Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

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Vissenbot

Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#1 » Post by Vissenbot » 02 Aug 2010 22:54

Warrior Tanking
Wrath of the Lich King 3.3.5 (12340)

By Vissenbot



Introduction

Hello everyone. This is a comprehensive guide to become a great warrior, through the Protection spec. This guide will review all 3 main aspects of the game: leveling, raid and PvP. Before anyone raises an objection, yeah, I intend to show how to level with a protection spec, which is the best spec in my opinion, considering it has to lowest downtime due to high defense. Therefore, you take less damage, and take less time (and money) using bandages, potions and all stuff of this kind. PvP in protection is also really great, as described further down. A warrior tank is the best tank you can get, whatever anyone says. Proof will be made.


Leveling

I’ll explain every thing from level 10 to 80. I consider the first ten levels to be intuitive enough to skip this part.
There are 4 parts whenever a level is described:
Talent points say which talent you should put points in.
Skills say which new skills you get, their effects and how to use them.
Other tips talks about rotation, glyphs and any other tip I find useful.
Tanking tips talks about how you should tank in instances.


Level 10

Talent points:
Your first talent points should be put in Shield Specialization, until 5 points are into it. Then, it will grant a 5% chance to block, which is useful for any tank, plus the ability to generate 5 Rage whenever you dodge, block or parry, which is incredible.
Skills:
Here, you gain access to the Defensive Stance, which you should keep at all time. Until level 35, you will suffer from having a -5% damage to all your attacks. You will also get a permanent 10% damage reduction to all attacks! Lastly, you generate more threat at all time. You get Bloodrage, which is useful to activate your Battle Shout, and compensate a little for the lack of your Charge ability.
Other tips:
Get a shield and a one-handed weapon equipped at all time. Use a rotation of Heroic Strike, Thunder Clap and Rend. Sunder Armor is not a major skill until much further.
Tanking tips:
Use Thunder Clap whenever you can. Heroic Strike is also useful as it makes massive threat. Sunder Armor can be useful on bosses, though it’s not that useful. Use Taunt when you lose the agro on any target.


Level 12

Skills:
Shield Bash. A useful skill (a lifesaver I would dare to say against mages) that interrupts spellcasting. It becomes even more powerful later on.


Level 14

Skills:
You get Demoralizing Shout, a skill that reduces the attack power of enemies, which is useful for any case where you have to down multiple targets. But the best of all, is Revenge. It will be your main damaging skill for leveling. First of all, it costs 5 rage, which is ridiculous. It’s only useable after a parry, dodge or block, which happens fairly often…. If I remember well, you get 5 rage out of a parry, dodge or block with Shield Specialization. Isn’t it great?
Other tips :
Use Revenge whenever you have to occasion.


Level 15

Talent points:
Place your next 3 points in Improved Thunder Clap. It reduces the cost of Thunder Clap, which is your main tanking ability, and makes it more effective.
Other tips:
Get a Glyph of Revenge and a Glyph of Battle. The first one makes your next Heroic Strike free when you use Revenge. The second one doubles the duration of you Battle Shout, which is annoying to reactivate every 2 minutes.
Tanking tips:
Use Revenge and get some free damage and threat on your target!


Level 16

Skills:
Mocking Blow is a nice move if you’re losing threat on a target, if your Taunt is on cooldown. Then, you get the skills that makes you indestructible in any situation : Shield Block. For 10 seconds, you block any melee or ranged non-magical attacks. What does it mean? Plenty of Rage from your Shield Specialization talent. Revenge twice in 10 seconds, plus the 2 free Heroic Strikes.
Tanking tips:
Get in the melee, agro everyone with your Thunder Clap, then use Shield Block to generate massive Rage to spam Thunder Clap, Revenge and Heroic Strike. Don’t forget your Taunt and Mocking Blow if something goes out of control.


Level 18

Talent points:
Next 2 points should be put in Anticipation, which starts building your dodge rating. The last 3 points will be put later on.
Skills:
Disarm. Useful skill if the enemy is pretty strong, and in PvP. I don’t remember ever using it while leveling.


Level 20

Talent points:
Improved Revenge. It increases the damage your skill does, plus it strikes another enemy. If Revenge did 100 damage before, when you get 2 points in it, it inflicts 320 damage, 160 on each of your enemies. If anyone is bad at math, it’s 320% damage from original skill.
Skills:
Cleave can be a useful skill in some situations. Whenever there are more than 1 ennemy, your Thunder Clap is on cooldown and you don't have a free Heroic Strike, then, use Cleave instead of Heroic Strike. Retaliation : Sorry, wrong stance. Stance Mastery : Too bad I never change stance.
Tanking tips:
Just keep doing Revenge. It will work out well.


