Anub’arak is the fifth and final boss in the Trial of the Crusader instance.  For this encounter in Trial of the Crusader, you’ll basically need to know how to use Anub’arak’s abilities against him.  If you can keep him from burrowing, you’ll avoid one set of attacks which can really do a lot of damage.  Let’s start out this Anub’arak boss strategy guide with a look at his abilities.

 

Anub’arak’s Abilities

Leeching Swarm

• Leeches 20% of your health per second
• Takes at least 250 health points
• Hits multiple party members at once
• 50,000 yard range
• 1.5 second cast

Nerubian Burrower

• Spawns 2 at a time
• 50% physical damage debuff
• Stacks

Permafrost

• Reduces movement speed in a given area by 80%
• Instant cast
• The result of hitting down a frost sphere
• Protects your party members from some of the other attacks if you play it right.

Pursued by Anub’arak

• Anub’arak chases a raid member
• 50,000 yard range
• Lasts a minute
• Instant cast

Pursuing Spikes

• 2,828 to 3,172 damage
• Physical damage
• Left by Anub’arak when he starts to pursue a raid member
• Tosses you up in the air
• Armor does NOT affect this attack
• Cannot penetrate Permafrost
• Instant cast
• 4 yard radius

Submerge

• Anub’arak burrows into the ground
• 2.5 second cast

Summon Scarab

• A Swarm Scarab emerges

Impale

• 11,310 to 12,690 damage
• Physical damage
• Ignores armor
• Doesn’t penetrate Permafrost

 

Anub’arak Encounter Tactics

1. Start by tanking Anub’arak right in the middle of the ground.  Use one main tank on the boss when this encounter begins.  Save one off-tank for the Nerubian Burrowers, which will start to pop up during the first part of the encounter.
2. Watch for the frost spheres floating above your heads.  Shoot down a bunch in the middle of the area, right under the place where you’re tanking Anub’arak.  You’ll start to see plenty of Permafrost on the ground then, which will keep Anub’arak from being able to burrow.  This is a good thing!
3. Make sure one healer is assigned only to heal your main tank.  Anub’arak hits VERY hard.  Assign two other healers for DPS and the off-tank.  Also split your DPS into teams.  The majority will target Anub’arak, and you’ll need about three others to help the off-tank with the Nerubian Burrowers.  Kill ALL the Nerubian Burrowers before Anub’arak reaches 30% health.
4. If you’re unable to keep Anub’arak from burrowing, then have one or two ranged DPS focus on knocking down plenty of frost spheres.  The larger the Permafrost area is on the ground, the fewer party members will be hit by his Impale ability.
5. When Anub’arak burrows, he’ll also start to pursue one of your party members.  That player should make sure he’s ALWAYS on top of a Permafrost area to keep from getting impaled.
6. The final phase of the encounter begins when Anub’arak is down to 30% health.  Basically you’ll see a constant cast of Leeching Swarm when this part of the encounter starts, so healers need to be ready.  They’re going to have to bite the bullet and heal the whole party through Leeching Swarm because it doesn’t end until you’ve defeated Anub’arak.
7. Don’t over-heal during this final part of the Anub’arak encounter.  Healers need to keep all party members alive, but if they over-heal, then they’re just extending the encounter because Anub’arak gains life while party members lose it.

The Faction Champions are the third encounter in Trial of the Crusader.  Put your PvP hats on and get scrappy, because the bosses in the Faction Champions encounter act just like PvP arena teams.  Let’s start this Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide with a closer look at each of the possible champions you’ll face.  Alliance teams will face Horde champions, and Horde teams will face Alliance Champions.

 

Gorgrim Shadowcleave (Horde) or Tyrius Duskblade (Alliance) Abilities

 

Frost Death Knight

Death Coil

• 5,550 to 6,450
• Shadow damage
• For friendly targets, heals 8,325 damage

Frost Strike

• 80% weapon damage
• 200 frost damage

Icy Touch

• 3,834 to 4,166 frost damage
• 1,388 to 1,612 damage (through Frost Fever) every 3 seconds
• Reduces attack speed by 14% for 15 seconds

Chains of Ice

• Reduces movement speed to 5%
• Target gets 10% of movement speed back every second for 10 seconds

Death Grip

• Pulls you to him and forces you to attack him for 3 seconds

Icebound Fortitude

• Immunity to stun effects
• Reduces damage taken by 45%
• Lasts 12 seconds

Strangulate

• Silences you for 5 seconds
• 180 shadow damage

 

Birana Stormhoof (Horde) or Kavina Grovesong (Alliance) Abilities

 

Balance Druid

Wrath

• 5,170 to 5,830 damage
• Nature damage

Starfire

• 8,258 to 9,742 damage
• Arcane damage

Moonfire

• 2,300 to 2,700 damage
• Arcane damage
• Also adds 4,000 damage over time for 12 seconds

Faerie Fire

• Decreases your armor by 15%
• Lasts 40 seconds
• Takes away your steal ability

Insect Swarm

• Decreases chance to hit by 3%
• 16,650 damage over time for 12 seconds
• Nature damage

Entangling Roots

• Roots you to the ground
• 1,576 damage over time for 10 seconds
• Can be interrupted

Cyclone

• Throws you in the air, effective silences you

Barkskin

• Reduces damage by 40%
• Lasts 12 seconds

Force of Nature

• Summons 3 treants
• Lasts 30 seconds
• Treant hit points: 40,740

 

Erin Misthoof (Horde) or Melador Valestrider (Alliance) Abilities

 

Restoration Druid

Nourish

• 83,250 to 96,750 instant healing

Lifebloom

• 7,540 to 8,460 healing over time
• 9,250 to 10,750 healing when it finishes

Rejuvenation

• 2,775,500 healing over time for 15 seconds

Regrowth

• 56,700 to 63,300 healing instant
• 129,500 healing over time for 21 seconds

Thorns

• 463 to 537 damage
• Nature damage
• Lasts 10 minutes

Nature’s Grasp

• Causes Entangling Roots when you hit him
• 1 charge
• Lasts 45 seconds

Barkskin

• Reduces damage by 40%
• Lasts 12 seconds

 

Ruj’kah (Horde) or Alyssia Moonstalker (Alliance) Abilities

 

Hunter

Shoot

• 6,800 to 9,200 damage
• Physical damage

Steady Shot

• 150% weapon damage

Aimed Shot

• Adds 3,000 ranged damage
• Reduces healing by half
• Lasts 10 seconds

Explosive Shot

• 3,626 to 4,374 damage
• Fire damage
• Adds damage over time for 2 seconds

Wyvern Sting

• Puts you to sleep for 8 seconds
• 2,460 damage over time
• Nature damage
• 6 seconds

Wing Clip

• Reduces movement speed by half
• Lasts 10 seconds

Frost Trap

• Creates an ice slick which slows movement speed of nearby players by half
• Lasts 30 seconds

Disengage

• Allows the hunter to leap backwards, out of the fight

Deterrence

• Increases parry chance 100%
• 100% chance to deflect spells
• Lasts 5 seconds

Claw

• Damage dealt by Ruj’kah’s pet cat
• 2,063 to 2,937 damage
• 186,970 hit points for the pet cat

 

Ginselle Blightsinger (Horde) or Noozle Whizzlestick (Alliance) Abilities

 

