I’m a Paladin main and I’ve refined this Shadowbringers-era guide by playing hundreds of hours and leading groups. I write plainly: Paladin is a reliable, flexible tank that protects parties with strong mitigation and spot healing while still contributing solid damage.
Want to tank better? Start with the basics: hold aggro, position enemies, and use cooldowns with purpose. In my experience, bad timing kills runs faster than bad gear.
Short tip: keep your shield on. Seriously.
Understanding enmity is straightforward. Your combos produce hate; certain actions spike it. Use Iron Will at pulls to stabilize threat (flip it off for planned swaps). Communication with your co-tank matters; we found that a two-word callout beats no callout every time.
Rotation? You’ll alternate physical windows with Requiescat magic bursts. Why? Because physical combos sustain MP and enmity, while Requiescat converts built MP into massive burst damage—time it when you can stand still. This doesn’t always work: if the fight forces movement, delay the cast.
⚔️ Core Rotation (simple)
// Fight-or-Flight physical window (example)
Fast Blade → Riot Blade → Goring Blade
Use Fight or Flight (oGCD)
Fast Blade → Riot Blade → Royal Authority
Circle of Scorn + Spirits Within between combos
Repeat Royal Authority until window ends
// Requiescat phase
Build to ≥80 MP → Requiescat → Holy Spirit ×4 → Confiteor → return to meleeI’ve noticed players overcomplicate weaving. Keep your priority: maintain Goring Blade DoT during Fight or Flight and don’t waste oGCDs that delay main combos.
🛡️ Cooldowns and Why They Matter
Layer mitigation instead of spamming it. Sentinel plus Rampart covers most tankbusters; save Hallowed Ground for emergencies or predictable 10-second wipes (planned immunity can save a wipe!). Intervention is invaluable on predictable raid damage—use it proactively, not reactively. Honestly, many tanks underuse it.
Here’s the funny part: using Clemency too often reduces your overall DPS to the point the group might fail a DPS check. It heals, yes—but why would you heal when you can avoid the damage instead? To be fair, if your healer flounders, you should heal to keep the group alive (depends on your team).
Watch your positioning. Use Shield Lob for long pulls, slide-cast during movement, and place bosses to avoid party cleaves. Little things add up.
📊 Stat Priority (practical)
| Stat | Priority | Target Range / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon Damage | Top | Highest item level weapon available |
| Strength | Very High | Primary offensive stat |
| Critical | High | ~2500–3000 for good returns |
| Determination | Medium | 1800–2200 helps consistency |
| Direct Hit | Medium | 1400–1800 useful |
| Skill Speed | Lower | 2.40–2.43 GCD comfort zone |
| Tenacity | Lowest | Keep minimal |
Why these numbers? Faster GCDs cause MP issues and break timing; too slow feels clunky. Players aiming for raids should prioritize weapon and strength first because every point converts directly into threat and DPS.
Dungeon and Trial Work
For dungeons: pull smart, use AoE combos, and ramp your mitigation on big pulls. Total Eclipse → Prominence is your AoE backbone. If healer lags, use Clemency—survival first. (Yes, it costs you DPS; that’s fine.)
- Pull: Shield Lob → sprint → gather → Total Eclipse spam
- Large pulls: Rampart → Sentinel → Hallowed Ground if necessary
Trials need clear swap calls and clean positioning. Do you know the tankbuster timing? Learn it. Co-tank choreography prevents panics and wasted mitigation.
Endgame: Savage and Extreme
Savage raiding punishes mistakes. Preparation equals success: study timelines, practice on dummies, rehearse swaps until seamless. Tank swaps in E5S–E8S-style fights require precise calls and stepping into positions without hesitation. Oddly enough, a calm two-second silence before a swap often fixes more problems than extra macros.
| Content | Focus | Prep |
|---|---|---|
| E5S–E8S | Tight mechanics | BiS gear, rotation mastery |
| Tank Swaps | Timing & positioning | Co-tank drills |
| Uptime | Movement-heavy phases | Sliding casts, shield throws |
Counterintuitive insight: sometimes standing still for a short period and burning threat beats frantic movement. It feels wrong, but it works—surprising, right?
Practical Advice I Give My Team
“Call your tankbusters. If you can’t, at least put cooldowns on a consistent timeline.”
Record logs and review them (I review mine monthly; updated 2025-06-01). Watch POV videos to learn boss placement. Practice your rotation until muscle memory kicks in. Between us, the people who complain about their tanks often haven’t mastered basic positioning themselves.
Two controversial points: Tenacity melds are often wasted on Paladin, and gear item level beats exotic stat mixes for most content. You might disagree—and that’s fine! There are exceptions.
Final small checklist for a pull:
- Shield equipped
- Pull tool ready (Shield Lob)
- Rampart at first big hit
One last metaphor: tanking is like steering a ship through a storm—you set the course, trim the sails, and occasionally shout over the wind. You won’t master everything overnight; practice each aspect one at a time. Honestly, that’s how every top tank got there.
Good luck—see you on the field, and may your shield never falter! ⚔️🛡️
