WotLK Classic Holy Paladin Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities (2024)

Last updated on Sep 24, 2023 at 12:00by Sellin26 comments

On this page, you will learn how to optimize the rotation of yourHoly Paladin Healer, depending on the type of damage your groupis receiving while doing PvE content in WotLK Classic. We also haveadvanced sections about cooldowns, procs, etc. in order to minmax yourhealing output and your mana efficiency.

If you have not already, please read the Spell Summary page.Knowing how each spell and ability works in detail will greatly increase your understandingof the topics discussed on this page.

Holy Paladins do not have a set 'rotation' of abilities to do optimal healing,but rather focus on making sure you are using the correct spell and rank tominimize overhealing, while maximizing your throughput. The vast majorityof the healing will be done with Holy Light andFlash of Light.

This guide assumes you are using the talent build that can be found on ourTalents page and are playing a max-levelcharacter. If you are looking for leveling-based help, please refer to theleveling page for a leveling-specificrotation.

• Flash of Light is the spell you will cast the least.Due to a lack of an AoE or multi-target healing spell, Flash of Light is veryuseful for spot-healing, thanks to its quick cast but should be used only ina situation that you are certain you would not be able to finish a Holy Lightcast.
• Holy Light is your largest, most powerful heal, and will be yourdefault heal. You should be using almost exclusively Holy Light unless you are notconfident you will be able to finish the cast.Casting Holy Light will grant you the Light's Grace buff, which makesthe cast considerably faster. Using lower ranks is no longer a thing in Wrath ofThe Lich King as the Mana cost of spells is normalized, so make sure to alwaysbe using your maximum rank available.
• Holy Shock is a very expensive instant-cast heal that shouldonly be used in emergencies where you believe your target will die if they are not immediatelyhealed or during movement where you are not able to stop and cast either Holy Lightor Flash of Light.

The seal you are judging has minimal impact on your 'rotation' as a Holy Paladin,but each unique seal can offer benefits. As a Holy Paladin, you will want to keepSeal of Wisdom up to take full advantage of the Glyph of Seal of Wisdom which reducesyour mana costs allowing for more Holy Lights. Always make sure to judge at least once a minuteto ensure you keep the Judgements of the Pure buff active for almost freecasting speed.

Your Blessings are incredibly powerful buffs that should be kept up at alltimes. You will want to coordinate with the other Paladins in your raid to seewho should be buffing what on each class, since you can only use one on any givenperson at a time. With the Greater Blessings, they will last 60 minutes, so yougenerally will not need to worry about refreshing them in the middle of a fight,but you will want to check between pulls to make sure none are in danger of fallingoff.

• Hand of Freedom — Makes the target immune to roots and other movementimpairing effects for 10 seconds.
• Divine Protection — Reduces all incoming damage by 50% for12 seconds but causes Forbearance.
• Hand of Protection — A shield that causes your target to be immuneto all Physical attacks for 10 seconds, but they cannot attack during that time.This also procs a 1-minute debuff that makes you unable to cast your otherimmunities during that time.
• Divine Intervention — You sacrifice yourself to place a 2-minute shieldon a target, making them invulnerable, but unable to move or use abilities whileinside the shield. This is mainly used as a wipe recovery tool in raids to ensuresomeone will stay alive.
• Divine Sacrifice — A powerful raid cooldown that will redirecta percentage of the group's incoming damage to the Paladin. This effect will automaticallycancel if the Paladin goes below 20% health, but it can kill you.
• Divine Shield — A shield that causes you to be immune to allattacks and spells for 12 seconds and slows your attack speed drastically while the shield is active.This also procs a 1-minute debuff that makes you unable to cast your other immunities during that time.
• Lay on Hands — Instantly heals your target for a massive amount and givesthem some Mana, but drains all of your Mana.
• Hand of Sacrifice — A 30-second buff that transfers some of the damagetaken by the target to you while active.
• Avenging Wrath — A 20-second buff that increases the damagedealt by the Paladin by 30% for 20 seconds. This also procs a 1-minute debuff that makes youunable to cast you other immunities during that time.
• Divine Illumination — Reduces the Mana cost of all spellsby 50% for 15 seconds.
• Divine Favor — A buff that causes your next healing spellto have a 100% chance to crit.
• Aura Mastery — increases the range of your auras by an additional10 yards, making their range 40 yards and increasing their effectiveness by 100%.