Arms Warrior DPS Easy Mode

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. What has Changed for Arms Warrior in Patch 7.3.2?
  • 3. What has Changed for Arms Warrior in Patch 7.3?
  • 4. What has Changed for Arms Warrior in Patch 7.2.5?
  • 5. Arms Warrior's Strengths
  • 6. Arms Warrior's Weaknesses
  • 7. Viability of Arms Warrior in the Current Patch
  • 8. Contents
  • 9. ChangeLog
• ×Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics of Arms Warrior
  • 2. Talent Choices for Arms Warriors
  • 3. Stat Choices for Arms Warriors
  • 4. Basic Rotation for Arms Warriors
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Spell Summary of Arms Warrior
  • 2. Arms Warrior's Main Resource
  • 3. Basic Abilities of an Arms Warrior
  • 4. Important Procs for an Arms Warrior
  • 5. Offensive Cooldowns of an Arms Warrior
  • 6. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheet for Arms Warrior
    • 2.1. Open World, Levelling and Questing
    • 2.2. Dungeons and Raids
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents for Arms Warrior
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents for Arms Warrior
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents for Arms Warrior
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents for Arms Warrior
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents for Arms Warrior
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents for Arms Warrior
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents for Arms Warrior
  • 10. ChangeLog
• +Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression for Arms Warrior
    • 1.1. Early Progression
    • 1.2. Patch 7.2 Post 35 Trait Path
  • 2. Arms Warrior Artifact Ability
  • 3. Relic Choices for Arms Warrior
    • 3.1. AoE Specific:
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Netherlight Crucible Relic Paths
  • 1. Optimization between Light/Shadow Tier 2 and Relic Tier 3 Choices for Arms Warrior
  • 2. Tier 2 Priorities for Arms Warrior
    • 2.1. Best
    • 2.2. Weak
  • 3. Tier 3 Priorities for Arms Warrior
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single-Target Rotation for Arms Warrior
    • 1.1. Single Target
    • 1.2. Execute Usage
  • 2. Opening Rotation for Arms Warrior
    • 2.1. Cooldown Rotation
  • 3. Multiple-Target Rotation for Arms Warrior
    • 3.1. 4+ Target AoE (assuming Sweeping Strikes)
  • 4. Important Notes for Arms Warrior
    • 4.1. Tier 4 Talents
    • 4.2. Focused Rage
    • 4.3. Cooldowns
      • 4.3.1. Battle Cry
      • 4.3.2. Bladestorm/Ravager
      • 4.3.3. Colossus Smash and Warbreaker
  • 5. Mastering your Arms Warrior
    • 5.1. Rage Management
    • 5.2. Colossus Smash
    • 5.3. Movement and Mobility
    • 5.4. Advanced: Heroic Charge
    • 5.5. Defense
  • 6. Tier 19 Set Bonuses for Arms Warrior
  • 7. Tier 20 Set Bonuses for Arms Warrior
    • 7.1. Tier 20 Trinket Optimization
  • 8. Tier 21 Set Bonuses for Arms Warrior
  • 9. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. The Basics of Stats for Arms Warrior
    • 1.1. Getting a Better Understanding
    • 1.2. Statistics
    • 1.3. Breakpoints
  • 2. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems for Arms Warrior
  • 2. Enchants for Arms Warrior
  • 3. Consumables for Arms Warrior
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Macros for Arms Warriors
    • 1.1. Generic Macros for Warriors
      • 1.1.1. Bladestorm Cancelaura Macro
      • 1.1.2. Pummel Macro
      • 1.1.3. Heroic Leap Spam
    • 1.2. Specific Macros for Arms Warriors
      • 1.2.1. Charge Macro
      • 1.2.2. Cooldown Stacking Macro
  • 2. Addons recommended for Arms Warriors
    • 2.1. Generic Addons for Warriors
      • 2.1.1. ElvUI
      • 2.1.2. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
      • 2.1.3. GTFO
      • 2.1.4. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 2.1.5. Weak Auras
      • 2.1.6. TellMeWhen
      • 2.1.7. Raeli's Spell Announcer
      • 2.1.8. Recount / Skada / Details!
      • 2.1.9. Omen Threat Meter
    • 2.2. Specific Addons for Arms Warriors
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Raid Best in Slot List for Arms Warrior
    • 1.1. Trinkets
    • 1.2. Tier Bonus Combinations
    • 1.3. Evaluating Upgrades with dynamic Item Levels
  • 2. Racial Bonuses for Arms Warrior
  • 3. Legendary Items for Arms Warrior
    • 3.1. 7.1.5 Legendaries
    • 3.2. 7.2 Legendaries
    • 3.3. 7.2.5 Legendaries
    • 3.4. 7.3.2 Legendaries
    • 3.5. Recommended Choices
  • 4. Loot Competition for Arms Warrior
  • 5. ChangeLog

