2.0 was the patch of protection. Looking at talents it wasn't a gigantic buff. A few percent mitigation here, some stam there, a minor mechanical fix to a few talents. The real magic is more subtle. You won't notice it immediately. It's really a bit dull. It has no flashy graphics and won't give OMG HUGE NUMBERZ!
Spiritual attunement transformed paladin tanking. This was the ability that made prot a real tanking tree.
Tanking gear without class: Warrior was the second big change that isn't really all that amazing looking back. Two years later, it's hard to imagine a time when if you were not a warrior you did not have tanking gear.
This is the time of less-than-amazing changes for ret. Divine Storm was the eye candy, but in the end, it's not the thing that makes it all work.
Judgements of the Wise transformed ret paladins. Oh sure, it's been nerfed heavily, but it is regen. Mana regen is serious business, just ask any caster. This is what will allow ret to DPS for more than a few minutes and what will ease the burden of needing intellect and mana/5 on gear.
Sheathe of Light should be renamed "You are a hybrid." This is the talent that makes ret heals worth a damn. This is also the talent that makes their heals worth more than a damn.
Nerfs hurt, but it's the few changes such as gaining regen or SP that remake a spec. This is the time for retribution to gain even more acceptance, and acceptance beyond a 3% crit debuff.
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I completely agree. Through all the people QQing about nerfs, I enjoy playing my ret pally far more now than I did then.
It's not because of Divine Storm. That's cool, but not game-changing. It's because my FoL heals me for more than 500 health. It's because I actually have a reason to judge every time the cooldown is up. I enjoy being able to use all of my abilities. It's the reason I like being a hybrid.
I think everyone should just calm down a bit and see how things play out at 80.
In some ways, this is my exact problem with 3.0.
2.0 did not make paladins a good tanking class. It took us 75% of the way there, and then just stopped. Sheer will on the part of paladin players made us somewhat viable.
We were behind on health for most of 2.0. Don't you remember the crazy struggle to become uncrushable? The only reason we were halfway viable was that Thunderclap couldn't be cast in Defensive Stance, making Warriors not have an equivalent to Consecrate. The constant struggle to prove ourselves compared to warriors.
3.0 made the paladins a proper tanking class. Proper alignment of abilities. No need to fight for uncrushable. Extra tools like Shield of the Righteous and Hammer of the Righteous. A mini-Shield Wall in Divine Protection.
No, a repeat of 2.0 is exactly what I fear will happen, only this time with Ret instead of Prot. 75% of the way there, and having to resort to crazy tricks to push us into viability, until Blizzard truly fixes us a few patches down the line.
My little catch-phrases:
"Retribution: It isn't just for LOL anymore"
"Goodbye LOLRet, Hello OMGRet!"
I'm a PvEer first and foremost - and the "nerf" isn't really feeling like a nerf. If I were an arena junkie - I suspect my feelings would be a little different.
I'm on the same side of the fence as Rohan but just looking at it from a different viewpoint.
Yes Ret has come a long way, but it's also not yet where I think it deserves to be. Come 3.0, Ret probably will not be perfectly polished. But there can't be a 3.0 Prot without a 2.0 Prot, and certainly without the 1/million Prot-specced 1.0 Paladin who offtanked BWL. I'm willing to accept Ret as it is specifically because it's a work in progress.
Nothing worthwhile was ever easy. This is the spirit of the Paladin class whose 2 out of 3 specs were the very last specs to be raid-viable. The FotM rerollers will leave soon and once again the core community will work with what they've got.
We know what Ret's shortcomings are (and how important Dark Runes will be). When presented with this fact, GC showed his incredulity. The only way to change their arrogant minds is to do it. Farm DRs like mad and use every underhanded method to show just how short Ret is to its true potential.
If Ret has to suffer an expansion pack before it gets the changes it needs instead of simply balancing, then so be it. Paladins have plenty of experience being the underdogs.
"Paladins have plenty of experience being the underdogs."
word to that Damini. I was always a prot / holy pally. I actually enjoyed healing and when I got bored with that I would respec to prot and have some fun for awhile.
Since 3.0 I have only been Ret and I am highly enjoying it. Even after the nerf, I still feel rather strong and am looking forward to see how the class gets changed.
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