a warrior’s storyptgmedia.pearsoncmg.com/imprint_downloads/brady/... · for a pvp warrior,...

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he smell was worse than anything you could imagine, my friends. As we approached the ancient homeland of the spiteful Gnomes, a stench fi lled the air we breathed. It was more than the smoke that surrounded us; it was the very Gnomes that burst from the earth around our party. They were fouled with disease and hatred, a fate worse than many would have wished even for the wasteful beasts.

I heard Illiathu, our Shaman, cry out. Three of the demonic things had charged towards her, and I knew even her strength would fail before long against such an onslaught. Crying with all the strength the Earthmother granted me, I ran over and leapt onto the fi rst. I stood still for a moment, paralyzed with fear even as my axe struck home. The others would have continued their attacks on Illiathu, intent on her falling Totems, but I was on them as well.

Swinging left and right, mocking their horrid faces and torturous heritage, I got their attention every way I knew how. They turned to me and struck helplessly against the fi nest steel our crafters can forge. The earth’s bounty protected me, and I saved Illiathu. She used her time well, and even our blasted Mage (Undead scoundrel that he is) came forward to show great power.

I slew none of the plagued Gnomes that time, though I wounded them all during the fray. Yet, as we walked deeper into the cursed city of Gnomeregan, the others thanked me. I protected them as I protect Mulgore, tradition, and the honor of the Horde.

A WARRIOR’S STORY

INTRODUCTION TO PLAYING A WARRIOR

Warriors are the protectors in World of Warcraft. These brave souls fi ght for both the Horde and Alliance,

and neither side would survive for long without their perseverance. Focusing primarily on melee combat,

Warriors use damage mitigation from their heavy armor to endure the attention of enemies; their role in

a group is to gather as much of that aggression as possible. By doing this, softer classes are left free to use

their healing, higher DPS, and other such abilities without fear of reprisal and death. Both in the fi eld and in

dungeons, Warriors always have a place in a skilled group.

Warriors are a common and beloved class, but there is something you must keep in mind from the fi rst moment you consider playing this class: they are not the highest damage dealers in the game. Even specced for high damage and using Battle Stance to its fullest, they are hard pressed to rival a Mage or Rogue for bringing down foes quickly. That isn’t to say they are weak in direct combat, but it is their ability to sustain damage and maintain the attack that puts them at the head of the column.

Warriors have enough hit points to take a few more hits than the other classes. Combine this with heavy armor (chain armor to start and plate after reaching level 40) and many of the strongest enemies in the game won’t have an easy time knocking them out of a fi ght. That is why so many groups want to have a Warrior in front; having a Warrior in a party makes every healer’s mana effi ciency improve. A blow that would do 100 hit points to a Priest may strike for a quarter of that to a well-equipped Warrior. In the long run, that saves mana and lives.

Paladins are tough as nails too, you say? It’s true, they sure are. In fact, Paladins can survive a few things that would fell even a seasoned Warrior. What makes Warriors better in a good fi ght? It is their ability to grab and hold aggro from enemies.

Not only do Warriors have a high survivability rate in combat, they are much better at ensuring the safety of others through Taunt, Mocking Blow, Challenging Shout, and other such powers. Paladins are pretty good at grabbing a single target, but they fail to approach the combat versatility of a Warrior. In addition, no other class has the ability to instantly grab aggro from any target. Add special abilities that slow enemies down, stop their healing, and so forth, and Warriors sound even better!

If being a group leader, saving lives, and ripping monsters off of your friends sounds like a great day, keep reading and go forward with pride. On the other hand, if getting into a melee class for raw, close-up damage is your goal, read through the Rogue class. Rogues are the kings of melee damage, despite a Warrior’s large muscles and shiny weaponry. If survival is more important to you than saving allies, Paladins are similar in style, but have a tad more staying power at the expense of group-saving tricks.

RACES AND STARTING ATTRIBUTESRACE STRENGTH STAMINA AGILITY INTELLECT SPIRIT

Dwarf 24 23 19 20 23Gnome 22 21 22 22 22Human 23 22 21 21 22Night Elf 22 21 22 23 21Orc 24 22 20 20 23Tauren 25 23 19 20 22Troll 23 22 20 20 24Undead 22 23 19 21 24

Copyright © 2006 DK Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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ITEMS AND EQUIPMENTWarriors are more dependent on equipment than just about any other class. We need our weapons to be as high as possible when it comes to DPS (for the damage and for holding onto aggro). We also need armor that is extremely up-to-date, and peripheral items that raise Stamina and Strength as much as possible. Add bandages, food, and even some explosives to the mix, and Warriors are often laden with goodies.

Okay, so what are your priorities? As a Warrior, whether you solo or join a group, a massive investment in armor is paramount. Unless you’re going with a two-handed weapon, a shield is one of your best items. Keep searching for quests with shield rewards and look for instances where high-quality shields drop. Add a Shield Spike to your shield for a bit of extra damage; it can really make a difference.

Keep your Armor Rating as high as possible while being somewhat picky about which pieces you grab. When available, armor pieces with similar stats should be distinguished by the attributes they raise. Warriors who go for survivability want to have as much Stamina as possible on their equipment. Enchant your items and always be on the lookout to replace gear that isn’t quite right for your stats with better pieces.

ATTRIBUTE LOVEWhen deciding what attributes are most important to you in terms of equipment bonuses, consider that many DPS Warriors need critical hits to do their best damage. This means Agility can actually surpass Strength in terms of usefulness. Having more critical hits can lead to incredible amounts of Rage.