This section is intended for players who are new to the game or class, have no intentions of raiding Mythic difficulty, or simply want a more straightforward way to play their specialization without being overwhelmed by the numerous priorities and active abilities that need to be taken into consideration for optimal play.

1. The Basics of Arms Warrior

Arms is a very mechanically oriented spec that has a penchant for RNG aspects that need to be managed. Talents can drastically increase this, so in this section I have opted toward the most ease of use options to reduce the burden on playstyle and provide the easiest avenue to entry for a new player.

The core mechanic of Arms that needs to be grasped when learning the spec is the dichotomy between the Colossus Smash effect and the Tactician passive, the first of which increases all damage dealt to a target in a short window whilst the debuff is active, and the latter allowing for resets on both Colossus Smash casts and your Mortal Strike ability. Mortal Strike is the core strike to capitalise upon, so making effective use of these ability resets in tandem based on your Rage state is imperative.

2. Talent Choices for Arms Warriors

The talents listed below are selected predominantly for ease of use and to mitigate more complex decisions when it comes to resource management. Whilst in a number of cases there are alternatives on the tree that will provide more if played well and selected at the right time in a given situation, they can cause a large performance drop if taken at the wrong time; so this should be taken as an introduction to Arms get a grasp of the specialization.

• Level 15: Dauntless/ Sweeping Strikes
• Level 30: Double Time
• Level 45: Trauma
• Level 60: Bounding Stride
• Level 75: Fervor of Battle
• Level 90: In For The Kill
• Level 100: Opportunity Strikes.

3. Stat Choices for Arms Warriors

The current Arms stat priority is as follows when using this build:

1. Mastery;
2. Haste;
3. Versatility;
4. Critical Strike;
5. Strength.

Mastery is exceptionally powerful for Arms, empowering your Colossus Smash effect, fuelling the core of the Arms rotation. Haste is further behind, but still very powerful as it allows for additional Rage generation and ability uses within during the Colossus Smash effect. Strength is a stock increase, and Versatility/Critical Strike are both weak but significantly below your alternate stat options.

4. Basic Rotation for Arms Warriors

Due to increased Artifact catch up mechanics in Patch 7.2, this assumes all rotationally impactful Artifact Traits have been picked up.

• Cast Colossus Smash if available and Shattered Defenses is not active.
• Cast Warbreaker if Colossus Smash is absent from your target.
• Cast Battle Cry if the Colossus Smash debuff is active on your target.
• Cast Bladestorm with Tier 20 4-piece or at 3 or above targets following Warbreaker.
• Cast Mortal Strike.
• Cast Execute if your target is below 20%.
• Cast Mortal Strike with Shattered Defenses active, or with 2 stacks of Executioner's Precision active.
• Cast Whirlwind.

Lastly, take note that wasting uptime on the Colossus Smash effect is fine by overwriting it due to the damage the ability deals with no Rage cost. Wasting potential resets from waiting is far more costly, especially when considering Shattered Defenses so you should be using it aggressively; just make sure not to cast it back to back without consuming Shattered Defenses procs.

About Our Author and Reviewer

This guide has been written by Wordup, a frequent theorycrafter involved in a number of class communities. He is also an experienced player who has been in the world top 100 since the days of Sunwell, currently raiding in Echoes. You can also follow him on Twitter.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Archimtiros, one of the best DPS Warriors in the world, who raids in Infinity. You can follow him on Twitter.

5. ChangeLog

• 06 Jan. 2017: Altered Mortal Strike priority.
• 28 Nov. 2017: Updated for Antorus release.
• 14 Jun. 2017: Fully updated for new Arms talent choices and 7.2.5 information.
• 10 Jan. 2017: Updated for Titanic Might change in 7.1.5.
• 27 Nov. 2016: Added section for easier playstyle.

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