Hey guys, I am updating my gems page, but still there is nothing concrete out there. Keep that embedded in the back of your head, nothing is 100% confirmed in terms of gemming. But what I am going to do is list what I consider our best options at the present time. If you want my exact opinion, I am 85% sure the gemming will work as follows…
Strength Still Priority
Strength will still be our gemming priority. Every red and blue slot will be strength, as will multiple yellow slots on the same piece of gear. Strength is a stat that cannot be used in Reforging, so we need to get as much of that stat as we can via gems.
Hit, Expertise, Haste, and Crit can all be adjusted via Reforging, so reaching your caps on those stats should be attempted with Reforging FIRST. Enchanting can also be a means for reaching these caps if needed. Gemming priority will rely heavily on stacking as much Strength as possible.
Meta Gem
Our best meta gem as Retribution Paladins is still [Relentless Earthsiege Diamond]. When you factor in the meta gem requirements, Relentless is still the way to go.
Yellow Sockets and Orange Gems
The big question seems to be what to do with the yellow sockets that yield at least +4 strength as a socket bonus. Very cautiously I will tell you to do the following:
- If below the Haste soft cap, gem [Fierce Ametrine] for +10 Strength/+10 Haste
- If above the Haste soft cap, gem [Inscribed Ametrine] for +10 Strength/+10 Crit
Gem this way for gear that has:
- 1 yellow slot, 1 yellow and 1 red slot, 1 yellow and 2 red slots.
Do NOT gem this way for gear that has:
- 1 yellow and 1 blue slot, 2 yellow slots, 2 yellow and 1 red slot, 2 yellow and 1 blue slot
Gemming Caution
Because Ret Paladin stats and their importance are still fluctuating with Blizzard’s frequent adjustments to Patch 4.0.1, it is likely this could change. Talents and abilities are also still changing, which could play a part in how we gem.
Hi,
Thanks for providing this information on gemming. Well, actually thank you for providing all the information on this site. I have found it very useful.
Question about gemming: My Pally is a Blacksmith so I have an extra gem slot on both Gloves and Wrists. In you above examples, How should that slot be considered.
My current gloves (they are level 251) have a Yellow socket, Red socket and now the added socket. How should I gem this piece of gear?
Thanks
@ Akinsey – If your gloves are: red, yellow, prismatic (any color)…you will want 2x Red strength gems and 1x orange str/haste or str/crit, depending on if you have met haste cap.
Hi,
Great site thanks. Been searching everywhere but can’t seem to confirm: What is the haste cap for ret pallies? At what haste # should I move on to other stats? Many thanks.
@ Keidren – /retribution-paladins-haste/ for the haste cap. It actually depends on your latency.
Thanks for the information. I will make that change now.
Hi,
First off, I want to say thank you for the constant updates, has definitely been helpful through the patch.
There are a couple things I have been trying to find out and cant really find any good information on.
1. How important/useful is our mastery at the moment, and is it really worth reforging into?
2. At what point should you stop reforging crit into haste? I understand the soft cap is very important, but is there a certain point you dont want your crit to drop below
Any info would be greatly appreciated and once again thanks for the great job on all the info!
Techinically speaking up until we hit level 85 the relentless is actually just a smidgen better than chaotic. At level 85 a chaotic isnt even a choice(doesnt exist).
21 agi + 10 str vs 21 crit, you know that 21 crit > 21 agi but is the added str a bigger bonus that would make it better? If you actually ‘need’ to gem for hit(which you shouldnt be, you should be reforging for hit) but in the small chance you do then you go with chaotic.
21 agi = .40% crit chance
21 crit = .45% crit chance
The difference in crit is .05%, are you telling me that 10str is worse than .05% crit?
Exemplar in EJ points out that ‘relentless’ is better but thats because at level 85 its the only pve melee dps gem.
http://cata.wowhead.com/item=52291 Cata Chaotic gem.
Relentless might indeed still be better. I’ll play with the numbers some more. I need to find Exemplar’s post on that topic, I’ve been scannign the thread all day, I’ll go back and look again.
I’m on my first toon and barely been playing over a month. My Paladin is only 78 at the moment. I’m assuming that until I get tier pieces that all my slots should be strength gems. Is this correct, or do I need to gem elsewhere before getting better upgrades?
Boogieknight
Sisters of Elune
This Rotation is working out really well for me.
So the idea is to spread the total amount of dmg by not using ZEAL and AW at the same time.
-cast Zealotry as soon as it becomes available and then do CS+TV until ZEAL is down.
-cast AW and spam HOW all the time , CS+TV is still top priority during your rotation
consider this first:
1.if the target is at mid range start w/judgement
2.cast Exorcism only w/art of war
3.you can CAST ZEALOTRY as soon as Templar Veridict is shinning
Rotation 1: CS>EX>CS>EX>CS>ZEAL>CS>TV [SPAM TV until ZEAL is over]
or or
JDG JDG
CONS CONS
As soon as ZEAL vanishes…
Avenging Wrath>HOW>Rotation1 [HOW next on priority list after TV and before EX}
Hi, just wanted to say thanks for your website and all you do to figure everything out with these 4.x patches.
