Warrior Class Changes for Shadowlands (Patch 9.0.2)

Last updated on Nov 20, 2020 at 14:17 by Stan 4 comments

On this page, you will find a list of all Warrior changes coming in Shadowlands.

In addition to the class changes listed here, Warriors also gain access to class-specific Warrior Covenant Abilities that can be used anywhere in the open world, Legendary Powers obtained through Runecarving, Soulbind Conduits, and Anima Powers that only work in Torghast.

1.

General Changes

  • Whirlwind Icon Whirlwind is now capped at 5 targets.
  • Taunt Icon Taunt is now learned at level 8 (was 14).
  • Charge Icon Charge is now learned at level 14 (was 8).
  • All Warriors can now use the following abilities
    • New Ability: Shattering Throw Icon Shattering Throw — Hurl your weapon at the enemy, causing Physical damage, ignoring armor, and removing any magical immunities. Deals up to 500% increased damage to absorb shields.
    • New Ability: Intervene Icon Intervene — Run at high speed toward an ally, intercepting all melee and ranged attacks against them for 6 seconds while they remain within 10 yards.
    • Slam Icon Slam — Slams an opponent, causing Physical damage.
    • Shield Slam Icon Shield Slam — Slams the target with your shield, causing Physical damage.
    • Shield Block Icon Shield Block — Raise your shield, blocking all melee attacks against you for 6 seconds.
    • Hamstring Icon Hamstring — Maims the enemy for Physical damage, reducing movement speed by 50% for 15 seconds.
    • Whirlwind Icon Whirlwind — Unleashes a whirlwind of steel, striking up to 5 nearby targets for Physical damage.
    • Spell Reflection Icon Spell Reflection — is no longer a PvP Talent. Raise your weapon reflecting spells cast on you and reducing magical damage you take by 20%. Lasts 5 seconds or until a spell is reflected.
    • New PvP Talent: Overwatch Icon Overwatch (replaces Spell Reflection) — When you intervene an ally, they gain Spell Reflection for 5 seconds or until a spell is reflected.
2.

General Warrior Abilities Unlocked Above Level 50

  • Challenging Shout Icon Challenging Shout (Level 54) — Taunts all enemies within 10 yards to attack you for 6 seconds. Instant-cast, 4-minute cooldown.
  • Rallying Cry Icon Rallying Cry (Level 56) — Grants an additional 5% temporary and maximum Health.
3.

Arms Warrior

Arms Warriors have not changed much in Shadowlands, with only a few talent and ability adjustments. Players familiar with the Battle for Azeroth version of Arms will find it familiar, although there are a few noticeable differences, and the inclusion of unpruned defensive and utility spells gives the spec more gameplay options than before.

The most notable change for Arms Warriors is the Mastery Mastery: Deep Wounds Icon Mastery: Deep Wounds now increasing the targets damage taken form all abilities, placing emphasis back on the player casted abilities rather than the passive DoT effect. Maintaining this debuff will therefore be the upmost importance, in both single target and multitarget situations.

This change also impacts the DPS rotation, as Execute Icon Execute no longer applies Deep Wounds, placing additional emphasis on Mortal Strike Icon Mortal Strike to maintain the effect. However, the debuff now lasts significantly longer, and is also applied by Colossus Smash Icon Colossus Smash, making it fairly easy to keep active.

  • New Ability: Piercing Howl Icon Piercing Howl — Snares all enemies within 12 yards, reducing their movement speed by 70% for 8 seconds.
  • Mastery: Deep Wounds Icon Mastery: Deep Wounds redesigned — Mortal Strike Icon Mortal Strike, Cleave Icon Cleave, Ravager Icon Ravager, Colossus Smash Icon Colossus Smash, Warbreaker Icon Warbreaker, and Bladestorm Icon Bladestorm inflict Deep Wounds, dealing Bleed damage over 12 seconds and increasing the damage the enemy takes from you by 9%.
  • Sweeping Strikes Icon Sweeping Strikes now has a 0.75-second global cooldown (was 1.5 second).
  • Bladestorm Icon Bladestorm is now capped at 8 targets.
3.1.

