Warrior talent reference
Warriors are the front line of any group. Arms hits hard with two-handed weapons, Fury dual-wields at a frantic pace, and Protection is the classic tank: shield up, taking the hits so nobody else has to.
How to read this Warrior reference
- Read rank 1 first. Every Warrior talent below lists its full ranks in the exact beta-client wording: rank 1 is the pitch, the last rank is the finished product.
- The tags tell you what Forever changed: NEW never existed in Classic; Changed works differently than it used to; Active means you press a button to use it, everything else just happens on its own.
- Rows are the price. In Arms, Fury, Protection, a row 4 talent needs 15 points spent in the rows above it, in the same tree. So plan each tree from the top down.
Arms
Arms runs 17 talents across 7 rows. Spearing Strike, Bloodthrill, Weaponmaster are the new Forever additions here. Read them properly before you spend points. The row 7 payoffs are Mortal Strike.
- Rank 1: Reduces the cost of your Heroic Strike ability by 1 Rage.
- Rank 2: Reduces the cost of your Heroic Strike ability by 2 Rage.
- Rank 3: Reduces the cost of your Heroic Strike ability by 3 Rage.
- Rank 1: Increases your Parry chance by 1%.
- Rank 2: Increases your Parry chance by 2%.
- Rank 3: Increases your Parry chance by 3%.
- Rank 4: Increases your Parry chance by 4%.
- Rank 5: Increases your Parry chance by 5%.
- Rank 1: Increases the Bleed damage done by your Rend ability by 12%.
- Rank 2: Increases the Bleed damage done by your Rend ability by 23%.
- Rank 3: Increases the Bleed damage done by your Rend ability by 35%.
- Rank 1: Increases the Rage generated by your Charge ability by 3.
- Rank 2: Increases the Rage generated by your Charge ability by 6.
- Rank 1: Tactical Mastery lets you retain up to an additional 3 Rage when you change stances.
- Rank 2: Tactical Mastery lets you retain up to an additional 6 Rage when you change stances.
- Rank 3: Tactical Mastery lets you retain up to an additional 9 Rage when you change stances.
- Rank 4: Tactical Mastery lets you retain up to an additional 12 Rage when you change stances.
- Rank 5: Tactical Mastery lets you retain up to an additional 15 Rage when you change stances.
- Rank 1: Increases the critical strike chance of your Overpower ability by 25%.
- Rank 2: Increases the critical strike chance of your Overpower ability by 50%.
- Rank 1: Generates 1 Rage every 3 sec while in combat, and reduces Rage loss while out of combat by 30%.
- Rank 1: Your critical strikes cause your opponent to Bleed, dealing 20% of your melee weapon's average damage over 12 sec.
- Rank 2: Your critical strikes cause your opponent to Bleed, dealing 40% of your melee weapon's average damage over 12 sec.
- Rank 3: Your critical strikes cause your opponent to Bleed, dealing 60% of your melee weapon's average damage over 12 sec.
- Rank 1: A brutal attack that deals 40% weapon damage. Deals an additional 80% weapon damage against Giants, Dragonkin, and mounted targets. Mounted targets are dismounted.
- Rank 1: Increases the damage you deal with two-handed melee weapons by 1%.
- Rank 2: Increases the damage you deal with two-handed melee weapons by 2%.
- Rank 3: Increases the damage you deal with two-handed melee weapons by 3%.
- Rank 1: Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your abilities by 10%.
- Rank 2: Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your abilities by 20%.
- Rank 1: Your melee attacks against targets afflicted by your Rend have a 2% chance to activate your Overpower ability for 1 attack on your current target. Lasts 6 sec.
- Rank 2: Your melee attacks against targets afflicted by your Rend have a 4% chance to activate your Overpower ability for 1 attack on your current target. Lasts 6 sec.
- Rank 3: Your melee attacks against targets afflicted by your Rend have a 6% chance to activate your Overpower ability for 1 attack on your current target. Lasts 6 sec.
- Rank 4: Your melee attacks against targets afflicted by your Rend have a 8% chance to activate your Overpower ability for 1 attack on your current target. Lasts 6 sec.
- Rank 5: Your melee attacks against targets afflicted by your Rend have a 10% chance to activate your Overpower ability for 1 attack on your current target. Lasts 6 sec.
- Rank 1: Your next 5 melee attacks strike an additional nearby opponent.
- Rank 1: Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Polearm: Increases your critical strike chance by 1%. Mace/Staff: Your attacks ignore 3% of your target's armor. Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 1% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target.
- Rank 2: Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Polearm: Increases your critical strike chance by 2%. Mace/Staff: Your attacks ignore 6% of your target's armor. Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 2% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target.
