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Warriors' Hero Talents further enhance their battlefield prowess inThe War Within, introducing exciting new visual flair and gameplay mechanics to the class. These self-contained talent trees become accessible at level 71, with players gaining full access to all nodes by level 80.
Colossal,Mountain Thane, andSlayerare the three Hero Talents available to the Warrior class. Each specialization has access to two of these trees, allowing for different thematic and gameplay experiences. Here’s an overview of all three Warrior Hero Talents inWorld of Warcraft: The War Within.
Warrior Hero Talent: Colossus
The Colossus Hero Talent is available to Protection and Arms Warriors, transforming them into paragons of physical might and resilience. Warriors who choose Colossus will deliver slow but devastating hits, particularly through the keystone ability,Demolish.
Demolish is a two-second channeled ability that unleashes a series of powerful strikes, reminiscent of Fyr’alath the Dreamrender, the legendary two-handed weapon fromDragonflight. While channeling, the Warrior gains several defensive benefits, such as reduced damage taken and immunity to forced movement effects. The core gameplay loop of Colossus involves stackingColossal Mightto increase the damage of various abilities, most importantly Demolish. Accumulating more than 10 Colossal Might stacks also reduces the cooldown of Demolish, allowing for more frequent use.
The main challenges of Colossus are its slower playstyle and the need for precise positioning and timing to maximize the effectiveness of Demolish. Due to the cooldown reduction fromDominance of the Colossus, Demolish may not always align with the Warrior’s other cooldowns, making it occasionally awkward to use. Committing to Demolish can also put players at risk if used in poor positions, potentially leading to death. Although players can use Heroic Leap to cancel Demolish in dangerous situations, interrupting such a hard-hitting ability never feels ideal.
Colossus also offers valuable utility choices betweenBoneshakerandEarthquaker, along with defensive nodes such asNo Stranger to PainandVeteran Vitality.
Keystone Node
Demolish [2 sec channel/45 sec cooldown]
Unleash a series of precise and powerful strikes against your target, dealing [(185.614% of Attack power) + (185.614% of Attack power) + (742.456% of Attack power)] damage to it, and (742.456% of Attack power) damage to enemies within 8 yds of it. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets. While channeling Demolish, you take 10% less damage and are immune to stuns, knockbacks, and forced movement effects. You can block, parry, dodge, and use certain defensive abilities while channeling Demolish.
First Row
Martial Expert
Critical strike damage of your abilities is increased by 10% and the amount of damage blocked by your critical blocks is increased by 20%.
Colossal Might
Colossal Might increases damage dealt by your next Demolish by 10%, stacking up to 5 times. [Shield Slam/Mortal Strike] and Execute grant a stack of Colossal Might and [Revenge/Cleave] grants a stack of Colossal Might when it strikes 3 or more targets.
[Choice Node] Boneshaker
[Choice Node] Earthquaker
Shockwave’s stun duration is increased by 1 sec and reduces the movement speed of affected enemies by 40% for 3 sec after the stun ends.
Shockwave also knocks enemies into the air, and its cooldown is reduced by 5 sec.
[Choice Node] One Against Many
[Choice Node] Arterial Bleed
[Protection] Shockwave, [Revenge/Cleave], and Whirlwind deal 5% more damage per target affected up to 5.
Colossal Might increases the damage of your Rend and Deep Wounds by 2% per stack.
Tide of Battle
Colossal Might increases the damage of your [Revenge/Overpower] by 5% per stack.
[Choice Node] Veteran Vitality
Total damage prevented by Ignore Pain increased by 15%.
When your health is brought below 35%, you gain a Second Wind, healing you for 12% of your max health over 2 sec. This effect cannot occur more than once every 60 sec.
Third Row
Practice Strikes
[Shield Slam and Revenge/Mortal Strike and Cleave] damage increased by 20%.
Precise Might
[Shield Slam/Mortal Strike] critical strikes grant an additional stack of Colossal Might.
Mountain of Muscle and Scars
You deal 4% more damage and take 2.5% less damage. Size increased by 5%.
