The Honor Codex

Class PvP guides for WoW Forever

Pick your class below. Learn how it wins, the buttons that matter, and how to beat every class you meet.

Each guide: talents, key buttons, your opener, every matchup, and your job in each battleground.

Warrior

The hardest hitter, and the most helpless alone.

Warriors hit hard in melee, and Hamstring makes them hard to escape. Arms Warriors also cut enemy healing in half with Mortal Strike. In Forever every Warrior learns Victory Rush, a small heal after a kill, and keeps 10 rage when changing stances. You still have little self-healing, so a Warrior with a healer is a terror and a Warrior alone is a target.

PvP roles
Melee damageFlag defender
Newcomer friendlyHard to learn
PvP gearOne set for all specs.

Warrior basics

What powers you

Rage. You get it from your swings and from damage you take, and it drains away out of combat, so you start most fights empty and Charge in to get some.

Cloth, leather and mail from the start, plate at level 40. You can dual wield, and you can shoot bows, crossbows and guns. The Arms build uses a two-hander and the Fury build uses two weapons.

Stances

Battle Stance (level 1), Defensive Stance (10) and Berserker Stance (30). Many abilities only work in one stance: Charge and Overpower in Battle, Shield Wall and Disarm in Defensive, Intercept, Pummel and Berserker Rage in Berserker. You keep up to 10 Rage when you swap, so swap often.

Sticking to targets

Your damage is all in melee. Charge to get in, Hamstring so they cannot run, and Intercept (30) to catch them again in combat.

Little self-healing

Victory Rush heals 10% of your max health after a kill. Beyond that you rely on healers, so fight next to one.

Shouts

Battle Shout buffs your group's attack power. Demoralizing Shout weakens melee near you. Intimidating Shout fears up to 5 enemies to buy time.

Abilities you unlock, by level

  1. 4Charge
    Rush in, stun for 1 second and gain Rage. Out of combat only, Battle Stance.
  2. 8Hamstring
    Slows the target so they cannot kite you.
  3. 12Overpower
    Hits hard after a dodge. Your answer to Rogues and Hunters who dodge a lot.
  4. 20Victory Rush
    Your only quick heal, after a kill.
  5. 22Intimidating Shout
    Fears up to 5 enemies. Stops a flag cap or saves you.
  6. 30Intercept
    A charge you can use in combat, with a 3 second stun. Berserker Stance.
  7. 30Berserker Rage
    Immune to Fear and Incapacitate for 10 seconds.
  8. 38Pummel
    Your interrupt in Berserker Stance. Stop heals and Fears.
  9. 40Mortal Strike
    (talent) Cuts the target's healing by half for 10 seconds.
  10. 50Recklessness
    Big crit window and Fear immunity, but you take more damage.

PvP while you level

10-19

You have Charge, Hamstring, Rend and Thunder Clap, and Overpower at 12. Defensive Stance at 10 gives Shield Bash at 12, your only interrupt for now, and it needs a shield. Charge, Hamstring, then hit. Stay near your team in Warsong Gulch.

20-29

Victory Rush and Retaliation at 20, Disarm at 18, Intimidating Shout at 22 and Execute at 24. Piercing Howl is a talent at 20. You still have no Berserker Stance, so no Intercept and no Pummel. Charge carefully, because you cannot catch runners again in combat.

30-39

The big step. Berserker Stance, Intercept and Berserker Rage at 30, Whirlwind at 36 and Pummel at 38. Talents at 30 add Sweeping Strikes, Death Wish or Concussion Blow. Learn to swap stances in a fight: Battle to Charge, Berserker to Intercept and Pummel.

40-49

Mortal Strike or Bloodthirst from talents at 40, and you can wear plate. Now you hit like a real Warrior. Keep Hamstring up and use your big attack every time it is ready.

50-59

Recklessness at 50 and higher ranks of everything. Alterac Valley opens at 51. Play next to healers and focus the enemy healer or flag carrier.

60

All tools unlocked. Your job is to kill, peel and stop heals. Pick Arms for the healing cut or Fury for big group fights, and never fight far from your healers.

