Macros and addons are an integral part of a raider's arsenal as they can make it easier to perform a variety of tasks, improving your overall game experience. Below, we present macros and addons that can be useful to a Protection Paladin (WoW MoP 5.3). On the right side, you will find links to the other parts of the guide.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Theck (@TheckPhD), the main author of Sacred Duty (a well respected, and arguably the most valuable Protection Paladin theorycrafting resource).

1. Macros↑top

1.1. Generic Macros for Paladins

Most of the addons for Paladins revolve around allowing you to use your utility spells on your mouseover target.

1.1.1. Hand Mouseover Macros

• #showtooltip Hand of Protection
• /stopcasting
• /cast [@mouseover] Hand of Protection

• #showtooltip Hand of Salvation
• /stopcasting
• /cast [@mouseover] Hand of Salvation

• #showtooltip Hand of Freedom
• /stopcasting
• /cast [@mouseover] Hand of Freedom

• #showtooltip Hand of Sacrifice
• /stopcasting
• /cast [@mouseover] Hand of Sacrifice

These macros allow you to cast your various hand spells on the target you are currently mousing over. Stopcasting is in place to ensure that you do not delay casting any of these spells due to a cast already in progress.

1.1.2. Lay on Hands Mouseover Macro

• #showtooltip Lay on Hands
• /stopcasting
• /cast [@mouseover] Lay on Hands

This macro will cast Lay on Hands on the target you are currently mousing over.

1.1.3. Mouseover Cleanse Macro

• #showtooltip Cleanse
• /cast [@mouseover] Cleanse

This macro will cast Cleanse on the target you are currently mousing over.

1.1.4. Divine Shield

• #showtooltip Divine Shield
• /stopcasting
• /cast Divine Shield

This macro will stop your current spell cast and cast Divine Shield, ensuring that your invulnerability is not delayed at all.

1.1.5. Rebuke

• #showtooltip Rebuke
• /stopcasting
• /cast [@focus,exists][] Rebuke

This macro will stop your current spell cast and cast Rebuke on your focus target, if you have one. Otherwise, it will cast Rebuke on your current target.

1.2. Specific Macros for Protection Paladins

1.2.1. Divine Shield Cancelaura Macro

• #showtooltip Divine Shield
• /cast Divine Shield
• /cancelaura Divine Shield

This macro allows you to cancel your Divine Shield (by pressing it a second time). This is useful for when you want to use Divine Shield to quickly get rid of a debuff, but want to continue tanking the boss (as you know, if you have Divine Shield, the boss will attack the next target on the threat list).

1.2.2. Hand of Protection Cancelaura Macro

• /cancelaura Hand of Protection

This macro is very useful to have. It allows you to cancel a Hand of Protection that may have been cast on you (by yourself or another paladin), for the same reasons as in the Divine Shield macro.

2. Addons↑top

2.1. Generic Addons for Paladins

2.1.1. ElvUI

Here, at Icy Veins, we use ElvUI for all our characters. This addon is a complete replacement of the default User Interface. It comes with almost everything you need to perform properly: action bars, cooldown timers, proc display, etc.

We strongly recommend that you get this addon.

2.1.2. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs

Boss mods are addons that warn you about boss abilities and give you live advice on how to handle some mechanics. We strongly recommend you to get one such addon. At Icy Veins, we mostly use Deadly Boss Mods, the most popular boss mod. A good alternative is Big Wigs.

2.1.3. GTFO

GTFO is a lightweight addon that notifies you when you are standing in harmful effects or when you are making other such mistakes. It is very useful, even if your boss mod is already alerting you of such things.

2.1.4. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text

Parrot and Mik's Scrolling Battle Text are highly customisable addons for displaying floating battle text while in combat (incoming heals, damage of your spells, etc.). They both work very well by default.

2.1.5. Recount

Recount is a well known addon that most people use for displaying current DPS or HPS (Healing Per Second). We advise you to also use it for checking what you take damage from and if the share of damage/healing you do with each of your abilities is similar to that of other players of your class.

A lightweight alternative to Recount is Skada Damage Meter.

2.1.6. Weak Auras

WeakAuras is an extremely useful addon that allows you to have visual effects on your screen, helping you track your buffs, debuffs and cooldowns. It is highly customisable and it can make it much, much easier to keep track of your procs and play your spec more proficiently. It can also be used for a variety of other functions.

Theck over at Sacred Duty has a pre-made WeakAuras configuration that is ideally suited for Protection Paladins.

2.1.7. Omen Threat Meter

Omen Threat Meter is the most popular addon for displaying the current threat levels on your target. We recommend you to use it to check on your current threat levels and ensure that you are not being overtaken in aggro.

2.1.8. Grid and GridClickSets (Optional)

ElvUI comes with decent raid frames. The only real reason for using Grid and GridClickSets is if you want to be able to mouseover party or raid members in order to cast your various utility spells (such as hand spells) on them. If you choose to go with Grid, then you might want to also use GridStatusRaidDebuff.

2.2. Specific Addons for Protection Paladins

Currently, we feel that there is no need for additional addons to play a Protection Paladin to its full potential.

3. Changelog↑top

• 31 Mar. 2013: Added a link to Theck's WeakAuras configuration.