Hey guys! So, you're looking to level a Paladin in Wrath of the Lich King (WoTLK) from 70 to 80, huh? Awesome! You've picked a fantastic class with a ton of utility and some serious survivability. This WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide is designed to give you the lowdown on everything you need to know to make the journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible. We'll cover everything from talents and specs to gear and questing routes, ensuring you hit that level 80 cap feeling like a true champion. Get ready to cleanse the world of evil, one quest at a time!

Choosing Your Paladin Leveling Spec: Holy, Protection, or Retribution?

Alright, let's talk specs, because this is where the fun (and the decisions) begin! As a Paladin, you have three main paths you can take: Holy, Protection, and Retribution. Each offers a unique playstyle, and while you can level in any spec, some are definitely more efficient than others. Let's break down each one and see what fits your style best for this WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide:

Retribution: The Damage Dealer

Retribution, or Ret, is the damage-dealing spec. If you enjoy smacking things with a two-handed weapon and seeing big numbers pop up, this is the spec for you. Ret Paladins bring decent damage and burst, along with some solid survivability thanks to their plate armor and self-healing abilities. The key talents for leveling as Retribution are generally found in the Retribution tree itself. Focus on talents that increase your damage output, such as Crusade (increased damage and critical strike chance), Divine Strength (increased Strength), and Sanctity of Battle (increased critical strike chance with melee attacks and mana regeneration). Furthermore, Retribution is a solid pick for leveling in groups since you have access to Hand of Freedom, Blessing of Kings, and your powerful buffs and burst, which can make things faster. However, ret Paladins can struggle if they pull too many mobs at once because of the lack of consistent AoE damage.

Protection: The Tank

Protection is the tanking spec. While leveling as Protection might seem a bit slow in terms of raw damage, it offers unparalleled survivability. This is because you can pull tons of mobs at once and survive. Protection Paladins are incredibly resilient, able to withstand massive amounts of damage and keep themselves alive thanks to their plate armor, shields, and self-healing abilities, such as Lay on Hands and Divine Protection. While not the fastest at killing enemies, Protection shines in group content, easily handling dungeons and offering a unique style of play. Your primary focus as a Protection Paladin leveling is the Protection talent tree. Key talents to look out for are Improved Righteous Fury (improves threat generation) and Guardian's Favor (reduces cooldowns on abilities). A Protection Paladin will need to choose the gear carefully, focusing on survivability to survive solo content efficiently and tank dungeons.

Holy: The Healer

Holy is the healing spec. If you love keeping your allies alive and being the ultimate support, then Holy is your calling. Leveling as Holy is possible, but it can be the slowest of the three. It can be difficult to solo quest efficiently, as your damage output is lower than the other two specs. However, Holy Paladins have excellent survivability thanks to their healing abilities. Holy Paladins shine in group content, and you can always heal instances. Key talents to prioritize are those that boost your healing output and mana efficiency. For example, make sure you take talents like Divine Favor (provides a critical heal) and Holy Power (increases healing). Many players prefer to level as Retribution or Protection and then respec to Holy once they hit max level and focus on end-game content.

Talent Builds and Recommendations: Optimize Your Leveling Experience

Choosing the right talents is crucial for a smooth leveling experience. I'll provide some general recommendations based on your chosen spec to make the most of your leveling time and make this WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide as helpful as possible.

Retribution Talent Build

For Retribution, you'll want to focus on maximizing your damage output while maintaining some survivability. A popular build focuses on:

• Crusade: Boosts damage and critical strike chance.
• Divine Strength: Increases Strength, and Strength increases your attack power, which boosts your damage.
• Sanctity of Battle: Boosts your critical strike chance and mana regeneration, both of which are useful for dealing consistent damage.
• Vengeance: Increases attack power when taking damage, which lets you deal more damage.

Consider putting some points into the Protection tree for talents like Divine Strength for some additional survivability.

Protection Talent Build

As a Protection Paladin, survivability is key. Your talent build should reflect this, and you want to ensure you are the best tank possible. Here's a solid build to consider:

• Improved Righteous Fury: Essential for threat generation.
• Guardian's Favor: Lowers the cooldown on your abilities, allowing you to use them more often.
• Divine Strength: More strength means more attack power, which provides you with additional damage.
• Judgement of the Just: Makes your judgement inflict a debuff that can be useful in dungeons.

This build focuses on keeping threat, mitigating damage, and staying alive.

Holy Talent Build

When leveling as Holy, prioritize talents that improve your healing efficiency and mana regeneration.

• Divine Favor: An instant cast heal can save you in tight spots.
• Holy Power: A good talent that boosts your healing.
• Improved Lay on Hands: Because Lay on Hands can save you in a tight spot.

