Ask Firelight: Retribution Advice

I've had an email from Darrtanus from Argent Dawn - US asking the following:

I've been reading you "Retribution" blog for some time now and find it quite useful.I was looking at your armory profile to compare to mine. I saw you have little expertise rating. People have been telling me that I need to get some expertise to help my dps. Is expertise needed? I'm topping out at around 1800 dps.

The only thing not accurate is on my armory is my weapon. For raiding I use the Titansteel Destroyer.

I guess the first question to ask is what Seal are you using? Most ret-paladins I see around on my server are scared to use Seal of Blood/Martyr due to the damage component. After telling them to switch to Martyr they immediately notice a big jump in their DPS.

Secondly Gems I see your over the hit cap of 265 by exactly 16 points - loose that Hit rating gem in your boots. Also your stacking a lot of crit. I would swap out all your crit gems for +16 Strength gems asap. You'll build your crit up with gear upgrades as you progress into 10-man Naxx.

As for expertise It is a nice buff, but given the choice I'd go for the following suggestion from Josh @ E4AE (follow that link for way more quality Ret-Tips)

1. Strength
2. Hit (to 8%, or ~262 rating)
3. Expertise (to 6.5%, or ~214 rating before racials - get to 26 expertise skill)
4. Crit (or equal amounts of Agility)
5. Haste
6. Armor Penetration

Some tips at this point for you are as following;

1 - Hit the Heroics. Get as much gear as you can from heroics. (I've put together a small list of nice upgrades for you lower down)

2 - Get your Sons of Hodir rep up to exalted for the Epic shoulder enchants.

3 - Change your wrist/glove enchants for the good attack power buffs when you get upgrades rather than +Strength and + Hit rating ones you have on there at the moment.

4 - Finish enchanting your gear - your cloak is missing one at the moment.

5 - If you can afford it - drop your mining skill for Blacksmithing for the cool extra sockets in gloves/braces/belt (although the belt one is available to non-blacksmiths)

I think at the moment your main issue is getting more gear. See if you can get yourself into Naxx-10 and get saving Badges of Heroism for the teir 7 chest/gloves.

List of Upgrades:-

Chest - Bonegrinder Breastplate - Heroic: Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom

Gloves - Gauntlets of Capture - Heroic: Violet Hold.

Belt - Flame-Bathed Steel Girdle - Heroic: The Nexus.

Legs - Staggering Legplates - Heroic: Utgarde Keep.

Well I hope that helps out - If anyone of my reader has any more suggestions or dissagree's with anything I've said don't hesitate to shout out!