Warrior Leveling Guide 1–60 for WoW Forever

Warrior leveling in WoW Forever is faster and smoother than it was in Classic. Every Warrior trains Victory Rush at 20: an instant attack after you kill a non-trivial enemy that heals you for 10% of your maximum health. Tactical Mastery is baseline at 14, so stance swaps keep your Rage. Slam is a real attack on a cooldown instead of a trap, and Arms and Fury both get talents that turn the hits you take and the swings you make into Rage.

Level with a two-handed weapon in either spec. Arms is the default: Improved Rend from 10, Deep Wounds at 20–22, Anger Management at 25, Bloodthrill's free Overpowers from 31 and Mortal Strike at 40. Fury front-loads Rage and crit: Cruelty and Unbridled Wrath from 10 to 19, Enrage and Death Wish by 30, Flurry at 40 and Bloodthirst at 41. Both builds use the same weapon, the same stats and the same gear. Pick the one you want to play at 60.

Arms or Fury?

• Pick Arms if you want Mortal Strike at 40 for world PvP, you like a rotation built on Rend and Overpower procs, and you plan to play Arms at 60.
• Pick Fury if you want Rage from your first talent point, Death Wish at 30, and a straight path into the dual-wield raid build at 60.
• Either way, the first respec at 60 is cheap to plan: both builds already hold the core talents of their raid versions.

What changed from Classic

• Rage comes from swings, not damage. Each auto-attack gives Rage based on your weapon's speed. A slower weapon gives more Rage per swing, a faster one less per swing but more swings. How hard you hit doesn't matter, and a critical strike gives no extra Rage.
• Victory Rush at 20 cuts your downtime. Kill a non-trivial enemy, Victory Rush the next mob, keep going.
• Tactical Mastery is trained at 14: you keep 10 Rage when you change stance, and Improved Tactical Mastery raises it to 25.
• Slam is trained at 20: 15 Rage, 1.5-second cast, 18-second cooldown. Improved Slam in Arms makes it a 1-second cast that no longer resets your swing.
• Thunder Clap slows attack speed by 20% and works in Defensive Stance too.
• Unbridled Wrath gives 2 Rage per proc with a two-hander, on 60% of your hits at 5/5.
• Charge still generates 9 Rage at rank 1, 12 at rank 2 (26) and 15 at rank 3 (46).

Train every even level. A new Heroic Strike or Rend rank is a direct damage increase.

Levels 1–10

• 1: Battle Shout, Battle Stance, Heroic Strike.
• 4: Charge and Rend. Your pull for the next 56 levels.
• 6: Thunder Clap. Damage and a 20% attack speed slow on up to 4 mobs.
• 8: Hamstring and Heroic Strike rank 2.
• 10: Bloodrage, Sunder Armor, Taunt and Rend rank 2 from your trainer. Defensive Stance comes from your race's level 10 class quest (see Class quests).

Levels 10–20

• 12: Overpower, Shield Bash, Battle Shout rank 2.
• 14: Demoralizing Shout, Revenge, and passive Tactical Mastery.
• 16: Mocking Blow, Shield Block, Heroic Strike rank 3.
• 18: Disarm, Thunder Clap rank 2.
• 20: Victory Rush, Slam, Cleave, Retaliation, Rend rank 3. The biggest training level before 30.

Levels 20–30

• 22: Intimidating Shout, Battle Shout rank 3, Sunder Armor rank 2.
• 24: Execute, Heroic Strike rank 4, Demoralizing Shout rank 2, Revenge rank 2.
• 26: Challenging Shout, Charge rank 2 (12 Rage), Mocking Blow rank 2.
• 28: Shield Wall, Overpower rank 2, Thunder Clap rank 3.
• 30: Intercept, Cleave rank 2, Rend rank 4, Slam rank 2 from your trainer. Berserker Stance comes from the class quest The Affray.

