Arms Warrior 10.2.6 Guide
Introduction
Welcome to our guide on the Arms Specialization for the Warrior Class in WoW Dragonflight patch 10.2.6! This article will cover everything you need to know about the Arms spec, such as how to level, gear, prepare, and min-max your Warrior for the most challenging PvE content in World of Warcraft - Mythic Raiding and Mythic+ Dungeons.
First, we'll check out the specialization's particularities and see why the Arms Warrior is one of the best specs in Dragonflight 10.2.6. Then, you'll learn how to gear the Arms Warrior, what stats to prioritize, and the best leveling spec, talents, and rotation to quickly reach the max level.
Finally, we'll discuss how to min-max your character for the end-game content and teach you what gear to use for Mythic Raiding and Mythic Plus dungeons. By the end of the guide, you will become a master of the Arms Warrior specialization! Sounds good, right? Let's get started!
Table of Contents
- Arms Warriors: Strengths and Weaknesses
- How to gear an Arms Warrior
- How to level an Arms Warrior. Arms Warrior leveling tips
- Best Arms Warrior talents for end-game content
- Arms Warrior in Dragonflight - FAQ
Arms Warrior: Strengths and Weaknesses
In World of Warcraft, the Warrior class comes with two DPS specializations, Arms and Fury, and uses rage as a resource. Both of these specs focus on close-combat fights (melee) and require wise rage resource management.
Even if the Arms Warrior playstyle seems a bit slower compared to Fury, it has a high burst damage output during Collosus Smash, making the spec stand out, especially in single-target encounters. In terms of weapons, the Arms Warrior uses two-handed weapons such as a two-handed sword, two-handed axe, etc. As for raid gear, the Warrior shares the Protector Tier Token with Hunters, Monks, and Shamans for legacy content. Warriors share the Zenith Tier Token with Rogues, Monks, and Evokers In the Dragonflight expansion.
In the table below, we present the Arms Warrior spec's strengths and weaknesses:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| + Excellent for dynamically attack swaps between single target and multitarget enemies | - Downtime spell rotation due to the lack of ranged attacks |
| + Sustained multitarget with Cleave and burst AoE with Warbreaker | - Weak multitarget damage outside of cooldowns |
| + Very strong to targets below 35% HP | - Lack of passive Rage regeneration |
| + Possessor of excellent defensive abilities | - Weak sustained single target and multitarget sustained damage |
| + High mobility with Charge, Intervene, Heroic Leap | |
| + Great personal and group defensive abilities | |
| + Battle Shout provides an attack power buff | |
| + Iconic abilities like Mortal Strike, Slam, Colossus Smash |
How to gear an Arms Warrior
In World of Warcraft, gearing is one of the most critical aspects that enhances your character's overall performance by providing massive amounts of stats, armor, procs, and set bonuses. This guide will teach you how to properly gear up for the most challenging PvE content in WoW Dragonflight.
We'll start with the basics and cover the Arms Warrior's stats priority, check out the tier set bonuses, and finally, the best in slot gear you can get from mythic raids and dungeons.
Arms Warrior stat priority
Regardless of the class and spec you roll into in World of Warcraft, the stats are a key component when gearing up and min-maxing your character for the end-game content. When talking about the Arms Warrior spec, we must mention that all the stats are relatively close. A higher and adequate item level will better impact your character's performance than a perfect stat distribution!
The Arms Warrior stats priority looks like this:
- 1. Strength
- 2. Critical Strike
- 3. Haste
- 4. Mastery
- 5. Versatility
So, as an Arms Warrior, you will primarily value item level for Strength as the main stat, then Critical Strike, followed by Haste, Mastery, and Versatility as secondary stats.
In other words, Strength > Critical Strike > Haste > Mastery > Versatility. And here's why:
Strength: Increases all damage done by your warrior class spells, abilities, and auto attacks.
Critical Strike: This ability increases auto-attack rage generation and damage done by abilities, auto attacks, and trinkets. It also significantly reduces the downtime in the skill rotation.
Haste: Compresses the rotation by reducing your global cooldown and the cooldown of rotational abilities such as Mortal Strike, Skullsplitter, and Cleave.
