Yeah, Conq seems to be universally elusive. We have alts with 3-4pc HC Vanq tier, but only ~5 pcs of HC conq tier across the raid. GG.
A lot of what Tekagi said is true, but it doesn't truly encompass the Ret plight. Melee is already at a distinct and inherent disadvantage over ranged in both PVE and PVP. Obviously, you NEED tanks (in PVE), so that's considered an "out" for most melee classes to take in an effort to remain raid-viable. Exception here is Rog's of course, as they don't have that option; however they remain uber competitive DPS, and now also have some utility and increased survival to secure their spot. Most other melee have the option of Tank and 2 DPS specs. So Prot, or Arms/Fury, Blood or Frost/UH, Guardian or Feral/Moonkin. Basically, if you don't want to tank, you still have 2 options on how you want to DPS, and usually can either pick your favorite or pick the most viable/OP one.
Paladins don't have this. Paladins get Tank/melee/healer instead. Which puts us in the unique position of "if you want to DPS, you get one way to do it". Incidentally, that one option is 1) melee, 2) historically lackluster compared to other dps, 3) historically lackluster compared to other melee, 4) providing the same utility as their other spec's, nothing unique, and 5) has a social stigma of being a safe-haven for baddies.
ANY of those 5 issues alone is enough to get Ret on a chopping block in any progression minded PVE or PVP team. Not competitive DPS? Sorry, we're gonna stack rogs/locks/whatever. Melee and not a Rog? Sorry, need ranged. No group utility, or no group utility we don't already have? We'll get someone else. However, Ret gets all 5 simultaneously. G fucking G.
Add to that, that ret shares/needs gear that would otherwise go to 1) Prot pal, the strongest tank, 2) DK, the strongest non-rog melee, 3) Priests (disc or shadow), strongest/required healers or good ranged with utility, 4) Locks, strongest range, or even 5) HPals, very strong healers with great utility and there's no reason to throw gear to the Ret. This is obviously only a PVE problem, but looking at it from a PVP standpoint: Why would you use conquest to buy Ret gear just so you can be relegated to the bench or a life of random BGs, when you could insted buy Holy plate and actually get invited places?
Ret is about 2 expansions behind in terms of unique utility, cooldown reliance, burst/ability timers (cooldown cooldowns, yo dawg), survival options, innate survival vs stun/silence/fear, and overall dps. In some of these cases (like innate survival) we've moved BACKWARDS over the expansions. We've had our old unique utility stripped away and either entirely removed from the game, or given instead to Holy paladins/all paladins. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it helps the Hpal's, but Ret got nothing to compensate this loss. Further, this is exacerbated by the balance around HOLY instead of around PALADINS; the dev's have said "unless you're a masochist, all the smart paladins just go Holy for PVP, so we don't really concern ourselves trying to balance ret since there are other options". Even though those options require a completedly different gear set, role, and playstyle. Thanks guys.