Arms Warrior guide

Melee DPSWarrior · WoW Forever

Beta guide, level 30. The WoW Forever beta stops at level 30, so this guide and its build cover levels 1 to 30. We update it for level 60 after launch on November 4.

Arms swings one big two-handed weapon and hits hard. In Forever it is built around Rend: Bloodthrill makes your hits on a Rending target light up Overpower, and Improved Slam turns Slam into a filler that no longer resets your swing. Sweeping Strikes at level 30 makes it great on two or three enemies, and Mortal Strike's healing cut keeps it the warrior PvP pick.

Strengths

Huge single hits with a slow two-hander, plus Overpower crits
Sweeping Strikes and Cleave make two or three targets almost as fast as one
Mortal Strike's 50% healing cut and Spearing Strike's dismount give it real PvP tools

Weaknesses

Rage comes from slow swings, so it feels sluggish with a weak weapon
No self healing: you eat after most pulls while leveling
Part of the kit (Mortal Strike, Spearing Strike) is aimed at PvP more than raids

Talent build (level 30) 21/0/0

Arms 21 points

Improved Heroic Strike3/3
Deflection2/5
Improved Rend3/3
Improved Charge2/2
Improved Overpower2/2
Deep Wounds3/3
Two-Handed Weapon Specialization3/3
Impale2/2
Sweeping Strikes1/1

All 21 points in Arms to reach Sweeping Strikes at 30. Bloodthrill, Weaponmaster, Improved Slam and Mortal Strike sit deeper in the tree and open up after launch.

Open this build in the talent calculator

Key talents

Sweeping Strikes: Your next 5 attacks also hit a nearby enemy. The reason to go Arms at 30: pulls of two mobs die twice as fast.
Deep Wounds: Crits make the target bleed for 60% of your weapon's average damage over 12 sec.
Impale: +20% crit damage on your abilities. Big with a slow two-hander.
Two-Handed Weapon Specialization: +3% damage with two-handed weapons, always on.
Improved Rend: +35% Rend damage, and Rend matters more in Forever because it feeds Bloodthrill later.

New in Forever: Arms talents

Spearing StrikeA brutal attack that deals 40% weapon damage. Deals an additional 80% weapon damage against Giants, Dragonkin, and mounted targets. Mounted targets are dismounted.
BloodthrillGrants your Main Hand melee attacks against enemies afflicted by your Rend a 20% chance to allow an activation of Overpower.
WeaponmasterGives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Polearm: Increases your critical strike chance by 5%. Mace/Staff: Your attacks ignore 15% of your target's armor. Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 5% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target.

Rotation

Keep Battle Shout up.
Apply Rend and keep it rolling on targets that live long enough.
Use Overpower whenever it lights up (after a dodge, and later from Bloodthrill).
Mortal Strike on cooldown once you have it.
Execute when the target drops below 20% health.
Spend spare Rage on Heroic Strike (one target) or Cleave (two or more).
Slam as a filler once Improved Slam stops it delaying your swing.

Several enemies

Sweeping Strikes right before a pack.
Cleave as your Rage dump, Thunder Clap to slow the group.
Whirlwind once you can use Berserker Stance.

Cooldowns

Recklessness (learned later): Your biggest damage button. Save it for the execute phase on bosses.
Bloodrage: Free Rage to open a fight or fill a gap.
Retaliation: When several melee enemies are on you.

Stats

No simulations for Forever yet. Hit chance first so your swings land, then Strength (1 Strength = 2 Attack Power) and critical strike. Agility adds a bit of crit and armor.

Best races

Alliance

Human: Ruthless: +1% crit with all attacks, always on.
Night Elf: Elune's Light: +10% crit for 15 sec, great with Impale.
Dwarf: Artisan's Precision: +1% hit, Stoneform for bleeds and poisons.

Horde

Orc: Blood Fury (+10% Attack Power for 15 sec) and Hardiness (stuns 20% shorter).
Tauren: Endurance: +5% health, plus War Stomp.
Troll: Berserking: +10% attack speed for 10 sec.

Professions

Mining and Blacksmithing for weapons and plate, or Engineering for PvP gadgets.

Leveling

Arms is the classic warrior leveling spec and the better pick in a group. Pull two mobs at a time once you have Sweeping Strikes, Charge in for Rage, and keep bandages and food on your bar. Solo, many beta players now level as Protection.