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Arms Warrior DPS guide for WoW Dragonflight — become a Master!

  • Epiccarry
    • WoW Arms Warrior Guide
    Undead-troll as a symbol of arms warrior

    Charge… Release… That’s all you need to learn from the Arms warrior guide for Dragonflight. And okay, let’s bring the jokes back. The Arms warrior is a class with the most mixed impressions. It may seem useless at first glance, but that’s just a first impression. It can play like a god, but to achieve this, you have to learn the Arms warrior DPS guide. Why? To learn how to:

    1. Create a critical Mortal Strike, which will contribute to at least 80% of your overall DPS.
    2. Survive while leveling your Arms warrior.
    3. Build up at least two different Arms warrior setups for different keys in Dragonflight.
    4. Properly rotate your Mortal Strike for optimal performance.
    5. Choose the right gear if you aim to complete keys at a level of 28 or higher.
    6. Understand why the defensive abilities of the Arms warrior can transform you into an off-tank if your main tank has been wiped and you need to stay alive for at least 10 seconds.

    And of course, find the answer to the ultimate question of the universe – why PvE Arms warrior is not as popular as Fury, at least in the last 10 expansions of the World of Warcraft!

    We’re also recommend to view our Mythic+ Compendium, with all the Dungeon tactics and M+ Loot.

    Arms warrior class overview

    Okay, first, you need to learn about Arms warriors, as they are much more complex than Fury warriors and other classes. This is because they have limited rage generation and resource-intensive spending, combined with a proc gameplay.

    You are dealing with one of the strictest rotations, requiring mastery of different talent trees, collecting enough primary stats, managing self-healing which is insufficient, and maintaining very strict resource management based on dealing damage from auto attacks and anger management, down to counting milliseconds.

    Even if the Arms warrior follows all these stringent rules, they will still fall behind in DPS compared to the “button-spam” Fury warrior and other classes. Therefore, you should only play the Arms warrior in one of two situations:

    1. When you know it perfectly and can adhere to all the rules, creating a miracle by dealing more damage than everyone else in the group with a critical strike from Mortal Strike.
    2. When you can burst effectively with your starting rotation in PvP, raids, and keys, obliterating groups.

    So, what does this mean? Simply put, Dragonflight Arms warriors are among the most high-intensity damage dealers, and the shorter the battle, the more effective the Arms warrior becomes. They pair well with classes like Survival hunters and Arcane mages – the most unconventional builds compared to other classes.

    Even if you combine the best Arms warrior with the best Arcane mage, and perhaps an Elemental shaman, it would be a miracle. The Arms warrior creates high critical strike bursts at the start of the pack, followed by the Elemental shaman continuing these critical bursts, and ultimately, the Arcane mage obliterating them all with its special global cooldowns.

    However, this scenario is a true miracle and requires professional players with exceptional coordination. This is why few opt for burst-oriented classes, and yoau can witness such miracles with sudden death and sweeping strikes only during the “Break the Meta” seasons.

    In any case, it doesn’t matter which class is considered meta. A skilled player can execute the Arms warrior starting combo for single target fights as effectively as any other meta class. Nevertheless, achieving this with any other class is much simpler.

    Pros

    Arms warrior strengths are:

    Cons

    Arms warrior weakness are:

    Micro Conclusion: weaknesses strengths

    If you choose to play as an Arms warrior, embracing all the abilities and weaknesses, be prepared for gameplay that largely centers around bursting down each single target and rapidly switching targets to apply enough bleeding damage-over-time effects to maximize DPS in keys.

    Alternatively, you can specialize in raid content, utilizing your mastery of Mortal Strike, Sudden Death, Colossus Smash, and other Arms warrior abilities during the execute phases, achieving god-like status in raids while foregoing other aspects of the game.

    Arms Warrior in Tier list among other classes

    Mythic+

    As you have discovered, the Arms warrior, despite its single-target burst capabilities, new talent system, and strict adherence to the Arms warrior stat priority, remains in the B-Tier. Of course, it is still not on par with a Marksman hunter. However, being in the B-tier does not make it suitable for completing high-level keys.

    S Tier – Ruling the Dungeon:

    A Tier – Still Rocking It:

    B Tier – Holding Their Own (Kinda):

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    C Tier – Struggling to Shine:

    Raids

    The situation with the Arms warrior is entirely different compared to other classes in raids. This time, you do not need to focus on damaging multiple targets and can instead concentrate on rage generation talent builds. This will allow you to combine your execute and Colossus Smash for either a single target.

