Protection Paladin: Talents and Trainer, 1-60

• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Devotion AuraOptionalRank 1
• Learn Seal of RighteousnessOptionalRank 1
• Reach level 2

Run this guide in a second guide tab beside Polestar's leveling route: it follows your level and lists what to train. Talent points start at level 10, one per level; with the Talented legacy perk they come up to five levels sooner, so take each pick as its point arrives. You start with Holy Light rank 1: heal between fights, not in the middle of one. Dwarf paladins learn from Bromos Grummner in Anvilmar, humans the same spells from Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker in Stormwind; the learn goals tick themselves once a spell is in your book. Devotion Aura gives you and your group armor (rank 1: 55) and stays on until you cast another aura. Seal of Righteousness charges every melee swing with Holy damage and lasts 30 seconds.

• Reach level 3

Until level 4 you fight with your weapon alone: seal up first, let the mob come, swing. Holy Light afterwards, then the next mob. When a mob is nearly dead, let the weapon finish it and keep the mana for the next fight. Keep following Polestar's route, and log out in a city or an inn after a session so you return with rested experience. Sell grey junk at every vendor: you need the silver for the next levels' spells.

• Reach level 4

Keep your silver for level 4: Judgement and Blessing of Might arrive together, and the route passes Bromos Grummner again. Buy nothing you do not truly need for now. Whenever a grey item or a quest takes you to a vendor, sell every piece of junk: the first trainer spells are your biggest expense before level 10.

• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn JudgementOptional
• Learn Blessing of MightOptionalRank 1
• Reach level 5

Judgement unleashes your active seal on an enemy within 10 yards (10 second cooldown): with Seal of Righteousness that is 15 Holy damage. It does not consume the seal, you simply keep swinging. The 10 yards are short: take a step in before you press it. Blessing of Might raises melee attack power (rank 1: 14) for an hour and costs little mana: cast it on yourself whenever it runs out, later on every group. Each player carries only one blessing, and you can have only one active at a time.

• Reach level 6

Talent points only start at level 10. Until then only the route counts: keep moving, collect silver, keep seal and aura up at all times. For your weapon, from now on: slower one-hand weapons hit harder per swing with Seal of Righteousness. A slow one-hander plus a shield is your setup for the whole road to 60.

• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Divine ProtectionOptionalRank 1
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 1
• Learn Holy LightOptionalRank 2
• Learn Seal of the CrusaderOptionalRank 1
• Reach level 7

Holy Strike is your holy hit between Judgements: instant Holy damage, without costing your seal or your Judgement anything. Later Iron Creed turns it into a threat and mitigation button, so press it in every fight from now on. Divine Protection makes you immune to attacks and spells for 8 seconds, during which you may neither attack nor use physical abilities — healing still works. Seal of the Crusader speeds up your attacks and casts; it is the seal for a mob's last hits because it costs no mana.

• Reach level 8

Holy Light is your grip between fights: heal up fully before the next mob, and spare the mana while fighting. You need to buy neither food nor water — you heal yourself, and mana regenerates faster sitting than standing: sit down briefly before you heal. In a group, heal the tank first, then everyone else; that is what we paladins are for. As a future tank, remember: whoever walks in front sets the pace — in dungeons, announce clearly what you are pulling.

• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Hammer of JusticeOptionalRank 1
• Learn PurifyOptional
• Reach level 9

Hammer of Justice stuns the target and is your only true hold: use it on runners or on the strongest mob in a fight. The stun grows longer later (rank 2 at 24, rank 3 at 40, rank 4 at 54), and Improved Hammer of Justice shortens the cooldown from level 51. Purify removes a poison or a disease from you or an ally. Poisoned? Cleanse the poison first: a ticking poison eats more healing than Purify costs mana.

• Reach level 10

At level 10 all at once: Devotion Aura rank 2, Lay on Hands, Blessing of Protection, Seal of Righteousness rank 2, Seal of Fury and Righteous Fury. Set the silver aside before you step into 10. Open the talent window with N. Your first point goes into Redoubt by this guide, the next four as well: Redoubt 5/5 is your whole talent budget until level 14.

