Levelling a Paladin Questions

[fatboy]

I am leveling up a Paladin for the first time and just reached 52.  I have specced Retribution because I had read that is the best leveling up spec.

My typical combat procedure is Seal of Command, Judge when available, Seal of Command, Stun and Judge when available, lather, rinse, repeat.......

I typically have Retribution Aura on and Blessing of Wisdom to keep the mana flowing and wield a 2 hand mace.

A few questions:

1)  Is this the best method of Levelling for a Ret spec?

2)  Or would using Seal of Crusader with Blessing of Might be better?  I hit swing  more often with this and hit pretty hard with the Blessing tacked on, but lose the Judgement power and the "double hit" when SoC procs.

3)  Or is there a better spec for levelling?

[Dren]

If you are leveling mostly solo, Ret is the only spec I'd recommend.  I suppose you could do some mix of shockadin with ret.

As to what powers to use when, it really depends on your weapons, stats.  You just have to play around and figure that out yourself I think.

[cevik]

http://www.wowwiki.com/Paladin_AoE_grinding

[SurfD]

I leveled my paladin to around 54 or so as Ret, and found i was needing to drink about every 3rd mob or something stupid like that, and if you accidently picked up an add or two, you were pretty much screwed.  It was great at lower levels though.

Once i hit 54, 55 ish, I respeced prot, and proceeded to just stomp the crap out of large groups of mobs at once.  I found it much more efficient then Ret due to the ability to destroy 5+ mobs in groups. Especially mobs that only mele.   You can pick up 10+ of them, and they practically kill themselves off of all the reactive damage you do. 

However, prot DOES suck at killing single mobs.  Takes forever.  Prot also sucks at killing stuff that heals, due to severe lack of decent interupt capability.

[cevik]

I always see them killing CRAZY numbers of demon hunter supplicants (for Marks/Fel Armaments I assume) in Shadowmoon Valley.  Like I think there are two groups of 20+ up there and the prot aoe pallies I see just seem to move back and forth between them.

[Merusk]

I always see them killing CRAZY numbers of demon hunter supplicants (for Marks/Fel Armaments I assume) in Shadowmoon Valley.  Like I think there are two groups of 20+ up there and the prot aoe pallies I see just seem to move back and forth between them.

Yep. It's awesome.

I leveled my pally as Prot from ~32 onward.  Less reliance on having a good weapon and there was simply more armor out there to help that spec out.  Judge Wis and Seal wis on mobs to keep mana up, or seal/ judge life if I'm getting low and just kill 5-7 things at once.  Man it was awesome.

Casters/ healers suck though.. but since I was leveling and not instance tanking I used a DPS 1h instead of a spelldam 1h and it didn't suck as bad.

[lamaros]

I am leveling up a Paladin for the first time and just reached 52.  I have specced Retribution because I had read that is the best leveling up spec.

My typical combat procedure is Seal of Command, Judge when available, Seal of Command, Stun and Judge when available, lather, rinse, repeat.......

I typically have Retribution Aura on and Blessing of Wisdom to keep the mana flowing and wield a 2 hand mace.

A few questions:

1)  Is this the best method of Levelling for a Ret spec?

2)  Or would using Seal of Crusader with Blessing of Might be better?  I hit swing  more often with this and hit pretty hard with the Blessing tacked on, but lose the Judgement power and the "double hit" when SoC procs.

3)  Or is there a better spec for levelling?

1. No.

2. SoCom with BoM or BoW. Use Sanc Aura. Get heaps of water, you'll drink lots.

3.  http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=sZZVf0thcuiIoh

Everything will completely change with the next big patch though (for the better).

Level Polearms and do an AV and get the Ice Barbed Spear. http://www.wowhead.com/?item=19106#comments

[Ratman_tf]

Solid Ret to 70 here. I prefer it to Shockadin or AOE grinding.

You do wind up with a beer gut from all the drinking you have to do though.

And keeping 3 sets of equipment and respeccing if our raid is short X or Y role (plus respeccing) is a pain, but I hear they're going to try and do away with all that come the next patch that sets up WOTLK.

I'm interested to see WOTLK talents collide with BC content.

[Simond]

The 'standard' paladin levelling plan is prot to 58/60, then ret to 70...mainly because Outland (in the levelling parts, at least) has too many wacky pulls with single caster mobs mixed in with the straight melees for prot to be as efficient as it was in the old world. You can level straight through with prot, it's just slightly harder work.

[lamaros]

The 'standard' paladin levelling plan is prot to 58/60, then ret to 70...mainly because Outland (in the levelling parts, at least) has too many wacky pulls with single caster mobs mixed in with the straight melees for prot to be as efficient as it was in the old world. You can level straight through with prot, it's just slightly harder work.

I did ret all the way to 70. Can solo and dps heal and tank instances. Is speedy up to level 55 then it slows down as you have to drink lots.

[SurfD]

speaking of WoLK and paladins, is there any gear is should be looking to snag before the talent change patch so i am prepared?

Im currently prot, but interested in building a ret set.  From what I understand, WolK ret wants Strength / mele Crit / Spelldamage?

[AcidCat]

I leveled my paladin to around 54 or so as Ret, and found i was needing to drink about every 3rd mob or something stupid like that, and if you accidently picked up an add or two, you were pretty much screwed.  It was great at lower levels though.