Capstone Node
Dominance of the Colossus
Colossal Might now stacks up to 10 times. If you would gain a stack of Colossal Might and are at max stacks, the cooldown of Demolish is reduced by 2 sec. Enemies affected by Demolish take up to 10% more damage from you and deal up to 5% less damage to you for 10 sec based on the number of stacks of Colossal Might consumed by Demolish.
Warrior Hero Talent: Mountain Thane
Shared between Protection and Fury Warriors, the Mountain Thane Hero Talent introduces an exceptionally fast playstyle paired with stunning visuals. A key aspect of thisHero Talentis the requirement of Thunder Clap, an ability that Fury used to lack but can once again access after many expansions without it.
The core gameplay of Mountain Thane revolves around procs, particularly those ofLightning StrikesandThunder Blast. Lightning Strikes can be triggered by various abilities, including Thunder Blast itself, an enhanced version of Thunder Clap. These procs not only deliver impressive visuals but also boost the damage of abilities like Execute, Raging Blow, and Revenge, while generating a substantial amount of Fury. Additionally, Lightning Strikes has a chance to reset the cooldowns of Shield Slam and Bloodthirst, which in turn allows more opportunities for Thunder Blast. This feedback loop creates a highly dynamic and satisfying gameplay experience, both visually and rotationally.
Beyond the fast-paced playstyle, Mountain Thane also offers valuable utility options such asStorm Shield, along with strong defensive nodes likeKeep Your Feet on the Ground.
Lightning Strikes
Damaging enemies with Thunder Clap, [Revenge/Raging Blow], or Execute has a 25% chance to also strike one with a lightning bolt, dealing (78% of Attack power) Nature damage. Lightning Strikes occur 30% more often during Avatar.
Crashing Thunder
Stormstrike or Nature damage your abilities deal is increased by 5%. Stormstrike damage ignores Armor. [Protection] Thunder Clap damage increased by 40%. Seismic Reverberations now affects Thunder Clap in addition to Whirlwind. [Fury] Thunder Clap damage increased by 40%, and it generates 5 Rage. Seismic Reverberations, Improved Whirlwind, Meat Cleaver, and Barbaric Training now affect Thunder Clap in addition to Whirlwind.
Ground Current
Lightning Strikes also deal (22.5% of Attack power) to enemies near their target. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
Strength of the Mountain
Shield Slam damage increased by 10%. [Protection] Demoralizing Shout reduces damage enemies deal to you by an additional 5%. [Fury] Bloodthirst and Rampage damage increased by 15%.
Second Row
Thunder Blast
Shield Slam and Bloodthirst have a 35% chance to grant you Thunder Blast, stacking up to 2 charges. Your next Thunder Clap becomes a Thunder Blast that deals [Protection: 40% increased] damage as Stormstrike and generates 5 Rage.
[Choice Node] Storm Bolts
[Choice Node] Storm Shield
Storm Bolt also hits 2 additional nearby target, stunning them for 2 sec, but its cooldown is increased by 10 sec.
Intervening a target grants them a shield for 5 sec that absorbs magic damage equal to 3 times your Armor.
[Choice Node] Keep Your Feet on the Ground
[Choice Node] Steadfast as the Peaks
Physical damage taken reduced by 2%. Thunder Blast reduces damage you take by 8% for 5 sec.
Stamina increased by 5%. [Impending Victory/Victory Rush] increases your maximum health by 10% for 5 sec. When this health increase expires, you heal for any amount of the original [Impending Victory/Victory Rush] that healed you in excess of your full health.
[Choice Node] Flashing Skies
[Choice Node] Snap Induction
Thunder Blast calls down a Lightning Strike on an enemy it hits.
[Choice Node] Thorim’s Might
Your attacks trigger Lightning Strikes 30% more often.
Lightning Strikes generate 5 Rage. [Revenge/Raging Blow] and Execute damage increased by 15%.
Burst of Power
[Protection] Lightning Strikes have a 15% chance to make your next 2 Shield Slams have no cooldown. [Fury] Lightning Strikes have a 15% chance to make your next 2 Bloodthirsts have no cooldown, deal 35% increased damage, and generate 2 additional Rage.