Level 22

Talent points:
Shield mastery is another INCREDIBLE talent. Your Shield Block can be used every 40 seconds, and you block 30% more damage when you block. 2 points here please.
Skills:
Intimidation shout has 2 uses. First, when you are in deep shit, gives you some time to bandage. Second, send them to agro more monsters.


Level 24
Talent points:
Last stand is quite useful, even when out of an instance. Makes you ultimately survive an encounter, or gives some time to your friends to heal you. In any case, if you have less HP than the skills give, don’t worry, when it’s done, you fall back to 1 HP.
Skills:
Execute could be a good skill. The only problem is that it’s not useable in Defensive Stance.


Level 25

Talent points:
Complete the Anticipation tree, for a final 5% dodge chance. Less damage taken, more damage given with Revenge. Thank you.


Level 26

Skills:
You get Challenging Shout, which forces every mob to attack you for some time.
Tanking tips:
Challenging Shout is useful when everything is out of control. A low HP mob went away and agroed another group. While trying to get them, you lost the agro of your group. Don’t worry, Challenging Shout will save your group. Don’t forget to use Thunder Clap then.


Level 28

Talent points:
Start building your Toughness. It gives more armor and reduces stuns durations. Only 2 points.
Skills:
Shield Wall is a lifesaver-type skill. Shield Wall reduces any damage by 60% for 12 seconds.
Tanking tips:
You’re low HP? Your healer is sleeping on the job? Give yourself the time to kill the crappy mage that isn’t affected by your armor with Shield Wall.


Level 30

Talent points:
Concussion blow is a good all-around skill. It stuns (interrupts spellcasting) and makes some nice damage. Put a point here.
Skills:
Berserker Stance is a stance you won’t use. Intercept will be described later. Now about Slam. I’ve never really understood the utility of this skill. It has the same cost as Heroic Strike, but makes less damage, takes time to cast and doesn’t make threat. What the hell? Never use that.
Other tips:
New major glyph, yeah! That Glyph of Resonating Power seems quite good as it reduces the cost of Thunder Clap by 5. It now costs only 11, which is great! You can use it even more often now! By the way, when you use your Shield Block when you are alone, don’t use Concussion Blow or Thunder Clap. Concussion Blow will make an enemy unable to attack, making you lose Revenge and Rage. Thunder Clap slows enemies, so it makes less Rage again. Considering you block EVERYTHING, you don’t need to do so.
Tanking tips:
When you use Shield Block, keep using Thunder Clap. It’s your main AoE threat dude!


Level 31

Talent points:
Let’s go back higher in the protection tree. Incite is pretty good, as it increases the damage of Thunder Clap and Heroic Strike by 15%. Kind of useful. 3 points here.


Level 32

Skills:
Berserker Rage makes you immune to fear, sleep and sap. PvP skill for the win. It also makes you generate more rage out of being attacked.
Other tips:
Your Shield Block just ran out? You need more rage? Use Berserker Rage and generate plenty of it.
Tanking tips:
Your Shield Block just ran out? You need more rage? Use Berserker Rage and generate plenty of it.


Level 34

Talent points:
Now it will be weird, but put 1 point in Toughness. You’ll see why next level.


Level 35

Talent points:
One-handed weapon specialization. Finally, the hell has ended. When 5 points are in it, you won’t see your -5% damage from the Defensive Stance. It will become a 5% bonus.


Level 36

Skills:
Whirlwind is not yours, sorry man! Berserker stance only.


Level 38

Skills:
Pummel is Shield Bash for Beserker Stance, so you can’t use it. OH SWEET! SLAM IS LEVEL 2! Not.


Level 40

Talent points:
Improved Defensive Stance, 2 points. Less damage from spells is cool. When you block, dodge or parry (which happens somewhat often), you do 10% more damage for 12 seconds, which means almost always. Damage count: 115%!
Skills:
Big 40. You can now wear Plate. Also, you just got your Shield Slam. It’s a nice damage-threat ability. In bonus, it removes a buff from your enemy. Note : Doesn’t remove paladins bubble! The only downside of this skill is it’s high cost.
Other tips:
Shield Slam is a really good skill. Whenever Revenge and Thunder Clap are on cooldown, use Shield Slam.
Tanking tips:
Watch for enemy buffs. If some pops ; Shield Slam. It’s also a nice threat skill, just like Heroic Strike, except it makes somewhat a little bit more damage.


Level 42

Talent points:
Focused Rage reduces the cost of all your offensive skill of 3 Rage. This means, all skills except Battle and Commanding Shout. Nice one here.
Tanking tips:
Thunder Clap now costs 8 Rage. Revenge costs 2 Rage. Man, now you KICK ASS!


Level 45

Talent points:
Vitality is a must. 6 Expertise is funny. 6% Strength is strong. 9% Stamina is extremely strong. 3 points here.


Level 46

Skills:
SLAM LEVEL 3!!!!


