Protection Paladins offer a very fun experience․ The spec excels at large pulls and soloing elites․ You can queue for dungeons without changing gear․ Leveling as Protection allows you to maximize uptime and minimize downtime․ The toolkit is augmented by runes․

Viability of Paladin Tank Leveling

Paladins are defined by their gear while leveling․ Any Paladin who wears tanking gear can fill that role independently of talents․ We can acquire all of our runes at Level 1․ Paladin is a true hybrid class, having access to DPS, healing and tanking․

The viability of each spec for endgame content is debatable, but leveling as Protection Paladin can be a very fun and engaging experience․ The spec can do large pulls and can solo elites or high-health quest mobs․ You can also queue for dungeons while leveling without having to worry about having to change gear, talents, or specs․

People will think of you as inferior to a warrior or druid tank․ Use all consumables that you can․ While playing a Protection Paladin at level 60 can be challenging if the group is not willing to work with you a bit, it’s more than possible to be successful․

Best Leveling Spec and Talents

The best approach to leveling will vary based on which specialization you choose․ Protection Paladins are better utilized in dungeons where they can easily find a spot as a tank․ Retribution Paladins will do fine questing in the open world․

Early Talents (Levels 1-20)

When you first create your Paladin, you will only have one ability available⁚ Crusader Strike․ Leveling as a Protection Paladin can be a very fun and engaging experience․ The spec can do large pulls and solo elites․ You can also queue for dungeons․

I think somewhere between levels 15-20 is when you actually get your taunt․ It is advised to start tanking when you get it․ Before that all you have is judgement and consecration․ It is extremely easy to tank at low levels․ You will learn and actually use the extra utility as you level․

Conc is actually baseline at 20 for pallies․ You wont need to go holy for that․ If you want to tank dungeons your choice doesnt really matter․ Level 20⁚ The divine storm rune is a pain, it requires a group at level 20 because the mobs are all elites․

Mid-Level Talents (Levels 20-40)

Around level 30, you can pick up Guarded by the Light in the Alterac Mountains․ This rune gives you basically infinite mana․ People will tell you to get Spiritual Focus but its really not necessary unless you’re aoe grinding, and even then its situational․ Just go full prot until 21 points (Holy Shield) and then go into the Ret tree․

Level 40⁚ The best approach to leveling will vary based on which specialization you choose․ Protection Paladins are better utilized in dungeons where they can easily find a spot as a tank․

This means you may not learn a lot about tanking the first few dungeons, but keep playing, and you will learn while leveling․ Paladins are mostly defined by their gear while leveling․ In patch 1․12, the

Late-Level Talents (Levels 40-60)

As you progress towards higher levels, focus on talents that enhance your survivability and threat generation․ Consider talents like “Reckoning” to bolster your damage output when you are hit, and “Holy Shield” to provide additional block chance and damage․ Divine Sacrifice can be a useful tool for mitigating group damage․

Additionally, talents that improve your mana efficiency, such as “Improved Devotion Aura,” become increasingly important as you engage in longer encounters․ Experiment with different talent combinations to find what works best for your playstyle and the content you are tackling․ Remember to respec as needed to optimize your build․

Leveling Rotation and Priority System

Protection Paladin leveling relies on a priority system, not a strict rotation․ Maximize uptime while minimizing downtime․ At first, you only have Crusader Strike․

Prioritize abilities based on their impact․ Seal of Righteousness increases damage, and Holy Light keeps you healthy․ Maintain threat using Judgement and Consecration․

Use Avenger’s Shield to interrupt casters and generate initial threat․ Hammer of the Righteous is useful for AoE situations․ Keep your shield up and manage mana effectively․ Adapt to the situation and prioritize accordingly․ This approach helps you survive and level efficiently․

Gear and Stats for Leveling

For Protection Paladin leveling, prioritize gear with Strength, Stamina, and Defense․ Strength increases attack power, boosting threat generation․ Stamina enhances survivability, crucial for tanking․ Defense reduces the chance of being hit, further improving survivability․

At level 60, aim for up to 9% Melee Hit Chance against raid bosses․ After reaching the Hit Cap, other stats become more impactful․ Critical Strike Chance and Attack Power are valuable․

Always choose gear that provides the best balance of survivability and threat generation․ Upgrade your weapon regularly for increased damage output․ Focus on stats that help you hold aggro․

Runes for Protection Paladin Leveling

Runes greatly enhance a Protection Paladin’s leveling experience․ Divine Storm is excellent for dungeon tanking, obtained around level 20․ Guarded by the Light, acquired in Alterac Mountains around level 30, provides mana sustain․

