Melee class · A tier
Paladin build guide
The easiest class to finish a zone with: Consecration under your feet, shields, self-healing and a once-per-90-sec death save. Lower damage ceiling than the S tier.
Tier
A
Ease
#2 of 9
Damage ceiling
#8 of 9
Range
Melee
Best race
Human / Dwarf
“Holy ground and righteous hammers. Heals himself, shrugs off death once in a while.” The game's own pitch
Best Paladin build
Recommended
Shield bastion (beginner)
- Hammer of Justice start
- Consecration shield
- Divine Intervention talent (a death save)
- Fortitude and Mark of the Wild
Stacks shields and health, then turns them into damage. Very hard to kill.
Alternative
Exorcism crit
- Divine Storm capstone
- crit-to-Exorcism milestone
- crit chance passives
More damage, still sturdy. A good second Paladin run.
Avoid: Kiting at long range. Your damage lives in the ground under you.
Paladin talents: capstones and milestones
A capstone rebuilds Paladin around one idea, and you run one at a time. Milestones are the big mid-tree talents on the way there. Text below is the game's own. For every talent with its numbers, see all Paladin talents.
Capstones
Light's Grace
A Holy Wrath bursts from you on its own every 14 sec.
Divine Storm
Start with Exorcism, and every Exorcism bursts on nearby enemies within 5 yd for 20% damage.
Hammer of the Righteous
15% more max health; spells deal extra damage equal to 1% of max health (1.5% target max health on Hammer of Justice), and broken shields burst in holy light.
Milestones worth chasing
- Daybreak & Hallowed Ground: Holy Shock crits call down a free Holy Wrath (every 3 sec); Hammer of Justice drops a free Consecration (every 4 sec).
- Ardent Defender: start with Hammer of Justice; Consecration raises a stacking 8% health shield (up to 30%), and while shielded you deal 20% more damage.
- Divine Favor: start with Holy Shock, and its bolts leap to 2 more enemies for 40% damage.
- The Art of War: critical strikes have a 15% chance to hurl a free Exorcism (up to once a second).
Spells you will see
- Consecration
- Hammer of Justice
- Holy Shock
- Exorcism
- Judgement
- Holy Wrath
- Divine Shield
All Paladin talents & planner (game 0.114.1)
All 40 talents in the three Paladin trees, in the game's own words. A row opens after 5 more points in that tree, and you can spend up to 51 points in total with one capstone active. Numbers are for the first rank; click any talent below to plan a 51-point build and share the link.
Holy 0 pts · 13 talents
Available at once
-
Divine Strength
Increases all damage by 1.5%.
-
Divine Intellect
Regenerate 0.4 more health per second.
5 points in Holy
-
Healing Light
Holy Light heals 20% more.
-
Improved Seal of Righteousness
Judgement and Exorcism deal 6% more damage.
10 points in Holy
-
Divine Favor
You start every run with Holy Shock, and each of its bolts leaps to 2 more enemies for 40% of it.
-
Unyielding Faith
Reduces all damage taken by 1.2%.
15 points in Holy
-
Holy Power
Increases your critical strike chance by 1%.
-
Lasting Judgement
Holy Shock's cooldown is 8% shorter.
20 points in Holy
-
Daybreak
Holy Shock's critical strikes call down a free Holy Wrath around you, at most once every 3 sec.
Requires Divine Favor
-
Sanctified Light
Holy spells deal 2% more damage.
25 points in Holy
-
Holy Guidance
Increases your maximum health by 3%.
-
Purifying Power
Holy Wrath and Consecration reach 8% farther.
30 points in Holy
-
Light's Grace
A Holy Wrath bursts from you on its own every 14 sec.
Requires Daybreak
Protection 0 pts · 14 talents
Available at once
-
Improved Devotion Aura
Reduces all damage taken by 1%.
-
Redoubt
Increases your maximum health by 4%.
5 points in Protection
-
Improved Consecration
Every tick of Consecration deals an extra 0.25% of your maximum health.
-
Spiritual Attunement
0.25% of all the damage you deal heals you.
10 points in Protection
-
Weighted Hammer
Hammer of Justice deals an extra 3% of your maximum health.
