Preliminary Mentions↑top

In this guide, we will offer you some quick and practical information for leveling up your Warrior from level 85 to level 90. We cover rotation, talents and glyphs. We do not, however, cover statistics, gear, or any information about the zones you should be questing in.

This guide requires a basic understanding of how the Warrior class works at level 85. This guide is not meant to reflect how you should play your character at level 90, or in a raid environment or dungeon.

While leveling up, you can complete 4 dungeons:

• Temple of the Jade Serpent;
• Stormstout Brewery;
• Shado-Pan Monastery;
• Mogu'shan Palace.

These dungeons have quests which reward you with vast amounts of experience.

In the next few weeks, we will extend this guide to cover the entire leveling journey, from level 1 to level 90.

In our opinion, you should level your Warrior up as either Arms or Fury, since this is much more efficient than leveling as Protection.

1. Arms Leveling Guide: 85-90↑top

1.1. Level 85

1.1.1. Talents and Glyphs

Before setting out on your leveling journey, you should take these talents and glyphs, for maximum efficiency. Obviously, this is not set in stone, and you have a lot of liberty.

Where we did not choose any talents, it is because none of the talent choices have any benefit to you while leveling up. Feel free to choose based on your own personal preference.

For glyphs, Glyph of Long Charge and Glyph of Enraged Speed are also worth considering. The choice is yours.

1.1.2. Rotation

You have to adapt your raiding rotation to work against against targets which, generally, will not live very long. As such, you will probably only have time for one or two cycles before the target is dead. This rotation is very similar (practically identical) to your normal raiding rotation. We will summarise this rotation below, but keep in mind that we do not go into cooldown usage, although you should try to use your DPS cooldowns (also listed in the rotation page linked above) as much as possible.

1. Cast Mortal Strike on cooldown.
2. Keep high uptime on Colossus Smash, and try to do as much damage as possible while it is active on the target.
3. Cast Dragon Roar on cooldown.
4. Use Overpower whenever it is available.
5. Use Execute (only available when the target is below 20% health).
6. Use Slam when you need to dump rage.
7. Use Heroic Strike when you have stacks of Taste for Blood, or when you need to dump even more rage than you can just with Slam.

Against multiple targets (2-3), always keep up Sweeping Strikes, and perform a normal rotation. If the enemies are going to be alive for 15 seconds or more, or if you are fighting against 4 or more enemies, you can use Thunder Clap to apply Deep Wounds to all the enemies.

You should always be in Battle Stance.

For survival, you should use Impending Victory whenever available (and you need healing).

1.2. Level 86-90

At level 87, you gain 3 new abilities. They each have a 3-minute cooldown, and you should try to use them whenever they are available.

• Skull Banner is a DPS cooldown, that increases your critical damage by 20% for 10 seconds.
• Demoralizing Banner reduces the damage that enemies within 30 yards deal, by 10% for 15 seconds. In a minor way, it improves your survivability.
• Mocking Banner taunts all enemies within 15 yards of the banner to attack you. This is useless while leveling up.

2. Fury Leveling Guide: 85-90↑top

2.1. Level 85

2.1.1. Talents and Glyphs

Before setting out on your leveling journey, you should take these talents and glyphs, for maximum efficiency. Obviously, this is not set in stone, and you have a lot of liberty.

Where we did not choose any talents, it is because none of the talent choices have any benefit to you while leveling up. Feel free to choose based on your own personal preference.

For glyphs, Glyph of Long Charge and Glyph of Enraged Speed are also worth considering. The choice is yours.

2.1.2. Rotation

You have to adapt your raiding rotation to work against against targets which, generally, will not live very long. As such, you will probably only have time for one or two cycles before the target is dead. This rotation is very similar (practically identical) to your normal raiding rotation. We will summarise this rotation below, but keep in mind that we do not go into cooldown usage, although you should try to use your DPS cooldowns (also listed in the rotation page linked above) as much as possible.

1. Cast Bloodthirst on cooldown.
2. Use Colossus Smash on cooldown, and try to do as much damage as possible while it is active on the target.
3. Cast Dragon Roar on cooldown.
4. Use Raging Blow whenever it is available.
5. Use Execute (only available when the target is below 20% health).
6. Use Wild Strike when you have a Bloodsurge proc.
7. Use Heroic Strike to dump rage.

Against multiple targets, replace Heroic Strike with Cleave. If you are facing a large number of enemies, you can start using Whirlwind, but you are mostly better off performing a single target rotation.

You should always be in Battle Stance.

For survival, you should use Impending Victory whenever available (and you need healing).

2.2. Level 86-90

At level 87, you gain 3 new abilities. They each have a 3-minute cooldown, and you should try to use them whenever they are available.

• Skull Banner is a DPS cooldown, that increases your critical damage by 20% for 10 seconds.
• Demoralizing Banner reduces the damage that enemies within 30 yards deal, by 10% for 15 seconds. In a minor way, it improves your survivability.
• Mocking Banner taunts all enemies within 15 yards of the banner to attack you. This is useless while leveling up.