Paladin Apocalypse build: MVP, raid and PvP

PaladinAs of 13 October 2026 (SEA, Lv.90, Apocalypse Season 1)

Paladin plan for SEA Lv.90 and Apocalypse Season 1: a Holy Gloria Domini build with Divine Infusion for MVPs, a shield tank with Endless Shield War for Calamity Zone raids and PvP, plus armor, cards, special skills, starcores and runes.

Our take

The RO New World team's own view

Who it suits: the shield Paladin is for players who tank for a party or fight in PvP. The Holy Paladin is for players who hunt MVPs and farm. Both stay tanky, so a Paladin rarely dies first.
What first: put Apocalypse on your weapon first and pick one class trait. Endless Shield War (damage taken -30% with a shield) covers two of our three modes, raid and PvP, so it is our first pick. Divine Infusion comes second, on its own Divine Avenger, for MVPs.
The biggest trap is the wrong Lv.90 weapon. Edge V only boosts Grand Cross and Bellum Glaive V only boosts Holy Cross. Royal Divine Avenger III boosts every Cross skill (+14%), and Royal Flamberge III is the shield weapon. A trait stays on the weapon you put it on.
Verdict: Apocalypse makes the shield Paladin the most useful Paladin of Season 1: -30% damage taken on top of the shield, extra hits, and a tank seat in Hard raids. Holy with Divine Infusion stays the faster MVP farmer. Wear General Set II in every mode except the tank seat.

Key findings

Two traits, two weapons

Endless Shield War helps Rapid Smiting and Shield Boomerang. Divine Infusion helps Gloria Domini and the other Cross skills. A trait belongs to one weapon, so running both builds means two Apocalypse weapons. With only one, take Endless Shield War: the -30% damage taken with a shield works in the raid and in PvP, and the extra hits still kill MVPs, only slower.

General Set II beats Odin, even for Gloria Domini

Every Paladin damage skill deals Melee PDMG (physical damage), including Gloria Domini and Grand Cross, which scale on ATK + M.ATK. On Taiwan's server, players tested Odin against General for the Holy build, and General's physical damage bonus won. At +10, General gives P.DMG +21.1% in all; Odin gives only +7.2%.

Let Grand Cross cast itself

Taiwan players found that casting Grand Cross by hand costs damage, so the Holy build spams Gloria Domini instead. Miracle Reborn gives each Gloria Domini a 42% chance to cast Grand Cross, and in the Divine state of Divine Infusion that chance becomes 100%. Grand Cross still matters: it hits up to 10 enemies, so it clears packs for free.

Armor

Wear General Set II

Each set has 3 pieces: armor, cape and shoes, and the set bonus needs all 3. Paladin skills deal Melee PDMG, so General Set II is the damage set for every build, Holy included. Goibne Set III is only for the raid tank seat on Hard difficulty. Values below are orange (gold) quality with each piece at +10. Royal pieces have the same bonuses plus more HP.

General Set II

Best

Best for MVP and PvP

Set: STR +5, DEX +5, P.DMG +2.5%
Each piece: P.DMG +2.2%, plus +0.4% per refine level (P.DMG +21.1% in all at +10)
Why: works on Gloria Domini, Grand Cross, Rapid Smiting and Shield Boomerang

Goibne Set III

Option

Raid tank on Hard

Set: VIT +6, Max HP +800, P.DEF +20, Wind/Earth/Water/Fire skill damage taken -5%
Each piece: VIT +6 and HP +850 / +500 / +600; the armor adds VIT +1 and Max HP +0.6% per refine
Use: when you are the party's only tank and the boss hits through your Guard

Gale Set IV

Option

Spear and shield, max ASPD

Set: HP cap +5%, P.DMG +2%
Each piece: AGI +6, ATK +28, plus P.DMG +0.38% per refine (P.DMG +13.4% in all at +10)
Use: only for the spear and shield style that pushes ASPD to 7.0

Odin Set III

Skip

Set: STR +6, INT +6, ATK +2%, M.ATK +2%
Pieces: ATK and M.ATK +1.4% each, P.DMG +0.24% per refine (+7.2% in all at +10)
Why skip: it lost to General in a Taiwan test, even for the Holy build

Off-hand: a Paladin always holds a shield, so the off-hand card slots and the off-hand Apocalypse slot always count. That gives you one more Defensive (Guard) slot than players with two-handed weapons.

