Paladin Retribution Guide – Post Patch 4.06
Hey, thanks for reading. As most guides will state this is based on my own personal experience reflecting on how I like to play. Nothing I say is set in stone so please only use this as a rough guide. Thanks again.
Overview (stolen from Wiki)
A paladin that has chosen to spec retribution is able to increase his DPS by a considerable margin and fight several targets at a time with a good efficiency. Retribution damage favors slow two handed weapons and cause sudden damage spikes through both melee and spell crits. Through the now baseline retribution talent Crusader Strike and tier 3 talent Divine Storm they can deal considerable weapon based burst damage for AoE damage or for single target damage. Templar's Verdict is a new melee range attack that deals additional weapon damage base on Holy Power consumption - Holy Power can also be used to instantly heal yourself or a team member by using Word of Glory.
Specs- The talent trees are very similar for each 3 specs. The only choice you'll be making is where to put your point in the 3rd tier.
PVP/Battlegrounds/Arenas - Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
Long Arm of the Law - Spell - World of Warcraft This although only a 50% chance is very useful for chasing down your opponent. Retri's downfall is its lack of mobility so giving you the chance of a 45% speed increase is vital. This spec is all about making the most of every opportunity for dealing damage but also having the awareness to be able to time your cd's and abilities to best suite your situation. Running in and stunning someone when they didn’t even see you coming isn’t your best choice. Getting the first hit in is great, but making sure you can counter *their* counter is more important by using hammer of justice at the appropriate time. I will elaborate on this later on in the guide.
PVP/Battlegrounds/Arenas/PVE - http://www.wowhead.com/talent#sZZcbGo
http://www.wowhead.com/spell=31876 5% DMG increase over the board and 3% for all members in your party or raid. People generally either choose this spec or Long Arm of the Law. I'm actually playing this spec at the moment for Battlegrounds and then changing back for arenas but not much to say. Its a massive bonus for your team and 5% is defo noticable and does make a definitive difference in games. I find Long arm of the law more beneficial within arenas for the utility of being able to catch up to opponents quicker or los people faster. My suggestion, try both specs and chop and change.
PVE/Dungeons - Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
This spec is once again very similar except we have put a point into Divine Storm - Spell - World of Warcraft instead of Long Arm of the Law - Spell - World of Warcraft. The majority of the time you'll be AOE'ing down large groups of mobs and considering the latest buff to Divine Storm (now dealing 100% weapon dmg) its a very good choice.
PVE/Single Target - Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
Same once again except this time we have a point in The Art of War - Spell - World of Warcraft. This is a bit of an odd spec really as it could be used two ways. When the talent procs, exo does become very powerful (I've hit for over 1400) and that’s instant at range! 7% chance of proc however is very low so your looking to either be using a fast one hander and a shield or a faster 2hander like for example Cobalt Crusher - Item - World of Warcraft to increase your chance of proccing it. Personally I don’t like leaving things to chance and proc chance is too low for me but it may suite other players, who knows.
Glyphs
Prime
Glyph of Crusader Strike - Item - World of Warcraft Crusader Strike is your main attack, it hits hard, it's on a short CD and it doesn’t require Holy Power to use. 5% crit is invaluable.
Glyph of Templar's Verdict - Item - World of Warcraft Really personal Preference. A non crit Templar's Verdict with this Glyph will hit just a bit harder than a critical Crusader Strike but will use up 3 Holy Power. In my opinion Templar's Verdict as much as being powerful can only really be put to use in specific situations. Depending on whether you have a healer near you, you may want to be using your Holy Power to heal therefore this glyph being wasted a lot of the time. On a side note, using this Glyph and hitting a Critical Templar's Verdict makes it all worth it....Big...BIG numbers, your choice.
Major
Glyph of Divinity - Item - World of Warcraft Really useful for those *oh shit situations*. Having that extra bit of mana can really make a massive difference to the result of a fight.
Glyph of Hammer of Justice - Item - World of Warcraft Useful for varying situations. You can make life very difficult for your opponent if you manage to get the first stun in or in a group of the extra range comes in massive use when there's a pesky player bothering your healer.
Glyph of Lay on Hands - Item - World of Warcraft Does what is says on the tin. If your a regular Rambo, this might be the Glyph for you
Glyph of the Ascetic Crusader - Item - World of Warcraft Can't say I've ever had mana issue due my Crusader Strike and I didn’t notice a massive difference when I tested it but people work differently.
Minor Glyphs
Glyph of Blessing of Kings - Item - World of Warcraft
Glyph of Righteousness - Item - World of Warcraft
Racials
Blood Elf - Arcane Torrent - Spell - World of Warcraft Blood Nora it's good!! My only issue with this being that you really do have to be basically on top of them to hit them with the silence...well from my experience anyway. Still, very good.