Avatar of the Storm
Casting Avatar grants you 2 charges of Thunder Blast and resets the cooldown of Thunder Clap. While Avatar is not active, Lightning Strikes have a 10% chance to grant you Avatar for 4 secs. [Thunder Blast] Your next Thunder Clap becomes a Thunder Blast that deals Stormstrike damage.
Warrior Hero Talent: Slayer
The Slayer Hero Talent is available for both Warrior DPS specializations, Arms and Fury, and centers on enhancing the power of Execute and Bladestorm. These abilities gain significant damage increases through various talent nodes.
One of the key debuffs for Slayer isMarked for Execution, which is applied to a target throughSlayer’s Strike, a random proc from any attack. Marked for Execution increases the damage done by Execute and also reduces the cooldown of Bladestorm whenever Execute is performed on a marked target.
Another important debuff isOverwhelmed, which can be applied to targets throughOverwhelming Blades,Reap the Storm, andUnrelenting Onslaught, increasing the damage that targets take. TheImminent Demisenode also helps with the application of Overwhelmed by increasing the number of strikes from Bladestorm whenever Sudden Death is triggered.
Slayer Warriors excel in burst damage for both single-target and multi-target situations, but are somewhat weaker defensively compared to the other Hero Talents. While some players might find the frequent use of Bladestorm less appealing, the capstone node offers a valuable quality-of-life improvement by allowing the use of Pummel and Stormbolt during Bladestorm. Additionally, this Hero Talent provides excellent mobility options through nodesRelentless PursuitandVicious Agility.
Slayer’s Dominance
Your attacks against your primary target have a high chance to overwhelm their defenses and trigger a Slayer’s Strike, dealing (290% of Attack power) damage and applying Marked for Execution, increasing the damage they take from your next Execute by 15%. Stacks 3 times.
Imminent Demise
Every 3 Slayer’s Strikes you gain Sudden Death. Using Sudden Death accelerates your next Bladestorm, striking 1 additional time (max 3). Bladestorm’s total duration is unchanged.
Overwhelming Blades
Each strike of Bladestorm applies Overwhelmed to all enemies affected, increasing damage you deal to them by 1% for 20 sec, max 12 stacks.
[Choice Node] Relentless Pursuit
[Choice Node] Vicious Agility
Charge grants you 70% movement speed for 3 sec. Charge removes all movement impairing effects, this effect cannot occur more than once every 30 sec.
Heroic Leap reduces the cooldown of Charge by 5 sec and Charge reduces the cooldown of Heroic Leap by 2 sec.
You heal for 15% of damage dealt by Sudden Death
[Choice Node] Culling Cyclone
[Choice Node] Brutal Finish
Each strike of Bladestorm deals an additional 20% damage evenly split across all targets.
Your next [Mortal Strike/Rampage] after Bladestorm ends deals 50% additional damage.
[Choice Node] Fierce Followthrough
[Choice Node] Opportunist
[Mortal Strike/Bloodthirst] critical strikes increase the damage of your next [Mortal Strike/Bloodthirst] by 20%.
[Arms] When Overpower has its cooldown reset by Tactician, your next Overpower deals 30% additional damage and 30% additional critical damage. [Fury] When Raging Blow resets its own cooldown, your next Raging Blow deals 30% additional damage and 30% additional critical damage.
Show No Mercy
Marked for Execution increases the critical strike chance and critical strike damage of your next Execute on the target by 15%.
Reap the Storm
[Mortal Strike and Cleave/Bloodthirst] have/has a 20% chance to cause you to unleash a flurry of steel, striking all nearby enemies for (228.375% of Attack power) damage and applying Overwhelmed. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets.
[Overpower/Raging Blow] damage increased by 30%
Unrelenting Onslaught
When you Execute a target that you’ve Marked for Execution, you both reduce the cooldown of Bladestorm by 5 sec and apply 2 stacks of Overwhelmed to the target per stack of Marked for Execution consumed. You can now use Pummel and Storm Bolt while Bladestorming.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
WHERE TO PLAY
In this opening chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, you’ll journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the Nerubian empire, where the inscrutable Harbinger of the Void has gathered her arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.
