So I noticed alot of people saying ret sucks, will make you quit the game, or some other form of QQ. I think sharing my thoughts with those ret paladins who are not looking for QQ. Why listen to me? I have pretty much played Ret every area season s6+ and always get 2k+ my highest rating being 2300 I think, nothing amazing but hopefully you can take me at my word. So en light of the new changes probably not landing till T2 weapon is available (Jan 25) and most people not having there blue set ( I am full blue with T1 weapon since the 22nd) I thought people might want to hear my thoughts!

1st off You are not a sustained damage dealer. Everyone knows rets damage is crap, well it is and no amount of strength, crit, or haste that's actually attainable is going to do it for ya. You are a cooldown class!! Avenging wrath + Zealotry is how you win.

2. Templar's Verdict doesn't compare to Word of glory. It just doesn't, 3 word of glory heals me for 15k templars verdict against plate hits for around 13k. You might say yeah but thats only 2k difference. Now here is where spec comes in. I have a 30% chance not to waste my holy power (unless its a hand of light proc) So sometimes i can get double or even triple WOGs. Now thats 30k/45k non crits. So if its a close fight I choose word of glory over Temlar's Verdict

3. Gearing. I gear hit and spam Mastery. Strength/mastery in red slots, pure mastery in yellow, and hit mastery in blue. I have an 18% Mastery. Now I just don't understand why people want to choose around 14% haste or around 10% crit instead of mastery. You already get +9% haste from talents so that +14% is gonna give you a at best a 3.5 sec CS and a 2.8 speed auto attack? A little bit more damage here and there isn't gonna make or break you, where a proc can save your life and make you win a match.

4. Spec/Glyphs makes all the difference in the world! I currently use this http://wowtal.com/#k=7A7JweU_.a8t.paladin.Rx9LwQ. Seal of truth is crap btw I personally hate it. And I am not sure eye for an eye is worth it, but its either that or Guardians Favor.

5. Divine Shield early. Gone are the days where ret could Bubble at 10% hp and heal up to full. When you see burst coming, or are full doted/feared, or just plain being focued and blown up ( I had a fury warrior do 88k dmg in 3 GCDs, Bubble can even help protect against dispel spam. This way you can throw in some flashes if you need to judge for speed and mana and be back at a reasonable hp

6. Word of Glory is amazing. With +50% healing to others and 80% crit on targets below 35% Word of Glory is how you win. Use your procs wisely, sometimes it is necessary to blow Zealotry and WOG spam.

7. Small things can turn a game. Keeping that pet feared so it can't cs or blow someone up, remembering to use divine protection every min, stunning with Holy wrath, using holy radiance, freedoming your partner during cyclone. These little things that involve you paying attention and timing really add up.

8. Never ever use Inquisition. Its a waste of talents ( to make it viable) and a waste of holy power.

9. Pick a non kiting target when you can. You need to have as close to 100% up time as possible, mages and hunters will destroy that. Every Auto Attack should have around a 35% chance of something to happen (sometimes even getting the Tri-Force proc!)

This might all change after the patch when Hand of Light becomes a talent ( and hopefully 20-25% proc rate) and the new Mastery becomes additional holy dmg (hopefully being 16%+ 2% range). And unless armor calculates before the holy damage (therefore still affecting the holy damage) then I will still be trying to Stack Mastery. So hopefully you sat through my terrible grammar and spelling and gained something from this.