Mage Cleave 5-man: Protection Paladin tank talents for big pulls (levels 40–60)

Theorycrafted before the WoW Forever beta (September 17, 2026). The group plan follows how cleave groups played in Classic, the talents use the pre-release WoW Forever trees on this site, and ability levels quoted from Classic may differ in Forever. Expect updates once the beta is testable.

The group at a glance

Mage Cleave for levels 40–60: a Protection Paladin, a Fire Mage, an Arcane Mage, a Balance Druid and a Holy Paladin.

Mage cleave is the high-level answer to the big open rooms of Maraudon, Blackrock Depths and Dire Maul. The Paladin gathers a large pull and holds it in Consecration, the Arcane Mage and the Fire Mage lock it in place with Frost Nova and burst it down with Arcane Explosion, Flamestrike and Blast Wave, and the Balance Druid adds Hurricane, roots and the Moonkin aura. The Holy Paladin heals through the damage and keeps every blessing up for an hour.

Role	Spec	Job in the pull
Tank	Protection Paladin	Gathers large pulls against a wall, holds them in Consecration and Holy Shield
DPS	Fire Mage	Flamestrike opener, Blast Wave and the second Frost Nova
DPS	Arcane Mage	Frost Nova, then Arcane Explosion in melee range of the pack
DPS	Balance Druid	Hurricane from range, Entangling Roots on runners, Moonkin aura
Healer	Holy Paladin	Heals the tank through big pulls, one-hour blessings, Holy Shock on splash damage

Every spec in the table links to its own guide with talents for that slot.

How the mage cleave plays

1. Gather and stop: the Protection Paladin pulls two or three packs, stops against a wall and drops Consecration. Nobody casts until the second Consecration tick.
2. Ranged opener: the Fire Mage casts Flamestrike on the pack and the Druid starts Hurricane from range. Both have threat reduction talents, so they open the pull while the Arcane Mage waits.
3. Nova and burst: when the pack is below 70% health the Arcane Mage walks in, casts Frost Nova and chains Arcane Explosion. The Fire Mage follows with Blast Wave and a second Frost Nova when the first one breaks.
4. Cooldowns in turns: Arcane Power and Presence of Mind on one big pull, Combustion and Hot Streak Pyroblasts on the next. The Paladin uses Templar’s Bulwark whenever both mages burst at once.
5. Roots for runners: mobs that break loose are the Druid’s job: Entangling Roots holds up to three targets with Overgrowth while the mages finish the rest.

Your job as Protection Paladin

Two mages who both want to stand in the pack and a Druid channeling Hurricane: every mob has to be on you and standing still. The 40–60 part of this build is about lasting through large pulls. Shield Specialization returns mana on blocks, Reckoning turns blocks and crits into extra attacks for threat, and Improved Seals raises the damage of every Seal and Judgement, which is threat on the whole pack.

Pull by pull

• Seal of Fury, Righteous Fury and the blessings from the Holy Paladin before the first pull.
• Gather two or three packs, then stop with your back against a wall so the pack stacks in front of you.
• Consecration, Holy Shield, then Judgement on the mob closest to the mages.
• Call the Arcane Mage in once the second Consecration tick has landed.
• Templar’s Bulwark when both mages burst at the same time, not after your health drops.

Mistakes that wipe the group

• Stopping in the middle of a room: the pack forms a ring and half of it stands outside Flamestrike.
• Moving after the Arcane Mage’s Frost Nova: frozen mobs stay behind and hit the mage, not you.
• Pulling while the Holy Paladin is below half mana.

Talent order by level

One point per level from level 10. The talent tree above shows the finished level 60 build; use the level slider to see it at any level.