Choosing a weapon is an important matter, being that Warriors are a melee class. Look into the Talent lines ahead of time and decide whether you’re going to specialize in a specifi c weapon variety. This only happens if you are free to spend 20 to 25 points in the Arms Line, so there is a decent chance you won’t need to worry about which weapon to use if you’re defensively oriented.

Whatever the case, be aware that swords and axes do a tad more damage than maces. Combined with a shield, one-handed weapons are critical for a defensive Warrior, while two-handed weapons deal more damage over time and are deadly when coupled with the Arms Line. If you want to make a DPS (high damage) Warrior, look into dual wielding or a two-handed weapon. In later levels, two handed weapons are devastating in the hands of a good Warrior.

CHOOSING YOUR PROFESSIONCreating your own arms and armor is rarely a bad thing. If that sounds fair to you, choose Blacksmithing and Mining as your professions. These complement each other perfectly, and you only need to grab items outside of these lines on rare occasions for odd potions, leather pieces, or some Alchemy metalwork. In terms of self-suffi ciency, these are truly wise choices.

For a PvP Warrior, Engineering is a solid choice (also paired with Mining). Having bombs and some of the gadgets that Engineering provides is effective for turning the tide of nasty battles, especially if you’re a very active fi ghter. Charge ahead of your group, use bombs to disrupt the incoming enemy lines, and continue forward for the softer targets. A short stun and some extra damage is more than enough to push initiative in your group’s favor, and a frontline character has a greater chance to make these things happen.

Even more useful to a Warrior in action are the secondary trades. Cooking and First Aid reduce downtime and limit your need to buy expensive food from local vendors. Keep both of these trades at a fair level and use them heavily to improve your kill rate. Even in groups these skills are useful, reducing the burden of your healers which in turn can greatly shorten quest and instance times.

CLASS ABILITIESWarriors have many abilities that are meant to be used in melee. These are not used through mana or energy, but instead with a system that is unique to this class. Rage is on a scale from 0 to 100, and unlike other classes, it stays at zero most of the time. When a Warrior strikes enemies or is hit by them, the Rage meter increases. Using points from this bar engages various abilities to defend the Warrior, do extra damage, gain aggro, or otherwise aid in combat.

The tables that follow show these abilities, broken down by schools of training. Many abilities can be used at any time, regardless of a Warrior’s current stance. Other abilities are tied to a specifi c stance. Together, these skills allow you many different options for handling your foes.

ATTRIBUTES APPLIEDStrength Increases Damage and Chance to BlockStamina Higher Hit PointsAgility Raises Chance to Get a Critical Strike and DodgeIntellect Faster Rate for Gaining Weapon SkillsSpirit Improves Hit Point Recovery


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GENERAL ABILITIESGeneral Abilities defi ne what a Warrior is. They are what differentiate the Warrior from other classes.

BLOCK

RANK LEVEL STANCE RAGE COST TO TRAIN EFFECTS

N/A 1 All — — Gives a chance to block enemy melee or ranged attacks with your shield.

DODGE


N/A 1 All — — Gives a chance to dodge enemy melee attacks.

DUAL WIELD


N/A 20 All — 40 1 Allows one-hand and off-hand weapons to be equipped in the off-hand.

THROW

RANK LEVEL STANCE RAGE RANGE COST TO TRAIN EFFECTS

N/A 1 All — 8-30 yd. — Hurl a thrown weapon at the target. 1.8 second cooldown.

PARRY


N/A 6 All — 1 1 Gives a chance to parry enemy melee attacks.

PLATE MAIL


N/A 40 All — 2 20 1 Grants the ability to wear Plate Armor.

STANCE LEVEL EFFECT

Battle 1 A balanced combat stance. No modifi cations to Attack or Defense

Defensive 10 A defensive combat stance. Decreases damage taken by 10% and damage caused by 10%. Increases threat generated.

Berserker 30 An aggressive stance. Critical Hit chance is increased by 3% and all damage taken is increased by 10%

STANCES


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CHARGE


1 4 Battle 9 1 1 Charge an enemy, generate 9 Rage, and stun it for 1 sec. Cannot be used in combat. 15 second cooldown.

2 26 Battle 12 1 Charge an enemy, generate 12 Rage, and stun it for 1 sec. Cannot be used in combat. 15 second cooldown.

3 46 Battle 15 3 60 1

Charge an enemy, generate 15 Rage, and stun it for 1 sec. Cannot be used in combat. 15 second cooldown.

ARMSThe Arms line focuses on being able to control a fi ght. For example, Charge lets you be fi rst to initiate combat, giving you an early chance to grab aggro. With abilities like Mocking Blow and Hamstring, you can force an enemy to give its full attention to you or snare enemies that try to run. Overpower and Retaliation deal massive damage to your foes. With its DoT’s, aggro gathering and fl ight control, the Arms line gives the Warrior many tools.

HAMSTRING


1 8 Battle, Berserk

-10 2 1 Maims the enemy, causing 5 damage and slowing the enemy’s movement to 60% of normal for 15 seconds.

2 32 Battle, Berserk

-10 1 40 1 Maims the enemy, causing 18 damage and slowing the enemy’s movement to 55% of normal for 15 seconds.

3 54 Battle, Berserk

-10 5 60 1 Maims the enemy, causing 45 damage and slowing the enemy’s movement to 50% of normal for 15 seconds.

HEROIC STRIKE


1 1 All -15 — A strong attack that increases melee damage by 11 and causes a high amount of threat.

2 8 All -15 2 1 A strong attack that increases melee damage by 21 and causes a high amount of threat.



5 32 All -15 1 40 1

A strong attack that increases melee damage by 58 and causes a high amount of threat.

