Level 30 · Beta loadout
Protection
Paladin
A shield-first shortlist for sturdy dungeon tanking: armour and stamina for survival, with enough mana and threat support to keep a pull under control.
Before the gear check
Build threat before the party burns.
Classic-style tanking is a group rhythm. Tell the party which target comes first, establish control, then invite the damage dealers to commit.
- 01
Claim the pull first
Open decisively and give yourself a short threat lead. DPS should attack your target rather than splitting damage across the pack. Focus fire kills one enemy sooner, reduces incoming damage and usually makes the entire run faster.
- 02
Mark skull, then cross
Mark the primary kill target with a skull and the second target with a cross. The tank can mark, or a trusted group member can do it while the tank positions the pull. Everyone should know that skull is the tank’s current target unless the group agrees otherwise.
- 03
Use Salvation as a threat tool
Blessing of Salvation can give high-output damage dealers and healers more room before they pull threat. Review blessings between pulls and change them when circumstances change—for example, when a caster is low on mana and no longer producing the same threat.
- 04
Watch healer threat
Group healing can create threat across every engaged enemy. Pick up loose mobs early, especially enemies that have not received much direct threat, and make it easy for the healer to move toward you rather than run away from the pack.
The working set
Level 30 gear candidates
These are strong candidates rather than an absolute ranking. Your faction, professions, group and the current beta build can change the best choice.
My collection
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How to use this
A shortlist, not a commandment.
- 01
Start with your shield
Protection’s identity depends on blocking, so the shield and a dependable one-hander anchor the set.
- 02
Plan runs by source
Switch to “By source” and turn the list into a practical dungeon route for your group.
- 03
Verify after a build
Open the item record and check the live tooltip whenever Blizzard changes the beta build.