Arms Warrior Raid Guide
Welcome to the Arms Warrior Raid guide for the World of Warcraft patch 11.0! This guide covers everything you need to know to understand your character! Are you starting out and leveling up from 70? Check out the leveling guide!
Overview
Hero Talents
- Slayer is stronger on single target, while Colossus is stronger in AoE. The difference in single-target damage is big enough that you rarely play Colossus in raid.
- Slayer's Dominance
- You attacks have a chance to proc Slayer's Strike, which applies Marked for Execution.
- Unrelenting Onslaught
- Consuming Marked for Execution reduces the cooldown of Bladestorm.
- You can use Storm Bolt while channeling Bladestorm because of this talent, and since Storm Bolt does some damage it is a DPS increase.
- Overwhelming Blades
- Consuming Marked for Execution, getting a Reap the Storm proc or using Bladestorm applies Overwhelmed.
- Imminent Demise
- Every third Slayer's Strike procs a Sudden Death. This Sudden Death that comes from Imminent Demise does not need you to have the talent Sudden Death selected.
- Opportunist and Slayer's Malice
- With so much extra power invested in Overpower it takes a prominent role in your rotation.
- Demolish
- Gets significantly buffed by Colossal Might.
- One Against Many and Practiced Strikes
- Cleave deals by far the highest overall damage of our abilities in sustained AoE scenarios, and with Colossus you invest further into Cleave.
- Dominance of the Colossus
- Your Demolish gets its cooldown reduced, making it a bit tricky to line up with your other cooldowns sometimes.
Talents
Gameplay Altering Talents
Discover all talents that significantly alter your gameplay within the Spec and Class Talent trees. This section gives a concise overview of these talents and their applications but for a more detailed look check out the Rotation and Deep Dive sections below.
Spec Tree
- Anger Management
- You get to use your cooldowns significantly more often with this talent, and it puts some value on the act of simply spending rage by itself.
- Bladestorm
- Going into The War Within Bladestorm received a big buff to its damage, and when paired with Unhinged it is a strong cooldown for both single-target and AoE.
- Juggernaut
- A significant damage increase in the Execute Phase.
- Don't let it fall off - it can easily happen if a boss has forced downtime, then you should finish off with an Execute when the boss leaves and open with an Execute when it comes back if it is possible to keep it up.
- Executioner's Precision
- Makes Mortal Strike stay relevant throughout the entire fight including the Execute Phase.
- Skullsplitter
- A low priority in your normal rotation, and then in the Execute phase becomes a high priority. This is because Arms can much more easily spend rage in the Execute phase, and so the extra rage generated from Skullsplitter has increased value later in the fight.
- Rend
- Is kept up automatically in the Execute phase because of Bloodletting.
Class Tree
- Thunderous Roar
- Thunderous Words buffs all your bleeds while Thunderous Roar is active, and this has great synergy with Skullsplitter.
- Uproar allows you much more frequent uses of Thunderous Roar.
- Avatar
- Your primary big DPS cooldown to plan around. It also has a root dispel which can be useful sometimes.
Hero Talents
- Opportunist
- Overpower provides some of the highest damage of all your abilities when buffed up by Opportunist.
When to use this Spec
Use this spec if you need both high AoE and single-target damage in the same encounter.
Talent Adjustments
Listing all the changes within the Class and Spec tree compared to the default build.
Spec Tree
- Added
- Cleave
- Removed
- 1x Bloodborne
Class Tree
- Added
- Seismic Reverberation
- Barbaric Training
- Removed
- Pain and Gain
- Sidearm
When to use this Spec
Use this spec for trash, or if you need AoE damage above all.
Talent Adjustments
Listing all the changes within the Class and Spec tree compared to the default build.
Spec Tree
- Added
- Warbreaker
- Ravager
- 1x Deft Experience
- Cleave
- Collateral Damage
- Merciless Bonegrinder
- Fervor of Battle
- Dreadnaught
- Removed
- Blunt Instruments
- Bladestorm
- 1x Critical Thinking
- 1x Bloodborne
- Juggernaut
- Skullsplitter
- Sudden Death
- Strength of Arms
Class Tree
- Added
- Seismic Reverberation
- Barbaric Training
- Removed
- Pain and Gain
- Sidearm
Hero Talents
Changed Slayer to Colossus, for more info visit the Hero Talent section above.