- Rank 3: Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Polearm: Increases your critical strike chance by 3%. Mace/Staff: Your attacks ignore 9% of your target's armor. Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 3% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target.
- Rank 4: Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Polearm: Increases your critical strike chance by 4%. Mace/Staff: Your attacks ignore 12% of your target's armor. Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 4% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target.
- Rank 5: Gives 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.
- Rank 1: Reduces the global cooldown and cast time of your Slam ability by 0.25 sec. In addition, Slam no longer interrupts your melee swing time.
- Rank 2: Reduces the global cooldown and cast time of your Slam ability by 0.50 sec. In addition, Slam no longer interrupts your melee swing time.
- Rank 1: Gives your Hamstring ability a 5% chance to immobilize the target for 5 sec.
- Rank 2: Gives your Hamstring ability a 10% chance to immobilize the target for 5 sec.
- Rank 3: Gives your Hamstring ability a 15% chance to immobilize the target for 5 sec.
- Rank 1: A vicious strike that deals weapon damage plus 85 and wounds the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 50% for 10 sec.
Gone from Classic Arms (4)
These talents were in this tree in Classic Era but are gone in Forever. If an old favourite build is not feeling right, this list is the first place to check.
- Axe Specialization (was 5 ranks, row 5). Increases your chance to get a critical strike with Axes by 1%.
- Mace Specialization (was 5 ranks, row 5). Gives you a 1% chance to stun your target for 3 sec with a Mace.
- Sword Specialization (was 5 ranks, row 5). Gives you a 1% chance to get an extra attack on the same target after dealing damage with your Sword.
- Polearm Specialization (was 5 ranks, row 6). Increases your chance to get a critical strike with Polearms by 1%.
Fury
Fury runs 18 talents across 7 rows. Boundless Rage, Raging Blows, Precision are the new Forever additions here. Read them properly before you spend points. The row 7 payoffs are Bloodthirst.
- Rank 1: Increases the radius of your Battle Shout and Demoralizing Shout abilities by 10%.
- Rank 2: Increases the radius of your Battle Shout and Demoralizing Shout abilities by 20%.
- Rank 3: Increases the radius of your Battle Shout and Demoralizing Shout abilities by 30%.
- Rank 4: Increases the radius of your Battle Shout and Demoralizing Shout abilities by 40%.
- Rank 5: Increases the radius of your Battle Shout and Demoralizing Shout abilities by 50%.
- Rank 1: Improves your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 1%.
- Rank 2: Improves your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 2%.
- Rank 3: Improves your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 3%.
- Rank 4: Improves your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 4%.
- Rank 5: Improves your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 5%.
- Rank 1: Reduces the duration of Stun and Fear effects inflicted on you by 3%.
- Rank 2: Reduces the duration of Stun and Fear effects inflicted on you by 6%.
- Rank 3: Reduces the duration of Stun and Fear effects inflicted on you by 9%.
- Rank 4: Reduces the duration of Stun and Fear effects inflicted on you by 12%.
- Rank 5: Reduces the duration of Stun and Fear effects inflicted on you by 15%.
- Rank 1: Gives you a 12% chance to generate 1 additional Rage when you deal melee damage with a weapon. This effect is increased to 2 Rage for two-handed weapons.
- Rank 2: Gives you a 24% chance to generate 1 additional Rage when you deal melee damage with a weapon. This effect is increased to 2 Rage for two-handed weapons.
- Rank 3: Gives you a 36% chance to generate 1 additional Rage when you deal melee damage with a weapon. This effect is increased to 2 Rage for two-handed weapons.
- Rank 4: Gives you a 48% chance to generate 1 additional Rage when you deal melee damage with a weapon. This effect is increased to 2 Rage for two-handed weapons.
- Rank 5: Gives you a 60% chance to generate 1 additional Rage when you deal melee damage with a weapon. This effect is increased to 2 Rage for two-handed weapons.
- Rank 1: Reduces the Rage cost of your Cleave ability by 1.
- Rank 2: Reduces the Rage cost of your Cleave ability by 2.
- Rank 3: Reduces the Rage cost of your Cleave ability by 3.
- Rank 1: Causes all nearby enemies to be Dazed, reducing movement speed by 50% for 6 sec.
- Rank 1: Regenerates 1% of your total Health over 6 sec after being the victim of a critical strike, dealing damage with Bloodthirst, or suffering more than 20% of your maximum Health from a single attack.
- Rank 2: Regenerates 2% of your total Health over 6 sec after being the victim of a critical strike, dealing damage with Bloodthirst, or suffering more than 20% of your maximum Health from a single attack.