Arcane/Frost Mage

Arcane Blast

• 9,250 to 10,750 damage
• Arcane damage
• Increases damage of all Arcane spells by 15%
• Increases mana cost of Arcane Blast by 200%
• Stacks up to 3 times
• Lasts 10 seconds
• Cancels if any other Arcane damage spell is cast

Arcane Barrage

• 8,075 to 8,925 damage
• Arcane damage

Arcane Explosion

• 5,280 to 5,720 damage
• Arcane damage
• 10 yard radius

Frostbolt

• 8,788 to 10,212 damage
• Frost damage
• Slows movement speed by 40% for 9 seconds

Frost Nova

• 365 to 415 damage
• Frost damage
• Freezes you for 8 seconds

Blink

• Frees him from restraints
• Teleports 20 yards forward

Counterspell

• Silences one school of magic from any raid member for 8 seconds

Polymorph

• Changes you into a sheep
• Makes you wander for 10 seconds
• Silences you

Ice Block

• Protects the mage from all attacks for 5 seconds
• Keeps you from attacking
• 30 second cooldown

 

Liandra Suncaller (Horde) or Velanaa (Alliance) Abilities

 

Holy Paladin

Flash of Light

• 56,550 to 63,450 instant healing

Holy Light

• 85,140 to 94,860 instant healing

Holy Shock

• 48,000 to 52,000 healing

Cleanse

• Removes 1 poison effect, 1 disease effect, and 1 magic effect

Hand of Freedom

• Grants immunity to movement impairing effects for 10 seconds

Hand of Protection

• Protects a party member from physical attacks for 10 seconds

Hammer of Justice

• Stuns for 6 seconds

Divine Shield

• Protects from all damage and spells
• Reduces damage dealt by half
• Lasts 12 seconds
• 2 minute cooldown

 

Malithas Brightblade (Horde) or Baelnor Lightbearer (Alliance) Abilities

 

Retribution Paladin

Crusader Strike

• 110% weapon damage

Divine Storm

• 110% weapon damage
• 8 yard range
• Affects up to four players

Seal of Command

• Chance for melee attacks to deal extra damage
• 1,384 to 1,616 damage
• Holy damage

Judgement of Command

• 6,650 to 7,350 damage
• Holy damage

Repentance

• Incapacitates for 10 seconds

Hand of Protection

• Protects a party member from physical attacks for 10 seconds

Hammer of Justice

• Stuns for 6 seconds

Avenging Wrath

• Increases all damage and healing by 20%
• Lasts 20 seconds

Divine Shield

• Protects from all damage and spells
• Reduces damage dealt by half
• Lasts 12 seconds
• 2 minute cooldown

 

Caiphus the Stern (Horde) or Anthar Forgemender (Alliance) Abilities

 

Priest

Dispel Magic

• Removes 2 harmful spells from a party member
• Removes 2 beneficial spells from one of your raid members
• 40 yard range
• Instant cast

Psychic Scream

• Causes you to flee for 8 seconds

Penance

• 9,390 to 10,610
• Instant healing and healing over time for 2 seconds

Power Word: Shield

• Absorbs 9,713 to 11,287 damage
• Lasts 30 seconds

Mana Burn

• Destroys 2,246 to 2,374 mana
• 3 shadow damage

Flash Heal

• 18,500 to 21,500 instant healing

Renew

• 46,250 healing over time
• 15 seconds

 

Vivienne Blackwhisper (Horde) or Brienna Nightfall (Alliance) Abilities

 

Shadow Priest

Dispel Magic

• Removes 2 harmful spells from a party member
• Removes 2 beneficial spells from one of your raid members
• 40 yard range
• Instant cast

Dispersion

• Reduces damage taken by 90 percent
• Regenerates 6% mana per second for 6 seconds
• Unable to attack while this spell is cast

Mind Blast

• 5,670 to 6,330 damage
• Shadow damage
• 1.5 second cast

Mind Flay

• Inflicts Shadow damage
• Reduces movement speed for 3 seconds

Psychic Horror

• Makes you drop your weapons for 10 seconds
• Makes you tremble for 3 seconds

Psychic Scream

• Causes you to flee for 8 seconds

Shadow Word: Pain

• Inflicts shadow damage every 3 seconds
• Lasts 15 seconds

Silence

• Keeps you from casting spells for 5 seconds

Vampiric Touch

• 27,000 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 15 seconds

 

Maz’Dinah (Horde) or Irieth Shadowstep(Alliance) Abilities

 

Rogue

Hemorrhage

• Increases physical damage dealt up to 75
• 110% weapon damage
• Lasts 15 seconds

Fan of Knives

• Causes 90 % weapon damage
• 10 yard radius

Blade Fury

• Increases attack speed 20%
• Attacks strike other nearby opponents
• Lasts 15 seconds

Eviscerate

• 7,000 to 9,000 damage
• Physical damage

Blind

• Makes you wander for 10 seconds

Cloak of Shadows

• Removes all harmful spell effects
• Increases chance to resist spells by 90% for 5 seconds

Shadowstep

• Steps through the shadows and reappears behind you

 

Thrakgar (Horde) or Shaamul (Alliance) Abilities

 

Shaman

Bloodlust

• Increases all attack speeds of all party members by 30%
• Lasts 40 seconds

Riptide

• 9,600 to 10,400 instant healing
• 20,815 healing over time for 15 seconds

Hex

• Changes you into a frog
• Keeps you from attacking or casting spells

Lesser Healing Wave

• 18,670 to 21,330 instant healing

Cleanse Spirit

• Removes 1 poison effect, one disease effect, and 1 curse effect

Earth Shield

• Makes your attacks heal instead
• Happens once every few seconds
• 6 charges
• Lasts 2 minutes

Earth Shock

• Heals 46250 over time
• Lasts 15 seconds

 

Broin Stouthorn (Horde) or Shaabad (Alliance) Abilities

 

Melee Shaman

Bloodlust

• Increases all attack speeds of all party members by 30%
• Lasts 40 seconds

Earth Shock

• Heals 46250 over time
• Lasts 15 seconds

Lava Lash

• 100% off-hand weapon damage
• Increased by 25% if his off-hand weapon is enchanted with Flametongue Stormstrike
• A two-weapon attack
• Increases the next four sources of Nature damage by 20%
• Lasts 12 seconds

 

Harkzog (Horde) or Serissa Grimdabbler (Alliance) Abilities

 

Warlock

Fear

• Causes you to run away
• Lasts 10 seconds

Corruption

• 18,000 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 18 seconds

Unstable Affliction

• 13,875 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 15 seconds
• 24,975 damage and silences you if you dispel it

Curse of Agony

• 24,000 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 24 seconds

Curse of Exhaustion

• Cuts movement speed in half
• Lasts 12 seconds

Hellfire

• 5,500 damage per second to you
• 1,500 damage to him
• Fire damage
• Lasts 15 seconds

Searing Pain

• 3,660 to 4,330 damage
• Fire damage

Shadow Bolt

• 7,560 to 8,440 damage
• Shadow damage

 

Narrhok Steelbreaker (Horde) or Shocuul (Alliance)

 

Warrior

Overpower

• Deals weapon damage + 35
• Can only be used after you dodge

Intimidating Shout

• Makes you cower in fear for 8 seconds
• 8 yard radius

Retaliation

• Instant counterattack to any melee attack
• Lasts 12 seconds

Disarm

• Disarms you for 10 seconds

Sunder Armor

• Reduces your armor by 4%
• Lasts 30 seconds
• Stacks up to 5 times

Shattering Throw

• Reduces your armor by 20%
• Lasts 10 seconds

Bladestorm

• Whirlwind attack for 1 second
• Lasts 8 seconds

Charge

• Stuns you for 1.5 seconds

Mortal Strike

• Deals weapon damage plus 380
• Reduces healing effects cast on you by half for 10 seconds

