Theory planNot playtested
Protection Paladin dungeon tanking 10–20
A theory Protection start for dungeon tanking from 10 to 20. It raises armor from items, then a proc that increases block chance, then damage taken reduction while Righteous Fury is active. This site has not playtested the order.
PaladinProtectionTankDungeon10–20Holy 0Protection 11Retribution 0Checked 21 Sept
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Next point at this level. Level 20 has spent every point in this 10–20 plan.
Holy
0 / 51
Protection
11 / 51
Retribution
0 / 51Who this is for
- Paladins who already tank with a shield and Righteous Fury in 10–20 dungeons.
- Groups that want a Protection tree rather than a Retribution leveling dip.
Who should skip it
- Solo questing that never uses a shield. Toughness still helps armor, but Redoubt needs blocks.
- Holy healers. Holy talents are empty here.
Milestones
- Level 10: First point
Toughness 1/5. Armor from items +2%. Redoubt is also a row-1 talent and is legal from 10; this order waits until 15.
- Level 14: Toughness complete
Toughness 5/5 is +10% armor from items. Redoubt has not been spent yet.
- Level 15: Redoubt starts
The sixth point is Redoubt 1/5. The block-chance proc begins here.
- Level 16: Righteous Fury trained
Righteous Fury is learned at 16 (spellbook). Improved Righteous Fury at 20 only works while it is active.
- Level 19: Ten Protection points spent
Redoubt 5/5. Row 3 is legal for the 11th point at 20.
- Level 20: Plan complete
Improved Righteous Fury 1/3. Consecration rank 1 and Flash of Light rank 1 are also trained at 20.
How to play it
- Righteous Fury is trained at 16 (90% Holy threat, 30 minutes, 30% of base mana; spellbook beta). Until 16 this book has no taunt (Hand of Reckoning is missing; Holy Shield rank 1 is 40). Hold one target with Seal of Righteousness (rank 2 at 10, rank 3 at 18) and Judgement (level 4, 6% of base mana). Blessing of Might rank 2 at 12 on yourself. Devotion Aura rank 2 at 10 / rank 3 at 20 for armor.
- From 16 keep Righteous Fury up. Hammer of Justice rank 1 at 8 (30 Mana) stops a caster. Consecration rank 1 at 20 (135 Mana) is the first recorded pack-threat Holy ground. Flash of Light rank 1 is also 20 (35 Mana) if someone is dying and Holy Light rank 3 at 14 (188–232, 110 Mana) is too slow. Lay on Hands rank 1 at 10 is a long-cooldown dump.
- Redoubt is a block-chance proc, so wear a shield. Divine Protection rank 2 at 18 if a pull is lost. Improved Righteous Fury at 20 only reduces damage taken while Righteous Fury is active.
Why this order
Eleven points stay in Protection. Holy and Retribution remain empty.
Toughness and Redoubt are both row-1 Protection talents and are legal from the first point at 10. This order fills Toughness 10–14, then Redoubt 15–19; five Toughness points are not a gate for Redoubt. Ten Protection points open Improved Righteous Fury on row 3 at 20.
Improved Righteous Fury only works while Righteous Fury is active. The talent does not replace the seal or judgement rotation.
What the spent talents do
Toughness
Toughness increases armor from items by 2% per rank, 10% at rank 5. It has no prerequisite.
Redoubt
Redoubt rank 5: damaging melee attacks against you have a 10% chance to increase block chance by 30% for 10 seconds or 5 blocks.
Improved Righteous Fury
Improved Righteous Fury rank 1 reduces all damage taken by 2% while Righteous Fury is active. Rank 3 would be 6%; this plan spends only the 11th point here.
Weaknesses and tradeoffs
- Precision’s hit chance is skipped. Melee hit stays at the baseline.
- Shield Specialization needs Redoubt maxed as a prerequisite and sits on row 3; this plan spends the 11th point on Improved Righteous Fury instead.
- Holy Shield and Templar’s Bulwark are later Protection talents. They are not reachable at eleven points.
Gear notes
- Toughness increases armor from items, so compare the armor on shields and chest pieces. Redoubt can trigger from incoming melee attacks; a shield lets you use its increased block chance. Compare shields by armor, block and required level, then check how to obtain each one.
Optional point
Shield Specialization at 20
You already have Redoubt 5 and want shield absorb and mana from blocks instead of 2% less damage taken.
Shield Specialization requires Redoubt maxed. Rank 1 increases damage absorbed by your shield by 10% and gives blocks a 33% chance to restore 6% of maximum mana. It is the 11th point after the same Toughness 5 and Redoubt 5.
Point order
Spend one point at each level from 10 to 20. Names only here; recorded rank text is on the talents you spend.
- Level 10: Toughness 1/5 (Protection)
- Level 11: Toughness 2/5 (Protection)
- Level 12: Toughness 3/5 (Protection)
- Level 13: Toughness 4/5 (Protection)
- Level 14: Toughness 5/5 (Protection)
- Level 15: Redoubt 1/5 (Protection)
- Level 16: Redoubt 2/5 (Protection)
- Level 17: Redoubt 3/5 (Protection)
- Level 18: Redoubt 4/5 (Protection)
- Level 19: Redoubt 5/5 (Protection)
- Level 20: Improved Righteous Fury 1/3 (Protection)
Not verified in combat
- How often Redoubt’s 10% proc fires on 10–20 dungeon melee hits
- Whether 10% more item armor is noticeable in Ragefire or Hall of Thanes
All maintained plans · Paladin calculator · Paladin talent reference
NotesSources and limits
Checked against the 17 September Forever talent export. Block and armor percents are recorded tooltips, not a tank parse.
Talent names, ranks, prerequisites and tooltips use this site’s Forever data snapshot. The point orders are original theory plans with no combat testing yet.
- Talent snapshot — layout preview-20260917-aed0e73e
- Paladin spellbook — recorded training levels and spell effects used in the play notes.
- Calculator rules — Each level follows the calculator’s point budget, rank limits and prerequisites: one point at level 10, up to eleven at level 20.
- Data & sources