Rotation
Tier Set
- 2-Set: Mortal Strike and Cleave increase the damage of your next Overpower by 10%.
- 4-Set: When Overpower has its cooldown reset by Tactician, your next Mortal Strike or Cleave has its damage increased by 10% and critical strike chance increased by 10%, stacking up to 2 times.
- The 4-set buff is Lethal Blows and it is relevant in the Slayer single-target Execute Phase priority list.
Single-Target
- Cooldowns are covered in the Deep Dive section.
Opener
- Unrelenting Onslaught allows you to use Storm Bolt during Bladestorm.
Pre-Execute Priority List
This is a general priority you aim to maintain throughout the fight before the target hits 35% health.
- Apply Rend if it is not already up.
- Use Execute with a Sudden Death proc if you have any of:
- 3x Marked for Execution.
- Sudden Death at 2 stacks or if the buff is running out.
- Juggernaut is running out then refresh it.
- Use Overpower if you have Opportunist.
- Use Mortal Strike on cooldown.
- Use Skullsplitter on cooldown.
- Refresh Rend if it has less than 40% its time left.
- Use Overpower on cooldown.
- Use Slam.
Execute Priority List
This is a general priority you aim to maintain when the target is below 35% health.
- Use Mortal Strike if you have 2x Executioner's Precision and 2x Lethal Blows (from the new tier set). --- If you don't have the tier set, use Mortal Strike with 2x Executioner's Precision.
- Use Overpower if all of this applies:
- You have Opportunist.
- You do not already have 2x Martial Prowess.
- You have less than 80 rage.
- Use Skullsplitter if you have less than 85 rage.
- Use Execute.
- Use Overpower. --- Almost every time you use Overpower it is with the conditions on line 2, this is just a backup for if you get rage-starved.
2-Target
- The single-target priority lists apply when fighting 2 targets, with the addition that you keep up Sweeping Strikes as much as you can, as the highest priority, and you can apply Rend with Thunder Clap instead.
- Below is an example of how you do a 2-target opener.
- The following priority lists are about how to do single-target damage while using the Colossus AoE Talents.
- Cooldowns are covered in the Deep Dive section.
Opener
Pre-Execute Priority List
This is a general priority you aim to maintain throughout the fight before the target hits 35% health.
- Apply Rend if it is not already up.
- Use Overpower if you have 2 charges ready.
- Use Mortal Strike on cooldown.
- Use Overpower on cooldown.
- Refresh Rend if it has less than 30% its time left.
- Use Cleave if Merciless Bonegrinder is up.
- Use Slam.
Execute Priority List
This is a general priority you aim to maintain when the target is below 35% health.
- Use Overpower if both of this is true:
- You do not already have 2x Martial Prowess.
- You have less than 105 rage.
- Use Mortal Strike if you have 2x Executioner's Precision.
- Use Execute.
- Use Overpower.
- This kind of talent build is likely to rage-starve in the Execute Phase.
2-Target
- The single-target priority lists apply when fighting 2 targets, with some additions:
- Keep up Sweeping Strikes as much as you can.
- Apply Rend with Thunder Clap instead if you don't have Sweeping Strikes up.
- Use Cleave as a filler instead of Slam.
AoE
- The following AoE priority lists are assuming you play with the Slayer Cleave talent build.
- Cooldowns are covered in the Deep Dive section.
Opener
- Unrelenting Onslaught allows you to use Storm Bolt during Bladestorm.
Priority List
- Apply Rend with Thunder Clap if it is not already up.
- Use Cleave on cooldown.
- Use Execute if you have any Marked for Execution.
- Use Overpower on cooldown.
- Use Skullsplitter when Sweeping Strikes is up.
- Use Mortal Strike if you have 2x Executioner's Precision when Sweeping Strikes is up.
- Use Execute when Sweeping Strikes is up.
- Use Mortal Strike when Sweeping Strikes is up.
- Use Thunder Clap on cooldown.
- Use Mortal Strike if you have 2x Executioner's Precision.
- Use Execute.
- Use Mortal Strike on cooldown.
- Use Slam.
