TBC Classic Protection Paladin Spec, Builds, and Talents

Protection Paladin talents focus on maximizing survivability and damage to help with threat generation.

If you were looking for a leveling-oriented build, please refer to our Paladin leveling guide.

There are two main talent builds for Protection Paladins in the Burning Crusade classic expansion, the first one linked is largely focused on survivability and will help ease into things until you are more geared and confident with your ability to survive each encounter. There are some flexible points in this build, specifically the ones placed in Spell Warding and Pursuit of Justice. These talent points can be moved around either into more parry from Deflection some cooldown reduction in Guardian's Favor or even maxing out the move speed bonus from Pursuit of Justice.

The second of the two talent builds is focused entirely on maximizing damage and threat in exchange for losing a fair amount of survivability. This build is only worth using if you know you will not be playing with a Retribution Paladin as it invests a considerable amount of points into the Retribution talent tree with the intention of getting Sanctity Aura which a Retribution would take without losing out on anything to get it.

Redoubt greatly increases your chance to block when this buff is active, helping greatly with survivability and mitigating damage especially in lower gear levels.

Improved Righteous Fury acts as a flat damage reduction and greatly increases your threat generation when the Righteous Fury buff is active.

Blessing of Kings is a powerful buff that benefits some classes and specs more than any other blessing Paladins are able to offer.

Shield Specialization increases the amount absorbed by your blocks, synergizing exceptionally well with other talents like Redoubt

Blessing of Sanctuary is a situationally useful buff that reduces all incoming damage and returns damage to mobs dealing physical damage to the Protection Paladin. This buff is especially useful against large groups of melee attackers.

Sacred Duty increases your total stamina by 6%, reduces the cooldown of Divine Shield by 60 seconds and removes the attack speed penalty of Divine Shield

One-Handed Weapon Specialization increases all your damage dealt when a one-handed weapon is equipped, not just your attacks but all spells benefit.

Holy Shield increases your chance to block by 30% and returns damage to physical attackers, this damage that is dealt causes an additional 35% threat making it considerably easier to maintain threat on melee mobs that are attacking the Paladin.

Ardent Defender reduces all damage taken when below 35%, this helps greatly in situations where bosses are dealing large amounts of damage but also against large groups of smaller mobs where you are constantly taking damage.

Combat Expertise increases your expertise and your total stamina. This expertise allows you to focus your gearing towards other stats than expertise.

Avenger's Shield is a strong tool to pull mobs, slow and deal damage to mobs that may be at range until you can close the gap.

Benediction reduces the cost of your Seals and Judgement ability. These are two of the spells you will cast the most so the Mana cost reduction is very noticeable.

Improved Seal of the Crusader turns an already powerful personal debuff on the mob into something that benefits the entire party by making critical strikes more likely against mobs affected by this debuff.

Pursuit of Justice gives a small chance you will completely avoid some spells as well as increasing your movement speed, one of Paladin's largest weaknesses is their lack of mobility so any added movement speed is huge.

Crusade is a flat damage increase against Humanoids, Demons, Undead and Elementals which covers almost every mob you will encounter in Outland.

Sanctity Aura becomes your go-to aura because of the massive increase it does to your holy damage. If you are playing with a Retribution Paladin you are likely better suited to use another aura if you are specced into Sanctity.