II · MVP hunting

MVP build: Holy Gloria Domini

Holy · Divine Infusion

Spam Gloria Domini (1400% x (ATK + M.ATK) Holy damage to the target and up to 5 enemies). Divine Infusion and Miracle Reborn turn it into free Grand Cross casts, and Evil Purge makes most targets weak to Holy.

Stats

INT and STR, even

Gloria Domini scales on ATK + M.ATK, so raise both. INT also keeps your SP up with Shield Spell.

VIT: the rest

No DEX needed. Gloria Domini and Grand Cross have no cast time to shorten.

ASPD: ignore it

This build does not depend on attack speed, so skip Cavalry Training.

Apocalypse weapon trait

Divine Infusion

Casting Gloria Domini grants 1 stack of Divine Infusion for 5s. Upon reaching 5 stacks, enter Divine state for 1~4.5s. While in Divine state, all skills' DMG in the Cross Series +5~30%, and the trigger chance of Special Skill "Miracle Reborn" increases to 100%.Each Gloria Domini cast gives 1 stack for 5s. At 5 stacks you enter the Divine state for 4.5s: Cross skills +30% and Miracle Reborn always triggers (best quality; orange gives 3s and +20%). It only works if you keep casting Gloria Domini.

Gear

Royal Divine Avenger IIILv.90 · ATK +150 · M.ATK +150Cross Series Skill DMG multiplier +14%
Refine +5, Cross Series Skill DMG multiplier +7%Royal Divine Avenger III: ATK +150 and M.ATK +150, Cross Series skill multiplier +14%, with more at refine +5, +10 and +15. It boosts Gloria Domini, Grand Cross and Holy Cross. Do not buy Edge V (Grand Cross only) or Bellum Glaive V (Holy Cross only).

Royal Holy Guard IVLv.92 · HP +2677 · DEF +20Holy DMG +5.5%
For every Refine Lv. +1, Holy DMG +0.55%Royal Holy Guard IV: HP +2677, DEF +20, Holy DMG +5.5% plus +0.55% per refine (+11% at +10). All your damage is Holy.

General's Assault Armor IILv.91 · HP +8329P.DMG Bonus +2.2%
For every Refine Lv. +1, P.DMG Bonus +0.4%General Set II (armor, cape, shoes): P.DMG +21.1% in all at +10.

Nile Rose IIILv.90 · HP +1189 · ATK +33 · M.ATK +33All Elemental DMG +2.4%
For every Refine Lv. +1, All Attribute DMG +0.6%Nile Rose III: all-element damage +2.4%, plus +0.6% per refine. With Bradium Brooch it forms the Goddess Nile Set III: all stats +1, all-element damage +2%.

Bradium Brooch IIILv.90 · HP +1189 · ATK +33 · M.ATK +33M.ATK +1.4%, ATK +1.4%
For every Refine Lv. +1, M.ATK% +0.42%, ATK% +0.42%Bradium Brooch III: ATK +1.4% and M.ATK +1.4%, each +0.42% per refine. Raises both halves of the Gloria Domini formula.

Special skills

Evil PurgeWeaponWhen dealing damage, there is a 2~70% chance to treat the target as Undead, and counter damage from skills in the Cross series increases by 1~50% (or 0~30% against players).Evil Purge: 70% chance to treat the target as Undead, and Cross skills deal +50% counter damage (+30% against players). Taiwan's first red skill for this build.

Scorn MightAccessoryGloria Domini increases Holy DMG taken by the target by 1.2~42% for 6s.Scorn Might: Gloria Domini makes the target take +42% Holy damage for 6s. On Taiwan's server, teammates benefit too, so a Holy priest in your party gains as well.

Miracle RebornAccessoryGloria Domini cooldown -0.5~1s. When cast, has a 1.2~42% chance to cast Grand Cross on the target. Cross Series Skill DMG multiplier +0.4~14%.Miracle Reborn: Gloria Domini cooldown -1s, 42% chance to cast Grand Cross, Cross skill multiplier +14%. The engine of the build.

Elite GuardArmorDMG taken from MVP, Mini, and Boss -0.5~27.5%.Elite Guard: damage taken from MVP, Mini and Boss -27.5%.

Large Monster GuardCapeDMG taken from large units -0.5~27.5%.Large Monster Guard: damage taken from Large units -27.5%. Most big MVPs are Large.

Sacred LightAlternativeCross Series Skill DMG Multiplier +0.6~33%.Sacred Light (Cross multiplier +33%) replaces Evil Purge against Undead-element targets, where Evil Purge adds nothing.

