I just started WoW and I'm considering playing pally. I really like the idea of the holy knight lore and all that. However, the more I read about it the more I'm starting to be undecided. Let me also say, this is not my first MMO. I've played many others and have 7 75 jobs in FFXI with a great deal of endgame experience. So these are my concerns:
- If I decide to play paladin am I going to be pigeon holed into being a back line healer or be useless?
- Is a ret specced pally worthwhile to level?
- Are 2 handed swords ideal for paladin at all? (I don't like blunt weapons)
- Does the job have decent soloability?
- Can only prot-specced pallies tank?
- I hear dwarf (no thx) are the best pallies. How do humans & blood elves do as pallies?
- What roles does a ret-specced pally fill in endgame?
- Is starting my first character ever on a PvP server suicide?
- If I do a ret-specced pally, where's a good place to set my remaining point beyond the 41 in ret?
That's all I can think of right now. Basically I'm wanting a versatile class that fights w/ heavy armor and is able to keep himself healed. I also prefer bladed weapons. If you have other suggestions on a different class I'd enjoy more, your input would certainly be appreciated. Thanks!
(Oh, also what's the name of a new U.S. PvP server that would have a decent amount of news players?)
Edited, Aug 30th 2008 5:22pm by Teratogen
Edited, Aug 30th 2008 5:25pm by Teratogen
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- If I decide to play paladin am I going to be pigeon holed into being a back line healer or be useless?
Yes/No - it depends on your guild. Paladin is not the the best off tank because our threat is build by getting hit. If you need to step in and pick up agro, it's tough... I'm not a raider, but the majority of your "pigeon-hole" experience will depend on the guild (Linkshell) you join... I'm a tank. However - without much risk, I can safely say you will not be asked to DPS (DD). Paladin CAN DO IT, but it's rarely a goal of a guild to have a DPS Paly...
- Is a ret specced pally worthwhile to level?
Yes - You can tank instances as a Ret and Heal as a Ret up to the mid 50s. You will hear about people tanking 60+ instances as a Ret, I guess it can be done, but post 60, for grouping - you'll be asked to tank or heal. (Both of which you can do very well.) For 5 man (aka - Pre-Raid) groups Paladin is actually the preferred tank. We are AoE (area of effect) tanks - thus you need less CC (Crowd Control) to run an instance if your tank can hold the agro of multiple mobs.
- Are 2 handed swords ideal for paladin at all? (I don't like blunt weapons)
Yes/No - you will need to use the best wep. available. Sometimes it will be a 2h Sword, sometimes a 2h Mace, sometimes a 2h axe. Unless you just refuse to use it - you can/should use them all as a Ret. Paly. If you are lvl 40, running around with a 20 2h-Sword - you'll look like a ******. So - sometimes you can favor your preference, but my recomendation would be to go with the best availablity.
- Does the job have decent soloability?
Yes - I'm an old FFXI guy... Any job can solo and do it well... The BEST Solo classes are those with pets (Hunters, Locks) But Paladins are good levelers. Some people say that they are slower, but I've levelled a mage, and I think the two are comparable. It's not like my mage was a race-car....
- Can only prot-specced pallies tank?
Yes - After Lvl 60. Before that Ret and Prot can tank. As I said - we are the preferred tanks for 5 mans. We are also excellent tanks for heroics... There are 4 tanking classes (Death Knight hasn't been released yet) but it's safe to say tanking is about 75% Skill, 20% Gear, and 5% reading the online info to figure out how to fight X mob. If you learn how to run an instance and do it well - you'll be a good Druid/Warrior/Paladin/Death Knight tank...
- I hear dwarf (no thx) are the best pallies. How do humans & blood elves do as pallies?
I was a Mith Ranger... Cause they were the best rangers. Not the same here. The Race differences mean little/nothing here. By the time you reach 70, your race will mean <1% of your ability...
- What roles does a ret-specced pally fill in endgame?
Few... Ret is currently out of favor for end game. IF you were ret, you'd be Raid Buff with DPS (DD) as your next concern. I wouldn't go so far as saying you were a Red Mage, (When I left, RM was just a buff machine) but you will find that you will be expected to buff everyone, then add DPS. It can be done, but it's not popular.
- Is starting my first character ever on a PvP server suicide?
No. PvP Servers do have their ganking issues, but generally no. You actually can't be killed in the first 2-3 zones you are in. --- Unless you target and attack them.
- If I do a ret-specced pally, where's a good place to set my remaining point beyond the 41 in ret?
You're getting ahead of yourself. You don't know how to play yet - Your asking about how to position yourself for lvl 50+ content.... When you get there, you'll know how you play and where you should position yourself.
Here's my opinion overall --- Paladin is a great class, but you will be asked to tank or heal. Unless the new expansion changes a lot (and rumor has it that it will change) - Plan on learn to tank/heal. Also - realize that, like FFXI - the group will likely live or die on your moves. If you want to DPS as a Melee and don't want the responsiblity - Go Rogue.
Good Luck
Edited, Aug 30th 2008 7:43pm by Borsuk
Yes/No - it depends on your guild. Paladin is not the the best off tank because our threat is build by getting hit. If you need to step in and pick up agro, it's tough... I'm not a raider, but the majority of your "pigeon-hole" experience will depend on the guild (Linkshell) you join... I'm a tank. However - without much risk, I can safely say you will not be asked to DPS (DD). Paladin CAN DO IT, but it's rarely a goal of a guild to have a DPS Paly...
- Is a ret specced pally worthwhile to level?
Yes - You can tank instances as a Ret and Heal as a Ret up to the mid 50s. You will hear about people tanking 60+ instances as a Ret, I guess it can be done, but post 60, for grouping - you'll be asked to tank or heal. (Both of which you can do very well.) For 5 man (aka - Pre-Raid) groups Paladin is actually the preferred tank. We are AoE (area of effect) tanks - thus you need less CC (Crowd Control) to run an instance if your tank can hold the agro of multiple mobs.
- Are 2 handed swords ideal for paladin at all? (I don't like blunt weapons)
Yes/No - you will need to use the best wep. available. Sometimes it will be a 2h Sword, sometimes a 2h Mace, sometimes a 2h axe. Unless you just refuse to use it - you can/should use them all as a Ret. Paly. If you are lvl 40, running around with a 20 2h-Sword - you'll look like a ******. So - sometimes you can favor your preference, but my recomendation would be to go with the best availablity.
- Does the job have decent soloability?
Yes - I'm an old FFXI guy... Any job can solo and do it well... The BEST Solo classes are those with pets (Hunters, Locks) But Paladins are good levelers. Some people say that they are slower, but I've levelled a mage, and I think the two are comparable. It's not like my mage was a race-car....
- Can only prot-specced pallies tank?
Yes - After Lvl 60. Before that Ret and Prot can tank. As I said - we are the preferred tanks for 5 mans. We are also excellent tanks for heroics... There are 4 tanking classes (Death Knight hasn't been released yet) but it's safe to say tanking is about 75% Skill, 20% Gear, and 5% reading the online info to figure out how to fight X mob. If you learn how to run an instance and do it well - you'll be a good Druid/Warrior/Paladin/Death Knight tank...
- I hear dwarf (no thx) are the best pallies. How do humans & blood elves do as pallies?
I was a Mith Ranger... Cause they were the best rangers. Not the same here. The Race differences mean little/nothing here. By the time you reach 70, your race will mean <1% of your ability...
- What roles does a ret-specced pally fill in endgame?
Few... Ret is currently out of favor for end game. IF you were ret, you'd be Raid Buff with DPS (DD) as your next concern. I wouldn't go so far as saying you were a Red Mage, (When I left, RM was just a buff machine) but you will find that you will be expected to buff everyone, then add DPS. It can be done, but it's not popular.
- Is starting my first character ever on a PvP server suicide?
No. PvP Servers do have their ganking issues, but generally no. You actually can't be killed in the first 2-3 zones you are in. --- Unless you target and attack them.
- If I do a ret-specced pally, where's a good place to set my remaining point beyond the 41 in ret?
You're getting ahead of yourself. You don't know how to play yet - Your asking about how to position yourself for lvl 50+ content.... When you get there, you'll know how you play and where you should position yourself.
Here's my opinion overall --- Paladin is a great class, but you will be asked to tank or heal. Unless the new expansion changes a lot (and rumor has it that it will change) - Plan on learn to tank/heal. Also - realize that, like FFXI - the group will likely live or die on your moves. If you want to DPS as a Melee and don't want the responsiblity - Go Rogue.
Good Luck
Edited, Aug 30th 2008 7:43pm by Borsuk
Thanks for you answers. So what I'm hearing is that Ret-spec pally isn't very popular for endgame stuff. Is it almost impossible to find a guild as ret-spec at later levels? Also which spec solos/pvps the best?
It's not impossible and I'm not a raider (So don't take my info as the perfect, 100%, unalterable truth)...