• Talent point: Redoubt 1/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Devotion AuraOptionalRank 2
• Learn Lay on HandsOptionalRank 1
• Learn Blessing of ProtectionOptionalRank 1
• Learn Seal of RighteousnessOptionalRank 2
• Learn Seal of FuryOptionalRank 1
• Learn Righteous FuryOptional
• Reach level 11

Your first talent point goes into Redoubt: melee attacks against you have a chance to raise your block chance for 10 seconds — with a shield you are hit constantly, so it is up often. Shield Specialization later needs all five ranks, so nothing else goes here. Seal of Fury is your seal for the rest of the game: every swing adds Holy damage, and with a shield every swing adds a small absorb on top. Its Judgement taunts the target for 3 seconds — solo that means nothing, in a dungeon it is your taunt. Righteous Fury is a toggle (+33% threat, holy attacks build even more): on in dungeons, and while leveling keep it on from level 25, when Improved Righteous Fury pays you back damage.

• Talent point: Redoubt 2/5
• Reach level 12

From now on you fight around Seal of Fury: seal up, into the mob, Judgement and Holy Strike on cooldown, Holy Light between fights. Every swing feeds Redoubt and, with a shield, adds Fury's absorb. Lay on Hands heals a target by your full maximum health and drains all your remaining mana: the lifeline for the moment it would otherwise die. Blessing of Protection makes a target immune to physical damage — the target cannot attack while it holds, so never on a group's tank.

• Talent point: Redoubt 3/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn RedemptionOptionalRank 1
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 2
• Learn Blessing of MightOptionalRank 2
• Learn Seal of the CrusaderOptionalRank 2
• Reach level 13

Redemption revives a dead player out of combat — you are your group's resurrection, with no reagents. In dungeons you lift every fallen player yourself instead of asking the healer. Holy Strike rank 2 hits harder, Blessing of Might rank 2 and Seal of the Crusader rank 2 give more attack power and speed. It all follows the same fighting round, only faster.

• Talent point: Redoubt 4/5
• Reach level 14

Your fighting round stands until level 60: Seal of Fury up, in, Judgement on cooldown, Holy Strike between, with several mobs Retribution Aura and from level 20 Consecration under the pack. Only the ranks' numbers grow. Redoubt 5/5 lands at level 14, then Precision and Sacred Duty open the second row. If a group looks for dungeons: with a shield, Righteous Fury and Holy Shield from level 30 you tank everything the route throws at you.

• Talent point: Redoubt 5/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Holy LightOptionalRank 3
• Learn Blessing of WisdomOptionalRank 1
• Reach level 15

Redoubt 5/5 makes the block buff reliable, and the trainer sells Holy Light rank 3 (142 to 168 healing for 110 mana) and the first Blessing of Wisdom. From this level the arrow points to Brandur Ironhammer in Ironforge; humans go to Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker in Stormwind. Blessing of Wisdom returns mana while you fight: when you run dry mid-fight, switch your own blessing from Might to Wisdom. On other players you keep Blessing of Might when they melee.

• Talent point: Precision 1/3
• Reach level 16

Precision raises your chance to hit (1% per point). Every miss is Seal of Fury damage, absorb and threat you do not get — three points are later mandatory for tanking. First row done, second row open: Precision fills the points that Sacred Duty and the third row need. The fighting round stays the same.

• Talent point: Precision 2/3
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Retribution AuraOptionalRank 1
• Reach level 17

Retribution Aura is your aura for moments with several mobs: everyone who strikes you takes Holy damage back. Solo against one mob Devotion Aura stays on; in groups with heavy incoming damage you switch as needed. With Precision 2/3 two more swings in a hundred land — over a dungeon that is extra Fury hits with shield absorb.

• Talent point: Precision 3/3
• Reach level 18

Precision 3/3 is done: your swings land, your seal pays. The third row (Templar's Bulwark, Improved Hammer of Justice, Shield Specialization, Toughness) opens over the next points. Several mobs at once? Keep Retribution Aura up, let them hit you and add Holy damage through Holy Strike and Judgement: Fury's absorb shield pays the bill.