- Cooldowns are covered in the Deep Dive section.
Opener
- Delay your first Demolish until late in the Colossus Smash debuff window in order to get stacks of Colossal Might.
Priority List
- Apply Rend with Thunder Clap if it is not already up.
- Use Overpower if Collateral Damage is up and you don't have 2 stacks of Martial Prowess.
- Use Cleave on cooldown.
- Use Overpower on cooldown.
- Use Mortal Strike if you have 2x Executioner's Precision and Sweeping Strikes up.
- Use Execute if Sweeping Strikes is up.
- Use Mortal Strike if Sweeping Strikes is up.
- Use Thunder Clap on cooldown.
- Use Mortal Strike if you have 2x Executioner's Precision.
- Use Execute.
- Use Mortal Strike on cooldown.
- Use Slam.
Deep Dive
Cooldown Usage
Single-Target Pre-Execute Cooldowns
Cooldowns as a priority list:
- Use Thunderous Roar on cooldown.
- Use Ravager just before Colossus Smash.
- Use Avatar if the Colossus Smash debuff is active on your target or if Colossus Smash has less than 5 seconds remaining cooldown.
- Use Colossus Smash on cooldown.
- Use Bladestorm if the remaining cooldown of Colossus Smash is greater than the duration of Bladestorm (4 GCDs). --- Basically, don't use Bladestorm just before Colossus Smash is ready, but any other time is good.
- This is assuming you play with the Colossus AoE Talent setup
Cooldowns as a priority list:
- Use Thunderous Roar on cooldown.
- Use Ravager on cooldown.
- Use Avatar if the Colossus Smash debuff is active on your target or if Warbreaker has less than 5 seconds remaining cooldown.
- Use Warbreaker on cooldown.
- Use Demolish if Mortal Strike is on cooldown.
Single-Target Execute Cooldowns
Cooldowns as a priority list:
- Use Thunderous Roar on cooldown.
- Use Avatar together with Colossus Smash.
- Use Colossus Smash on cooldown.
- Use Bladestorm if both of these things are true:
- You have 2x Executioner's Precision.
- Colossus Smash is either up or the cooldown has more than 15 seconds remaining.
- This is assuming you play with the Colossus AoE Talent setup
Cooldowns as a priority list:
- Use Thunderous Roar on cooldown.
- Use Ravager on cooldown.
- Use Avatar together with Warbreaker.
- Use Warbreaker on cooldown.
- Use Demolish if your Colossus Smash debuff is up.
- The exact timing of Unhinged within the rotation changes depending on your haste levels, since the duration of Arms Warriors Ravager is set on cast, but your global cooldown duration changes when you apply In For The Kill or get other haste buffs.
- As a rule you can aim for 2x Executioner's Precision, then move over to Overpower until you noticed the Executioner's Precision was consumed, then you move back to Execute.
Multi-Target Cooldowns
- This is assuming you play with the Slayer Cleave Talent setup
Cooldowns as a priority list:
- Use Thunderous Roar on cooldown.
- Use Sweeping Strikes on cooldown.
- Use Avatar on cooldown.
- Use Colossus Smash on cooldown.
- Use Bladestorm on cooldown.
Cooldowns as a priority list:
- Use Thunderous Roar on cooldown.
- Use Sweeping Strikes on cooldown.
- Use Ravager on cooldown.
- Use Avatar on cooldown.
- Use Warbreaker on cooldown.
- Use Demolish on cooldown.
Generating more Rage
If you are new to Arms Warrior you should skip this section since even when rage-starved it is a lot of effort for a minimal gain, and if done poorly it is a big DPS loss.
Becoming rage-starved should be a rare occurrence in normal play, but can happen sometimes if you are holding onto cooldowns, playing an unusual or AoE-focused talent build on single-target, or if your group does not have Skyfury. Consider these two ideas to be your very last priority, if the choice is between doing this or doing nothing.
Using Parry Attack Speed for Rage
Charge for Rage
Understanding Mechanics
Rotational min-maxing is just one aspect of mastering a specialization, but there are numerous other key mechanics that influence your performance. Use the following guides to improve them.
