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Warrior PvE guide

Rotations & Guide · PvE guide · PvP guide · Talent builds · Abilities · Talent Calculator · Macros · Changes vs Classic

Other classes: Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Shaman, Mage, Warlock, Druid

Warriors are rage-fuelled melee fighters that excel as tanks or two-handed/dual-wield damage dealers. Forever makes Tactical Mastery baseline so stance dancing keeps rage, reworks Slam into an 18 sec cooldown strike (Improved Slam, now an Arms tier 6 talent, no longer resets your swing), and adds Spearing Strike, an Arms talent for dismounting and hitting giants.

Arms Warrior PvE guide

Arms is the two-handed damage spec. At level 20 a dungeon Arms warrior plays much like any warrior: Rend, Overpower, Slam and Heroic Strike, with Anger Management supplying Rage when nobody is hitting you. Its signature talents come at 30, the beta's cap since the 1 October build, and 40: at 30 the dungeon build adds Sweeping Strikes, Deep Wounds and Impale, so your crits bleed and hit harder, and Mortal Strike follows at 40. Either way your job is to spend Rage well and not pull threat off the tank.

Your job in a group

Arms deals single-target melee damage with a two-handed weapon and brings Battle Shout, which raises the melee attack power of every party or raid member within 20 yards. On packs you add Cleave (learned at 20), and Thunder Clap or Demoralizing Shout when the tank needs help. Arms has no interrupt of its own before Pummel at 38 unless you carry a shield for Shield Bash, so leave interrupts to the tank or a Rogue. Disarm takes the weapon off a hard-hitting humanoid for 10 sec, Hamstring stops a fleeing enemy from bringing friends, and if an enemy gets loose you can change to Defensive Stance and Taunt it off the healer.

Opener

Battle Shout: Before the pull. It reaches every party member within 20 yd and lasts 3 min, so one cast covers several pulls.
Charge: Once the tank has the enemy's attention and you aren't in combat yet: 9 Rage and a 1 sec stun. It can't be used in combat, so it is only an opener.
Bloodrage: Right after Charge, or as soon as the pull starts if you walk in: 10 Rage at once and another 10 Rage over 10 sec. It puts you in combat, so never press it before Charge.
Rend: On elites and bosses that will live through most of its 15 sec. Improved Rend makes the bleed stronger. Skip it on trash that dies quickly.
Overpower: Every time the target dodges: a cheap weapon hit that can't be blocked, dodged or parried.
Slam: Right after a swing lands, when it is off cooldown. Its cast delays your next swing until Improved Slam, a tier 6 Arms talent at 35, so start it just after a swing to lose as little as possible.
Heroic Strike: Your Rage dump on a single target once the tank has a lead. It causes a high amount of threat, and Improved Heroic Strike makes it cheaper.
Cleave: Instead of Heroic Strike when two enemies stand together and nothing crowd-controlled is next to them.

Cooldowns

Bloodrage: Whenever it is ready and you are short of Rage. It costs health rather than Rage, so skip it when the healer is struggling.
Slam: Every time it comes off cooldown on a target that stands still. Blizzard's notes say its cooldown was raised in Forever, so it is a regular extra hit, not a filler you can repeat.
Disarm: On a humanoid elite or boss that hits hard with a weapon: 10 sec without it takes pressure off the tank.
Retaliation: When a pull goes wrong and several melee enemies hit you from the front: every melee hit on you for 15 sec is counterattacked. Its 15 min cooldown makes it an emergency button.

Stats

Weapon DPS, Strength, Hit, Critical Strike, Agility, Stamina. Overpower, Slam and Cleave all deal your weapon damage plus a bonus, so a two-hander with high damage per swing is the biggest upgrade you can find. Strength is your main damage stat. Hit stops swings and attacks from missing, and a missed attack wastes Rage as well as damage. Critical Strike gains value at 30, when the dungeon build takes Deep Wounds and Impale, and since the 1 October build (level 30) a crit also gives 100% more Rage, twice a normal hit (Blizzard's Warrior notes). Agility is a smaller gain, and Stamina comes last in a group with a healer.

