Holy Paladin

What's different in Forever

Blizzard's deep dive made these changes:

• Holy Shock moved to the 21-point slot with a 10 sec cooldown (30 in Classic). ForeverDB notes its range is 20 yards, half of Holy Light's.
• Light's Vigil (31 points, level 40) is a 1.5 sec cast on an ally or enemy. Your next Holy Shock on that target triggers no cooldown. On an ally it also heals the whole party; on an enemy it deals extra damage and refunds most of the cost. Only one can be up per party.
• Reverence keeps up to 30% of Spirit regeneration going while you cast.
• Infusion of Light makes Holy Shock and Flash of Light crits speed up your next Holy Light.
• Illumination refunds only half the base cost now.
• Divine Favor is the 16-point talent (level 25).
• Divine Precision supplies Holy spell hit, because Blizzard won't put hit on plate healing gear.

Blizzard's aim is to keep Holy's single-target strength. Party healing is possible "when needed" but takes setup.

Talents by level

Icy Veins' "level 30" calculator spends 26 points, which assumes all five Legacy points from Talented. With Legacy points, Wowhead adds Infusion of Light 2, Divine Precision 2 and Holy Power 1. WoWSims has no Holy talents or rotation: its Holy page is a gear planner only, because no healing spells are simulated.

Healing priorities

• ForeverDB: Holy Light is your main heal and, at base values, your most Mana-efficient. Rank 3 heals 142–168 for 110 Mana, while Flash of Light rank 1 heals 43–49 for 35. Cast lower Holy Light ranks for small damage. Keep Flash of Light for heals that must land fast, and Holy Shock (160 Mana) for emergencies or when moving. Divine Favor goes before a big Holy Light.
• Wowhead: at 20, Flash of Light becomes your most-used heal, because Holy Light is slow and expensive. At 30, Judge Seal of Light on enemies so attackers heal themselves, use Holy Shock, and choose between Flash of Light and Holy Light by how urgent the damage is.
• Icy Veins: Flash of Light is the primary heal, Holy Light only when Mana allows and someone is in danger, Holy Shock in emergencies. Keep Seal of Light active. Light's Vigil at 40 is your only group heal and costs a lot.

For damage between heals, all three suggest Seal of Righteousness, Judgement and Holy Strike on cooldown, Exorcism on Undead and Demons, and Consecration when Mana allows.

Levelling

Holy kills slowly on its own. ForeverDB's Holy melee levelling build (Divine Intellect, Improved Seals, Healing Light, Reverence, later Divine Strength and Retribution's Benediction) stays able to heal dungeons. Icy Veins starts in Retribution for cheaper spells and faster movement, then moves into Holy as you start healing groups. Wowhead stresses Devotion Aura or Retribution Aura at all times and Blessings on the whole party.

Gear and consumables

Wowhead's level 30 picks include Haunting Blade and Worgenbane Talisman (Shadowfang Keep), Death Speaker Robes (Razorfen Kraul) and Blacksmithing's Acolyte's chain set. ForeverDB puts Death Speaker Scepter at the top of its weapon list. Icy Veins recommends Lesser Arcane Elixir, mana potions, and water from vendors or Mages, and notes that health and mana potions share a cooldown. Wowhead rates Holy one of the best specs for campfires, since nearly every camp buff helps. WoWSims' level 60 defaults are Soaring Pamplona and Major Mana Potion, with Enchanting.

Where guides disagree

• Holy Light or Flash of Light: ForeverDB's client numbers favour Holy Light for efficiency at every rank it lists. Wowhead and Icy Veins make Flash of Light the everyday heal; Icy Veins calls it the most efficient. Both are cheap enough to test at launch.
• Spiritual Focus or Improved Seals: ForeverDB and Icy Veins take Spiritual Focus for pushback protection. Wowhead takes Improved Seals for solo damage.
• Holy Shock at 30: Icy Veins' text says you won't have the points for it in the beta, yet its calculator includes it. ForeverDB and Wowhead both take it at 30.
• Illumination: Icy Veins suggests dropping two points into Infusion of Light; ForeverDB leaves the fifth rank for level 31.