    S Tier – Raid Boss Dominators:

    A Tier – Raid Aces:

    B Tier – Solid Support:

    C Tier – Mid-Tier Moxie:

    D Tier – Bringing Up the Rear:

    The Best race for Arms warriors

    The most crucial aspect of choosing the best race for your class in the world of Warcraft, particularly in the Wow: Dragonflight extension, is… to not care about the race at all. The minor advantages gained from the chosen race are not significant, even in PvP, keys, or Raids.

    However, if you’re playing end-game content where these details matter, you likely already know that whether it’s east or west, the Horde’s Orc damage burst reigns supreme. Simply incorporate it into your macro, and everything will go smoothly.

    Ally

    Human: Yeah, I know, not the flashiest choice. But that sword specialization and free trinket action can save your bacon when you’re knee-deep in murlocs.

    Dwarf: These beer-loving brawlers bring Stoneform to the table, giving you a cheeky get-out-of-CC-free card. Plus, it’s like a mini spa day for your warrior.

    Horde

    Orc: No surprises here. The blood rage and that sweet Axe Specialization make you the ultimate cleaving machine. Just remember, it’s not a party until someone loses an eyeball.

    Troll: Regeneration means you’ll be healing faster than a potion addict in a health spa. Plus, Berserking cranks up your attack speed for some serious button-smashing fun.

    Undead: Cannibalize? Yup, you can munch on your fallen foes. Your enemies won’t know if they’re fighting a warrior or a zombie buffet.

    How to play Arms warriors without suffering: Wow Dragonflight

    Rotation for the Raids 

    Battle Start:

    Charge; Avatar; Colossus Smash; Ignore Pain; Mortal Strike; Dragon Roar; Thunder Clap; Overpower; Mortal Strike; Whirlwind

    Ability Priority:

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    Rage Expenditure Priority: Whirlwind>Ignore Pain>Thunder clap.

    Rotation for mythic +

    Skullsplitter M+ Build:

    Single Target Opener:

    Single Target Priority:

    Multi-Target Opener:

    Multi-Target Priority:

    Universal M+ Build:

    Single Target Opener:

    —Charge>Rend>Avatar + Warbreaker>Dragon Roar>Bladestorm>Mortal Strike>Skullsplitter>Rend>Whirlwind>Overpower>Mortal Strike

    Single Target Priority:

    Multi-Target Opener:

    Multi-Target Priority:

    Arms warrior guide for leveling

    Alright, pay attention, future wielder of oversized toothpicks! So, you’re eager to level up an Arms Warrior in World of Warcraft without losing your sanity? First rule: cleave through enemies like you’re at a buffet on half-price day – seriously, more enemies means more XP; it’s like a mathematical equation for mayhem. Second, become best buddies with your Charge ability – think of it as your warrior GPS, leading you to unsuspecting mobs as if they owe you gold.

    Now, for the enjoyable part: your pals might try to persuade you to tank, but remember, you’re an Arms Warrior, not a walking metal shield. Politely inform them that you’re allergic to holding aggro and dive headfirst into that DPS glory. And hey, on gloomy days, envision yourself as a one-man lumberjack crew, chopping down mobs like trees.

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    So, seize your axe, embrace the rage, and go show Azeroth who’s the genuine boss of the hack-and-slash party!

    Alright, and if you’re seeking a more serious answer, here it is: When it comes to leveling, your skill and your class don’t matter much. Leveling in the current world of Warcraft is quite straightforward. We can offer you one piece of advice:

    If you’re aiming for high-end content like Mythic Keys, always use the most current gear. Whether you acquire it from the Auction House or the Dungeon Finder system, the source doesn’t matter.

    Feeling fatigued from leveling in Arms and interested in trying out a tank spec? Take a look at our WoW Protection Warrior Tank Guide!

    Arms Warrior stats: The best of possible, with weights and explanations

    Everything is clearly simple!

    Primary stat is more valuable than secondary stats.

    The best way is to collect 30% of critical strike, and 40% of haste. All other stats are not important. So here you collect as it drops. There aren’t any special abilities for large chunks, which depend on two handed builds with the best talent tree, or with one handed builds. 

    Just remember: Strength>Haste>Critical Strike>Mastery>Versatility

    Of course, if you play many PvP, prefer versatility, to stay alive, exactly when you are trying to attack mages.

    Arms Warrior gearing. Follow the leaders, and it will go fine!

    There’s no better way in how to properly arm warrior gearing, than following the leaders of the ladder. All you need is to look, and copy. But please, keep in mind that following all the secondary stats is not the best way. Because the top Arms warriors have the highest ilvl gear, and the best trinkets, cause they’re close mythic raids, and highest keys. You do not always have the same opportunities, that’s why more concentrate on new talent trees and on following the rotation, than on arms warrior gearing.

