Hammer of the Righteous

Hammer of the Righteous is the 11-point Paladin talent from the Protection tree. It is a mandatory talent for any serious paladin tank as it provides threat on multiple mobs at a time.

Ability Usage
Hammer of the Righteous attacks the paladin's current target with a straight melee physical attack, doing a percentage of weapon damage. This attack can miss, be dodged, be parried, or be blocked, and does double damage on a crit, just like any other physical melee attack. Although this physical melee attack only affects a single target, it will not proc the active seal.

If the physical attack connects with its target, it then attacks all nearby enemies (including the paladin's target) with a Holy damage spell. Prior to an 11-Feb-2011 hotfix, this AOE attack was resolved as a spell attack, using the paladin's spell miss chance; now, however, it always hits all targets in its area of effect as long as the primary attack hits. Rogues who are under Cloak of Shadows, however, are able to resist this damage.

Additionally, using Hammer of the Righteous grants the paladin 1 Holy Power.

Hammer of the Righteous is one of the two protection paladin abilities able to be used while silenced. The other is Crusader Strike. However, these two may not be used while disarmed. Most other protection abilities are usable while disarmed.

Resistance from higher level mobs
Mobs higher level than a player spellcaster have an "effective Resistance" to all schools of magic cast by that player, including the Holy school. Thus, when attacking a higher level mob with Hammer of the Righteous, the Holy damage portion may be partially resisted. This effect cannot be reduced by Spell Penetration.

Prior to Patch 4.0.1, the partial Resist mechanics for Hammer of the Righteous were based on the attacker's Weapon Skill with the weapon being wielded, rather than the attacker's level. My level 64 Protection Paladin was attacking a level 60 Umbrafen Slavebinder with Hammer of the Righteous. Since my paladin was higher level than the mob, it should have been impossible for any of the Holy damage done by Hammer of the Righteous to be resisted. However, I had started wielding a new mace at the time, and my mace skill was only 270. The combat log entry read:
 * Your Hammer of the Righteous hits Umbrafen Slavebinder for 233 Holy.(349 Resisted)

Since 4.0.1, however, Weapon Skill has been removed from the game. Additionally, the Holy damage portion of Hammer of the Righteous is no longer resolved as a melee attack, as it was prior to 4.0.1.

Related Items

 * Lightsworn Plate (Protection Tier 10) - 2 piece set bonus makes your Hammer of the Righteous ability deal 20% increased damage.


 * Liadrin's Plate set (Protection Tier 9) - 2 piece set bonus makes your Hammer of the Righteous ability deal 5% increased damage.


 * Turalyon's Plate set (Protection Tier 9) - 2 piece set bonus makes your Hammer of the Righteous ability deal 5% increased damage.


 * Redemption Plate (Protection Tier 7) - 2 piece set bonus makes your Hammer of the Righteous ability deal 10% increased damage.