Retribution Paladin Rotation Guide - Midnight Pre-Patch

By Bolas Updated: 2026/01/20

Retribution Paladin Rotation in The War Within

Avoid Holy Power Waste - Holy Power is Ret's primary resource, gained by casting various generators like Judgment, and spent on more powerful abilities like Final Verdict. Wasting it by generating over the cap means that you're able to cast fewer spenders, and therefore will do less damage.

Prioritize Generators - Prioritize using Holy Power generators when they won't cause Holy Power waste, and Holy Power spenders otherwise. Putting generators on cooldown earlier means you get more overall casts over the course of an encounter.

Keep Debuffs Active - Keep Expurgation active and Judgment debuffs applied to enemies. These effects significantly buff your other damage.

Hero Talent Choices The current recommendations in are:

Situation

Hero Talent

Link

Single Target

Mythic+

Best Retribution Paladin RotationHero Talent Master Switchesentire page's Best Retribution Paladin Single Target RotationUse the ✖ markers to switch to common alternate talent picks based on your loadout.The build options used below are covered in the Talents page. Swaps not included should not change the priority in any meaningful way unless covered elsewhere.Select a Hero Talent to Generate a Sequence OptionsPriority

Final Verdict (with 5 Holy Power)

Wake of Ashes

Divine Toll

Blade of Justice (if Expurgation isn't active)

Hammer of Wrath

Judgment (at 2 charges)

Final Verdict (with 4 Holy Power)

Blade of Justice

Judgment

Final Verdict

Best Retribution Paladin AoE Rotation2+ targets3+ targetsUse the ✖ markers to switch to common alternate talent picks based on your loadout.The build options used below are covered in the Talents page. Swaps not included should not change the priority in any meaningful way unless covered elsewhere.Select a Hero Talent to Generate a Sequence OptionsPriority

Divine Storm (with 5 Holy Power)

Wake of Ashes

Divine Toll

Blade of Justice (if Expurgation isn't active)

Hammer of Wrath

Judgment (at 2 charges)

Divine Storm (with 4 Holy Power)

Blade of Justice

Judgment

Divine Storm

Best Retribution Paladin OpenerUse the ✖ markers next to pick a fight style. Other talent options will populate underneath.The build options used below are covered in the Talents page. Swaps not included should not change the priority in any meaningful way unless covered elsewhere. Fight StyleSelect a Fight Style and Hero Talent to Generate a Sequence OptionsSingle Target Sequence

Tempered Potion & use any on-use stat items

Wake of Ashes

Continue with regular priority

Sample TimelinePre-Combat Check Single Button Rotation Assistant Losses for Retribution PaladinAssisted Highlight

Hero Talent

Damage Loss

~3%

~7%

One Button

Hero Talent

Damage Loss

~16%

~22%

Assisted Highlight

Hero Talent

Damage Loss

~3%

~4%

One Button

Hero Talent

Damage Loss

~17%

~18%

Retribution Paladin Cooldowns Not Used by Rotation Assistall major cooldownsDivine TollExecution SentenceWake of Ashes Retribution Paladin Major Cooldown UsageExecution SentenceAvenging WrathAvenging WrathAvenging WrathExecution SentenceRadiant GloryAvenging WrathWake of AshesWake of AshesWake of AshesExecution SentenceExecution SentenceHammer of LightWake of AshesLight's DeliveranceWake of AshesCrusading StrikesHammer of LightHammer of LightExecution SentenceUndisputed RulingAvenging WrathAvenging WrathAvenging WrathAvenging WrathView ChangelogNavigation BarFeedbackDiscord server

Tags: PvE

Comments

Comment by jules812

seems as if the creator of this guide doesn't play ret pally very much

Comment by Kagno

Why does the opener list blade of justice BEFORE judgement?
I get the cooldown and damage are different but in any situation where you open on a boss that is likely 30+ yards away, you're not gonna be able to use BoJ until you're almost in melee range, so opening with judgement while walking to the boss will net you 1 more gcd. It's simply more efficient and intuitive.
Honestly sometimes it feels like guide writers only play simcraft and not the actual game

Comment by Razko

It seems like there's a little bug in the rotation list. It says "Requires Crusade" over both the Crusade entry as well as the Avenging Wrath entry. Obviously the normal wings don't 'require' Crusade.

Comment by Sinstriker

I noticed Holy Avenger is included and Divine Purpose was left out. Only mentioning it because of the new Sims section.

With the Tier Set the rotation change is rather simplistic. You just give the 2pc as many chances as possible to pop after a Divine Purpose proc. You just hold you're free HP spender from Divine Purpose until you either hit 5 HP or Art of War procs. The result is 2 HP spenders inside the 3sec Seraphim.

If your lucky DP procs off DP. Damage can be amazing . . or below average.

It was the most fun set up to test in ptr . . . but . . . it's a big dice roll.

Comment by olaivo

Why do you spec into exorcism if you never use it? Also, why do you spec into radiant decree? It seems way worse than Ashes to Dust. Since Wake of Ashes does more damage on your main target (and still some AoE), you already have AoE on Divine Storm and Consecration AND you get more Holy Power generation for Divine Storms which do more damage and in the end of packs (say >3 mobs) you can switch to Templars Verdict and have more Holy Power generation to keep Righteous Verdict up.

Comment by OpusKrokus

I'm confused. I freshly spec'd into this because my guild has plenty of tanks. Consecration is listed in the rotation, but I have been searching for it for several minutes and cannot find it either in my spell book or talent tree. What am I missing?

Comment by CommanderTyler

Hello, can someone explain to me why Final Verdict and Divine Storm has a much higher prio at 5 holy power compared to 4. I can't find any reason not to send them at 4 or am I missing something?

Comment by ZendaraThenebra

I DON'T GET IT... !
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
I do not understand some points about this part:

Retribution Paladin Cooldown Usage

With the t30 set bonus, Hammer of Wrath also applies the Judgment debuff, which means that you essentially drop Judgment from your rotation entirely inside Avenging Wrath keeping most Templar's Verdict still buffed with Hammer of Wrath and Divine Resonance.

OK, THANK YOU! BUT...
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Where is this information coming from and wich buff is it talking about?

Can you throw Hammer of Wrath instead of Judgment when Expurgation is up and gain the set bonus effect damage?
— If so, why is this page the only one with this information?

Or is this about the buff coming from Greater Judgment for your next holy power ability?
— If so, then why mention the « with the t30 set... » to begin with? That buff has nothing to do with it...

There are too many contraddictions there: the entire page tells you to use as many Judgment you can, keeping it on cooldown all the time and then suddenly it tells you to drop it entirely during your main burst window? (as that would be "just then" like it's not every 60 seconds) wich one is it now...?

Comment by Khumi

Why is Final Reckoning no longer recommended for M+? Seems like a no brainer for AoE

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Comment by KodokuTenshi

For some reason the Rotation Assist isn't telling me to use Avenging Wrath.

Retribution Paladin Rotation Guide - Midnight Pre-Patch

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