Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Paladins are fun!!!! No, really!
retrospectic
Member UncommonPosts: 1,466
Before The Burning Crusade I thought, like many, that Paladins were sort of silly, especially leveling. Their abilities (LOLBUBLE) were either frustrating in PvP, or seemed to create long and boring fights in PvE. When TBC hit I made a Paladin named Salt as a joke. I thought that I would mostly use him as an alt between instancing. Little did I know how much I would enjoy him. Now, Salt is my main, and my other characters merely feed him items and materials.
Here's why:
1. Healing - Paladins healers are by-far the best of the best. Although other classes can provide your party with heals, Paladins do it better! Not only can we heal, but we can buff! Attack power, mana regen, damage reduction, overall stat improvements, threat reduction, damage re-direction (Your ouchies become partially our ouchies.) Also, coupled with Shadow Priest DPS, our mana pool is near bottomless. Shadow Priest DPS therefore becomes our regeneration. Mix that with our threat reduction talent and you have one killer party.
(I also have a 70 Shadow Priest. I know what it is like from our side. Our DPS skyrockets and your mana never dies. Trivializing instances become a habit, not an exercise in frustration!)
2. Tanking - I know what you're thinking "Warriors do it better!", and I partially agree. Warriors have a much easier time balancing gear to give them the best chance in any situation. This is because Warrior can stack defensive stats, and other stats (such as strength and stamina) are provided as well. Paladin tanks, on the other hand, have a bit of a challenge when gear is concerned. We must sacrifice points in defensive abilities to help boost our spell damage. Although, many Tankadins do it, and thrive.
Even so, Paladin tanks pre-raiding (and in some cases raiding as well), can still bring a lot to the table. Our damage can be front-loaded due to mana instead of rage. Healing also replenishes our mana pool, which means more threat generation. Also, we bring many of the same buffs along. A party with a Paladin healer and Paladin tank provides two buffs. This means that threat can be reduced AND damage or mana regen as well!
(A party with a Paladin tank, Paladin healer, and Shadow Priest makes for some very deadly synergy. I've been in these groups as a Shadow Priest. The results are amazing)
3. AoE Tank Grinding - As a former Rogue and Shadow Priest I had my doubts about the speed of Paladin leveling. The idea of leveling from 1 - 70 as a retribution Paladin left me very critical of the class as a whole. From level 1 - 35 trudged through leveling. Those level, like many other classes, are harder to level when talents are not yet accessible. Retribution Paladins rely heavily on critical strikes and skill procs. This means that some mobs die quickly while others take far too long. Although it evens out, standing in front of a mob with limited procs can be tedious and down right boring.
Also, tanks are harder to come by when leveling and the pursuit of (group) quests. Most people (Warriors included) do not spec into group-oriented gameplay between 60 and 70. This is because Warrior DPS specs are much faster and more reliable. Of course, any warrior can slap on a shield and go into defensive stance. But, as a Tankadin you can still level quickly AND provide a solid tank for questing. Therefore, it is much easier to find others (DPS or DPS healers who can still heal well enough) to accent your party. This allows your leveling to be a breeze.
Here's my story (feel free to skim):
At 35 I respecced protection. Immediately I hit up the first camp of melee only mobs, Murlocs in Dustwallow Marsh. These mobs died in groups of 6 - 12. Not only was the exp faster than questing, but the rewards were greater. I was able to sell their drops in the AH for more than the meager quest rewards for that level.
At 65 (my current level) I have found a happy medium. Quest rewards in Outland are far better than those pre-60, and the abilities I have allow me to easily deal with any mob, caster or melee. I have yet to attempt tanking instances, but have easily killed almost every elite quest up to my level solo, or with the help of a healer.
In short, Paladins are fun. Regardless of the negative press they get from web comics, angry PvPers (omg bubbler!), and other players, they are still a blast to level and run instances with. Also (and this is just my opinion) I think Paladins take a bit more skill to play well. While other classes pump out DPS with quick button mashing (see: Rogues), we have to pick the right buffs, approach with the right combos, and use our long cooldowns (Lay on Hands, anyone?) properly.
AoE Paladin Farms: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uX5PEf6LGi4
(I will reply to this thread with some helpful Paladin and Tankadin guides soon! Stay Tuned!)
Comments
I don't know much about Paladins. The things I do know is the info I get from BGing against them. I know this; despite their bubble I can still kill them. So that means I can kill them twice. That's why I will not play one.