Set up your bars

Keys 1-6Charge, Hamstring, your big attack (Mortal Strike or Bloodthirst), Overpower, Intercept and Pummel. Every fight uses these.
Shift + keysVictory Rush, Execute, Intimidating Shout, Piercing Howl if you have it, and Berserker Rage.
Stance keysBattle, Defensive and Berserker Stance on easy keys like F1-F3 or Q, E and R. You will swap many times a fight.
Utility barBattle Shout, Bloodrage, Disarm, Retaliation, Shield Wall, Recklessness and Death Wish if you have it. Long cooldowns can live here.
ControllerIn Gamepad mode, put your three stances in the Warrior stance flyout. Keep the face buttons for Charge, Hamstring and your big attack, and a modifier layer for Intercept and Pummel.

New Warrior questions

Why do I have no Rage?

Rage comes from hitting and getting hit, and it drains out of combat. Charge gives you some to start. Bloodrage also gives Rage for a little health.

Why can't I use Pummel or Intercept?

They need Berserker Stance, which you learn at level 30. Before that, Shield Bash in Battle or Defensive Stance is your interrupt, and it needs a shield.

Why does Charge not work in a fight?

Charge only works out of combat and in Battle Stance. In combat use Intercept from Berserker Stance.

Arms or Fury for PvP?

Arms has Mortal Strike, which halves healing, and suits most battlegrounds and duels. Fury dual wields, hits many targets and heals a little, and is strong in big group fights.

How do I stop being feared?

Berserker Rage makes you immune to Fear for 10 seconds. Death Wish and Recklessness do too. Use them before the Fear lands.

Why do I die so fast?

Warriors have almost no self-healing. Stay near a healer, and use Victory Rush after every kill.

Talents and PvP builds

New to talents?

  • You get your first talent point at level 10 and one more each level. That is 51 points at level 60.
  • Every class has three trees. Each row opens once you spend 5 points per row above it in that tree.
  • A line between two talents means the lower one needs the upper one maxed first.
  • Changed your mind? Your class trainer resets your talents for a fee.
  • Pick a PvP build below. Lit icons show where its points go. Hover or tap any talent to read what it does.

Mortal Strike

The classic PvP warrior. Big hits and half healing.

31Arms20Fury0Protection

Charge in, Hamstring, and hit Mortal Strike every time it is ready. Your 15% root chance on Hamstring and Spearing Strike's dismount stop most targets from getting away.

Best for: Battlegrounds and duels, ideally with a healer

Level 60: the full build, all 51 points.

Arms31 pts
Fury20 pts
Protection0 pts

Gold = fully rankedGreen = some ranksGlow = key talentBlue dot = new in Forever

Full leveling order, level 10 to 60
  1. Levels 10–11Deflection 2/5 Arms
  2. Levels 12–14Improved Rend 3/3 Arms
  3. Levels 15–17Improved Tactical Mastery 3/3 Arms
  4. Level 18Improved Charge 1/2 Arms
  5. Levels 19–20Improved Overpower 2/2 Arms
  6. Level 21Anger Management 1/1 Arms
  7. Levels 22–24Deep Wounds 3/3 Arms
  8. Level 25Spearing Strike 1/1 Arms
  9. Levels 26–28Two-Handed Weapon Specialization 3/3 Arms
  10. Levels 29–30Impale 2/2 Arms
  11. Levels 31–35Weaponmaster 5/5 Arms
  12. Levels 36–38Improved Hamstring 3/3 Arms
  13. Level 39Sweeping Strikes 1/1 Arms
  14. Level 40Mortal Strike 1/1 Arms
  15. Levels 41–45Cruelty 5/5 Fury
  16. Levels 46–50Unbridled Wrath 5/5 Fury
  17. Level 51Piercing Howl 1/1 Fury
  18. Levels 52–54Blood Craze 3/3 Fury
  19. Levels 55–59Enrage 5/5 Fury
  20. Level 60Reckless Swings 1/1 Fury

Key talents in this build

Mortal Strike
Cuts the target's healing by half for 10 seconds, so healers cannot save them.
Improved Hamstring
Each Hamstring has a 15% chance to root the target for 5 seconds.
Spearing Strike
New in Forever: knocks mounted players off their mount, great for catching runners.
Improved Tactical Mastery
Keep up to 15 rage when you swap stance for Pummel, Intercept or Berserker Rage.
Piercing Howl
Slows everyone near you by half, perfect for peeling off a flag carrier.
Weaponmaster
One talent for every weapon type, so any good two-hander you find works.
Blood Craze
A little healing back after big hits, which warriors badly need.