-
Hallowed Ground
Every Hammer of Justice that lands hallows the ground beneath you: a free Consecration, at most once every 4 sec.
-
Judgement of the Crusader
Enemies burning in your Consecration take 4% more damage from you for 3 sec.
15 points in Protection
-
Righteous Fury
Every spell you cast deals an extra 0.4% of your maximum health.
-
Improved Hammer of Justice
Hammer of Justice deals 15% more damage and recovers faster.
20 points in Protection
-
Blessed Life
Consecration's shield holds 3% more of your maximum health.
-
Ardent Defender
You start every run with Hammer of Justice. Every Consecration raises a shield of 8% of your maximum health, stacking up to 30% (39% with Blessed Life), and while a shield holds, you deal 20% more damage.
Requires Hallowed Ground
25 points in Protection
-
Divine Intervention
A blow that would kill you leaves you at 30% health instead, wrapped in a free Divine Shield and a free Consecration. Once every 90 sec.
-
Sacred Duty
While a shield holds, you deal 5% more damage.
30 points in Protection
-
Hammer of the Righteous
Your maximum health is 15% higher, every spell you cast deals an extra 1% of your maximum health, Hammer of Justice also strikes for 1.5% of its target's maximum health, and a shield that breaks bursts in holy light: half of what it absorbed, up to half the most it held, strikes every enemy within 10 yd.
Requires Ardent Defender
Retribution 0 pts · 13 talents
Available at once
-
Improved Blessing of Might
Increases all damage by 1%.
-
Benediction
Your cooldowns recover 1.5% faster.
5 points in Retribution
-
Improved Judgement
Judgement's cooldown is 12% shorter.
-
Deflection
Reduces all damage taken by 1%.
10 points in Retribution
-
Seal of Command
You start every run with Judgement, and every Judgement also strikes 2 more enemies near its target for 60% of it.
-
Pursuit of Justice
Increases your movement speed by 4%.
15 points in Retribution
-
Conviction
Increases your critical strike chance by 1.5%.
-
Righteous Hammer
Hammer of Wrath has a 10% chance to strike its target again.
20 points in Retribution
-
The Art of War
Your critical strikes have a 15% chance to hurl a free Exorcism, at most once a second.
Requires Seal of Command
-
Sanctity Aura
Holy spells deal 3% more damage.
25 points in Retribution
-
Eye for an Eye
10% of the damage enemies deal you in melee is dealt back to them.
-
Vindication
Increases your critical strike damage by 4%.
30 points in Retribution
-
Divine Storm
You start every run with Exorcism, and every Exorcism bursts on its target, striking every enemy within 5 yd for 20% of it.
Requires The Art of War
Best rings, trinkets, amulets & gear for Paladin
Paladin’s Consecration shield loop and Divine Storm / Light’s Grace capstones scale hardest with cooldown reduction (Quick Strike Ring), spell echo (Hand of Justice, Malice Stone Pendant) and buff/shield power (Horn of the Warchief). See the full items, trinkets & Codex guide for every ring, trinket and amulet in game 0.120.4.
In-run · Codex jewelry
Best rings, trinkets & amulets
- Rings: Quick Strike Ring, Ring of Spell Power
- Trinkets: Hand of Justice, Horn of the Warchief
- Amulets: Malice Stone Pendant, Medallion of Steadfast Might
Between runs · Armory (Plate)
Paladin armor sets & weapons
- Armor sets (Common → Legendary): Squire's → Lightforge → Lawbringer → Judgement → Redemption
- Main hand: Wooden Maul → Hammer of the Squire → Hammer of the Lightforge → Lightforged Hammer → Ashbringer
Best race for Paladin
Default starting races: Human and Dwarf. (In v0.120.0+, any other race can be unlocked for 100 achievement points on the Rewards tab.) Our pick: Dwarf (Stoneform shield) or Human (more experience and gold).
Cross-Race Unlock Tip: On the title screen's Rewards → Races tab (new in v0.120.0), any race can be unlocked for all classes for 100 achievement points. Bought races stay permanently unlocked through resets, enabling cross-race synergy builds.
