The announced baseline changes
Paladins gain Holy Strike at level 6. Judgment preserves Seals; Seal of Fury makes it taunt. Consecration becomes baseline at level 20. Blizzard’s recap.
This makes Paladin worth revisiting if your plans were based on an old Classic character. Choose the role you want to try first, then test the relevant tools before committing your guild to a roster assumption.
What the demo reports show by specialisation
This comparison uses Warcraft Forever’s demo tooltip transcription, dated 13 September. It is community evidence, not RaidMuster gameplay testing or final launch tuning.
| Spec | Reported tools | Our suggested test |
|---|---|---|
| Holy | Infusion of Light links critical Holy Shock/Flash of Light heals to a faster Holy Light; Light’s Vigil interacts with Holy Shock for party healing. | Try responding to scattered damage while tracking mana and setup time. |
| Protection | Improved Seal of Fury supports mana recovery; Swift Judgement resets Judgment; Templar’s Bulwark supplies an absorb with Forbearance. | Practise recovering a loose enemy and choosing defensive timing. |
| Retribution | Sacred Arbiter refreshes Judgments through Holy Strike; Champion of the Light uses Intellect; Twist of Light echoes a replaced Seal into the next melee attack. | Compare the feel of a twisting approach with a spell-oriented option. |
Why this guide avoids a final talent build
The Reddit summary and the demo transcription describe Hammer of Wrath for Instrument of Law, while Blizzard’s prose recap names Holy Wrath. Do not treat those names as interchangeable. Check the current client tooltip before planning around that talent.
The transcription also records different Swift Judgement cooldowns on a panel slide and in the demo. We are leaving an exact cooldown out of our recommendation until the relevant build is verified.
A useful first session for each role
Holy: arrange a short group session and note which situations are awkward, not just the largest heal. Protection: agree pull sizes and give the group time to practise recovery. Retribution: compare two approaches on similar targets with similar gear before drawing conclusions.
Keep your observations in a shared note: build date, talent choices, character level, gear and the situation being tested. That makes later reports comparable. A strong result in one encounter does not establish a class ranking.
How to use this when recruiting
Ask prospective Paladins which role they want to play and which alternatives they enjoy. Keep “interested in tanking” separate from “confirmed tank for Tuesday”. This lets players explore the changes without the guild counting an untested preference as a commitment.