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Arms Warrior · Melee DPS

Arms Warrior guide

Complete guideData-drivenMediumPatch 12.1.0
157Updated

More Arms Warrior guides

This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

Arms Warrior is a melee dps specialization of the Warrior in World of Warcraft. It is S tier on our ladder: 29.7% presence in the top Mythic+ groups (average key +15.9) and 50.8% of Solo Shuffle rounds won. A battle-hardened master of weapons, using mobility and overpowering attacks to strike their opponents down. Preferred Weapon: Two-Handed Axe, Mace, Sword

Strengths

  • Very present in top keys: 29.7% of the top Mythic+ groups we read bring one, up to +23.
  • Wins 50.8% of its Solo Shuffle rounds across 10020 rated players.
  • Most played in Altar of Fangs, where it shows up in 31.1% of the top runs.
  • Top players stack Critical Strike (41.1% of their secondary stats).

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Builds

Arms Warrior · Mythic+

BalancedMythic+
Open build

When to use it

What the 15 top Mythic+ players we read are using, with the Slayer hero tree (100%). Average item level 330. The talent code is the one 13.3% of them use exactly.

Mythic+ build

15 top profilesAverage item level 330Hero tree: Slayer (100%)

Talent code to import in-game (Talents → Import). Used exactly by 13% of the sample.

CcEASWsDSHNyPDXnbxuIhH3ZdjZmZmFzYmZGAAAghphxYmZzMzMzYmxMDAAAAgxyMDMhxy2ALgBMDTIzgNwMDDDmlZ2GgZGAMDDA

Talent trees

Warrior talents

Battle StanceRendReinforced Plates2/2Heroic LeapTwo-Handed Weapon Specialization2/2Double TimeImpending VictoryArmored to the Teeth2/2Spell ReflectionPain and GainDefensive StanceBattlefield CommanderWild Strikes2/2Rallying CryHoned ReflexesCruel Strikes2/2Anger ManagementBounding StrideStorm Bolt93War MachineShockwave93Field DressingInterveneInterpose7Leeching StrikesIntimidating ShoutPiercing Howl7Champion's SpearFearless93Fast Footwork73Resonant Voice93Javelineer7Barbaric Training93Thunder ClapCrackling ThunderCrushing Force7Second Wind33Rumbling Earth33Frothing BerserkerStance MasteryWrecking ThrowShattering Throw47Overwhelming Rage
Slayer's Dominance

Slayer100%

UnhingedUnrelenting OnslaughtDeath DriveOverwhelming BladesReap the StormSlayer's MaliceImminent DemiseShow No MercyViolent EuphoriaDeadly FocusCulling CycloneOpportunist93Relentless Pursuit87
Demolish

Colossus

DecimatorDominance of the ColossusMountain of Muscle and ScarsTide of BattlePrecise MightMartial ExpertCeleritous ConclusionCut to the BonePracticed StrikesColossal MightOne Against ManyArterial BleedBoneshakerEarthquakerNo Stranger to PainVeteran Vitality

Arms talents

Die by the SwordTacticianImproved ExecuteImproved OverpowerStrength of Arms2/2Mortal StrikeSharpened Blades2/2Colossus SmashOverpowerSudden DeathFueled by ViolenceDeep WoundsBloodlettingExecutioner's PrecisionAvatarImpaleBroad StrokesTactical EdgeMortal WoundsBladestormMassacreCritical Thinking2/2Powerful MomentumBloodsurge7Bloodborne7CleaveBattlelordOverpowering FinishMass Execution7Fervor of Battle93Martial ProwessDreadnaught93Collateral Damage93Fatality7Brute ForceEfficiencyMaster Tactician

Apex

Master of Warfare
Most picked PvP talentsStorm of Destruction73Sharpen Blade73Berserker Roar27Disarm27Rebound20Safeguard13Master and Commander13Duel7

Gold means more than half of the top picks it; the number is the share that takes it when it isn't nearly everyone. Lines show which node unlocks which.

