We present to you the three artifact weapons that Paladins can acquire in World of Warcraft: Legion.
In the upcoming expansion Legion of World of Warcraft, a lot will revolve around the so-called artifact weapons. These are powerful relics that players wield as weapons and gain power and strength throughout the entire expansion. Each specialization receives its own weapon, so a total of 3 artifacts are available for the Paladin. Let us take a look at the individual weapons.
Holy – The Silver Hand (Artifact for Healing Paladins)
Background story: When the Guardians, the direct emissaries of the Titans, still ruled over Azeroth and its development, Guardian Tyr used the Silver Hand as a weapon to defeat the enemies of the Pantheon. At some point, however, Tyr noticed that the Guardian Loken had succumbed to corruption and gathered his comrades to steal the discs of Norgannon – for with them, one could find out how far the betrayal extended.
But Loken noticed the theft and unleashed dark creatures against Tyr and his allies. Tyr sacrificed himself in the fight against these monsters, allowing his friends to escape. Where Tyr died, the land is now called “Tirisfal”, and somewhere there lies his weapon, the Silver Hand, buried …
Properties of the Silver Hand: As the name suggests, the Holy specialization is aimed at healing allies. Consequently, most properties are designed to reduce ability cooldowns or increase the healing done.
- Every Silver Hand starts with Tyr’s Deliverance, a powerful healing-over-time spell that heals a single target over 10 seconds. However, the spell has a high cooldown to compensate for its strength.
- Power of the Silver Hand unleashes the power of the Silver Hand for 10 seconds. This results in the next Holy Shock becoming stronger, specifically by 15% of all healing or damage done in those 10 seconds.
- The Light Saves enhances the Beacon of Light. If the target of this spell falls below 50% of its maximum hit points, the next Holy Light or Flash of Light on that target heals for double the amount. This effect, however, can only be triggered once every 30 seconds.
- Protection of Tyr Improves the Paladin’s Aura Mastery. For the duration of the spell, all group members receive 15% additional healing from all sources.
Protection – Keeper of Truth (Artifact for Tank Paladins)
Background story: Also of titan origin are the sword and shield that together formed the duo “Keeper of Truth”. Tyr and Arachaedas forged these weapons and entrusted them to a gifted Vrykull warrior who managed to uncover Loken’s betrayal. After Tyr fell while defending his comrades, the Vrykull warrior lost his purpose and took the weapons towards Stormheim on the shattered isles, where the weapons found their (for now) final resting place in the Path of Kings.
Properties of the Keeper of Truth: In the Protection specialization, it is clear that it is a tank role. To support this, “Keeper of Truth” has a large number of passive properties that reduce damage taken or increase threat generated.
- The starting property is Eye of Tyr, a powerful spell with a one-minute cooldown. All targets in the area take damage and are “blinded”, reducing their damage done by 25% for 9 seconds.
- Bulwark of Order is a direct improvement for the Shield of Vengeance, as it grants the Paladin a shield equal to the damage dealt, which lasts for 8 seconds.
- Tyr’s Enforcer is another enhancement of the Shield of Vengeance. Each target hit causes high area damage around it, significantly increasing the Paladin’s threat to multiple targets.
- Light of the Titans increases the Paladin’s self-healing, as it ensures that the Shield of the Righteous increases the healing of the next Light of the Protector by a high amount.
Retribution – Ashbringer (Artifact for DPS Paladins)
Background story: Few weapons have garnered so much glory and simultaneously so much disdain as the Ashbringer. After a crystal of pure darkness was purified by the Light, it was the dwarven king Magni Bronzebeard who created the legendary blade Ashbringer from it. Over the years, the blade had many wielders, but only a few could wield it for long.
Famous for its devastating power against the undead, the most notable moment of the Ashbringer was perhaps when the sword in the hands of Tirion Fordring shattered the runeblade Frostmourne, bringing an end to the Lich King Arthas. To this day, the blade is still in the hands of Fordring – it would be dreadful if something were to happen to him …
Properties of the Ashbringer: To live up to its name, the Ashbringer is responsible for dealing damage. Therefore, most properties increase the damage or critical strike chance of abilities or reduce their cooldown.
- All Retribution Paladins start with Wake of the Ashes, an active ability. The Ashbringer is slammed into the ground and strikes all enemies in front of the Paladin with radiant light, slowing the struck targets. If they are demons or undead, they are stunned for 6 seconds.
- Ashes of Ashes enhances Wake of the Ashes by increasing the spell’s damage significantly. The struck targets burn in righteous fire for 6 seconds.
- Divine Tempest improves the Paladin’s Divine Storm. The Ashbringer copies the ability and unleashes it in a beam up to 20 meters in a straight line, damaging all enemies in its path. Additionally, the damage of Divine Storm is increased by 20%.
- Echo of the Highlord further increases damage. The Ashbringer casts the spells Divine Storm and Templar’s Verdict one additional time when the Paladin casts them.
For more details on the weapons, you can find our overview of the artifacts. There you can also view the artifacts of the Death Knight.
For more news and articles about the game and the upcoming expansion “Legion”, visit our World of Warcraft theme page.
