I want to start out by apologizing for the massive wall of text.
I was terribly bored earlier today. I should probably have worked out or done some house chores but instead i decided to tinker around with Ret Paladins and their talent tree a bit.
Now, im not saying Blizzard should copy my work or take inspiration from it or even have a look at it at all. This was just something i did for fun.
Also this is meant to be a Shadowlands talent tree so the colums will be based off that.
First off, some general changes:
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Righteous Verdict made baseline just to add a tiny bit more complexity to Ret. Learned at level 56 in place of Retribution Aura Rank 2.
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Divine Steed is learned at level 12, swapping place with Cleanse Toxins.
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Eye for an Eye is now a PvP talent.
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Devotion Aura split into a physical damage reduction aura (Devotion Aura) and a magical damage reduction aura (Resistance Aura). Resistance Aura is learned at level 42.
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Sanctuary Aura. A new aura which reduces the duration and strenght of damage of time effects by X%. Learned at level 54 in place of Sense Undead.
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Sense Undead is now learned at level 16.
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Crusader Aura now has a Rank 2. Which reduces the duration of loss of control effects (CC) by ~10% in addition to the increased mount speed. To give it some use in combat. Learned at level 58 in place of Hammer of Wrath Rank 2.
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Hammer of Wrath Rank 2 moved to level 46. Rank 1 moved to level 36.
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Retribution Aura reverted to it’s vanilla form. And with the added effect of, procing Ret Aura reduces the cooldown on your “Major Cooldown” by 1 second. With a X second internal CD.
Note: While i like the idea of the Retribution/Retribution Aura. I don’t like the idea of a selfish Aura. Ret also already have a PvP talent which does basically the same thing (Ultimate Retribution)
With that out of the way. Let’s get on to the Talent Tree.
Level 15.
In retail Ret Paladins have a mixed defensive/mobility talent row. But i feel like the 2 defensive talents in that row are a bit superfluous. So instead i replaced it with 2 other mobility talents and moved it to the first row to help with leveling a bit.
Cavalier - Divine Steed now has 2 charges, and 5 seconds lower cooldown.
Long arm of the Law - Judgment increases your movement speed by 40% for 3 seconds.
Pursuit of Justice - Increases your movement and mounted speed by 15% at all times.
Level 25.
This row wil be all about making Crusader Strike a bit less boring, because let’s be honest. It’s currently one of the blandest abilities in the game at the moment.
Crusader's Might - Crusader Strike reduces the cooldown on Blade of Justice and Judgement by 1.5 seconds.
Zeal- Judgment empowers you with holy zeal, causing your next Crusader Strikes to deal an additional X% amount holy damage and generate an additional Holy Power.
Heart of the Crusader - Crusader Strike increases the damage of your next Templar's verdict or Divine Storm by X%. Stacking up to 5 times.
Level 30.
I feel like this row is pretty great. Except for Repentance, which i reverted to the Vanilla>Cata version. I’ve also added a minimum CC effect to Blinding light, meaning it won’t break on any damage for that period.
Fist of Justice - Each Holy Power spent reduces the remaining cooldown on Hammer of Justice by 2 seconds.
Repentance - Forces the target to meditate, incapacitating them for 1 minute (6 seconds in pvp). Instant. 1 minute cooldown.
Blinding Light - Emits dazzling light in all direction, blinding enemies within 10 yards, causing them to wander disoriented for 6 seconds (minumum of 2 seconds). Non-Holy damage will break the disorient effect. Instant. 1.5 minute cooldown.
Level 35
An AoE row which compliment single target damage. I changed Empyrean Power back to the BfA version since there is now a row dedicated to CS. So it didn’t feel right to have EP also proc off CS. Also, Consecration currently have very little use to Ret paladins. This is by design. But i felt like adding a talent dedicated to those who want to use Consecration.
Ashes to Ashes - Wake of Ashes deals an additional X% damage and generates X additional holy power over 6 seconds.
Empyrean Power - Your attacks has a X% chance to make your next Divine Storm free and deal 25% additional damage.
Hallowed Ground - Increases the size of your Consecration by 15%. While standing in your consecration you generate 1 holy power every X seconds.
Level 40
This row is about augmenting your Holy Power generation. And yes, i know Divine purpose doesn’t technically generate Holy Power but getting a free spender is pretty much the same thing as generating 3 Holy Power. Also added a nostalgia talent in the form of Seal of Command. Why does it replace BoJ? Idk, i forgot my thought process. But i know i had a good reason.
Divine Purpose - Holy power abilities have a 15% chance to make your next Holy power ability free and deal 20% increased damage and healing.
Holy Avenger - Your Holy Power generation is tripled for 20 seconds. 3minute cooldown.
Seal of Command - Replaces Blade of Justice. Fills the Paladin with Holy light, causing your auto attacks have a chance (Xppm) to deal additional (X% of attack power) holy damage and generate 1 Holy Power. Lasts 30 seconds. Casting Judgment will unleash this Seal's energy, increasing the damage of your judgment by X% and an additional X% if the target is stunned or incapacitated.
Level 45
The healing row. There is currently 2 dead talents on this row (in Shadowlands). I removed those 2 and introduced a talent which restores the BfA version of Word of Glory, and a new Aura which is a combination of Aura of Mercy and the PvP talent Luminescence.
Selfish Healer - Holy Power spending abilities reduces the cast time of your next Flash of light by 25%, and increases it's healing done by 10%. Stacking up to 4 times.
Healing Words - Word of Glory's cooldown is increased to 1 minute and has 2 charges but heals 2 additional nearby friendly targets, and it's healing is increased by X%.
Luminescence Aura - While active, you restore (X% spell/attack power) health to 3 injured allies within 40 yards. When you are healed by an ally, all allies within the aura are healed by 50% of the amount, split equally between them.
Level 50
In Shadowlands, Ret has 2 talents on this row which basically does the same thing. Sancitfied Wrath and Crusade, both of which increases the effectiveness of Wings and it’s duration. Yes i know SW also has the AoE component. But the increased haste from Crusade leads to more Divine Storms. Same thing really. So i replaced SW with Execution Sentence simply because i feel like it makes for a great “cap stone” talent. Now you have the option of better sustained dps (Inq), more frequent but weaker burst windows (ES) and less common but much stronger burst with Crusade.
Execution Sentence - 3 Holy Power. 20y range. Call down the Light's punishment upon an enemy target, dealing (X% of attack power) Holy damage and increases the target's Holy damage taken from you by X% for 12 seconds. Instant. 30 Second Cooldown.
Crusade - Replaces Avenging Wrath. Call upon the Light and begin a Crusade, increasing your damage done and haste by 3%. Each Holy Power spent during Crusade increases damage done and haste by and additional 3%. Up to 10 stacks. Lasts 25 seconds.
Inquisition - 1-3 Holy Power. Consumes up to 3 Holy Power to increase your damage done and Haste by X%. Lasts 15 seconds per Holy Power spent. Instant.