Nerub-ar Palace
← Scroll for more Bosses →
Offensive Cooldown Usage
- If your team is struggling with AoE in intermission make sure to save Bladestorm and Avatar for it. In the timeline the cooldowns are used to maximize single-target damage.
Boss Tips
- You can immune Stalker Netting with Bladestorm. It is helpful to clear those pools sometimes to help your raid group being able to move freely.
- The boss has a quick frontal cast in Brutal Crush so don't stand on the tanks.
- If the adds are stacked up well you can switch to the Slayer Arms Warrior Cleave talent build.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
If you're assigned to Group 1:
If you're assigned to Group 2:
- The time between Gruesome Disgorge casts does not have your cooldowns line up well. If your group is wiping to the adds, disregard these timelines and simply save Avatar for when you are assigned to soak Gruesome Disgorge, and accept that you lose a use of it.
Defensive Cooldown Usage
- Use Die by the Sword when you soak Gruesome Disgorge.
- Use Spell Reflection when you get Bloodcurdle.
Boss Tips
- If you have Heroic Leap ready use it to get out of Goresplatter last second, that way you get increased uptime.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Boss Tips
- Use Spell Reflection if you get Decimate or high stacks of Cosmic Shards.
- Use Die by the Sword or Defensive Stance when targeted by Phase Blades.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
- If Infested Spawns are not trivial for your raid then you should save Bladestorm for them, although in "phase 3" there are no add spawns, as seen on timeline above, and you can have a use single-target.
Boss Tips
- Use Die by the Sword if you have an overlap with any other mechanic while Lingering Erosion is up.
- Use Spell Reflection with Spinneret's Strands.
- This setup recommended will go for higher single-target damage instead of all-in on AoE. If you want to do maximum AoE damage Fury is recommended.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Boss Tips
- You can dispel Unstable Web using Relentless Pursuit. When affected by the web, Heroic Leap out and instantly Charge back.
- You can immune Unstable Web with Bladestorm and Avatar, which can result in you triggering the explosion in melee. Keep an eye on BigWigs / DBM timers when using your cooldowns.
- Use defensive cooldowns when affected by Experimental Dosage.
Cooldown Usage
- Since the enrage is 6:30 it is perfect timing to simply use all your DPS cooldowns on cooldown.
- You can deflect Regicide with Spell Reflection. At the end of the intermission everyone in the raid gets targeted by Regicide, and this is the best Regicide to deflect, since it is much more likely that you get double-hit with so many more Regicides active.
Boss Tips
- Use Spell Reflection and Defensive Stance when targeted by Twilight Massacre, and then use Die by the Sword and Defensive Stance when the following Queensbane debuff expires.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
- The exact timing is likely to be different for you, since the intermissions lasts while the shield holds, and it affects the timing of all abilities for the rest of the fight.
Defensive Cooldown Usage
- Use Spell Reflection for Venomous Rain in Phase 1.
- Use Spell Reflection for Web Vortex in Phase 2 and 3.
- In the intermissions you can use Spell Reflection freely when you expect to take damage from orbs.
- Use Die by the Sword when affected by Stinging Swarm or if you take unusually high damage, for example if you had to soak many orbs while raid damage is happening.
Boss Tips
- The adds from Call of the Swarm fixate the initially closest target, so if it spawns on you then be ready to use defensives and maybe kite a little if possible while staying in melee.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
- In last phase you should hold your Bladestorm for Gloom Hatchlings that spawn from Infest, unless your raid has exceptional AoE damage and then use Bladestorm on cooldown.
Defensive Cooldown Usage
- Always go in Defensive Stance and use Spell Reflection when Royal Condemnation lands.
- If you are the target of Royal Condemnation then additionally use Die by the Sword.
Boss Tips
- Spell Reflection can be used to not get rooted by Silken Tomb. You still take damage from it, so don't stack.
- You can Heroic Leap over the Venom Nova, this can be used to soak additional circles if needed, or if you messed up and didn't get into the circle in time you can still survive. It is important to soak the circle to reduce raid damage.
- Spell Reflection can be used to reflect damage from Expulsion Beam back to the Chamber Expeller.
- You can Heroic Leap over the Frothing Gluttony line in phase 3, that way not getting the Abyssal Reverberation debuff forcing you to spread and not taking that additional damage.