Tips

Charge and Bloodrage both belong at the start of a fight, but Bloodrage puts you in combat and Charge can't be used in combat. Always Charge first.
Tactical Mastery, a trainer passive new in Forever at level 14, keeps up to 10 Rage when you change stance, and Improved Tactical Mastery keeps up to 15 more. If the tank dies, change to Defensive Stance and Taunt the enemy without losing all your Rage.
Heroic Strike and Cleave both cause extra threat. In the first seconds of a pull, spend Rage on Rend, Overpower and Slam, and only dump Rage into Heroic Strike once the tank has a lead.
Hamstring humanoids that turn to run at low health, so they can't bring more enemies back to the group.
Charge, Overpower and Retaliation need Battle Stance, Disarm and Taunt need Defensive Stance, Intercept and Berserker Rage need Berserker Stance, and Rend, Thunder Clap and Shield Bash work in Battle or Defensive Stance. If an attack stays greyed out, change stance; Tactical Mastery means it costs you little Rage. Arms stays in Battle Stance for Overpower and Sweeping Strikes, even at 30 when Berserker Stance opens up.

Fury Warrior PvE guide

Fury is the dual-wield damage spec, but at 20 the dungeon build's talents are all passive and you press the same buttons as any warrior. Cruelty adds crit, Unbridled Wrath adds Rage from your hits, and Furious Precision, new in the 1 October build, makes your off-hand land more often. At 30, the beta's cap, Dual Wield Specialization, Raging Blows and Fury's burst talent, Death Wish, join them.

Your job in a group

Fury deals melee damage and brings Battle Shout for the whole party. It is at its best on pulls of two or more, where Cleave hits two enemies at once (Raging Blows makes it cheaper at 30), and it can help the tank with Thunder Clap and Demoralizing Shout. Like Arms it has no interrupt before Pummel at 38 unless you carry a shield for Shield Bash. Disarm a hard-hitting humanoid, Hamstring enemies that run, and be ready to change to Defensive Stance and Taunt if an enemy breaks loose on the healer.

Opener

Battle Shout: Before the pull, for every party member within 20 yd; it lasts 3 min.
Charge: When the tank has the enemy and you aren't in combat yet: 9 Rage and a 1 sec stun.
Bloodrage: Right after Charge: 10 Rage at once and another 10 Rage over 10 sec.
Cleave: On packs once the tank has threat, when two enemies stand together and nothing crowd-controlled is next to them. Raging Blows in the level 30 build makes it cheaper.
Slam: Right after a swing lands, when it is off cooldown. Its cast delays your next swing; Improved Slam, which removes that, is an Arms talent in Forever's tree.
Heroic Strike: Your Rage dump on one target. Hold it until the tank has a lead, since it causes a high amount of threat.
Overpower: Whenever the target dodges; it can't be blocked, dodged or parried, and it is cheap.

Cooldowns

Bloodrage: Every time it is ready and you need Rage. It costs health, not Rage.
Retaliation: When several melee enemies turn on you: every melee hit from the front for 15 sec is counterattacked. It has a 15 min cooldown.
Disarm: On a humanoid that hits hard with a weapon: 10 sec without it.
Demoralizing Shout: On packs of melee enemies: lowers the melee attack power of every enemy within 10 yd for 45 sec. Agree with the tank who casts it, so you don't both spend Rage on it.

Stats

Hit, Strength, Critical Strike, Agility, Weapon DPS, Stamina. Fury wants to land as many hits as possible: Unbridled Wrath gives Rage from weapon hits, and a miss wastes damage and Rage, so Hit comes first, and Furious Precision covers the off-hand. Strength is your main damage stat, and Critical Strike stacks with Cruelty; since the 1 October build (level 30) a crit also gives 100% more Rage, twice a normal hit (Blizzard's Warrior notes). Agility is a smaller gain. Weapon DPS matters for both weapons if you dual-wield, and for a two-hander if you don't.

