TBC Classic Protection Paladin Guide

Paladins are capable of filling all three roles in TBC and are competitive at each, Tank healer, and melee DPS. Each specialization will allow you to fill a specific niche because of the plentiful buffs that no other class can offer.

Protection Paladins are considerably stronger in TBC than their Classic WoW version because of added talents, class abilities like Consecration becoming baseline for all Paladin specs and the addition of a taunt. Prot Paladins are rarely seen as the 'main tank', but are more than capable of tanking raid bosses. The greatest strength of Protection Paladin is their ability to generate and maintain threat on multiple targets, buff the raid and apply debuffs to the mobs.

If you would like to see where Protection Warrior tanks fall in the overall rankings among tank specs for PvE in TBC Classic, we have created a page dedicated to explaining what classes and specializations are the best of the best through multiple factors. However, ultimately, you should not let this list dissuade you from playing what you enjoy.

Strengths

• Threat generation is largely through spells, allows for use of items like Nightfall and Annihilator.
• The best AOE threat generation of any tank.
• Paladins use Mana and do not have to generate rage to use their threat generating abilities.
• Strong buffs and utility such as Blessings, Auras, and wipe protection in Divine Intervention.
• Capable of off-healing in emergency situations.
• Spells are more potent against Undead/Demon mob types.

Weaknesses

• Highest damage taken in lower gear levels, especially susceptible to caster mobs.
• Only one taunt and it can be difficult to use in certain situations.
• Mana generation on longer fights requires you to take effective healing.

In TBC Classic, Paladins are now able to be both Alliance and Horde! BloodElf is the only Horde race that can be Paladin while the Alliance can choose between Draenei, Human, or Dwarf.

Blood Elf is the default choice if you are playing Horde as they are the only race that is able to be Paladins. Their racials are still quite good as Paladins are quite dependant on Mana which Mana Tap and Arcane Torrent help with as well as granting you additional magic resistances to bolster Paladin's weakness against spell casters.

Dwarf is in a unique spot, Stoneform can be a powerful defensive cooldown in a situation where you are unable to cast cleanse or have a nasty bleed on you and are taking a lot of Physical damage. Unfortunately, Find Treasure and Gun Specialization are both completely useless for Paladins in any kind of combat situation.

Draenei offer a very situationally useful heal in Gift of the Naaru that in an emergency can save you or a party member. Heroic Presence is the most powerful racial though as it allows you and people in your party to itemize completely differently because of the added hit rating. Please note that Heroic Presence is strictly beneficial for physical DPS whereas Inspiring Presence grants Spell Hit. Draenei Paladin adds the most to groups with their powerful buff and healing racials.

Perception is an extremely strong cooldown against any stealth class and can net you a massive advantage in PvP. The Human Spirit is not particularly useful in any combat situation. Both Mace and Sword Specialization are quite strong early on in lower gear levels and even later on might alter your gear choices while maintaining Expertise.

Both the new Burning Crusade Races BloodElf and Draenei are the strongest races for Protection Paladin PvE on each respective faction.

Leatherworking is an extremely powerful profession in TBC because of Drums of Battle and Greater Drums of Battle No other profession offers even close to this level of benefit for a raid group even with the debuff is now incurs, having at least one person be LW in each group is huge.

Engineering is extremely powerful early on. Goblin Rocket Launcher provides a lot of stamina and can be used in both trinket slots, Trinkets are some of the most difficult items to obtain as a Tank and having strong ones early on is crucial to be able to complete the content that will allow you to get other trinkets situationally useful trinkets. Dense Dynamite is also extremely useful in establishing AoE threat and another ranged pulling tool to assist with Paladin's lack of mobility.

Engineering and Leatherworking are both chosen based on their end game benefits and do not offer any particularly beneficial gold farms.

If you would like to learn more about how your profession of choice can be used to supplement your goldmaking, along with a variety of other means to bolster your income, see our full goldmaking guide linked below: