Retribution Paladin, Another Expansion of Disappointment

[yyehezkel]

This is a PVP post.

Blizzard has become a corporate company, focusing on deliverables and high-end content, I understand, and would probably do the same if I were them.
But on I would do something different, I wouldn't disrespect the community's engagement and I would value its issues in a much better attitude.

Why do I say this?
This is regarding the retribution spec, some other specs, Covenants, and other Shadowlands features (also BFA) . MOST of the community has stated REAL concerns and they have been neglected or basically ignored.
This is extremely unfortunate.

The fact is that for 2 expansions straight playing a paladin has demanded an extreme type of person, a patient, calm, no keyboard smashing attitude... while literally every other class has been swooshing loops around them.

Numbers can be tuned, gameplay can't. As a philosophy, I am sure that (and that's blizzards moto) ***Gameplay first***, matters to them. BUT I would bet, that there are not enough PvP personal on the blizzard team and even less ret paladins playing PVP on that team.

The fact is that I play ret paladin for years, and while I wasn't the best or even close to it, I do enjoy competitive PvP in wow ALOT (the reason I play the game). But for the longest time, it feels like I am "forcing myself" to play ret. Numbers are fine (or sometimes overturned) but numbers are just numbers, and while the core-concerns for the spec remain ... the gameplay comes last.

This is not a discussion about how to improve the class as it feels they ignore those (Especially in eu forums), this is just a feeling I share and hope it gets some attention. I understand this is a useless topic, and it won't change anything for shadowlands, but maybe it would make a wakeup call if it gets enough attention.

While I don't like to refer to content creators for proving a point, savix has posted a youtube video a while back about the shadowlands ret experience that SHOW the core problems... and numbers are nothing about it.

[lunethzero]

Ive brought up this issue years before savix did and it was ignored. What made Ret good was that it had things that other classes didn't and now that every class seems to have similar things and even things that have been removed from ret that they just cant compete with the other classes. Threres a reason why Rogues and mages are always so good in pvp despite how much damage they can or cant dish out. Mages have always had Poly and Rogues have always had Sap and Blind. At this point, I'm convinced that ret will never be taken seriously. Blizzards argument is that they have insane burst to compensate for zero mobility and defensives which is purposely overpowered in the beta so they have an excuse to nerf it in the ground when it goes live. This happened in Legion and it happened in BFA and it looks like its gonna happen again.

[Mexh]

PvP ret needs the following in my eyes:

- Divine steed needs a shorter CD or it needs to clear snares when pressed. Right now you are casting divine steed with freedom 9 out of 10 times.
- Freedom should not be able to be dispelled
- Divine protection should not be able to be dispelled
- Remove damage from wings and add more sustained to create pressure throughout the match and not in burst windows.
- Remove healing utility and add a gap closer. Our only heal should probably be an instant flash on a cd, like ferals with regrowth. Judgment sprint maybe?
- Add a range holypower generator other than judgment for when we're sitting in snares, exorcism usable on all targets?
- Remove more burst damage and add a bit more survivability. I would suggest making bubble a standard 5 minute CD so its only used once or maybe twice in deep dampeners but add a rogue like vial that adds a small HOT when pressed?
- I would give up bubble for a mortal strike

I had more stuff in my head earlier but its 1am here in LA and im tired...