Tips

Unbridled Wrath now gives 1 Rage per proc whatever you wield; the two-hander bonus is gone from its 1 October tooltip. The client lets warriors dual-wield from level 20, and the level 20 dungeon build's point of Furious Precision only helps with a weapon in each hand, so with a two-hander put it in Piercing Howl or Blood Craze instead.
Since the 1 October build a queued Heroic Strike no longer raises your off-hand hit chance, and Dual Wield Specialization lost its old, much bigger off-hand Rage bonus (the client now shows 10% more off-hand Rage per rank). Blizzard's known issues also say Dual Wield Specialization currently gives hit chance to both hands, which it shouldn't, so expect that to change.
Cleave and Heroic Strike both cause extra threat. Don't Cleave next to a crowd-controlled enemy, and give the tank a couple of seconds at the start of every pull.
Blizzard raised Slam's cooldown in Forever, and Improved Slam, which shortens it again and stops it delaying your swing, is a tier 6 Arms talent in Forever's tree, out of Fury's reach. Start Slam right after a swing lands so its cast delays your next swing as little as possible.
If you pull threat, move toward the tank so they can Taunt the enemy back, or change to Defensive Stance if the tank is down; Tactical Mastery keeps up to 10 Rage when you do.

Protection Warrior PvE guide

Protection is the tanking spec: a one-handed weapon, a shield and Defensive Stance. At 20 you hold threat with Sunder Armor, Revenge and Heroic Strike, spread it on packs with Thunder Clap and Demoralizing Shout, and use Shield Block to turn blocks into Rage and Revenges. Blizzard corrected Sunder Armor's threat on all ranks in Forever, including a small increase to the threat it gets from attack power.

Your job in a group

You take the hits and hold every enemy's attention. Defensive Stance lowers the damage you take by 10% and raises all your threat by 30%. Thunder Clap hits up to 4 enemies and Demoralizing Shout reaches every enemy within 10 yards, and you tab between enemies with Sunder Armor and Revenge to keep each one on you. Shield Bash interrupts casters and locks out that spell school for 6 sec, which makes you the group's main interrupt. Taunt and Mocking Blow pull back an enemy that turns on the healer. Mark targets and ask for crowd control on big packs, since you have no area taunt until Challenging Shout at 26, and pull at a pace your healer's Mana can keep up with.

Opener

Charge: Into the first enemy of the pull: 9 Rage and a 1 sec stun. It can't be used in combat, so it only opens.
Defensive Stance: Straight after Charge: 10% less damage taken and 30% more threat. Tactical Mastery keeps some Rage when you switch.
Bloodrage: Right away: 10 Rage now and 10 Rage more over 10 sec, raised by Improved Bloodrage.
Thunder Clap: First on a pack: up to 4 enemies take damage and attack 20% slower for 14 sec. Improved Thunder Clap makes it cheaper.
Demoralizing Shout: Reaches every enemy within 10 yd and lowers their melee attack power for 45 sec. Blizzard's 1 October known issues say it doesn't cause threat for now, so don't count on it to hold a pack.
Sunder Armor: On the main target, then tab to the others. It stacks up to 5 times and lasts 30 sec.
Revenge: Every time it lights up after a block, dodge or parry: cheap and a high amount of threat.
Shield Block: When the enemy is swinging at you: 75% more block chance for 7 sec, up to 2 blocks. Every block gives Rage through Shield Specialization.

Cooldowns

Taunt: When an enemy turns away from you. It has no effect on an enemy that is already attacking you.
Mocking Blow: Your backup taunt when Taunt is on cooldown: the enemy focuses on you for 6 sec. It has a 2 min cooldown.
Shield Bash: Interrupt a heal or a dangerous spell; it locks out that spell school for 6 sec.
Disarm: On a boss or elite that hits hard with a weapon: 10 sec without it.
Retaliation: When a big pull is all over you: every melee hit from the front for 15 sec is counterattacked. It has a 15 min cooldown.
Bloodrage: Each time it is ready and you need Rage for threat. It costs health, which your healer has to cover.

Stats

Stamina, Armor, Defense, Block, Block Value, Dodge, Parry, Hit, Strength. Stamina and armor keep you alive while your healer catches up. Defense, Block, Dodge and Parry all help you avoid or reduce hits, and they feed your Rage too: blocks through Shield Specialization, dodges and parries through Master of Defense, and every one of them lights up Revenge. Hit and Strength add threat once you are hard to kill.