• Talent point: Sacred Duty 1/2
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Divine ProtectionOptionalRank 2
• Learn Blessing of FreedomOptional
• Learn Seal of RighteousnessOptionalRank 3
• Learn Seal of FuryOptionalRank 2
• Reach level 19

Sacred Duty shortens the cooldown of Divine Shield, Divine Protection and later Templar's Bulwark — your emergency buttons come back more often. Rank 2 also shortens the Forbearance they leave behind. Blessing of Freedom frees a target from everything slowing or holding it for several seconds: for yourself on the road, for a flag carrier in the battlefield, for anyone walking into a frost nova.

• Talent point: Sacred Duty 2/2
• Reach level 20

Sacred Duty 2/2 is done: emergency buttons back 60 seconds sooner, Forbearance 10 seconds shorter. That closes the second row, and level 20 invests in Shield Specialization — this build's mana engine. Silver watch: level 20 brings at once aura rank 3, Exorcism, Holy Strike rank 3, Flash of Light, Blessing of Kings, Consecration and Voice of Truth. Keep enough silver ready.

• Talent point: Shield Specialization 1/2
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Devotion AuraOptionalRank 3
• Learn ExorcismOptionalRank 1
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 3
• Learn Flash of LightOptionalRank 1
• Learn Blessing of KingsOptional
• Learn ConsecrationOptionalRank 1
• Learn Voice of TruthOptional
• Reach level 21

Shield Specialization is why this build fights without drink breaks: every block restores mana (at 2/2 always, 4% of your maximum mana, at most once every 3 seconds), and your shield absorbs more. You only drink after long route stretches now. Level 20 is the biggest trainer visit so far: Blessing of Kings raises all your stats by 10% — cast it on yourself at once and on every group you meet. Consecration (rank 1: 135 mana) is expensive but your pack destroyer: only with three or more mobs on you. Voice of Truth grants 6 seconds of immunity to silence and interruption when casters try to stop your healing. Exorcism works only on Undead and Demons.

• Talent point: Shield Specialization 2/2
• Reach level 22

Shield Specialization 2/2: your shield absorbs 30% more, and every block restores 4% of your maximum mana, at most once every 3 seconds. The mana cycle is closed: you block, you gain mana, you keep healing and consecrating. Consecration budget: rank 1 costs 135 mana. Save it for the moment three or more mobs are on you and let Retribution Aura do the rest. Against one or two mobs it costs more than it brings.

• Talent point: Toughness 1/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Concentration AuraOptional
• Learn Holy LightOptionalRank 4
• Learn Blessing of MightOptionalRank 3
• Learn Seal of JusticeOptional
• Learn Seal of the CrusaderOptionalRank 3
• Reach level 23

Toughness raises the armor value of your gear (2% per point) and later fills the rows that lead to Iron Creed. More armor means less damage from every physical hit. Concentration Aura protects casters beside you from damage delaying their spells: in groups with your healer right next to you the better aura; solo, Devotion stays on. Seal of Justice is your seal against runners: ForeverDB recommends its Judgement to stop a fleeing player.

• Talent point: Toughness 2/5
• Reach level 24

Keep collecting armor. In a dungeon right now: Holy Light to full before every pull, Righteous Fury on, then pull — as the tank you are the first thing the mobs see. The block engine is running: Redoubt makes blocks frequent, Shield Specialization makes them valuable. If your shield rarely blocks, check that you really carry a shield — Fury's absorb exists only with one.

• Talent point: Toughness 3/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn RedemptionOptionalRank 2
• Learn Hammer of JusticeOptionalRank 2
• Learn Blessing of WisdomOptionalRank 2
• Learn Blessing of ProtectionOptionalRank 2
• Learn Turn UndeadOptionalRank 1
• Reach level 25

Hammer of Justice rank 2 stuns for 4 seconds — runners and casters stand still longer. Turn Undead forces an Undead to flee: useful against the undead waiting in your next zones. Redemption rank 2, Blessing of Wisdom rank 2 and Blessing of Protection rank 2 make you more valuable in groups: resurrect, mana blessing for the team, and physically save the healer when they are found.