 

Faction Champions Encounter Tactics

1. Start by deciding which team member your team is going to take out first, and target your entire party on that one.  Use crowd control tactics on the others until the one you’re working on dies.  As with all PvP arena strategies, always take out the healers first.
2. Make sure you take out the healing shaman (Not the melee shaman) first.  Thrakgar and Shaamul spam heals almost non-stop, so once this character is out of the fight, things will get slightly easier.
3. Take out your melee DPS characters after the healers.  The rogue may be easiest to kill because he wears leather.
4. The warrior should also be one of the first ones you take out after the healers.  His combination of stunning abilities and high DPS makes him very dangerous.
5. Also watch out for several of the Faction Champions to gang up on one of your party members.
6. The Faction Champions cannot be mind controlled.
7. Don’t clump together.  Make the Faction Champions move around a lot to target various party members.
8. Assign two party members to do distractions.  They should help keep the healers alive, especially calling out when the Faction Champions are all targeting one of the healers at once.

Fjola Lightbane and Edyis Darbane are the Twin Val’kyr, which is the fourth encounter in Trial of the Crusader.  They’re basically two halves of a whole and share the same health bar.  Let’s start this Twin Val’kyr Boss Strategy Guide with a look at their abilities.

 

Edyis Darkbane Abilities

Empowered Darkness

• Increases damage dealt to Light targets by 100%
• Lasts 20 seconds

Shield of Darkness

• Absorbs 250,000 damage
• Prevents spell interruption for 15 minutes

Twin’s Pact

• Heals 20% of their hit points
• 15 second cast
• Begins after Shield of Darkness is cast

Dark Vortex

• 5,850 to 6,150 damage per second
• Lasts 5 seconds
• 8 second cast

Surge of Darkness

• 1,500 damage every 2 seconds
• Affects Light players

Touch of Darkness

• 7,313 to 7,687 damage per second
• Dark damage
• Affects players under the effect of Light Essence

Unleashed Dark

• 12,188 to 12,812 damage
• Dark damage
• 8 yard radius

Twin Spike

• Deals 100% weapon damage
• Increases damage taken by 20% for 15 seconds or 10 charges

 

Fjola Lightbane Abilities

 

Empowered Light

• Increases damage dealt to Dark targets by 100%
• Lasts 20 seconds

Shield of Lights

• Absorbs 250,000 damage
• Prevents spell interruption for 15 minutes

Twin’s Pact

• Heals 20% of their hit points
• 15 second cast
• Begins after Shield of Lights is cast

Light Vortex

• 5,850 to 6,150 damage per second
• Lasts 5 seconds
• 8 second cast

Surge of Light

• 1,500 damage every 2 seconds
• Affects Dark players

Touch of Light

• 4,388 to 4,612 damage per second
• Light damage
• Affects players under the effect of Dark Essence

Unleashed Light

• 12,188 to 12,812 damage
• Dark damage
• 8 yard radius

Twin Spike

• Deals 100% weapon damage
• Increases damage taken by 20% for 15 seconds or 10 charges

 

The Twin Val’kyr Encounter Tactics

1. Split your party into two teams.  Each team clicks EITHER the light or the dark portal.  That way each team gets either the Light Essence Buff or Dark Essence Buff.
2. The Dark Essence team attacks Fjola Lightbane, while the Light Essence team attacks Edyis Darkbane.
3. Separate Edyis Darkbane and Fjola Lightbane and tank them each near a portal of their OWN color.
4. Healers should be the opposite color of the team they’re in charge of healing.  The Dark healer should heal the team attacking Edyis Darkbane, while the Light healer should heal the team attacking Fjola Lightbane.  This way, healers aren’t damaged by the spells cast on their team because they are the same color as the boss they’re closest to.
5. Watch out for the light and dark orbs that are floating around the room.  If any player touches the light orbs, then each member of the dark team takes 7,000 damage, and vice versa.  Also, if any player touches the light orbs, then each member of the light team gets a speed and damage boost.  Once again, vice versa for the dark orbs.
6. The Val’kyr Twins also get a speed and damage boost if any of the orbs touch them.  Assign one player of each color to keep the orbs from touching the bosses and giving them power ups.
7. Whenever one of the twins casts Shield of Lights or Shield of Darkness, the team that’s currently attacking the twin which casts the shield should switch and attack the twin that’s not shielded.  This puts your maximum DPS on the Val’kyr Twin you can actually take some hit points from.  The twins share the same set of hit points, so there’s no reason to waste time trying to damage a Val’kyr twin that’s shielded herself.
8. The other power to watch out for is the Vortex ability.  As soon as one of the twins casts this spell, whichever team it was cast on must run to the portal and switch colors.  30,000 damage can devastate the team.  This is why you should tank each of the Val’kyr Twins next to a portal of their own color.  For example, if Edyis Darkbane casts Dark Vortex, all the players attacking her (which should be the Light team) should stop, run over to the dark portal and temporarily switch over to Dark.  As soon as Dark Vortex is over, the team will need to run back to the Light portal and switch back before beginning to attack again.  The same holds true when Fjola Lightbane casts Light Vortex.
9. Another time one of your party members may need to switch colors is if they’re hit by Touch of Darkness or Touch of Light.  This is an ability that only hits one player at a time, so it’s not quite the tactical nightmare the Vortex ability is, but players who don’t hit up the portal and switch colors when this is cast on them may die before the healer has a chance to heal them through it.

Lord Jaraxxus is the second encounter in Trial of the Crusader.  Let’s start off this boss strategy guide with a look at his abilities, and we’ll get into more specific boss strategies later.

 

Lord Jaraxxus’ Abilities

Nether Power

• Increases magic damage done by 20%
• Stackable
• Starts with 10 stacks, or Lord Jaraxxus’ powers increased by 200%!
• Instant cast
• Six second cooldown
• Lasts 30 seconds

Fel Fireball

• 24,375 to 25,625 damage on cast
• Fire damage
• 9,263 to 9,737 additional damage over time
• Damage over time lasts five seconds and hits every one second.
• Two second cast time
• Always cast on primary tank (unless your tank’s not holding the highest aggro, but hopefully he is.)
• 50,000 yard range
• Lasts five seconds
• Two second cast time

Fel Lightning

• 11,700 to 12,300 damage
• Fire damage
• Usually targets ranged players
• 50,000 yard range
• Starts a chain, hitting one player, and then moving to another
• Hits up to three players
• Stacks an extra 50% damage on the second player
• Instant cast
• Two second cooldown

Touch of Jaraxxus

• 3,900 to 4,100 damage per second
• Shadow damage
• Also casts Curse of the Nether on players near the player that was targeted with Touch of Jaraxxus
• Instant cast
• Lasts 12 seconds
• Two second cooldown

Curse of the Nether

• 4.388 to 4,612 damage per second
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 15 seconds
• Instant cast

Legion Flame

• 2,925 to 3,075 damage per second
• Fire damage
• Lasts six seconds
• Lights the ground on fire

Incinerate Flesh

• Absorbs 60,000 healing received
• Decreases damage you deal by 50% for 12 seconds
• Causes Burning Inferno if not removed