Secondary stat split

  1. 1. Critical Strike 41%
  2. 2. Haste 31%
  3. 3. Mastery 24%
  4. 4. Versatility 4%

Most socketed gems

  • 93%Flawless Deadly Peridot+16 Haste & +7 Critical Strike
  • 87%Flawless Quick Amethyst+16 Mastery & +7 Haste
  • 67%Powerful Eversong Diamond+23 Primary Stat and +0.15% critical strike effectiveness per unique Midnight gem color
  • 53%Flawless Deadly Amethyst+16 Mastery & +7 Critical Strike
  • 53%Flawless Quick Garnet+16 Critical Strike & +7 Haste
  • 47%Flawless Masterful Peridot+16 Haste & +7 Mastery

Gear by slot

  • Main hand

    • Maze-roa, Warlord's Furyilvl 336 · 87%
    • Malignant Toothed Edgeilvl 334 · 7%
    • Blood Knight's Warbladeilvl 331 · 7%

    ✦ Rite of the Hash'ey (100%)

  • Trinket

    • Zul'jin's Guillotine Techniqueilvl 331 · 100%
    • Keeper's Seething Coreilvl 330 · 60%
    • Voracious Heart of Ula'tekilvl 328 · 40%

  • Head

    • Tempered Horns of the Jade Warlordilvl 331 · 87%
    • Visor of the Predatorilvl 321 · 7%
    • Greathelm of Temptationilvl 321 · 7%

    ✦ Enchant Helm - Empowered Rune of Avoidance (93%)

  • Neck

    • Aqirbane Reliquaryilvl 328 · 100%

  • Shoulders

    • Raging Pauldrons of the Jade Warlordilvl 332 · 80%
    • Spellbreaker's Mantleilvl 331 · 13%
    • Pauldrons of the Forgotten Sacrificeilvl 334 · 7%

    ✦ Enchant Shoulders - Amirdrassil's Grace (87%)

  • Back

    • Silken Voodoo Drapeilvl 337 · 47%
    • Speakeasy Shroudilvl 321 · 13%
    • Fireproof Drapeilvl 321 · 13%

  • Chest

    • Cuirass of the Jade Warlordilvl 332 · 100%

    ✦ Enchant Chest - Mark of the Worldsoul (100%)

  • Wrists

    • Spellbreaker's Bracersilvl 331 · 73%
    • Bracers of the Jade Warlordilvl 325 · 20%
    • Shellbound Bracersilvl 328 · 7%

  • Hands

    • Jeweled Gauntlets of the Jade Warlordilvl 329 · 73%
    • Spellbreaker's Resolveilvl 327 · 20%
    • Bonds of the Hash'urailvl 321 · 7%

  • Waist

    • Girdle of Toxic Regretilvl 337 · 53%
    • Fanged Brute's Greatbeltilvl 328 · 20%
    • Greatbelt of the Jade Warlordilvl 328 · 13%

  • Legs

    • Greaves of the Jade Warlordilvl 326 · 80%
    • Chausses of Unbound Rancorilvl 334 · 13%
    • Venom Warden's Greavesilvl 334 · 7%

    ✦ +41 Agility/Strength & +27 Armor (53%)

  • Feet

    • Spellbreaker's Marchilvl 331 · 80%
    • Scaled Fiend's Warbootsilvl 328 · 13%
    • Entombed Cultist's Sabatonsilvl 328 · 7%

    ✦ Enchant Boots - Lynx's Dexterity (93%)

  • Ring

    • Sickening Signet of Atroxusilvl 321 · 60%
    • Band of the Amani Warlordilvl 321 · 40%
    • Apex Brute's Claw Ringilvl 330 · 33%

    ✦ Enchant Ring - Eyes of the Eagle (200%)