Recommended
Human
- Perception: +15% damage for 10 sec, every 30 sec
- Diplomacy: +20% gold
- The Human Spirit: +10% experience
Recommended
Dwarf
- Stoneform: a shield worth 30% of max health, every 45 sec
- Gun Specialization: +6% damage
- Treasure Finding: +30% pickup range
Zone path with Paladin
Zones unlock per class: each win with Paladin opens the next zone for your Paladins only. Here is the road from the tutorial to the endgame, and who waits at the end of each run.
- 1 Elwynn Forest Final boss: Edwin VanCleef
- 2 Duskwood Final boss: Morbent Fel
- 3 Warsong Gulch Final boss: Lord Kazzak
- 4 Un'Goro Crater Final boss: King Mosh
- 5 Arathi Basin Final boss: Lord Aliden Perenolde
- 6 Feralas Final boss: King Gordok
- 7 Gurubashi Arena Final boss: Hakkar the Soulflayer
- 8 Scarlet Monastery Final boss: High Inquisitor Whitemane
- 9 Alterac Valley Final boss: Azuregos
- 10 Blackrock Mountain Final boss: Nefarian
- 11 Gates of Ahn'Qiraj Final boss: C'Thun
- 12 Naxxramas Final boss: Kel'Thuzad
Paladin vs other classes
| Class | Tier | Range | Ease | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | A | Melee | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Paladin | A | Melee | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Hunter | S | Ranged | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Warlock | S | Ranged | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Druid | B | Hybrid | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Shaman | A | Hybrid | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Priest | B | Ranged | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Mage | S | Ranged | 2/5 | 5/5 |
| Rogue | B | Melee | 2/5 | 4/5 |
Sorted by ease. Rankings are our opinion for game 0.120.4; see the full tier list for the reasoning.
Paladin FAQ
Is Paladin good in Azeroth Survivors?
Paladin is A tier in our tier list: #2 of 9 for ease and #8 of 9 for damage ceiling. The easiest class to finish a zone with: Consecration under your feet, shields, self-healing and a once-per-90-sec death save. Lower damage ceiling than the S tier.
What is the best Paladin build?
Shield bastion (beginner): Hammer of Justice start, Consecration shield, Divine Intervention talent (a death save), Fortitude and Mark of the Wild. Stacks shields and health, then turns them into damage. Very hard to kill.
Alternative: Exorcism crit. More damage, still sturdy. A good second Paladin run.
What are the Paladin capstone talents?
- Light's Grace. A Holy Wrath bursts from you on its own every 14 sec.
- Divine Storm. Start with Exorcism, and every Exorcism bursts on nearby enemies within 5 yd for 20% damage.
- Hammer of the Righteous. 15% more max health; spells deal extra damage equal to 1% of max health (1.5% target max health on Hammer of Justice), and broken shields burst in holy light.
You can only run one capstone at a time; respecs are free between runs.
How many talents does Paladin have?
40 talents in three trees: Holy (13), Protection (14), Retribution (13). Each row of a tree opens after 5 more points in it: the first milestones at 10 points, the next at 20 and the capstones at 30. See every Paladin talent.
What is the best race for Paladin?
Dwarf (Stoneform shield) or Human (more experience and gold). Default starting races: Human and Dwarf. (In v0.120.0+, any other race can be unlocked for 100 achievement points on the Rewards tab.) Starting in version 0.120.0, you can also unlock any race for 100 achievement points on the Rewards → Races tab. If cross-race unlocked, Gnome (+20% Luck, -8% cooldowns) is a premier scaling choice for proc and cooldown builds, while Orc (+35% Blood Fury damage) provides unmatched burst damage.
How do you unlock Paladin talents?
Play Paladin runs. Every run pays talent experience to the class you played, based on time survived, kills, bosses, a win and how hard the zone was. If Paladin is behind your best class it earns bonus experience, so it catches up faster. Zones also unlock per class: beating Elwynn Forest with Paladin opens Duskwood for Paladin only.
More: Azeroth Survivors guide · builds for every class · items, trinkets & amulets · how to play · all zones and bosses