Level 48

Talent points:
Your Shield Bash now has the power to SILENCE for 3 seconds! Shield Slam deals 10% more damage. Sweeeeeeet!
Other tips:
Shield Bash should be considered for interrupting instead of Concussion Blow, to keep more Rage. Even better, the target can try to melee you, mostly resulting in a block, creating a Revenge-Heroic Strike opportunity. Shield Slam is now a good damaging ability!


Level 50

Talent points:
Warbringer is the most powerful talent point you can ever use. You can now use Charge, Intercept and Intervene in Defensive Stance AND while in combat.
Skills:
Charge is a nice opening move, as it gives 15 Rage and stuns the target for 1.5 second. Intercept use 7 Rage, makes damage and stuns for 3 seconds. Recklessness is not your domain.
Other tips:
A new minor glyph! Use the Glyph of Thunder Clap, which increase the range of 2 yards. Also, always open the fight with Charge. Keep your Intercept if your target tries to run away.
Tanking tips:
Always open the fight with Charge. Use either Intercept or Charge if taunt has failed, or to stun an annoying caster. Watch out for your threat though.


Level 51

Talent points:
Devastate is a good skill. It’s like Sunder Armor, but it makes DAMAGE! And it’s the same cost. By the way, Sunder Armor removes 4% armor per stack, up to 5 stacks.
Other tips:
Devastate is useful during normal encounters. You should strike with it as much as possible. It replaces your Cleave AND your Heroic Strike (exception made for free use with Glyph of Revenge).
Tanking tips:
On any boss, maximize your Devastate to 5 stacks and keep an eye on it to refresh it when it’s about to wear out.


Level 52

Talent points:
3 points in Critical Block for now. 15% more chance to critically hit with Shield Slam, and 60% chance of blocking twice the normal amount. Useful on any mob that hits hard.


Level 54

Skills:
SLAM LEVEL 4!! OMG!!! IT’S LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE!!!


Level 55

Talent points:
Sword and Board. Now that’s one nice talent. Devastate has 15% more chance to critically hit, and when you hit with it or REVENGE, it has a 30% chance to refresh Shield Slam and makes it free of cost.
Other tips:
Devastate is now even more useful in fight. For 12 Rage, you make damage and remove armor, and have a chance to use a free Shield Slam.


Level 58

Talent points:
Damage Shield or how-to-do-damage-while-not-receiving-damage. 2 points, thank you.


Level 60

Talent points:
Shockwave: your second AoE skill. Not too high cost (12 rage), stuns for 4 seconds (a nice break for fast heals), some good damage. Perfect skill.
Tanking tips:
Shockwave mains ability resides in the fact you can do some threat to wild mobs, with Thunder Clap. Be fast, place yourself and boom! You get agro back.


Level 61

Talent points:
Complete that Toughness skill. Remember, the one that gives you armor? Yeah, that one.
Skills:
Slam level 5. Keeps getting even more interesting as to how it could be useful.


Level 63

Talent points:
Vigilance wasn’t forgotten, it just wasn’t useful enough. But now is a good time to take it. It’s simple: you place it on an annoying guy that makes a big bunch of threat, and transfer 10% of its threat to yourself! The guy also wins a 3% damage reduction, and if he is hit, your Taunt is refreshed!
Tanking tips:
If you don’t have an annoying-unruly-making-too-much-threat-guy, place it on your healer!


Level 64

Talent points:
In the Fury tree, place 3 points in Armored to the Teeth. Yeah, you have a shitload of armor. For every 108 armor, you get 3 attack power points. Which means a lot.
Skills:
Spell Reflection is cool. Your can reflect a big bad spell.
Other tips:
Pyroblast is a big bad spell.
Tanking tips:
Most boss spells that takes more than 2 seconds to cast are big bad spells.


Level 67

Talent points:
In the Arms tree, place 5 points in Deflection. 5% more parry chance. 5% more chance to Revenge.


Level 68

Skills:
Commanding Shout gives more HP. If you prefer this one to Battle Shout, change your glyph for one that increases the duration of Commanding Shout. Either is good.
Tanking tips:
If there are 2 warriors, one should use Battle and the other one Commanding Shout ;)


Level 69

Skills:
Slam level 6. Damn, it’s now as good as Heroic Strike when I was level 48.


Level 70

Skills:
Intervene is like a Taunt, but cooler. You receive the next attack your friendly target was supposed to receive, plus you reduce their threat of 10%. With the Warbringer talent you already have, it also removes any movement impairing effets. Cool, isn’t it?
Other tips:
A Glyph of Bloodrage is useful, for your Bloodrage won’t need HP anymore. It’s like free Rage every minute! Also, your Heroic Strike deals additional damage against dazed oppenents.


Level 71

Skills:
Too bad Shattering Throw is a Battle Stance ability.