Burning Inferno

• 3,900 to 4,100 damage per second
• Fire damage
• Last five seconds
• Burns every single party member
• Caused by Incinerate Flesh if that spell isn’t dispelled

Nether Portal

• 9,263 to 9,737 damage
• Shadow damage
• All players in a 10 yard radius
• Summons a Mistress of Pain
• Mistress of Pain: 1.5 million hit points, cause melee damage to both main tank and another random raid member, has armor piercing abilities

Infernal Eruption

• 9,263 to 9,373 damage
• Fire damage
• Summons three Felflame Infernals
• Felflame Infernal: 400,000 hit points, 5,000 DPS through Fel Inferno to players within a 15 yard radius and 6,338 to 6,662 damage through Fel Streak to main tank or whoever holds the most aggro

 

Lord Jaraxxus Encounter Tactics

1. You’ll probably need about five healers to beat Lord Jaraxxus.  The primary focus for healers (other than obviously keeping tanks alive) in the Lord Jaraxxus fight MUST be on dispelling Incinerate Flesh.  It’s a good idea to assign one healer specifically to dispel Incinerate Flesh.  The life of your raid depends on not letting Incinerate Flesh become Burning Inferno, which can easily cause a complete party wipe in just seconds.
2. You’ll probably need two tanks in this fight.  Elect a primary and a secondary tank.  Your primary tank will focus on Jaraxxus, and your secondary will take on the Mistresses of Pain and Felflame Infernals.
3. Take down the Mistresses of Pain and Felflame Infernals as quickly as possible, but don’t pull too many DPS from Jaraxxus.  Decide ahead of time which DPS will switch and target these extras when Jaraxxus calls them out.
4. Spread all raid members at least 10 yards apart.  This will help keep the damage from Fel Lightning down to a minimum.
5. Assign one or two DPS to interrupt Fel Fireball each time Jaraxxus casts it.
6. When Jaraxxus lights the floor on fire with Legion Flames, DPS should NOT stand in the fire unless they want to die.  Healers will need to heal the Tanks through the fire damage, so be ready for when he casts this spell.
7. It’s handy to have a mage or two along, and make sure they know to steal Jaraxxus’ Nether Power buff.
8. Make sure your paladins don’t all have the same aura up.  It’s helpful to have one with Shadow Resistance Aura, another with Fire Resistance Aura, and at least one more with Devotion or Retribution Aura.

The Northrend Beasts make up the first encounter for the new 25-man Trial of the Crusader instance.  There are three phases to the Northrend Beasts part of Trial of the Crusader.  Make sure you kill each of the Northrend Beasts in less than 15 minutes.  If you don’t, whichever Northrend Beast you’re fighting will enrage.

Here are the stats when the Northrend Beasts enrage:

 

Berserker Enrage

• Begins 15 minutes into each phase of the Northrend Beast boss encounter
• Increases all damage by 500%
• Immunity to taunt

 

Gormok

Gormok’s Abilities

Staggering Stomp

• 9, 263 to 9,7,37 damage in regular mode.  11,700 to 12,300 damage in heroic mode.
• Physical damage
• 50,000 yard range
• Interrupts all spell-casting for 8 seconds
• Half-second cast time

Impale

• 150% weapon damage
• Bleed effect
• 3,500 to 4,500 damage every 2 seconds
• Lasts 30 seconds at a time
• Instant cast
• 10 second cool-down
• This ability stacks, so this is why you need two tanks taking turns.

Snobold Vassals

• Show up every few seconds during the encounter
• A total of six will appear.
• Debuffs a player with Snobolled, which effectively shuts down your casters’ abilities in that particular Northrend Beast boss encounter.
• Powers: Fire Bomb: 4,813 to 6,187 fire damage, 8 yard range,  Head Crack: Stun effect for 2 seconds, with a 30 second cool-down, Batter: 75% of normal melee damage, Interrupts spell-casting, Lasts 5 seconds.

 

Gormok Encounter Tactics

1. Use two tanks, and have them taunt Gormok off each other, back and forth.  Tanks should switch after Impale stacks three times.
2. Stay out of the fires which Gormok will start.
3. Assign two DPS to only kill Snobold Vassals.  Other DPS can help with this.  Your Snobold DPS may find this macro helpful: /tar Snobold
4. If you can disarm Gormok, this will be MUCH easier!

Acidmaw and Dreadscale

 

Acidmaw’s Abilities

Paralytic Bite

• 12,950 to 15,050
• Nature Damage
• 15 yard range
• Paralyzing toxin
• Instant cast

Acidic Spew

• 2,775 to 3,225 damage
• Nature damage
• 100 yard range
• Instant cast

Paralytic Spray

• 8,325 to 9,675 damage
• Nature damage
• 100 yard range
• Debilitating paralytic toxin
• 1.1 second cast time

Slime Pool

• 5,088 to 5,912 damage
• Nature damage
• 0 yard range for targets inside the Poison Cloud
• Instant cast

 

Dreadscale Abilities

Burning Bile

• 11,100 to 12,900 damage
• Fire damage
• 10 yard range
• Coats with burning bile
• Burning Bile debuff, which can get rid of the paralyze debuff on other players
• Instant cast

Burning Spray

• 8,325 to 9,675 damage
• Fire damage
• 100 yard range
• Coats with burning bile
• 1.1 second cast

Fire Spit

• 10,175 to 11,825 damage
• Fire damage
• 100 yard range
• 1.1 second cast

Molten Spew

• 3,700 to 4,300 damage
• Fire damage
• 100 yard range
• Every .25 second.
• Instant cast

 

Acidmaw and Dreadscale Encounter Tactics

1. Put one tank each on Acidmaw and Dreadscale.  Acidmaw starts out immobile and sticking out of the ground on the left; Dreadscale starts out mobile on the right.  The two burrow through the ground and switch places periodically during the encounter.  Whichever boss is stuck in the ground acts like a turret gun, so you can easily see which player it is targeting.
2. Assign half your DPS to Acidmaw and the other half to Dreadscale.
3. All players who get hit with Paralytic Toxin should run over to the players that get hit with Burning Bile.  The Burning Bile dispels the Paralytic Toxin.
4. Kill Acidmaw first, but not until Dreadscale is almost dead.  When Acidmaw dies, Dreadscale will enrage, so be ready for at least 50% more damage from Dreadscale when Acidmaw dies.

Icehowl

Icehowl’s Abilities

Arctic Breath

• 20,000 damage in normal mode.  30,000 damage in heroic mode.
• Frost damage
• 100 yard range
• Freeze effect
• Lasts 5 seconds
• Channeled power

Ferocious Butt

• 69,375 to 80,625 damage
• Physical damage
• 8 yard range
• Stuns for 3 seconds
• Instant cast

Massive Crash

• 10,175 to 11,825 damage
• Physical damage
• 50,000 yard range
• Stun effect
• Knockback
• 1 second cast

Whirl

• 9,250 to 10,750 damage
• Physical damage
• 15 yard range
• Knockback
• 1 second cast

Frothing Rage

• Increases physical damage and attack speed by 50 %
• Lasts 15 seonds

Icehowl Encounter Tactics

1. Use a half moon formation for your DPS, with both tanks on Icehowl at the start of the encounter.
2. He will knock everyone back soon after he comes out, so be ready for that.

