Reviewing the Retribution Paladin Rework: Examining AoE Trade-Offs, Scaling, and Patch 10.2 Updates

Retribution Paladin: Addressing Issues and Looking Ahead to Patch 10.2

Retribution Paladins underwent a significant rework in Patch 10.0.7, but some issues have arisen since then that still need to be addressed. In this article, we will discuss the problems that have been observed and how the spec might perform in Patch 10.2.

Dragonflight: Guardians of the Dream Update

Before diving into the issues faced by Retribution Paladins, let's take a moment to discuss the upcoming content in the Dragonflight: Guardians of the Dream update. This Public Test Realm (PTR) serves as a testing environment for the new content, allowing players to provide feedback and identify any potential problems before the full release.

Development Notes: Retribution Changes

The developers have been actively working on addressing the issues faced by Retribution Paladins. Here are some of the changes that have been made:

• Amirdrassil, the Dream’s Hope Set Bonus – Divine Toll now guarantees at least one valid enemy target with Expurgation.
• Fixed targeting issues causing Wrathful Sanction to trigger multiple times on one Judgment cast.
• Resolved unintentional Divine Purpose and Empyrean Power proc consumption.

The developers have acknowledged feedback from players and will continue to make adjustments to the set bonus and its power throughout the PTR testing phase.

Analyzing the Rework

Since the rework in Patch 10.0.7, Retribution Paladins have seen significant improvements. The spec now boasts stronger defensive capabilities and better mobility options through range extension talents. However, there are still areas that need attention.

• Talent Tree and Diversity

The Retribution talent tree offers a wide range of choices and interesting abilities. However, some talents are undertuned and rarely chosen in PvE content. This lack of viability limits the potential for alternative builds and experimentation. The current build focuses heavily on Crusading Strikes, causing downtime but providing a strong playstyle. The need for talent adjustments and tuning is crucial to encourage diversity and improve the overall gaming experience.

• AoE Limitations

In raiding situations, Retribution Paladins often opt for single-target builds instead of utilizing AoE talents. The marginal increase in overall damage and significant loss in single-target damage discourage players from exploring AoE-focused talents. This limitation hinders Retribution Paladins' potential to contribute to cleave damage in raid encounters. Rectifying this issue and encouraging the use of AoE talents would greatly enhance the spec's versatility and effectiveness in different scenarios.

• Scaling Concerns

Retribution Paladins have experienced a decline in performance relative to other specs as the expansion progresses. Despite not receiving major nerfs, Retribution Paladins have become middling to lower end in terms of damage output. Poor interactions with secondary stats and the scaling of abilities have contributed to this issue. The upcoming tier set and Legendary weapon may provide some benefits, but active tuning will be necessary to ensure Retribution Paladins remain competitive.

• Low Skill Ceiling, Low Skill Floor

Retribution Paladins are considered one of the easiest specs to pick up and play at a decent level. The rotation is straightforward, and mistakes in resource management do not severely impact overall damage. While accessibility is important, there is a lack of incentive for improvement beyond the basics. Skilled players have limited avenues to maximize damage output, resulting in a significant drop in performance at higher percentiles. A balance between accessibility and rewarding skilled gameplay should be considered when making future changes to the spec.

Final Thoughts

Despite the challenges and issues discussed, Retribution Paladins have seen significant improvements since the rework. The gameplay is enjoyable, and the defensive and utility options make the spec valuable in various content types. The focus now should be on active tuning and addressing the areas mentioned to ensure Retribution Paladins continue to shine. With Patch 10.2 on the horizon, there is hope for even more improvements and a bright future for the spec.