Vanguard Paladin: Learning from WoW Mistakes

A quote from OGaming:

"The Paladin class will be tank, therefore expect to be at the forefront of the action and possibly jump in to control a situation gone bad. Expect to have the edge over all undead, as well as a boost in proficiency with 2 Handed Swords. Heavy Armors and Armored Steed is probably something that will be common amongst the Paladins. A few Magic spells here and there, but probably more in the form of prayers"

From the Vanguard May newsletter:

Featured Class: Paladin

Combat Forms
The Paladin has combined the Combat Forms with their Auras. Having them separate before seemed a bit cumbersome in general.

Aura of Divine Power - This aura gives you and those around you increased melee damage and accuracy. While slightly less than the Warrior's offensive form bonus, you also do not pay the mitigation penalty the Warrior must endure.

Aura of Shielding - This aura increases mitigation for you and those around you. When combined with the Swell of Conviction (detailed below), this adds an addition 25% damage rune. This aura rivals the Warrior's defensive form for mitigation.

Aura of Replenishment - This aura increases regeneration of major expendables for you and those around you. This includes health, mana, power, and psionic points.

Aura of Radiance - This aura makes you immune to undead based magical attacks. This aura also cleanses you and your group of undead related effects such as poison and disease. Any undead in the aura's area of influence take minor damage.


Melee Attacks
The melee style of the Paladin has also changed a great deal. In the past, the Paladin had unique attacks for all phases of chains. Now, each of your attacks can be used as both a bridge or a finish attack, and each takes on different properties when used as such.

Blessing of Steel - This attack delivers moderate damage and grants increased defensive capability for a short time. When used as a bridge attack, these defensive capabilities are passed along to your group members, and when used as a finishing attack, these defensive capabilities increase in both power and duration.

Hammer of Judgment - This attack is relatively low damage initially, but generates substantial hatred in your enemy, and receives significant increases to both damage and hate when used from a frontal position, or in conjunction with an ally. When used as a bridge, this attack also feeds your muscles with increased endurance, and used as a finisher, heals both life and endurance for you and your group members in range.

Sentinel's Might - This attack inflicts moderate damage and infuses you with increased offensive capability for a short time. When used as a bridge, this offensive power is granted to your group members, and used as a finish, these offensive bonuses grow in both power and duration.


Rescues
The Paladin is the premier class when it comes to sacrifice. Taking the damage for another and rescuing them from certain death is the Paladin's Forte. And woe be to the adversary that continues to press the attack. If the Paladin rescues the same friendly a second time in rapid succession, significant harm is visited upon the enemy.

Argent Guardian - This rescue fends off a great deal of damage and strikes back at your enemy for minor damage. When used a second time, this defensive attack completely blocks incoming damage, delivers massive damage in return, and stuns the enemy for a long duration.

Shattered Will - This rescue fends off moderate damage when successful, and slightly lowers the damage capability of your enemy. If used a second time on the same enemy, this completely blocks incoming damage and severely cripples that target's ability to attack your group for 60 seconds.

Contention - This rescue stops an enemy from hitting a friendly target, and locks your enemy in a stalemate for a period of time leaving them unable to attack anyone else.


Spells
Let's not forget that the Paladin is a spellcasting tank. A hybrid if you will between magic and melee. This however does not take away from the primary job of the Paladin, that being to take damage. In fact, these spells augment their ability greatly. One major change is how you acquire these spells as you grow. No longer do you need to visit a trainer. All spells are now learned when available through the Prayer of Enlightenment.

Gifts of Virtue
Gifts of virtue are powerful special abilities. The Paladin gains the ability to perform a limited amount of gifts per day. The paladin may choose which of his available gifts to use, but he cannot perform more than his daily allotment.

Lay on Hands - The classic healing touch of the Paladin. This spell allows you to deliver mighty healing power instantly at a simple touch and may be used on anyone, however this consumes Virtue Points when used upon another Paladin (including yourself).

Mass Shield - This spell allows you to project the shielding powers to your group members for 2 attacks.

Shining Beacon - This spell casts a divine light upon you radiating to your group giving immunity to fear based effects. This light also generates an intense hatred towards you in undead creatures.

Sun Burst - This spell calls down a ray of sunlight to sear the decaying flesh off your undead foes. This light is so powerful, any summoned undead enemies are utterly destroyed.

Zeal - This spell causes your attacks to strike twice for a period of time.

Paragon - This spell greatly bolsters your power in combat for a period of time. Constitution, Dexterity, Agility, Accuracy, and Damage are all increased.

Final Stand - This spell gives all players in your group who are below 25% health an extra life boost for 30 seconds. This boost is lost when the spell expires and players can die if not careful.


Regular Spells
These spells consume power and may be used as often as your power permits.

Barrier of Faith - You extend your shielding powers to a single friendly target, granting invulnerability for 5 seconds.

Blood Oath - You swear a blood oath to destroy your target giving increased ability until you switch enemies.

Courage - This spell increases your health points and armor class.

Healing Touch - This spell allows you to heal your target or yourself for a moderate amount.

Anointed Blade - You anoint your blade, giving increased damage against the undead for five minutes. You cannot have more than one blessing upon your blade at a time.

Blessed Blade - You bless your blade, increasing your ability to do damage for five minutes. You cannot have more than one blessing upon your blade at a time.

Prayer of Life - This spell revives the dead.

Sanctify Corpse - This spell sactifies the corpse of your dead enemy preventing them from being raised by a necromancer.

Summon Holy Water - This spell summons a vial of holy water, which when thrown burns the undead as it strikes them.

Swell of Conviction - This ability causes all of your auras to become more powerful at a substantial power cost.

Righteous Command - This spell instills great hatred towards you in your enemy, and can influence enemies around you as well.

Rallying Cry - This war cry emboldens you and your allies, greatly increasing your accuracy and ability to do damage for two attacks.

Cry of Inspiration - This war cry heals endurance and mana to small extent for yourself and your groupmates.

Cry of Relief - This war cry heals a small amount of health.

Things are certainly looking up for the Vanguard Paladin. Then again, we ought to take a lesson from the annals of WoW development. In beta, the WoW Paladin was destined to be a true tank. Crusader strike generated nearly as much threat as Sunder Armor, and we had Holy Strike for controllable burst damage. There was Dominance Aura (group AP buff), Healing Aura, etc. If Sigil is smart, they'll continue with their design vision and provide a tempting alternative to a lot of WoW Paladins out there who feel like they were misled from publicity and leveling and ended up playing a Cleric in PvE.

If you're into PvP, don't expect much from Vanguard. Information regarding the Paladin class from Warhammer Online is all but non-existent so far. If I find out more, I'll be sure to pass it along. I was originally turned off to Vanguard when I found out that it will be almost entirely PvE. The more I raid with my WoW Paladin, though, the more I'm drawn to try it out when it goes live.