Usage percentages: share of surveyed Retribution Paladins equipping each item (n=333). Click a row to expand alternatives. Hover any item for its full tooltip.
Retribution Paladin stat priority (Phase 1 PvE)
- Hit Rating
- >Expertise
- >Strength
- >Crit Rating
- >Attack Power
Ret brings Improved Sanctity Aura and windfury-buffed seal twisting — hit and expertise caps protect the twist windows, and strength scales both your seals and the raid buffs you exist to provide.
Stat caps (raid)
| Stat | Cap | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hit Rating | 142 rating | 9% special-attack (yellow) cap when striking a boss from behind. Dual-wield white swings need ~24% and are not worth chasing. |
| Expertise | 26 rating | ~26 rating removes a boss's dodge from behind (6.5%). Beyond that only parry matters, which you avoid by staying behind. |
- Hit Rating: 9% special-attack (yellow) cap when striking a boss from behind. Dual-wield white swings need ~24% and are not worth chasing.
- Expertise: ~26 rating removes a boss's dodge from behind (6.5%). Beyond that only parry matters, which you avoid by staying behind.
What to buy first (raid)
- 1
Reach the hit cap (9% yellow)
Hit-capped pieces first — special attacks that miss cost you the most damage. Then top up expertise to remove dodge.
- 2
Weapon(s)
Your biggest raw-DPS slot. For dual-wield, the main-hand matters most for special attacks.
- 3
Tier set bonuses (2pc / 4pc)
Melee/ranged set bonuses are worth completing over marginal item-level gains.
- 4
Trinkets (proc / on-use AP)
Burst trinkets align with cooldowns for peak damage.
- 5
Remaining slots, then gems & enchants
Fill the rest, then socket for your primary stat once hit/expertise are set.
Retribution Paladin PvE FAQ
Where does Retribution Paladin Phase 1 BiS come from?
From the gear worn by 333 top-ranked Retribution Paladin DPS parses on Warcraft Logs during Phase 1 (Karazhan, Gruul's Lair and Magtheridon), aggregated per slot — what high parsers actually equip, not a spreadsheet ideal.
What are the highest-consensus Retribution Paladin items in Phase 1?
Libram of Avengement (86%), Lionheart Champion (81%), Justicar Crown (79%). When an item sits above ~70% among top parsers, treat it as the priority drop to chase.
Should I follow this list exactly for Phase 1?
Use it as a loot-priority guide, not a checklist — expand each slot's alternatives, because second-choice items are often within a few percent and drop from entirely different bosses in Karazhan, Gruul's Lair and Magtheridon.