Quote:
Originally Posted by Teppler
[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
|
Damage-free stun. Builds aggro on mezzed targets while tanking. Holy Might deals damage, making it the primary choice versus engaged targets that cast, but minimizing its versatility except when needing to break mez after enough aggro has been generated to minimize the time between current target's death and new target's engagement. Also, one well-timed stun can save a lot of mana elsewhere (puller/cc about to eat a nuke/dot/dispel) and, assuming the stun isn't resisted, it gives the tank ample time to move out of los and prep another stun because the mob will most likely cast again once los is reestablished.
Healing puller. Saves cleric/shaman/etc mana and redirects incoming mobs onto paladin, making the enchanter's job of containing the adds that much easier.
Wave of Healing. Underused because of the high mana cost, but its low cast-time is a lifesaver when sub-59 (no Celestial Cleansing) and LoH is down. Even if only one group member is low hp and LoH is available, the mana spent on WoH is often worth using instead. With any combination of C/FT/PoTG, regaining that mana won't take long.
Wave of Healing also has the potential to heal +1500hp across the board, assuming full group; individually it's often just enough to keep members alive amid a train. If the group is running to zoneline because of a train, paladin casts WoH asap or runs ahead, then casts to have a head start on the train. WoH has a decent enough range and acts as an aggro magnet. One cast on the group and paladin likely has all of the train aggroed, allowing them to run it elsewhere, keeping it preoccupied before casting DA and doubling back to the zoneline.
Other tank classes can do the same for aggro with a Tunareberry/Shiny Brass Idol, but both items are lore, and Prayers of Life are too expensive.
Lull. Chain pulls made easy with less charisma; single pulls made possible with more charisma. No line of sight required and, from level 45 onward, no mana required with Deepwater Vambraces.
Cancel Magic. Allows paladin to pull submerged mobs from above water--ideal in zones such as Karnor's where the moat is pretty much FFA (not that the entire zone
doesn't fall into that same category during peak hours). Other classes also have Cancel Magic of course, but most have too many other, more important spells and would rather not reserve a slot for it. Eventually, paladins don't even need to reserve a spell slot for it because of Deepwater Gauntlets.
The spellbook paladins have appears bland at first glance due to their overall lack of damage output and colorful magic. However, that redundancy is not without variation which, no matter how subtle, can easily translate into an averted death or all out wipe. With the spells that knights have, all roads lead to Rome. Stun #1 resisted? Cast stun #2 or #3, then 1 again if necessary. Celestial Cleansing on cooldown? Another member has low hp aggro? Move into range for Lay on Hands or cast Wave of Healing. Shadow Knights work within similar parameters, having access to 3 different versions of Feign Death and a slew of lifetaps to provide additional survivability when Feign Death fails and/or when needing to wait out mobs that cast.
Paladins have to make the most out of multiple temporary fixes, instead of falling back on one or two reliable spells like Shadow Knights. But three stuns, a weapon stun proc, and bash can all be turned into one drawn out interruption which amounts to having no buffs dispelled and no spell damage on the tank (assuming the mobs aren't immune). Because of this, Paladins aren't exactly reliant on junk buffs, a convenient feature of the class which opens up more slots for quality buffs/bard songs.
Other tank/paper tank classes have their own strengths obviously and, depending on the camp/needs of the group, those abilities can be used with more desirable results. But imo paladins are the all-around safest bet in a random group of strangers. Bards have the best aggro, cc and pulls. Warriors have the best discs and ac/hp. Shadow Knights, Paladins, Monks, and Rangers all fall somewhere in between those two classes--the raid tank and the paper tank--depending on their gear, skill, and level (spells/abilities available to them).