From WoWWiki
| Sacred Shield |
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| Usable by |
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| Class | Paladin |
| Properties |
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| Type | Utility |
| School | Holy |
| Cooldown | None/Global Cooldown |
| Talents |
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| Talented | No |
Improvement
talents | Divine Guardian |
| Other information |
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| Ranks | 1 |
| Related buff |
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| Related buff |
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Sacred Shield is a Paladin ability learned at level 80. This powerful defensive utility is used to prevent damage and increase Paladin's healing effectiveness on the target. It provides two buffs. One is the Sacred Shield buff which lasts 30/45/60 seconds. When the target takes damage, this buff allows for the activation of a 6/9/12 seconds shield which absorbs damage and increases the casting Paladin's Flash of Light crit chance by 50%.
The damage absorption of Sacred Shield is relative: the shield will activate only after the target takes damage, and its protection will then last for 6/9/12 seconds. Therefore, to maximize its effect, Sacred Shield is best used on a target that often takes damage.
Notes
- Since patch 3.1, one Paladin can affect only one target with his/her Sacred Shield at any given time.
- Since patch 3.2, Sacred Shield CAN NOT stack several times on a single target.
- Since patch 3.2, the additional 50% Flash of Light crit chance has been replaced with a Heal over Time effect from any paladin's flash of light while the Sacred Shield is present.
- If the Divine Guardian talent is used, the duration of Sacred Shield buff will increase to 9/12 seconds while the buff will still be able to refresh every 6 seconds.
- The Sacred Shield recieves approximately 75% of the casting Paladin's spell power.
- Damage over time effects will proc the Sacred Shield buff.
- An important note for ret Paladins is that casting Sacred Shield resets weapon swing timer.
- Environmental damage (e.g. fall damage, lava) is not absorbed.
Talent improvements
- Divine Guardian: increases the duration of Sacred Shield by 50/100% and the amount absorbed by 10/20%. This includes the increase of duration in both the main Sacred Shield buff, to 45/60 seconds, and the damage absorbing buff, to 9/12 seconds. The Sacred Shield will still be able to proc every 6 seconds.
Tips and tactics
- Because patch 3.1 allows for several Sacred Shield buffs to stack on a single target while one Paladin can keep only one Sacred Shield active, every Paladin in the raid should make sure to have their Sacred Shield constantly in effect, preferably on the main tank. To this end, it is recommended to use the Divine Guardian talent which can double the Shield's duration.
- Damage over time effects trigger the Shield's buff making this ability very useful in pvp combat. It is a viable tactic to intentionaly suffer a less harmful DoT spell on yourself in order to have it constantly proc the Sacred Shield buff.
- Ret Paladins should time their The Art of War instant Flash of Light casts with the buff from the Sacred Shield.
- Paired with Illumination and Beacon of Light talents, the additional 50% Flash of Light crit chance will greatly increase the mana effectivenes of Paladin's healing. Thus, holy Paladin's main target should be protected by the Sacred Shield buff whenever possible.
Patch changes
- Patch 3.2.0 (2009-08-04): When a paladin casts Flash of Light on a target with this buff, they also now place a heal over time effect on the target, healing that target for 100% of the Flash of Light amount over 12 seconds.
- Patch 3.1.0 (2009-04-14): This effect cannot be cast on more than one friendly target at a time. Protection talent Divine Guardian will now increase the duration of Sacred Shield by 50/100% and the amount absorbed by 10/20%. Sacred Shield will now scale properly with the spell power granted by Sheath of Light
- Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): Added.
External links