Abilities

  • Mortal Strike6 sec cooldowns30 Rage mpA vicious strike that deals 180 Physical damage and reduces the effectiveness of healing on the target by 50% for 10 sec.Cooldown 6 sec cooldown · 30 Rage
  • OverpowerOverpower the enemy, dealing 136 Physical damage. Cannot be blocked, dodged, or parried.Core ability of the specialization.
  • Ignore Pain20 sec cooldownsFight through the pain, ignoring 50% of damage taken for 12 sec or until 700 damage has been prevented.Cooldown 20 sec cooldown
  • Die by the Sword2 min cooldownsIncreases your parry chance by 100% and reduces all damage you take by 30% for 8 sec.Cooldown 2 min cooldown
  • Colossus Smash45 sec cooldownsSmash the ground and shatter the armor of all enemies within 10 yds, dealing 107 Physical damage and increasing damage you deal to them by 30% for 10 sec. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets.Cooldown 45 sec cooldown
  • Cleave4.5 sec cooldowns20 Rage mpStrikes all enemies in front of you for 82 Physical damage. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets. If you know Rend, inflicts Rend on all targets.Cooldown 4.5 sec cooldown · 20 Rage
  • Bladestorm1.5 min cooldownsBecome an unstoppable storm of destructive force, striking all nearby enemies for 676 Physical damage over 5.4 sec. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets. You are immune to movement impairing and loss of control effects, but can use defensive abilities and can avoid attacks.Cooldown 1.5 min cooldown
  • Ravager8 sec cooldownsThrows a whirling weapon at your target that chases nearby enemies, inflicting 375 Physical damage to all enemies over 12 sec. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets. Enemies damaged by Ravager take 50% additional damage from your Bleeds for 12 sec.Cooldown 8 sec cooldown

Strategy

1Your job in the group

As a melee dps, your job is to deal damage in close range while dodging frontals and cleaves and interrupting the casts in reach.

  • Open each pull with your area damage once the tank has the pack: pulling threat early is how melee die.
  • Keep your resource from capping and your uptime on the target high: melee damage is lost every time you walk away.
  • Line up your major cooldowns with the group's burst windows and with the pulls that matter most for the timer.

2Talents

The build below is the most common among the 15 top Mythic+ players we read. 100% of them pick the Slayer hero tree.

  • Storm Bolt — 93.3% of the top players
  • Shockwave — 93.3% of the top players
  • Fearless — 93.3% of the top players
  • Barbaric Training — 93.3% of the top players
  • Resonant Voice — 93.3% of the top players
  • Fervor of Battle — 93.3% of the top players

3Stats and gear

Secondary stat split of the top players: Critical Strike 41.1% > Haste 31.3% > Mastery 23.8% > Versatility 3.8%.

  • Main hand: Maze-roa, Warlord's Fury (86.7%, item level 336) · Rite of the Hash'ey
  • Trinket: Zul'jin's Guillotine Technique (100%, item level 331)
  • Head: Tempered Horns of the Jade Warlord (86.7%, item level 331) · Enchant Helm - Empowered Rune of Avoidance
  • Neck: Aqirbane Reliquary (100%, item level 328)
  • Shoulders: Raging Pauldrons of the Jade Warlord (80%, item level 332) · Enchant Shoulders - Amirdrassil's Grace
  • Back: Silken Voodoo Drape (46.7%, item level 337)

4Where it is played

Share of the top runs of each Mythic+ dungeon this week that include Arms Warrior.

  • Altar of Fangs: in 31.1% of the top runs (5721 runs)
  • Kings' Rest: in 30.9% of the top runs (5616 runs)
  • Ruby Life Pools: in 31.1% of the top runs (5606 runs)
  • Den of Nalorakk: in 30.3% of the top runs (5466 runs)
  • Voidscar Arena: in 28.9% of the top runs (5289 runs)
  • Temple of Sethraliss: in 29% of the top runs (5255 runs)
  • The Blinding Vale: in 28.7% of the top runs (5171 runs)
  • Murder Row: in 27.7% of the top runs (5121 runs)

5Common mistakes

  • Tunnelling the boss while ignoring adds: the journal marks which ones must die first.
  • Standing in avoidable damage: in high keys and raid bosses, avoidable damage is what wipes groups, not the healer.
  • Holding personal defensives until it is too late: use one the moment a big hit is announced.
  • Ignoring the interrupt rotation: every uninterrupted dangerous cast is damage your healer has to fix.

Tips

  • Face the pack away from the group only if you are the tank; otherwise stay behind it.
  • Learn your rotation on a training dummy before the key: your damage in the first seconds of each pull is most of your damage.
  • Import the talent code of this guide in-game (Talents → Import) and adjust only the rows the fight asks for.

Matchups

Works well with

Changelog

  1. Guide created for patch 12.1.0.

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