Phase 7 of World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery arrives in early 2025, and Shockadin - a spellcasting Paladin hybrid - steps into the Naxxramas spotlight. Tested on the PTR, this build mixes Exorcism spam with Holy Shock bursts for surprising DPS. Is it no longer a meme? Let's break down its power, gear, and fun factor as of March 2025!
Shockadin's new groove
Shockadin has gone from a quirky concept to a serious damage dealer. With Phase 7's Tier 3 gear and runes, he's hitting 3K-5K DPS - without Windfury or Naxx buffs! It's not a chart topper, but it's far from a raid burden. Think caster Ret with a holy twist - fast, powerful, and oddly satisfying.
Gear Setup: Tier 3 + ZG Power
Here's the core build:
Head: Tier 3 helm + Rune of Wrath (boosts all spell damage).
Chest: Level 3 chest + Hallowed Ground rune (passive healing).
Legs: Level 3 legs + Art of War Rune (reduces Exorcism cooldown).
Weapon: Truthbearer (2H, attack speed + holy damage).
Set bonuses: 5-piece Zul'Gurub (50% Exorcism boost, Holy Shock buffs) + 6-piece Tier 3 (insane Exorcism scaling).
Off-Slots: Wrath of Dominion, Band of Unnatural Forces, Kiss of the Spider (melee power, crit, speed).
Must-have: ZG 5 set is non-negotiable-170% Exorcism damage with Seal of the Excommunicator Rune (40% per stack, up to 120%).
Talents: Holy-Ret Hybrid
Holy (31): Divine Strength/Intellect (5 each), Enlightenment, Holy Shock, Healing Light (3).
Vengeance (19): Blessing (5), Conviction (5), Pursuit of Justice (2), Signet/Judgement buffs.
Skip protection: No tanking here - just damage.
Runes: Shockadin Rune (200% Intellect to spell damage after Holy Shock), Cloak of Light (melee stats to spell power), Crusader's Strike (mana regeneration).
Rotation: Exorcism Machine
Seal of the Crusader → Exorcism (opener).
Crusader's Judgement → Signet of Righteousness.
Holy Shock (triggers Shockadin Rune).
Pop Wings + Trinkets → Spam Exorcism → Holy Fury (no cooldown).
Filler: Crusader Strike, Judgement, Consecration between Exorcism casts.
Result: 4K-5K DPS on PTR without raid buffs. With Naxx's Sanctified bonus, it climbs higher - nuts for a "meme" spec!
How good is he?
DPS: 3K base, 5K+ with buffs - solid mid tier, beats the old Shockadin by miles.
Utility: Hallowed Ground off-heals, but it's no longer a healer - it's a pure damage focus.
Fun Factor: Machine Gun Exorcism and Holy Shock crits feel great. Less hybrid, more caster mayhem.
Limitations: Locked to ZG 5-set, so late game scaling lags behind Ret or pure DPS classes with full Sanctified gear.
Final Verdict
Shockadin in Phase 7 isn't going to break the meter, but it's no joke either - 5K DPS is raid-viable and a blast to play. It shines early with ZG/T3 synergy, though this may fade as others stack Sanctified sets. For Paladin fans looking for a fresh twist, it's a winner. Naxx-ready? Absolutely. Meta-defining? Not quite.
Thanks for reading
Shockadin's Phase 7 glow makes him a fun, viable DPS option in Season of Discovery. Gear up, spam Exorcism, and have fun - let me know your builds below!
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