Tips

Shield Specialization gives 5 Rage on every block, so keep Shield Block up against enemies that hit you often: it pays for itself and keeps Revenge available.
Heroic Strike causes a high amount of threat, but it spends Rage you may need for Sunder Armor and Revenge. Use it only when you have Rage to spare.
Defiance, the tier 3 talent that raises all your threat in Defensive Stance by up to 15% while a shield is equipped, is readable in Forever's tree. The level 20 tank build spends its points on Rage instead, and the level 30 tank build takes all 3 ranks.
Mark a kill order and ask for crowd control before big pulls. Until Challenging Shout at 26 you have no way to pull a whole pack back to you.
Thunder Clap only hits up to 4 enemies. On bigger pulls, Demoralizing Shout still reaches every enemy within 10 yards, so use both, then tab-Sunder whichever enemies aren't attacking you.
Blizzard's 1 October known issues say Demoralizing Shout doesn't cause threat right now, so open packs with Thunder Clap and tab-Sunder until it's fixed. Execute and Hamstring need Battle or Berserker Stance, so a tank in Defensive Stance can't use them.

Checked against WoW Forever beta build 1.60.1.70658.

Tips & tricks: what ForeverDB learned

Arms

Updated 31 October 2026 for build 1.60.1.70707 · From the DPS simulator, the game client

Learning from players: DPS. Collecting comparable fights before publishing observed cast patterns.

Observed cast patterns, not a proven optimal rotation. Gear, buffs, healing assignments and incoming damage can explain performance differences. HPS is effective healing; overhealing does not increase it. HPS counts effective healing, APS counts recorded shield absorption, and EHPS is their combined rate. Shield application sizes and overhealing do not increase EHPS. Healing assignments and incoming damage still limit healer comparisons. Build groups use the version reported by the log; some logs omit the hotfix build number.

Simulator: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 1.3% of your DPS at levels 30-39. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Best consumable at levels 30-39: Bear Brisket (+2.1% DPS in the simulator); then Scroll of Strength II (+1.9%). (levels 30–39)
Simulator: The party buff that helps you most at levels 30-39 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +4.4% DPS in the simulator. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Where your damage comes from at levels 30-39: auto attacks 51%, Heroic Strike 16%, Slam 11% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Slam is worth 9.7% of your DPS at levels 30-39: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Overpower is worth 5.3% of your DPS at levels 30-39: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Stat values at level 30 (simulator, 1 attack power = 1): Strength 2, hit rating 1.2, Agility 1.03. (level 30)
Simulator: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 1.7% of your DPS at levels 20-29. (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Best consumable at levels 20-29: Elixir of Ogre Strength (+2.5% DPS in the simulator); then Bear Brisket (+1.4%). (levels 20–29)
Simulator: The party buff that helps you most at levels 20-29 is Blessing of Kings from a Paladin: +4.1% DPS in the simulator. (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Where your damage comes from at levels 20-29: auto attacks 57%, Heroic Strike 15%, Slam 14% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Slam is worth 12.7% of your DPS at levels 20-29: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Rend is worth 6.6% of your DPS at levels 20-29: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. It kept it on the target 94% of the time. (levels 20–29)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 2.4% of your DPS at levels 40-49. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Best consumable at levels 40-49: Bear Brisket (+1.5% DPS in the simulator); then Scroll of Strength II (+1.4%). (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: The party buff that helps you most at levels 40-49 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +4.8% DPS in the simulator. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Where your damage comes from at levels 40-49: auto attacks 44%, Heroic Strike 16%, Slam 12% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Slam is worth 11.1% of your DPS at levels 40-49: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Execute is worth 7.3% of your DPS at levels 40-49: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 2.2% of your DPS at levels 50-59. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Best consumable at levels 50-59: Bear Brisket (+1.2% DPS in the simulator); then Scroll of Strength II (+1.1%). (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: The party buff that helps you most at levels 50-59 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +4.6% DPS in the simulator. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Where your damage comes from at levels 50-59: auto attacks 40%, Heroic Strike 19%, Execute 14% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Execute is worth 10.5% of your DPS at levels 50-59: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Slam is worth 9% of your DPS at levels 50-59: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 1.8% of your DPS at level 60. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: The party buff that helps you most at level 60 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +3.8% DPS in the simulator. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Where your damage comes from at level 60: auto attacks 33%, Heroic Strike 30%, Execute 11% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Slam is worth 9.6% of your DPS at level 60: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Execute is worth 8% of your DPS at level 60: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (level 60)

How to play it at levels 30–39: priority, procs and cooldowns

What to press, in order. Cast the first one that is ready and whose condition holds.

