to 30 seconds with 3 charges of holy power. (10 seconds for 1. math r hard.) For optimal dps, this should be kept up continuously. In long fights especially it will, inevitably, fall off, however even if you only have 1 holy power you should use it, and then use holy power generating abilities in those 10 seconds so that you are ready to re-apply it again.
Seal of Truth (SoT) - This will be the primary seal for doing damage on a Paladin. Seal of Truth applies a dot to the target called Censure, which does a significant amount of damage to the target. Should always be up, which isn't too hard to do as it lasts half an hour.
Hand of Salvation (Salv) - A Paladin has a series of utility abilities called "Hands", the most useful of which to Retribution is Salvation. Salv simply lowers the threat that you do, so that you avoid pulling a mob or, even worse, boss off of the tank. I recommend using to start a fight when you are using cool downs, and whenever you see yourself getting close to pulling threat.
Hand of Freedom (HoF) - Another "Hand", Freedom frees you from any slowing abilities, making it extremely useful in all parts of the game. If you need to get away from that damn mage or just need to hustle out of that slowing green goo that the boss put right under you, pop this baby.
Divine Shield (DS) - Ahh the bubble. A Paladin's trademark ability. Very useful in both PVP and PVE, the bubble makes the Paladin immune to all damage for 8 seconds, though reduces your damage by 50%. Useful to dump threat or to save you if you're in a jam.
Divine Protection (DP) - Divine Protection is a simple ability that reduces all damage taken by 20% for 10 seconds. If you can anticipate an upcoming spike in damage, using this might make things a little easier on your healers.
Lay on Hands (LoH) - Lay on Hands is a huge instant heal that will usually return you or your target to full health. Best saved for situations where death is imminent, if you see yourself or someone else dropping dangerously low on heath, throw this their way.
Starting!
Hi there!
I'm Argorath and have played a Paladin in World of Warcraft for around 5 years now. I've always been a big fan of reading the perspectives of other players but I was never very vocal in the various wow communities that I watch so diligently. Now, however, I want to start contributing myself, and I hope that the information that I offer will be beneficial to you in some way. Thanks for visiting!
Argo
I'm Argorath and have played a Paladin in World of Warcraft for around 5 years now. I've always been a big fan of reading the perspectives of other players but I was never very vocal in the various wow communities that I watch so diligently. Now, however, I want to start contributing myself, and I hope that the information that I offer will be beneficial to you in some way. Thanks for visiting!
Argo
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