This talent tree focuses on the spell abilities of the paladin. With talents, the paladin becomes a powerful healer with low aggro generation and high mana efficiency. A healadin relies on his healing spells to crit so as to optimize his healing, due to key talents like Illumination, which refunds 60% mana of spell cast.

Equipped with good spell damage gear, the holy paladin is also able to dish out burst damage with Holy Shock and Judgement. A viable spec in PvP as it provides healing capability as well as high damage potential, it allows the paladin to fight alongside melee classes and provide heals when needed.

However, with the changes introduced in patch 3.0.2, shockadins seem to suffer a loss in DPS potential as Judgement coefficient gets nerfed. However, Holy Shock is reduced to a 6 second cooldown. Allowing more chance to heal or to attack the opponent.

Here I will explain talent builds and key talents in the Holy tree.

> PvE Raid Healer (51/5/5)
This spec is a pure raid healer spec, sacrificing offensive potential for optimal healing, mana efficiency and raid buff utility. Divine Illumination is very helpful when the healadin goes low on mana. Blessing of Kings is a obvious must for any raiding paladin. He can support casters with his improved Concentration Aura.

Criticals are a big part of a paladin healing. Not only does it refund 60% mana, Infusion of Light reduces Holy Light cast time by 1 second and making Flash of Light instant. With Light’s Grace, Holy Light becomes a 1 second spellcast. Combined with Judgements of the Pure and haste gear, you could practically have a Holy Light casted after a spell critical as soon as possible.

Finally the 51 point talent Beacon of Light is a new talent which improves the healing potential of the paladin. Cast it on a tank (he becomes the “beacon”) and proceed to heal raid, all heals in that duration also heals the tank as well, thus doubling your healing.

> PvP Healer (53/8/0)
Unlike the PvE healer spec, this build centres more on survival while delivering the heals. Through Arena seasons Paladins have suffered the problem of mobility, they must be stationary and casting to do any heals. This makes them easy targets to lock down and also inefficient healers in PvP. Heal and you are giving opponent chance to close in on you, run away and your partner does not get heals. Patch 3.0.2 brought more mobility with Holy Shock on a 6 second cooldown and the previous talents mentioned. Other talent points are put in to protect the paladin from Crowd Control abilities such as Fear.

Core Talents

• Healing Light
  Increases healing done by Holy Light and Flash of Light. Essential for any holy paladins.
• Divine Intellect
  Increases intellect by 10%. More mana, more chances for spell critical and more spell power if you have Holy Guidance.
• Illumination
  The most important talent in the Holy tree, this grants 60% mana return of any critical healing spell. This is party why paladins are mana efficient in healing.
• Improved Blessing of Wisdom
  Increases effect of Blessing of Wisdom. Paladins primarily rely on MP5 (mana per 5 sec) regeneration to replenish their mana over Spirit. Thus this talent is important.
• Divine Favor
  Grants the paladin a 100% critical chance in his next Flash of Light, Holy Light and Holy Shock cast. Awesome talent, great for saving tanks low on health and a great opener with Holy Shock for Shockadins.
• Sanctified Light
  Increases Holy Light and Holy Shock critical chance. This talent works hand in hand with Illumination for that mana refund.
• Holy Power
  Increases critical chance of Holy spells. Combined with Sanctified Light, this grants a additional 11% critical chance for Holy Light and Holy Shock.
• Holy Shock
  The flagship talent or spell of the healing paladin. A powerful offensive/healing spell and a great combination with Divine Favor. When the tank’s HP falls low this is the spell to use.
• Light’s Grace
  Reduces cast time of Holy Light by 0.5 second. A compulsory talent for any raid healer to have, lower cast time allows the paladin to have more control of his heals.
• Infusion of Light
  Holy Shock criticals reduce Holy Light cast time by 1 second and makes Flash of Light instant. Allows you to pile on the heals.
• Holy Guidance
  Increases spell damage and healing based on a percentage of the paladin’s intellect. A great talent for both raid healers and shockadins to have as it improves their spell power, which is essential for healing and PvP.
• Divine Illumination
  Reduces mana cost for all spells by 50% for 15 seconds. Useful for healers when they are about to go out of mana.
• Beacon of Light
  Absolute must-have spell if your spec in Holy. This allows you to heal two targets as if you were healing one. By casting it on a target and making him a beacon, any heals cast on party members will also heal the beacon. This allows healers to be able to heal tanks while healing a raid.