Need Advice - Retribution Paladin lvl 78

[zenga]

Do you have any macros that will be useful please ?

If you are asking for a 1 stop shop spammable castsequence: nope I don't use them. And I strongly advise against using them if you play solo. It's gonna take half an hour to get used to manually casting your abilities while questing, maybe an hour. And you gonna learn far more in this short period about the spec than when you would use 1 spammable castsequence for 2 months straight.

As for addons I'm reading up on clcinfo and clcret. Anyone used those ? Also this looks interesting :

http://www.curse.com/addons/wow/powerauras-classic

http://powerauras.wikispaces.com/How+to+Use

powerauras is pretty much the swiss knife when it comes to tracking procs, abilities, stacks, debuffs, etc ....
i can share you how i track my holy power in power auras on my prot (same goes for ret & holy actually)

/powa
click 'page 1' under character effects
chose import
paste in the pop up box
Version:4.23; b:0.1922; g:0.9529; thresholdinvert:true; icon:spell_holy_lightsgrace; x:-200; bufftype:10; texture:73; PowerType:9; threshold:1; size:0.25; y:150; texmode:2
repeat import/paste
Version:4.23; b:0.1922; g:0.9529; thresholdinvert:true; icon:spell_holy_lightsgrace; x:-200; bufftype:10; texture:73; PowerType:9; threshold:2; size:0.38; y:150; texmode:2
and once more
Version:4.23; b:0.0549; g:0.3608; thresholdinvert:true; icon:spell_holy_lightsgrace; x:-200; bufftype:10; texture:72; sound:12; PowerType:9; threshold:3; size:0.55; y:150; texmode:2

to track buff durations like inquisition i use chronobars (and for many other durations on other toons)

[Flight]

powerauras is pretty much the swiss knife when it comes to tracking procs, abilities, stacks, debuffs, etc ....
i can share you how i track my holy power in power auras on my prot (same goes for ret & holy actually)

/powa
click 'page 1' under character effects
chose import
paste in the pop up box
Version:4.23; b:0.1922; g:0.9529; thresholdinvert:true; icon:spell_holy_lightsgrace; x:-200; bufftype:10; texture:73; PowerType:9; threshold:1; size:0.25; y:150; texmode:2
repeat import/paste
Version:4.23; b:0.1922; g:0.9529; thresholdinvert:true; icon:spell_holy_lightsgrace; x:-200; bufftype:10; texture:73; PowerType:9; threshold:2; size:0.38; y:150; texmode:2
and once more
Version:4.23; b:0.0549; g:0.3608; thresholdinvert:true; icon:spell_holy_lightsgrace; x:-200; bufftype:10; texture:72; sound:12; PowerType:9; threshold:3; size:0.55; y:150; texmode:2

to track buff durations like inquisition i use chronobars (and for many other durations on other toons)

Brilliant, thank you.



As an added aside to help anyone viewing this in future the following thread is an interesting read alongside EJ, especially when considering rotations etc :

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2267589223



Most salient parts :

ROTATIONS

What you need to realize about Retribution's rotation is that it's actually a loose priority system. Hitting your buttons in the suboptimal order will not put your meters in the dirt, but you will of course be performing at a suboptimal standard (go figure).

3.1 Single Target

Note that opening rotations may differ from what you read in this section due to initial CD usage. Optimal opening rotations are discussed in section 4 (Cooldowns).

Inq > CS > HoW > Exo > TV > J > HW > Cons
Inq > CS > TV > HoW > Exo > J > HW > Cons

Either rotation works, but presently spreadsheets recommend the former selection for higher gear levels (~359+). DPS variances are rather slight between the two.