Tauren - Endurance - Spell - World of Warcraft and War Stomp - Spell - World of Warcraft. Stamina for melee is never bad and in my opinion you can't get better than Warstomp for a Retri Pala. Simply, if your target gets away, you can't hit it. The more ways to keep it stunned and in one place the better. Also amazing for stunning groups and making life hard for healers - it's just damn good
Draenei - Gift of the Naaru - Spell - World of Warcraft and Heroic Presence - Spell - World of Warcraft The heal isn't as good as you'd hope but still useful. The extra hit is very useful and allows you to rearrange gear to maybe gain a little more strength/stamina instead of wearing a piece with hit on it.
Dwarven - Stoneform - Spell - World of Warcraft Just awesome.
Human - Every Man for Himself - Spell - World of Warcraft Basically another trinket without wearing a trinket. Very useful. Has a CD of 2 mins and the PVP Trinket has a 5 min CD so just means your cutting 2 mins off the CD. Not bad at all!
Professions
Mining - Toughness - Spell - World of Warcraft - At 300 gives you 100 health. Static bonuses are fantastic because well..its constant. You dont have to buff it, you can't lose it, you'll always benefit from it. Very helpful for all classes.
Skinning - Master of Anatomy - Spell - World of Warcraft - 12 Crit rating is win win! Total pain in the ass to level it but well worth the bonus. Like mining, this is a static bonus which means you'll benefit from it regardless of if your casting an exorcism/heal or smacking the crap out of stuff!
Herbalism - Lifeblood - Spell - World of Warcraft Not amazing for Retribution Paladins. The heal generally isnt that great anymore and we by no means need the haste. Better for casters.
Tailoring/Blacksmithing/Jewelcrafting/Inscription/Enchanting/Leatherworking/Alchemy - All give profession based bonuses at later levels but are useless for 29 pvp.
Engineering
Ok, I love Engineering for this bracket, I just could not imagine playing any class without it. A lot of people I've spoken to have said that they dont like it because it doesnt give a static bonus to stats....well...you would be wrong there. Some of the gear from Engineering is near if not BiS for some classes and specifically for Rets the Parachute Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft is a must have. You can also enchant it with Scroll of Enchant Cloak - Greater Agility - Item - World of Warcraft which gives a monster amount if crit within one item.
Below are some examples of how if you put in enough effort you can gain from Engineering. I dont expect everyone would want to go to these lengths but It's worth posting anyway incase there are some mad ones out there
Engineering Armor
Gnomish Rocket Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - Sometimes send you around in circles but they never explode and last forever. Also TBC Enchantable.
Goblin Rocket Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - I usually get anywhere between 5-10 uses out of them before they explode. They never fail...ever and are TBC Enchantable. These things are amazing to swap in and out when needed. Personally I usually make them in batches, enchant them all and then just swap them out when a pair explodes. Formula: Enchant Boots - Boar's Speed - Item - World of Warcraft, Scroll of Enchant Boots - Fortitude - Item - World of Warcraft or Formula: Enchant Boots - Surefooted - Item - World of Warcraft are good to stick on them.
Engineering Trinkets
Gnomish Cloaking Device - Item - World of Warcraft - An hour CD i know, but swap it in when you need it. For when someone has a flag and you want the element of surpise, this is true awesome. (Also amazing for whimping out of a fight or resting the timer on using pots or other consumables)
Gnomish Net-o-Matic Projector - Item - World of Warcraft - This used with a Free Action Potion - Item - World of Warcraft is pure win. Either you net the player and become immune to movement impairing effects therefore not allowing them to get away or...OR it pulls you too the opponent and nets them (not you because of the potion). It's basially Shadowstep for rets. I've screwed over so many hunters like this, it's hilarious.
Gnomish Shrink Ray - Item - World of Warcraft - I have to say this does go wrong a lot more than it works but regardless, it's very funny either way. But yeah...it's the way to piss off melee of any sort, do love it.
Goblin Mortar - Item - World of Warcraft - Stuns AND damages? I know, it is actually just that awesome! Say you get rooted and there's a mage or [Insert annoying caster here] blasting you from afar! Well, screw them, pull out your mortar and blow them up some! (Myself and a friend back in 2008 actually destroyed a 5 man team coming at us with these as they were running down towards us at the Gold Mine in Arithi Basin)
Engineering Consumables - This will be added under general Consumables near to the bottom of the guide
Stats
- Strength is your main DPS/DMG increasing stat, providing you with 2 Attack Power per point.
- Agility increases your Armor and Critical Strike rating. Critical strike - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft If your weighing up stats.
- Hit cap is 5%. Hit comes with a lot of gear now so it's less important to enchant your gear specifically for it. Dont lose other stats in the quest to cap yourself.
- Stamina increases your Health (1 point being 10 Health)
The idea being to find a balance between a decent health pool, good amounts of attack power with a good crit rating. Too much of one stat can inbalance performance. There's no point having 500 AP with 1500 health as people will 1 shot you and vice versa, there's no point having a monsterous health pool and hitting like a pansy. This is something you learn while playing and by swapping out gear you soon find a set that suites your playstyle and needs. It also depends on the team you play with. If you're a healer heavy group, going high crit, max AP might be beneficial to burst down players.
Gear
Helm
Frostreaver Crown - Item - World of Warcraft
Sunblaze Coif - Item - World of Warcraft
Rifle Commander's Eyepatch - Item - World of Warcraft - (Alliance Only and not a preferred peice)
Green Iron Helm - Item - World of Warcraft
Neck
Tumultuous Necklace - Item - World of Warcraft Of Soldier/Battle and Bear are all viable and good choices.
River Pride Choker - Item - World of Warcraft
Flashfire Collar - Item - World of Warcraft Horde Only
Sentinel's Medallion - Item - World of Warcraft for Alliance and Scout's Medallion - Item - World of Warcraft for Horde
Shoulders
Polished Spaulders of Valor - Item - World of Warcraft Are in my opinion best in slot for DPS/DMG however there are definately alternatives to this.
Sparkleshell Mantle - Item - World of Warcraft
Forest Tracker Epaulets - Item - World of Warcraft
Watchman Pauldrons - Item - World of Warcraft
Khaz Modan Pauldrons - Item - World of Warcraft (Alliance only)
Cloak
Cloak of Great Endeavors - Item - World of Warcraft
Tigerstrike Mantle - Item - World of Warcraft
Skull-Scorched Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft or Skull-Scorched Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft
Parachute Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchants
Enchant Cloak - Greater Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Cloak - Stealth - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Cloak - Superior Defense - Spell - World of Warcraft
Chest
Polished Breastplate of Valor - Item - World of Warcraft Are in my opinion best in slot for DPS/DMG however there are definately alternatives to this.
Ironspine's Ribcage - Item - World of Warcraft
Shining Silver Breastplate - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchants
Enchant Chest - Greater Stats - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Chest - Major Health - Spell - World of Warcraft
Wrist
Yorgen Bracers - Item - World of Warcraft
Interrogator's Shackles - Item - World of Warcraft
Barbaric Bracers - Item - World of Warcraft - Not preferred
Bands of Serra'kis - Item - World of Warcraft - Not preferred
Enchants
Enchant Bracer - Superior Strength - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Bracer - Superior Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft
Hands
Earthbound Handgrips - Item - World of Warcraft Of Soldier/Bear or Strength
Gloves of the Jungle King - Item - World of Warcraft
Shackling Gloves - Item - World of Warcraft
Grubbis Paws - Item - World of Warcraft
Algae Fists - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchants
Enchant Gloves - Precise Strikes - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Gloves - Major Strength - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Gloves - Blasting - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Gloves - Superior Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft
Waist
Earthbound Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft Of Strength/Bear or Soldier
Defiler's Lamellar Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft - Defiler's Mail Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft For Horde
Highlander's Lamellar Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft - Highlander's Mail Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft For Alliance
Felbane Belt - Item - World of Warcraft - Alliance only
Pocket-Nuke Belt - Item - World of Warcraft - Horde only
Legs
Stubborn Legguards - Item - World of Warcraft
Barechus' Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft - Alliance only
Dreamsinger Legguards - Item - World of Warcraft
Leggings of the Verdant Oasis - Item - World of Warcraft - Not preferred due to missing out on the only 35+ iLevel Shield for the bracket - Think carefuly on that one.
Leg Patch
Heavy Armor Kit - Item - World of Warcraft
Feet
Defiler's Lamellar Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft and Defiler's Mail Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft For Horde
Highlander's Lamellar Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft and Highlander's Mail Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft For Alliance
Cliffwalker Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - Horde only
Caverndeep Trudgers - Item - World of Warcraft
Boots of the Foolhardy - Item - World of Warcraft
Harbinger Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - Max Stamina boots for bracket.
Enchant
Enchant Boots - Greater Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Boots - Greater Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft - I would recommend Stamina
Rings
Legionnaire's Band - Item - World of Warcraft - Horde Only
Protector's Band - Item - World of Warcraft - Alliance Only
Band of Raptor Teeth - Item - World of Warcraft
Charged Gear - Item - World of Warcraft Of Stamina/Strength/Bear/Tiger
Thunderbrow Ring - Item - World of Warcraft
Deadman's Hand - Item - World of Warcraft
Trinket
You never really have any one trinket equipped all of the time due to the CD's after use. Swap them out as and when you need them for different situations or whatever comes off Cooldown first.