• Talent point: Improved Righteous Fury 1/3
• Reach level 26

From now on Righteous Fury pays off while leveling too: Improved Righteous Fury cuts all damage you take by 3% per point (9% at 3/3) while the toggle is on. Turn it on and leave it on — it lasts 30 minutes. With Righteous Fury on, your holy attacks (Seal of Fury, Judgement, Holy Strike, Consecration) build even more threat. Solo you notice nothing; in a group it holds the mobs on you.

• Talent point: Improved Righteous Fury 2/3
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Retribution AuraOptionalRank 2
• Learn Flash of LightOptionalRank 2
• Learn Seal of RighteousnessOptionalRank 4
• Learn Seal of FuryOptionalRank 3
• Reach level 27

Flash of Light rank 2 (62 to 70 healing) is your quick grip when a heal must land now; Holy Light stays your thrifty main heal between fights. Seal of Fury rank 3 adds 14 Holy damage per swing. Much Holy damage per swing means much absorb shield and much threat — exactly what a tank needs.

• Talent point: Improved Righteous Fury 3/3
• Reach level 28

At 3/3 Righteous Fury cuts all damage you take by 9%. Together with Devotion Aura and Toughness you cross zones without sitting down: the block engine pays the healing. Level 30 stands at the door and brings at once Holy Shield (your talent), aura rank 4, Lay on Hands rank 2, Seal of Light and Consecration rank 2. Set silver aside.

• Talent point: Anticipation 1/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Shadow Resistance AuraOptionalRank 1
• Learn ExorcismOptionalRank 2
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 4
• Reach level 29

Anticipation raises your Defense skill (4 per point): enemies crit you less often. It also fills the points the fifth row — Holy Shield — needs. Shadow Resistance Aura protects you and the group against shadow damage: in zones and dungeons with shadow casters (soon for you: Deadmines, Gnomeregan) worth a thought, otherwise Devotion stays on.

• Talent point: Anticipation 2/5
• Reach level 30

Next level comes Holy Shield: 30% more block chance, Holy damage on every attacker, 20% extra threat. That is the pull button your whole game is built around from level 30. If you have a moment: go through your bags with shield and one-hander. Two-handed weapons you carry can go to the vendor or the bank — this build never swings one.

• Talent point: Holy Shield 1/1
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Devotion AuraOptionalRank 4
• Learn Divine InterventionOptional
• Learn Lay on HandsOptionalRank 2
• Learn Seal of LightOptionalRank 1
• Learn ConsecrationOptionalRank 2
• Reach level 31

Your talent point goes into Holy Shield: for 10 seconds +30% block chance, every block hits the attacker for 75 Holy damage and builds 20% extra threat, four charges. Press it before every pull and again when the charges run out — more blocks means more mana from Shield Specialization. Divine Intervention sacrifices you to take a group member out of the fight and shield them against all damage: a group's last rescue when everything falls apart. Afterwards you are dead — it is the button for the moment you hope never comes.

• Talent point: Toughness 4/5
• Reach level 32

From here your fight is an anchor: Holy Shield before the pull, bind mobs with Righteous Fury, Consecration under the pack, Holy Strike and Judgement on cooldown, blocks feed mana and Reckoning. Every rank only makes more of the same game. Levels 31 to 40 mean: finish the third row so Iron Creed arrives at 36. Toughness and Reckoning are the points that carry you there.

• Talent point: Toughness 5/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Frost Resistance AuraOptionalRank 1
• Learn Blessing of MightOptionalRank 4
• Learn Seal of the CrusaderOptionalRank 4
• Reach level 33

Toughness 5/5 gives +10% armor from gear — your biggest single contribution to damage mitigation before Iron Creed. Check with every new plate piece that your shield is the best you can carry: it is tested by every hit and feeds Redoubt, Shield Specialization and Reckoning. Fire Resistance Aura for fire zones, Blessing of Might rank 4 and Seal of the Crusader rank 4 round off the trainer visit.

• Talent point: Reckoning 1/5
• Reach level 34

Reckoning rewards you for taking hits on the shield: after a block or a critical hit taken there is a chance of a free extra attack (up to four stored). More blocks, more free swings, more Seal of Fury damage. The free attacks use your weapon with the active seal: Seal of Fury or Righteousness should always be up, even on the road — they cost little mana and never stand still.

