Retribution Paladins and Mists of Pandaria

Paladins and Mists of Pandaria.  We don’t know much yet, except that the talent trees are being completely redone.  Scratch that, they got obliterated and rebuilt into a new structure that I’d hesitate to relate to any for of tree.  That’s not to say I’m not a fan of the change, but I definitely want to see more of what they have in store for us.

Before I go any more in depth, I highly recommend checking out MMO Champion on the recent Mists of Pandaria information.  There is a wealth of knowledge there, and it’s a good place to start.  I am posting from my desk at work, so I will try to get the Paladin specific changes posted with insight soon, but it may take me a bit since I am at work both days Blizzcon is happening.

Retribution Paladin Talent Tree Changes

I am going to break down the changes in a more simpler form:  Attacks/Abilities and Talent Tree bonuses.  Each Paladin will still choose a spec at level 10.  Retribution, Protection, and Holy.  We will still be in the same basic roles.  However, all attacks and abilities will be ‘given’ to us, throughout the leveling process.

For instance, Hammer of the Righteous will be available to Prot and Ret Paladins, just as Holy Shock could be a universal spell as well.  There will no longer be any abilities or attacks within the talent trees, so you will not have to opt in to obtain them.

What Blizzard has done instead, is to generate tiers of Talents available at certain levels, where you must choose one of three very similar talents.  These are designed to break away from ‘cookie cutter” builds, allowing players to choose more freely a talent that best suits their playstyle.

Retribution Paladin MoP Talents

Level 15
(Choose one)

• Speed of Light – Increases movement speed by 60% for 6 seconds.  During this time, you radiate healing to nearby allies.
• Long Arm of the Law – A successful Judgement increases your movement speed by 45% for 4 seconds.
• Pursuit of Justice – You gain 10% movement speed for each current charge of Holy Power.  Any non-censure damage will awaken target.  Usable against demons, dragonkin, giants, humanoids, and undead.

Level 30
(Choose one)

• Fist of Justice – Stuns the target for 6 seconds.
• Repentance – Puts the enemy in a state of meditation, incapacitating them for up to 1 minute.
• Seal of Justice – Fills the Paladin with Holy Light, causing direct attacks to reduce the target’s movement speed by 50% for 5 seconds and cause 87 additional Holy damage.

Level 45
(Choose one)

• Blessed Life – You have 100% chance to gain a charge of Holy Power whenever you take direct damage, or are stunned, feared, or immobilized.  This effect cannot occur more than once every 8 seconds.
• Sacred Shield – When reduced belowe 30% health, you gain Sacred Shield effect.  The Sacred Shield absorbs 18005 damage and increases healing received by 20%.  Lasts 15 seconds.  Cannot occur more than once every 60 seocnds.
• Ardent Defender – Reduces damage taken by 20% for 10 seconds.While Ardent Defender is active, then ext attack that would otherwise kill you will instead cause you to be healed for 15% ofyour maximum health.

Level 60
(Choose one)

• Selfless Healer – Your successful Judgements reduce the mana cost of your next Flash of Light by 50% and improve its effectiveness by 50% when used to heal others.  Stacks up to 2 times.
• Eternal Glory – Your Word of Glory and Light of Dawn have a 30% chance not to consume Holy Power.
• Holy Shield – Shields a friendly target, absorbing 1507 damage per charge of Holy Power for 10 seconds.

Level 75
(Choose one)

• Veneration – Your Consecration causes the Veneration effect on party or raid members within its area.  Veneration – You are immune to movement impairing effects for 6 seconds.
• Acts of Sacrifice – Reduces the cooldown by 20% and mana cost by 20% of you Hands of Freedom, Protection, and Sacrifice.  In addition, your cleanse will remove one movement impairing effect from yourself.
• Clemency – When activated, immediately refreshes the cooldown of your Hands or Freedom, Protection, and Sacrifice.

Level 90
(Choose one)

• Holy Avenger – Summoning your Guardian of Ancient Kings also imbues you with the Power of Holy Avenger.  Holy Avenger – none of your abilities consume Holy Power and cast as if 3 Holy Power were consumed.  Lasts 10 seconds.
• Sanctified Wrath – You gain more frequent access to one of your abilities during Avenging Wrath.  Holy – Holy Shock has no cooldown.  Protection – Judgement has no cooldown.  Retribution – you can use Hammer of Wrath.
• Divine Purpose – Abilities that cause Holy Power have a 15% chance to cause the Divine Purpose effect.  Divine Purpose – your next Holy Power ability will consume no Holy Power and cast as if 3 Holy Power were consumed.

Questions I still have lingering:

1.  Holy Power still seems to be in the game plan, so what is in the works to help reduce the complete random factor of our DPS?

2.  With talent trees and specs becoming easier to swap in MoP, does Blizzard have any plans to make it easier on us to obtain armor for each spec?  Paladins sometimes must carry three sets of gear, and keeping all those up to date is almost too tedious of a chore.

3.  In the current talent tree builds, Ret appears as more of a support class than an all-out DPS class.  Is this the intention?

Stay Tuned as I continue to update this post!