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    And here you also can see the list of the top dps gear arms warriors for burst damage in any situation. 

    So here’s a meta build for the your arms Warrior:

    Find chic warrior gear in our Warrior Transmog Sets Guide.

    Arms Warrior Talent trees

    Ok, the logic of the each tree, is compromise between three ways to play an arms warrior:

    1. Mega burst in the execution phase.
    2. Whirlwind.
    3. Skullsplitter.

    That’s why in the raid, you have only one build, and at least three different builds for the mythic+ keys.

    Arms warrior best build for Raids

    Pick up the World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Tier sets from patch 10.2 to bolster your efficiency!

    This build is created to increase your damage, exactly at the execute phases.

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    Arms warrior best build for Mythic+ content

    First build — based on the skullsplitter.

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    It’s based more for creating solo damage, and switching between targets.

    Second build — based on whirlwind

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    Third build — compromise between previous both.

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    Arms Warrior enchantments and consumables

    As usual, Arms Warrior enchants have a minor impact on DPS, HPS, and other factors. However, if you’re interested in discovering which of the Arms Warrior enchants can contribute a slight increase in damage, you’re welcome to explore further.

    WeaponSophic Devotion
    LegsFierce Armor Kit
    RingsDevotion of Critical Strike
    CloakGraceful Avoidance
    BracersDevotion of Avoidance
    BeltShadowed belt Clasp
    BootsWatcher’s Loam
    ChestplateWaking Stats

    Gems for arms warriors

    There’s only one gem to rule the arms war and it’s called — Crafty Emerald.

    As an alternative, you can use Crafty Alexstrasza. That’s all.

    Food & runes for restoration shamans

    For food, you should consider using the following:

    If you need extra boost, use the runes. Here they’re

    So, stop suffering, buff yourself, and prepare to conquer them all!

    Promodrial stone gems for Arms warriors

    QE tells us that primordial stone gems are now entirely useless in the current content patch, so forget about them and focus on increasing your item level. It’s better to learn how to manage your Colossus Smash with Sweeping Strikes.

    Addons, tips, Hints — The best Arms Warrior extensions

    Whether you’re in the East or the West, nothing beats the fun of WoW with cool addons. Check out our WoW Best Addons Dragonflight guide where we lay out the top addons for WoW: Dragonflight retail. We’ll help you figure out which ones are the best and why you gotta have them for the latest expansion!

    The most valuable lesson that an Arms Warrior can glean from this exceptional guide is to master anger management. The perfect talent choice doesn’t actually exist, and there is no level cap for secondary stats. Place more trust in your personal experience than in add-ons, especially when you find yourself needing to switch between either single target and deviate from your standard rotation.

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    Addons for arms warriors

    Here’s nothing special, all Dragonflight arms warriors using all the same addons:

    It’s the minimal basement to control all arms, warrior abilities, and other things, which are really important in keys, and raids. 

    Macros for arms warriors

    Charge and Intervene by Cursor:

    #showtooltip Charge

    /cast [target=mouseover,help,exists,nodead]Intervene;

    /cast [target=target,harm,exists,nodead]Charge; 

    Bounding Stride by Cursor:

    #showtooltip Bounding Stride

    /cast [@cursor] Bounding Stride

    Pummel on Focus or Main Target if no Focus:

    #showtooltip Pummel

    /cast [@focus, harm, exists][@target] Pummel

    Storm Bolt by Cursor. Right-click casts Storm Bolt on Main Target:

    #showtooltip Storm Bolt

    /cast [@mouseover, harm, exists][@target] Storm Bolt

    Defensive Stance Toggle:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [stance:2]!Defensive Stance;!Battle Stance

    Instead of conclusion — is the Arms Warrior for masochists?

    You might have a valid question: Why, with all these Arms Warrior stat priority guides, recommendations on how to gear Arms Warriors, explanations of talent builds, global cooldowns, and other information, do we not provide PvP guides for warriors, complete with suitable talents and guidance on combat strategies?

    The answer is straightforward. In every PvP fight, factors like gear, unique resource, and set bonuses are not as crucial as your reaction time and ability to adapt on the fly. The most effective approach in PvP is not necessarily to read warrior guides, but rather to observe the best Arms Warrior PvP streams from top players. By doing so, you can learn the precise strategies they employ against each class. This method is the key to mastering proper talent choices, auto attack management, and finding the optimal talent setup that can elevate you from an average contender to an Arena 2v2 Dominator.

    For a different perspective on another DPS spec for warriors, you can refer to our Fury Warrior DPS Guide.

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