Common PvP Warrior Questions
Abilities, Gear, PvP, Slam, Talents March 28th, 2008Disclaimer: this is another “guest post”, if you also want to share your thoughts on this blog, just let me know in comments and I’ll contact you via e-mail - Terhix
1/2 Improved Overpower or 2/2 Improved Overpower?
Flurry build – Higher chance to getting flurry procs
Tactical Mastery – More overpower usage
Every class can dodge, but it’s most effective vs rogues, hunters, and druids.
Answer – 2/2 overpower regardless of build
2% Blood Frenzy/ 15% Improved Hamstring or 4% Blood Frenzy/ 10% Improved Hamstring?
It comes down to make up. If you’re the only physical dpser, I’d suggest 2% Blood Frenzy and 4% Blood Frenzy if there’s more than one.
Improved Slam?
It’s not very good in “most” PvP situations. No.
Booming Voice, Improved Demoralizing Shout, or Unbridled Wrath?
Booming Voice or Unbridled Wrath. I’d prefer Unbridled Wrath, but Booming Voice can be useful too. I really don’t know what’s better here. Suggestions?
Improved Heroic Strike vs Parry
I haven’t found myself using Heroic Strike often enough to justify 3 talent points.
Weapon Spec?
Swords can be good in 3s and 5s depending on make up, while Mace is good in 2s, 3s, and 5s on any make up. I’d suggest Maces though. Axe is for PvE.
Racial?
Yes, racial IS game breaking. Gnomes for alliance and Orcs/Tauren for horde.
Crit vs AP (aka gems)
Instant attacks are affected by AP normalization.
Crits are affected by resilience.
Crit is better for arena in “most cases” since “burst is king.” Criting your target during a group burst or swap is more important doing 20 more damage. I’d gem mostly for crit.
Edit
Blood Craze vs Commanding Presence
Blood Craze gives you “more” per point of talent points you’re spending. 1 point in commanding presence gives you 8 strength or 5.4 stamina. 1 point in Blood Craze gives you 1% of your health over 6 seconds after a crit. Is 8 strength or 5.4 stamina worth it over blood craze? In situations like double melee, maybe.
Chest enchant 15 resilience or +6 stats
15 resilience is harder to find in items and it’s more valuable than 6str 6 agi and 6 stamina in terms of item value.
I’m planning on giving more details on my reasoning for each section.
Leh
March 28th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Booming Voice
March 28th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Nice to see you back again Leh. Look forward to reading more of your insights as I work slowly toward my own Top 5% spot… very slowly thus far…
March 28th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Nice post Leh, although leaves my current dilemma unanswered (maybe i’m a fool) but what do you think on blood craze or 4/5 commanding presence?
March 28th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Blood Craze IMO, as your HP goes up the proc just gets better and better, any healing is good, it’s reactive too, def better than like 50 AP.
Interesting insight on crit > AP, I’d never thought of that.
And I actually have 1/2 Imp OP, I don’t miss it at all, it’s a win more button imo.
And Imp Slam rawks if you’re Mace Spec, it’s like a 15 rage MS whenever the stun procs.
March 28th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I would say that you would get more out of your points if you put in blood craze than commanding presence. I’m adding more details about each section in my future posts.
March 31st, 2008 at 6:14 am
Hey Guys,
So what’s the deal with Endless Rage since 2.4? Have they made it better or worse? I noticed that no one has respecc’d to 41/-/- so was just wondering what they actually did to it.
Any insight would be great.
Cheers.
Saresa
March 31st, 2008 at 6:36 am
Sorry guys one last question.
I have been looking for a Macro/Mod that will switch my weapon to 1 Hander/Shield when I switch to Defensive Stance - for Spell Reflect etc.
Can anyone show me a link or point me in the right direction of a working 2.4 one?
Much Appreciated.
Saresa
March 31st, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Even before 2.4, I used endless rage because contrary to what many people think here, I didn’t think it was broken. I noticed a huge increase in rage than from when I was 33/28. This was and is my current build that I live, love, and will never deviate from.
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=LG0xdAioMhdioVVzZf
I would love to go sword spec, but currently, I’m using the axe that drops off Prince in kara. I can’t remember whatit was called but I used to use that epic blacksmithing mace that was BoP…I’m really bad with names right now.
Anyways, I’ve recently teamed up with a great resto druid and we’re going to try and pool our points up together for me to get the season 3 sword and gear him out respectively.
Since 2.4 hit the retail servers, I’ve not really noticed an increase in rage generation…probably because it’s only a small fix that fixed minimal problems with rage generation. It’s probably because I love playing my warrior so much and I pwn a ton in PVP. As to the gemming argument, I gem for AP rather than crit because I feel +30% crit rate is decent enough…I just want power packed into my punches and the enemy to go down quickly. I’m not sure about it yet, but I’ll probably have to gem for crit as soon as I switch to sword spec due to the loss of 5% crit.