Mastery: Increases the damage to targets affected by Mastery: Deep Wounds.
Versatility: Increases damage and reduces damage taken by half. Unlike Mastery, however, it affects all damage done, including trinkets, potions, and enchantments.
Arms Warrior Tier Set Bonus
To start with, what is a tier set in World of Warcraft?
In WoW, a tier set is a unique class armor set with powerful 2-set and 4-set specific bonuses for each specialization of that particular class. Tier set bonuses change based on the character's active talent specialization, ensuring that the bonus is appropriate and useful to that spec. As previously stated, the Warriors share the Protector Tier Token with Hunters, Monks, and Shamans.
So, to recap, tier sets are unique pieces of armor that, when equipped simultaneously, provide you with a bonus different for each spec of the chosen class. This bonus is based on the number of pieces from the set you have equipped, with most tier sets providing bonuses when equipping 2 or 4 pieces.
How to get the Arms Warrior Tier Set in Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6
There are three ways you can get tier set items in WoW in the Dragonflight expansion:
- Raids: You can get tier set items from specific bosses in the Dragonflight raids.
- Revival Catalyst: The Revival Catalyst crafting system allows you to craft Tier armor from non-set pieces of the same item level.
- Great Vault: You can obtain tier set items from all activities that typically reward Great Vault, such as raiding, Mythic+ dungeons, and PvP.
The fastest way to obtain tier set items is to take advantage of these three sources that can reward you with the Arms Warrior Tier Set items. The best advice is to complete the raid weekly - this is probably the fastest way to get your hands on the desired tier armor. In case you don't have a team to raid with, complete some Mythic+ Dungeons or some PvP matches.
Mythic dungeons and PvP are highly beneficial because even if you can't drop the set items while participating in these activities, you increase the chances of getting your set items at the Great Vault or the Revival Catalyst console in Thaldraszus. At the revival catalyst console, you can convert the non-set pieces obtained in dungeons or PvP into tier set items.
Let's have a closer look at the Great Vault feature:
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And this is what the Revival Catalyst looks like:
Back to our Arms Warrior Tier Set. Now that you learned how to obtain the tier set, let's see some set bonuses and particularities, shall we?
The Arms Warrior Tier set is called Molten Vanguard's Mortarplate. It comes with the following bonuses for two pieces and four pieces equipped:
- 2-Set: Rend damage increased by 30% and Sudden Death can be triggered by Rend's bleeding damage.
- 4-Set: Sudden Death, also makes your next Execute powerfully slam the ground, causing a Thunder Clap that deals 100% increased damage. In addition, the Execute target bleeds for 50% of Execute's damage over 5 sec. If this bleed is reapplied, the remaining damage is added to the new bleed.
In the table below, we present you the sources for Arms Warrior Tier Set items:
| Slot | Tier Piece | Source |
| Helm | Casque of the Walking Mountain | Tindral Sageswift |
| Shoulders | Peaks of the Walking Mountain | Smolderon |
| Chest | Husk of the Walking Mountain | Nymue |
| Gloves | Gauntlets of the Walking Mountain | Igira the Cruel |
| Legs | Poleyns of the Walking Mountain | Larodar |
The remaining tier set items (Cloak, Wrists, Waist, and Boots) can be obtained by using the Revival Catalyst in Thaldraszus.
As previously stated, you unlock the tier set bonuses for your Arms Warrior when you equip any two or four pieces of the Molten Vanguard's Mortarplate set. Your four pieces of tier set as an Arms Warrior will be the Helm, Shoulder, Legs, and Gloves for itemization and build optimization.