Paladin felt kinda like a bait-and-switch for me - it was fun at the lower and midgame, and I felt powerful. After about 50 or so things just steadily went downhill, drinking all the time, feeling underpowered. I got to 67 and finally admitted to myself that I just wasn't having fun anymore on that character. He's now my bank/AH mule.

[Fordel]

speaking of WoLK and paladins, is there any gear is should be looking to snag before the talent change patch so i am prepared?

Im currently prot, but interested in building a ret set.  From what I understand, WolK ret wants Strength / mele Crit / Spelldamage?

As thing stand currently in WotLK (as always subject to change, beta etc.) Both Protection and Retribution will use 'warrior' gear. All Spelldamage plate is purely for Holy Paladins.

A Prot Warrior and Prot Paladin will wear the same gear. (And most of it will be usable by tanking Death Knights)

A Arms/Fury Warrior and Ret Paladin will also wear the same gear. (As will Death Knights)

Holy continues to get it's own special and ultimately futile gear, since it's still a retarded style of play /rant etc.

[Dren]

Holy has its place, but I have to agree it is very limited.  I've kept mine holy for a long time is geared to the teeth for it, but I've chosen to use my priest more often for that job.  After reading through all of this, I'm switching to prot.  I have most of the gear for it and could get the rest quickly since we are always looking for more tanks on Kara runs.  I really should have done that earlier...

Oh well, I have the gear now to be able to respec between the two when needed.  I hope the 2 spec system goes into the expansion so I don't have to worry about that anymore.  I'm REALLY looking forward to that.

[Merusk]

Downside is most kara gear sucks for prot pallies (There are a few nice pieces in there).  Badge gear ftw, though, so save them badgers.

[Ratman_tf]

Holy Pallies should get a PBAOE HOT (acronyms!  ) version of Consecration.

You could be on the front line, Judging and beating on the mob and then let rip a big, stinky healing fart.

[Merusk]

They got one at 51pts, but it's a ranged target AOE and they all hate it, apparently.

[Montague]

For levelling, play a Ret like you'd play an Arms warrior.

1. Level your first aid - heavy netherweave bandages heal a lot more than your piddly heals and cost no mana.

2. Do your best to upgrade your weapon as often as possible. You're extremely gear dependent.

3. Judge Crusader and use rank one Seal of Command. Don't bother stunning and judging - the time you save killing the mob will be taken up by drinking.

4. Don't waste any of your item slots on Int or spell damage. Strength or AP is what you want - stat dilution is the biggest
mistake for noob paladins

[Fordel]

They got one at 51pts, but it's a ranged target AOE and they all hate it, apparently.

As it is currently (beta etc.) It sucks donkey dick.

[Ratman_tf]

For levelling, play a Ret like you'd play an Arms warrior.

1. Level your first aid - heavy netherweave bandages heal a lot more than your piddly heals and cost no mana.

Bubblebandage. Divine Protection will last just a little bit longer than a full bandaging.

[Ralence]

  If you have a friend that's a healer, I HIGHLY suggest going prot from 60-70 if you can.  Just run instances, over and over and over.  You'll gear up constantly, and stay right at the top of the curve, and quests are worth a whole lot of cash at 70, not to mention ridiculously easy.

  A prot paladin doesn't need CC at all until you get to heroics, so grab 3 <random dps anyclass> and go to town.  I respec'd ret at 70, did every quest over a weekend, and then ran to buy my epic mount without ever having to grind for cash.  Depending on your priorities, it may be worth it to you.

  I'm levelling a rogue now that's at 57, I fully intend to do nothing but instances with him as well.  Safe exp (On a pvp server), and the 7k gold(approx) you get at the end is worth it for me.

  You also have to remember that by running all of the instances for exp, you gain all of the rep you need as well, and anything else you need is made up by the quests.  Most quests don't cap at a set amount, but rep grinding will.  So you cap the rep available from instances, then get the rest when you do the quests at the end.

  There is also the benefit of learning all of the instances extremely well, once you get to heroics, esp as a fresh 70, there's not a lot of room for error.

  I've done it twice now, prot paladin and disc priest, and I wouldn't do it any other way.  It's boring and tedious, but it sure beats the frustration of being ganked, and having to grind for rep/cash.

Just my .02

[lamaros]

A Ret pally can tank instances up to 70 too. I had a tank, dps and healing set and would just do whatever was needed on mine. Made finding/filling out a group much easier.

However depending on your server grinding instances isn't going to be anywhere near as fast as soloing with quests.

[Dren]

Downside is most kara gear sucks for prot pallies (There are a few nice pieces in there).  Badge gear ftw, though, so save them badgers.

I respecced over the weekend and already started collecting the gear some sites say I should have.  I'm nearly uncrushable (with Holy Shield) already.  I had some fun playing over AV weekend as the tank.  I just ran to the end of the track and waited around for the "all go in" sign.  I spent my time waiting by helping healing in the small fights to gain control of the area.  I think we got 9 wins out of 11.

Even as prot, my healing gear still gives me 1600+ healing and nearly 800 damage.  My healing was obviously slower though so I definitely am not a main healer anymore.  However, for damage and occasional help in healing, it was really fun.  And damn, was I hard to kill.