Retribution Paladin Leveling Guide (Classic, TBC, WotLK)

Why Retribution in Classic?

Simplest and most reliable Paladin leveling spec. Strong sustain with seals/judgements, can wear plate early, and brings blessings/auras for groups.

Strengths

High uptime via Seal/Judgement of Wisdom and self-heals.
Can solo elites with bubble, Lay on Hands, and plate armor.
Group utility with Blessings/Auras; free mount at 40 saves gold.

Weaknesses

Limited mobility; no real gap closer.
AoE limited until Consecration ranks; relies on weapon upgrades.
Rotation is simple—damage can feel low without good weapons.

Talents by Level (Classic 1-60)

Early (10-29)

Benediction 5/5, Improved Judgement 2/2.
Seal of Command at 20 (if Alliance). If Horde, keep SoR.
Conviction 5/5 for crit; Pursuit of Justice for speed.

Mid (30-44)

Sanctity Aura; Two-Handed Weapon Spec; Vengeance.
Consecration (Holy) if you AoE/tag; otherwise continue Ret line.
Improved Sanctity Aura for party damage.

Late (45-60)

Repentance for crowd control.
Precision/Deflection for hit/parry; Eye for an Eye situational.
Finish with improved blessings (Wisdom/Kings) if needed.

Prioritize slow 2H weapons; keep Seal/Judgement of Wisdom rolling for mana, switch to Seal of Command for damage, and heal with Flash of Light between pulls.

Rotation & Playstyle

Single Target

Seal of Command/Righteousness → Judgement on cooldown.
Consecration if 2+ mobs; Exorcism vs undead/demons.
Hammer of Justice to stop casters; Hammer of Wrath to finish.

Survival

Divine Protection/Shield to reset; Lay on Hands for emergencies.
Flash of Light between pulls; Holy Light for big heals.
Use bubble to safely drink/eat if OOM mid-fight.

AoE

Consecration for 3+ mobs; swap to Righteous Fury only when tanking.
Holy Wrath vs undead; keep mobs in Consecration area.
Blessing of Sanctuary (if talented) reduces damage when tanking packs.

Zone Route (Classic)

Bracket	Zones	Notes
1-20	Starter → Westfall/Barrens	Weapon upgrades matter most; train Judgement ranks.
20-35	Redridge/Duskwood/Desolace	SM Armory/Cath for 2H drops; keep seals up.
35-50	STV/Tanaris	Zul'Farrak for weapons/trinkets; use bubbles on big pulls.
50-60	Un'Goro/Felwood/Plaguelands	BRD/Strat/Scholo for pre-raid 2H options.

Why Retribution in TBC?

Much stronger thanks to Vengeance scaling, Crusader Strike, and Seal of Blood/Vengeance. Great dungeon DPS with easy mana via Judgement of Wisdom + Spiritual Attunement.

Spec: Crusader Strike, Sanctified Crusader, Vengeance, Repentance. Grab Precision/Benediction for mana/hit. Seal of Blood (Horde) / Seal of Vengeance (Alliance) for best DPS.

Talents by Level (TBC 60-70)

Early (60-63)

Benediction, Improved Judgement, Conviction.
Crusade/Sanctified Crusader for damage.
Precision 3/3 to reduce hit needs.

Mid (64-67)

Vengeance 5/5; Sanctity Aura.
Crusader Strike at 66—core button.
Seal of Command if you like burst; Seal of Blood/Vengeance for sustained.

Late (68-70)

Repentance for CC.
Improved Sanctity Aura / Fanaticism for crit/threat reduction.
Optional: Improved BoK in Prot tree if group needs Kings.

Rotation (TBC)

Single Target

Seal of Blood/Vengeance → Judge on cooldown.
Crusader Strike every 6s; maintain Seal and refresh Judgement.
Consecration if mana allows; Exorcism vs demons/undead.

AoE

Consecration for packs; swap to Seal of Command for cleave bursts.
Holy Wrath vs undead/demon packs; use BoSanc if tanking.
Line up Avenging Wrath with big pulls/bosses (watch Forbearance).

Survival

Flash of Light between pulls; Holy Light for emergencies.
Lay on Hands and bubble to avoid deaths; Cleanse poisons/diseases.
Use Seal/Judgement of Wisdom if mana dips during long fights.

Zone & Dungeon Path (TBC)

Level	Zone/Dungeon	Notes
60-62	Hellfire / Ramps / BF	Quest 2H upgrades; BoW for mana until SoB/SoV.
62-65	Zangarmarsh / SP / UB	Pick up Strength/crit plate; dungeon DPS is strong.
65-68	Terokkar / Sethekk / SLabs	Exorcism valuable on bird packs; Repentance for CC.
68-70	Nagrand / Netherstorm / Mech	Badge farm for Mirror of Truth equivalent? (later) and weapon upgrades.

Why Retribution in WotLK?