Strengths

  • Best healing cut in the game
  • Hard to kite with Hamstring roots
  • Strong in every battleground

Weaknesses

  • Very weak without a healer
  • Easy to kite by casters with blinks and roots

Open this build in the talent calculator

Your action bar

Put these on keys you can reach without looking. Buttons marked Talent only exist if your build takes that talent.

Charge
Rush in from Battle Stance. Stuns for 1 second and gives 15 rage. Out of combat only.
Hamstring
Slows the target by half so they cannot run.
Intercept
Charge and stun for 3 seconds from Berserker Stance. Works in combat.
Pummel
Interrupts a spell cast. Berserker Stance.
Berserker Rage
Immune to fear for 10 seconds. Berserker Stance.
Victory Rush
Hit that heals you for 10% of your health after a kill.

The opener, in order

  1. Charge from Battle Stance to stun and build rage.
  2. Hamstring right away so they cannot kite you.
  3. Use your big attack every time it is ready: Mortal Strike for Arms, Bloodthirst for Fury.
  4. Swap to Berserker Stance to Pummel heals. You keep 10 rage when you swap.
  5. Intercept anyone who runs, and Victory Rush after every kill.

Know your enemy

How a Warrior usually fares one on one. Pick the class you are fighting.

WarriorRogue
Even

Stay in Battle Stance so you can Overpower when they dodge during Evasion.

  1. FirstIf you see them first, Charge. If they open with Cheap Shot, wait out the stun and Hamstring right after.
  2. ThenStay in Battle Stance and Overpower every dodge, even during Evasion. Keep Hamstring up so Sprint does not save them.
  3. Watch forWatch for Blind and Kidney Shot. If your build has Improved Berserker Rage, use it to clear Crippling Poison's slow.
  4. If it goes wrongIntimidating Shout to stop their combo, then move to your healer. Never chase a Vanish far from your team.
Their buttons to watch
  • Cheap Shot
  • Kidney Shot
  • Gouge
  • Blind
Your answers
  • Charge: Rush in from Battle Stance. Stuns for 1 second and gives 15 rage. Out of combat only.
  • Hamstring: Slows the target by half so they cannot run.
  • Intercept: Charge and stun for 3 seconds from Berserker Stance. Works in combat.
  • Pummel: Interrupts a spell cast. Berserker Stance.

Your job in each battleground

Warsong Gulch

Levels 10–60 · 10 vs 10

Defend your flag room or kill the enemy carrier. Piercing Howl slows everyone around you.

Arathi Basin

Levels 20–60 · 15 vs 15

Guard a base with a healer. Intimidating Shout and Piercing Howl stop caps.

Darkspear Islands

Levels 30–60 · 15 vs 15 · new

Peel for your flag runner at the center.

Alterac Valley

Levels 51–60 · 40 vs 40

Push in a group behind healers. Spearing Strike knocks riders off their mounts.

Gear

Your PvP gear path

One set for all specs. Honor and Marks buy the gear; your rank unlocks the upgrades.

  1. Blue PvP setLevel 55. Buy each piece with Honor plus Marks from battlegrounds. No rank needed.
  2. PvP trinketRank 2. Removes slows and loss-of-control effects, 5 min cooldown. Get it first: it wins more fights than any armor.
  3. Faction cloakRank 3.
  4. Epic upgradesTurn a blue piece in with an Emboldened Seal. Wrist and waist at Rank 8, feet 9, hands 10, legs and shoulders 12, chest and head 13.
  5. Rank 14 weaponGrand Marshal or High Warlord. Earliest in week 10 of a season.