• Talent point: Templar's Bulwark 1/1
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Divine ShieldOptionalRank 1
• Learn Flash of LightOptionalRank 3
• Reach level 35

Templar's Bulwark is your emergency button: 8 seconds of an absorb shield equal to your full health — and unlike Divine Protection you may keep attacking and building threat. Through Sacred Duty it returns after 4 instead of 5 minutes. Divine Shield makes you invulnerable for 10 seconds but halves your damage. It, Divine Protection, Blessing of Protection and Templar's Bulwark all trigger Forbearance — after one, the others are gone for a while. One button per crisis.

• Talent point: Reckoning 2/5
• Reach level 36

Reckoning 2/5 doubles the chances of free attacks. Every block now has a 16% chance of an extra swing, a physical crit on you far more — exactly your daily life as a shield fighter. Level 36 brings Iron Creed: more threat on Holy Strike and 6 seconds less damage taken while Righteous Fury is on. Keep Righteous Fury permanently on from now on so the bonus always holds in combat.

• Talent point: Iron Creed 1/3
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Retribution AuraOptionalRank 3
• Learn Fire Resistance AuraOptionalRank 1
• Learn RedemptionOptionalRank 3
• Learn ExorcismOptionalRank 3
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 5
• Reach level 37

Iron Creed makes Holy Strike your second threat button: +10% threat per point (30% at 3/3) and, while Righteous Fury is on, 6 seconds of reduced damage taken per Holy Strike. Press it on cooldown and the reduction is nearly permanent. The trainer adds: Retribution Aura rank 3, Fire Resistance Aura, Redemption rank 3, Exorcism rank 3 and Holy Strike rank 5. Holy Strike becomes your most frequent spell — the mana holds, because the blocks refill it.

• Talent point: Iron Creed 2/3
• Reach level 38

Keep squeezing threat and protection out of Holy Strike: in dungeons caster mobs follow you because your holy threat binds them to you. Judgement reaches only 10 yards — Holy Strike is melee, stay on the mob. Quick aura check: Devotion by default, Retribution on pulls, Concentration beside the group's casters, resistance auras only against matching elemental damage. One conscious look per dungeon is enough.

• Talent point: Anticipation 3/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Holy LightOptionalRank 6
• Learn Blessing of ProtectionOptionalRank 3
• Learn Seal of WisdomOptionalRank 1
• Learn Turn UndeadOptionalRank 2
• Reach level 39

Holy Light rank 6 (610 to 682 healing) is a leap: as a tank you nearly top yourself off after a hard pull with it. Flash of Light stays for small gaps. Hammer of Justice rank 3 stuns for 5 seconds, Seal of Wisdom rank 1 is your mana seal for long fights, and Turn Undead rank 2 pushes Undead further away. You will notice the difference in the undead zones of the 40s.

• Talent point: Iron Creed 3/3
• Reach level 40

Iron Creed 3/3: Holy Strike builds 30% more threat and cuts your damage taken by 6% while Righteous Fury is on. With Shieldsworn at level 40 it becomes your most pressed button. Level 40 brings Hammer of the Righteous (hits your target and up to three more), Holy Shield rank 2 from the trainer and aura rank 5. Keep silver ready — level 40 also unlocks dual specialization, should you want Holy or Retribution as a second spec.

• Talent point: Shieldsworn 1/1
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Devotion AuraOptionalRank 5
• Learn Shadow Resistance AuraOptionalRank 2
• Learn Hammer of JusticeOptionalRank 3
• Learn Hammer of the RighteousOptional
• Learn Holy ShieldOptionalRank 2
• Learn Seal of LightOptionalRank 2
• Learn ConsecrationOptionalRank 3
• Reach level 41

Shieldsworn turns Holy Strike into a Swiss army knife: cooldown 4 seconds shorter, and the strike is made with your shield — it triggers Holy Shield and Shield Specialization without consuming their charges, and lets you block spells for 6 seconds. Meaning: more blocks, more mana, more damage, without draining Holy Shield. Hammer of the Righteous hits your target and up to three more nearby — your group threat on pulls. Together with Consecration and Retribution Aura you pull whole rooms onto you. Holy Shield rank 2 (from the trainer) raises every block's Holy damage.