Halls of Reflection is the third and final in the series of 5-man instances inside Icecrown Citadel. This dungeon is the Lich King’s inner sanctum, and it’s here you’ll finally meet with the Lich King… sort of.  There are three bosses in this 5-man instance. 

Falric

Falric is the first of the three bosses in Halls of Reflection.  The battle begins with about four or five waves of various ghost mobs, with Falric becoming active after the fourth or fifth one.  The number of ghosts in the mob increases with each wave.  The important thing to remember about the ghosts is that anyone standing near them when they spawn can draw aggro, so it’s best to keep your healer and ranged DPS bunched in a corner or the entrance with the tank nearby.  Paladins will have a field day with all these ghost mobs, so it’s handy to have one along for the instance.  Always target the healers in these pre-fight trash mobs first.

Falric’s Abilities

Ghostly Adds, summoned pre-fight

• Ghostly Priest: Shadow Word: Pain, Circle of Destruction, Cower in Fear, Dark Mending
• Phantom Mage: Fireball, Frostbolt, Chains of Ice, Flamestrike
• Phantom Hallucination: Summoned by Phantom Mage, uses same abilities, except it explodes when killed.
• Shadowy Mercenary (rogue): Deadly Poison, Poisoned Daggers
• Spectral Footman (warrior): Shield Bash, Enrage
• Tortured Rifleman (hunter): Ice Shot, Cursed Arrow, Frost Traps

Quivering Strike

• 60 – 100 percent weapon damage
• Reduces ability to dodge
• Instant cast

Impending Despair

• Stuns
• Instant cast

Defiling Horror

• 2,500 damage per second
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 4 seconds
• Instant cast

Hopelessness

• Reduces damage and healing dealt by party members
• Instant cast

Falric Encounter Tactics

1. Falric attacks after the fourth fifth wave of ghostly adds, so if you didn’t start the fight in the corner by Falric, the entire party should start making its way over to Falric toward the end of the fourth wave of ghosts.
2. Falric is fairly easy to defeat.  It’s a simple tank and spank.  Just use all your dispelling abilities to get rid of Hopelessness.  Kill off all the adds like you did in the first four rounds, and then kill Falric.  Use crowd control methods as needed.

Marwyn

After a brief pause when you kill Falric, Marwyn will activate in the other corner of the room.  The fight is very similar to the battle against Falric.  It starts with waves of the same trash mobs, and Marwyn activates on the fourth or fifth one again.  Use the same strategy you used on Falric’s mobs, killing priests first.

Marwyn’s Abilities

Obliterate

• 20,000 – 30,000 damage
• Instant cast

Well of Corruption

• Increases Shadow damage taken
• 100 yard range
• Instant cast

Corrupted Touch

• Increases shadow damage 30 – 75 percent
• Lasts 20 seconds
• Instant cast

Corrupted Flesh

• Reduces maximum health 25 – 50 percent
• Lasts 10 seconds
• Instant cast

Shared Suffering

• 16,000 damage over 12 seconds
• Shadow damage
• If you dispel it, the damage is split among the whole party

Marwyn Encounter Tactics

1. This fight is just as simple as the one against Falric, with a few minor changes.  Don’t dispel Shared Suffering.  Healers should just heal individual party members through it.  Otherwise you face an entire party wipe.  Healers also watch your tanks because Obliterate does a lot of damage.
2. Stay out of the circles on the floor, or you could die because you’ll take a lot more damage than if you weren’t standing in them.

The Lich King

1. There’s no real strategy needed for the Lich King portion of Halls of Reflection.  You spend the entire time running away from him.  Just stay with the group and run away from him.  His abilities don’t really matter because you shouldn’t get close enough to him for him to them.  Let’s suffice it to say that if you don’t run away from him, he’ll kill you instantly.
2. While you’re fleeing, the Lich King will bring up walls come up to block your path.  Each time this happens, spin and take out the trash mobs.  It’s very easy.  Eventually you’ll get to the end of the path, and your gunship will come up and cause a rock slide to block the Lich King from getting you.
3. You’ll have to go all the way through the 10- and 25-man Icecrown Citadel raids to actually kill the Lich King.

The second wing of the Icecrown Citadel dungeon is the Pit of Saron.  It’s a large open area with mobs scattered all around.  There are three bosses in this 5-man instance: Forgemaster Garfrost, Krick and Ick, and Scourgelord Tyrannus.  You must have beaten the Forge of Souls instance before you can gain access to the Pit of Saron.

Here’s a quick Pit of Saron instance strategy guide.

Forgemaster Garfrost

The first boss to beat in the Pit of Saron instance is Forgemaster Garfrost.  His abilities are mostly frost-based, so use any extra frost resistance abilities or items you have.  The battle against Forgemaster Garfrost comes in three phases, and he uses different abilities in each of the three phases.

Forgemaster Garfrost’s Abilities

Permafrost

• 200 damage
• Frost damage
• Instant cast
• Stacks 30 times
• 200 yard radius

Throw Saronite

• 3,500-5,500 damage
• Physical damage
• Knockback
• 150 yard range
• 2 second cast

Thundering Stomp

• Stuns you for 2 seconds
• 50,000 yard range
• Instant cast

Forge Frozen Blade

• Doubles his frost damage
• 4 second cast

Chilling Wave

• 1,850-2000 damage per second
• Frost damage
• 40 yard range (in front of him)
• 65 yard radius (from the central point where it lands)

Forge Frostborn Mace

• Doubles his frost damage in regular mode
• Triples his frost damage in heroic mode
• 4 second cast

Deep Freeze

• 4,000-6,000 damage
• Frost damage
• Cuts movement speed in half
• Stuns you for 1 second
• 14 second cast
• 50,000 yard range

Forgemaster Garfrost Encounter Tactics

1. For the first phase, Forgemaster Garfrost utilizes only Permafrost, Throw Saronite, and Thundering Stomp.  Start by knocking down the adds which pull with him at the beginning.
2. Ranged DPS should watch for this emote: “Forgemaster Garfrost hurls a massive saronite boulder at you.”  It means he just cast Throw Saronite at you, so be ready to duck the boulder immediately. 
3. Pay attention to your Permafrost stack.  The spell stacks up to 30 times, which will kill you if you don’t pay attention to it.  Healers may not be able to keep with you if your stack gets too high.  Remember that Permafrost will stack about every three seconds.
4. Phase two of the Forgemaster Garfrost battle begins when he emotes, “Axe too weak.  Garfrost make better and Crush you!”  At this point he also creates a new weapon, which you’ll find under Forge Frozen Blade.  All party members should stand back and let their de-buffs run out while he’s forging his blade.  Remember, the new blade doubles his damage output, so be ready for even more damage.
5. Phase two also brings the ability Chilling Wave into the mix.  The healer and ALL DPS should stay behind Forgemaster Garfrost to avoid this ability.
6. Phase three begins when Forgemaster Garfrost is at 33% life.  He creates another new weapon at this point, which you can check out under Forge Frostborn Mace.  This new weapon doubles or triples his damage output again, so be ready.
7. Phase three also adds in the ability Deep Freeze.  Healers keep an extra eye on the players who get hit by Deep Freeze because it’s a hard hitter.

Krick and Ick

The second encounter you’ll face in the Pit of Saron instance is Krick and Ick.  This duo works together for a very active encounter.  There’s a lot of running in this encounter, so be ready to move with them. 

