Question on SotR uptime

[Nobleshield 15]

Having recently dusted off my Protection Paladin and begun to gear him with the Haste/Mastery gearing strategy, I have a question regarding usage of Shield of the Righteous. I know it's the core of the Paladin's active mitigation so should be used as much as possible to get the damage reduction, but since it only lasts 3s it seems like I would want to sometimes delay it, but this also seems like I would be prone to spikier damage while I'm waiting a few seconds for the big attack to come without using SotR.

Is this just something you learn with trial and error?

[Vladamyr 169]

That is the reason you pool to 5 HP before you use it. That way you can SotR then HP generator and have it available again for a big boss attack. If you know a big attack is coming then yes you delay if you have to, to reduce the big attack. Also forget Mastery, it's better than Dodge/Parry but your stat priority should be Stamina (to a value you and your healers feel comfortable with) > Hit (7.5%) > Expertise (15%) > Haste > Mastery > Parry/Dodge

[Nobleshield 15]

That is the reason you pool to 5 HP before you use it. That way you can SotR then HP generator and have it available again for a big boss attack. If you know a big attack is coming then yes you delay if you have to, to reduce the big attack. Also forget Mastery, it's better than Dodge/Parry but your stat priority should be Stamina (to a value you and your healers feel comfortable with) > Hit (7.5%) > Expertise (15%) > Haste > Mastery > Parry/Dodge

Alright so it's okay to get 5HP, pop SotR, then hit CS/Judgment and pop another SotR without getting 5HP again if necessary to block say the regular attacks and then the big attack that comes after? All this time I've been thinking for some reason to never use SotR outside of emergencies with less than 5HP.

[Vladamyr 169]

You use 5HP SotR for your normal mitigation rotation and use 3HP SotR only for special attacks or emergency situations.

For instance if you were facing Horridon and know that Triple Puncture is coming up, you would only use 5HP SotR on normal melee attacks leaving you 2HP in reserve. Then you could HP generator and SotR (at 3HP) for Triple Puncture (the emergency hit that NEEDS to be mitigated) building back up to 5HP before you use SotR again for normal mitigation.

[Nobleshield 15]

You use 5HP SotR for your normal mitigation rotation and use 3HP SotR only for special attacks or emergency situations.

For instance if you were facing Horridon and know that Triple Puncture is coming up, you would only use 5HP SotR on normal melee attacks leaving you 2HP in reserve. Then you could HP generator and SotR (at 3HP) for Triple Puncture (the emergency hit that NEEDS to be mitigated) building back up to 5HP before you use SotR again for normal mitigation.

Okay that makes more sense. I'll have to try that out a bit more to get used to it. Thanks!