Arena Grand Master - Item - World of Warcraft
Insignia of the Horde - Item - World of Warcraft or Insignia of the Alliance - Item - World of Warcraft for Alliance
Dog Whistle - Item - World of Warcraft
Defiler's Talisman - Item - World of Warcraft or Talisman of Arathor - Item - World of Warcraft For Alliance
Rune of Duty - Item - World of Warcraft
Engineering Trinkets pointed out earlier in the guide in the Professions section of the guide.
Weapon
Two-Handed
Bloodied Arcanite Reaper - Item - World of Warcraft - Easily Best in Slot however there are alternatives if you dont have access to Account Bound Gear.
Cobalt Crusher - Item - World of Warcraft
Morbid Dawn - Item - World of Warcraft
Thermaplugg's Left Arm - Item - World of Warcraft
Burning War Axe - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchant
Enchant Weapon - Crusader - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft
One-Handed
Protector's Sword - Item - World of Warcraft
Dreamslayer - Item - World of Warcraft
Zealot Blade - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchant
Enchant Weapon - Crusader - Spell - World of Warcraft
Shield
Shield of Maraudon - Item - World of Warcraft
Resplendent Guardian - Item - World of Warcraft
Shield of Thorsen - Item - World of Warcraft
Thermaplugg's Central Core - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchant
Enchant Shield - Major Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Shield - Greater Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft
Some people may notice by looking at other players that I've missed out a lot of gear from the list. Well, this list is accurate to Patch 4.06 and I'm afraid and sad to say that the gear you're probably looking at is no longer obtainable. Yep, that bastard Deathwing came down and ate the Quest givers. Plans are in place to go punch him in the face though, don't worry.
General Consumables
Elixir of Fortitude - Item - World of Warcraft - The Health bonus is invaluable.
Free Action Potion - Item - World of Warcraft - Easily the best potion a ret can have to hand. Read it, awesome huh?
Lesser Invisibility Potion - Item - World of Warcraft - Amazing for when your trinket is on CD but use with caution. This puts a 10 minute CD on all other potions so really needs to be a desperation move or a game finisher.
Greater Healing Potion - Item - World of Warcraft - The *Oh Shit* potion of choice.
Heavy Runecloth Bandage - Item - World of Warcraft - Use a damn bandage and conserve your mana!
Rumsey Rum Black Label - Item - World of Warcraft - Crazy cheap. Just dont forget to use it
Ice Deflector - Item - World of Warcraft - Does what it sais on the tin.
Flame Deflector - Item - World of Warcraft - Does what it sais on the tin.
Defensive Potions (Mostly for 1v1's)
Fire Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Frost Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Nature Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Shadow Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Holy Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Engineering Consumables
Flash Bomb - Item - World of Warcraft - Aoe fear for pets. It's like an explosive finger up to hunters everywhere
Advanced Target Dummy - Item - World of Warcraft - It's brilliant if your getting battered by all sorts of pets, minions. Drop one of these and everything will suddenly drop its target ie. you and attack the Target Dummy.
Iron Grenade - Item - World of Warcraft - I cant make it clear enough how useful these are. It basically acts as a cast while your moving, attacking etc. So you place it and move and continue to run/attack. So many uses.
Goblin Sapper Charge - Item - World of Warcraft - Used at the right time these things can be totally devastating to a group or single opponent. For taking out EFC's or just supplying the finisher these are well worth carrying.
Explosive Sheep - Item - World of Warcraft - Very useful for Flag Carrying as it runs behind making sure that no one can sneak up on you. Doesnt seek out Stealth in very wide range anymore but it's sight is still big enough to make them a useful defence against rogues, ferals etc sneaking up on you.
Goblin Land Mine - Item - World of Warcraft - Very good for defending flags in AB, or sticking infront of the flag or entrances around gulch.
Discombobulator Ray - Item - World of Warcraft - This thing is amazing. For a start its range is massive and the effect cant be dispelled. 20% reduction on speed making this pretty damn amazing for Ret being another mechanism to stop people getting away from you.
Goblin Jumper Cables - Item - World of Warcraft - For example your in the enemy flag room, someone has the flag and a melee has died...no point waiting for him to run all the way back, you need him now! - Very useful. Can be used in various situations.
Hint & Tips
Macros
Questlines
Well, Congratulations for managing to finish the Guide! I know, i do ramble on. I don't doubt that I have missed parts out or maybe you may not agree with me on some subjects. Well, any feedback whatsoever is majorly helpful. Anything I can add to the guide I will and if you know of things that I may not of mentioned, dont hesitate to mention it.
I'm happy to explain in more detail anything I've mentioned in the guide so don't be afraid to ask questions.
Thanks a lot for reading. Have fun!
Deesick
The Guide is still in a state of working progress and is liable to change. Still need to add and edit a few sections so do please bare with me Hopefully its helpful and please dont hesistate to ask any questions or give constructive feedback.
Hey, thanks for reading. As most guides will state this is based on my own personal experience reflecting on how I like to play. Nothing I say is set in stone so please only use this as a rough guide. Thanks again.
Overview (stolen from Wiki)
A paladin that has chosen to spec retribution is able to increase his DPS by a considerable margin and fight several targets at a time with a good efficiency. Retribution damage favors slow two handed weapons and cause sudden damage spikes through both melee and spell crits. Through the now baseline retribution talent Crusader Strike and tier 3 talent Divine Storm they can deal considerable weapon based burst damage for AoE damage or for single target damage. Templar's Verdict is a new melee range attack that deals additional weapon damage base on Holy Power consumption - Holy Power can also be used to instantly heal yourself or a team member by using Word of Glory.
Specs- The talent trees are very similar for each 3 specs. The only choice you'll be making is where to put your point in the 3rd tier.
PVP/Battlegrounds/Arenas - Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
Long Arm of the Law - Spell - World of Warcraft This although only a 50% chance is very useful for chasing down your opponent. Retri's downfall is its lack of mobility so giving you the chance of a 45% speed increase is vital. This spec is all about making the most of every opportunity for dealing damage but also having the awareness to be able to time your cd's and abilities to best suite your situation. Running in and stunning someone when they didn’t even see you coming isn’t your best choice. Getting the first hit in is great, but making sure you can counter *their* counter is more important by using hammer of justice at the appropriate time. I will elaborate on this later on in the guide.
PVP/Battlegrounds/Arenas/PVE - http://www.wowhead.com/talent#sZZcbGo
http://www.wowhead.com/spell=31876 5% DMG increase over the board and 3% for all members in your party or raid. People generally either choose this spec or Long Arm of the Law. I'm actually playing this spec at the moment for Battlegrounds and then changing back for arenas but not much to say. Its a massive bonus for your team and 5% is defo noticable and does make a definitive difference in games. I find Long arm of the law more beneficial within arenas for the utility of being able to catch up to opponents quicker or los people faster. My suggestion, try both specs and chop and change.
PVE/Dungeons - Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
This spec is once again very similar except we have put a point into Divine Storm - Spell - World of Warcraft instead of Long Arm of the Law - Spell - World of Warcraft. The majority of the time you'll be AOE'ing down large groups of mobs and considering the latest buff to Divine Storm (now dealing 100% weapon dmg) its a very good choice.
PVE/Single Target - Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
Same once again except this time we have a point in The Art of War - Spell - World of Warcraft. This is a bit of an odd spec really as it could be used two ways. When the talent procs, exo does become very powerful (I've hit for over 1400) and that’s instant at range! 7% chance of proc however is very low so your looking to either be using a fast one hander and a shield or a faster 2hander like for example Cobalt Crusher - Item - World of Warcraft to increase your chance of proccing it. Personally I don’t like leaving things to chance and proc chance is too low for me but it may suite other players, who knows.
Glyphs
Prime
Glyph of Crusader Strike - Item - World of Warcraft Crusader Strike is your main attack, it hits hard, it's on a short CD and it doesn’t require Holy Power to use. 5% crit is invaluable.
Glyph of Templar's Verdict - Item - World of Warcraft Really personal Preference. A non crit Templar's Verdict with this Glyph will hit just a bit harder than a critical Crusader Strike but will use up 3 Holy Power. In my opinion Templar's Verdict as much as being powerful can only really be put to use in specific situations. Depending on whether you have a healer near you, you may want to be using your Holy Power to heal therefore this glyph being wasted a lot of the time. On a side note, using this Glyph and hitting a Critical Templar's Verdict makes it all worth it....Big...BIG numbers, your choice.
Major
Glyph of Divinity - Item - World of Warcraft Really useful for those *oh shit situations*. Having that extra bit of mana can really make a massive difference to the result of a fight.
Glyph of Hammer of Justice - Item - World of Warcraft Useful for varying situations. You can make life very difficult for your opponent if you manage to get the first stun in or in a group of the extra range comes in massive use when there's a pesky player bothering your healer.
Glyph of Lay on Hands - Item - World of Warcraft Does what is says on the tin. If your a regular Rambo, this might be the Glyph for you
Glyph of the Ascetic Crusader - Item - World of Warcraft Can't say I've ever had mana issue due my Crusader Strike and I didn’t notice a massive difference when I tested it but people work differently.
Minor Glyphs
Glyph of Blessing of Kings - Item - World of Warcraft
Glyph of Righteousness - Item - World of Warcraft
Racials
Blood Elf - Arcane Torrent - Spell - World of Warcraft Blood Nora it's good!! My only issue with this being that you really do have to be basically on top of them to hit them with the silence...well from my experience anyway. Still, very good.
Tauren - Endurance - Spell - World of Warcraft and War Stomp - Spell - World of Warcraft. Stamina for melee is never bad and in my opinion you can't get better than Warstomp for a Retri Pala. Simply, if your target gets away, you can't hit it. The more ways to keep it stunned and in one place the better. Also amazing for stunning groups and making life hard for healers - it's just damn good
Draenei - Gift of the Naaru - Spell - World of Warcraft and Heroic Presence - Spell - World of Warcraft The heal isn't as good as you'd hope but still useful. The extra hit is very useful and allows you to rearrange gear to maybe gain a little more strength/stamina instead of wearing a piece with hit on it.
Dwarven - Stoneform - Spell - World of Warcraft Just awesome.
Human - Every Man for Himself - Spell - World of Warcraft Basically another trinket without wearing a trinket. Very useful. Has a CD of 2 mins and the PVP Trinket has a 5 min CD so just means your cutting 2 mins off the CD. Not bad at all!
Professions
Mining - Toughness - Spell - World of Warcraft - At 300 gives you 100 health. Static bonuses are fantastic because well..its constant. You dont have to buff it, you can't lose it, you'll always benefit from it. Very helpful for all classes.
Skinning - Master of Anatomy - Spell - World of Warcraft - 12 Crit rating is win win! Total pain in the ass to level it but well worth the bonus. Like mining, this is a static bonus which means you'll benefit from it regardless of if your casting an exorcism/heal or smacking the crap out of stuff!
Herbalism - Lifeblood - Spell - World of Warcraft Not amazing for Retribution Paladins. The heal generally isnt that great anymore and we by no means need the haste. Better for casters.
Tailoring/Blacksmithing/Jewelcrafting/Inscription/Enchanting/Leatherworking/Alchemy - All give profession based bonuses at later levels but are useless for 29 pvp.
Engineering
Ok, I love Engineering for this bracket, I just could not imagine playing any class without it. A lot of people I've spoken to have said that they dont like it because it doesnt give a static bonus to stats....well...you would be wrong there. Some of the gear from Engineering is near if not BiS for some classes and specifically for Rets the Parachute Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft is a must have. You can also enchant it with Scroll of Enchant Cloak - Greater Agility - Item - World of Warcraft which gives a monster amount if crit within one item.
Below are some examples of how if you put in enough effort you can gain from Engineering. I dont expect everyone would want to go to these lengths but It's worth posting anyway incase there are some mad ones out there
Engineering Armor
Gnomish Rocket Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - Sometimes send you around in circles but they never explode and last forever. Also TBC Enchantable.
Goblin Rocket Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - I usually get anywhere between 5-10 uses out of them before they explode. They never fail...ever and are TBC Enchantable. These things are amazing to swap in and out when needed. Personally I usually make them in batches, enchant them all and then just swap them out when a pair explodes. Formula: Enchant Boots - Boar's Speed - Item - World of Warcraft, Scroll of Enchant Boots - Fortitude - Item - World of Warcraft or Formula: Enchant Boots - Surefooted - Item - World of Warcraft are good to stick on them.
Engineering Trinkets
Gnomish Cloaking Device - Item - World of Warcraft - An hour CD i know, but swap it in when you need it. For when someone has a flag and you want the element of surpise, this is true awesome. (Also amazing for whimping out of a fight or resting the timer on using pots or other consumables)
Gnomish Net-o-Matic Projector - Item - World of Warcraft - This used with a Free Action Potion - Item - World of Warcraft is pure win. Either you net the player and become immune to movement impairing effects therefore not allowing them to get away or...OR it pulls you too the opponent and nets them (not you because of the potion). It's basially Shadowstep for rets. I've screwed over so many hunters like this, it's hilarious.
Gnomish Shrink Ray - Item - World of Warcraft - I have to say this does go wrong a lot more than it works but regardless, it's very funny either way. But yeah...it's the way to piss off melee of any sort, do love it.
Goblin Mortar - Item - World of Warcraft - Stuns AND damages? I know, it is actually just that awesome! Say you get rooted and there's a mage or [Insert annoying caster here] blasting you from afar! Well, screw them, pull out your mortar and blow them up some! (Myself and a friend back in 2008 actually destroyed a 5 man team coming at us with these as they were running down towards us at the Gold Mine in Arithi Basin)
Engineering Consumables - This will be added under general Consumables near to the bottom of the guide
Stats
- Strength is your main DPS/DMG increasing stat, providing you with 2 Attack Power per point.
- Agility increases your Armor and Critical Strike rating. Critical strike - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft If your weighing up stats.
- Hit cap is 5%. Hit comes with a lot of gear now so it's less important to enchant your gear specifically for it. Dont lose other stats in the quest to cap yourself.
- Stamina increases your Health (1 point being 10 Health)
The idea being to find a balance between a decent health pool, good amounts of attack power with a good crit rating. Too much of one stat can inbalance performance. There's no point having 500 AP with 1500 health as people will 1 shot you and vice versa, there's no point having a monsterous health pool and hitting like a pansy. This is something you learn while playing and by swapping out gear you soon find a set that suites your playstyle and needs. It also depends on the team you play with. If you're a healer heavy group, going high crit, max AP might be beneficial to burst down players.