Krick and Ick Abilities

Toxic Waste

• Damage 25 percent of your total health every 2 seconds
• Nature damage
• Lasts 10 seconds
• Instant cast
• 40 yard range

 Mighty Kick

• 150 percent weapon damage
• Instant cast
• 10 yard range

Shadow Bolt

• 2,125 – 2,900 damage
• Shadow damage
• 40 yard range

Pursuit

• Ick starts chasing one party member

Pursuit Confusion

• Buffs Ick to cut movement speed in half and double damage dealt

Poison Nova

• 12,000 – 30,000 damage plus 1,500 – 6,500 damage every 3 seconds
• Nature damage
• Lasts 21 seconds

Explosive Barrage

• 3,000 – 6,000 damage
• Arcane damage
• 6 yard range

Krick and Ick Encounter Tactics

1. This is a very simple fight.  Ick is the only one who can be targeted, and you may not even notice Krick hanging onto Ick, although he sure does talk a lot.
2. The main thing to remember in this battle is not to stand in the green areas on the ground.  Stay out of the poison, and you’ll be fine.  Tanks can help by keeping the movement going and continually dragging Ick out of the poison areas.  Also watch out for Poison Nova and jump away when Ick casts it.  Watch for: “Ick begins to unleash a toxic poison cloud!”
3. Krick’s main function in the fight is to throw down mines around the fight area, so watch out for those and just keep moving.  This is definitely not a fight in which you can just stand in one place.

Scourgelord Tyrannus

The third and final encounter in the Pit of Saron instance is Scourgelord Tyrannus.  He rides on his mount, which is named Rimefang.  He dismounts Rimefang at the beginning of the fight, and Rimefang adds to the damage during the battle, although you can’t target him.  Just watch out for Rimefang’s effects, but don’t worry about taking him out because you can’t.

Scourgelord Tyrannus’ Abilities

Forceful Smash

• 28,275 – 52,875 damage
• Physical damage
• Knockback

Overlord’s Brand

• Mirrors all the damage the target is doing onto Scourgelord Tyrannus’ target
• Mirrors all healing from the target onto Scourgelord Tyrannus
• Lasts 8 seconds

Unholy Power

• Increases physical damage 75 percent (or 100 percent on heroic mode)
• Cuts movement speed in half
• Lasts 10 seconds

Rimefang

• Mark of Rimefang: Marks a target for attack
• Hoarfrost: 4,813 – 10,125 frost damage; stuns you for 5 seconds
• Icy Blast: 4,813 – 8,437 frost damage; Reduces movement speed by 75 percent

Scourgelord Tyrannus Encounter Tactics

1. The battle against Scourgelord Tyrannus is fairly simple.  Stay out of the ice patches created by Rimefang.  The tank may choose to use the ice patches to help slow Scourgelord Tyrannus’ movement speed, but all party members should keep moving so they’re not on the ice patches.
2. The only other thing to watch out for is Overlord’s Brand.  Whoever gets this spell cast on them should stop what they’re doing until it’s over.  Healers will find themselves healing Scourgelord Tyrannus if they don’t, and DPS will kill the tank if they keep it up during this spell.

Forge of Souls is the first wing of the new Icecrown Citadel instance in patch 3.3.  It’s home to two bosses: Bronjahm and the Devourer of Souls.  Forge of Souls is a five-man instance. 

Bronjahm

You’ve got to beat Bronjahm first in the Forge of Souls instance.  One thing to keep in mind is that Bronjahm fears your party members, but only while he’s casting Soulstorm a spell that can be deadly if you’re standing in the wrong place.

Bronjahm’s Abilities

Magic’s Bane

• 2,500 damage + damage in the amount of half your total mana, up to 10,000
• Physical damage
• Instant Cast
• 28 yard radius

Corrupt Soul

• 50,000 yard range
• Separates you from your body
• Instant Cast
• Lasts 4 seconds
• Spawns a Corrupted Soul Fragment

Consume Soul

• Heals Bronjahm if the Corrupted Soul Fragment reaches him.

Shadow Bolt

• 2828-3173 damage
• Shadow damage
• 20 yeard range
• 1 second cast

Teleport

• Teleports Bronjahm to the Soul Tower
• Automatically cast when Bronjahm reaches 30% health

Soulstorm

• Shadow damage every second
• Hits all group members
• Lasts 10 minutes
• 4 second cast

Fear

• Makes you flee
• Lasts 3 seconds
• Only cast during Soulstorm

 

Bronjahm Encounter Tactics

1. Phase 1 is your basic tank and spank.  The key thing to watch out for this first part of the battle is the Corrupted Soul Fragments.  DPS should break from attacking Bronjahm to destroy the Corrupted Soul Fragment before it reaches him.  If it reaches Bronjahm, it heals him, so whoever Bronjahn casts Corrupt Soul on should run as far away as possible from him so the Corrupted Soul Fragment has the maximum distance to travel to get to him. 
2. The second and final phase of the fight is Soulstorm, which Bronjahm casts as soon as his health is at 30 percent.  The entire group should stand within a 10-yard radius of Bronjahm to avoid taking damage from Soulstorm.  Look for Soulstorm to be cast right after Bronjahm teleports to the center of the room.  He also casts fear some of your party members, which will make them wander and not be able to stay in the center where it’s safe.  Healers, watch your feared targets during the Soulstorm, or they won’t live through it.

The Devourer of Souls

The second encounter in the Forge of Souls instance is the Devourer of Souls.  He pretty much casts Phantom Blast on your main tank for the entire battle, so you’ve got to have a solid strategy to beat him.

Here’s a quick strategy guide for the Devourer of Souls.

The Devourer of Souls’ Abilities

Phantom Blast

• 11,700 to 12,300 damage
• Shadow damage
• 2 second cast
• 15 yard range

Mirrored Soul

• A percentage of the damage being done to him is mirrored onto you.
• 100 yard range
• 2 second cast

Well of Souls

• 2,925 to 3,075 damage
• Shadow damage
• Instant cast
• 40 yard range

Unleashed Souls

• Releases tormented souls
• .85 second cast
• Lasts 5 seconds

Wailing Souls

• 4,875 to 5,125 damage
• Shadow damage
• Knocks you back

The Devourer of Souls Encounter Tactics

1. One of the first spells the Devourer of Souls will cast is Phantom Blast.  He sustains this spell on your tank whenever possible, so the focus should be on interrupting it, either with a stun ability from your tank or another similar ability from one of your DPS.  Healers should also be mindful of Phantom Blast because  it doesn’t take many to kill your tank.
2. All party members should watch out when the Devourer of Souls casts Well of Souls.  Any player standing in the Well of Souls will likely die, so be ready to move on a moment’s notice.
3. Watch out for the following emote: “Devourer of Souls begins to cast Mirrored Soul.”  All DPS should stop immediately when this emote appears because all damage you do to the Devourer of Souls is mirrored to one of your party members proportionally.  Let this debuff expire before you start DPS back up again.
4. Another spell to keep an eye out for is Wailing Souls.  The emote before this spell is cast reads: “Devourer of Souls begins to cast Wailing Souls.”  This spell is a broad sweep of the room and lasts for 15 seconds.  Don’t be in front of the Devourer of Souls when he casts Wailing Souls.
5. When the Devourer of Souls casts Unleashed Souls, he releases several wraiths, which you cannot kill.  In most cases you can ignore these, but watch out much damage you allow them to do before you run away.