• Levels 10–12 · Toughness 3/5 — More armor from items while your leveling gear is weak.
• Levels 13–14 · Redoubt 2/5 — Extra block after a critical hit, which smooths damage spikes from big pulls.
• Levels 15–17 · Precision 3/3 — +3% hit so Judgement taunts and attacks land.
• Levels 18–19 · Anticipation 2/5 — Defense skill: fewer crits and more avoidance.
• Level 20 · Improved Seal of Fury 1/1 — Mana back whenever Seal of Fury’s shield is fully absorbed. Large pulls break the shield constantly.
• Levels 21–23 · Improved Righteous Fury 3/3 — 6% less damage taken while Righteous Fury is active.
• Level 24 · Sacred Duty 1/2 — 4% Stamina and a 60 sec shorter cooldown on Divine Shield, Divine Protection and Templar’s Bulwark.
• Level 25 · Swift Judgement 1/1 — Resets Judgement for a second taunt when a mob keeps running for a mage.
• Levels 26–28 · One-Handed Weapon Specialization 3/3 — +9% damage with a one-handed weapon, and damage is threat.
• Level 29 · Sacred Duty 2/2 — finish the talent.
• Level 30 · Templar’s Bulwark 1/1 — An absorb shield worth your whole health bar for 8 sec: use it when both mages burst.
• Levels 31–32 · Toughness 5/5 — finish the talent.
• Levels 33–34 · Anticipation 4/5 — finish the talent.
• Levels 35–39 · Iron Creed 5/5 — +25% Holy Strike threat, and 10% less damage taken for 6 sec after Holy Strike with Righteous Fury on.
• Level 40 · Holy Shield 1/1 — More block, Holy damage on every block and 20% bonus threat on that damage.
• Levels 41–43 · Redoubt 5/5 — finish the talent.
• Levels 44–46 · Shield Specialization 3/3 — 30% more damage absorbed by blocks, and blocks restore 6% of your maximum mana at most once every 3 sec: your mana engine from level 40.
• Level 47 · Anticipation 5/5 — finish the talent.
• Levels 48–52 · Reckoning 5/5 — Extra attacks after blocks and after critical hits against you. A big pull triggers it constantly.
• Levels 53–57 · Divine Intellect (Holy) 5/5 — +10% Intellect for a larger mana pool on long pulls.
• Levels 58–60 · Improved Seals (Holy) 3/3 — +15% Seal and Judgement damage, which is more threat on every mob you hit.

Dungeons by level

Every WoW Forever dungeon that overlaps levels 40–60. Dungeons marked New were added in WoW Forever; the rest are the original Classic dungeons.

Levels	Dungeon	Notes
34–40	Scarlet Monastery Library	Original Classic dungeon.
35–40	The Drowned City (New)	Trolls, naga and pirates off the Stranglethorn coast.
37–43	Scarlet Monastery Armory	Original Classic dungeon.
38–44	Razorfen Downs	Original Classic dungeon.
39–45	Scarlet Monastery Cathedral	Original Classic dungeon.
40–55	Krol’dok Stronghold (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
44–50	Uldaman	Original Classic dungeon.
45–51	Zul’Farrak	Original Classic dungeon.
48–53	Alcaz Prison (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
48–54	Maraudon	Original Classic dungeon.
52–58	Sunken Temple	Original Classic dungeon.
52–60	Blackrock Depths	Original Classic dungeon.
55–60	Dire Maul East	Original Classic dungeon.
55–60	Blackmaw Hold (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
57–60	Lower Blackrock Spire	Original Classic dungeon.
58–60	Dire Maul West	Original Classic dungeon.
58–60	Scholomance	Original Classic dungeon.
58–60	The Shapers Terrace (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
59–60	Stratholme (Undead)	Original Classic dungeon.
59–60	Stratholme (Live)	Original Classic dungeon.
59–60	Dire Maul North	Original Classic dungeon.

Krol’dok Stronghold (40–55) is the first place this group gets comfortable, and Zul’Farrak’s open courtyards suit its pulls well. From level 52 take the group to Blackrock Depths and Maraudon, then to Dire Maul East and Blackmaw Hold at 55. Large undead packs in Stratholme and Scholomance at 58–60 are ideal for Consecration and area damage, but check which mobs resist Fire before you pull a whole room.

Where the group struggles

• Fire-immune mobs in Blackrock Depths and Molten-themed areas cut the Fire Mage’s area damage. The Arcane Mage and the Druid carry those pulls.
• Arcane Explosion is point-blank: the Arcane Mage stands in melee range of the pack. Without a Frost Nova ready, that mage waits.
• Mana runs out after two back-to-back large pulls. Evocation, mana gems and the Holy Paladin’s Blessing of Wisdom help, but the whole group still drinks together.
• Casters at range do not walk into the fire. The Paladin breaks line of sight so they come to the pack.