Levels 30–40

• 32: Berserker Rage, Battle Shout rank 4, Execute rank 2, Hamstring rank 2, Heroic Strike rank 5, Shield Bash rank 2.
• 34: Demoralizing Shout rank 3, Revenge rank 3, Sunder Armor rank 3.
• 36: Whirlwind (Berserker Stance), Mocking Blow rank 3.
• 38: Pummel, Slam rank 3, Thunder Clap rank 4.
• 40: Cleave rank 3, Execute rank 3, Heroic Strike rank 6, Rend rank 5.

Levels 40–50

• 42: Battle Shout rank 5, Intercept rank 2.
• 44: Overpower rank 3, Demoralizing Shout rank 4, Revenge rank 4.
• 46: Charge rank 3 (15 Rage), Slam rank 4, Sunder Armor rank 4, Mocking Blow rank 4.
• 48: Mortal Strike or Bloodthirst rank 2, Execute rank 4, Heroic Strike rank 7, Thunder Clap rank 5.
• 50: Recklessness, Cleave rank 4, Rend rank 6.

Levels 50–60

• 52: Battle Shout rank 6, Intercept rank 3, Shield Bash rank 3.
• 54: Mortal Strike or Bloodthirst rank 3, Hamstring rank 3, Slam rank 5, Demoralizing Shout rank 5, Revenge rank 5.
• 56: Execute rank 5, Heroic Strike rank 8, Mocking Blow rank 5.
• 58: Pummel rank 2, Sunder Armor rank 5, Thunder Clap rank 6.
• 60: Battle Shout rank 7, Mortal Strike or Bloodthirst rank 4, Cleave rank 5, Heroic Strike rank 9, Overpower rank 4, Rend rank 7.

What to skip

• Revenge, Shield Bash and Mocking Blow ranks unless you tank dungeons. You don't use them solo.
• Sunder Armor ranks unless you tank. Solo, the Rage is better spent on Heroic Strike.
• Never skip Heroic Strike, Rend, Execute, Overpower, Slam, Cleave, Thunder Clap or your 31-point talent's ranks.

Orc is the Horde damage pick. Blood Fury gives 10% Attack Power for 15 seconds every 2 minutes, one pull in four. Hardiness shortens stuns by 20%, and Axe Specialization gives 1% crit with an axe, the weapon type of the Whirlwind Axe.

Troll cuts your downtime. Rapid Regeneration heals 50% of your health over 6 seconds on a 3-minute cooldown: one free meal every few pulls. Beast Slaying adds 5% damage against Beasts, and Regeneration keeps 10% of your health regeneration going in combat.

Undead eat corpses. Cannibalize restores 7% of your health every 2 seconds for 10 seconds from a Humanoid or Undead corpse, and Touch of the Grave drains health on 5% of your attacks.

Tauren get Endurance for 5% health and +1% hit, War Stomp to stun 5 mobs on a bad pull, and Plainsrunning: up to 30% movement speed while you run between quests.

Human is the Alliance all-rounder: Sword Specialization for 2% crit with a sword and Will to Survive to break stuns, which matters on a PvP server.

Night Elf gets Elune's Light for 10% crit for 15 seconds, Quickness for 1% dodge and 2% movement speed, and Wisp Spirit: a 75% faster corpse run.

Dwarf brings Big Game Hunter for 5% damage against Beasts and Stoneform to clear bleeds and poisons and take 10% less Physical damage.

Gnome gets Expansive Mind for 5% more Rage and Escape Artist to break snares.

High Order Skyborne (Alliance) and Windshaper Skyborne (Horde) start on Zephras Isle for levels 1–12. Both get Wind Blessed for 1% Haste and Walk on Air. High Order adds Read Ley Line to double your health regeneration, which cuts eating time; Windshaper adds Skysight for 10% movement speed.

Your two-hander is the biggest upgrade at every level. Heroic Strike, Overpower, Slam, Mortal Strike and Whirlwind all hit with it. Strength adds Attack Power to every swing and to Bloodthirst. Stamina means more pulls between meals. Crit and Agility add damage but give no Rage in Forever, so they sit last. Crit edges out Agility because Deep Wounds, Impale and Flurry all pay off on crits.

