The evolution of the paladin as a hybrid class has been a long and arduous road. At 60, tanking and DPS'ing were almost impossible to do at a high level, and healing was passable but fairly undynamic. In terms of modal and fluid hybrids, the paladin was neither.
At 70, retribution and protection became usable in raids, and holy was powerful but narrow. The paladin was a modal hybrid, but not fluid, as healing with prot gear or DPS'ing in holy gear was laughable.
At 80, with Art of War, Sheath of Light, Sacred Shield, strength -> block value conversion being buffed, and other such changes, the paladin can now perform serviceable, short-term duty as a healer in prot or ret gear with noticeable effect. I personally have been able to keep healing going in a heroic 5-man after the healer has perished. It's tough, but it's possible.
The paladin has taken a step into the world of fluid hybrids. Rohan should be proud.
EDIT: Art of WAR, not Art of WART. Gorram typos...
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Hybridiest Ever
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4 comments:
I'm really happy with the state of the paladin these days. I was holy pretty much from WoW release until a month or two ago when I hit 77 and decided to go to the dark side for a while. I found that Ret is a hell of a lot of fun to play and really flexible. I've tanked regular dungeons easily, and could probably do heroics with the tanking scraps I've picked up. I've team healed/dpsed heroics with an elemental shammy friend, and I've solo healed regular dungeons.
Until we get dual-spec goodness, I think I'm going to stick with the two requisite Ret major glyphs and the Holy Light glyph I put in the last time I re-spec'ed to raid heal. A quick instant Flash to save the healer followed by a Holy Light AoE can really turn around a heroic that's about to go pear-shaped.
Art of WART... Hmmm... Looks like we have a companion for BACON of Light. =)
@Orgauth
/narrows eyes
You popularize that and Retribution will be swift.
Post fixed.
LOL
@Josh-it may already be too late.
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