Cataclysm Classic Arms Warrior Guide

This page contains all relevant information needed for Arms Warrior during the Cataclysm Classic Pre Patch. Be sure to check back as we get closer to the release date, as this page will be updated with the latest information for Cataclysm itself when it releases.

Arms Warrior is an extremely viable DPS class in both PvE and PvP based content. It scales very well and brings numerous abilities, making it very strong in 10-man raid groups trying to optimize their buffs and debuffs. That being said Arms is still a melee DPS with limited unique utility, making it unlikely that many groups will bring more than a couple DPS Warriors to a raid.

Alliance Arms Warriors best option is Worgen as Viciousness offers the most total stats, and Darkflight gives you movement speed utility. Humans are decent second choice as they offer Mace Specialization and Sword Specialization, which gives 3 Expertise whenever you are using a Sword or Mace. They will also have access to Will to Survive, which is one of the best racials in the game for PvP content.

Horde Arms Warriors have a few contenders for the best race. Goblins are a strong choice, offering Time is Money, Rocket Jump and Rocket Barrage. Orcs remain a solid choice as well, offering Axe Specialization and Blood Fury. Both choices are very close with Goblin being better overall.

Arms Warrior has limited utility in Cataclysm, bringing only a few non-unique buffs and debuffs.

• Battle Shout;
• Commanding Shout;
• Blood Frenzy;
• Demoralizing Shout;
• Sunder Armor;
• Thunder Clap.

At Level 80 you can pick all of your main talents for Arms, only missing out on Executioner.

You can optionally take Throwdown, giving you a single target stun, or instead put that 1 point into Field Dressing to increase the amount of healing you get overall.

For higher AoE damage, take 2 points out of Incite and place them in Blood and Thunder instead to make your Thunder Clap spread your Rend, highly boosting your AoE damage output.

You can get all of your glyphs at level 80 besides Glyph of Colossus Smash, which requires level 81 to learn the new ability Colossus Smash. Be sure to learn all of these glyphs as soon as possible.

• Prime Glyphs
  • Glyph of Mortal Strike
  • Glyph of Overpower
  • Glyph of Slam
• Major Glyphs
  • Glyph of Sweeping Strikes
  • Glyph of Cleaving
  • Glyph of Rapid Charge
• Minor Glyphs
  • Glyph of Berserker Rage
  • Glyph of Command
  • Glyph of Shattering Throw

Your rotation during the pre-patch of Cataclysm is very similar to what it will be at level 85, with the exclusion of Colossus Smash, which requires level 81 to train.

Below is the ideal single target rotation as Arms Warrior. In addition to this rotation, you will need to be frequently swapping between both Battle Stance and Berserker Stance to fully maximize your damage output; more information on this down below.

1. Rend
   • Only needs to be applied once as it will be refreshed by Lambs to the Slaughter.
2. Mortal Strike
   • Use on cooldown.
3. Overpower
   • Use when you have a Taste for Blood proc.
4. Execute
   • Only usable when target is below 20% health.
5. Heroic Strike
   • Use when above 60 Rage to avoid rage capping.
6. Slam
   • Mostly a filler when you are high Rage and have no other spells available.
7. Battle Shout / Commanding Shout
   • Use whenever available to generate rage when needed.

Similar to Wrath of the Lich King stance swapping that Fury Warriors took advantage of for Rend, Arms Warrior will want to constantly stance swap between Battle Stance and Berserker Stance as Berserker Stance provides 5% more damage done. When done properly, this provides about a 3% DPS increase.

With Tactical Mastery you will retain 75 Rage with each stance change; be sure to quickly spend any Rage over 75 before swapping with Heroic Strike. Since Lambs to the Slaughter automatically refreshes your Rend, the only ability you need to use in Battle Stance is Overpower. This allows you to stay in Berserker Stance for long periods of time.

The main reason that this works is that Taste for Blood will proc every 6 seconds, giving you a bit of free time between Overpower uses. Your goal is to use Overpower right before swapping to Berserker Stance, stay in Berserker Stance for about 8 or 9 seconds, swap back to Battle Stance and use Overpower twice, rinse and repeat.

1. Spend any Rage over 75 with Heroic Strike.
2. Wait for a Taste for Blood proc and use Overpower.
3. After using Overpower, swap to Berserker Stance.
4. Resume the Single Target Rotation (excluding Overpower).
5. Wait for Taste for Blood proc.
6. 4-5 seconds later, before Taste for Blood procs again and you lose an Overpower, swap to Battle Stance.
7. Overpower right away.
8. Taste for Blood should proc again, allowing you to Overpower a second time.
9. Swap back to Berserker Stance and continue the Single Target Rotation.

While your single target rotation can be complicated, the AoE rotation is much simpler.

