Paladin
Retribution
Playstyle
Melee DPS built on spending Holy Power during short, frequent cooldown windows — Wake of Ashes every 30 seconds, Avenging Wrath every 60. Two viable Holy-Power-generation builds (passive Crusading Strikes vs. more active Templar Strikes) let players lean toward simpler or busier play. Flexible single-target/AoE talent swaps come without a big damage penalty.
Solid, consistent damage with excellent passive cleave during burst windows
Season 2 Tier Set
Radiance of the Consecrated Flame
Divine Purpose has an additional 10% chance to activate and consuming it grants Divine Power, increasing Holy damage done by 10% for 12 seconds.
Consuming Divine Purpose with Divine Storm causes your next Final Verdict to be free and unleash Divine Arbiter at its target, dealing Holy damage and Holy damage to enemies within 8 yards.
+ The Good
Solid, consistent damage with excellent passive cleave during burst windows
Strong personal defensive kit (Divine Shield, Divine Protection, Shield of Vengeance, Lay on Hands)
Brings Devotion Aura and the Blessing kit
− The Bad
Least utility-focused of this class's three specs in a raid setting
Mobility is its biggest weakness, limited to a single ability (Divine Steed)
Low skill ceiling — the core rotation doesn't offer much further nuance once you've learned it
Bringing multiple redundant utility spells can mean some go unused in high-end groups
Pick My Main ratings
Raid buffs
Utility
Hero talents
Adds Hammer of Light as a burst-window Holy Power spender plus auto-cast Empyrean Hammers. Currently a touch ahead on single-target and short burst windows.
Leans on periodic damage (Dawnlight) that triggers automatically during cooldowns, with extra Divine Storm/Hammer of Wrath power. Currently a touch ahead on sustained AoE; the gap to Templar is small enough that either is comfortable in any content.