07-26-2005, 10:11 AM
Some thoughts about paladins from a paladin. :)
PvE/Group Play.
PvE play changes from the 20s to the 40s to the 60s. The role you have in your teens and early twens as a paladin is varied from healer/support to even damage dealer. The further you get into the game you're more of a pure support class.
Tanking is an option, but alas, it's severely hampered by the fact that you have only one threat-generating skill at your disposal. But tanking is effective against Undead. Stratholme/Scholomance is made easier with paladins in your group. I specced my paladin with 38 points in protection hoping that I would make a decent main tank. Unfortunately I haven't found the correct tactic yet or there is really a severe lack in talents for tanking as a paladin. If the opponents are undead melee types Holy Shield helps somewhat in keeping aggro too, but not by much.
Divine Intervention. DI is the last straw your group has in the face of a potential wipe. Learning to interpret the signs of an upcoming wipe and applying DI correctly takes some getting used to though.
Cleansing/purifying is getting more important in the higher end-game instances than support healing or dealing damage. In Molten Core for instance you are essentially a Buff/Cleanse-Bot. This is not to say it's boring, but going toe-to-toe with mobs in Molten Core has miniscule advantages at best. But I learned that hunters like it when the paladin tries to judge a Seal of Wisdom on a hard-to-bring-down mob.
Healing as a paladin. Hmm.. this is one topic where I'm doubtful. The Big Heal (aka Holy Light) takes too long. When my HL takes off some priest or druid has healed my target already and I wasted my mana. I've resigned to use my Flash of Light (pally's Flash Heal) dispersing it over the raid wherever I think it's useful. Combined with Blessing of Light I think it does help somewhat. I like to think that my small heals provide enough buffer that the main healers can complete the job. But I can't see myself as a main healer.
However I haven't tried a Holy build yet. I believe there is some potential with that.
PvP.
I seriously lack in 1on1-PvP. I get dominated by rogues, warriors, shamans, sometimes priests, mages, and warlocks. Other classes ignore me most of the time. The best I can hope for is a remis. However I usually do not attack first. Most of the time I get ambushed. The really frustrating thing is to finally get the upper hand and helplessly watch how my attacker slips away.
There's probably a counter for each tactic. I bet there's even one against Artega's Whirlwind/Mortal Strike/Execute. I just haven't found it yet. :) I rarely use my bubble for self-healing anymore. But it has other uses. For instance it can break the charm of a succubus.
I also believe that PvP is heavily item dependent. I'm on a server where probably 400 people are raiding MC on a sunday regularly. Alterac is always full. Sometimes even two Alterac instances are running. If you are in a large guild chances are you're wearing one or two epic items. I've come up against many warriors who were using this hammer. One warrior even came back with that after he realized he couldn't beat me with a fist weapon and I almost had him down before...
Group play is a different thing. Cleanse, cleanse, and cleanse again. Opponent realizes that Fear, Polymorph, and Frost Nova does not help anymore and your group can move in for the kill. :) Well, it's not that easy. But it helps alot.
Builds.
I think there are too many Retribution paladins. People should use more variety. One of these days I'm going to prove that Holy paladins can deal good damage too. :)
I'm toying with an idea where a group composed solely of paladins could do any instance. If the builds are complementing each other. Example: Sanctity Aura combined with holy damage spells/skills should go a long way I think. 1 Protection/2 Retribution/2 Holy paladins should cut through Stratholme or Scholomance like a hot knife through butter! There's nothing like having five different auras active and 5 different blessings.
If I had one wish from Blizzard then it would be: Let Sense Undead sense the Undead players too. I've got ambushed on the docks of Menethil way too often...
Oh yeah! Paladins rock UBRS!!
-Arnulf
PvE/Group Play.
PvE play changes from the 20s to the 40s to the 60s. The role you have in your teens and early twens as a paladin is varied from healer/support to even damage dealer. The further you get into the game you're more of a pure support class.
Tanking is an option, but alas, it's severely hampered by the fact that you have only one threat-generating skill at your disposal. But tanking is effective against Undead. Stratholme/Scholomance is made easier with paladins in your group. I specced my paladin with 38 points in protection hoping that I would make a decent main tank. Unfortunately I haven't found the correct tactic yet or there is really a severe lack in talents for tanking as a paladin. If the opponents are undead melee types Holy Shield helps somewhat in keeping aggro too, but not by much.
Divine Intervention. DI is the last straw your group has in the face of a potential wipe. Learning to interpret the signs of an upcoming wipe and applying DI correctly takes some getting used to though.
Cleansing/purifying is getting more important in the higher end-game instances than support healing or dealing damage. In Molten Core for instance you are essentially a Buff/Cleanse-Bot. This is not to say it's boring, but going toe-to-toe with mobs in Molten Core has miniscule advantages at best. But I learned that hunters like it when the paladin tries to judge a Seal of Wisdom on a hard-to-bring-down mob.
Healing as a paladin. Hmm.. this is one topic where I'm doubtful. The Big Heal (aka Holy Light) takes too long. When my HL takes off some priest or druid has healed my target already and I wasted my mana. I've resigned to use my Flash of Light (pally's Flash Heal) dispersing it over the raid wherever I think it's useful. Combined with Blessing of Light I think it does help somewhat. I like to think that my small heals provide enough buffer that the main healers can complete the job. But I can't see myself as a main healer.
However I haven't tried a Holy build yet. I believe there is some potential with that.
PvP.
I seriously lack in 1on1-PvP. I get dominated by rogues, warriors, shamans, sometimes priests, mages, and warlocks. Other classes ignore me most of the time. The best I can hope for is a remis. However I usually do not attack first. Most of the time I get ambushed. The really frustrating thing is to finally get the upper hand and helplessly watch how my attacker slips away.
There's probably a counter for each tactic. I bet there's even one against Artega's Whirlwind/Mortal Strike/Execute. I just haven't found it yet. :) I rarely use my bubble for self-healing anymore. But it has other uses. For instance it can break the charm of a succubus.
I also believe that PvP is heavily item dependent. I'm on a server where probably 400 people are raiding MC on a sunday regularly. Alterac is always full. Sometimes even two Alterac instances are running. If you are in a large guild chances are you're wearing one or two epic items. I've come up against many warriors who were using this hammer. One warrior even came back with that after he realized he couldn't beat me with a fist weapon and I almost had him down before...
Group play is a different thing. Cleanse, cleanse, and cleanse again. Opponent realizes that Fear, Polymorph, and Frost Nova does not help anymore and your group can move in for the kill. :) Well, it's not that easy. But it helps alot.
Builds.
I think there are too many Retribution paladins. People should use more variety. One of these days I'm going to prove that Holy paladins can deal good damage too. :)
I'm toying with an idea where a group composed solely of paladins could do any instance. If the builds are complementing each other. Example: Sanctity Aura combined with holy damage spells/skills should go a long way I think. 1 Protection/2 Retribution/2 Holy paladins should cut through Stratholme or Scholomance like a hot knife through butter! There's nothing like having five different auras active and 5 different blessings.
If I had one wish from Blizzard then it would be: Let Sense Undead sense the Undead players too. I've got ambushed on the docks of Menethil way too often...
Oh yeah! Paladins rock UBRS!!
-Arnulf
Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm!