U R Ret.. U cant heal, cant tank, what good are you?Follow

well it was in the 2.4 PTR on flametongue totem.

pallies used to be considered the true hybrid back in the day. now they are 2-button [insert spec]-adins. you cant do a simple respec anymore with all the stat balancing and badge grinding, and you sure as hell cant be an off-spec anymore.

as the other classes get more dynamic, pallies deevolve into your bot of choice...who would have thought with all that armor and all that survivablility our biggest weakness would be a cyclone from drooood.

Why not get there first, then decide how you feel about it? As noted, it's not that every raiding instance is so dependent on a specific spec/class mix. It's just that the nature of certain encounters are easier with certain classes than with others. Maiden is harder with a tankadin than a warrior. Not impossible, just harder. Whereas the Tidewalker fight is far simpler with a Pally OT.

But I'd hate for you or anyone else to predetermine that raiding sucks just from some faulty perceptions of what it's really like. Get up to 70, try it out and decide for yourself. You might actually have fun.


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On topic: Ret pallies do have a place in raids. I regularly run with one who does good, not amazing damage but more importantly adds buffs and the awesome deliciousness of Imp. SotC. Also note that a Pally of any spec also brings DI and Rezzing for recovery. When you're learning a new fight and trying to run against the trash respawn clock, that helps a ton.

Admittedly, it's harder to find a place in many groups and raids. But they can definitely be a valuable addition.

Pre-Outlands you can effectively tank with a sword and board. I think I respec'd sometime around 56-57. I remember tanking parts of BRD as ret and it went fine. But really it's up to you when to respec which you will need to do at some point if you're going to main-tank.

Sounds like you're on your way to tanky fun! Keep it up and happy hunting!

I think there is quite a good amount of value in taking a Ret paladin to 5 mans. As a designated dps member of the 5 man you wont bring the CC of other classes but when things go pear shaped a BoP on the healer, LoH on the tank, or a DI on a rezzer if a wipe is inevitable are all quite handy substitutes.

Until Blizzard defines specific roles for each class including paladins this arguement will forever continue throughout all classes (except rogues, mages and warlocks).

oh yeah, I saw that.

Edit: and honestly, I don't care much about the contest; with my amount of posts, I won't win anyway.


Edited, Jun 5th 2008 11:08pm by hybrand

Aye, it is hard to find a group if you're a Retadin. Just like many other classes find getting a group hard though. Hunters, for instance, find it hard too, if nothing else because at about 20% of the population, compared to 9-10% for shammies, priests and the like (figures vary from server to server) there's always way too many around.

I play my pallies prot or holy from lvl 20 onwards. Don't care much for the ret spec, that's just me I guess. And when PUGing as hunter, lock or even as Pala, I favour other DPS classes over a retadin. Ok, PUGs suck, you should really try to do instances with friends/guildies, but if I PUG, I'd rather have a class with CC over a DPS class which does less damage, and has no CC. Sure it brings other fine points to the table, but for me, other classes are better ...

Incidentally, I loooove prot lvling. It's slower that Ret, but since most pallies lvl ret, tanking, dunno SM, Uldaman, as prot and everyone saying that was the easiest run they've ever had, really makes up for it.

Currently lvling another prot pala, and teaming up with a friend's boomkin, I can't say we could go through mobs any quicker in any other spec. Round them up, hold them, blast them. 5 to 8 at a time. Grinding quests just couldn't be over any quicker. Come lvl 60 (early 50s at the moment), we'll probably spec healing/tanking so we can do instances (nearly) at will ...

Edited, Jun 6th 2008 5:01am by LGarth

Edited, Jun 6th 2008 5:01am by LGarth