Let me provide you with some really important feedback on the Paladin Runes which I’ll do my best to discuss from retrospect and in perspective.
Aegis:
Increases your block value by 30% and damaging melee and ranged attacks against you have a 10% chance to increase your chance to block by 30%. Lasts 10 sec or 5 blocks. Effect not cumulative with Redoubt.
- Contradicts the Redoubt talent and renders it useless. I understand the choice behind moving the other side of the Protection tree but it’s simply not the thing to chase, neither will it be at 60 considering the choices which you sacrifice for the rune.
Divine Storm
An instant weapon attack that causes 110% of weapon damage to up to 4 enemies within 8 yards. The Divine Storm heals up to 3 party or raid members totaling 25% of the damage caused.
- It’s perfect, outside of the fact that it’s so good that it outweighs the other choices by a long shot! No paladin can skip this, even the Holy Paladins take it to heal with Verigan’s Fist at 25 to swing for a fast and cheap heal. Prot Paladin’s choice too. PvP use with Hand of Justice is amazing, but rng.
Horn of Lordaeron
The Paladin blows the Horn of Lordaeron, which increases total Strength and Agility of all party members within 30 yards by 6. Lasts 2 min. Exclusive with Blessing of Might.
- “buff the hunter, there is no room for you in a melee group”
Seal of Martyrdom
Fills you with holy spirit for 30 sec, causing each of your melee attacks to deal 30% weapon damage to your target, but you lose health equal to 10% of the damage inflicted. While this seal is active, your party and raid members within 40 yards each gain mana equal to 10% of damage you take from this seal.
Unleashing this Seal’s energy will judge an enemy, instantly causing 70% weapon damage at the cost of health equal to 10% of the damage inflicted.
- The Seal is better than Seal of Command but unfortunately it comes at the cost of Divine Storm so at no given point at lvl 25 can it take precedent, neither in PvP/PvE Tanking or DPSing. Moving this to Hands Rune and allowing Seal Twisting with it can be a interesting thing.
Beacon of Light
The target becomes a Beacon of Light to all members of your party or raid within a 40 yard radius. Any heals you cast on party or raid members will also heal the Beacon for 100% of the amount healed. Only one target can be the Beacon of Light at a time. Lasts 1 min.
- So… it’s a weird one because it keeps the tank incredibly healthy but it’s mana cost is expensive to switch around the raid for more effectiveness. Currently Its prime use is in heavy AOE fights heals. It’s quite nice actually.
Crusader Strike
An instant strike that causes 75% weapon damage and regenerates 2% of your maximum mana.
- 75% is not enough but it’s use is not yet fully discovered as it’ll be a really valuable tool for larger mana pools down the line. CD is too long for 75% too.
Hand of Reckoning
Taunts the target to attack you, but has no effect if the target is already attacking you.
While you know this ability, the threat bonus from Righteous Fury is increased to 80% and Righteous Fury causes you to gain mana when healed by others equal to 25% of the amount healed. Additionally, while Righteous Fury is active, damage which takes you below 35% health is reduced by 20%. Righteous Fury will remain active until cancelled.
- Overloaded and we’re back to the useless Ardent Defender which was scrapped with purpose. It simply does not work. Nothing as a fight that’s serious wont one shot you below the 35% even if we’re to factor the adaptive scaling to it. The rest is fine but comes at the cost of Crusader Strike.
Avenger’s Shield
Hurls a holy shield at the enemy, dealing X to X Holy damage, Dazing them and then jumping to additional nearby enemies. Affects 3 total targets. Lasts 10 sec.
- Aside of this being broken in PvP for the 10 second daze and massive range cast. It’s CD is too long and paladins depend on it a lot. Needs a clean shave!
Divine Sacrifice
30% of all damage taken by party members within 30 yards is redirected to the Paladin for 10 sec. Damage which reduces the Paladin below 20% health will break the effect and grant the paladin 10% increased damage and healing done for 10 sec. Divine Sacrifice cannot be used while you are under the effects of Blessing of Protection, Divine Shield, or Divine Protection, and prevents you from being targeted by those abilities while it is active.
- I literally have not yet met a paladin in PvP or PvE that has used this? The 10% damage/healing is a joke considering it’s length at least for now. This will have a great use down the line. For now… none at all that’s worth the rune slot sacrifice.
Exorcist
Exorcism can now be cast on any target and has 100% increased critical strike chance against Undead and Demons.
- Well, it we were fighting undead 24/7 it’s neat! But outside of that it’s a Mana dump which you can afford only under the condition that your raid is optimal. No good use in PvP as you sacrifice AS, Tanks wont prio it too.
Tremor A’Din
Your inspiring presence periodically dispels Fear and Sleep effects on nearby party members.
- So… you want to have a Tremor A’Din to deal with these mean 3 fear encounters in the entire game and in PvP to avoid getting killed in Fear spams from 100 to 0? Great! Get this! Oh wait… there’s a catch!
Rebuke
Interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 2 sec.
- Kick the enemy for a little over a global CD! xD
Final conclusion:
- The Paladin build path is incredibly polarizing with runes taking ultimate precedents over others or there is literally the need for all of them at once to be in a good state.
Example:
Chest Rune:
- You want to have Martyrdom but can’t use it because it sacrifices DS.
Legs:
- You can never make the right choice picking Tremor over Kick or Exorcism vs Avenger’s Shield. Why? Because there’s a Hunter all of a sudden in front of you and you picked Rebuke to fight the healer in the back line which you can’t reach and once you reach them there’s a Priest and you get feared, you Bubble it but wait… you can’t deal damage. So you throw the game for simply existing.
Hands:
- Probably the only general choice of “what spec are you?” so you’d pick that one with 100% success rate. All of them are good for their purpose but let’s be honest not having Crusader Strike is just a downgrade no matter how important Hand of Reck is.
Bye.