Don’t sit on Honor: you can hold 25,000 at most, and anything past that is lost. Beta prices and ranks may change.

Stats to look for

Stamina first, then Strength and crit. That is what the PvP set itself is built from. One guide says Stamina is king in PvP.1217

Forever has no Resilience. Developers said they are not adding it. Stamina gives 10 health per point, like Classic. Hit and crit are one stat each now, for spells and attacks alike. Hit cap against players of your level: 5% melee and ranged, 4% spells, 24% dual wield (beta client). A beta bug halved crit damage in PvP. Blizzard called it a bug and fixed it in the Oct 8 notes. Most damage and healing over time can crit now. Expertise is new. It lowers the target's dodge and parry chance. Every PvP set piece is Stamina-heavy. The sets are the clearest guide to what each spec should stack.

Honor and Marks, in plain words

  • Rare pieces need level 55 and no rank. You pay Honor plus Marks of Honor.
  • Each slot needs Marks from one battleground: WSG for hands, legs, wrists; AB for shoulders, chest, waist, cloaks; AV for head and two-handers; Darkspear for feet, necklace, one-handers, ranged, shields, off-hands.
  • A win gives 3 Marks, a loss 1. You can carry up to 30 of each.
  • Full rare set of 8 pieces (6 set + wrist + waist): 59,200 Honor plus Marks (35 WSG, 35 AB, 15 AV, 10 Darkspear).
  • Epic seals for 8 pieces: 14,000 Honor plus the head seal (price unknown).
  • Honor cap is 25,000, so you will visit the vendor several times.
  • Vendors: Champions' Hall in Stormwind (Captain Dirgehammer armor, Captain O'Neal weapons, Master Sergeant Biggins accessories) and Hall of Legends in Orgrimmar (Lady Palanseer, Sergeant Thunderhorn, Brave Stonehide).
13467891011121314

Your PvP sets

Lieutenant Commander's Battlegear (Alliance) / Champion's Battlegear (Horde)All specs (melee)Rare (blue), item level 60, needs level 55
  • 2 pieces: +40 Attack Power.
  • 4 pieces: Reduces the cooldown of your Intercept ability by 5 sec.
  • 6 pieces: +20 Stamina.
6 pieces · 6 pieces together: 48,700 Honor + 75 Marks of Honor
  • Head: Premier Plate Helm (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Headguard (Horde). +16 Str, +25 Sta, +0.5% crit. 9,000 Honor + 15 AV Marks.
  • Shoulders: Premier Plate Pauldrons (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Shoulders (Horde). +12 Str, +19 Sta, +0.5% crit. 6,350 Honor + 10 AB Marks.
  • Chest: Premier Plate Chestguard (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Armor (Horde). +11 Str, +25 Sta, +1% crit. 9,350 Honor + 15 AB Marks.
  • Hands: Premier Plate Gauntlets (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Gloves (Horde). +10 Str, +10 Agi, +19 Sta. 7,500 Honor + 10 WSG Marks.
  • Legs: Premier Plate Leggings (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Legguards (Horde). +15 Str, +9 Agi, +25 Sta. 9,000 Honor + 15 WSG Marks.
  • Feet: Premier Plate Boots (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Boots (Horde). +9 Str, +8 Agi, +20 Sta. 7,500 Honor + 10 Darkspear Marks.
12
Field Marshal's Battlegear (Alliance) / Warlord's Battlegear (Horde)All specs (melee)Epic, item level 65, needs level 60
  • 2 pieces: +20 Stamina.
  • 3 pieces: Reduces the cooldown of your Intercept ability by 5 sec.
  • 6 pieces: +40 Attack Power.
6 pieces · Seals for 6 pieces: 11,300 Honor + the head seal (price not known yet)
  • Head: Premier Field Marshal's Plate Helm (Alliance) / Premier Warlord's Mortarplate Headpiece (Horde). +18 Str, +34 Sta, +70 bonus armor, +1% crit. Seal at rank 13, earliest week 9.
  • Shoulders: Premier Marshal's Plate Shoulderguards (Alliance) / Premier General's Mortarplate Shoulders (Horde). +14 Str, +26 Sta, +1% crit. Seal at rank 12, earliest week 8, 2,250 Honor.
  • Chest: Premier Field Marshal's Plate Armor (Alliance) / Premier Warlord's Mortarplate Armor (Horde). +21 Str, +34 Sta, +1% crit. Seal at rank 13, earliest week 9, 2,650 Honor.
  • Hands: Premier Lieutenant Commander's Plate Gauntlets (Alliance) / Premier Champion's Mortarplate Gauntlets (Horde). +14 Str, +14 Agi, +26 Sta. Seal at rank 10, earliest week 7, 2,250 Honor.
  • Legs: Premier Marshal's Plate Legguards (Alliance) / Premier General's Mortarplate Leggings (Horde). +21 Str, +13 Agi, +34 Sta. Seal at rank 12, earliest week 8, 2,650 Honor.
  • Feet: Premier Knight-Champion's Plate Boots (Alliance) / Premier Centurion's Mortarplate Boots (Horde). +13 Str, +11 Agi, +28 Sta. Seal at rank 9, earliest week 6, 1,500 Honor.
12