• Talent point: Divine Intellect 1/5
• Reach level 42

From level 41 Divine Intellect fills your mana (2% Intellect per point): seals, Judgements and Consecration are expensive, a bigger mana pool means longer dungeon rounds without a break. It sits beside Redoubt in the first row and fills the five points this build has left there. What remains of the Protection tree: Divine Intellect to 5/5, Reckoning to 5/5, Anticipation to 5/5. Everything else is done.

• Talent point: Divine Intellect 2/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Flash of LightOptionalRank 4
• Learn CleanseOptional
• Learn Blessing of MightOptionalRank 5
• Learn Seal of RighteousnessOptionalRank 6
• Learn Seal of FuryOptionalRank 5
• Learn Seal of the CrusaderOptionalRank 5
• Reach level 43

Cleanse removes a poison, a disease and a magic effect from a target — your universal cleaner. Polymorph on an ally? Gone. A slow? Gone. Groups will often ask you for exactly this one button. Greater Blessing of Might blesses every player of one class in your group at once — in dungeons you cast it instead of the single version. Flash of Light rank 4 and the new seal ranks keep the damage up.

• Talent point: Divine Intellect 3/5
• Reach level 44

Level 44 brings Hammer of Wrath: your execute for targets under 20% health. As a tank it rips the last mobs down before the group heals past your threat. If you tank dungeons on the side, you pull: Holy Shield before the run-up, then Hammer of the Righteous and Consecration once the mobs stand. Tell the group briefly that you pull — healers and damage dealers follow you.

• Talent point: Divine Intellect 4/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Frost Resistance AuraOptionalRank 2
• Learn ExorcismOptionalRank 4
• Learn Hammer of WrathOptionalRank 1
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 6
• Learn Blessing of WisdomOptionalRank 4
• Reach level 45

Hammer of Wrath throws at a target under 20% health and is your finisher: as a tank you hold threat to the end, and the rest of the group heals you for the runaway. Holy Strike rank 6 and Exorcism rank 4 hit harder; against Undead and Demons Exorcism is suddenly real damage. Fire Resistance Aura and Blessing of Wisdom rank 4 complete the visit.

• Talent point: Divine Intellect 5/5
• Reach level 46

Divine Intellect 5/5: +10% Intellect. Your mana pool is clearly bigger now, and with Shield Specialization blocking refills it. Consecration on every pull is normality now, not luxury. The next levels fill Reckoning to 5/5 and Anticipation to 5/5, closing the fifth row. After that come Improved Hammer of Justice, Guardian's Favor, Swift Judgement and Stoicism.

• Talent point: Reckoning 3/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Retribution AuraOptionalRank 4
• Learn Blessing of SacrificeOptionalRank 1
• Learn Holy LightOptionalRank 7
• Reach level 47

Blessing of Sacrifice shifts part of the damage you take onto a group member — for when someone else is better healable than you. Rarely needed in normal play, worth gold in emergencies. Holy Light rank 7 and Retribution Aura rank 4 keep you and your attackers up to date. Your fighting round no longer changes — only the numbers grow.

• Talent point: Reckoning 4/5
• Reach level 48

Reckoning nears 5/5: at 4/5 blocks pay a 32% chance of an extra swing. Together with Holy Shield's ranks every big pull is a volley of attacks on all attackers. Quick note for group play: fresh Greater Blessings (Might, Wisdom) each run, the aura for the zone, Redemption after every wipe — then the group is back on the road fast.

• Talent point: Anticipation 4/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Fire Resistance AuraOptionalRank 2
• Learn RedemptionOptionalRank 4
• Learn Seal of WisdomOptionalRank 2
• Reach level 49

Anticipation 4/5: 16 Defense skill. Enemies crit you less — in level-50 dungeons you notice it in calmer healing curves. Redemption rank 4, Seal of Wisdom rank 2 and the new Fire Resistance Aura round off the trainer visit. In the fire zones of the 50s the aura counts twice.