Divine Storm, Art of War procs, and strong scaling make Ret a top-tier leveler. Great burst, off-heals, and solid AoE for quest stacking and dungeon DPS.

Spec: Crusader Strike, Divine Storm, Judgements of the Wise, Sheath of Light, Art of War. Pick Pursuit of Justice for speed; Seal of Command (cleave) or Seal of Righteousness/Vengeance for single target.

Talents by Level (70-80)

Early (70-73)

Conviction, Benediction, Improved Judgement.
Seal of Command; Pursuit of Justice for speed.
Crusade and Sanctified Retribution for damage.

Mid (74-77)

Crusader Strike; Divine Storm at 75 (core AoE).
Judgements of the Wise for mana return.
Sheath of Light for AP → SP and stronger heals.

Late (78-80)

Fanaticism for crit; Sanctified Wrath for wings uptime.
Righteous Vengeance for DoT; Swift Retribution aura if grouping.
Optional: Divine Purpose for stun removal/avoidance.

Rotation (WotLK)

Priority

Maintain Seal of Command (cleave) or Vengeance (single target); judge on cooldown.
Divine Storm > Crusader Strike > Judgement > Consecration (if mana) > Exorcism (Art of War proc) > Holy Wrath (undead/demons).
Use Avenging Wrath on cooldown; keep Judgement of Wisdom for mana.

AoE

Divine Storm cleaves; Seal of Command spreads damage.
Consecration for 4+ mobs; Holy Wrath vs undead in Icecrown.
Hammer of the Righteous not available—stick to Ret buttons.

Survival

Instant Flash of Light from Art of War; keep Sacred Shield (if available) for mitigation.
Divine Protection for big pulls; Lay on Hands to save cooldowns.
Hand of Freedom and Cleanse to remove snares/DoTs.

Zone & Dungeon Path (WotLK)

Level	Zone/Dungeon	Notes
70-72	Howling Fjord / Borean Tundra	Utgarde Keep/Nexus for starter gear; Art of War procs make you durable.
72-75	Dragonblight / Azjol-Nerub / OK	Great AoE packs; prioritize Strength/crit plate.
75-77	Grizzly Hills / Zul'Drak	Divine Storm shines on troll packs; badge farms.
77-80	Sholazar / Storm Peaks / Icecrown	Heroics for badge gear; use Holy Wrath vs undead.

Gear, Stats, and Enchants (All Versions)

Stat Priority

Strength > Hit (6-9% leveling) > Crit > Agility/Haste > Stamina.
Intellect valuable for mana (Classic/TBC); Judgements of the Wise covers it in WotLK.

Weapons

Always use the slowest highest-DPS 2H available.
Classic: SM/BRD/Strat two-handers; AV weapons.
TBC: Hellreaver, Greatsword of Horrid Dreams (caster but usable early), Crystalforged War Axe, badge 2Hs.
WotLK: Titansteel Destroyer, quest blues from Zul'Drak/Icecrown, heroic 2Hs.

Enchants

Classic: Crusader/+Agility to weapon; +Strength to gloves.
TBC: Savagery to weapon; +Strength/+Hit to gear.
WotLK: Berserking/Massacre weapon; +Hit/+Expertise if capped.

Pro Tips & Utility

Leveling Speed

Keep Seal/Judgement of Wisdom if mana is an issue; swap to Command/Vengeance for damage once comfortable.
Use Avenging Wrath on cooldown; combine with trinkets for burst.
Keep up Pursuit of Justice (speed) and carry Swiftness Potions for travel.

Group Utility

Blessings: Might for melee, Wisdom for casters, Kings if specced.
Hands: Freedom, Protection, Salvation to manage threat and CC.
Auras: Retribution for damage, Devotion when tanking, Resistance situational.

Survival

Art of War instants keep you topped; bubble to clear debuffs or survive ganks.
Repentance to peel; Hammer of Justice to stop dangerous casts.
Carry bandages and mana pots; Judgement of Light if self-healing is needed.

Retribution Paladin Leveling Guide

Why Retribution in Classic?

Strengths

Weaknesses

Talents by Level (Classic 1-60)

Early (10-29)

Mid (30-44)

Late (45-60)

Rotation & Playstyle

Single Target

Survival

AoE

Zone Route (Classic)

Why Retribution in TBC?

Talents by Level (TBC 60-70)

Early (60-63)

Mid (64-67)

Late (68-70)

Rotation (TBC)

Single Target

AoE

Survival

Zone & Dungeon Path (TBC)

Why Retribution in WotLK?

Talents by Level (70-80)

Early (70-73)

Mid (74-77)

Late (78-80)

Rotation (WotLK)

Priority

AoE

Survival

Zone & Dungeon Path (WotLK)

Gear, Stats, and Enchants (All Versions)

Stat Priority

Weapons

Enchants

Pro Tips & Utility

Leveling Speed

Group Utility

Survival

Level Faster with RestedXP