Review of Templar Hero Talents for Protection Paladins: Interactive Gameplay with Limitations on Base Talents

This past week, Blizzard revealed a brand new Hero Talent Tree system that will be introduced in the upcoming expansion, The War Within. In this article, we will be taking a closer look at the Templar Paladin Hero Talents, one of the new talent trees available to Protection Paladins. As a Protection Paladin, you will now have access to a third talent tree that explores the class fantasy in a unique way. The Hero Talent Tree system is designed to offer interactive gameplay hooks and minimal filler talents, providing a fresh and exciting experience for players.

The Templar Paladin Hero Talents

The Templar Hero Talent Tree is the shared talent tree between the Retribution and Protection specializations. According to Blizzard, the fantasy of the Templar is to "call down hammers of light and unleash devastating combinations of Physical and Holy attacks that vanquish their enemies." The talents released for the Templar align well with this top line goal.

One of the key abilities for Protection Paladins in the Templar tree is the Eye of Tyr, which allows you to cast Hammer of Light for 12 seconds after using Eye of Tyr. Hammer of Light is a powerful ability that deals damage to your current target and 4 nearby enemies. Additionally, it activates Empyrean Hammers on 3 nearby targets, dealing additional damage. The unique aspect of this ability is that it does not require an extra keybind. Instead, it transforms your existing keybind, allowing you to press it twice within the 12-second window to activate Hammer of Light.

It is important to note that the Templar tree will restrict your talent choices even further. With the inclusion of Eye of Tyr and Inmost Light in your talent build, you will have fewer flex points for other talents. This means that build variety and talent flexibility will be reduced compared to the current options available to Protection Paladins. Blizzard may need to make adjustments to ensure that Templar does not become a mandatory talent choice that restricts utility options.

The Good

The Templar Hero Talent Tree for Protection Paladins brings several positive aspects to the gameplay experience. Firstly, it fits well into the current Protection resource model, allowing for a smooth rotation flow. The cadence of casting Eye of Tyr aligns with the rotational flow of Protection Paladins, and there are sufficient options to manage resources without sacrificing Shield of the Righteous uptime. This adds a new layer of skill requirement and raises the skill floor for the spec.

The Templar tree also addresses some of the weaknesses that Protection Paladins faced in the Dragonflight expansion, such as single-target damage and mobility. Talents like Templar's Watch and For Whom the Bell Tolls provide buffs to core abilities, improving single-target damage output. Additionally, talents like Bonds of Fellowship and Unrelenting Charger enhance the mobility of Protection Paladins, which is traditionally a weaker aspect of the class.

Another positive aspect of the Templar tree is the lack of filler talents. Unlike some other Hero Talent Trees that are filled with talents that simply increase damage or healing percentages, the Templar tree offers interesting gameplay loops through procs and adds new functionality to core abilities. This creates a more engaging and dynamic gameplay experience for Protection Paladins.

Lastly, the Templar Hero Talent Tree builds upon the iconic ability, Eye of Tyr, which holds a special place in the hearts of many players. The inclusion of Eye of Tyr in the Templar tree brings back the memorable feeling of pressing the button, adding weight and nostalgia to the gameplay experience.

The Bad and Ugly

The main downside of the Templar Hero Talent Tree is the further restriction it imposes on talent choices. With only two flex points available after including Eye of Tyr and Inmost Light in the build, the variety and flexibility of talent builds will be limited. This reduction in talent options may disappoint players who enjoy experimenting with different talent combinations. Blizzard should consider adjusting the placement of Eye of Tyr and Inmost Light in the talent tree to free up more talent points for greater build variety.

Choice Nodes

In addition to the overall impact of the Templar tree, there are several choice nodes that players can consider when selecting talents. Let's take a closer look at a few of them:

• Templar’s Watch vs For Whom the Bell Tolls

This is a choice node that affects single-target damage. Templar’s Watch increases the damage of Hammer of Light and Eye of Tyr when striking only one target, while For Whom the Bell Tolls grants increased damage to Judgments when striking only one target. Both options have their strengths depending on the situation, and the choice will largely depend on personal preference and playstyle.

• Bonds of Fellowship vs Unrelenting Charger

This choice node offers utility options. Bonds of Fellowship reduces damage taken from Blessing of Sacrifice and grants increased movement speed when the target of Blessing of Sacrifice takes damage. On the other hand, Unrelenting Charger increases the duration of Divine Steed and grants additional movement speed. The best choice will depend on the content and specific needs of the Paladin.

• Endless Wrath vs Sanctification

This choice node offers two distinct options. Endless Wrath grants a chance to reset the cooldown of Hammer of Wrath and allows it to be used on any target, regardless of their health. Sanctification, on the other hand, increases the damage of Empyrean Hammer when Judgment is cast. The choice between these options will depend on how tuning affects the damage output of each ability.

• Interesting Talent Interactions

The Templar Hero Talent Tree introduces several interesting talent interactions for Protection Paladins. Here are a few notable ones:

• Light's Deliverance: This talent grants a stack of Light's Deliverance every time an Empyrean Hammer is called down. At 50 stacks, casting Hammer of Light empowers the Paladin to cast Hammer of Light one additional time for free.
• Higher Calling: This talent synergizes with Seal of Order. Eye of Tyr, being a Holy Power generator, benefits from the cooldown reduction provided by Seal of Order. With Inmost Light and Seal of Order active, Eye of Tyr will have a significantly reduced cooldown.
• Hammerfall: This talent adds an interaction between Shield of the Righteous and Word of Glory, calling down an Empyrean Hammer on a nearby enemy. This interaction creates additional damage opportunities during the Shake the Heavens window.

Final Thoughts

The Templar Hero Talent Tree for Protection Paladins introduces exciting new gameplay elements and enhances the class fantasy of the spec. While there are limitations in terms of talent variety and flexibility, the overall impact of the Templar tree is positive, providing engaging gameplay hooks and addressing weaknesses of the Dragonflight expansion. Blizzard should carefully consider the placement of talents to allow for more build variety and avoid mandatory talent choices that restrict utility options.

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