Arms Warrior Talent Changes

  • Fervor of Battle Icon Fervor of Battle no longer increases the damage of Whirlwind Icon Whirlwind.
  • Rend Icon Rend now has a 15-second duration (was 12 seconds). Additionally, it increases the target's critical damage taken from the casting Warrior's abilities by 10%.
  • Collateral Damage Icon Collateral Damage has been redesigned — When Sweeping Strikes Icon Sweeping Strikes ends, your next Whirlwind Icon Whirlwind deals 25% increased damage for each ability used during Sweeping Strikes that damaged a second target.
  • Cleave Icon Cleave has been redesigned and now replaces Sweeping Strikes Icon Sweeping Strikes. Strikes up to 5 enemies in front of you for Physical damage, inflicting Deep Wounds. Cleave will consume your Overpower Icon Overpower effect to deal increased damage.
  • Deadly Calm Icon Deadly Calm has been redesigned — Reduces the Rage cost of your next 4 abilities by 100%. Passive: Your maximum Rage is increased by 30.
  • Dreadnaught Icon Dreadnaught has been redesigned — Overpower Icon Overpower has 2 charges and causes a seismic wave, dealing damage to up to 5 enemies in a 10-yard line.
  • Ravager Icon Ravager now has a 45-second cooldown (was 1 minute), duration increased to 12 seconds (was 7 seconds), periodic damage increased to 2 seconds (was 1 second), and now chases nearby enemies in combat. Additionally, Ravager is now capped at 8 targets.
  • Impending Victory Icon Impending Victory healing increased to 30% (was 20%).
  • Avatar Icon Avatar no longer has a global cooldown.
4.

General Arms Warrior Abilities Learned Above Level 50

  • Die by the Sword Icon Die by the Sword (Level 52) — Cooldown reduced by 60 seconds.
  • Sweeping Strikes Icon Sweeping Strikes (Level 58) — Duration increased by 3 seconds.
4.1.

Arms Warrior Talent Tree

Below is the current talent tree for Arms Warriors.

  • Level 15 Talents: War Machine Icon War Machine / Sudden Death Icon Sudden Death / Skullsplitter Icon Skullsplitter;
  • Level 25 Talents: Double Time Icon Double Time / Impending Victory Icon Impending Victory / Storm Bolt Icon Storm Bolt;
  • Level 30 Talents: Massacre Icon Massacre / Fervor of Battle Icon Fervor of Battle / Rend Icon Rend;
  • Level 35 Talents: Second Wind Icon Second Wind / Bounding Stride Icon Bounding Stride / Defensive Stance Icon Defensive Stance;
  • Level 40 Talents: Collateral Damage Icon Collateral Damage / Warbreaker Icon Warbreaker / Cleave Icon Cleave;
  • Level 45 Talents: In For The Kill Icon In For The Kill / Avatar Icon Avatar / Deadly Calm Icon Deadly Calm;
  • Level 50 Talents: Anger Management Icon Anger Management / Dreadnaught Icon Dreadnaught / Ravager Icon Ravager.
4.2.

Arms Warrior Shadowlands Guide

5.

Fury Warrior

Fury Warriors core gameplay is nearly identical in Shadowlands, but has received a good number of talent changes which shake things up in a good way and the inclusion of unpruned defensive and utility spells gives the spec more gameplay options than before.

The most notable change for Fury Warriors is the reduction of the Haste bonus from Enrage Icon Enrage, slowing the spec down slightly to make it more friendly to a broader range of players. While this is a nerf, it is made up for with some very good talent adjustments which increase the reliability of the specialization, such as the new version of Fresh Meat Icon Fresh Meat, allowing consistent Enrage procs at the start of any encounter.

The DPS rotation itself is almost entirely unchanged, with only the new talented ability Onslaught Icon Onslaught being added as a mid-priority damaging attack. As a result, players familar with Battle for Azeroth should find Fury very familiar and the changes easy to adapt to.

  • New Ability: Single-Minded Fury Icon Single-Minded Fury (Passive) — While dual-wielding a pair of One-Handed weapons, your damage is increased by 12% and your movement speed by 5%.
  • Bloodthirst Icon Bloodthirst now restores 3% of your health (was 5%).
  • Rampage Icon Rampage now costs 80 Rage (was 85).
  • Recklessness Icon Recklessness now instantly generates 40 additional Rage.
  • Piercing Howl Icon Piercing Howl no longer costs Rage, now has a 30-second cooldown (was 0), has a 12-yard radius (was 15 yards), reduces enemies movement speed by 70% (was 50%), and has a 8-second duration (was 15 seconds).
  • Bladestorm Icon Bladestorm is now capped at 8 targets.
6.

General Fury Warrior Abilities Learned Above Level 50

  • Recklessness Icon Recklessness (Level 52) — Duration increased by 2 seconds.
  • Execute Icon Execute (Level 58) — Damage increased by 15%.
6.1.