Stat Priority
Understand your stat priority and the tertiary stats needed for optimal performance during Raid boss fights as an Arms Warrior. For more detailed information, visit the Stats and Attributes guide.
Higher Item level items are better in most scenarios. For an accurate representation of what item to equip you should use Simcraft! A static "Stat Priority" is just a starting point and can easily shift depending on your individual gear.
- All secondary stats are affected by diminishing returns. Click here to learn more!
Tertiary
- Avoidance - Great stat to reduce the damage intake of "Area of Effect" abilities.
- Leech - Provides additional healing through damage dealing.
- Speed - Niche tertiary that can be very useful and has been proven useful in the past. Makes playing certain mechanics a lot easier.
Gear
Slot | Item | Location |
---|---|---|
Head | Warsculptor's Barbute | The Silken Court / Catalyst |
Neck | Sureki Zealot's Insignia | Sikran, Captain of the Sureki |
Shoulder | Warsculptor's Horned Spaulders | Rasha'nan / Catalyst |
Cloak | Consecrated Cloak | Tailoring |
Chest | Warsculptor's Furred Plastron | Broodtwister Ovi'nax / Catalyst |
Wrist | Everforged Vambraces | Blacksmithing |
Gloves | Warsculptor's Crushers | Sikran, Captain of the Sureki / Catalyst |
Belt | Girdle of Somber Ploys | The Dawnbreaker |
Legs | Legplates of Duality | City of Threads |
Boots | Boots of the Black Bulwark | The Bloodbound Horror |
Ring 1 | Seal of the Poisoned Pact | Queen Ansurek |
Ring 2 | Band of the Ancient Dredger | Siege of Boralus |
Trinket 1 | Ara-Kara Sacbrood | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Trinket 2 | Mad Queen's Mandate | Queen Ansurek |
Weapon | Anub'arash's Colossal Mandible | The Silken Court |
Below you are presented with a good list of farmable alternatives that are obtainable outside of WoW’s weekly lockout system. While replaced in time as you progress, these offer immediate character power.
Slot | Item | Location |
---|---|---|
Head | Wrathbark Greathelm | Mists of Tirna Scithe |
Neck | "Emergency Stop" Keychain | The Stonevault |
Shoulder | Earthshape Pauldrons | Grim Batol |
Cloak | Anvilhide Cape | The Stonevault |
Chest | Experimental Goresilk Chestguard | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Wrist | Vociferous Subjugator's Bracers | City of Threads |
Gloves | Machinist's Searing Handguards | The Stonevault |
Belt | Belt of the Forgemaster | Grim Batol |
Legs | Gormshell Greaves | Mists of Tirna Scithe |
Boots | Ballast Sinkers | Siege of Boralus |
Ring 1 | Devout Zealot's Ring | The Dawnbreaker |
Ring 2 | Band of the Ancient Dredger | Siege of Boralus |
Trinket 1 | Ara-Kara Sacbrood | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Trinket 2 | Mark of Khardros | Grim Batol |
Weapon | Wild Hammer | Grim Batol |
Trinkets
Below you can find active and passive alternatives to our recommended trinkets. Do note that some trinkets are better than others depending on the raid boss.
Active Trinket alternatives
- Mark of Khardros
- Good alternative trinket, can be farmed at 626 ilvl in M+ while you are trying to get the BiS items.
- Skarmorak Shard
- Can be used instead of Mark of Khardros.
- Treacherous Transmitter
- BiS for multi-target.
- Mad Queen's Mandate
- Min-max the damage effect by:
- Using it with 10x Overwhelmed stacks.
- Have the final use when the boss is just about to die at 1% hp.
- Min-max the damage effect by:
Embellishments
There are 2 viable embellishment options for Arms Warriors:
- 2x Duskthread Lining or Dawnthread Lining
- Which one is best depends on your current gear setup, the BiS list is using Duskthread Lining.
or
- Darkmoon Sigil: Ascension
- Can only be crafted on Weapon.
- Writhing Armor Banding
- Ideally craft on Wrist. Cloak, Boots and Waist are also good.
Most of the time the lining embellishments should be slightly better depending on how much time you spend above 80%, but going with Darkmoon Sigil: Ascension is much better if you want to play both Fury and Arms.