Execute: When the target is under 20% health: Only below 20% target health; worth 4.1% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Rend: When it's missing from the target: Keep it on the target: up 89% of the sim's fight; worth 4.9% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Overpower: after dodge: Only after the target dodges; worth 5.3% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Slam: Whenever it's ready: Cast it when it's ready (18 s cooldown); worth 9.7% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Heroic Strike: Fill the gaps with it: Your filler: cast it when nothing above is ready; the sim gains little from it (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)

React to:

Under 20% health: Execute: Execute works once the target is under 20% health (Forever client, Simulator)

Keep up:

Rend on the target, at least 85% of the time (Simulator, Forever client)

Cooldowns:

Bloodrage: On the pull (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)

Before the pull:

Blessing of Might (Simulator, Forever client)
Blessing of Kings (Simulator, Forever client)
Mark of the Wild (Simulator, Forever client)
Bear Brisket (Simulator, Forever client)
Scroll of Strength II (Simulator, Forever client)
Elixir of Ogre Strength (Simulator, Forever client)
Elixir of Agility (Simulator, Forever client)

Latest changes:

31 October 2026: client build 1.60.1.70658 -> 1.60.1.70707 (new client build 1.60.1.70707)
29 October 2026: tip wording or values (the simulator or the site's data changed)
29 October 2026: tip wording or values (DPS/HPS observation limits and bounded addon learning data)

Fury

Updated 31 October 2026 for build 1.60.1.70707 · From the DPS simulator, the game client

Learning from players: DPS. Collecting comparable fights before publishing observed cast patterns.

Simulator: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 1.2% of your DPS at levels 30-39. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Death Wish (3 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 9% of your DPS at levels 30-39. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Best consumable at levels 30-39: Bear Brisket (+2.7% DPS in the simulator); then Scroll of Strength II (+2.4%). (levels 30–39)
Simulator: The party buff that helps you most at levels 30-39 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +5.3% DPS in the simulator. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Where your damage comes from at levels 30-39: auto attacks 30%, Off hand 26%, Heroic Strike 20% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Slam is worth 5.9% of your DPS at levels 30-39: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 30–39)
Speculation: The simulator uses Classic's rule here (Execute below 20% (Classic: 3 damage per extra Rage)); the Forever client doesn't give the number: Execute is worth 5.1% of your DPS at levels 30-39: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 30–39)
Simulator: Stat values at level 30 (simulator, 1 attack power = 1): Strength 2, Agility 0.9, haste rating 0.7. (level 30)
Simulator: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 1.9% of your DPS at levels 20-29. (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Best consumable at levels 20-29: Elixir of Ogre Strength (+2.7% DPS in the simulator); then Bear Brisket (+1.6%). (levels 20–29)
Simulator: The party buff that helps you most at levels 20-29 is Blessing of Kings from a Paladin: +5% DPS in the simulator. (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Where your damage comes from at levels 20-29: auto attacks 40%, Off hand 24%, Heroic Strike 16% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Overpower is worth 6.1% of your DPS at levels 20-29: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 20–29)
Simulator: Slam is worth 5.7% of your DPS at levels 20-29: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 20–29)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 2.7% of your DPS at levels 40-49. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Death Wish (3 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 9.3% of your DPS at levels 40-49. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Best consumable at levels 40-49: Bear Brisket (+1.4% DPS in the simulator); then Scroll of Strength II (+1.2%). (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: The party buff that helps you most at levels 40-49 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +4.7% DPS in the simulator. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Where your damage comes from at levels 40-49: auto attacks 28%, Off hand 23%, Heroic Strike 19% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Execute is worth 12.7% of your DPS at levels 40-49: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Overpower is worth 4.9% of your DPS at levels 40-49: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 2.3% of your DPS at levels 50-59. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Death Wish (3 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 8.5% of your DPS at levels 50-59. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Best consumable at levels 50-59: Bear Brisket (+1.5% DPS in the simulator); then Scroll of Strength II (+1.3%). (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: The party buff that helps you most at levels 50-59 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +6.1% DPS in the simulator. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Where your damage comes from at levels 50-59: auto attacks 29%, Off hand 24%, Heroic Strike 17% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Execute is worth 12.9% of your DPS at levels 50-59: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Overpower is worth 4.1% of your DPS at levels 50-59: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Bloodrage (1 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull at level 60. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Death Wish (3 min cooldown): the simulator uses it on the pull; it's worth 8.5% of your DPS at level 60. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: The party buff that helps you most at level 60 is Blessing of Might from a Paladin: +4.6% DPS in the simulator. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Where your damage comes from at level 60: Heroic Strike 31%, Off hand 24%, auto attacks 20% (simulator: recommended build, best gear for the level, 60 s single-target fight). (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Execute is worth 12.2% of your DPS at level 60: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Overpower is worth 3.1% of your DPS at level 60: the simulator's fight without it did that much less damage. (level 60)

How to play it at levels 30–39: priority, procs and cooldowns

What to press, in order. Cast the first one that is ready and whose condition holds.

Execute: When the target is under 20% health: Only below 20% target health; worth 5.1% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Overpower: after dodge: Only after the target dodges; worth 4.8% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Slam: Whenever it's ready: Cast it when it's ready (18 s cooldown); worth 5.9% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Rend: When it's missing from the target: Keep it on the target: up 87% of the sim's fight; worth 2.3% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client)
Heroic Strike: Fill the gaps with it: Your filler: cast it when nothing above is ready; worth 3.4% of your DPS (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)

React to:

Under 20% health: Execute: Execute works once the target is under 20% health (Forever client, Simulator)

Keep up:

Rend on the target, at least 85% of the time (Simulator, Forever client)

Cooldowns:

Bloodrage: On the pull (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)
Death Wish: On the pull (Simulator, Forever client, ForeverDB guide)

Before the pull:

Blessing of Might (Simulator, Forever client)
Blessing of Kings (Simulator, Forever client)
Mark of the Wild (Simulator, Forever client)
Bear Brisket (Simulator, Forever client)
Scroll of Strength II (Simulator, Forever client)
Elixir of Ogre Strength (Simulator, Forever client)
Elixir of Agility (Simulator, Forever client)

Latest changes:

31 October 2026: client build 1.60.1.70658 -> 1.60.1.70707; 2 new tip(s); 2 tip(s) dropped (new client build 1.60.1.70707)
29 October 2026: tip wording or values (the simulator or the site's data changed)
29 October 2026: tip wording or values (DPS/HPS observation limits and bounded addon learning data)

Protection

Updated 31 October 2026 for build 1.60.1.70707 · From the game client

Learning from players: DPS. Collecting comparable fights before publishing observed cast patterns.

Forever client: No simulation for this spec yet: the order here is the site's rotation card for levels 30-39, with cooldowns and costs from the Forever client. (levels 30–39)
Forever client: Last Stand has a 3 min cooldown at levels 30-39 (client data): about once every second or third pull. (levels 30–39)
Forever client: Shield Wall has a 15 min cooldown at levels 30-39 (client data): plan on once per dungeon wing, not per pull. (levels 30–39)
Forever client: There is no simulation for this spec yet. The rotation order is taken from the site's rotation card for levels 20-29, with cooldowns and costs from the Forever client. (levels 20–29)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: No simulation for this spec yet: the order here is the site's rotation card for levels 40-49, with cooldowns and costs from the Forever client. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Last Stand has a 3 min cooldown at levels 40-49 (client data): about once every second or third pull. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Shield Wall has a 15 min cooldown at levels 40-49 (client data): plan on once per dungeon wing, not per pull. (levels 40–49)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: No simulation for this spec yet: the order here is the site's rotation card for levels 50-59, with cooldowns and costs from the Forever client. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Mocking Blow has a 2 min cooldown and costs 10 Rage at levels 50-59 (client data): about once every second or third pull. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Last Stand has a 3 min cooldown at levels 50-59 (client data): about once every second or third pull. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Shield Wall has a 15 min cooldown at levels 50-59 (client data): plan on once per dungeon wing, not per pull. (levels 50–59)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: No simulation for this spec yet: the order here is the site's rotation card for level 60, with cooldowns and costs from the Forever client. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Mocking Blow has a 2 min cooldown and costs 10 Rage at level 60 (client data): about once every second or third pull. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Last Stand has a 3 min cooldown at level 60 (client data): about once every second or third pull. (level 60)
Speculation: Above the level cap (30): the client has these levels, but nobody can play them yet: Shield Wall has a 15 min cooldown at level 60 (client data): plan on once per dungeon wing, not per pull. (level 60)

How to play it at levels 30–39: priority, procs and cooldowns

What to press, in order. Cast the first one that is ready and whose condition holds.

