The only way CS won't proc a charge of HP is if you aren't hit/exp capped, which should be priority numero uno. Though I agree at the start of a fight Ret may feel a bit clunky and slow, after about 30 seconds its pretty good. Its just getting that initial HP to hit your first Inq and building back up again for the first Zealotry/AW/TV combo that takes a bit. Weaving in Judgement, concecration, and if your procs suck, Holy Wrath inbetween CSs rarely leaves me sitting around for more than 1 GCD at a time.

Before I get flamed, I have indeed read all the articles around that state Holy Wrath is a decrease to dps, however it is not a decrease to damage done as it doesn't reset the swing timer and still deals damage. I pull on average 28 - 32k dps as Ret and am not in top end gear (I just last night upgraded from a 353 to a 359 helm and have yet to see my dps with the upgrade). The worst I've pulled barring obvious mistakes on my behalf is 25k with completely godawful luck from the RNG gods, getting only 2 TV procs and 5 Art of War procs on a Shannox kill.

Considering that no other classes are penalized a wopping 7k dps from lack of procs, yes something needs to be done, however Ret is nowhere near the abysmal state most people claim it to be in.

@Chance: "Considering that no other classes are penalized a wopping 7k dps from lack of procs" - replace procs with crits, and you have fire mages... Retadins are hardly the only spec to suffer the cruel hand of the RNG gods.

Complete aside- I love pallies and will never hate on them, but I really love how my iPhone tried to autocorrect retadin into retard... ;)

"I'm sure I'm not the only paladin specced Prot / Holy for this reason.."

haha so true... at least for me.

@Chance
"The only way CS won't proc a charge of HP is if you aren't hit/exp capped, which should be priority numero uno."

Not true. I'm hit and expertise capped but on Firelands fights where we stack to take damage (such as Domo's scorpion phase) the boss tends to parry my Crusader Strikes, thus preventing me from acquiring a Holy Power.

"Right now Ret seems to be mainly designed with a view to making sure there are enough tanks and healers in the RDF - I'm sure I'm not the only paladin specced Prot / Holy for this reason.."


I really think this is the case for plate DPS classes in general. Just my opinion/hunch, of course, but right from the beginning of Cata, if you look at the plate gear available from the various faction rep vendors, the BoE shoulders and helms that have shown up on the AH, and now the gear available from the Molten Front vendors, it really seems Blizzard decided to "subtly" tell plate DPS players, "LOL, respec to tank (and/or heals if you're a paladin), dumbass". What do plate DPS characters get from those vendors? Rings, a trinket or two, rings, a relic, rings, a belt, rings...