Im really bored on horde side, this is my second 60 and im just not getting the enjoyment on this faction as ive had as alliance In the past. I joined horde because of the racials and the population but I don’t actually like this faction. Thinking of rolling a paladin on Ally side haven’t decided which server but how hard or how long is it for Ret paladins to level? Leveling in this game kinda has me wondering if I don’t even want to go through that again because ive been through it twice.
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Hard? Probably not very. But they are tedious, mind numbing while underperformers. If you want a speedy leveling process, hunter might be for you.
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I think you are definitely burned out from leveling and that’s fair after leveling two characters to 60. However, I’d say just keep playing horde but also make a pally on a server. Do some research and pick one that works with your time zone/play style and check it out. I wouldn’t rush it. Play both. I don’t think it would be too bad as you already know the ropes. But at least you get a free mount at 40.
I didn’t find it too bad to be honest…
Leveling a paladin gets more enjoyable post level 20 and once you get Verigan’s Fist. That is an incredible 2h mace to get early on.
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Ret is generally the default for leveling paladins, so you shouldn’t have too many issues with it. You can heal dungeons fairly well even in ret spec until a certain point, merely by using +healing greens from the AH. It’s definitely not fast - but it is pretty chill. I’ll echo the recommendation to get Verigan’s Fist (2h Mace) from the level 20 class quest as soon as you can. It makes the 20s a breeze and lasts easily until the low 30s.
Leveling starts to slow down around 50, but you can either swap to Prot and do AoE leveling (Shield Spike + various reactive damage items + Ret Aura + Sanc will tear through groups of zombies in WPL/EPL) and dungeon tanking, or go Ret/Holy and heal for dungeons.
If you twink as you level or go after close to twink items Ret is nasty. In fact ret is only ever any good twinked out.
But then if you’re going to put that effort to gear up a ret, you could put the same effort to gear something else and do better.
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Palas are pretty dominante in the right hands in pvp. Sure ret is meme in raids but pvp is a different story.
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Honestly, ret is pretty much a meme in pvp…but that is not what the OP is asking, he wants to know about a leveling.
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you don’t level as one spec, change it up and find a style that you enjoy.
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Leveling a ret will be slow, passive and single target after a pure DPS class, especially a mage. But you will almost have a second life in most of the encounters due to healing and immunities. You’ll have +8% run speed passive from talents around level 20ish and free mount at 40.
It’s kinda going to be awkward in dungeons like with all the hybrids, since you’ll be playing a different role than what you do while questing, i.e. healing, especially later on. Being a paladin in classic is less about you, but more about your team.
I would say that ret is still pretty efficient, because you can heal and keep going, as long as you’re not too wasteful on mana and have Benediction talent.
My advice:
From 1-50s go full ret but start working on your healing gear starting at SM cathedral and beyond . Even as ret you can heal lower level dungeons fine. Once you hit 51 respec to full Holy and get at least 11 in ret for seal of command because it still does good burst damage for killing mobs with your old ret gear for quests but the reason you want to respec to holy is to start farming BRD and beyond for your Pre Raid BIS healing gear. By level 60, you should be close or at least half way to having your best pre-raid BIS for healing.
If you decide that you like Ret stick with it and make your own dungeon runs. People want to meme on the spec hard but if you play it right, it makes dungeons go way smoother than the cookie cutter groups.
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I leveled holy back in the day because a friend told me it’s be best for getting groups. It was rather brutal (kill times were so slow!) Once I switched to Ret, I never wanted to go back.
This time through, I leveled ret (flirted with prot for a bit.) You know, I haven’t had too many issues finding groups for dungeons or raids. As a ret paladin, I’ll never have great damage in Classic. It’s a lot of fun for PvP, however.
My two cents: Play what you want (it’s your sub fee!) and if you choose to go ret, use the money you’re not spending on your level 40 mount to keep your weapon fairly current, and to make sure you’re in full plate shortly after you ding 40. Lots of folks suggest engineering to fill some gaps in your toolbox. I find it’s not necessary. In fact, herb/alch might be the way to go, as you’ll be able to make your own consumables, and make some $$ off of the surplus.
Ret pally is very easy to level.
you really shouldn’t play hybrids outside of their primary role in classic. BC will partially fix this issue, but now it’s questionable idea.
Meme is meme, but reality is reality. A good ret is a game changer in group pvp. Not to mention having any paladin in a group will make pve content that much smoother.
I agree, a paladin existing in a group instantly makes that group better. But why choose a sub-optimal version of a paladin when a strictly-better version exists.
Why do people continue to drive old, outdated cars with expensive insurance when there are cheaper, newer, and more efficient models available?
I am not a fan of that analogy. A closer one would be: A person is offered a choice between 2 cars. One of the cars is a great, fast and efficient car…the other is a slow run-down clunker.
Sure if you need a car, either will work…but why would you ever actively choose the clunker over the other.