All aside, glad to see you posting again, leh.
March 31st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
*edit: I use 3/3 imp hamstring because I have a macro binded to Charge and Intercept that hamstrings the instant the GCD is up after I charge or intercept. I bet I’m quite the annoying one in PVP. >.>
March 31st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
*edit: Gah, sorry, the mace was BoE and called Fel Hardened Maul. My current axe: Gorehowl
April 1st, 2008 at 3:17 am
For Saresa:
#showtooltip Spell Reflection
/cast [nostance:1/2] Defensive Stance
/cast [stance:1/2] Spell Reflection
/stopcasting
/stopmacro [equipped:shields]
/equip Your weapon here
/equip Your shield here
This macro will equip shield+1h, then spell reflect, if you are in Battle stance
It will equip shield+1h, switch to defensive stance, then spell reflect, if you are in Berserker stance.
It will equip shield+1h, then spell reflect, if you are in defensive stance.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:19 am
Oh.. it bugged when I used tags hehe.
Can someone edit into the above post: ‘Your weapon here’ and ‘Your shield here’ after the two empty /equip commands. Please put them in some brackets which aren’t misleading.. but ones which work
done - T
April 1st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Also, make that macro make you switch back to your 2h.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Great thanks Derfel I shall give it a go! I am so use to having hotkeys setup as Battle = F1/Berserker = F2/Defensive = F3. I wonder how this will effect it >
April 1st, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Gah, I use my F1 - F12 keys for the action bar above the main one. For stance switching, I use F for battle, T for defense, and G for berzerk stance. This way it’s a little triangle and extremely simple to stance dance.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:50 am
Booming Voice is used to shout rogues easier out of stealth with demoralizing shout. Also booming voice helps you to keep your healer in combat, keeping him in combat means that healer can avoid crucial blind, vanish and sap combo.
April 5th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I would have to agree with “Yatokth” on imp slam. If you’re mace spec, and know when to use your abilities improved slam is a fantastic investment. If used well, could lead to massive burst potential when the user has excess rage. Timed well with a cc on the opponent or their healer(s), can provide the extra burst needed to take down the opponent.
However if used improperly, it could lead to your ultimate kited doom.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Guy’s i’ve notice i prefer 2 diffrent PvP speccs these days, where i use a modified “Serennia” specc for Arenas
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/warrior/talents.html?050050213220150220012005500013102501203000000000000000000000000000
and for BG’s i just prefer any 41/x/x, anybody else doin this?
April 8th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Rhastakhan,
I just specc’d 41/17/3 last night and I am really starting wonder why I haven’t tried it before. It feels like DPS has gone up quite a bit and I really don’t run out of rage. Tactial Mastery is a great talent with this build as you build up so much rage.
I think having -1sec CD and 5% inc dmg on MS along with 25% more rage from damage from ER is better than having Sweeping Strikes/Weapon Mastery and 3 points in Enrage.
On a side note - I have a question!
I am real curious on how Warrior Attributes are calculated.
For instance - How much Crit Rating do you get with 1 Agility?
and
How much Attack Power do you get with 1 Strength?
This will help me alot with gemming and enchants.
Thanks.
Saresa
April 9th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I too, am ofc, one of those freaks who absolutly looove Imp MS. I can’t really put it in to words but that second makes all the difference. The reason i use the Serrenia specc in arenas (3vs3’s mostly) is because i always find me getting damaged someway or another, may it be dots, aoes, or simple melee and thus gaining the rage i need. 15% flurry is just a nice bi-effect
If i remember correctly you should get 2 AP for every strength and wowwiki claims ye need 33 agility for every 1 full crit %. Crit rating gems are usually the way to go though.
April 10th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Great thanks for that RhastaKhan, puts things in perspective!
May 6th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Hey,
Just been browsing around for some arena advice and found this post, I hope someone is here to answer me question. :>
I see most top ranked arena warriors don’t have 2/2 Slam; even if they are in 33/28. Since I mainly play 2v2 with a druid pally or shaman, I don’t believe that 2/2 blood frenzy is fundamental, nor SS. After playing properly with a S1 gear but skilled druid, I came to realize how much i am missing 2/2 slam, in so many occasion the druid was 22%HP and without an extra instant attack on the intercept stunned druid, I cannot execute and end it. Thus, I came up with this build http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=LV0xdGbqMbkbZVVzu0gMZc
I will give up SS and one point in Blood frenzy so that I can end these games; also, i do kara and heroics; 2/2 slam would definitely increase my dps.
The thing i can’t get over tho is the fact that no one in top arena uses slam? Is it just me who likes it? Any successful warriors with it? I relied my data on realmhistory.
May 6th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Um, better give up blood frenzy totally and get sweeping strikes IMO, 33/25/3 if you want slam and TM.
Blood frenzy is in no way fundamental unless you are playing a tipple melee 5v5.