Cards

Weapon ×2

Minorous Card · Santa Poring Card

Minorous (vs Large +18%) plus one card for the MVP: Santa Poring (vs Shadow +20%), Pecopeco Egg (vs Formless) or Hydra (vs Human). A Demon card adds less, because Piety Faith already gives +20% vs Undead and Demon.

Off-hand

Thara Frog Card

DMG Reduction vs Demi-Human% +12%~20%

Thara Frog: damage taken from Demi-Human -20%. Swap to Frozen Gargoyle (Large -20%) for big Brute or Demon MVPs.

Armor ×2

Pecopeco Card

Max HP% +3%~5%

Two Pecopeco Cards: Max HP +5% each. Taiwan's choice for both Paladin builds.

Cape

Condor Card

ATK +6~10

Condor: ATK +10.

Shoes

Wild Rose Card

STR +6~10

Wild Rose: STR +10. Merman (INT +5) if you lack INT.

Accessories ×4

Bongun Card · Cookie Card

Two Bongun (Melee PDMG +5%) and two Cookie (Holy DMG +5%). Taiwan players found this mix deals more than four Bongun in the Holy build.

Headwear

Cramp Card

ATK +9~15

Cramp: ATK +15 and M.ATK +15, both halves of your damage formula.

Backwear

Mirage: Angeling Card

DMG vs Large% +3.60%~6%

Mirage: Angeling: damage vs Large +6%.

Starcore traits, in priority order

Weapon

Divine Infusion
Melee PDMG%
Holy DMG%
ATK%

Accessory

Melee PDMG%
Holy DMG%
ATK%
M.ATK%

Off-hand

Max HP%
HP
Melee PDMG Reduction%
DMG Reduction vs Demi-Human%

Armor

Max HP%
DMG Reduction vs Large%
HP
Melee PDMG Reduction%

Rune Engine

Aqua Crystal 7

Increases P.DMG and M.DMG by 6%; Ignores 10% of target's P.DEF and M.DEF upon dealing DMG. Casting a skill has a base 15% chance to deal 40% bonus DMG. Failure adds 5% to the next attempt, stacking until triggered.

Lumina Crystal 4

Increases healing effects and healing received by 9%. Reduces DMG taken by 8% when in abnormal status. Increases DMG dealt to targets in abnormal status by 8%

Gale Crystal 4

All Stats +10ASPD +4%, Fixed Chanting Time -10%

Desperate StrikeIncreases P.ATK and M.ATK by 2~12%. Reduces P.DEF and M.DEF by 2~12%Desperate Strike: P.ATK and M.ATK +8%, P.DEF and M.DEF -8% (level 4). Taiwan's top rune for this build.

Layered BladeStacks when dealing DMG. Each stack increases DMG by 0.8%, up to 20 stacks, lasting 10s. After acquiring , gain 5 stacks each time DMG is dealt.Layered Blade: +0.4% damage per stack, up to 20 stacks (level 4). Gloria Domini hits often, so it stays full.

Balanced DefenseWhen HP is above 50%, DMG multiplier increases by 12%. When below 50%, DMG taken is reduced by 12%Balanced Defense: damage +8% above 50% HP, damage taken -8% below it (level 4).

Agile DefenseIncreases DMG by 1~6% when stationary. Reduces DMG taken by 1~6% when movingAgile Defense: damage +4% when standing still, damage taken -4% when moving (level 4).

Chance for Bonus DMGDealing DMG has a 15% chance to increase P.ATK and M.ATK by 24% for the next 8s. 30s cooldownChance for Bonus DMG: 15% chance for P.ATK and M.ATK +16% for 8s, 30s cooldown (level 4).

Reroll affixes last: ATK%, M.ATK% and Max HP%.

How to play

Taiwan players use Aqua 7, Lumina 4 and Gale 4. Paladins cannot apply status effects reliably, so Lumina 7 is not worth chasing. Lumina 4 and Gale 4 add stats.
Holy is your only element. Element converters on weapons do not change Gloria Domini, so pick MVPs that are weak to Holy and let Evil Purge handle the rest.
Put Gloria Domini on auto and keep casting it. The Divine state lasts 4.5s and needs 5 stacks that each last 5s, so a pause breaks the chain.

III · Calamity Zone raid

Raid build: shield tank for Calamity Zone

Neutral · Endless Shield War

A tank-first Paladin for Calamity Zone. From Hard difficulty a party needs a tank, and a shield Paladin has an extra Guard slot, -30% damage taken from Endless Shield War, and Rapid Smiting damage that keeps the boss on you.