In this article, we explain what the best statistics are for Protection Paladins (WoW MoP 5.3), how the class benefits from each of them, and what your reforging strategy should be. We also detail what the various caps are and why they should be attained. The statistics priority is important as it influences reforging strategies as well as itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

Make sure to check our Gear Optimisation Guide, which serves as a support guide for this article.

The other articles of our Protection Paladin guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

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. Basics↑top

There are three viable ways in which you can optimise your stats as a Protection Paladin.

1.1. Control/Mastery Priority

This stat priority will result in a smooth damage intake, and will provide you with reliable Holy Power generation.

1. Hit Rating (until 7.5%);
2. Expertise Rating (until 15%);
3. Mastery Rating;
4. Haste Rating.

1.2. Avoidance Priority

This stat priority will result in the lowest amount of overall damage taken, but due to the nature of avoidance statistics, the damage intake will not be smooth. Indeed, you will risk often taking great bursts of damage if you fail to avoid any attacks.

1. Parry Rating and Dodge Rating (there is an important distinction here, see below);
2. Mastery Rating;
3. Hit Rating;
4. Expertise Rating.

1.3. Control/Haste Priority

This stat priority maximises both Holy Power generation, as well as threat/DPS, while maintaining a high amount of survivability. As a downside, it is more difficult to play, so it is only recommended for those who are very familiar with the rotation.

1. Hit Rating (until 7.5%);
2. Expertise Rating (until 15%);
3. Haste Rating;
4. Mastery Rating.

2. Getting a Better Understanding↑top

2.1. Statistics Explanations

Parry Rating and Dodge Rating give you avoidance. However, your chance to parry will be about two times higher than your chance to dodge because Strength also increases your chance to parry. Dodge and Parry have different diminishing returns curves to compensate for this (something that was not the case in Cataclysm). To make the most efficient use of your Dodge and Parry ratings, it is best to have equal amounts of rating, which will roughly balance the diminishing returns. However, this is only relevant if you are following an avoidance gearing strategy; if you are focusing on Mastery or Haste, it is not worth worrying about the balance between your Dodge and Parry ratings.

Mastery Rating, thanks to Mastery: Divine Bulwark, increases your chance to block attacks, as well as increasing the gain from both of the effects of Shield of the Righteous. It is, therefore, a direct increase of your survivability. It is important to note that in Mists of Pandaria it is no longer possible to reach the CTC or avoidance cap.

Hit Rating and Expertise Rating are important statistics as well. They reduce the likelihood that your Holy Power-generating abilities will miss or be dodged/parried. This increases your Holy Power generation, which in turn allows you to use Shield of the Righteous and Word of Glory more.

Haste Rating increases your Holy Power generation slightly, thanks to Sanctity of Battle. It also improves your DPS and threat.

Most encounters have abilities that cannot be mitigated or avoided. Also, you need to have a decent amount of health, in order to give yourself the chance to be healed before a subsequent attack kills you. In addition to this minimum amount of Stamina, we feel that Stamina remains quite valuable for Protection Paladins. Therefore, we advise you to consider getting more Stamina than is innately found on your gear (through trinkets, enchants, and gemming, in that order). As you become more comfortable determining the amount of survivability needed for each encounter, you can shift some of that Stamina into other stats (Haste or Mastery, for example).

2.2. Hit Cap

At level 90, most races require 2,550 Hit Rating to reach the melee hit cap. Draenei, thanks to Heroic Presence, only need 2,210 Hit Rating.

2.3. Expertise Cap

At level 90, most races require 5,100 Expertise Rating to reach the expertise cap. Some races, in some cases, only need 4,760 Expertise Rating, thanks to passive racial skills:

• Dwarves when using a Mace ( Mace Specialization);
• Humans when using a Mace/Sword ( Mace Specialization and Sword Specialization).

3. Changelog↑top

• 20 May 2013: Patch 5.3 update: nothing to change.
• 29 Apr. 2013: Added mention that extra Stamina should be obtained through trinkets, enchants, and gems, in that order.
• 31 Mar. 2013: Reworded the explanation of how you should balance your Parry Rating and Dodge Rating. Removed Stamina from the statistic priority, and moved the paragraph about Stamina to the end of the statistic explanations.