6 40 All -15 2 20 1


7 48 All -15 4 A strong attack that increases melee damage by 111 and causes a high amount of threat.

8 56 All -15 9 80 1


9 60 All -15 — A strong attack that increases melee damage by 157 and causes a high amount of threat.

MOCKING BLOW


1 16 Battle -10 20 1 A mocking attack that causes 22 damage, a moderate amount of threat, and forces the target to focus its attacks on you for 6 seconds. 2 min cooldown.

2 26 Battle -10 1 1 A mocking attack that causes 31 damage a moderate amount of threat, and forces the target to focus its attacks on you for 6 seconds. 2 min cooldown.

3 36 Battle -10 1 80 1

A mocking attack that causes 46 damage a moderate amount of threat, and forces the target to focus its attacks on you for 6 seconds. 2 min cooldown.

4 46 Battle -10 3 60 1


5 56 Battle -10 5 80 1


OVERPOWER


1 12 Battle -5 10 1 Instantly overpowers the enemy, causing weapon damage plus 5. Only usable after the target dodges. The Overpower cannot be blocked, dodged, or parried. 5 second cooldown.

2 28 Battle -5 1 10 1

Instantly overpowers the enemy, causing weapon damage plus 15. Only usable after the target dodges. The Overpower cannot be blocked, dodged, or parried. 5 second cooldown.

3 44 Battle -5 3 40 1


4 60 Battle -5 6 20 1


REND


1 4 Battle, Defensive

-10 1 1 Wounds the target, causing them to bleed for 15 damage over 9 seconds.






-10 1 20 1

Wounds the target, causing them to bleed for 66 damage over 18 seconds.


-10 2 20 1



-10 4 20 1



-10 6 20 1


RETALIATION


N/A 20 Battle — 40 1 Instantly counterattack any enemy that strikes you in melee for 15 sec. Melee attacks from behind cannot be counterattacked. A maximum of 30 attacks will cause retaliation. 30 minute cooldown.


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THUNDER CLAP


1 6 Battle -20 1 1 Blasts nearby enemies with thunder, slowing their attack speed by 10% for 10 seconds and doing 10 damage to them. Will affect up to 4 targets. 4 second cooldown.

2 18 Battle -20 30 1 Blasts nearby enemies with thunder, slowing their attack speed by 10% for 14 seconds and doing 23 damage to them. Will affect up to 4 targets. 4 second cooldown.

3 28 Battle -20 1 10 1

Blasts nearby enemies with thunder, slowing their attack speed by 10% for 18 seconds and doing 37 damage to them. Will affect up to 4 targets. 4 second cooldown.

4 38 Battle -20 2 Blasts nearby enemies with thunder, slowing their attack speed by 10% for 22 seconds and doing 55 damage to them. Will affect up to 4 targets. 4 second cooldown.



FURYThe Fury line specializes in two things: damage and more damage. With abilities like Cleave and Whirlwind, the Fury line gives you the ability to damage multiple targets. Battle Shout helps the whole party while Challenging Shout focuses the enemy’s attention on you. If things get too hot, send the enemies fl eeing with Intimidating Shout. Execute is an invaluable tool for fi nishing off an enemy and the usefulness of Berserker Rage and Recklessness cannot be underestimated for creating a great deal of Rage. With abilities that allow you to hit multiple targets or to focus quick attacks on just one target, Fury is your best tool when it comes to dealing damage.

BATTLE SHOUT


1 1 All -10 10 1 The warrior shouts, increasing the attack power of all party members within 20 yards by 15. Lasts 2 min.



4 32 All -10 1 40 1

The warrior shouts, increasing the attack power of all party members within 20 yards by 85. Lasts 2 min.

5 42 All -10 3 20 1


6 52 All -10 5 40 1


7 60 All -10 — The warrior shouts, increasing the attack power of all party members within 20 yards by 232. Lasts 2 min.

BERSERKER RAGE


N/A 32 Berserker — 1 40 1

The warrior enters a berserker rage, becoming immune to Fear and Incapacitate effects and generating extra rage when taking damage. Lasts 10 seconds. 30 second cooldown.

CHALLENGING SHOUT


N/A 26 All -5 1 90 1 Forces all nearby enemies to focus attacks on you for 6 seconds. 10 minute cooldown.

CLEAVE


1 20 All -20 40 1 A sweeping attack that does your weapon damage plus 5 to your target and his nearest ally.

2 30 All -20 1 20 1 A sweeping attack that does your weapon damage plus 10 to your target and his nearest ally.




SKILLS LEARNED FROM THE ARMS TALENT TREE

MORTAL STRIKE

RANK

MINIMUM

LEVEL STANCE RAGE RANGE COST TO TRAIN EFFECTS

1 40 All -30 5 yd — A vicious strike that deals weapon damage plus 85 and wounds the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 10 sec. Requires Melee Weapon. 6 sec cooldown.

2 48 All -30 5 yd 16 1 A vicious strike that deals weapon damage plus 110 and wounds the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 10 sec. Requires Melee Weapon. 6 sec cooldown.

3 54 All -30 5 yd 22 1

40 1A vicious strike that deals weapon damage plus 135 and wounds the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 10 sec. Requires Melee Weapon. 6 sec cooldown.

4 60 All -30 5 yd 24 1

80 1A vicious strike that deals weapon damage plus 160 and wounds the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 10 sec. Requires Melee Weapon. 6 sec cooldown.

SWEEPING STRIKES

RANK

MINIMUM

LEVEL STANCE RAGE COST TO TRAIN EFFECTS

1 30 Battle -30 — Your next 5 melee weapon swings strike an additional nearby opponent. Requires Melee Weapon. 30 sec cooldown.


