DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

This rotation offers a general priority list for Arms Warrior abilities, along with key cooldowns at the bottom. It's based on a standard build and is here to help while we work on a smarter, build-aware system. If you are very new to the game or this class, we added info on the new assisted rotation features at the bottom of this guide. Updated for the latest patch in World of Warcraft: The War Within (11.2).

Single Target

Ensure Battle Stance is active before engaging.

• RendView detailsApply or refresh if < 4 seconds remaining.
• Thunderous Roar
• RavagerView detailsUse before Colossus Smash or Warbreaker.
• AvatarView detailsUse with Colossus Smash or Warbreaker.
• Colossus Smash
• Warbreaker
• OverpowerView detailsUse with Opportunist active.
• Mortal Strike
• DemolishView detailsUse on cooldown.
• ExecuteView detailsUse with 3 stacks of Marked For Execution.
• Bladestorm
• Skullsplitter
• ExecuteView detailsUse to consume Sudden Death procs.
• Overpower
• SlamView detailsUse as a filler.

Maintain Rend and prioritize Thunderous Roar, Ravager, and Avatar with Colossus Smash or Warbreaker. Use Mortal Strike on cooldown and Execute with procs or stacks. Fill with Overpower and Slam.

AoE

• CleaveView detailsApply or refresh Deep Wounds if < 4 seconds remaining.
• Thunder ClapView detailsApply or refresh Rend if < 4 seconds remaining.
• Sweeping Strikes
• Thunderous Roar
• Avatar
• Ravager
• Warbreaker
• Champions Spear
• Colossus Smash
• Cleave
• ExecuteView detailsUse with < 3 stacks of Imminent Demise.
• OverpowerView detailsUse during Sweeping Strikes.
• Bladestorm
• Mortal StrikeView detailsUse with 2 stacks of Executioners Precision.
• ExecuteView detailsUse with Marked For Execution.
• Mortal Strike
• Demolish
• Overpower
• SkullsplitterView detailsUse during Sweeping Strikes.
• ExecuteView detailsUse during Sweeping Strikes.
• Thunder Clap
• Slam

For AoE, maintain Deep Wounds with Cleave and Rend with Thunder Clap. Use Sweeping Strikes and prioritize Thunderous Roar, Ravager, and Bladestorm. Fill with Overpower and Slam.

Cooldowns

• AvatarView detailsUse with Colossus Smash or Warbreaker.
• RavagerView detailsUse for AoE or Rage generation.
• BladestormView detailsUse for AoE or single-target burst.
• SkullsplitterView detailsUse to amplify Rend and Deep Wounds ticks.
• Thunderous RoarView detailsUse on cooldown for burst damage.

Align Avatar with Colossus Smash or Warbreaker. Use Ravager and Bladestorm for AoE, and Skullsplitter to enhance DoTs. Thunderous Roar should be used on cooldown.

New to Class? Try Assisted Rotation

Patch 11.1.7 introduced new features that make it eaiser to pick and play new characters. These new settings can be enabled from settings » gameplay enhancements:

• Single-Button Assistant
• Assisted Highlight
• Cooldown Manager

If you are new to World of Warcraft or a certain class, enabling Assisted Highlight and Cooldown Manager can help you learn which abilities to prioritize and use.

While the Single-Button Assistant can be a much easier and more accessible way to play the game, it does come with a slight performance hit due to a small GCD penalty, as you will have to wait 25% longer in between spells and abilities.

To see which specs are best with the Single-Button Assistant feature, you can check out our DPS Rankings which uses SimC to sim every class using this feature.