Protection Paladin PVE Guide – Cataclysm

Welcome to the PVE Protection Paladin Guide for World of Warcraft Cataclysm!

This guide will teach you how to play a Protection Paladin in a raid. It covers talents, glyphs, gems, enchantments, rotation, and gameplay tips.

This talent build takes the standard Protection Paladin talents.

Prime Glyphs

• Glyph of Crusader Strike
• Glyph of Seal of Truth
• Glyph of Shield of the Righteous

Major Glyphs

• Glyph of Focused Shield
• Glyph of Holy Wrath
• Glyph of Lay on Hands

Minor Glyphs

• Glyph of Blessing of Kings
• Glyph of Blessing of Might
• Glyph of Truth

Gems are situational and depend on the build and equipment. They are used to reach the required stat caps.

• Meta – Austere Shadowspirit Diamond (before T13 gear) or Eternal Shadowspirit Diamond
• Prismatic
  • If 102.4% Avoidance Cap reached, Solid Deepholm Iolite, Solid Ocean Sapphire, or Solid Chimera’s Eye (Jewelcrafting)
  • Otherwise, Fractured Lightstone, Fractured Amberjewel, or Fractured Chimera’s Eye (Jewelcrafting)
• Yellow
  • If 102.4% Avoidance Cap reached, Regal Elven Peridot, Regal Dream Emerald
  • Otherwise, Fractured Lightstone, Fractured Amberjewel, or Fractured Chimera’s Eye (Jewelcrafting)
• Blue
  • If 102.4% Avoidance Cap reached, Solid Deepholm Iolite, Solid Ocean Sapphire, or Solid Chimera’s Eye (Jewelcrafting)
  • Otherwise, Puissant Elven Peridot or Puissant Dream Emerald
• Red
  • If 102.4% Avoidance Cap reached, Defender’s Shadow Spinel or Defender’s Demonseye
  • Otherwise, Fine Lava Coral, Fine Ember Topaz

• Head – Arcanum of the Earthen Ring
• Shoulder – Greater Inscription of Unbreakable Quartz or Inscription of the Earth Prince (Inscription)
• Cloak – Enchant Cloak – Protection
• Chest – Enchant Chest – Greater Stamina
• Bracers – Enchant Bracer – Major Stamina or Enchant Bracer – Superior Dodge or Draconic Embossment – Stamina (Leatherworking) with Socket Bracer (Blacksmithing)
• Gloves – Enchant Gloves – Greater Mastery with Quickflip Deflection Plates (Engineering) and Socket Gloves (Blacksmithing)
• Waist – Grounded Plasma Shield (Engineering) or Ebonsteel Belt Buckle
• Legs – Drakehide Leg Armor or Drakehide Leg Reinforcements (Leatherworking)
• Boots – Enchant Boots – Mastery
• Rings – Enchant Ring – Greater Stamina (Enchanting)
• Weapon – Enchant Weapon – Windwalk
• Shield – Enchant Shield – Mastery

Dodge and Parry should be kept at similar values.

• Stamina (to ~10,000)
• Mastery (to 102.4% Avoidance cap)
• Dodge/Parry or Stamina
• Expertise
• Hit Rating

Activate Righteous Fury, and keep it active while tanking.

Single Target Rotation

• Use Shield of the Righteous if you have 3 charges of Holy Power
• Use Crusader Strike on cooldown to generate Holy Power
• Use Avenger’s Shield
• Use Hammer of Wrath if target is below 20% HP
• Use Judgement
• Use Consecration if you have the mana
• Use Holy Wrath if you have the mana

Multi Target Rotation

• Use Inquisition and maintain (with 3 charges of Holy Power)
• Use Hammer of the Righteous on cooldown to generate Holy Power
• Use Avenger’s Shield
• Use Consecration
• Use Holy Wrath
• Use Judgement

Cooldowns

• Hand of Reckoning is your main taunt
• Righteous Defense is a 3-target taunt that you use on a player who is being targeted
• Use Seal of Truth while tanking, unless you don’t need threat, in which case you can use Seal of Insight
• Use Avenging Wrath to improve threat or to buff Word of Glory healing
• Use Divine Plea to generate threat (via the mana regen and Holy Power charges allowing you to use Shield of the Righteous with 3 stacks)
• Protection Paladins have access to a large number of self heals and damage reduction options, use them when you will take significant damage, when your healers are dead, etc.
  • Damage Reduction Cooldowns – Holy Shield, Guardian of Ancient Kings, Ardent Defender, Divine Protection, Divine Guardian
  • Self Healing Cooldowns – Word of Glory, Lay on Hands