Ret is the preferred leveling and COMBAT PVP spec. You can PVP as a tank (For some PVP the goal is to actually PVE. It's a place called Alterc Valley)... PVP healing is also a lot of fun. If you want to kill people in PVP - you should go Ret.
Unlike FFXI, you can do anything and spec any way. When I left FFXI, there were certain classes that were just out of favor and certain classes that were preferred. I was way Over Powered (OP) as a ranger. I later grabbed the Bard quest... However, Dark Knight and Dragoons were crapped on.
In WoW - no job is hated. There's some spec's that aren't preferred, but by no means would you be left out. It will be tougher to find a raid as a Ret. Paly, but it's not like DRG on DK on FFXI....
Having said that - if you join a guild and they ask you to spec to heal or tank... It's basic social skills and NOT WoW that's asking you to conform. aka - your team's asking you to do something - A good teammate would do it...
Ret is the preferred leveling and COMBAT PVP spec. You can PVP as a tank (For some PVP the goal is to actually PVE. It's a place called Alterc Valley)... PVP healing is also a lot of fun. If you want to kill people in PVP - you should go Ret.
Unlike FFXI, you can do anything and spec any way. When I left FFXI, there were certain classes that were just out of favor and certain classes that were preferred. I was way Over Powered (OP) as a ranger. I later grabbed the Bard quest... However, Dark Knight and Dragoons were crapped on.
In WoW - no job is hated. There's some spec's that aren't preferred, but by no means would you be left out. It will be tougher to find a raid as a Ret. Paly, but it's not like DRG on DK on FFXI....
Having said that - if you join a guild and they ask you to spec to heal or tank... It's basic social skills and NOT WoW that's asking you to conform. aka - your team's asking you to do something - A good teammate would do it...
Don't forget, you can change your spec at any time for very little gold. You can level as ret and change later to tank or heal for your guild if needed.
From a ret stand point I would say humans or blood elves are the best choice. The humans specilization for swords and maces can be quite handy. Seeing as you shy away from maces the gladiator swords are a very nice option for you. And being a blood elf gives you a lot of nice racials that are an extreme benefit to you as well.
As far as soloability goes this is how it breaks down holy>prot>ret. Holy's ability to heal them selves while taking a fair amount of damage, makes them the masters of it. Prot takes second due to them being able to last near forever, but the heals are lackluster and the mana pool is too small. Ret can dish out some nice damage while taking a fair sized hit but heals are laughable(currently). so it becomes an all or nothing game.
When it comes to talents After ret, prot is generally where the left over points will be spent. With talents like precision and improved hammer of justice, it can help a bit your viability in pve or pvp. although tier 1 is considered a waste. Holy has some nice talents as well with divine strength/intellect as well.
As far as soloability goes this is how it breaks down holy>prot>ret. Holy's ability to heal them selves while taking a fair amount of damage, makes them the masters of it. Prot takes second due to them being able to last near forever, but the heals are lackluster and the mana pool is too small. Ret can dish out some nice damage while taking a fair sized hit but heals are laughable(currently). so it becomes an all or nothing game.
When it comes to talents After ret, prot is generally where the left over points will be spent. With talents like precision and improved hammer of justice, it can help a bit your viability in pve or pvp. although tier 1 is considered a waste. Holy has some nice talents as well with divine strength/intellect as well.
As far as soloability goes this is how it breaks down holy>prot>ret.
If you are talking about survivability - maybe....
But Holy Paly is one of the slowest levelin'g toons in the game... In my opinion - Solo is about downing the mobs quick. That would put you at Ret>Prot>Holy.
Prot has the ability to AOE Grind (aka - tank 10ish mobs at 1 time) but that's a specialized form of leveling.....
If you are talking about survivability - maybe....
But Holy Paly is one of the slowest levelin'g toons in the game... In my opinion - Solo is about downing the mobs quick. That would put you at Ret>Prot>Holy.
Prot has the ability to AOE Grind (aka - tank 10ish mobs at 1 time) but that's a specialized form of leveling.....
Ret can bust thats true but I can complete much more content solo on my holy pally, than I can on my ret, and generally can do so in inferior gear as well. As for leveling speed your correct that would be Ret>prot>holy. It is aslo important to note that the speed a prot pally can level entirely depends on kind of mobs he is grinding. Melee mobs are of course your bread and butter, but ranged and casters will cause you a bit of trouble. Elementals can also pose a problem being that their melee type attacks do not deal physical damage(earth elementals excluded) so armor does not help. You can still parry or dodge those attacks, however you cannot block, so it drops your reactive damage a bit.
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