- Rank 3: Regenerates 3% of your total Health over 6 sec after being the victim of a critical strike, dealing damage with Bloodthirst, or suffering more than 20% of your maximum Health from a single attack.
- Rank 1: Increases your maximum Rage by 10.
- Rank 2: Increases your maximum Rage by 20.
- Rank 3: Increases your maximum Rage by 30.
- Rank 1: Increases your off-hand weapon damage by 5%, off-hand Rage generation by 20%, and chance to hit with off-hand attacks by 2%.
- Rank 2: Increases your off-hand weapon damage by 10%, off-hand Rage generation by 40%, and chance to hit with off-hand attacks by 4%.
- Rank 3: Increases your off-hand weapon damage by 15%, off-hand Rage generation by 60%, and chance to hit with off-hand attacks by 6%.
- Rank 4: Increases your off-hand weapon damage by 20%, off-hand Rage generation by 80%, and chance to hit with off-hand attacks by 8%.
- Rank 5: Increases your off-hand weapon damage by 25%, off-hand Rage generation by 100%, and chance to hit with off-hand attacks by 10%.
- Rank 1: Causes your Whirlwind to also strike with your off-hand weapon, and reduces the Rage cost of your Cleave ability by 2.
- Rank 1: Gives you a 30% chance to deal 2% increased Physical damage for 12 sec after being the victim of any damaging attack.
- Rank 2: Gives you a 30% chance to deal 4% increased Physical damage for 12 sec after being the victim of any damaging attack.
- Rank 3: Gives you a 30% chance to deal 6% increased Physical damage for 12 sec after being the victim of any damaging attack.
- Rank 4: Gives you a 30% chance to deal 8% increased Physical damage for 12 sec after being the victim of any damaging attack.
- Rank 5: Gives you a 30% chance to deal 10% increased Physical damage for 12 sec after being the victim of any damaging attack.
- Rank 1: Reduces the Rage cost of your Execute ability by 3.
- Rank 2: Reduces the Rage cost of your Execute ability by 5.
- Rank 1: Improves your chance to hit by 1%.
- Rank 2: Improves your chance to hit by 2%.
- Rank 3: Improves your chance to hit by 3%.
- Rank 1: When activated, increases your Physical damage done by 20% and makes you immune to Fear effects, but increases all damage you take by 5%. Lasts 30 sec.
- Rank 1: Reduces the cooldown of your Intercept ability by 5 sec.
- Rank 2: Reduces the cooldown of your Intercept ability by 10 sec.
- Rank 1: Your Berserker Rage ability will instantly generate 5 Rage and has a 50% chance to remove all movement impairing effects when activated.
- Rank 2: Your Berserker Rage ability will instantly generate 10 Rage and has a 100% chance to remove all movement impairing effects when activated.
- Rank 1: Increases your melee attack speed by 5% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.
- Rank 2: Increases your melee attack speed by 10% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.
- Rank 3: Increases your melee attack speed by 15% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.
- Rank 4: Increases your melee attack speed by 20% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.
- Rank 5: Increases your melee attack speed by 25% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.
- Rank 1: Instantly attack the target causing damage equal to 35% of your Attack Power plus 30 and increasing your movement speed by 10% for 10 sec.
Gone from Classic Fury (2)
These talents were in this tree in Classic Era but are gone in Forever. If an old favourite build is not feeling right, this list is the first place to check.
- Improved Demoralizing Shout (was 5 ranks, row 2). Increases the melee attack power reduction of your Demoralizing Shout by 8%.
- Improved Battle Shout (was 5 ranks, row 3). Increases the melee attack power bonus of your Battle Shout by 5%.
Protection
Protection runs 18 talents across 7 rows. Master of Defense, Vanguard, Bastion, Focused Rage are the new Forever additions here. Read them properly before you spend points. The row 7 payoffs are Shield Slam.
- Rank 1: Increases your chance to Block attacks with your shield by 1% and grants you a 20% chance to generate 5 Rage when you Block.
- Rank 2: Increases your chance to Block attacks with your shield by 2% and grants you a 40% chance to generate 5 Rage when you Block.
- Rank 3: Increases your chance to Block attacks with your shield by 3% and grants you a 60% chance to generate 5 Rage when you Block.
- Rank 4: Increases your chance to Block attacks with your shield by 4% and grants you a 80% chance to generate 5 Rage when you Block.
- Rank 5: Increases your chance to Block attacks with your shield by 5% and grants you a 100% chance to generate 5 Rage when you Block.
- Rank 1: Increases your Defense Skill by 4.