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DEMORALIZING SHOUT


1 14 All -10 15 1 Reduces the attack power of all enemies within 10 yds by 35 for 30 seconds.

2 24 All -10 80 1 Reduces the attack power of all enemies within 10 yds by 55 for 30 seconds.

3 34 All -10 1 60 1

Reduces the attack power of all enemies within 10 yds by 70 for 30 seconds.

4 44 All -10 3 40 1


5 54 All -10 5 60 1


EXECUTE


1 24 Battle, Berserker

-15 80 1 Attempt to fi nish off a wounded foe, causing 125 damage and converting each extra point of rage into 3 additional damage. Only useable on targets with 20% or less health.


-15 1 40 1

Attempt to fi nish off a wounded foe, causing 200 damage and converting each extra point of rage into 6 additional damage Only useable on targets with 20% or less health.


-15 2 20 1



-15 4 Attempt to fi nish off a wounded foe, causing 450 damage and converting each extra point of rage into 12 additional damage Can only be used on targets with 20% or less health.


-15 5 80 1


INTERCEPT


1 30 Berserker -15 — Charge an enemy, causing 40 damage and stunning it for 3 seconds. 30 second cooldown.

2 42 Berserker -15 4 40 1 Charge an enemy, causing 45 damage and stunning it for 3 seconds. 30 second cooldown.

3 52 Berserker -15 5 30 1 Charge an enemy, causing 65 damage and stunning it for 3 seconds. 30 second cooldown.

INTIMIDATING SHOUT


N/A 22 All -25 60 1 The warrior shouts, causing the targeted enemy to cower in fear. Up to 5 total nearby enemies will fl ee in fear. Lasts 8 sec. 3 minute cooldown.

PUMMEL


1 38 Berserker -10 2 Pummel the target for 20 damage. It also interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 4 seconds. 10 second cooldown.

2 58 Berserker -10 4 80 1 Pummel the target for 50 damage. It also interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 4 seconds. 10 second cooldown.

RECKLESSNESS


N/A 50 Berserker — 4 20 1 The warrior will cause critical hits with most attacks, and will be immune to Fear effects for the next 15 seconds, but all damage taken is increased by 20%. 30 minute cooldown.

SLAM


1 30 All -15 1 20 1 Slams the opponent, causing weapon damage plus 32. 1.5 second cast time.

2 38 All -15 2 Slams the opponent, causing weapon damage plus 43.



WHIRLWIND


N/A 36 Berserker -25 1 80 1 In a whirlwind of steel you attack up to 4 enemies within 8 yards, causing weapon damage to each enemy.

SKILLS LEARNED FROM THE FURY TALENT TREE

BLOODTHIRST

RANK

MINIMUM


1 40 All -30 5 yd — Instantly attack the target, causing damage equal to 45% of your attack power. In addition, the next 5 successful melee attacks will restore 10 health. This effect lasts 8 sec. 6 sec cooldown.

2 48 All -30 5 yd 16 1 Instantly attack the target, causing damage equal to 45% of your attack power. In addition, the next 5 successful melee attacks will restore 13 health. This effect lasts 8 sec. 6 sec cooldown.

1 54 All -30 5 yd 22 1

40 1Instantly attack the target, causing damage equal to 45% of your attack power. In addition, the next 5 successful melee attacks will restore 17 health. This effect lasts 8 sec. 6 sec cooldown.

1 60 All -30 5 yd 24 1

80 1Instantly attack the target, causing damage equal to 45% of your attack power. In addition, the next 5 successful melee attacks will restore 20 health. This effect lasts 8 sec. 6 sec cooldown.


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PROTECTIONThe Protection line is designed to keep you and others safe. Nearly all of the Protection abilities require the use of a shield. Taunt allows you to keep the enemy’s attention focused on you, while abilities like Shield Wall and Shield Block help you survive that attention. Add in abilities like Shield Bash, to interrupt casters, and Sunder Armor, to make your blows do more damage, and the Protection line contains some very valuable tools.

BLOODRAGE


N/A 10 All 20 6 1 Generates 10 Rage at the cost of Health and then generates an additional 10 Rage over 10 seconds. The warrior is considered in combat for the duration. 1 minute cooldown.

DISARM


N/A 18 Defensive -20 30 1 Disarm the enemy’s weapon for 10 seconds. 1 minute cooldown.

REVENGE


1 14 Defensive -5 15 1 Instantly counterattack an enemy for 12 to 14 damage and a high amount of threat. Revenge must follow a block, dodge, or parry. 5 second cooldown.

2 24 Defensive -5 80 1 Instantly counterattack an enemy for 18 to 22 damage and a high amount of threat. Revenge must follow a block, dodge, or parry. 5 second cooldown.

3 34 Defensive -5 1 60 1

Instantly counterattack an enemy for 25 to 31 damage and a high amount of threat. Revenge must follow a block, dodge, or parry. 5 second cooldown.

4 44 Defensive -5 3 40 1


5 54 Defensive -5 5 60 1


6 60 Defensive 5 — Instantly counterattack an enemy for 81 to 99 damage and a high amount of threat. Revenge must follow a block, dodge, or parry. 5 second cooldown.

SHIELD BASH



-10 10 1 Bashes the target with your shield for 6 damage. It also interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 6 seconds. Must have a shield equipped. 12 second cooldown.


-10 140 1

Bashes the target with your shield for 18 damage. It also interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 6 seconds. Must have a shield equipped. 12 second cooldown.