Inq > CS > TV > Exo > HoW > J > HW > Cons, or
Inq > CS > Exo > HoW > TV > J > HW > Cons

The above selections are optimal priority queues for Undead and Demon targets. Once again, DPS variances are slight. There is no real item level threshold for priority preference here. The fact that Exorcism auto-crits when used on Undead or Demons and its faster scaling causes it to pull ahead of HoW in these scenarios. (Exemplar)

Inquisition is one of the most important abilities to our damage output. It is imperative that it be up 100% of the time, if not close to it. Redcape suggests casting Inquisition at 1 HoPo and refreshing at 3 HoPo or on a Divine Purpose proc without the 4p tier bonus. With the 4p bonus, it is optimal to cast and refresh at 1 HoPo.

If Divine Purpose procs with 2 HoPo and CS off of cooldown, use CS first, then burn both TVs (one from natural HoPo, one from DP). You should immediately be able to CS again. If CS has just been used when DP procs, it is safe to burn the DP proc as a filler while you wait on the cooldown to Crusader Strike again.

3.2 Multiple Target

The AoE rotation is rather similar to single-target, simply replace Crusader Strike with Divine Storm. The rest of the priority stays the same. With Holy Wrath being a meteor effect, at 3 targets you should begin using Consecration over HW. (Exemplar)

Current modeling and tests by Redcape suggest that you should only swap to an AoE rotation for 5+ targets. In 4.1, it may be optimal to make the switch at 4+ as Divine Storm will generate a charge of HoPo when hitting four or more targets at a time.



COOLDOWNS

Since such a large part of our damage output is based on the use and effective management of our cooldowns, it's important for us to understand our cooldowns and what they do.

4.1 Avenging Wrath

Avenging Wrath increases all damage by 20% while active. Fully talented this lasts 20 seconds with a 2-minute cooldown, providing a 16.6% effective up-time. (Exemplar) This ability allows the use of HoW while active, whether target health is above or below 20%. As with any major cooldown, it is best used through Bloodlust effects. However, losing a CD cycle over the course of an encounter by waiting on a Bloodlust to burn them is a painful DPS loss.

4.2 Zealotry

Zealotry is a 20-second buff with a 2-minute cooldown which causes your Crusader Strike ability to grant 3 charges of HoPo rather than 1. Zealotry is most effective when used in conjunction with Avenging Wrath and other DPS-increasing conditions such as potions and trinkets.

The general rotation while Zealotry is active is CS > TV > filler > CS > TV > filler, etc. Any ability that is not CS qualifies as a filler, including DP procs used for free TVs.

4.3 Guardian of Ancient Kings

Guardian of Ancient Kings provides a stacking Strength buff which will stack up to 20 times, granting you an additional 20% of your current Strength (including bonuses from buffs, trinkets, and potions). The buff lasts for a total of 30 seconds.

In a CD sequence it is advised to use GoAK first to stack the Strength bonus. After ~10 seconds you would use AW and Zeal. This would provide the maximum Strength benefit for the entirety of the AW/Zeal. (Exemplar)

4.4 Effective Usage

The way you use your cooldowns is crucial to your overall output. The ability to manage your cooldowns can either make or break your DPS.

Where once it was recommended that AW and Zealotry be used separately, it is now optimal to burn these cooldowns together, all the time, every time.

If you do not have 20+ seconds of Inq already rolling, Zeal + Inq first, then AW + HoW. If you have the 20+ seconds of Inq required to cover the entire CD cycle, blow AW + HoW first, and then Zeal + TV on the next GCD. Proceed from there with your usual rotation. Bind on-use trinkets to AW.

For your first CD cycle, it's important to summon your first GoAK. 10 seconds later, burn AW/Zealotry/On-use trinkets. I recommend saving your Golemblood Potion for important burn phases (but remember only to use them during a CD cycle or you are wasting DPS).

Typically, your opening CD cycle will look something like this:

CS/GoAK > filler (x2) > CS > filler (x2) > CS > Zealotry/Inq* > AW/Trinket/Potion + HoW** > CS > TV > filler > CS > TV > HoW, etc.

* Zealotry is off of the GCD, so Inq or TV can be used on top of it.

** AW, On-use trinkets, and potions are all off of the GCD so, if they are macro'd together, it is possible to use that GCD for a HoW.