Items worth chasing

Greater Insignia of the Alliance / Greater Insignia of the HordeRank 2, 5,250 Honor

PvP trinket. Removes all movement impairing and loss of control effects. 5 min cooldown. Same trinket for every class.1513

Premier Sergeant's CapeRank 3, 4,500 Honor + 10 AB Marks

+16 Sta, +67 bonus armor. Every class can wear it.1

Premier Master Sergeant's Insignia (Alliance) / Premier Senior Sergeant's Insignia (Horde)Rank 4, 7,500 Honor + 10 Darkspear Marks

Necklace, +16 Sta, +7 Spi.1

Premier Grand Marshal's Claymore (Alliance) / Premier High Warlord's Greatsword (Horde)Rank 14, 22,500 Honor + 20 AV Marks

Two-hand sword. +23 Str, +35 Sta, +1% crit. Two-hand Strength weapon. Sunderer, Battle Hammer and Glaive have the same stats.12

Premier Grand Marshal's Longsword (Alliance) / Premier High Warlord's Blade (Horde)Rank 14, 12,000 Honor + 10 Darkspear Marks

One-hand sword, 2.9 speed. +2 Sta, +24 AP, +1% crit. One-hand Attack Power weapon for sword and board or dual wield.12

Premier Grand Marshal's Aegis (Alliance) / Premier High Warlord's Shield Wall (Horde)Rank 14, 10,500 Honor + 10 Darkspear Marks

Shield. +9 Str, +21 Sta, 5% chance to deal 35-65 Nature damage to an attacker. PvP shield with Strength.12

Sentinel's Plate Legguards (Alliance) / Outrider's Plate Legguards (Horde)Exalted with Silverwing Sentinels or Warsong Outriders, level 60 version

Level 60 legs from Warsong Gulch. Stats not checked in Forever.4

Highlander's Plate Spaulders (Alliance) / Defiler's Plate Spaulders (Horde)Exalted with The League of Arathor or The Defilers, level 60

Level 60 shoulders from Arathi Basin. Stats not checked in Forever.4

The Unstoppable ForceExalted with Stormpike Guard or Frostwolf Clan, level 55

Two-hand mace from AV. Stats not checked in Forever.4

Stormpike Soldier's Pendant and Cloak (Alliance) / Frostwolf Legionnaire's Pendant and Cloak (Horde)Honored with Stormpike Guard or Frostwolf Clan, level 55

Physical-fighter neck and back from AV. Stats not checked in Forever.4

Don Julio's Band / Don Rodrigo's BandExalted with Stormpike Guard (Alliance) or Frostwolf Clan (Horde)

AV rings. Stats not checked in Forever.4

Premier Knight-Captain's Plate Girdle (Alliance) / Premier Legionnaire's Mortarplate Girdle (Horde)Honor vendor, Epic waist. Seal at rank 8, earliest week 5, 1,500 Honor