Fury Warrior Talent Changes

  • New Talent: Frenzy Icon Frenzy (Replaces Inner Rage) — Rampage Icon Rampage increases your Haste by 3% for 12 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. This effect is reset if you Rampage a different primary target.
  • New Talent: Onslaught Icon Onslaught (replaces Furious Slash) — Brutally attack an enemy for Physical damage. Requires Enrage Icon Enrage. Generates 15 Rage.
  • New Talent: Cruelty Icon Cruelty — While Enraged, Raging Blow Icon Raging Blow deals 20% more damage and has a 30% chance to instantly reset its own cooldown.
  • New Talent: Seethe Icon Seethe (replaces Carnage) — Bloodthirst Icon Bloodthirst generates 2 more Rage, or 4 more Rage when it critically strikes your primary target.
  • Fresh Meat Icon Fresh Meat no longer increases the healing of Bloodthirst Icon Bloodthirst. Now Fresh Meat causes Bloodthirst to always Enrage Icon Enrage you the first time you strike a target with Bloodthirst.
  • Massacre Icon Massacre now has an additional effect — Reduces the cooldown of Execute Icon Execute by 1.5 seconds.
  • Dragon Roar Icon Dragon Roar now has a 30-second cooldown (was 35 seconds), no longer reduces enemy movement speed, and critically strikes for 3 times normal damage.
  • Frothing Berserker Icon Frothing Berserker has been redesigned — Rampage Icon Rampage has a 20% chance to immediately refund 40 Rage.
  • Meat Cleaver Icon Meat Cleaver has been redesigned — Whirlwind Icon Whirlwind deals 30% more damage and now affects your next 4 single-target melee attacks, instead of the next 2 attacks.
  • Reckless Abandon Icon Reckless Abandon has been redesigned — Recklessness Icon Recklessness generates 50 Rage and greatly empowers Bloodthirst Icon Bloodthirst and Raging Blow Icon Raging Blow.
  • Impending Victory Icon Impending Victory healing increased to 30% (was 20%).
  • Endless Rage has been removed and replaced with Sudden Death Icon Sudden Death on the Talent row.
6.2.

Fury Warrior Talent Tree

Below is the current talent tree for Fury Warriors.

  • Level 15 Talents: War Machine Icon War Machine / Sudden Death Icon Sudden Death / Fresh Meat Icon Fresh Meat;
  • Level 25 Talents: Double Time Icon Double Time / Impending Victory Icon Impending Victory / Storm Bolt Icon Storm Bolt;
  • Level 30 Talents: Massacre Icon Massacre / Frenzy Icon Frenzy / Onslaught Icon Onslaught;
  • Level 35 Talents: Furious Charge Icon Furious Charge / Bounding Stride Icon Bounding Stride / Warpaint Icon Warpaint;
  • Level 40 Talents: Seethe Icon Seethe / Frothing Berserker Icon Frothing Berserker / Cruelty Icon Cruelty;
  • Level 45 Talents: Meat Cleaver Icon Meat Cleaver / Dragon Roar Icon Dragon Roar / Bladestorm Icon Bladestorm;
  • Level 50 Talents: Anger Management Icon Anger Management / Reckless Abandon Icon Reckless Abandon / Siegebreaker Icon Siegebreaker.
6.3.

Fury Warrior Shadowlands Guide

7.

Protection Warrior

  • Revenge Icon Revenge now deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets, no longer has a cooldown, costs 20 Rage (was 30), and replaces Slam Icon Slam when learned. Your successful dodges and parries now have a chance to make Revenge cost no Rage, instead of being guaranteed.
  • Avatar Icon Avatar no longer has a global cooldown.
  • Intercept has been removed.
  • Thunder Clap Icon Thunder Clap now deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
8.

Protection Warrior Abilities Learned Above Level 50

  • Avatar Icon Avatar (Level 52) — Generates 10 more Rage.
  • Shield Wall Icon Shield Wall (Level 58) — Reduces damage taken by an additional 10%.
8.1.