Trial of the Champion is the first new 5-man instance of WotLK on World of Warcraft.  The fact that all the drops are epic will really help you gear up a second character.  If you’ve got a very experienced group and less-than-perfect gear, it is possible to run Trial of the Champion, but you may find it to be difficult.  You will need at least decent gear in order to run ToC successfully, and if you’ve got a good strategy up front to guide your group, ToC can be a very quick instance run.  You’ll find Trial of the Champion in the Crusaders’ Coliseum, which is in the Argent Tournament Grounds in Icecrown.

You’ll need your best jousting abilities to start off the instance.  You’ll start off mounted and face three champions of the opposite faction, generated randomly from a list of five.  On that list of five champions, pay attention to which three classes you draw in order to develop your strategy.  Always take out the champions’ main healer first.

You’ll need to knock all three of them off their mounts, and immediately run them over after you knock them off.  If you don’t run them over after you knock them off, they’ll jump up and find another mount, which basically means you’ll have to start all over again.  After all three of the champions are off their mounts, your group will automatically dismount and fight them on the ground.  After your group beats the three champions on the ground, stage two begins.

The second stage of ToC starts with some quick trash mobs scattered around the arena.  Those mobs are led by three lieutenant bosses.  Once again, kill the healer boss first, which is the priestess.  Kill the monk last because when he dies, your speed and damage automatically decrease under a de-buff he casts.   After these mobs, the second-stage boss comes out.  This boss will be either Argent Confessor Paletress or Eadric the Pure.

If you draw Argent Confessor Paletress, you’ll face her numerous priest abilities.  When you get her down to 25% health, she summons a random monster from your past.  You can’t damage Paletress while the monster is in the game, so kill that monster and be ready for a Paletress with full health afterward.  Also keep in mind that the monster is heavy on the fear, so healers will need to especially watch their tanks during this bout.

Eadric the Pure is a paladin, and if you draw him instead, watch out for the blinding spell he throws down.  You’ll need to keep turning your character to face away from him to avoid getting dazed.  Beating Eadric is pretty much all about keeping your DPS focused on him and trying not to face him.  Just keep your character turned away from him as much as you can during this battle.  Two of his three major attacks will stun you, so just keep that in mind as you play around it, whether you’re ranged or melee.

After you beat Paletress or Eadric, you face the Black Knight.  You’ve got to kill him three times before he stays dead.  For his undead form, use your basic tank and spank approach to quickly knock him down.  His second form is his skeleton form, which brings with it several ghouls.  Take down the ghouls first, because if you don’t, you’ll take major damage when the ghouls explode at the knight’s second death.  The Black Knight’s third form is his ghost form, and this is where you’ll find out if your healer’s really got it.  The ghost form casts spells which really increase the amount of magic damage taken, so your healer’s got to be on his toes.

I have a guild member in my guild that has his warrior alt on another server that is in one of the types of guilds I most despise in this game. You probably have one on you server and are hopefully not in one. This guild is filled with people who think they are too good to take the time to help their members who are trying to learn the in and outs of a new classes. Here they sit with a maxed out finely tuned warrior and they can’t take the time to help out someone, like my guildie, who wants a warrior too and wants to learn how to be a good one. Maybe they are worried about someone taking their spot or maybe they are bitter because it took them so much time to research the class that they feel they have to make someone else do the same tedious work they did. Maybe they bought their character on eBay and have no idea why it works like it does they were told their rotation and gear and spam buttons they are told to. Which ever one it is, it’s ridiculous. I won’t get onto a soap box about this in this post. I am writing this to help people like the guild member I am talking about not to rant about guild politics.

I have a lot of characters and when I decide to level a new one I always know matter how much of a pain in the ass is level them in the spec I am going to raid with. For the main reason, is it lets me learn the talent tree and see specifically what talents are useful and what talents are not. I did this with my shadow priest and I did this with my warrior tank. One thing I learned from this is that I have the same 9 point I need to get 100% clarifications before I truly feel comfortable with my class.

Talent Spec- When you first hit 80 as a protection warrior you should be puging a lot of 5 man heroics to learn the mechanics you need to learn so you can move on to raiding. By now you have realized that a protection warrior is a harder than most class to tank with. It is not a 6>9>6>9>6>9>6>9 tanking rotation (no offence paladins) you will need to have a very good threat and damage mitigation spec. No matter how you cut it the best point for point spec right now available for new level 80s is 15/3/53. It will give you plenty of threat to keep mobs. When you add right glyphs to this spec you will have plenty of damage mitigation as well. Below is a break down per tree of what to pick up and the Glyphs that will work out the best for now.

Level 80 Warrior (15/3/53)

Arms (15 points)

• Improved Heroic Strike – Rank 3/3
  Reduces the cost of your Heroic Strike ability by 3 rage points.
• Deflection – Rank 5/5
  Increases your Parry chance by 5%.
• Improved Charge – Rank 2/2
  Increases the amount of rage generated by your Charge ability by 10.
• Impale – Rank 2/2
  Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your abilities by 20%.
• Deep Wounds – Rank 3/3
  Your critical strikes cause the opponent to bleed, dealing 48% of your melee weapon’s average damage over 6 sec.

Fury (3 points)

• Armored to the Teeth – Rank 3/3
  Increases your attack power by 3 for every 108 armor value you have.

Protection (53 points)

• Shield Specialization – Rank 5/5
  Increases your chance to block attacks with a shield by 5% and has a 100% chance to generate 5 rage when a block, dodge, or parry occurs.
• Improved Thunder Clap – Rank 3/3
  Reduces the cost of your Thunder Clap ability by 4 rage points and increases the damage by 30% and the slowing effect by an additional 10%.
• Incite – Rank 3/3
  Increases the critical strike chance of your Heroic Strike, Thunder Clap and Cleave abilities by 15%.
• Anticipation – Rank 5/5
  Increases your Dodge chance by 5%.
• Last Stand – Rank 1/1
  When activated, this ability temporarily grants you 30% of your maximum health for 20 sec. After the effect expires, the health is lost.
• Improved Revenge – Rank 2/2
  Increases damage of your Revenge ability by 20% and gives a 50% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.
• Shield Mastery – Rank 2/2
  Increases your block value by 30% and reduces the cooldown of your Shield Block ability by 20 sec.
• Toughness – Rank 5/5
  Increases your armor value from items by 10% and reduces the duration of all movement slowing effects by 30%.
• Improved Disciplines – Rank 2/2
  Reduces the cooldown of your Shield Wall, Retaliation and Recklessness abilities by 60 secs.
• Concussion Blow – Rank 1/1
  Stuns the opponent for 5 sec and deals [0.75 * AP] damage (based on attack power).
• Gag Order – Rank 2/2
  Gives your Shield Bash and Heroic Throw abilities a 100% chance to silence the target for 3 sec and increases the damage of your Shield Slam ability by 10%.
• One-Handed Weapon Specialization – Rank 5/5
  Increases physical damage you deal when a one-handed melee weapon is equipped by 10%.
• Improved Defensive Stance – Rank 2/2
  While in Defensive Stance all spell damage is reduced by 6% and when you Block, Parry or Dodge an attack you have a 100% chance to become Enraged, increasing Physical damage caused by 10% for 12 sec.
• Vigilance – Rank 1/1
  Focus your protective gaze on a group or raid target, reducing their damage taken by 3% and transfers 10% of the threat they cause to you. In addition, each time they are hit by an attack your Taunt cooldown is refreshed. Lasts 30 min. This effect can only be on one target at a time.
• Vitality – Rank 3/3
  Increases your total Strength and Stamina by 6% and your Expertise by 6.
• Warbringer – Rank 1/1
  Your Charge, Intercept and Intervene abilities are now usable while in combat and in any stance. In addition, your Charge, Intercept and Intervene abilities will remove all movement impairing effects.
• Devastate – Rank 1/1
  Sunder the target’s armor causing the Sunder Armor effect. In addition, causes 100% of weapon damage plus 202 for each application of Sunder Armor on the target. The Sunder Armor effect can stack up to 5 times.
• Critical Block – Rank 3/3
  Your successful blocks have a 60% chance to block double the normal amount and increases your chance to critically hit with your Shield Slam ability by an additional 15%.
• Sword and Board – Rank 3/3
  Increases the critical strike chance of your Devastate ability by 15% and when your Devastate or Revenge ability deals damage it has a 30% chance of refreshing the cooldown of your Shield Slam ability and reducing its cost by 100% for 5 sec.
• Damage Shield – Rank 2/2
  Whenever you take damage from or block a melee attack you cause damage equal to 20% of your block value.
• Shockwave – Rank 1/1
  Sends a wave of force in front of the warrior, causing [0.75 * AP] damage (based on attack power) and stunning all enemy targets within 10 yards in a frontal cone for 4 sec.