Remaining Sparks
- Crafted items are 636 item level and regular items are 639 on max item level, therefore, it's not beneficial to equip crafted items outside of your 2x embellishments unless you don't have access to other high item level gear on that slot.
Simcraft
To find the best combination of gear available to you or identify the best possible upgrades, visit our Simcraft guide to learn how to utilize Simcraft easily and effectively.
Consumables
- Phials
- Flask of Alchemical Chaos
- Food
- Feast of the Divine Day -- Primary stat food is the best option when you have low item level.
- Feast of the Midnight Masquerade -- Primary stat food is the best option when you have low item level.
- Outsider's Provisions -- With high item level gear secondaries start to become competitive with or superior to Strength.
- Combat Potion
- Tempered Potion
- Health Potion
- Algari Healing Potion
- Weapon Temporary Enchant
- Ironclaw Whetstone -- If you have a bladed weapon; a Sword, an Axe or a Polearm.
- Ironclaw Weightstone-- If you have a blunt weapon; a Mace, a Staff or a Fist Weapon.
- Algari Mana Oil -- Generally the AP options are slightly better.
- Augment Rune
- Crystallized Augment Rune
- Sockets
- Deadly Emerald
- Culminating Blasphemite -- Unique, use one of each gem color to enhance your Culminating Blasphemite.
- Quick Sapphire
- Quick Ruby
- Quick Onyx
Enchantments
Head | Nerubian Gemweaver |
Neck | Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
Cloak | Enchant Cloak - Chant of Winged Grace |
Chest | Enchant Chest - Crystalline Radiance |
Wrist | Enchant Bracer - Chant of Armored Avoidance Nerubian Gemweaver |
Waist | Nerubian Gemweaver |
Legs | Defender's Armor Kit |
Boots | Enchant Boots - Scout's March |
Ring 1 | Enchant Ring - Radiant Haste Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
Ring 2 | Enchant Ring - Radiant Haste Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
Weapon | Enchant Weapon - Authority of the Depths |
You buy Nerubian Gemweaver from the Great Vault Vendor to add sockets to your Helm, Wrists & Waist.
Races
For min-maxing an Arms Warrior in raiding, different racial traits can provide a tremendous benefit to your character. If this is not your top goal, picking a race that fits your style works just as well.
- Escape Artist -- Gnome
- Root and Snare dispel.
- Shadowmeld -- Night Elf
- Drop combat in order to avoid spells being targeted at you.
- Stoneform -- Dwarf
- Removes all Poison, Disease, Curse, Magic, and Bleed simultaneously.
- Arcane Torrent -- Blood Elf
- Dispels 1 beneficial effect from all nearby enemies at the same time.
- Spatial Rift -- Void Elf
- Activate to spawn a shadow traveling in the direction you are facing. Activate again to teleport to it.
- Maximum range of 100 yards.
Recommendation
If you prioritize the highest DPS then you should go with the best simming racial, but if your priority is in progression raiding then you should consider the the utility of different racials. For example: The Stoneform racial made Dwarf the best pick for Fyrakk the Blazing in the latest Race to World First.
Macros
Discover recommended macros for Arms Warriors during Raid encounters and watch a quick video guide on creating simple macros for your character.
Cursor Macros
Bladestorm and Ravager Macro --- If you have Ravager talented then you use Ravager on your cursor, if not then you Bladestorm.
/cast [known:228920,@cursor] Ravager; Bladestorm
Thunderous Roar and Champion's Spear Macro --- If you have both abilities talented then Champion's Spear is prioritized, and if you have Champion's Spear talented it is cast on your cursor.
/cast [known:376079,@cursor] Champion's Spear; Thunderous Roar
Heroic Leap Macro --- Leap on your cursor without the extra mouse click.
/cast [@cursor] Heroic Leap
Mouseover Macros
Convenience Macros
Addons
Below, you see a screenshot of the author's User Interface for their Arms Warrior, outlining which addons are used and how they are utilized in Raids to make your life easier.
Addons
WeakAuras
Changes this Patch
Patch 11.0.5
Patch 11.0.2
Patch 11.0
FAQ
Q: Why am I running out of rage?
Credits
Written By: Revvez
Reviewed By: Swag