[Ciderhelm]

The following information is written to help you get started. These are rules and guidelines that will enable you to effectively work with parties and raids. There are exceptions to these rules, and once you're comfortable with your role as a Warrior, start researching the more advanced information so you can learn how to fine tune your character.


Talent Builds
Protection: Raid Tanking (8/5/48)
Protection: 5-Mans/Heroics (12/5/44)

Fury: DPS (17/44/0)
Fury Information & Source

Arms: Survival (35/23/3)
Arms: Max Damage (31/30/0)
Arms Information & Source

Arms: Raid DPS (33/28/0)
Arms DPS Information & Source


Ability Rotations
Protection Tanking
Shield Slam, Revenge, Devastate, Devastate

• Heroic Strike at 50+ Rage.
• What's important is that Shield Slam and Revenge are used on cooldown. If you shout or use another ability in place of a Devastate, get back to Shield Slam and Revenge immediately.
• Shield Block is used independently of your other abilities. Unless you know you can handle the damage, always keep it active.
• When enemies are being pulled to the group, use Bloodrage.

Fury DPS
Bloodthirst, Whirlwind

• Bloodthirst every 6 seconds; Whirlwind every 9 seconds.
• Heroic Strike at 50+ Rage.
• Refresh Rampage and shouts while abilities are on cooldown; Hamstring as rage permits.

UI Modifications & Macros
The essential tanking mods are Omen and TankPoints. These are easiest to update via the WoWAceUpdater.

Additional Resources
TankSpot has an extensive UI forum run by Satrina. Here are some of the best threads you can read:
WoW Warrior Macros
Show Your Interface
TankPoints + EH/EHB
CombatMonitor2 Feedback & Suggestions
Firstblood UI



Understanding & Choosing Gear
Protection Gearing
There are some basic theories to gearing for Protection tanking. To sum them up briefly:

• Warrior gear generally has a large amount of Avoidance (Defense, Dodge, Parry) on it before you place sockets on it. Though there are places where it's more effective to stack Avoidance gems, using Stamina gems will still allow you to get past those enemies, and will provide other bonuses. Unless you understand the mechanical reasons for when to stack Avoidance, your best and safest bet is to stack Stamina. To learn more, read Life After 490 Defense and Wanderlei - On Avoidance.
• Gear progression occurs naturally and it's generally easy to decide on whether a new item is an upgrade. Item Levels and Quality grades are helpful in quickly determining whether an item is an overall upgrade. Though you may switch in older pieces of gear for specific roles, it's generally true to say that newer pieces of gear are more effective. To learn more, read Item Levels, Itemrack, and Gear Sets.
• Gemming for Stamina does not mean gearing against Avoidance. Avoidance is good.
• For building Threat, the order of importance in stats is Expertise, Hit, Shield Block Value, and Strength.
• On Resistance fights, 365 Resistance to the school of damage is the maximum effective Resistance.

Fury Gearing
For Fury gearing theory, check Meeks' DW Fury Guide.



Gems & Sockets
Taking Damage (Protection)
Defense until you have 490 Defense Skill. After that, use [Solid Star of Elune] or [Solid Empyrean Sapphire] gems. Don't worry about the socket bonus. Your Meta gem should be [Powerful Earthstorm Diamond].

Dealing Damage (Fury)
To get socket bonuses, use [Bold Living Ruby] for Red slots, [Inscribed Noble Topaz] for Yellow slots, and [Sovereign Nightseye] for Blue slots. If the socket bonus is not appealing, just stack [Bold Living Ruby]. In other words, don't gem for Hit -- you get enough on gear. Your Meta gem should be [Relentless Earthstorm Diamond].



Gear Lists
Protection
Polar's Pre-Karazhan Gear List
The Warrior's Guide To Karazhan Gear
Berginyon's Tank Gear Rankings

Fury
MaxDPS (Off-Site)

[njalil]

So you're saying no to the Eternal Earthstorm Diamond for Dealing Damage as well?

[Ciderhelm]

Source: njalil So you're saying no to the Eternal Earthstorm Diamond for Dealing Damage as well?

It's not a DPS gem. It's got uses, but Shield Block Value =/= efficient DPS.

[njalil]

My bad. I thought you were talking from a tanking perspective (Threat vs Mitigation)

[Ciderhelm]

I'm comfortable with the guide as-is. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know.

[Crimsonstorm]

My comments:

Everything I dont comment on I fully agree with.


* 8/5/48 Is better for 5 mans and 12/5/44 is better for Raid Tanking, not the other way around. Because in a 5 man, you rarely have enough rage to be using heroic strike, but having more points in Prot for stuff like Imp Taunt is good. While for Raid tanking, you need to be using Heroic strike frequently in order to generate sufficient threat to hold mobs over raid buffed dpsers.

* Strength is not a good threat stat, its very inefficient. Expertise, Hit, Block Value are the best. After that, Agility is the only other stat that provides threat thats truly worth it for tanking, because it gives dodge as well. (And youre getting it more for the dodge than the threat). Also, Armor Penetration is a more efficient stat for tanking threat than Strength is.

* Your tanking Metagem should NOT be Powerful Earthstorm Diamond, it should be Eternal Earthstorm diamond, provided that you have even a moderate amount of block value. 12 defense and 50+ block value >>> 18 stam.

[Ciderhelm]

Source: Crimsonstorm * Strength is not a good threat stat, its very inefficient. Expertise, Hit, Block Value are the best. After that, Agility is the only other stat that provides threat thats truly worth it for tanking, because it gives dodge as well. (And youre getting it more for the dodge than the threat). Also, Armor Penetration is a more efficient stat for tanking threat than Strength is.

1) Strength is on starting gear already, and it's not going to hurt tanks to have, given that it affects normal/heroic attacks and Devastate.

2) The point of the sentence was to give an order. Since Strength is already on gear, the reason I used "order of importance" was to show it's behind three other major stats, not equal to them. Armor Penetration is not itemized for people who are looking at starter blues and epics.

Source: Crimsonstorm * Your tanking Metagem should NOT be Powerful Earthstorm Diamond, it should be Eternal Earthstorm diamond, provided that you have even a moderate amount of block value. 12 defense and 50+ block value >>> 18 stam.

And after they stack blue gems in every slot due thanks to this advice they'll have an ineffective Meta. When you're brand new, Eternal Earthstorm isn't going to provide a major net shield block value bonus.

This is not meant for people who have any level of gear or comprehensive understanding of it.

[Norrath]

Regardless, the "stack stamina in every slot" philosophy isn't made ineffective at higher gear levels; it's simply no longer the most efficient.

[Crimsonstorm]

Source: Ciderhelm This is not meant for people who have any level of gear or comprehensive understanding of it.

Got it. Yeah at a 'just turned 70' level of gear the BV metagem might not be best. But I'd mention it as something to aim for as you get better gear with more block value.

[Corbusier]

Cider, you may want to add a 33/28 build with bloodfrenzy for Raid DPS.

Something like:
Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft