Retribution Paladin

When it comes to how to play Ret Paladin it really comes down to how you play in Crusade and how long you keep the Legendary Cloak buff up.

Quick reminders

• Don't ever sit on your Divine Hammer.
• Don't Templar's Verdict without Judgment on.
• Try to pool your Holy Power if you know aoe is coming.

How to play during Crusade/opener

When it comes to how you should open when you play with Crusade it all changes depending on how many Crusade relics/traits you have. There are other ways to open in Crusade but these are the ones I've found to be the best ones. On all of these openers you will always use Divine Hammer on 7-8 sec left on pulltimer, as you run in for some extra dps and 2 free holy power as you get to the boss. The main reason for different openers in Crusade is that on later traits you can get 2 Wake of Ashes in 1 Crusade.

• 3-4 traits: get 2 holy power from Divine Hammer when you run in, Crusader Strike, Divine Hammer, pop Crusade and use Templar's Verdict at the same time, Blood Elf Arcane Torrent, Templar's Verdict, Wake of Ashes, Templar's Verdict, Divine Hammer, Templar's Verdict, and then do everything as you normally do.
• 5 traits: Here there are 2 different ways to play - you can either go with the safe option or go with the more risky one, hoping for 4 set proc in the start. On the more risky one you wont get 2 Wake of Ashes while on the safe one you will and Wake of Ashes is great for aoe bosses when you get it with 15 stacks.
  • Safe: Judgment, Wake of Ashes, Crusade and Templar's Verdict at the same time, Divine Hammer, Templar's Verdict, Crusader Strike Blood Elf Arcane Torrent, Templar's Verdict, Divine Hammer or Crusade whichever is up first, and then you just play like you normally do.
    Just make sure that at the end of your Crusade you use your Wake of Ashes at around 3-4 sec left. You could have Arcane Torrent for this but normally I don't.
  • More Risky: get 2 Holy Power from Divine Hammer when you run in, Judgment, Crusader Strike, if proc use Crusader Strike if not Divine Hammer, pop Crusade and use Templar's Verdict at the same time, Blood Elf Arcane Torrent Templar's Verdict, Wake of Ashes, Templar's Verdict, Divine Hammer, Templar's Verdict.
• 6-7 traits: get 2 Holy Power from Divine Hammer as you run in, Judgment, Crusader Strike, Crusade Templar's Verdict at the same time, Wake of Ashes, Templar's Verdict, Divine Hammer, Templar's Verdict, Crusader Strike Blood Elf Arcane Torrent Templar's Verdict.
  Make sure you use Wake of Ashes when you run out of Holy Power and there is at least 5 sec left.

There are openers where you get 5 Holy Power before you pop your first Crusade but i feel like you lose too much time on Potion of the Old War that it's not worth it unless you get lucky with procs on pull. See 5 traits.

2nd Crusade

• Always make sure when you pop your 2nd Crusade in the fight to have 5 holy power ready for when you use it.
• Judgment, Crusade and Templar's Verdict, Blood Elf Arcane Torrent, Templar's Verdict, Wake of Ashes, Templar's Verdict, Divine Hammer,  Templar's Verdict, Crusader Strike 2x, Templar's Verdict, Divine Hammer, and you know the rest.
• If you're lucky with getting The Fires of Justice proc do this:
  • Templar's Verdict, Templar's Verdict, Wake of Ashes, Templar's Verdict, Divine Hammer, Templar's Verdict, Crusader Strike, Blood Elf Arcane Torrent Templar's Verdict.
• If you're unlucky and do not get The Fires of Justice proc the only thing you change is to Arcane Torrent after your first Templar's Verdict.

Cleave/aoe:

• On 2+ Targets use Divine Storm unless you have to nuke something down.
• On single target use Templar's Verdict.
• Note if not Blood Elf or are alliance: just use a Crusader Strike where I said to use Arcane Torrent, some of the openers are a little different but not massively.