-10 5 40 1

Bashes the target with your shield for 45 damage. It also interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 6 seconds. Must have a shield equipped. 12 second cooldown.

SHIELD BLOCK


N/A 16 Defensive -10 20 1 Increases chance to block by 75% for 5 seconds, but will only block 1 attack.

SHIELD WALL


N/A 28 Defensive — 1 10 1

Reduces the damage taken from melee attacks, ranged attacks and spells by 75% for 10 seconds. 30 minute cooldown.

SUNDER ARMOR


1 10 All -15 — Sunders the target’s armor, reducing it by 90 per Sunder Armor and causes a high amount of threat. Can be applied up to 5 times. Lasts 30 seconds.

2 22 All -15 60 1 Sunders the target’s armor, reducing it by 180 per Sunder Armor and causes a high amount of threat. Can be applied up to 5 times. Lasts 30 seconds.

3 34 All -15 1 60 1

Sunders the target’s armor, reducing it by 270 per Sunder Armor and causes a high amount of threat. Can be applied up to 5 times. Lasts 30 seconds.

4 46 All -15 3 60 1

Sunders the target’s armor, reducing it by 360 per Sunder Armor and causes a high amount of threat. Can be applied up to 5 times. Lasts 30 seconds.

5 58 All -15 6 Sunders the target’s armor, reducing it by 450 per Sunder Armor and causes a high amount of threat. Can be applied up to 5 times. Lasts 30 seconds.

TAUNT


N/A 10 Defensive — — Taunts the target to attack you, but has no effect if the target is already attacking you. 10 second cooldown.

DEATH WISH

RANK

MINIMUM


1 30 All -10 — When activated, increases your physical damage by 20% and makes you immunde to Fear effects, but lowers your armor and all resistances by 20%. Lasts 30 sec. 3 min cooldown

PIERCING HOWL

RANK

MINIMUM


1 20 All -10 — Causes all enmies near the warrior to be dazed for 6 sec.


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TALENTS

Warrior Talents really help to push your characters toward either the defensive or aggressive ends of the spectrum. It’s hard to walk the middle ground with a Warrior and weapon choice plays into this quite distinctly. The Protection line encourages one-handed weapons, a shield, and the use of Defensive Stance. Arms works in conjunction with the Arms line, becoming stunning at high levels with two-handed weapons because of its instant attacks and major damage improvements. Fury is a good place to boost shouts, Berserk Stance and to raise damage, especially against multiple targets.

AR

MS TALENT NAME RANKS PREREQUISITES EFFECTS

Improved Heroic Strike 3 None Reduces the cost of your Heroic Strike ability by 1 Rage point (Per Rank).

Defl ection 5 None Increases your Parry by 1% (Per Rank).

Improved Rend 3 None Increases the bleed damage done by your Rend ability by 15%. Progression 15%/25%/35%.

Improved Charge 2 5 Points in Arms Increases the amount of Rage generated by your Charge ability by 3 (Per Rank).

Tactical Mastery 5 5 Points in Arms You retain up to 5 of your rage points (per Rank) when you change stances.

Improved Thunder Clap 3 5 Points in Arms Reduces the cost of your Thunder Clap ability by 1 rage point. Progression 1/2/4.

Improved Overpower 2 10 Points in Arms Increases the critical strike chance of your Overpower ability by 25% (Per Rank).

Anger Management 1 10 Point in Arms, 5 Points in Tactical Mastery Reduces the time required for your Rage to decay while out of combat by 30% (Per Rank).

Deep Wounds 3 10 Points in Arms, 3 Points in Improved Rend Your critical strikes causes the opponent to bleed, dealing 20% (Per Rank) of your melee weapon’s damage over 12 seconds.

Two-Handed Weapon Specialization 5 15 Points in Arms Increases the damage you deal with two-handed melee weapons by 1% (Per Rank).

Impale 2 15 Points in Arms, 3 points in Deep Wounds Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your abilities in Battle Defensive, and Berserker stance by 10% (Per Rank).

Axe Specialization 5 20 Points in Arms Increases your chance to get a critical strike with Axes by 1% (Per Rank).

Sweeping Strikes 1 20 Points in Arms, Battle Stance Your next 5 melee weapon swings strike an additional enemy.

Mace Specialization 5 20 Points in Arms Talents Gives you a 1% chance to stun your target for 3 sec with a Mace. Progression 1%/2%/3%/4%/6%

Sword Specialization 5 20 Points in Arms Gives you a 1% chance (Per Rank) to get an extra attack on the same target after dealing damage with your Sword.

Polearm Specialization 5 25 Points in Arms Increases your chance to get a critical strike with Polearms by 1% (Per Rank).

Improved Hamstring 3 25 Points in Arms Gives your Hamstring ability a 5% chance (Per Rank) to immobilize a target for 5 sec.

Mortal Strike 1 30 Points in Arms, 1 Point in Sweeping Strikes A vicious strike that deals weapon damage plus 85 and wounds the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 10 seconds.

CONCUSSION BLOW

RANK

MINIMUM


N/A 30 All -15 5 yd — Stuns the opponent for 5 sec. 45 sec cooldown.

LAST STAND

RANK

MINIMUM


N/A 20 All — — When activated, this ability temporarily grants you 30% of your maximum hit points for 20 sec. After the effect expires, the hit points are lost. 10 minute cooldown.

SHIELD SLAM

RANK

MINIMUM


1 40 Defensive -30 5 yd — Slam the target with your shield, causing 288 to 352 damage and has a 50% chance of dispelling 1 magic effect on the target. Also causes a high amount of threat. 6 sec cooldown.