Prioritize runes that improve threat generation and survivability․ Experiment with different rune combinations to find what suits your playstyle․ Some runes might require group efforts, like Divine Storm․ Adjust your rune choices depending on whether you are questing or tanking dungeons․

Runes significantly augment the limited toolkit of a Protection Paladin․ Select runes that boost damage output and self-healing․ They can make soloing elites and large pulls more manageable․

Dungeon Leveling as Protection Paladin

Protection Paladins excel in dungeons due to their AoE damage․ Queueing as Protection allows you to level without changing gear․ They can easily find a spot as a tank․ Start tanking when you get your taunt․

Tanking 5-man Dungeons

When Paladin tanking in 5-mans, aim to use as little mana as possible while holding threat․ Nobody likes waiting for the tank to drink․ Just like Warriors save rage, save mana to minimize drinking time․

It is easy to tank at low levels․ You will learn to use the extra utility as you level․ It is advised to start tanking when you get your taunt․ Before that, you only have judgment and consecration․

This means you may not learn much about tanking initially․ Keep playing, and you will learn while leveling․ At level 60, it can be challenging if the group isn’t willing to work with you․

The goal is to use as little mana as possible․ Don’t make the group wait while you regenerate mana after every pull․ You will actually use extra utility as you level․

Questing as Protection Paladin

Questing as a Protection Paladin can be slower compared to other classes due to the spec’s focus on survivability over damage․ However, with proper rune utilization, you can improve your kill times and questing efficiency․

Focus on maximizing uptime and minimizing downtime․ Use Seal of Righteousness to deal as much damage as possible, and Holy Light to keep yourself healthy during combat․

The best approach to leveling will vary based on the specializations you choose․ Retribution Paladins will do fine questing in the open world where their stronger single-target damage will help them complete quests efficiently․

Consider pairing up with a Warlock or Warrior for faster quest completion․ A DPS Warrior and Holy Paladin is one of the strongest leveling combos․

Tips and Tricks for Efficient Leveling

To level efficiently as a Protection Paladin, focus on minimizing downtime and maximizing uptime․ Utilize Seal of Righteousness to increase damage output while questing․ Holy Light should be used to maintain health and minimize the need for frequent breaks to regenerate․

Consider pairing up with a friend or another player, such as a Warlock or Warrior, to improve quest completion times․ A combination of a DPS Warrior and a Holy Paladin can create a strong leveling duo․

Be aware of your mana usage during combat and try to conserve mana between pulls․ This reduces the need to sit and drink frequently, allowing you to maintain a steady pace of leveling․

Macros for Improved Gameplay

Macros can significantly improve a Protection Paladin’s gameplay by streamlining actions and reducing response time․ Create a macro for casting Holy Light on yourself by simply pressing a button․ This eliminates the need to target yourself manually, saving valuable time during intense combat․

A useful macro combines Crusader Strike and Judgement into one button․ This simplifies your rotation and ensures that you are efficiently using your core abilities․ Another helpful macro is combining Divine Shield with a cancelaura command․

Macros that combine multiple actions into one button press can greatly enhance your efficiency․ Experiment with different macro combinations to optimize your gameplay and make your leveling experience smoother and more enjoyable․

Hero Talents⁚ Templar and Lightsmith

Protection Paladins gain access to Hero Talents, enhancing their capabilities․ Two notable options are Templar and Lightsmith․ Templar Paladins focus on maximizing the duration of Shake the Heavens, prioritizing Eye of Tyr and Hammer of Light on cooldown․ This makes Avenger’s Shield a lower priority․

Lightsmith Paladins channel the power of light․ The choice between Templar and Lightsmith depends on playstyle and group composition․ Templar enhances AoE capabilities, while Lightsmith focuses on sustained single-target threat and survivability․

Understanding the strengths of each Hero Talent tree allows you to tailor your Paladin to your preferred playstyle․ Experiment with both to determine which best complements your leveling strategy and dungeon tanking prowess․ Consider your group’s needs when selecting your Hero Talents․

Leveling a Protection Paladin offers a unique experience․ Its robust toolkit and rune enhancements provide a solid foundation․ While kill times might be slower compared to DPS classes, survivability is exceptional․ This allows for efficient questing, large pulls, and successful dungeon tanking․

Remember to prioritize uptime and minimize downtime by utilizing abilities like Seal of Righteousness and Holy Light․ Optimize your talent build, gear, and runes to maximize effectiveness; Embrace the hybrid nature of the Paladin class, adapting to different situations․

With the right approach, Protection Paladin leveling can be both enjoyable and rewarding․ Embrace the challenge, learn from your experiences, and master the art of tanking․ Prepare to defend the innocent and vanquish evil․