Why play Paladin?
Paladin is the plate-wearing support class: a durable holy knight that brings immunities, external saves, off-healing, auras, and controlled burst.
Specs and role differences
- HolyHealer
Mastery: Lightbringer beacon healer built around Holy Shock, Infusion of Light, and Holy Power spenders.
Open guide → - ProtectionTank
Shield-wielding tank with Consecration, Avenger's Shield, and Holy Power.
Open guide → - RetributionMelee DPS
Holy Power melee burst with Templar's Verdict and Avenging Wrath.
Open guide →
Playable races
Class toolkit
Utility and CC
Movement
External saves - Blessing of Protection, Sacrifice, and Lay on Hands - define Paladin raid value.
Live performance rankings
Compare current Mythic+, raid, and PvP results on the live ranking pages. Rankings stay out of the guide request so external leaderboard delays never make a class guide unusable.
Arena comps
2v2
Holy Paladin + Arms Warrior
Holy Paladin + Unholy DK
Retribution Paladin + Discipline Priest
Retribution Paladin + Restoration Shaman
3v3
Cupid: Retribution Paladin / Hunter / Healer
Ret Warrior: Retribution Paladin / Warrior / Healer
Holy Paladin melee cleave
Holy Paladin caster cleave with Warlock or Mage
Mythic+ comps and synergies
Protection Paladin + Restoration Shaman + Mage + Rogue + Augmentation Evoker
Holy Paladin + Vengeance Demon Hunter + Enhancement Shaman + Balance Druid + Frost Mage
Retribution Paladin + Blood Death Knight + Restoration Druid + Shadow Priest + Hunter
Synergy notes
- Blessing of Freedom lets melee partners keep uptime through roots and snares.
- Blessing of Protection removes physical pressure and can cheese targeted physical mechanics.
- Devotion Aura stacks well with planned raid damage and high-key unavoidable group hits.
- Hammer of Justice turns partner burst into real kill windows.
- Lay on Hands and Blessing of Sacrifice give healers or tanks an extra mistake buffer.
Current Mythic+ dungeon fit
Cleanse, externals, and short stops are valuable.
Good defensive trading for heavy group damage.
Mobility can be tested; plan Divine Steed.
Protection and Holy are excellent into spiky trash.
Strong cooldowns for dangerous pulls.
Good, but movement and knockbacks need planning.
Theme and damage profile favor Paladin utility.
Strong if interrupts and externals are assigned.
Current raid boss fit
Tank-swap ritual boss: run the dispel out, kill adds before the Soulcoil Well, soak the pyres; the cast pattern reshuffles after the intermission. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Keep the two golems apart or they barely take damage; in the intermission, collide with exactly four toxin stacks to neutralize it. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Tortollan council: interrupt the flames, and feed a Disgusting Fish to a possessed councillor to break the controlling spirit's hold - each can be fed only once. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
When he drinks from the fountains, kill the crawling venoms before they reach the cavity; spread the froth and carry infections out. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Wind-push single-target: assigned players pop cysts as each gale starts to counter the knockback, and the raid bursts during the damage-amp window. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Everyone's venom stacks toward a lethal cap until the devour soak consumes it; tanks rotate the soaks in spawn order. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Break the shield to stop the ramp, free mind-controlled players, and kill both bosses within moments of each other - the survivor gains 500% damage. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Burn the exposed Heart during its double-damage windows, keep the eggs out of venom, and survive the platforms shattering in the final phase. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Single-target tank-swap check with rotating melee soaks. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Add waves spawn on a timer - cleave them while sustaining the boss. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Single-target burn with positional soaks between phases. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Two-boss fight - keep both bosses in range for constant cleave. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Waves of Vanguard adds must be AoE'd down before they overwhelm. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Alternates single-target burn phases with priority add swaps. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Single-target damage race through heavy movement phases. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Single-boss fungal encounter with rot, spores, and priority add control. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Priority adds interrupt otherwise single-target phases. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Final single-target burn under a hard soft-enrage. Paladin brings immunities, externals, aura value, and stable boss uptime.
Signature spells and mechanics
Avenging WrathThe signature wings cooldown; lines up with burst damage or healing windows.
Divine ShieldFull immunity that lets Paladins solo mechanics, survive kill attempts, or reset pressure.
Blessing of ProtectionPhysical immunity for an ally; incredible into melee, bleeds, and physical boss mechanics.
Blessing of SacrificeTransfers damage from an ally to you, making it one of the best external cooldowns in the game.
Hammer of JusticeReliable stun that creates kill windows, dungeon stops, and setup for crowd control chains.
Divine SteedThe main mobility button; planning it matters because Paladin is not naturally slippery.
Holy PowerThe shared builder/spender engine behind Word of Glory, Shield of the Righteous, and Retribution finishers.