I’ve been avoiding dealing with my gems, but I guess today I’ll try and figure them out. I did notice my libram suddenly has a red socket, so – yay!
Haste is still very foggy to me atm, but by your formula on another post, I think I’m okay for right now. But my latency fluctuates usually ~200ms while I’m on, and now I’m thinking maybe I should try to reforge more haste if I can, just to cover any gaps that open in the course of playing.
And more foggy than haste is my CSR. I know it’s important, and possibly right on the heels of haste, but I’m mostly foggy on how the two stats operate differently, if the end effect is still faster/harder/more.
Thanks friend!
I believe Relentless is still better due to it scaling off Kings and similar buffs (like the stacking MotW and Drums) but I’ve not done precise calculations on the matter.
Chaotic Skyflare Diamond as metagem is better. Check maxdps.com
@ Me – maxdps.com is a good referral source, but it ultimately doesn’t factor in anything else in terms of stats, gear, etc. It’s baseline DPS. We have to be careful when checking there. Sometimes they are right, other times they are not
but what abt gemmin with sumthing like Gendarme’s Cuirass? should u gem for socket bonus?+8 strength.
Would it be reasonable to match the blue sockets with the new purple gems (10str/10hit), and even if you are over hit capped, can still reforge the excess hit into haste or crit?
Question… maybe outside the box but what about intell ? I’m sure most people will scoff at that for ret but is it worth staking up intell for added spell power on judgments,excorsism holy wrath,and that new one that spreads Aoe damage for upto 10 targets (4.0.1) .. WHICH btw if you cast on a single target with no one else around they get the full jolt.
It’s a nice 3.5k-4.2k instant hit at lvl 70 
.
Also, Stacking Intell could also be useful for certain PVP roles in WSG/EOS such as FC,assisting/bodygaurding the FC or swing shifting to Flag D with 3-4 others; ESPECIALLY, when blending it with with overflow talents in holy tree such as protector of the innocent. what’s you’re thoughts ? I am really asking cause i don’t know if anyone has calculated the benefits of socketing intel yet on ret for purpose of added spell power for the above forementioned spells (holy wrath, judgments etc). If they have i’m sure i haven’t seen the post…. me personally I am spell heavy in my ret fighting style. I mean after all, pally is a HYBRID class… right ? Plus, if you roll with the brutal glad set for rets at lvl 70 (which already has high strenght in it) AND you’re also kicking out nasty spell damage and self heals for survivabilty ftw pwnage!
PS >>
jk
I know this intell idea may cause shock waves with a bunch of players but but im a lvl 70 ret pally ranking top 3′s overall in damage against 79′s in 70-79bracket (who score 600k) in bg so stfu
Nice article. It’s nice to see i won’t have to gem strength in every socket like in wotlk. There seems to be a lot of thought process in it now. Reforging should solve having too much/too little hit, which is awesome
Greetings, I’m having an issue with gemming my ret pal. From what I’ve read in this (thank you very much btw) I am gemming strength. But the meta requirements for Relentless Earthseigh are more blue then red gems with 1 yellow. If you have more red slots then blue by far, how do you meet the requirements of the meta? I’m stacking 20 str, i’m hit capped, very low on the expertise cap.
In short, more blue then red = lot less strength. Any help would be great!
This Rotation is working out really well for me.
So the idea is to spread the total amount of dmg by not using ZEAL and AW at the same time.
-cast Zealotry as soon as it becomes available and then do CS+TV until ZEAL is down.
-cast AW and spam HOW all the time , CS+TV is still top priority during your rotation
consider this first:
1.if the target is at mid range start w/judgement
2.cast Exorcism only w/art of war
3.you can CAST ZEALOTRY as soon as Templar Veridict is shinning
Rotation 1: CS>EX>CS>EX>CS>ZEAL>CS>TV [SPAM TV until ZEAL is over]
or or
JDG JDG
CONS CONS
As soon as ZEAL vanishes…
Avenging Wrath>HOW>Rotation1 [HOW next on priority list after TV and before EX}
In terms of zealotry, now that the skill doesn’t actually take away the three points of holy power, I prefer hitting Inquisition right after zealotry, meaning a lot more bang for the buck. Also, while it does make sense to keep spamming cs and tv, some, including me, feel you should still pop off with any AoW Exorcism that pops up during zealotry. Because I prefer not having Zealotry, Avenging Wrath, and Guardian up at the same time, I agree for the most part with the listed rotation for Avenging Wrath. The only exception I could think of is where massive damage is needed quickly (ie Heroic Siamat, Lost City). For these moments, I try not to use all three, preferring to team up avenging wrath and zealotry and then follow with guardian. The new priority that I follow for Avenging Wrath + Zealotry is
CS > Inq (only right after zealotry) > TV > AoW Exo > HoW.
I know that many prefer HoW over AoW exo, but the dot from glyph and the initial damage with Inquisition and Avenging Wrath makes it a better choice in terms of priority.