• Talent point: Anticipation 5/5
• Reach level 50

Anticipation 5/5: +20 Defense skill. Every point helps against enemies that want to crit you — and boss crits are the reason level-60 tanks collect Defense. You start now. Level 50 fills Reckoning to 5/5 and brings a heavy trainer visit (Holy Shield rank 3, Holy Wrath, Divine Shield rank 2 and more). Keep silver ready.

• Talent point: Reckoning 5/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Devotion AuraOptionalRank 6
• Learn Divine ShieldOptionalRank 2
• Learn Lay on HandsOptionalRank 3
• Learn Holy ShieldOptionalRank 3
• Learn Holy WrathOptionalRank 1
• Learn Flash of LightOptionalRank 5
• Learn Seal of RighteousnessOptionalRank 7
• Learn Seal of FuryOptionalRank 6
• Learn Seal of LightOptionalRank 3
• Learn ConsecrationOptionalRank 4
• Reach level 51

Reckoning 5/5: every block has a 40% chance of a free swing, every non-periodic critical hit taken even 100% — up to four attacks stored. With a shield that blocks constantly, that is a third attack button. The trainer sells at once: Holy Shield rank 3 (153 Holy damage per block), Holy Wrath (a holy nova against Undead and Demons), Divine Shield rank 2 (12 seconds), Lay on Hands rank 3, Flash of Light rank 5, Seal of Fury rank 6 (32 per swing), Seal of Righteousness rank 7, Seal of Light rank 3 and Consecration rank 4 (64 Holy damage over 8 seconds plus 160 more to the first four enemies). Holy Wrath in undead dungeons is both: damage and attention.

• Talent point: Improved Hammer of Justice 1/3
• Reach level 52

Improved Hammer of Justice shortens the cooldown of your only stun (5 seconds per point, 15 at 3/3). Casting enemies and runners stand still more often — as a tank you also interrupt the one cast nobody else stops. With Reckoning and Anticipation done, the core talents are finished; the tree's last ten points go to the stun, blessing favors, Stoicism and Swift Judgement.

• Talent point: Improved Hammer of Justice 2/3
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Shadow Resistance AuraOptionalRank 3
• Learn ExorcismOptionalRank 5
• Learn Greater Blessing of MightOptionalRank 1
• Learn Hammer of WrathOptionalRank 2
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 7
• Learn Blessing of MightOptionalRank 6
• Learn Seal of the CrusaderOptionalRank 6
• Learn Turn UndeadOptionalRank 3
• Reach level 53

Greater Blessing of Might is your first greater blessing: one cast blesses every melee of one class in the group. In dungeons you cast greater blessings from now on instead of singles — fewer clicks, more effect. Hammer of Wrath rank 2, Holy Strike rank 7 and Exorcism rank 5 keep the damage up. Turn Undead rank 3 holds Undead in check longer — a real tool in the undead zones of the 50s.

• Talent point: Improved Hammer of Justice 3/3
• Reach level 54

Improved Hammer of Justice 3/3: your stun returns 15 seconds sooner. Combined with Turn Undead and Blessing of Freedom you hold a tool for every problem. Next levels: Guardian's Favor (longer Blessing of Freedom, sooner Blessing of Protection), then Swift Judgement — your second Judgement on its own cooldown.

• Talent point: Guardian's Favor 1/2
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Greater Blessing of WisdomOptionalRank 1
• Learn Hammer of JusticeOptionalRank 4
• Learn Holy LightOptionalRank 8
• Learn Blessing of SacrificeOptionalRank 2
• Learn Blessing of WisdomOptionalRank 5
• Reach level 55

Guardian's Favor lengthens Blessing of Freedom and shortens Blessing of Protection — both spells that save lives. Blessing of Freedom on the group's runner, Blessing of Protection on the healer when melee reaches them. Holy Light rank 8 (1151 to 1283 healing) is your big healer for catastrophes. Greater Blessing of Wisdom rank 1 and Hammer of Justice rank 4 (6 second stun) round off the visit; Blessing of Sacrifice rank 2 and Blessing of Wisdom rank 5 come along.