Best in Slot (BiS) Gear for Arms Warrior for Mythic Raiding
In the table below, you can find the best item to use as an Arms Warrior in each slot for maximum efficiency in mythic raids:
| Slot | Item Name | Encounter |
| Helm | Molten Vanguard's Domeplate | Tindral Sageswift |
| Neck | Amulet of Eonar's Chosen | Nymue, Weaver of the Cycle |
| Shoulders | Molten Vanguard's Shouldervents | Smolderon |
| Cloak | Molten Vanguard's Thermal Cape | Revival Catalyst (any 489 ilvl cloak) |
| Chest | Molten Vanguard's Plackart | Nymue, Weaver of the Cycle |
| Wrists | Vigilant Protector's Bracers | Council of Dreams |
| Gloves | Molten Vanguard's Crushers | Igira the Cruel |
| Waist | Molten Vanguard's Chains | Revival Catalyst |
| Legs | Molten Vanguard's Steel Tassets | Larodar, Keeper of the Flame |
| Boots | Molten Vanguard's Greatboots | Revival Catalyst |
| Ring #1 | Jeweled Signet of Melandrus | Larodar, Keeper of the Flame |
| Ring #2 | Seal of Filial Duty | Igira the Cruel |
| Trinket #1 | Cataclysmic Signet Brand | Smolderon |
| Trinket #2 | Branch of the tormented | Gnarlroot |
| Main Hand | Gnarlroots Bonecrusher | Gnarlroot |
Mythic+ Best in Slot (BiS) Gear for Arms Warrior
When it comes to mythic dungeons, ideally, you will always want to combine dungeon gear with at least the current raid tier set, even of a lower difficulty version, along with the highest ilevel gear you have available. In the table below, what you should use in each slot in the Mythic+ Dungeons as an Arms Warrior:
| Slot | Item Name | Location |
| Helm | Incarnate's Perceptive Casque | Dawn of the Infinite: Galakrond's Fall |
| Neck | Chain of the Green Flight | Darkheart Thicket |
| Shoulders | Molten Vanguard's Shouldervents | Revival Catalyst |
| Cloak | Drape of the Loyal Vassal | Atal'Dazar |
| Chest | Molten Vanguard's Plackart | Revival Catalyst |
| Wrists | Zealous Commander's Cuffs | Dawn of the Infinite: Galakrond's Fall |
| Gloves | Molten Vanguard's Crushers | Revival Catalyst |
| Waist | Illusion Breaker's Waistguard | Darkheart Thicket |
| Legs | Molten Vanguard's Steel Tassets | Revival Catalyst |
| Boots | Goldsteel Sabatons | Everbloom |
| Ring #1 | Arch-Druid's Tainted Seal | Darkheart Thicket |
| Ring #2 | Ring of Contempt | Black Rook Hold |
| Trinket #1 | Algeth'ar Puzzle Box | Throne of the Tides |
| Trinket #2 | Windscar Whetstone | Dawn of the Infinite: Murozond's Rise |
| Main Hand | Ravencrest's Wrath | Black Rook Hold |
Best in Slot (BiS) Trinkets for Arms Warrior
The best Arms Warrior trinkets for end-game content are:
| Tier | Item Name | Location |
| S | Cataclysmic Signet Brand | Smolderon |
| S | Pip's Emerald Friendship Badge | Council of Dreams |
| S | Rezan's Gleaming Eye | Atal'Dazar |
| A | Augury of the Primal Flame | Fyrakk |
| A | Pip's Emerald Friendship Badge | Council of Dreams |
| A | Coiled Serpent Idol | Volcoross |
This wraps up everything you should know about gearing your Arms Warrior: the stats priority, how to obtain the tier set, and what items to use in the end-game activities. Moving on to the next section of our guide, we'll teach you how to level your Arms Warrior in Dragonflight patch 10.2.6. Sounds good, right? Let's dive in!
How to level an Arms Warrior. Arms Warrior leveling tips
Before leveling your Arms Warrior, you must create and customize the character. That brings us to the first question: What race should you choose when creating the character? Let's find out, shall we?
Best Arms Warrior Race
With so many options when it comes to racials, you may be wondering what the best race for your Arms Warrior is. Well, fun fact: warriors are the only class that can choose ANY RACE they want. Yes, you got it right!
You can choose any race in the game for your Arms Warrior. Of course, each race comes with different racial abilities and spells, but no races offer an immediate advantage compared to others regarding Arms spec. I highly recommend choosing the race you like the most, aesthetically speaking.
