WoW Classic Paladin Reckoning Guide: Master the Reckoning Bomb Strategy

Reckoning Paladin is one of the most unique and explosive playstyles in WoW Classic Era. This powerful Protection talent allows you to store extra attacks and unleash devastating burst damage in both PvP and PvE scenarios. Whether you’re looking to dominate battlegrounds or efficiently farm gold, this comprehensive guide will teach you everything about the legendary Reckoning build.

What is Reckoning?

Reckoning is a tier 3 Protection talent that gives you a chance to gain an extra attack after being critically hit. When you take a critical strike, you gain a charge of Reckoning (up to 4 stacks). Your next weapon swing will consume all stacks and deliver multiple instant attacks simultaneously.

The real power comes from the “sit macro” technique. By using a /sit command, you force enemies to critically hit you, allowing you to stack Reckoning charges rapidly. Once you have 4 stacks, you stand up and unleash a devastating burst of attacks known as the “Reckoning Bomb.”

How Reckoning Works

When you get critically hit while Reckoning is active, you receive one extra attack charge. These charges stack up to 4 times and remain until you use your next melee swing. The moment you attack, all stored charges release simultaneously, making your single swing become 5 attacks at once (1 normal + 4 Reckoning procs).

This mechanic works with Seal of Righteousness and Seal of Command, allowing each Reckoning attack to potentially proc your seal damage. Combined with slow, hard-hitting two-handed weapons, the burst damage can be absolutely massive.

Reckoning Talent Build

Here’s the optimal talent distribution for a Reckoning Paladin focused on burst damage:

You can experiment with these builds using our WoW Classic Paladin Talent Calculator to find what works best for your playstyle.

Best Gear for Reckoning Paladin

The key to maximizing Reckoning damage is stacking Attack Power, Strength, and Critical Strike while using the slowest weapon possible.

Weapon Choice

Your weapon selection is crucial for Reckoning burst damage. The slower the weapon, the harder each Reckoning attack hits:

Important: Weapon speed and top-end damage matter most for Reckoning. A 3.8 speed weapon hits much harder per Reckoning proc than a 2.8 speed weapon, even if the faster weapon has higher DPS stats.

Pre-Raid Best-in-Slot Gear

Focus on Attack Power, Strength, Critical Strike, and Hit Rating for maximum Reckoning effectiveness:

Alternative Weapon: Bonereaver’s Edge from Molten Core if you’re already raiding.

For complete gear lists across all specs, visit our WoW Classic Paladin Pre-Raid BiS Guide.

Stat Priority

Focus on these stats for maximum Reckoning effectiveness:

1. Hit Rating (9% for PvE, 6% for PvP) – Your Reckoning attacks must land
2. Attack Power / Strength – Increases damage per hit
3. Critical Strike – More crits = more sustained damage
4. Weapon Speed – Slower is always better for burst
5. Stamina – Survivability to stack and deliver Reckoning

The Reckoning Bomb Macro

The infamous sit macro is essential for Reckoning gameplay. This macro forces enemies to critically hit you, rapidly generating Reckoning stacks:

/sit

How to Use:

1. Target an enemy
2. Spam the sit macro to force critical hits
3. Watch for 4 Reckoning stacks in your buff bar
4. Stand up and activate Seal of Command
5. Attack for massive burst damage

⚠️ Important Notes:

• You take 150% damage while sitting (crits are guaranteed)
• Only sit when you can safely absorb the extra damage
• In PvP, use Divine Shield or Blessing of Protection before sitting if needed
• Timing is everything – sit too long and you might die

Advanced Reckoning Macro

For experienced players, this macro combines sitting with seal activation:

/sit
/cast Seal of Command
/startattack

This allows you to sit, stack charges, and immediately engage when ready.

Reckoning Paladin Playstyle & Strategy

PvP Strategy

Reckoning Paladins excel at surprising opponents with unexpected burst damage. Here’s how to dominate in PvP:

The Setup:

1. Engage your target normally to avoid suspicion
2. Wait for the right moment (low enemy health or cooldowns used)
3. Use Divine Shield to safely stack Reckoning charges
4. Sit and accumulate 4 stacks
5. Stand up, activate Seal of Command, and unleash the bomb

Best Targets:

• Cloth wearers (Mages, Warlocks, Priests)
• Players who already used defensive cooldowns
• Opponents at 50% health or lower

Counters to Watch For:

• Ice Block (Mage)
• Vanish (Rogue)
• Fear effects interrupting your combo
• Disarms preventing your attack

The Reckoning bomb can easily deal 3,000-5,000 damage in a single global cooldown, often killing opponents before they can react.

PvE Strategy

While unconventional, Reckoning has uses in PvE content:

Dungeon Tanking:

• Reckoning generates massive threat when it procs
• Use Blessing of Sanctuary to increase proc chances
• Great for holding aggro on multiple targets
• Combines well with Holy Shield for block-based threat

Raid Viability: Reckoning is not optimal for main tanking raids, but it can work for:

• Off-tanking add spawns
• Farming trash between bosses
• DPS role in specific encounters

For traditional raid tanking, consider our WoW Classic Paladin Tanking Guide for proper Protection builds.

Gold Farming with Reckoning

Reckoning Paladins are incredibly efficient at AoE farming certain locations:

Best Farming Spots:

Stratholme (Living Side):

• Pull multiple undead packs
• Use Consecration and Reckoning for AoE damage
• Excellent gold per hour (40-60g)
• Combine with our Paladin Gold Farming Guide techniques

Dire Maul East:

• Solo farm the Lashers
• Stack Reckoning on multiple mobs
• Consistent gold and valuable drops

Eastern Plaguelands:

• Farm undead mobs for cloth and cash
• Exorcism and Holy Wrath synergize perfectly
• Safe and reliable farming

For more AoE farming techniques, see our dedicated WoW Classic Paladin AOE Grinding Guide.