1. Rend
   • Spread the Rend with Thunder Clap if you specced into Blood and Thunder; skip this step if you did not.
2. Bladestorm
   • Recklessness first if available.
3. Sweeping Strikes
   • Use on cooldown outside of Bladestorm window.
4. Thunder Clap
   • Use on cooldown.
5. Whirlwind
   • Now hits all targets and the cooldown is reduced to 4 seconds if it successfully hits at least four targets.
6. Cleave
   • Use for any excessive Rage.

With the Cataclysm stat rework, main stats are MUCH stronger than they previously were, making Strength your best stat by far. Cataclysm also introduces the new stat Mastery for Arms Warriors, giving you a high chance to trigger an additional melee attack. Below you will find your ideal stat priority.

1. Strength
• Prioritize this greatly above everything else.
2. Hit Rating
• Until you reach 8% Hit cap.
3. Critical Strike Rating
• Provides great value through Impale and Wrecking Crew talents.
4. Expertise Rating
• Until you reach 26 Expertise (6.5%).
5. Mastery Rating
• Chance to proc an additional swing; higher chance with more Mastery.
6. Haste Rating
• Very low value; aim for gear without Haste.

You will mostly be using the same gear as was recommended for Wrath Classic Phase 5 with a few exceptions. Any non-Plate gear should be replaced by the best Plate item you have for the slot to activate Plate Specialization, the new passive Arms Warriors get for wearing all Plate gear. This 5% Strength bonus will far outweigh any other minor DPS increase gained by wearing Leather or Mail gear as was the case in previous expansions.

The gear below also shows our recommendations for the new system, Reforging, which allows you to convert 40% of one stat into another that is not already on the gear. While we recommend mostly reforging into Mastery, only do this if you are already Hit (8%) and Expertise (6.5%) capped. Simply follow the Stat Priority list above for the best results.

Slot	Item	Reforge	Source
Helm	Sanctified Ymirjar Lord's Helmet	Haste → Mastery	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Neck	Penumbra Pendant	Haste → Mastery	(25H) The Ruby Sanctum
Shoulder	Sanctified Ymirjar Lord's Shoulderplates	Haste → Mastery	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Cloak	Winding Sheet	Haste → Mastery	(25H) Rotface — Icecrown Citadel
Chest	Sanctified Ymirjar Lord's Battleplate	Haste → Mastery	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Bracer	Polar Bear Claw Bracers	Hit → Mastery	(25H) Gunship Battle — Icecrown Citadel
Gloves	Sanctified Ymirjar Lord's Gauntlets	–	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Belt	Coldwraith Links	Haste → Mastery	(25H) Valithria Dreamwalker — Icecrown Citadel
Legs	Sanctified Ymirjar Lord's Legplates	–	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Boots	Apocalypse's Advance	Hit → Mastery	(25H) The Ruby Sanctum
Ring 1	Ashen Band of Endless Might	–	Exalted — The Ashen Verdict
Ring 2	Frostbrood Sapphire Ring	Haste → Mastery	(25H) Valithria Dreamwalker — Icecrown Citadel
Trinket 1	Deathbringer's Will	–	(25H) Deathbringer Saurfang — Icecrown Citadel
Trinket 2	Sharpened Twilight Scale	–	(25H) The Ruby Sanctum
Weapon	Shadowmourne	Haste → Mastery	Obtaining Shadowmourne
Ranged	Fal'inrush, Defender of Quel'thalas	Haste → Mastery	(25H) The Lich King — Icecrown Citadel

Your enchants have not changed from Wrath of the Lich King. Simply follow your Stat Priority to get the best stats you can.

Slot	Enchantment
Head	Arcanum of Torment
Shoulders	Master's Inscription of the Axe (Requires Inscription) Greater Inscription of the Axe
Back	Swordguard Embroidery (Requires Tailoring) Flexweave Underlay (Requires Engineering) Enchant Cloak - Major Agility
Chest	Enchant Chest - Powerful Stats
Wrist	Fur Lining - Attack Power (Requires Leatherworking) Enchant Bracer - Greater Assault
Hands	Hyperspeed Accelerators (Requires Engineering) Enchant Gloves - Crusher Enchant Gloves - Precision
Waist	Eternal Belt Buckle
Legs	Nerubian Leg Reinforcements (Requires Leatherworking) Icescale Leg Armor
Feet	Nitro Boosts (Requires Engineering) Enchant Boots - Cat's Swiftness Enchant Boots - Greater Assault Enchant Boots - Icewalker
Weapon	Enchant Weapon - Berserking Enchant 2H Weapon - Massacre (Cheaper Enchant)
Ring	Enchant Ring - Assault (Requires Enchanting)

Your gemming will largely follow your Stat Priority. You mostly want to gem as much Strength as possible, avoiding most socket bonuses that offer lower priority stats.

Sockets	Gems
	Chaotic Skyflare Diamond Make sure you meet the requirements to activate it.
	Bold Cardinal Ruby
	Inscribed Ametrine
	Etched Dreadstone Sovereign Dreadstone
	Bold Dragon's Eye Requires Jewelcrafting