2 48 Defensive -30 5 yd 16 1 Slam the target with your shield, causing 342 to 418 damage and has a 50% chance of dispelling 1 magic effect on the target. Also causes a high amount of threat. 6 sec cooldown.

3 54 Defensive -30 5 yd 22 1

40 1Slam the target with your shield, causing 396 to 484 damage and has a 50% chance of dispelling 1 magic effect on the target. Also causes a high amount of threat. 6 sec cooldown.

4 60 Defensive -30 5 yd 24 1

80 1Slam the target with your shield, causing 450 to 550 damage and has a 50% chance of dispelling 1 magic effect on the target. Also causes a high amount of threat. 6 sec cooldown.

SKILLS LEARNED FROM THE PROTECTION TALENT TREE


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The core Warrior strategies revolve around keeping enemies from doing their proper damage. Charge into battle for the free Rage, then Sunder Armor and Taunt targets to keep aggro off the higher DPS and healing classes. While soloing, ignore skills designed to increase your threat. Focus on dealing damage and keeping enemies in range with Hamstring.

PRO

TEC

TIO

N TALENT NAME RANKS PREREQUISITES EFFECTS

Shield Specialization 5 None Increases your chance to block attacks with a shield by 1% (Per Rank) and has a 20% chance (Per Rank) to generate 1 Rage when a block occurs.

Anticipation 5 None Increases your Defense skill by 2 (Per Rank).

Improved Bloodrage 2 5 Points in Protection Reduces the Health cost of your Bloodrage ability by 25% (Per Rank).

Toughness 5 5 Points in Protection Increases your armor value from items by 2% (Per Rank).

Iron Will 5 5 Points in Protection Increases your chance to resist stun and charm effects by 3% (Per Rank).

Last Stand 1 10 Points in Protection, 2 Points in Improved Bloodrage

When activated, this ability temporarily grants you 30% of your maximum Hit Points for 20 seconds. After the effect expires, the hit points are lost.

Improved Shield Block 3 10 Points in Protection, 5 Points in Shield Specialization

Allows your Shield Block ability to block an additional attack, and increases the duration by 0.5 seconds (Per Rank).

Improved Revenge 3 10 Points in Protection Gives your Revenge ability a 20% chance to stun the target for 3 seconds. Progression 20%/30%/40%.

Defi ance 5 10 Points in Protection Increases the threat generated by your attacks by 3% (Per Rank) while in Defensive Stance.

Improved Sunder Armor 3 15 Points in Protection Reduces the cost of your Sunder Armor ability by 1 rage point (Per Rank).

Improved Disarm 3 15 Points in Protection Increases the duration of your Disarm ability by 1 sec (Per Rank).

Improved Taunt 2 15 Points in Protection Reduces the cooldown of your Taunt ability by 1 sec (Per Rank).

Improved Shield Wall 2 20 Points in Protection Increases the effect duration of your Shield Wall ability by 3 sec. Progression 3/5.

Improved Shield Bash 2 20 Points in Protection Gives your Shield Bash ability a 50% chance (Per Rank) to silence the target for 3 seconds.

Concussion Blow 1 20 Points in Protection Stuns the opponent for 5 seconds.

One Handed Weapon Specialization 5 25 Points in Protection Increases the damage you deal with a One-Handed melee weapon by 2% (Per Rank).

Shield Slam 1 30 Points in Protection, 1 Point in Concussion Blow

Slam the target with your shield, causing 288 to 352 damage and has a 50% chance of dispelling 1 magic effect on the target. Also causes a high amount of threat.

STRATEGIES

GENERAL TIPSStrategy comes down to using your abilities in the right order to keep enemies debuffed as much as possible while dealing maximum damage for the Rage spent. Use early Rage to get off a Demoralizing Shout, substantially reducing enemy damage for a low cost. This is pretty much free during a Charge, because of the initial Rage boost, so Charge and use Demoralizing Shout even if you are a Defensive Warrior. You can always switch stances after using the free Rage.

Next, get Battle Shout going. This is a several minute ability that affects the entire party, so it’s critical to have it up all the time. If you’re having trouble getting the extra Rage because of missed strikes and such, use Blood Rage to generate more Rage and pull off that extra Battle Shout. It’s a large boost to you and an even greater one to any Rogues or Paladins grouped with you.

FURY TALENT NAME RANKS PREREQUISITE EFFECTS

Booming Voice 5 None Increases the area effect and duration of your Battle Shout and Demoralizing Shout by 10% (Per Rank).

Cruelty 5 None Increases your chance to get a critical strike with melee weapons by 1% (Per Rank).

Improved Demoralizing Shout 5 5 Points in Fury Increases the Attack Power reduction of your Demoralizing Shout by 8% (Per Rank).

Unbridled Wrath 5 5 Points in Fury Gives you a 8% chance (Per Rank) to generate an additional Rage point when you deal melee damage with a weapon.

Improved Cleave 3 10 Points in Fury Increases the bonus damage of your Cleave ability by 40% (Per Rank).

Piercing Howl 1 10 Points on Fury Causes all enemies near the warrior to be dazed for 6 seconds.

Blood Craze 3 10 Points in Fury Regenerates 1% (Per Rank) of your total health after being the victim of a critical strike.

Improved Battle Shout 5 10 Points in Fury Increases the Attack Power bonus of your Battle Shout by 5% (Per Rank).

Dual Wield Specialization 5 15 Points in Fury Increases the damage done by your offhand weapon by 5% (Per Rank).

Improved Execute 2 15 Points in Fury Reduces the Rage cost of your Execute ability. Progression 2/5.