Essential Seals and Abilities

Seals for Reckoning

Seal of Command: ⚔️ Your primary seal for Reckoning bombs. Each Reckoning attack can proc the additional holy damage, making your burst absolutely devastating. With 4 Reckoning stacks, you have 5 chances to proc Seal of Command in a single swing.

Seal of Righteousness: Alternative option that guarantees holy damage on every hit. More consistent but lower maximum burst compared to Seal of Command. Better for sustained damage rather than one-shot potential.

Seal of Justice: Useful in PvP when you need to prevent enemy escape. The stun proc can chain with Reckoning attacks, keeping slippery targets locked down.

Key Abilities to Combine

Divine Shield: 🛡️ Your best setup tool. Pop Divine Shield, sit and stack 4 Reckoning charges safely, then unleash your combo. The enemy can’t interrupt you, and you’re guaranteed to get your stacks.

Blessing of Protection: Alternative to Divine Shield when it’s on cooldown. Use on yourself to safely stack Reckoning against physical damage dealers.

Hammer of Justice: Stun your target before unleashing Reckoning to guarantee your attacks land. Particularly useful against classes with escape abilities.

Consecration: Deals additional AoE damage when Reckoning bombing multiple targets. Essential for farming applications.

Holy Shield: Increases your block chance, which can generate Reckoning procs when combined with Redoubt talent. Creates a synergistic tanking playstyle.

Learn more essential Paladin abilities in our WoW Classic Paladin Guide.

Reckoning vs Other Paladin Builds

Reckoning vs Retribution

Reckoning excels at surprise burst damage, while Retribution provides more consistent DPS. For pure Retribution gameplay, see our WoW Classic Retribution Paladin Guide.

Reckoning vs Protection

Traditional Protection focuses on tanking raids with threat generation and survivability. Reckoning Protection is a hybrid that sacrifices some tanking talents for offensive burst potential. It’s better for dungeons, PvP, and solo content rather than raid main tanking.

For traditional Protection builds, visit our WoW Classic Protection Paladin Guide.

Consumables and Buffs

Maximize your Reckoning potential with these consumables:

Damage Buffs:

• Elixir of Giants (+25 Strength)
• Elixir of the Mongoose (+25 Agility, +2% Crit)
• Juju Power (+30 Strength)
• Winterfall Firewater (+35 Attack Power)

Survivability Buffs:

• Greater Stoneshield Potion (absorb damage while sitting)
• Major Mana Potion (sustain your seals)
• Elixir of Fortitude (+120 Health)

Food Buffs:

• Blessed Sunfruit Juice (+10 Strength)
• Dirge’s Kickin’ Chimaerok Chops (+25 Stamina)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using Fast Weapons: Many new players use fast weapons thinking more attacks = more damage. Wrong! Slower weapons deal significantly more damage per Reckoning proc. Always prioritize weapon speed.

❌ Sitting Too Long: Don’t get greedy with stacks. If you’re taking massive damage, stand up with 2-3 stacks rather than dying while trying for 4.

❌ Wrong Seal Choice: Using Seal of Light or Seal of Wisdom during a Reckoning bomb wastes your burst potential. Always use Seal of Command or Seal of Righteousness for damage.

❌ Poor Target Selection: Don’t waste Reckoning bombs on tanks or heavily armored targets. Choose squishy cloth wearers for maximum impact.

❌ Forgetting Hit Rating: If your Reckoning attacks miss, you’ve wasted all your setup. Always maintain proper hit rating.

Leveling with Reckoning

While Reckoning shines at level 60, you can start using it during the leveling process:

When to Spec Reckoning:

• Level 40+ when you have access to better gear
• After obtaining a slow two-handed weapon
• When you’re comfortable with dungeon grinding

Leveling Path:

1. Level as Retribution until 40-45
2. Respec into Reckoning build
3. Focus on dungeon grinding and AoE farming
4. Use Reckoning for efficient quest mob elimination

For optimal leveling routes before switching to Reckoning, check our WoW Classic Retribution Leveling Guide.

Reckoning Paladin Macros

Here are essential macros beyond the basic sit macro:

Reckoning Bomb Combo:

#showtooltip Seal of Command
/cast Seal of Command
/startattack

Emergency Divine Shield Bomb:

#showtooltip Divine Shield
/cast Divine Shield
/sit

Quick Blessing Swap:

#showtooltip Blessing of Kings
/cast [modifier:shift] Blessing of Sanctuary; Blessing of Kings

For a complete collection of useful macros, visit our WoW Classic Paladin Macros Guide.

FAQ – Reckoning Paladin Questions

Final Thoughts

The Reckoning Paladin is one of the most entertaining and unique builds in WoW Classic Era. While it may not be the absolute best for every situation, it offers incredible burst damage, strong survivability, and excellent farming potential. The satisfaction of perfectly executing a Reckoning bomb and deleting an opponent is unmatched.

Whether you’re looking to surprise enemies in PvP, efficiently farm gold, or just have fun with an unconventional build, Reckoning delivers an exciting gameplay experience. Master the sit macro, gear properly with slow weapons, and you’ll discover why this build has maintained a cult following since vanilla WoW.

Ready to explore more Paladin playstyles? Check out our other guides:

• WoW Classic Holy Paladin Guide for healing
• WoW Classic Protection PvE Guide for raid tanking
• WoW Classic Paladin Leveling Guide for efficient leveling

Good luck, and may your Reckoning bombs always crit! ⚔️