Weapons

• Levels 1–30: take the two-hander with the highest damage per second from every quest reward. For Arms, a slower weapon wins ties: your abilities add a flat amount to one big hit.
• Undead: Ulag the Cleaver and Agamand Heirlooms lead to Heirloom Weapon, a choice of Agamand heirloom weapons.
• Levels 30–40: the Whirlwind chain. The Islander sends you to Klannoc Macleod on Fray Island, and The Affray pits you against Big Will (level 33) and teaches Berserker Stance. The Windwatcher takes you to Bath'rah the Windwatcher, Cyclonian sends you out for the parts, The Summoning is level 40, and in Whirlwind Weapon the Whirlwind Heart goes into the weapon you choose. The Warrior-only Whirlwind two-handers:
  • Whirlwind Axe: 102–154 damage, 3.60 speed, +15 Strength, +14 Stamina.
  • Whirlwind Sword: 82–124 damage, 2.90 speed, +15 Strength, +14 Stamina.
  • Whirlwind Warhammer: 97–146 damage, 3.40 speed, +15 Strength, +14 Stamina.
• Level 58: Blacksmiths craft the Arcanite Reaper: 153–256 damage, 3.80 speed and 62 Attack Power. It binds on equip, so you can buy one.

Armor

Mail with Strength and Stamina, and plate from 40. Replace a piece when the new one has more Strength and Stamina combined.

Consumables

• Rage Potion from 4 and Great Rage Potion from 25: 20–40 and 30–60 Rage on a 2-minute cooldown. Keep a stack for elites.
• Dense Sharpening Stone on a sword or axe and Dense Weightstone on a mace from 35.
• Smoked Desert Dumplings from 45: 20 Strength when well fed, and 5% more experience from kills.

Mining and Skinning is the gold pair. Warriors kill a lot of Beasts, and both skills sell from the first zone.

Mining and Blacksmithing pays off later: sharpening stones and weightstones every 10 levels, the Arcanite Reaper at 58, and a Sharpening Wheel for your camp at skill 20, a group buff for everyone at your campfire.

Train First Aid and Cooking on every Warrior. Bandages save a meal between pulls. Crafted food with a Well Fed buff also gives bonus experience, and every player can build a Basic Campfire, which turns a clearing into a campsite with buffs.

Your first character to reach 25, or to 150 in a crafting profession, unlocks the Legacy system for your whole account.

Levels are the range each dungeon is built for, from our dungeon list.

• 13–18: Hall of Thanes, beneath Ironforge. A new Forever dungeon.
• 13–18: Ragefire Chasm, in Orgrimmar.
• 15–20: Ruins of Lordaeron, in Tirisfal Glades. Also new.
• 17–26: The Deadmines. 17–24: Wailing Caverns. 22–30: Shadowfang Keep.
• 24–32: Blackfathom Deeps and The Stockade. 29–38: Razorfen Kraul and Gnomeregan.
• 30–46: Scarlet Monastery. 37–46: Razorfen Downs. 41–51: Uldaman.
• 44–54: Zul'Farrak. 46–55: Maraudon. 50–60: Sunken Temple.
• 52–60: Blackrock Depths. 54–60: Dire Maul. 55–60: Lower Blackrock Spire.
• 58–60: Scholomance and Stratholme. 59–60: Upper Blackrock Spire.

Three new dungeons have boss lists but are not open in the beta yet: Excavation Site: Wetlands (24–29), City of Dalaran (28–33) and The Drowned City (35–40). Alcaz Prison, Blackmaw Hold, Krol'dok Stronghold and Shaper's Terrace are announced, with no details yet.

A Warrior is welcome in every one of them. Fury and Arms deal damage with the same talents you level with, and a Protection respec for dungeon runs is covered in the Protection guide.

