In this article, we explain what the best statistics are for Retribution Paladins (WoW MoP 5.2), 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 Retribution Paladin guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Anafielle (@Anafielle), one of the authors of Sacred Duty and an accomplished raider on her own, and Morgeine, one of the best Retribution Paladins in the world, who raids in Envy.

1. Basics↑top

The stat priority for Retribution Paladins is:

1. Hit Rating (until the 7.5% hit cap);
2. Expertise Rating (until the 7.5% expertise cap);
3. Strength or Haste Rating (see below);
4. Mastery Rating;
5. Critical Strike Rating.

These statistics have been obtained by combining common sense, in-game testing, and simulations using Simulation Craft.

If you are unsure what the optimal reforging strategy is for the above priority, you can Ask Mr. Robot for a personalised optimisation of your character's gear, by filling the form below.

2. Getting a Better Understanding↑top

2.1. Statistics Priority

Hit Rating decreases the chance that your melee attacks will miss their target (7.5% against a raid boss). Therefore, your goal is to reach the 7.5% hit cap (see section below), which will ensure that your attacks never miss.

Expertise Rating decreases the chance that your melee attacks will be dodged (7.5% against a raid boss). Therefore, your goal is to reach the 7.5% expertise cap (see section below), which will ensure that your attacks are never dodged. Note that you should always be attacking bosses from behind, which prevents them from parrying your attacks. Therefore, it is usually unnecessary (unless the boss cannot be attacked from behind) to decrease the chance that your attacks will be parried (something that you can do by stacking Expertise Rating after reaching the 7.5% cap).

Strength is your primary statistic. You should look for it in all of your upgrades. It provides you with Attack Power, which determines the damage your abilities do.

Haste Rating increases your attack speed and lower the cooldown and global cooldown of Crusader Strike, Judgment, Hammer of Wrath, and Hammer of the Righteous (thanks to your Sanctity of Battle passive ability). This leads to a higher Holy Power generation.

Mastery Rating, thanks to Mastery: Hand of Light, causes three of your important abilities to deal extra damage, as Holy damage.

Critical Strike Rating increases your chance to critically hit with all spells and abilities.

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. Strength Versus Haste Rating

At lower gear levels (pre-raid gear all the way until average Tier 14 raiding gear), one point of Strength is worth more than two points of Haste Rating, making Strength desirable in terms of gemming. Once you exceed this gear level, however, Strength becomes less valuable, meaning that gemming Haste becomes the better option.

The "gear level" criteria we provide is rather rough, so you should simulate your character in Simulationcraft to find out the exact point when Haste becomes better than Strength for you.

You should never really skip a gear upgrade because it does not have Haste Rating on it, though, since Mastery Rating and Critical Strike rating are both rather close in value to Haste Rating, so the increased item level of the upgrade is generally preferable.

2.4. Weapon Damage

While weapon damage plays an important role for all Physical DPS classes, Retribution Paladins are a special case. Weapon damage matters very much for DPS, so much so that the statistics on the weapon are entirely irrelevant (so, there is no need for Haste Rating) as long as the item level of the weapon is higher than your current one.

2.5. Expertise Cap

At level 90, most races require 2,550 Expertise Rating to reach the expertise cap. Some races, in some cases, only need 2,210 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

• 23 Apr. 2013: Added a discussion about how to choose between Strength and Haste Rating. Also added a section emphasising the importance of weapon damage.