Paladin leveling in WoW Forever: weapons, spells by level, seals and rotation

The short answer

Level Retribution with a two-handed weapon. Its first talents (Benediction, Sanctified Judgement and Improved Judgement) save mana, which is the Paladin's real limit, and it is the spec we recommend on the class page. Protection with a one-hander and shield is excellent for pulling many enemies and for dungeons, and Holy works as a spec that pulls with Holy Shock. You can change spec later: at level 40 you get dual talent specialization.

Take Pursuit of Justice early if you can, because the extra movement speed shortens every trip. Keep water and food in your bags, and rest when the bar is low instead of chain-pulling.

• Benediction
• Sanctified Judgement
• Improved Judgement
• Holy Shock
• Pursuit of Justice

Weapons to level with

Paladins use one-handed and two-handed swords, maces and axes, and polearms from level 20, plus a shield. They cannot use daggers, fist weapons or staves, and they cannot dual wield. Weapon skills are trained at weapon masters in the capital cities.

Retribution: a slow, heavy two-hander, because Holy Strike and the Retribution seals hit for weapon damage. Protection: a one-hander and a shield; a faster weapon gives more procs of Seal of Fury. Holy: a one-hander with as much spell power as you can find, because Seal of Righteousness scales with spell power. In Forever all three specs scale awkwardly with spell power, so weapon and gear upgrades are your main power source: check the dungeon guide and the class weapon quests.

• Holy Strike
• Seal of Fury
• Seal of Righteousness

Spells by level

These levels come from the game data. 1: Seal of Righteousness, Holy Light and Devotion Aura. 4: Judgement and Blessing of Might. 6: Holy Strike and Divine Protection. 8: Hammer of Justice and Purify. 10: Seal of Fury, Blessing of Protection, Lay on Hands and Righteous Fury. 12: Redemption. 14: Blessing of Wisdom. 16: Retribution Aura. 18: Blessing of Freedom.

20: Consecration, Blessing of Kings, Exorcism, Flash of Light and polearms: at this level the kit is almost complete. 22: Concentration Aura. 30: Divine Intervention and Seal of Light. 34: Divine Shield. 40: Summon Warhorse and dual talent specialization. 44: Hammer of Wrath.

• Seal of Righteousness
• Holy Light
• Devotion Aura
• Judgement
• Blessing of Might
• Holy Strike

Seals, blessings and rotation

Seals are your damage: Seal of Righteousness is the basic one, Seal of Fury is for tanking (it absorbs damage and its Judgement taunts) and Seal of Command, the Retribution seal, is for heavy weapons. In Forever Judgement is off the global cooldown and does not consume the seal, so use it every time it is ready. From the first levels the loop is: seal before the pull, Judgement while you run in, Holy Strike on cooldown and refresh the seal.

Protection: seal of Fury before the pull, Judgement, Consecration in melee range, Holy Strike, then repeat on cooldown; Consecration drains mana, so use it on packs. Blessings are hour-long buffs and you can only give one per target: Might for attack power, Wisdom for mana, Kings for 10% more stats (baseline at level 20). Retribution Aura is the leveling aura.

For talents, Retribution takes Benediction, Sanctified Judgement, Improved Judgement and Pursuit of Justice, then Conviction and Sacred Arbiter, or Holy's Divine Strength and Improved Seals. Protection must take Shield Specialization first. The full split is in the talents guide and on the Paladin page.

• Seal of Righteousness
• Seal of Fury
• Seal of Command
• Holy Strike
• Consecration