Your main focus is to keep yourself alive while dealing damage.

Note: You can respec your talents whenever you like, so experiment with different builds until you find one that suits your playstyle.

Leveling Gear: What to Look For

Gear is another crucial aspect of your leveling journey. As a Paladin, you'll want to focus on gear that enhances your chosen spec. This section in the WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide will give you a good head start:

Stats to Prioritize

• Strength: Increases attack power (for Retribution and Protection) and healing power (for Holy).
• Stamina: Increases your health pool, which is always useful.
• Intellect: Increases your mana pool (for all specs) and critical strike chance for Holy.
• Attack Power: Increases the damage you deal with melee attacks (for Retribution and Protection).
• Critical Strike Chance: Increases the chance that your attacks will critically hit (for Retribution).

Gear Sources

• Quests: Quests are a great source of gear. Be sure to complete quests in each zone as you level.
• Dungeons: Dungeons are a great source of gear, especially if you tank, heal, or are in a group with friends. You can also pick up dungeon quests to get better rewards.
• Crafting: Certain professions, such as Blacksmithing and Leatherworking, can create excellent gear.
• Reputation Rewards: Gaining reputation with various factions can unlock access to some great gear.

Leveling Zones and Questing Strategies: Maximize Your Efficiency

Choosing the right zones and following an efficient questing strategy can significantly reduce your leveling time. This part of our WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide will give you an idea of the best zones:

Zones for Leveling (70-80)

• Borean Tundra/Howling Fjord: These are the starting zones in Northrend. They are relatively easy and offer a good starting point.
• Dragonblight: This zone offers a good mix of quests and is easy to traverse.
• Zul'Drak: Has great quests and is fun to play.
• Sholazar Basin: A more condensed zone with a high concentration of quests. You must take the flight path when visiting this zone.
• Icecrown: The final zone, with a lot of quests. It is best to go there when you're 77-80.

Questing Tips

• Prioritize Quests: Focus on completing quests as efficiently as possible.
• Use Flight Paths: Use flight paths whenever possible to reduce travel time.
• Group Up: Leveling with friends or in a guild can make the experience more enjoyable and efficient.
• Gathering Professions: If you're a gatherer, collect herbs and minerals as you quest to boost your gold income.

Professions for Paladins: Enhance Your Gameplay

Choosing the right professions can significantly boost your gameplay experience. It can improve your damage, enhance your survivability, or give you a steady stream of gold. Here is a breakdown of the best professions, according to the WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide:

Recommended Professions

• Blacksmithing: Allows you to craft your armor, weapons, and useful items.
• Jewelcrafting: Allows you to create gems for your gear.
• Alchemy: Allows you to create potions.
• Engineering: Provides unique tools and gadgets, such as a glider.

Profession Tips

• Leveling Professions: Level your professions in tandem with your character.
• Consider Your Spec: Some professions are more beneficial to specific specs.
• Experiment: Try out different professions until you find the ones that best suit your playstyle.

Endgame Considerations for Paladins

Reaching level 80 is just the beginning. The endgame in Wrath of the Lich King offers many exciting activities, including raids, dungeons, PvP, and more. This WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide will give you a little preview:

Endgame Activities

• Raids: Participate in raids to challenge yourself and obtain the best gear.
• Dungeons: Run Heroic dungeons for gear and reputation.
• PvP: Engage in PvP to test your skills and earn rewards.
• Daily Quests: Complete daily quests for gold and reputation.

Preparing for Endgame

• Gear Up: Acquire gear through dungeons, quests, and raids.
• Optimize Your Spec: Fine-tune your talents and glyphs.
• Join a Guild: Join a guild to find friends, participate in raids, and more.

Tips and Tricks for Leveling a Paladin

To make your leveling experience even smoother, here are some extra tips that will help:

• Use your abilities: Don't be afraid to use your abilities, especially your defensive ones, to make sure you stay alive.
• Manage your mana: As a Paladin, mana can be a constraint, especially as you level up. Use mana potions and abilities such as Blessing of Wisdom to manage your mana efficiently.
• Be patient: Leveling can take time, so be patient and enjoy the journey.
• Have fun: The most important thing is to enjoy the game. Try different specs, experiment with builds, and make friends along the way.

Conclusion: Go Forth and Shine!

That's it, guys! This WoTLK Paladin Leveling Guide should give you a solid foundation for leveling your Paladin from 70 to 80. Remember to choose the spec that best suits your playstyle, experiment with talents and gear, and most importantly, have fun! With a bit of dedication and the right strategy, you'll be hitting level 80 in no time, ready to take on the challenges of Northrend. Now go out there, cleanse the undead, and bring glory to the Light! Good luck, and happy leveling!