Mists of Pandaria Classic Protection Warrior Guide

Last updated on Jun 24, 2025 at 12:00 by Abide

Welcome to our Protection Warrior guide for Mists of Pandaria Classic, tailored for PvE content. Here, you will learn how all you need to know to play Protection Warrior proficiently. Click the links below to navigate the guide or read this page for a short introduction.

1.

Protection Warrior Guide for Mists of Pandaria

ProtectionProtection is the tank specialization, where you will focus on taking damage as your primary goal rather than dishing it out. ProtectionProtection can be classified as easy to learn, hard to master. This spec only has a few main abilities in its rotation, but it also has multiple procs that require quick reactions to utilize. The nature of a tank also requires high awareness of the situation at all times, as you will need to be ready to adapt to anything the content throws at you.

With Mists of Pandaria, tanks are required to start using active mitigation, requiring you to frequently use a specific defensive skill whenever a "tank killer" ability is about to go off. This makes managing Rage an extremely important part of your rotation in MoP, as you need to be able to use your key active mitigation at crucial moments where lacking Rage will result in a death.

1.1.

Is Protection Warrior Viable in Mists of Pandaria

ProtectionProtection Warrior is in a significantely better spot during MoP than it was in MOPclysm, but it still lacks a bit compared to the best tanks for the expansion. You self-sustain is very low, where as other tanks can heal back part of the damgage they take, you will require full heals always. Where the ProtectionProtection excels is high AoE fight, where you can easily top the meters on larger pulls.

Strengths icon Strengths
  • +Amazing AoE threat and damage.
  • +Performs well against Physical damage based enemies.
  • +Has many active mitigation abilities to reduce incoming damage.
  • +Very high mobility.
Weaknesses icon Weaknesses
  • -Very little self sustain compared to other classes, requiring much more healing.
  • -Does not bring anything unique to the raid.
2.

Best Races for Protection Warrior

WarriorWarrior is the only class in the game that can be played by any race, allowing you to pick whatever you want; with that said, certain racials provide more benefit than others, weither its in PvE, PvP, or different specs. Below are our recommended specs for both the Alliance and Horde ProtectionProtection Warriors.

2.1.

Pandaren

Pandaren are the newest race added in Mists of Pandaria, and can be played by either faction, making them a choice for most classes. The main racial for Pandas is Epicurean Icon Epicurean, which doubles the benefit of your food buff. This can be very powerful, as your food buff will grant you 300 main stat; this racial benefit will be lost if you die and are combat ressed during a boss, making it more risky than other racials.

  1. Pandaren
    • Bouncy Icon Bouncy/li>
    • Epicurean Icon Epicurean
    • Gourmand Icon Gourmand
    • Inner Peace Icon Inner Peace
    • Quaking Palm Icon Quaking Palm
2.2.

Alliance

Night Elf Night Elves offer a defensive option, bringing 2 increased dodge via Quickness Icon Quickness, and Nature Resistance Icon Nature Resistance. Worgens Worgen are a solid choice, especially if you DPS often, as they grant 1% crit chance via Viciousness Icon Viciousness.

  1. Night Elf Night Elf
    • Nature Resistance Icon Nature Resistance
    • Quickness Icon Quickness
    • Shadowmeld Icon Shadowmeld
    • Wisp Spirit Icon Wisp Spirit
  2. Worgens Worgen
    • Aberration Icon Aberration/li>
    • Darkflight Icon Darkflight
    • Flayer Icon Flayer
    • Viciousness Icon Viciousness
2.3.

Horde

You don't have many choices when it comes to racials on the Horede side while tanking. Orc Orc is the only race that provides any real value in combat. Goblin Goblin receives an honorable mention for Rocket Jump Icon Rocket Jump, but as a WarriorWarrior, you should not have much trouble closing the distance on your enemies. For Horde, we recommend Orc if you are DPSing often, and Pandaren if you are mostly tanking.

  1. Orc Orc
    • Axe Specialization Icon Axe Specialization
    • Blood Fury Icon Blood Fury
    • Hardiness Icon Hardiness
3.

Best Professions for Protection Warrior

Mists of Pandaria balances most professions to be an equal amount of bonus stats, with most professions giving an average of 320 stats increase. That being said, there are always certain advantages and disadvantages to each profession, making certain professions slightly stronger than others.

  1. Engineering Icon Engineering — Engineering is once again the best profession in the game for us, made even stronger in Mists of Pandaria with the two new glove tinker enchants, Synapse Springs Icon Synapse Springs for damage and Phase Fingers Icon Phase Fingers for tankiness. Nitro Boosts Icon Nitro Boosts remain a solid option for movement speed bursts during fights. You will also be able to use Synapse Springs Icon Synapse Springs on your DPS specs.
  2. Blacksmithing Icon Blacksmithing — Allows you to add an additional socket to your gloves and bracers with Socket Gloves Icon Socket Gloves and Socket Bracer Icon Socket Bracer. While this is about the same stats gain as most other professions early on, once epic gems are introduced this profession becomes even stronger. These sockets are very nice compared to other professions, which offer a specific stat, as you can gem whatever stat you need in these sockets instead!
4.

Warrior Addons and Macros

Addons and Macros can greatly improve your quality of life during Mists of Pandaria. Listed below are some of our recommendations on Addons and Macros to help get the most out of your time playing the game.