Enrage 5 15 Points in Fury Gives you an 5% melee damage bonus (Per Rank) for 12 seconds up to a maximum of 12 swings after being the victim of a critical strike.

Improved Slam 5 20 Points in Fury Decreases the casting time of your Slam ability by 0.1 seconds (Per Rank).

Death Wish 1 20 Points in Fury When activated, increases your physical damage by 20% and makes you immune to Fear

effects but lowers your armor and all resistances by 20%. Lasts 30 sec.

Improved Intercept 2 20 Points in Fury Reduces the cooldown of your Intercept ability by 5 seconds (Per Rank).

Improved Berserker Rage 2 25 Points in Fury The Berserker Rage ability will generate 5 rage (Per Rank) when used.

Flurry 5 25 Points in Fury, 5 Points in Enrage Increases your attack speed by 10% for your next 3 swings after dealing a critical strike. Progression 10%/15%/20%/25%/30%.

Bloodthirst 30 Points in Fury, 1 Point in Death Wish Instantly attack the target, causing damage equal to 40% of your attack power. In addition, the next 5 successful melee attacks will restore 10 health. This effect lasts 8 sec.


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HUNTER

DRUID

MAGE

PALADIN

PRIEST

ROGUE

SHAMAN

WARLOCK

WARRIOR

One fi ne way to act as a defensive tank without needing to spam Taunt as often is to wait several levels past the normal spot for hitting various instances. If most people are heading into the Deadmines a bit after 20, you may have a much better time holding back until passing into your mid 20’s or even a bit beyond. The delayed gratifi cation of getting better gear may invalidate this suggestion, depending on your needs, but having Warriors who are higher level than the rest of the group makes those Warriors much more effective without needing to Taunt as often.

For Warriors who primarily use Battle Stance, another strategy is useful. Charge into the enemy, gaining initial Rage which you can use to Sunder Armor. Not only does this ability reduce the target’s armor, it also generates a high level of threat. This can be an effective way to hold aggro while making the target more vulnerable to the party’s attacks. If your healer still grabs aggro, you can then use Mocking Blow to make the target pay attention to you again.

TIMED ABILITIESYour timed abilities are quite good, and they come into play often. Intimidating Shout is a blessing most of the time, but it must be used correctly. This AoE shout makes your target cower, while forcing other enemies in the area to fl ee in fear. Feared enemies have a chance of breaking fear if they start to take damage, so this is more an ability to buy time when healing, running or when other such actions are needed. Because running enemies have a tendency to return with friends, save Intimidating Shout for situations where there are no other enemies near or as a last resort to make an escape.

Challenging Shout has a long cooldown, but at least it doesn’t cost much to activate. Use this AoE Taunt to grab extra aggro when facing multiple enemies. Hit Demoralizing Shout and Challenging Shout, after the brief cooldown, for a good way to have the enemies jump on you and deal less damage. Be aware that this is not a strong Taunt, and it isn’t dependable at maintaining aggro on its own. Do damage quickly and start using Sunder Armor before the enemies realize that a Mage is going nuts with Arcane Explosion on their backsides. An effective way to do this is while facing melee-type enemies is to couple Challenging Shout with Retaliation. Although it has a 30 minute timer, Retaliation infl icts an impressive amount of damage and allows you to keep the attention of enemies a bit longer.

PROTECTING YOURSELF AND A PARTYTaunt is the best, and sometimes worst, aspect of Defensive Stance. This ability is quite powerful, have no doubt, but it is a consuming master. In a large group, fi ghting in challenging instances, a Defensive Warrior is going to be using Taunt quite frequently. Each target may require at least a few of taps of the button. Taunt saves lives and leaves a group long in your favor, but be ready to tap the key often.

ON THE OFFENSEHamstring is your key snare; this ensures that enemies can’t run away from you, go after other targets quickly, or do anything effective in melee without paying some major time in moving around. Being an instant ability, Hamstring is stunningly powerful. Save it for the end of battle against enemies who run to ensure a long session of back attacks and easy hits. Use it early in PvP against enemies who need to remain mobile, like casters and Rogues.

Rend is an ability with some controversy surrounding its use. For a low Rage cost, Rend provides an immediate DoT against opponents. In terms of damage per point of Rage, this is a good investment since the damage is not mitigated by armor. The downside is that you need the target to survive for the entire duration of Rend to get the full effect. At higher levels, that can mean 21 seconds of fi ghting. Thus, Rend is a good tool for soloing Warriors or those who are going against elites or creatures with high armor. Rend is also useful in PvP, especially against Rogues. By getting off a Rend early, you can prevent the Rogue from retreating into stealth, which gives you a defi nite advantage.

Thunder Clap is not a damage dealer, nor does its debuff last long enough to warrant throwing 20 Rage down the pipe. Instead, use Thunder Clap as a way to grab new enemies’ attention quickly. In conjunction with Demoralizing Shout, it can be used to grab light aggro and reduce the damage being done by a new swarm of enemies, giving the group a bit more time to fi ght the targets before your healers start casting and draw the aggro off of you.

Keep a ranged weapon and at least a single stack of ammunition around at all times, even if you prefer to Charge rather than to pull enemies back to you. Not only do many ranged weapons have statistical bonuses, but in PvP and against some monsters, you’re likely to be rooted from time to time. Standing around doing nothing while the rest of your group takes damage can be grueling. At least give yourself the option to shoot back, wound or disrupt casters, and so forth. If you need room on your quickbar for other things, put the ranged icons on a spare bar that can be quickly readied.

