Paladin class preview hype.

[Jokubas]

I like that it sounds like Auras will really be back, even if it's just a Holy Paladin thing. It seems like they're making Holy the Uther spec, what with the close range fighting, hammer and libram, holy light, and auras. That's good, because in the past it's just been a heavily armored Priest, when armor doesn't matter in group content.

I think I might branch back out of Retribution for the first time in forever this expansion.

[deadmau]

It's not a proc, it's just another melee spell.

With that said, I'm retracting my statement. Considering they're scrapping HP for Prot and Holy, they might as well just scrap it for Ret.

Sorry, I was retarded, it clearly says BoJ generates 2 Holy Power. =x

Anyway, in the spirit of Blizzard making arbitrary decision, about that Holy Power still for ret but not Holy/Prot...cmon Blizzard, no one is falling for this gag

Retribution Paladins continue to use Holy Power, serving as a strong mechanic for building interesting gameplay.

[Deleted]

My fear for ret with BoJ being added is what they are doing to Exorcism and HoW. If Exorcism is being removed and Judgement doesn't generate HP like it says then they are basically adding a new melee ability in the play of Exorcism that generates HP for both it and judgement.

Finally... removal of ranged caster and finally we get melee crusader! They even stated that Finally they listened!

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Looks like utter shite for prot.

As someone who mains a prot pally, I'm infatuated with the new changes. I definitely prefer having charges and mechanics that can reset CDs as opposed to the old Holy Power crap we have, which pretty much act more as staggered Rogue combo points.

Was hoping Holly Pally would get the Fistweaver treatment and allow for a hybrid attack/heal gameplay, but alas it's simply a few buffs to AoE healing that make Holy Pallys heal better when closer to the melee stacks.

[Jokubas]

My fear for ret with BoJ being added is what they are doing to Exorcism and HoW. If Exorcism is being removed and Judgement doesn't generate HP like it says then they are basically adding a new melee ability in the play of Exorcism that generates HP for both it and judgement.

Oh, you're right, I didn't notice that. That has me concerned. Holy Power sucks when the builders aren't spread around, as evidenced by the very painful Cataclysm Paladin.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Finally... removal of ranged caster and finally we get melee crusader! They even stated that Finally they listened!

I actually liked the idea of being a melee warrior with ranged capabilities; pretty much the only reason I could queue for a BG and not die in the melee moshpit in the center of battle or in the Ashran lanes (which are absolutely horrific for melee players).

- - - Updated - - -

So we have Holy Paladins, Survival Hunters and Demon Hunters to welcome in the heat of battle? Looks like all the cool kids will be present.....and 1 hunter spec :P

Mages still have no melee spec, nor do Locks and Priests.

Que someone flabbergasted at the very notion of a melee mage.

[Volitar]

Not a fan of the Holy mastery, will probably be good but I just don't like it..feels kind of annoying bleh.

[Shaarson]

These changes to Ret slow the gameplay down further and add another element of rng (random 1 hp generated per BoJ and crusader strike). It looks like from what they gave here: judgement, hp builders, hp spenders, auto attack until everything is off cd, repeat. That said it doesn't say if HoW is actually being removed or how AV is going to work so this might just be the down time rotation which is similar to what it is now and provides some burst outside of AV. I would like to see the three charges of AV become standard in the class and hope that a bunch of the gameplay is based around that. Conviction just honestly makes me want to go to Blizzard HQ and throw a rock through their window.

[Jokubas]

I actually liked the idea of being a melee warrior with ranged capabilities; pretty much the only reason I could queue for a BG and not die in the melee moshpit in the center of battle or in the Ashran lanes (which are absolutely horrific for melee players).

I agree. I never felt like Ret's ranged capabilities made them a ranged class, it just gave them a unique identity and helped offset what could otherwise be a hard counter (both in PvP and PvE). The removal of it isn't something that truly bothers me yet, but I'll have to see. People complained about the damage and such of Exorcism, but I thought the idea of it was perfect for the spec.

[Diatenium]

UGH. The changes to holy feels like a hard reverse straight back into Wrath healing, which was abysmally unfun.

Straight off, the change to holy's mastery is straight-up bad. I understand their desire to remove illuminated healing, as cool as it is, but this is not how you replace it.

Firstly, it doesn't encourage players to interact with melee, it just forces them into arbitrary positioning requirements. If everyone is spread out, then the best location is right under the boss. Otherwise, you're sandwiched between clumped melee and ranged... Which also means your light of dawn can't hit the entire raid.

There's no gameplay here in this mastery change, I'm not actually interacting with an encounter as a "melee healer", so it entirely fails at what it sets out to do. Holy radiance appears to be cut, as well. Basically, we're back to being spot healers, with no rotation or meaningful spell interactions.

I have no strong opinion on the other specs, especially prot since I don't play it. Judgement for ret, however, immediately catches my eye as being bad. Maintaining a debuff with 50% upkeep flies completely in the face of their core design philosophy. It over-complicates their rotation and buff/debuff management headspace, it doesn't make you feel powerful, and it doesn't align with any fantasy.

[Netherspark]

Paladins with teleport... seems so wrong.

[Ealyssa]

Ma SoR uptime

I don't really like prot paly loosing holy power and going full crit to fish SoR proc :/ Will see in beta how it feels to play.

I'm kinda disapointed now. Was really hyped switching to DH tanking. Blizzcon made me think twice about it. with the lack of DH tanking info, perma metamorphosis being a possibilty I don't like and great protpal artifact.

But the spec being so much changed, I'll really need to see IG. Bear tanking sounded appealing. But if prot really switch to "fish crit for SoR" I'm afraid I'll leave the holy crusade.

[PaladinMesser]

I'm not liking the Holy Mastery change I don't want to be forced into melee.

[Deleted]

The new holy mastery might be the least fun mastery I've ever seen. It will be absolute hell to play around, especially since the raid frames don't tell you where people are. The MM Hunter class trinket is almost universally loathed because of its awkward positional requirements and this mastery will be too.

[Deleted]

I want to know talents !

[Mightypally]

So we still seem to have pretty weak AoE, The rest of the classes that really don't use much mana (like ourselves) got it removed and got a new resource, we are still stuck with the same crap even with the rest of our spec's do not even have HoPo, Our class has an annoying ramp up in damage is rather annoying still.

6.5/10

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Paladins with teleport... seems so wrong.

Look at Tyrael's ability in HotS; trust me it'll fit right in here.

[sarayn]

The new holy mastery might be the least fun mastery I've ever seen. It will be absolute hell to play around, especially since the raid frames don't tell you where people are. The MM Hunter class trinket is almost universally loathed because of its awkward positional requirements and this mastery will be too.

Just even the possibility of this existing makes me want to quit my hpally ugh

[Puxpux]

Looks like , build 3 holy power, judge, blade , spender, CS, spender... build 3 holy power again for next 12 secs repeat =P

Might be wrong, still need more information on Exorcism, Hammer of Wrath etc etc

[Res03]

Ret looks retardedly slow game play now and any cc you are screwed. Terrible holy power generation.