Defensive Stance and Berserker Stance are class-quest rewards, not trainer spells. Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves, Undead, Orcs, Trolls and Tauren each have a level 10 chain that ends with Defensive Stance:

• Human: A Warrior's Training sends you to Harry Burlguard, then Bartleby the Drunk, Beat Bartleby and Bartleby's Mug, which teaches Defensive Stance in Stormwind.
• Dwarf: Vejrek asks for Vejrek's head for Muren Stormpike in Ironforge, and teaches Defensive Stance.
• Night Elf: Elanaria leads to Vorlus Vilehoof: bring the Horn of Vorlus to Elanaria in Darnassus for Defensive Stance. The Shade of Elura (8 Elunite Ore and the Medallion of Elura) follows later.
• Undead: Speak with Dillinger in Brill leads to Ulag the Cleaver, which teaches Defensive Stance. Agamand Heirlooms and the Heirloom Weapon reward follow later.
• Orc and Troll: Veteran Uzzek at Far Watch Post, then Path of Defense: 5 Singed Scales for Uzzek, and Defensive Stance.
• Tauren: Speak with Ruga leads to Trial at the Field of Giants: 5 twitching antennae for Ruga Ragetotem at Camp Taurajo, and it teaches Defensive Stance.
• All Horde: Thun'grim Firegaze and Forged Steel take you to Thun'grim Firegaze in the Barrens.

Two armor chains follow:

• Horde: Brutal Armor asks Thun'grim Firegaze for 15 Smoky Iron Ingots, 10 Powdered Azurite, 10 Iron Bars and a Vial of Phlogiston, and pays out with Brutal Hauberk.
• Alliance: Burning Blood asks for 20 vials of Burning Blood and a Burning Rock for Grimand Elmore in Stormwind, and ends with Grimand's Armor.

And the big one: the Whirlwind chain from 30 to 40. Its second quest, The Affray, teaches Berserker Stance, and the chain is covered in full under Gear and weapons.

Bloodrage for ranged pulls. When you can't Charge, Bloodrage gives you 20 Rage and puts you in combat. It costs 20% of your base health, so use it at full health.

Hamstring runners. Many humanoids flee at low health. Hamstring them at 20% and they can't bring back a second pull.

Thunder Clap is a defensive spell. A 20% attack speed slow on 4 mobs cuts their melee damage by about 17%. Clap every multi-mob pull.

Keep Battle Shout up. It lasts 3 minutes now, so one shout covers two or three pulls.

Eat between pulls, not during them. Your healing is Victory Rush, racials and, for Fury, Blood Craze. None of it replaces a meal. Start every pull above 70% health.

Casters come to you. A caster that stands back and casts won't walk into your Charge range twice. Break line of sight behind a tree or a wall so it has to run to you, or Charge it first and fight it where it stands. From 38, Pummel stops a cast in Berserker Stance; Shield Bash does it in Battle Stance if you carry a shield for the job.

Elites need a plan. Start at full health and full cooldowns. Open with Charge and Bloodrage, use Death Wish (Fury, from 30) or Retaliation (from 20) at the start, and keep Demoralizing Shout and Thunder Clap on the elite for the whole fight. A Rage potion pays for the Executes at the end.

Stances while leveling. Battle Stance for Charge, Overpower, Rend and Thunder Clap. Berserker Stance from 30 for Intercept, Whirlwind, Pummel and 3% crit, at the price of 10% more damage taken. Defensive Stance is for dungeons you tank and for the moment a pull goes very wrong: 10% less damage taken, and Shield Wall from 28.

Charge out of combat, Intercept in combat, with the stance swap built in. Press twice.

#showtooltip
/cast [nocombat,stance:1] Charge; [stance:3] Intercept; [nocombat] Battle Stance; Berserker Stance

Heroic Strike that starts your auto-attack and never toggles off when you press it twice.

#showtooltip Heroic Strike
/startattack
/cast !Heroic Strike

Overpower from any stance: the first press swaps to Battle Stance.

#showtooltip Overpower
/cast [stance:1] Overpower; Battle Stance

Hamstring your target and keep attacking.

#showtooltip Hamstring
/startattack
/cast Hamstring