Mage Cleave 5-man: Holy Paladin healing talents for AoE groups (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 Holy Paladin

You heal one tank through very large pulls and catch the mages when a freeze breaks. Holy Light and Flash of Light on the Paladin carry most of the healing, Holy Shock is your instant answer to a mage taking a hit, and Light’s Vigil turns a Holy Shock into a party-wide heal. Illumination and Reverence decide how many pulls you can heal before drinking. Blessings last an hour in WoW Forever, so buff everyone before the run.

Pull by pull

• Blessing of Wisdom on the casters and Kings or Might on the tank before the first pull.
• Flash of Light on the tank while the pack gathers, Holy Light once the mages burst.
• Holy Shock on a mage who takes damage in the pack; Light’s Vigil on the tank before a big pull so your next Holy Shock heals the whole party.
• Divine Favor for a guaranteed crit Holy Light when Templar’s Bulwark runs out.
• Say your mana at 40%: the mages can always wait, the tank cannot.

Mistakes that wipe the group

• Standing next to the Arcane Mage inside the pack’s reach.
• Casting Holy Light at full health on the tank and running dry before the burst.
• Forgetting Cleanse on a poisoned or cursed mage in Zul’Farrak and Maraudon.

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 10–14 · Divine Intellect 5/5 — +10% Intellect: a larger mana pool.
• Levels 15–17 · Healing Light 3/3 — +12% Holy Light, Flash of Light and Holy Shock healing.
• Levels 18–19 · Spiritual Focus 2/2 — 70% chance that damage does not delay your heals.
• Levels 20–22 · Reverence 3/3 — 30% of mana regeneration continues while casting.
• Levels 23–24 · Unyielding Faith 2/2 — 30% shorter Fear and Disorient effects on you.
• Levels 25–29 · Illumination 5/5 — Critical heals refund half of the spell’s base mana cost.
• Level 30 · Holy Shock 1/1 — An instant heal or Holy damage spell.
• Level 31 · Divine Favor 1/1 — A guaranteed critical heal, which also triggers Illumination.
• Levels 32–33 · Infusion of Light 2/2 — Holy Shock and Flash of Light crits make your next Holy Light 1 sec faster.
• Level 34 · Voice of Truth 1/1 — 6 sec of immunity to silence and interrupts for a caster pack that targets you.
• Levels 35–39 · Holy Power 5/5 — +15% Holy Shock crit chance and +5% for all other spells: more Illumination refunds.
• Level 40 · Light’s Vigil 1/1 — Your next Holy Shock on the target triggers no cooldown and heals their whole party.
• Levels 41–42 · Purifying Power 2/2 — Cheaper Cleanse and shorter Exorcism and Holy Wrath cooldowns for undead packs.
• Levels 43–44 · Consecrated Ground 2/2 — +10% Holy spell damage on the first enemies that enter your Consecration.
• Levels 45–49 · Benediction (Retribution) 5/5 — 15% cheaper Seals and Judgements for the Seal of Wisdom you keep judging.
• Levels 50–51 · Holy Conduit (Retribution) 2/2 — 40% cheaper Consecration, Holy Wrath, Exorcism and Hammer of Wrath.
• Level 52 · Improved Judgement (Retribution) 1/2 — 1 sec shorter Judgement cooldown.
• Levels 53–55 · Divine Precision 3/3 — +Holy spell hit, so Holy Shock and Exorcism land on level 60 mobs.
• Levels 56–58 · Improved Seals 3/3 — +15% Seal and Judgement damage for easy pulls where you help with damage.
• Levels 59–60 · Improved Holy Strike 2/2 — Shorter Holy Strike cooldown for trash packs that need no healing.

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.