Protection Warrior Talent Changes

  • New Talent: War Machine Icon War Machine — Your auto attacks generate 50% more Rage. Killing an enemy instantly generates 10 Rage, and increases your movement speed by 30% for 8 seconds.
  • New Talent: Double Time Icon Double Time (replaces Safeguard) — Increases the maximum number of charges on Charge Icon Charge by 1, and reduces its cooldown by 3 seconds.
  • Dragon Roar Icon Dragon Roar now has a 30-second cooldown (was 35 seconds), no longer reduces enemy movement speed, and critically strikes for 3 times normal damage. Generates 20 Rage (was 10).
  • Ravager Icon Ravager now has a 45-second cooldown (was 1 minute), duration increased to 12 seconds (was 7 seconds), periodic damage increased to 2 seconds (was 1 second), generates 10 Rage each time it deals damage, and now chases nearby enemies in combat. Additionally Ravager is now capped at 8 targets.
  • Best Served Cold Icon Best Served Cold has been redesigned — Revenge Icon Revenge deals 20% more damage, or 50% more damage when your successful dodges or parries have made it cost no Rage.
  • Menace Icon Menace has been redesigned — Intimidating Shout Icon Intimidating Shout will knock back all nearby enemies except your primary target, and cause them all to cower in fear for 15 seconds instead of fleeing.
  • Punish Icon Punish damage reduction effect can now overlap and has a maximum of 5 stacks.
  • Impending Victory Icon Impending Victory healing increased to 30% (was 20%).
  • Bolster Icon Bolster now grants the Shield Block Icon Shield Block effect for the duration of Last Stand Icon Last Stand (was block chance to 100%).
  • Indomitable Icon Indomitable now has an additional effect — Every 10 Rage you spend heals you for 1% of your maximum health.
  • Never Surrender Icon Never Surrender now causes Ignore Pain Icon Ignore Pain to prevent 40% to 100% based on missing health (was 0% to 100%).
  • Into the Fray Icon Into the Fray now grants 2% haste for each enemy or ally within 10 yards (was 3% Haste).
  • Booming Voice Icon Booming Voice damage bonus increased to 20% (was 15%).
  • Heavy Repercussions Icon Heavy Repercussions now causes Shield Slam Icon Shield Slam to generate 3 additional Rage, and no longer increases the damage of Shield Slam during Shield Block Icon Shield Block.
  • Anger Management Icon Anger Management no longer reduces the cooldown of Demoralizing Shout Icon Demoralizing Shout or Last Stand Icon Last Stand.
  • Crackling Thunder Icon Crackling Thunder now has an additional effect — Increases Thunder Clap Icon Thunder Clap movement speed reduction by an additional 10%.
  • Vengeance has been removed.
  • New PvP Talent: Rebound Icon Rebound — Reflecting spells causes them to deal 33% extra damage back to the attacker.
  • Mass Spell Reflection has been removed.
8.2.

Protection Warrior Talent Tree

Below is the current talent tree for Protection Warriors.

  • Level 15 Talents: War Machine Icon War Machine / Punish Icon Punish / Devastator Icon Devastator;
  • Level 25 Talents: Double Time Icon Double Time / Rumbling Earth Icon Rumbling Earth / Storm Bolt Icon Storm Bolt;
  • Level 30 Talents: Best Served Cold Icon Best Served Cold / Booming Voice Icon Booming Voice / Dragon Roar Icon Dragon Roar;
  • Level 35 Talents: Crackling Thunder Icon Crackling Thunder / Bounding Stride Icon Bounding Stride / Menace Icon Menace;
  • Level 40 Talents: Never Surrender Icon Never Surrender / Indomitable Icon Indomitable / Impending Victory Icon Impending Victory;
  • Level 45 Talents: Into the Fray Icon Into the Fray / Unstoppable Force Icon Unstoppable Force / Ravager Icon Ravager;
  • Level 50 Talents: Anger Management Icon Anger Management / Heavy Repercussions Icon Heavy Repercussions / Bolster Icon Bolster.
8.3.

Protection Warrior Shadowlands Guide

9.

More Patch 9.0.1 Class Changes

You can find other Patch 9.0.1 class changes linked below.

10.

Changelog

  • 19 Nov. 2020: Shield Slam added.
  • 16 Nov. 2020: Updated for Shadowlands release.
  • 20 Oct. 2020: Updated War Machine and Thunder Clap (Protection).
  • 13 Oct. 2020: Updated for the Shadowlands Pre-Patch.
  • 06 Sep. 2020: Updated for Beta Build 35755.
  • 07 Aug. 2020: Fixed Whirlwind interaction with Rank 2 in Shadowlands.
  • 26 Jun. 2020: Reworked Warrior based on the latest Alpha update.
  • 16 Jun. 2020: Reviewed for Alpha Build 34714.
  • 09 Jun. 2020: Reviewed for Alpha Build 34615.
  • 02 Jun. 2020: Updated intro with links to Anima Powers and Covenant Abilities.
  • 25 May 2020: Reviewed for Alpha Build 34490.
  • 15 May 2020: Reviewed for Alpha Build 34365.
  • 09 May 2020: Into the Fray nerf and Ravager fixes.
  • 08 May 2020: Reviewed for Alpha Build 34278.
  • 30 Apr. 2020: Updated Bladestorm and Sudden Death for Alpha Build 34199.
  • 28 Apr. 2020: Updated for Alpha Build 34137.
  • 21 Apr. 2020: Page added.
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