Cataclysm Classic Arms Warrior Rotation and Cooldowns

Warriors have three different stances, each having unique functions that are needed in certain situations. Some spells can only be used in specific stances as well, making it important for you to understand the general purpose each stance has.

• Battle Stance — Increases all damage dealt by 5% and reduces damage taken by 5%. Allows you to use abilities that require you to be in Battle Stance, such as Overpower.
• Defensive Stance — Decreases all damage taken by 10% and increases threat generation by 500%. This is the main stance that Protection Warrior uses.
• Berserker Stance — Increases all damage dealt by 10% and allows you to use abilities that require you to be in Berserker Stance like Whirlwind.

If you have not already, we recommend reading the Spells Summary page first. Knowing how each spell and ability works in detail will greatly increase your understanding of the topics discussed on this page. Arms is one of the strongest DPS specs in the game while having a very active, fun rotation.

As an Arms Warrior you will need to utilize both Battle Stance and Berserker Stance to use all of your spells and gain as much up-time of the 10% damage increase from Berserker Stance. With Tactical Mastery you will retain 75 Rage with each stance change; be sure to quickly spend any Rage over 75 before swapping stances. Since Lambs to the Slaughter automatically refreshes your Rend, the only ability you need to use in Battle Stance is Overpower.

The main reason that this works is that Taste for Blood will proc every 6 seconds, giving you a bit of free time between Overpower uses. Your goal is to use Overpower right before swapping to Berserker Stance, stay in Berserker Stance for about 8 or 9 seconds, swap back to Battle Stance and use Overpower twice, rinse and repeat. When done properly, this provides about a 3% DPS increase.

1. Rend — Apply to target. This will automatically refresh when you use Mortal Strike on the target.
2. Mortal Strike — On cooldown.
3. Colossus Smash — Use on cooldown. Make sure to burst with any available cooldowns during the 6 second debuff window.
4. Overpower — Use with Taste for Blood procs.
5. Heroic Leap — Use on cooldown, ideally during Colossus Smash DPS windows. Is not on the global cooldown, so can be used in combination with any other ability, such as Charge.
6. Heroic Strike — When you have Battle Trance procs or are high Rage.
7. Execute — When the target is below 20% health.
8. Slam — As a filler when you have high Rage.
9. Commanding Shout — Use this for Rage as needed.

Your AoE rotation will change depending on how many enemies you are facing.

When attacking two enemies, you will follow the single-target rotation, using Sweeping Strikes on cooldown and replacing Heroic Strike with Cleave instead.

1. Rend — Use on the highest health target.
2. Thunder Clap — On cooldown. Great when paired with Blood and Thunder.
3. Bladestorm — Use Recklessness first if available.
4. Sweeping Strikes — On cooldown.
5. Mortal Strike — On cooldown.
6. Colossus Smash — Use on cooldown.
7. Overpower — Use with Taste for Blood procs.
8. Cleave — Any extra Rage.

1. Rend — Use on the highest health target.
2. Thunder Clap — On cooldown. Great when paired with Blood and Thunder.
3. Bladestorm — Use Recklessness first if available.
4. Sweeping Strikes — On cooldown.
5. Mortal Strike — On cooldown.
6. Whirlwind — On cooldown
7. Overpower — Use with Taste for Blood procs.
8. Cleave — Any extra Rage.

Arms Warriors has a number of personal cooldowns, mostly focused on increasing your own DPS. Cataclysm adds Rallying Cry, a raid-wide defensive cooldown.

• Sweeping Strikes — 1-minute cooldown. Use on cooldown when you can hit two targets at a time.
• Deadly Calm — 2-minute cooldown. Use in combination with other cooldowns during Colossus Smash burst windows.
• Recklessness — 5-minute cooldown. Use with major cooldowns such as Bloodlust.
• Bladestorm — 1.5-minute cooldown. Use when AoEing groups of enemies.
• Rallying Cry — 3-minute cooldown. Coordinate this with your raid to help the group survive raid mechanics.
• Inner Rage — 30-second cooldown. Use when you have high Rage that you can't spend otherwise. Unlikely you will be able to get much value from this cooldown.
• Shattering Throw — 5-minute cooldown. Use this with raid cooldowns such as Bloodlust.
• Enraged Regeneration — 3-minute cooldown. If you are every very low health use this to stay alive.