In the table below, you can see the top 10 best races for an Arms Warrior based on performance gain:
| Race | Performance Gain |
| Gnome | +1.25% |
| Human | +1.20% |
| Mechagnome | +1.15% |
| Void Elf | +1.12% |
| Goblin | +0.96% |
| Zandalari Troll Paku | +0.90% |
| Worgen | +0.89% |
| Troll | +0.89% |
| Highmountain Tauren | +0.87% |
| Kul Tiran | +0.86% |
Now, if you want to make an idea of what race players generally choose for their Arms Warriors:
- For Alliance: Human, Gnome, Mechagnome, Dwarf
- For Horde: Orc, Blood Elf, Troll
Best Arms Warrior Leveling Talents and Rotation in Dragonflight 10.2.6
The best talents to use while leveling to level 60 as an Arms Warrior are:
Now, let's check out how you should prioritize your abilities. Here is what most people consider to be the best leveling rotation for an Arms Warrior:
- 1. Cast Rend to refresh the DoT (damage over time) when it has less than 4 seconds remaining on a target likely to survive most of it. Swap to Thunder Clap for spreading the DoT to multiple enemies.
- 2. Utilize powerful cooldowns strategically: Avatar on cooldown for extended fights, Sweeping Strikes for grouped enemies, and Colossus Smash either on cooldown or for maximum impact on multiple targets.
- 3. During Colossus Smash or Test of Might unleash Thunderous Roar for a damage boost.
- 4. Your Execute becomes your go-to for targets below 35% health or when Sudden Death procs. Maintain Deep Wounds with Mortal Strike on cooldown, buffing it with Overpower after a Tactician proc. Spend excess Rage with Whirlwind (if talented with Storm of Swords) or Thunder Clap (if talented with Blood and Thunder).
- 5. Use Slam as a filler when no other options are available. Remember, all builds focus on resetting Overpower for a stronger Mortal Strike and maintaining Deep Wounds, with additional talents adding complexity and variations to the core rotation.
Follow the rotation, and you'll get to max level in no time! Now that we've covered the leveling part, it's time to move on to the end-game.
In the next section of our Arms Warrior Guide, we'll present the best talents to use for PvE end-game content, such as raiding and Mythic+ dungeons. In the end game, it's crucial to use the right talents and prioritize the skills you use depending on the activity. Choosing the best talents will significantly impact your performance as a DPS!
Best Arms Warrior End-game Talents
From the PvE perspective, there are two main end-game activities we'll take into consideration: Mythic raiding and Mythic+ Dungeons. We'll treat them separately to keep things clear and avoid confusion.
Best Talents for Mythic Raiding in Season 3 (patch 10.2.6)
In the picture below, you can see the best talents for mythic raiding as an Arms Warrior:
Best Talents for Mythic+ Dungeons in Season 3 (patch 10.2.6)
As an Arms Warrior, these are the talents you must use to maximize your damage in M+ Dungeons:
Bladestorm Build
Sweeping Strikes Build
Arms Warrior in Dragonflight - FAQ
1. Are Arms Warriors good in Dragonflight?
Yes, Arms Warrior represents one of the strongest specs in WoW Dragonflight for both PvE and PvP end-game activities.
2. Is Arms Warrior easy to play?
Absolutely. Warrior's Arms is one of the most accessible specs in World of Warcraft, especially for leveling.
3. What is the best stat for Arms Warrior?
The stats priority for Warrior's Arms specialization is Strength > Critical Strike > Haste > Mastery > Versatility.
4. Which warrior spec is best for leveling in patch 10.2.6?
The Arms Specialization is the best spec for warrior leveling.
5. What is the best race for Warrior Dragonflight?
- Alliance's best Arms Warriors races are Human, Gnome, Mechagnome, and Dwarf.
- Horde's best Arms Warriors races are Orc, Blood Elf, and Troll.
Final thoughts
This wraps up everything you should know regarding the Warrior's Arms specialization in World of Warcraft Dragonflight for Season 3, patch 10.2.6. By reading this guide, you should now better understand the Arms Warrior's spec and particularities and how they perform in certain circumstances and different end-game activities. It's one of the game's coolest and easiest specs, so I encourage you to try it!