- Rank 2: Increases your Defense Skill by 8.
- Rank 3: Increases your Defense Skill by 12.
- Rank 4: Increases your Defense Skill by 16.
- Rank 5: Increases your Defense Skill by 20.
- Rank 1: Increases all the Rage generated by your Bloodrage ability by 25%.
- Rank 2: Increases all the Rage generated by your Bloodrage ability by 50%.
- Rank 1: Increases your Armor value from items by 2%.
- Rank 2: Increases your Armor value from items by 4%.
- Rank 3: Increases your Armor value from items by 6%.
- Rank 4: Increases your Armor value from items by 8%.
- Rank 5: Increases your Armor value from items by 10%.
- Rank 1: Reduces the Rage cost of your Thunder Clap ability by 2.
- Rank 2: Reduces the Rage cost of your Thunder Clap ability by 4.
- Rank 3: Reduces the Rage cost of your Thunder Clap ability by 6.
- Rank 1: When activated, this ability temporarily grants you 30% of your maximum health for 20 sec. After the effect expires, the health is lost.
- Rank 1: Grants you a 50% chance to generate 5 Rage when you Dodge or Parry while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 2: Grants you a 100% chance to generate 5 Rage when you Dodge or Parry while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 1: Increases damage dealt by your Revenge ability by 20%.
- Rank 2: Increases damage dealt by your Revenge ability by 40%.
- Rank 3: Increases damage dealt by your Revenge ability by 60%.
- Rank 1: Increases all threat generated in Defensive stance by an additional 5% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 2: Increases all threat generated in Defensive stance by an additional 10% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 3: Increases all threat generated in Defensive stance by an additional 15% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 1: Reduces the Rage cost of your Sunder Armor ability by 1.
- Rank 2: Reduces the Rage cost of your Sunder Armor ability by 2.
- Rank 3: Reduces the Rage cost of your Sunder Armor ability by 3.
- Rank 1: Reduces the cooldown of your Disarm ability by 7 secs.
- Rank 2: Reduces the cooldown of your Disarm ability by 13 secs.
- Rank 3: Reduces the cooldown of your Disarm ability by 20 secs.
- Rank 1: Your Charge ability is now usable while in Defensive Stance.
- Rank 1: Reduces the cooldown of your Shield Wall ability by 5.5 min.
- Rank 2: Reduces the cooldown of your Shield Wall ability by 11 min.
- Rank 1: Stuns the target for 5 sec.
- Rank 1: Gives your Shield Bash ability a 50% chance to Silence the target for 3 sec.
- Rank 2: Gives your Shield Bash ability a 100% chance to Silence the target for 3 sec.
- Rank 1: Increases all damage you deal by 2% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 2: Increases all damage you deal by 4% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 3: Increases all damage you deal by 6% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 4: Increases all damage you deal by 8% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 5: Increases all damage you deal by 10% while a shield is equipped.
- Rank 1: Reduces the Rage cost of your offensive abilities by 1.
- Rank 2: Reduces the Rage cost of your offensive abilities by 2.
- Rank 3: Reduces the Rage cost of your offensive abilities by 3.
- Rank 1: Slam the target with your shield, causing 421 to 439 damage, increased by your Block Value, and has a 50% chance of dispelling 1 magic effect on the target. Causes a very high amount of threat.
Gone from Classic Protection (3)
These talents were in this tree in Classic Era but are gone in Forever. If an old favourite build is not feeling right, this list is the first place to check.
- Improved Shield Block (was 3 ranks, row 3). Allows your Shield Block ability to block an additional attack and increases the duration by 0.5 second.
- Improved Taunt (was 2 ranks, row 4). Reduces the cooldown of your Taunt ability by 1 sec.
- One-Handed Weapon Specialization (was 5 ranks, row 6). Increases the damage you deal with One-Handed Melee weapons by 2%.
Warrior talent reference questions
How do I read this talent tree?
Top down. Row 1 is open from the start; every 5 points you spend in one tree unlocks the next row in that same tree. Arms, Fury, Protection all work this way. A row 4 talent needs 15 points in the rows above it before it opens.
What does each rank do?
Every Warrior talent lists its ranks in the exact beta-client wording. Rank 1 is the weakest version and the final rank is the full-strength effect. Read rank 1 first, then decide how many points the talent deserves.
What do the NEW and Changed tags mean?
NEW means the talent never existed in Classic. It is Forever-only. Changed means the Classic talent still exists but works differently now. Active means you press a button to use it; everything else just happens.
Take it to the Warrior calculator
Happy with your picks? Open the Warrior calculator and spend the points. Or take a tested starter build and change it to match the way you play.