• Talent point: Guardian's Favor 2/2
• Reach level 56

Guardian's Favor 2/2: Blessing of Freedom lasts 6 seconds longer, Blessing of Protection returns 2 minutes sooner. Both sit within reach when it matters now. For the last levels before 60: Swift Judgement (56), Stoicism (57 and 58), and at the end two points of Divine Strength in the Holy column. Keep the silver for the level-60 visit — it is the biggest of the whole road.

• Talent point: Swift Judgement 1/1
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Retribution AuraOptionalRank 5
• Learn Frost Resistance AuraOptionalRank 3
• Learn Swift JudgementOptional
• Reach level 57

Swift Judgement gives you a second Judgement on its own cooldown (60 seconds) that does not consume your seal. With Seal of Fury it is a second Holy hit with a taunt on the target; with Seal of Justice it holds a runner in place. You have long had the prerequisite, Templar's Bulwark. Retribution Aura rank 5 and Frost Resistance Aura rank 3 come along. Of the 51 points only Stoicism and the two points of Divine Strength remain.

• Talent point: Stoicism 1/2
• Reach level 58

Stoicism shortens stun and charm effects on you (10% per point, 20% at 2/2). As a tank constantly in melee, that trims the moments in which you lose threat. You notice the difference mainly on bosses with such effects, in groups with charmers and stunners. Barely visible solo, a calmer pull picture in the dungeon.

• Talent point: Stoicism 2/2
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Flash of LightOptionalRank 6
• Learn Seal of RighteousnessOptionalRank 8
• Learn Seal of WisdomOptionalRank 3
• Learn Seal of FuryOptionalRank 7
• Reach level 59

Stoicism 2/2 is the second-to-last point: −20% on stuns and charms that hit you. The Protection tree is now full except for Divine Strength — 49 points, the complete tree. Flash of Light rank 6 (286 to 320), Seal of Fury rank 7 (35 Holy damage per swing), Seal of Righteousness rank 8 and Seal of Wisdom rank 3 come from the trainer. Level 60 will be a very big visit — silver!

• Talent point: Divine Strength 1/5
• Reach level 60

The Protection tree is full — the last two points go to the Holy column into Divine Strength: +2% Strength per point. Strength raises the attack power of your swings, and in this build you swing constantly: with Seal of Fury, Reckoning attacks and Holy Strike. Level 60 brings the game's biggest trainer visit: 16 new ranks and spells. Set aside every silver you find — Greater Blessing of Kings and the last ranks of all core spells wait there.

• Talent point: Divine Strength 2/5
• Train at your trainerOptional
• Learn Devotion AuraOptionalRank 7
• Learn Fire Resistance AuraOptionalRank 3
• Learn RedemptionOptionalRank 5
• Learn ExorcismOptionalRank 6
• Learn Greater Blessing of KingsOptional
• Learn Greater Blessing of MightOptionalRank 2
• Learn Greater Blessing of WisdomOptionalRank 2
• Learn Hammer of WrathOptionalRank 3
• Learn Holy ShieldOptionalRank 4
• Learn Holy StrikeOptionalRank 8
• Learn Holy WrathOptionalRank 2
• Learn Holy LightOptionalRank 9
• Learn Blessing of MightOptionalRank 7
• Learn Blessing of WisdomOptionalRank 6
• Learn Seal of LightOptionalRank 4
• Learn ConsecrationOptionalRank 5
• Reach level 60

Divine Strength 2/5 closes the build: 0/49/2, the complete Protection tree plus two points of Strength. Greater Blessing of Kings from now on blesses every class of your group at once. Holy Shield rank 4 (221 Holy damage per block), Holy Light rank 9 (1495 to 1665), Consecration rank 5, Hammer of Wrath rank 3 and Redemption rank 5 are your end state — all in the spellbook, all in your language. With this you are your group's tank: hand out greater blessings, match the aura to the zone, Holy Shield before every pull, Consecration and Hammer of the Righteous on the pack, Holy Strike and Judgement on cooldown, blocks feed mana and Reckoning. For raid night, gear and the Onyxia chain, open the guide Protection Paladin: Raid-Ready at 60 next.