Protection Paladin leveling guide
Protection is the Paladin for large pulls. Avenger’s Shield pulls three enemies at once, Consecration and Hammer of the Righteous hit everything around you, and Holy Shield hurts every enemy that strikes you. You gather a group of enemies, stand in the middle and let them fall together, while you barely lose health. Dungeon groups in Northrend are always looking for a tank.
Strengths and weaknesses
- Very strong against large groups of enemies, with little risk.
- Holy Shield, Ardent Defender and plate armor make you very hard to kill.
- Spiritual Attunement and Divine Plea keep your mana up.
- Slow against a single strong enemy, and you need to pull several enemies to level fast.
Talents by level
At level 70
- In Protection: Divinity 5/5, Divine Strength 5/5, Anticipation 5/5, Improved Righteous Fury 3/3, Toughness 5/5, Improved Hammer of Justice 2/2 and Blessing of Sanctuary.
- Sacred Duty 2/2, One-Handed Weapon Specialization 3/3, Spiritual Attunement 2/2, Holy Shield, Ardent Defender 3/3, Redoubt 3/3 and Combat Expertise 3/3.
- Touched by the Light 3/3, Avenger’s Shield, Shield of the Templar 3/3 and Hammer of the Righteous, for 51 points. In Retribution: Benediction 5/5, Improved Judgements 2/2 and Heart of the Crusader 3/3.
Level 71 to 80
- Conviction 5/5 and Seal of Command.
- Pursuit of Justice 2/2 and Vindication 2/2, for 20 points in Retribution.
Rotation
One enemy
- Righteous Fury and Seal of Command, then Avenger’s Shield to pull.
- Judgement, Hammer of the Righteous and Holy Shield, and Shield of Righteousness from level 75.
- Consecration when the enemy has a lot of health.
Groups of enemies
- Gather a group, then Avenger’s Shield on the last one so it runs to you.
- Consecration and Holy Shield, then Hammer of the Righteous on cooldown.
Staying alive
- Holy Shield always active, and Divine Protection when too many enemies hit you.
- Hammer of Justice on the strongest enemy, and Lay on Hands as a last resort.
- Divine Plea from level 71 and Sacred Shield from level 80, and Holy Light between pulls.
Leveling route
| Level | Alliance | Horde |
|---|---|---|
| 70-72 | Borean Tundra (Valiance Keep), Howling Fjord (Valgarde) | Borean Tundra (Warsong Hold), Howling Fjord (Vengeance Landing) |
| 72-74 | Dragonblight (Wintergarde Keep) | Dragonblight (Agmar’s Hammer) |
| 74-75 | Grizzly Hills (Amberpine Lodge) | Grizzly Hills (Conquest Hold) |
| 75-76 | Zul’Drak (Zim’Torga) | Zul’Drak (Zim’Torga) |
| 76-78 | Sholazar Basin (Nesingwary Base Camp) | Sholazar Basin (Nesingwary Base Camp) |
| 78-80 | The Storm Peaks (K3), Icecrown (Argent Vanguard) | The Storm Peaks (K3), Icecrown (Argent Vanguard) |
Dungeons worth the detour: Utgarde Keep and The Nexus from level 70, Azjol-Nerub and Ahn’kahet: The Old Kingdom around 72, and Drak’Tharon Keep and The Violet Hold from 74.
Stats, weapons and tradeskills
- Stamina and Defense first, then Expertise, Hit, Dodge and Parry, with some Spell Power for extra threat.
- A fast one-handed weapon and a shield with a high block value.
- Enchants: Mongoose or Accuracy on the weapon, Armsman on the gloves and Major Stamina on the bracers.
- Tradeskills: Mining with Blacksmithing for plate gear and extra sockets, or Jewelcrafting for strong gems.