Gear
Helm
Frostreaver Crown - Item - World of Warcraft
Sunblaze Coif - Item - World of Warcraft
Rifle Commander's Eyepatch - Item - World of Warcraft - (Alliance Only and not a preferred peice)
Green Iron Helm - Item - World of Warcraft
Neck
Tumultuous Necklace - Item - World of Warcraft Of Soldier/Battle and Bear are all viable and good choices.
River Pride Choker - Item - World of Warcraft
Flashfire Collar - Item - World of Warcraft Horde Only
Sentinel's Medallion - Item - World of Warcraft for Alliance and Scout's Medallion - Item - World of Warcraft for Horde
Shoulders
Polished Spaulders of Valor - Item - World of Warcraft Are in my opinion best in slot for DPS/DMG however there are definately alternatives to this.
Sparkleshell Mantle - Item - World of Warcraft
Forest Tracker Epaulets - Item - World of Warcraft
Watchman Pauldrons - Item - World of Warcraft
Khaz Modan Pauldrons - Item - World of Warcraft (Alliance only)
Cloak
Cloak of Great Endeavors - Item - World of Warcraft
Tigerstrike Mantle - Item - World of Warcraft
Skull-Scorched Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft or Skull-Scorched Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft
Parachute Cloak - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchants
Enchant Cloak - Greater Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Cloak - Stealth - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Cloak - Superior Defense - Spell - World of Warcraft
Chest
Polished Breastplate of Valor - Item - World of Warcraft Are in my opinion best in slot for DPS/DMG however there are definately alternatives to this.
Ironspine's Ribcage - Item - World of Warcraft
Shining Silver Breastplate - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchants
Enchant Chest - Greater Stats - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Chest - Major Health - Spell - World of Warcraft
Wrist
Yorgen Bracers - Item - World of Warcraft
Interrogator's Shackles - Item - World of Warcraft
Barbaric Bracers - Item - World of Warcraft - Not preferred
Bands of Serra'kis - Item - World of Warcraft - Not preferred
Enchants
Enchant Bracer - Superior Strength - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Bracer - Superior Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft
Hands
Earthbound Handgrips - Item - World of Warcraft Of Soldier/Bear or Strength
Gloves of the Jungle King - Item - World of Warcraft
Shackling Gloves - Item - World of Warcraft
Grubbis Paws - Item - World of Warcraft
Algae Fists - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchants
Enchant Gloves - Precise Strikes - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Gloves - Major Strength - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Gloves - Blasting - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Gloves - Superior Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft
Waist
Earthbound Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft Of Strength/Bear or Soldier
Defiler's Lamellar Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft - Defiler's Mail Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft For Horde
Highlander's Lamellar Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft - Highlander's Mail Girdle - Item - World of Warcraft For Alliance
Felbane Belt - Item - World of Warcraft - Alliance only
Pocket-Nuke Belt - Item - World of Warcraft - Horde only
Legs
Stubborn Legguards - Item - World of Warcraft
Barechus' Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft - Alliance only
Dreamsinger Legguards - Item - World of Warcraft
Leggings of the Verdant Oasis - Item - World of Warcraft - Not preferred due to missing out on the only 35+ iLevel Shield for the bracket - Think carefuly on that one.
Leg Patch
Heavy Armor Kit - Item - World of Warcraft
Feet
Defiler's Lamellar Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft and Defiler's Mail Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft For Horde
Highlander's Lamellar Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft and Highlander's Mail Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft For Alliance
Cliffwalker Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - Horde only
Caverndeep Trudgers - Item - World of Warcraft
Boots of the Foolhardy - Item - World of Warcraft
Harbinger Boots - Item - World of Warcraft - Max Stamina boots for bracket.
Enchant
Enchant Boots - Greater Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant Boots - Greater Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft - I would recommend Stamina
Rings
Legionnaire's Band - Item - World of Warcraft - Horde Only
Protector's Band - Item - World of Warcraft - Alliance Only
Band of Raptor Teeth - Item - World of Warcraft
Charged Gear - Item - World of Warcraft Of Stamina/Strength/Bear/Tiger
Thunderbrow Ring - Item - World of Warcraft
Deadman's Hand - Item - World of Warcraft
Trinket
You never really have any one trinket equipped all of the time due to the CD's after use. Swap them out as and when you need them for different situations or whatever comes off Cooldown first.
Arena Grand Master - Item - World of Warcraft
Insignia of the Horde - Item - World of Warcraft or Insignia of the Alliance - Item - World of Warcraft for Alliance
Dog Whistle - Item - World of Warcraft
Defiler's Talisman - Item - World of Warcraft or Talisman of Arathor - Item - World of Warcraft For Alliance
Rune of Duty - Item - World of Warcraft
Engineering Trinkets pointed out earlier in the guide in the Professions section of the guide.