Level 72

Talent points:
Improved Charge, 2 points. You will now get even more Rage from your Charge, which means 25 Rage.


Level 74

Talent points:
Cruelty for 5 points. 5% more chance to critically hit with melee weapons. Nice threat through damage.
Skills:
Slam level 7. It now inflicts weapon damage plus 220. Too bad you get more than twice better in two levels.


Level 75

Skills:
Enraged Regeneration. Remember that Enrage talent that gives 10% more damage whenever you dodge, block or parry? Well, if it is active, you use that new skill and you get 30% of your total health in 10 seconds. Only downside is that it consumes the Enrage talent and prevents the use of any Enrage during this time. Berserker Rage is also an Enrage that can be used for Enraged Regeneration.
Tanking tips:
If your healer is having a hard time, Enraged Regeneration can help you a LOT. Otherwise, it won’t be that useful, meaning that if your healer is out of mana, don’t expect that skill to make last the fight, considering it’s 3 minutes cooldown.


Level 79

Talent points:
Your two final points shall be places in Improved Disciplines, reducing Shield Wall cooldown of 1 minute.
Skills:
Slam final level, lucky 7. Too bad it doesn’t go up to level 14, it could do as much damage as Heroic Strike.


Level 80

There you are, final level. Congratulations.
Skills:
Heroic Throw is a nice opening skill. It has a good range, generates high threat, potent damage, and then use Charge to be in melee. A great opening combo. Also another good Taunt-like ability if you lose threat. 1 minute cooldown, no Rage cost.
Other tips:
A Glyph of Blocking is great. It increases your block value by 10% for 10 seconds after using Shield Slam.
Tanking tips:
Here is your final rotation. Bloodrage + Shout. Heroic Throw + Charge. Thunder Clap for multiple targets only. You Revenge and Heroic Strike when you block, dodge or parry. Devastate up to 5 stacks, use Shield Slam if free use happens. Concussion Blow is cool. Otherwise, you Devastate, and do some Shield Wall and Shield Block on hard boss phases. If it’s not a boss, use Shield Block whenever it’s possible. Bloodrage when it’s ready.

Taunting skills:
Taunt
Mocking Blow
Thunder Clap
Heroic Strike
Vigilance
Intervene
Shield Slam
Challenging Shout
Slam level 8. Too bad it doesn’t exist.

That’s pretty much it. I’ll cover more precisely the raiding part later on. By the way, I know you’ve tried Slam at least once. It really sucks.

Note : I heard, with perfect timing, a 2hand and a good Arms spec, it can be a quite useful skill. But not for protection.
Last edited by Guest on 03 Aug 2010 00:27, edited 3 times in total.

User avatar
Vissenbot

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#2 » Post by Vissenbot » 02 Aug 2010 22:55

I'll try to make it less painful to the eyes... whenever I stop getting lazy! :P

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Riku

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#3 » Post by Riku » 03 Aug 2010 04:25

nice forum topic vissenbot :D though i aint in to protection but nice :p

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Gnomercy

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#4 » Post by Gnomercy » 13 Aug 2010 08:16

I am not really into warriors, but I read it and its very helpful and it has a great amount of humor :P. Thanks alot man.

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Arnoxis

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#5 » Post by Arnoxis » 09 Mar 2011 01:31

my warrior is level 40 ive just purchased dual talent spec and skilled in prot and i must say this is just not blizzlike i make more damage than in fury have a 5 second stun 4 defensive cds incredibly strong aoe and ive pulled like 7 mobs and they didnt manage to bring my 2200 hp under 1600 Oo

im thinking that next time i probably dont have to run when i see a paladin :D

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Universe

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#6 » Post by Universe » 15 Mar 2011 22:02

Personally I find Prot warriors overrated in pvp.. Good guide i hope someone can pick it up and use it..

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Arnoxis

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#7 » Post by Arnoxis » 16 Mar 2011 04:55

they arent overrated universe roll one and ull see...

as i saw this the first time i thought it was a funny joke like druids are overpowered etc. but this is actually the everyday life of a prot warrior xD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-Sk9wQfOMw

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Dreamcrusher

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#8 » Post by Dreamcrusher » 16 Aug 2011 15:46

so tl;dr, where should we put points at each level?

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Creek

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#9 » Post by Creek » 16 Aug 2011 18:22

...it says that in the tl;dr part, if you want to know that, you have to play the game called wasn't tl; and I did r.

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Toughy
Posts: 90
Joined: 09 Oct 2010 10:01
Location: Ploieşti, Romania

Re: Warrior leveling, raiding and PvP : Protection

#10 » Post by Toughy » 05 Jun 2013 12:55

Wow !

I never noticed Warbringer gives me Intercept too !
And I have entered many ICCs by now

Can't wait to try it !

Great guide !

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