+17 Str, +10 Agi, +26 Sta. Not part of the set bonus.12

Premier Plate Girdle (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Girdle (Horde)Honor vendor, Rare waist. 6,000 Honor + 10 AB Marks

+12 Str, +7 Agi, +19 Sta. Not part of the set bonus.12

Premier Knight-Captain's Plate Bracers (Alliance) / Premier Legionnaire's Mortarplate Armguards (Horde)Honor vendor, Epic wrists. Seal at rank 8, earliest week 5, 1,200 Honor

+13 Str, +21 Sta. Not part of the set bonus.12

Premier Plate Wristguards (Alliance) / Premier Mortarplate Bracers (Horde)Honor vendor, Rare wrists. 4,500 Honor + 10 WSG Marks

+9 Str, +15 Sta. Not part of the set bonus.12

Gear tips

  • The rare set needs level 55 and no rank. Buy it first.
  • The set bonus cuts Intercept cooldown by 5 sec (4 rare pieces, or 3 epic pieces).
  • Every set piece gives crit. Crit in PvP is back to full damage since the Oct 8 notes.
  • Wrist and waist are bought apart from the set. They add no set bonus.

Enchants

  • All Classic Era enchants remain, so Crusader is still the melee weapon pick. Spell Power and Healing Power for casters and healers.
  • New 2H weapon: Strength (+25 Str), Mighty Spell Power (+55), Mighty Healing Power (+100 healing).
  • New 1H weapon: Recovery (heal 5% max health on parry or dodge), Revelation (next spell +100% crit, diminishing), Insight (Spirit proc).
  • New chest: Absorption (25% chance to absorb 50 damage per hit).
  • New necklace enchants: +5 Str, +5 Agi, spell power, healing power, +5 defense.
  • New bracer and cloak options include Superior Agility (+9), Superior Intellect (+9) and cloak Agility (+5).

Consumables

  • Rank 5 reward: Combat Potions (contents not detailed by Blizzard).
  • BG quartermasters sell Superior and Major Healing and Mana Draughts, bandages and rations from Friendly or Honored.
  • Minor, Lesser and plain Healing Potions moved to First Aid.
  • Alchemists get Mixology: their own elixirs and flasks last twice as long and are stronger.
  • Draught of Predatory Senses is now a potion on the shared combat potion cooldown.

Professions

  • Engineering is the most common PvP pick. Bombs and gadgets give burst and control.
  • SAF-T and EZ-Thro explosives can be used by non-engineers, so you can buy them.
  • Mining at 300 is reported to give +5% max health. Good for PvP, check on live.
  • Gnome racial no longer gives +15 Engineering. It makes devices more reliable.
  • Alchemy's Mixology helps if your battleground allows your elixirs.

Not published yet: Price of the Emboldened Head Seal (rank 13) is not published. All set stats and prices are beta data. Check the vendor on live realms. No tested PvP stat priority at level 60 yet. The beta stopped at level 30. Stats of the battleground reputation rewards in Forever are not checked here.

Racials and mistakes

Racials

Alliance: Human (Will to Survive breaks stuns, new in Forever), Dwarf (Stoneform clears bleeds and poisons) or Gnome (Escape Artist breaks roots and slows). Horde: Orc (Hardiness makes stuns 20% shorter), Undead (Will of the Forsaken breaks fear) or Tauren (War Stomp stuns nearby enemies). The new Skyborne race can also be a Warrior.

Common mistakes

  • Fighting without a healer nearby.
  • Opening with Intercept and having nothing left to catch a runner.
  • Forgetting Victory Rush after a kill. It is your only quick heal.

Veteran tip

Put your stances on easy keys. You keep 10 rage when you swap, so swap often.

How ranks work

Battlegrounds and weekly PvP quests give Rank Points. Everyone needs the same points, and nothing takes them away.

Fourteen ranks

From Private or Scout up to Grand Marshal or High Warlord. Rank 2 gives the PvP trinket; Rank 14 gives the epic weapons.

Weekly cap

The highest rank you can reach rises each week. Rank 14 opens in week 10 of a season at the earliest.

Read the full rank guide