Glyphs

• Glyph of Devastate (Major Glyph)
  Your Devastate ability now applies two stacks of Sunder Armor.
• Glyph of Blocking (Major Glyph)
  Increases your block value by 10% for 10 sec after using your Shield Slam ability.
• Glyph of Shield Wall (Major Glyph)
  Reduces the cooldown on Shield Wall by 2 min, but Shield Wall now only reduces damage taken by 40%.
• Glyph of Bloodrage (Minor Glyph)
  Reduces the health cost of your Bloodrage ability by 100%.
• Glyph of Thunder Clap (Minor Glyph)
  Increases the radius of your Thunder Clap ability by 2 yards.
• Glyph of Battle (Minor Glyph)
  Increases the duration of your Battle Shout ability by 2 min.

Hit- Hit cap is 263 or 8.00% this is defiantly important but it is not high on the priority list. You don’t ignore this stat but you don’t give up anything as far as defense, stamina, or strength for it either. The amount of times you would miss being 1 or 2 percent away from the hit cap are not going to affect your threat that much when you are just starting out. You have a host of other abilities to use if that would happen. If you are using your rotation correctly then you have built the threat up and should be so far ahead of the dps in the group you would have to do allot more than miss every once in a while to lose a mob.

Crit- This is never a bad thing but it doesn’t play to big of a part considering you will get a 15% base critical strike from all the talents you are specd in and if there shaman in the group you will get 3% from totem of wrath and what ever else you may have as far as buff or pots up. As a tank you will want to do damage but you are more focused on building threat to hold aggro.

Expertise- This will be low at first but will increase over time unlike crit and hit you do need the expertise and when you have some you will see a noticeable difference but it is not crucial for you starting out.

Defense- This is the most the important stat for an 80 level protection tank when you first hit level 80. You get a base of 400 and have to get to 540 to be un-critable which means you need to be at 689. You will need this to do heroics and raids without question. Its ok to have a little more but don’t waste gem slots on it when you are capped. If you have gemmed to get capped then as you gear gets better start replacing those gems with avoidance or stamina gems.

Gear- A lot of you gear that you will need can be obtained from regular 5 mans and heroics. If you were fresh out of questing and still have greens and some blues the regular dungeons will give you good blue upgrades. Go to WoWHead and go to each slot and sort it by item level and piece the set together and formulate a rotation of 5 mans to get what you need. When you are comfortable with what you have after running the regular dungeons for gear try out some of the easier 5 man heroics. I have a pre-raid gear list that is good for beginning raiders, with the exception of the neck slot there are plenty of choices for every budget. There are drop pieces from regular or heroic 5 mans emblem pieces and crafted pieces to pick from. Take a look at it here.

Gems -Stamina (blue), Defense + Stamina (green) or just Defense (yellow) if you’re under 540 Defense or hit if you are under 263 Hit. Expertise + Stamina (purple) or Dodge + Stamina (purple). When you are starting out DO NOT put epic gems into you lower level starting gear. For example; you will pay around 18 gold for a +24 stamina blue gem and about 175 gold for a +30 stamina epic blue gem. The difference in price and stats is not proportion and not fiscally responsible, especially on a piece of gear you will replace on the next run (hopefully). When you are raiding and will be stuck with a piece for a month until you get a drop you are looking for or save up enough emblems for a piece then spend the gold into the epic quality gems. For your meta slot get Eternal Earthsiege Diamond (When you are over defense cap get Austere Earthsiege Diamond, this is a good way to dump defense rating when you are over the cap and free up a gem slot for something else.)

Enchants-

• Head: Arcanum of the Stalwart Protector
• Shoulders: If you need Defense, 20 Defense / 15 Dodge, if not then 30 Stamina.
• Back: If you need Defense, 16 Defense rating, if not then 225 Armor.
• Chest: If you need Defense, 22 Defense rating, if not then 275 Health.
• Bracers: If you need Defense, 12 Defense, if not then 40 Stamina or even Enchant Gloves – Threat.
• Gloves: 240 Armor
• Belt: Eternal Belt Buckle and gem it accordingly
• Legs: Frosthide Leg Armor Note: If you don’t plan to keep the legs long then just Jormungar Leg Armor
• Boots: 15 Stamina + Run speed or 22 Stamina.
• Shield: If you need Defense, 20 Defense rating, if not then 18 Stamina.
• Weapon: Blood Draining or Mongoose. If you don’t plan to keep the weapon long then just get a Titanium Weapon Chain.

Here is a priority list to help you decide which armor you need and when:

Highest priority -<Defense-Stamina-Avoidance-Hit-Critical Strike>- Lowest priority

Rotation- Warriors are a class that is on a priority system so there is no set rotation. We have a list of abilities that we need to keep on cool down as much as possible. Once you have threat on the group.

Single Target Tanking-

Shield Slam > Heroic Strike > Concussion Blow > Revenge > Devastate then keep them on cool down with Heroic Strike and Devastate in between. Remember your Battle Shout, or Commanding Shout, Demoralizing Shout, and Thunder Clap for mitigation of damage. Shock Wave is great if the target is stunable to open you a spot to refresh them.

Multiple Target tanking-

Just check out my post on AOE tanking here.

**Just a note on researching your class online –

This game has a huge community behind it so there are a lot of sources. Having this community to find things out is a double edged sword, if the information is good it will have an underlining consistency from all the sources, if the information contested then you need to use the source that has the deepest roots. By deepest roots, I mean one that has been around a while where they are consistently updating and has the most solid information. The best example of this trend I can give is death knights. There are very few good sites about Death Knights because the class is new so in this case I would go with the information on Elitist Jerks because of their standing in the community and how often they are correct in general. On the other hand there are a ton of sites about druids, warriors and priests. Where there are a lot of sites about a particular class there should be a consistency between all of them. There will always people who trail away from the main stream of thinking when it comes to class examination but for the most part they are all on the same line, just with a few personal tweaks or adjustments.

With that being said, Just keep in mind – Consistency and tons of content are not a measure of correctness. You have to do what works best for you and your play style.