Charge: Whenever it's ready: Open from 8 to 25 yd; rank 2 (level 26) gives 12 Rage. With Vanguard (leveling and PvP builds) you can Charge straight from Defensive Stance. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Defensive Stance: When it's missing from you: Switch right after Charge unless you took Vanguard; Tactical Mastery keeps up to 10 Rage. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Shield Block: When it's missing from you: Keep it up on hard hitters so Revenge stays available. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Revenge: Whenever it's ready: Every time it lights up. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Sunder Armor: When it's missing from the target: Your main threat filler, cheaper with Improved Sunder Armor. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Heroic Strike: Whenever it's ready: With spare Rage. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Execute: When the target is under 20% health: Leveling: finish enemies at 20% health or less; it needs Battle or Berserker Stance. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Shield Bash: Whenever it's ready: Interrupt casters. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Taunt: When it's missing from the target: Grab loose enemies; it has an 8 sec cooldown. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Concussion Blow: When it's missing from the target: Leveling and PvP builds: stun a caster or a hard-hitting enemy for 5 sec. (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)

React to:

Under 20% health: Execute: Execute works once the target is under 20% health (Forever client)

Keep up:

Shield Block on you, at least 0% of the time (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Sunder Armor on the target, at least 0% of the time (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Taunt on the target, at least 0% of the time (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Concussion Blow on the target, at least 0% of the time (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)

Cooldowns:

Bloodrage: as needed (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Last Stand: On the pull (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)
Shield Wall: as needed (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)

Before the pull:

Defensive Stance (ForeverDB guide, Forever client)

Latest changes:

31 October 2026: client build 1.60.1.70658 -> 1.60.1.70707 (new client build 1.60.1.70707)
29 October 2026: tip wording or values (the simulator or the site's data changed)
29 October 2026: tip wording or values (DPS/HPS observation limits and bounded addon learning data)

Every spec's latest changes. Re-studied every week and after each new game build.

Best in slot gear at any level: Arms, Fury, Protection

Warrior abilities

Improved Intimidating Shout
Long Daze
Battle Shout (level 1)
Battle Stance (level 1)
Heroic Strike (level 1)
Improved Challenging Shout (level 1)
Improved Pummel (level 1)
Charge (level 4)
Rend (level 4)
Thunder Clap (level 6)
Hamstring (level 8)
Bloodrage (level 10)
Defensive Stance (level 10, from the Classic class quest Path of Defense)
Sunder Armor (level 10, from the Classic class quest Path of Defense (rank 1))
Taunt (level 10, from the Classic class quest Path of Defense)
Overpower (level 12)
Shield Bash (level 12)
Demoralizing Shout (level 14)
Revenge (level 14)
Tactical Mastery (level 14)
Mocking Blow (level 16)
Shield Block (level 16)
Disarm (level 18)
Cleave (level 20)
Retaliation (level 20)
Slam (level 20)
Victory Rush (level 20)
Intimidating Shout (level 22)
Execute (level 24)
Challenging Shout (level 26)
Shield Wall (level 28)
Berserker Rage (level 30)
Berserker Stance (level 30, from the Classic class quest The Affray)
Intercept (level 30, from the Classic class quest The Affray (rank 1))
Whirlwind (level 36)
Pummel (level 38)
Recklessness (level 50)

Common questions

What is the Defense skill in WoW Forever?

Defense is a passive combat skill every character has, shown as Defense in the client. A higher Defense Skill lowers the chance enemies hit or critically hit you and raises your block, dodge and parry, which is why it matters most to tanks.

Two Protection talents raise it in Forever, both named Anticipation and both now at Protection tier 2. The Paladin's Anticipation and the Warrior's Anticipation each add 20 Defense Skill at max rank, up from 10 in Classic Era. The Warrior build leans on Anticipation as its main passive Defense once talented.

Sources: Defense · Anticipation (Paladin) · Anticipation (Warrior) · checked on build 1.60.1.70532

The whole FAQ