Paladin - Holy

Updated for Patch 3.3

Purpose

A Holy Paladin is a Healer. She keeps people alive, with an emphasis on single-target healing. In raids, a Holy Paladin is most often assigned to the tanks.

Talent Builds

Standard: 51/20/0∞ - Goes into Protection for Improved Devotion Aura∞ and Divine Guardian∞
Variant 1: 51/0/20∞ - Trades extra healing for extra critical strike and run speed.
Variant 2: 51/5/15∞ - Trades some extra healing for some extra critical strike.

Ability Rotation

• Primary Seal: Seal of Wisdom∞
• Primary Judgement: Judgement of Light∞
• Primary Aura: Devotion Aura∞, Concentration Aura∞ or a magic resistance Aura as appropriate.

Healing doesn't have a set ability rotation. The Paladin must learn to use the right heal at the right time, and this takes practice. The following is an overview of the basic Paladin healing abilities:

• Holy Light∞ - This is now the main spell used. It is very powerful, but somewhat expensive. Don't worry too much about overhealing.
• Flash of Light∞ - A small, highly efficient spell. Use when you need to conserve mana or people are not taking very much damage.
• Holy Shock∞ - As an instant spell, Holy Shock can be cast on the run.
• Sacred Shield∞ - This should be used on a target which will take multiple hits in six seconds. You can only have one Sacred Shield up at any time. Keep it on a tank.
• Beacon of Light∞ - Beacon of Light allows you to heal two people at once, and even transfers overhealing. In raids, it's typical to put Beacon on your main target, and then heal someone else who is likely to take damage, such as an off-tank. You have to make sure to heal the off-tank even if he isn't taking any damage, so that your main target will get healed as well.
• Judgement of Light∞ - Judgement of Light provides some raid healing and the act of Judging increases your Haste by 15% for 1 min. Try and Judge as often as you can, but don't worry if you can't.

Key Cooldowns

Most cooldowns, especially those which increase healing or return mana, should be used early and often.

1. Divine Plea∞ - Mana return, decreases your healing by 50% while active.
2. Divine Favor∞
3. Divine Illumination∞
4. Aura Mastery∞
5. Avenging Wrath∞
6. Divine Shield∞
7. Hand of Protection∞ - Will cause mobs to stop attacking the target and switch to someone else. Do not use on tanks.
8. Hand of Salvation∞ - Hopefully will cause mobs to stop attacking the target and switch to someone else. Do not use on tanks.
9. Lay On Hands∞
10. Hand of Sacrifice∞
11. Divine Sacrifice∞ - Only the standard talent build will have this ability. You may take a lot of damage while this ability is active, so keep an eye on your own life bar.

Key Stats

Stats are listed in order of importance. All these stats are useful, but look for gear with more stats from the top of the list.

1. Intellect
2. Spellpower
3. Haste Rating
4. Critical Strike Rating
5. Mana per 5 Seconds
6. Stamina

Recommended Glyphs

1. Glyph of Holy Light∞
2. Glyph of Seal of Wisdom∞
3. Glyph of Beacon of Light∞ or Glyph of Divinity∞ or Glyph of Holy Shock∞

Recommended Enchants

Enchants are listed from best and most expensive to least expensive. If you have a crafting profession, you may have access to crafter-only enchants which are better than these recommendations.

• Head: Arcanum of Burning Mysteries∞
• Shoulders: Greater Inscription of the Storm∞ or Lesser Inscription of the Storm∞
• Chest: Powerful Stats∞ or Greater Mana Restoration∞ or Super Stats∞
• Cloak: Greater Speed∞ or Speed∞
• Bracers: Superior Spellpower∞ or Greater Spellpower∞ or Exceptional Intellect∞
• Hands: Exceptional Spellpower∞
• Belt: Eternal Belt Buckle∞
• Legs: Sapphire Spellthread∞ or Azure Spellthread∞
• Feet: Tuskarr's Vitality∞ or Icewalker∞
• Weapon: Mighty Spellpower∞ or Exceptional Spellpower∞
• Shield: Greater Intellect∞

Recommended Gems

• Meta: Insightful Eathsiege Diamond∞
• Red: Luminous Ametrine∞
• Yellow: Brilliant King's Amber∞
• Blue: Dazzling Eye of Zul∞
• Prismatic: Nightmare Tear∞

Note that most holy paladins will ignore socket bonuses and gem pure intellect plus a Nightmare Tear to activate the meta bonus.

Recommended Consumables

• Flask: Flask of the Frost Wyrm∞
• Food: Firecracker Salmon∞ or Fish Feast∞

Additional Tips

Becoming a Better Player

Paladins have many utility spells that do not produce actual healing, but can make life much easier if you know how to use them. Learning when and how to use your key cooldowns is what separates a good paladin healer from a great one. When running an instance, pinpoint one spell you don't use often and make it a goal to figure out how you can use that ability most effectively.

A Note on Flash of Light and Holy Light builds

There are two trends when it comes to building a holy paladin. This guide is based on Holy Light, the more common of the two. Some players may choose to focus on boosting their Flash of Light spell and will gear, gem and glyph in consequence. This requires a good understanding of holy paladin mechanics and specific circumstances. It is therefore not recommended for new paladins.

Sources and Other Resources

• Elitist Jerks: The Holy Paladin Compendium∞
• Holypaladin.net∞
• Plus Heal∞
• Bossy Pally∞