World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Protection Warrior
Tank
The expected main tank at 60: 
Shield Slam, 
Revenge, 
Sunder Armor and 
Thunder Clap in Defensive Stance, with a 4-minute 
Shield Wall.
Protection holds threat with Revenge, Sunder Armor, Heroic Strike and, from 40, Shield Slam, and holds packs with Thunder Clap, which now works in Defensive Stance. Rage comes from being hit, from blocks (Shield Specialization: 5 rage per block) and from dodges and parries (Master of Defense). Shield Block blocks 2 attacks in 7 seconds. Vanguard lets you Charge without leaving Defensive Stance. Defiance, Bastion and Master of Defense all need a shield. Shield Wall is 60% less damage for 12 seconds, on a 4-minute cooldown with Improved Shield Wall, and Last Stand is a 3-minute cooldown.
Strengths and weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Expected main tank at 60 | Threat is the main problem at level 30 |
| Thunder Clap works in Defensive Stance, so packs need no stance dance | Only Shield Bash as an interrupt before 38 |
| Rage comes from hits, blocks, dodges and parries | Defiance, Bastion and Master of Defense need a shield |
| Shield Wall gives 60% less damage for 12 seconds | Shield Slam arrives only at 40 |
| Vanguard lets it Charge without leaving Defensive Stance | Shield Wall is on a 4-minute cooldown |
Stat priority
- Weapon damage
- Hit
- Strength
- Agility
- Armour
- Stamina
- Critical strike
Rank weapon damage, hit, Strength, Agility, armour, Stamina, then crit (crit above Agility for pure threat): at level 30 threat is the problem, not survival. Hit also makes Taunt more reliable. The older raid advice (Defense first, then Stamina, armour, avoidance and Block Value for Shield Slam) applies at 60. Carry a shield always.
Do this
- Use Shield Block on cooldown: with Shield Specialization its two blocks pay back its rage.
- Thunder Clap works in Defensive Stance now, so there is no stance dance for packs.
- Mark targets and let your partner's crowd control or interrupts cover casters; you have only Shield Bash before 38.
- Vanguard (16 points) lets you Charge without leaving Defensive Stance.
- Weapon swaps within one global cooldown work again: a macro can swap a two-hander for sword and board in one press. Untested here.
Watch out for
- Demoralizing Shout causes some threat, but Blizzard doesn't say how much: keep Thunder Clap and Sunder as your main pack-threat tools until you have tested it. Blizzard's fix names Demoralizing Shout and Demoralizing Roar only, not other debuffs such as Faerie Fire.
- Defiance, Bastion and Master of Defense do nothing without a shield.
- Builds with Toughness, "Vitality" or Bastion before row 6 are out of date.
- The damage-taken rage bug was fixed (build 70291). Expect more rage from hits than the older numbers online show.