Weapon
Two-Handed
Bloodied Arcanite Reaper - Item - World of Warcraft - Easily Best in Slot however there are alternatives if you dont have access to Account Bound Gear.
Cobalt Crusher - Item - World of Warcraft
Morbid Dawn - Item - World of Warcraft
Thermaplugg's Left Arm - Item - World of Warcraft
Burning War Axe - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchant
Enchant Weapon - Crusader - Spell - World of Warcraft
Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility - Spell - World of Warcraft
One-Handed
Protector's Sword - Item - World of Warcraft
Dreamslayer - Item - World of Warcraft
Zealot Blade - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchant
Enchant Weapon - Crusader - Spell - World of Warcraft
Shield
Shield of Maraudon - Item - World of Warcraft
Resplendent Guardian - Item - World of Warcraft
Shield of Thorsen - Item - World of Warcraft
Thermaplugg's Central Core - Item - World of Warcraft
Enchant
Enchant Shield - Major Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft - For items Item Level 35+
Enchant Shield - Greater Stamina - Spell - World of Warcraft
Some people may notice by looking at other players that I've missed out a lot of gear from the list. Well, this list is accurate to Patch 4.06 and I'm afraid and sad to say that the gear you're probably looking at is no longer obtainable. Yep, that bastard Deathwing came down and ate the Quest givers. Plans are in place to go punch him in the face though, don't worry.
General Consumables
Elixir of Fortitude - Item - World of Warcraft - The Health bonus is invaluable.
Free Action Potion - Item - World of Warcraft - Easily the best potion a ret can have to hand. Read it, awesome huh?
Lesser Invisibility Potion - Item - World of Warcraft - Amazing for when your trinket is on CD but use with caution. This puts a 10 minute CD on all other potions so really needs to be a desperation move or a game finisher.
Greater Healing Potion - Item - World of Warcraft - The *Oh Shit* potion of choice.
Heavy Runecloth Bandage - Item - World of Warcraft - Use a damn bandage and conserve your mana!
Rumsey Rum Black Label - Item - World of Warcraft - Crazy cheap. Just dont forget to use it
Ice Deflector - Item - World of Warcraft - Does what it sais on the tin.
Flame Deflector - Item - World of Warcraft - Does what it sais on the tin.
Defensive Potions (Mostly for 1v1's)
Fire Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Frost Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Nature Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Shadow Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Holy Protection Potion - Item - World of Warcraft
Engineering Consumables
Flash Bomb - Item - World of Warcraft - Aoe fear for pets. It's like an explosive finger up to hunters everywhere
Advanced Target Dummy - Item - World of Warcraft - It's brilliant if your getting battered by all sorts of pets, minions. Drop one of these and everything will suddenly drop its target ie. you and attack the Target Dummy.
Iron Grenade - Item - World of Warcraft - I cant make it clear enough how useful these are. It basically acts as a cast while your moving, attacking etc. So you place it and move and continue to run/attack. So many uses.
Goblin Sapper Charge - Item - World of Warcraft - Used at the right time these things can be totally devastating to a group or single opponent. For taking out EFC's or just supplying the finisher these are well worth carrying.
Explosive Sheep - Item - World of Warcraft - Very useful for Flag Carrying as it runs behind making sure that no one can sneak up on you. Doesnt seek out Stealth in very wide range anymore but it's sight is still big enough to make them a useful defence against rogues, ferals etc sneaking up on you.
Goblin Land Mine - Item - World of Warcraft - Very good for defending flags in AB, or sticking infront of the flag or entrances around gulch.
Discombobulator Ray - Item - World of Warcraft - This thing is amazing. For a start its range is massive and the effect cant be dispelled. 20% reduction on speed making this pretty damn amazing for Ret being another mechanism to stop people getting away from you.
Goblin Jumper Cables - Item - World of Warcraft - For example your in the enemy flag room, someone has the flag and a melee has died...no point waiting for him to run all the way back, you need him now! - Very useful. Can be used in various situations.
Hint & Tips
Macros
Questlines
Well, Congratulations for managing to finish the Guide! I know, i do ramble on. I don't doubt that I have missed parts out or maybe you may not agree with me on some subjects. Well, any feedback whatsoever is majorly helpful. Anything I can add to the guide I will and if you know of things that I may not of mentioned, dont hesitate to mention it.
I'm happy to explain in more detail anything I've mentioned in the guide so don't be afraid to ask questions.
Thanks a lot for reading. Have fun!
Deesick
The Guide is still in a state of working progress and is liable to change. Still need to add and edit a few sections so do please bare with me
Hopefully its helpful and please dont hesistate to ask any questions or give constructive feedback. 