I did not go into detail about PvP. I am not a big fan of Battlegrounds, and have not spent much time in them as a Paladin. I spent my fair share of time as a Rogue in BGs (pre-TBC and pre-honor change). I've found that Paladins in BGs to be a big pain the buttocks when they do their job as healers or when they guard flags.
On the other hand, a 5v5 arena team with a Paladin is no joke. The survivability they bring to the match is insane. I was very impressed at how well 5v5 teams work with a Paladin keeping everyone alive.
Of course, like any other class, Paladins can be killed by smart PvPers. If I used your example, I would never play a Warlock. My Rogue ate so many Warlocks in Arathi Basin it became one of my favorite parts of that BG. But any Warrior with decent gear would smash me like so many grapes.
I do understand, though. I would never play a Warrior or a Druid. I do not like their abilities (Warriors lack variety, and Druids have to be cows as I only play Horde). I think the main point was to let people know that Paladins aren't all bubble and auto-attack. I get the feeling people have that misconception whenever I tell them I love my Pally.
Doktar - 70 Troll Priest - Perenolde
Yes having a 5v5 team without a pally is... lol. They can hold their own in BGs, but of course everyone has a weakness or class that rips into them.
"They essentially want to say 'Correlation proves Causation' when it's just not true." - Sovrath
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
Never cared for the class much myself. Always prefered straight-up healer or druid if I chose to heal or DPS class if I was opting for melee. But a lot of people seemed to like this class. I got bored with WoW before BC so I'm not sure if things changed, but pallies seemed to be resigned to buffbotts and secondary healers in raid scenarios which made it not very fun.
Well, a lot of the threads on this board ask about classes. Instead of going with the usual MAGE ROGUE LOL posts, I decided to help inform future players. Also, some of those "whiney bitches" (in your words) whine on this site as well. There is also a lot of information missing from the World of Warcraft site that deals with Paladins.
And I was bored.
Doktar - 70 Troll Priest - Perenolde
Just wait until Outland. Go at 58, I did. It is amazing once you start getting your TBC buffs. 120% speed mount is amazing.
Doktar - 70 Troll Priest - Perenolde
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
I played a paladin for a while after Burning Crusade, too. Got to level 70, paladin became my main, and then something awful happened.
I attempted to PVP.
You see, I had played a rogue, a mage, and a warrior previously. I was pretty well used to being able to do well in a fight. Paladins, however, seem to automatically lose unless an ally is near, but at the same time, a 2v2 matchup in which one team has a Paladin, the Paladin's team has the advantage. That's because the Paladin is, no matter how you spec, World of Warcraft's best supporter class. You won't be the star of the show, but whoever is will be exponentially better.
I don't necessarily like it that way, but I do have a good bit of fun going to battlegrounds and arenas, and making a friend/friends nearby so powerful and indestructible (while being pretty solid myself, of course) that we can take whatever's thrown at us most of the time is a great feeling. Then again, being caught alone is like being a BM hunter with no pet. It's just a matter of time until you die, hopefully your heals, shields and mana will last long enough for help to arrive.
To be honest the only reason I ever played a paladin was because Warrior was cut from the Blood Elves' class roster, and I wanted to play a Blood Elf with a two-handed sword. Maybe should've been a hunter ...
I'm a 70 Shadowpriest too, and I love my Holy Specced paladin friend, because he's always around and I never feel forced to spec holy.
Great class, though the player behind it makes a big difference.
Still waiting for your Holy Grail MMORPG? Interesting...
I did not go into detail about PvP. I am not a big fan of Battlegrounds, and have not spent much time in them as a Paladin. I spent my fair share of time as a Rogue in BGs (pre-TBC and pre-honor change). I've found that Paladins in BGs to be a big pain the buttocks when they do their job as healers or when they guard flags.
On the other hand, a 5v5 arena team with a Paladin is no joke. The survivability they bring to the match is insane. I was very impressed at how well 5v5 teams work with a Paladin keeping everyone alive.
Of course, like any other class, Paladins can be killed by smart PvPers. If I used your example, I would never play a Warlock. My Rogue ate so many Warlocks in Arathi Basin it became one of my favorite parts of that BG. But any Warrior with decent gear would smash me like so many grapes.
I do understand, though. I would never play a Warrior or a Druid. I do not like their abilities (Warriors lack variety, and Druids have to be cows as I only play Horde). I think the main point was to let people know that Paladins aren't all bubble and auto-attack. I get the feeling people have that misconception whenever I tell them I love my Pally.
Heh, that is funny, because my next class is going to be a warrior, and I already have a druid made. I guess we are just complete opposites.
Paladin tanks tend to hold better agro as well. For places such as Kara or heroics this lets your dps'rs open all the way up.