Make use of your abilities in the best possible way in each battle. The use of things like Hamstring, Sunder Armor, and Mocking Blow can turn the tide of battle far more than a dose of extra damage. Use these abilities often to get a sense of when they are most useful.

Use Pummel and Shield Bash to interrupt spellcasters. In cases where your target has a consistent casting time, use these interrupts at the latter stage of the casting to waste as much of your enemy’s time as possible.


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QUEST LEVEL QUEST LAUNCHER QUEST COMPLETER CHAIN ? MAX XP

Simple Note 1 Grull Hawkwind Harutt Thunderhorn N 40

Simple Parchment 1 Gornek Frang N 40

Simple Scroll 1 Shadow Priest Sarvis Dannal Stern N 40

Simple Tablet 1 Gornek Frang N 40

Speak with Dillinger 10 Austil de Mon Deathguard Dillinger S 100

Ulag the Cleaver 10 Deathguard Dillinger Deathguard Dillenger Y 85

Speak with Coleman 10 Deathguard Dillinger Coleman Farthing Y 210

Agammand Heirlooms

11 Coleman Farthing Coleman Farthing Y 650

Veteran Uzzek 10 Tarshaw Jaggedscar Uzek S 100

Path of Defense 10 Uzzek Uzzek Y 625

Thun’grim Firegaze 10 Uzzek Thun’grim Firegaze Y 210

Forged Steel 10 Thun’grim Firegaze Thun’grim Firegaze Y 850

Speak with Ruga 20 Sorek Ruga Ragetotem S 160

Trail at the Field of Giants

20 Ruga Ragetotem Ruga Ragetotem Y 1550

Speak with Thun’grim

20 Ruga Ragetotem Thun’grim Firegaze Y 775

Brutal Armor 30 Thun’grim Firegaze Thun’grim Firegaze S 3650

Ula’elek and the Brutal Gauntlets

30 Thun’grim Firegaze Ula’elek Y 1200

Satyr Hooves 30 Ula’elek Ula’elek Y 1200

Orm Stonehoof and the Brutal Helm

30 Thun’grim Firegaze Orm Stonehoof Y 1850

Chimaeric Horn 30 Orm Stonehoof Orm Stonehoof Y 1200

Velora Nitely and the Brutal Legguards

30 Thun’grim Firegaze Velora Nitely Y 1850

Dragonmaw Shinbones

30 Velora Nitely Velora Nitely Y 1200

HORDE


The Islander 30 Warrior Trainer Klannoc Macleod S 600

The Affray 30 Klannoc Macleod Klannoc Macleod Y 2450

The Windwatcher 30 Klannoc Macleod Bath’rah the Windwatcher

Y 250

Cyclonian 40 Bath’rah the Windwatcher

Bath’rah the Windwatcher

Y 2350

The Summoning 40 Bath’rah the Windwatcher

Bath’rah the Windwatcher

Y 2350

A Troubled Spirit 50 Warrior Trainer Fallen Hero of the Horde

S 240

Warrior Kinship 52 Fallen Hero of the Horde

Fallen Hero of the Horde

Y 5100

War on the Shadowsworn

53 Fallen Hero of the Horde


Y 5250

Voodoo Feathers 52 Fallen Hero of the Horde


Y 6350

Codex of Defense 62 Dire Maul Lorekeeper Kildrath N 7050

Foror’s Compendium of Dragon Slaying

60 Dire Maul Lorekeeper Lydros N 9950

SHARED

ALLIANCE


Simple Letter 1 Marshall McBride Llane Beshere N 40

Simple Memorandum 1 Sten Stoutarm Thran Khorman N 40

Simple Rune 1 Sten Stoutarm Thran Khorman N 40

Simple Sigil 1 Conservator Ilthalaine Alyissia N 40

A Warrior’s Training 10 Lyria Du Lac Harry Burlguard S 85

Bartleby the Drunk 10 Harry Burlguard Bartleby Y 85

Beat Bartleby 10 Bartleby Bartleby Y 210

Bartleby’s Mug 10 Bartleby Harry Burlguard Y 420

Elanaria 10 Sentinel Elissa Starbreeze

Elanaria S 85

Vorlus Vilehoof 10 Elanaria Elanaria Y 850

Marshal Haggard 10 Harry Burlguard Marshal Haggard S 420

Dead Tooth Jack 10 Marshall Haggard Marshall Haggard Y 850

Muren Stormpike 10 Granis Swiftaxe Muren Stormpike S 85

Vejrek 11 Muren Stormpike Muren Stormpike Y 1100

Tormus Deepforge 11 Muren Stormpike Tormus Deepforge Y 100

Ironband’s Compound

11 Tormus Deepforge Tormus Deepforge Y 650

The Shade of Elura 10 Elanaria Elanaria Y 850

Smith Mathiel 10 Elanaria Mathiel Y 420

Yorus Barleybrew 20 Wu Shen Yorus Barleybrew S 160

The Rethban Gauntlet

20 Yorus Barleybrew Yorus Barleybrew Y 1300

The Shieldsmith 22 Yorus Barleybrew Furen Longbeard S 440

Fire Hardened Mail 28 Furen Longbeard Furen Longbeard Y 2300

Mathiel 28 Furen Longbeard Mathiel Y 1150

Sunscorched Shells 30 Mathiel Mathiel Y 3050

Klockmort Spannerspan

28 Furen Longbeard Klockmort Spannerspan

Y 575

Iron Coral 29 Klockmort Spannerspan

Klockmort Spannerspan

Y 1750

Grimand Elmore 28 Furen Longbeard Grimand Elmore Y 575

Burning Blood 28 Grimand Elmore Grimand Elmore Y 2300

CLASS QUESTS


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