Warrior 101
Warrior Class Basics
This guide covers Warrior basics up to the Omens of War expansion.
Warriors are the primary tank class and are the most gear dependent class in the game. They also rely on a group to be effective. Get as much AC/HP/Stamina/Heroic Stats as you can. Get the best aggro weapons you can afford. Every small upgrade adds up.
Warrior aggro starts out weak but gets better with each expansion that comes out. Eventually, they become aggro gods once you have a lot of Heroic Dexterity and/or Weapon Affinity AA.
Base Stats
Stats are more meaningful in early EQ because they don’t max out right away. Once you begin to get Luclin/PoP raid gear they are generally maxed by default from gear.
Strength – Mostly useful for increasing your encumbrance limit in early EQ. Increases your Attack also.
Stamina – Increases HP
Agility – Increases Avoidance AC (not super effective until Heroic, but isn’t useless either)
Dexterity – Increases proc chance
Generally, you want to prioritize like this:
AC/HP/Stamina/Dexterity (if you have a proc weapon) /Agility/Strength
This isn’t a 100% rule, do what’s best for you. But this is typically how I look at stats on a brand new character.
Don’t forget a haste item!
Aggro Weapons and Augs
– 1-handers with Anger/Stun/-AC debuff procs are nearly always the best aggro.
– You can buy Wulfenite stun proc augments from “Gemcrafter XXX” NPC’s in your hometown. The lowest augment starts at level 10.
– Shields give 100% of its AC value (no softcap limit) but generally your aggro will be lower while wearing a shield.
Heroic Stats
These become the most important stat you can get once they are available starting in Plane of Time. By this time your base stats will already be maxed out from gear.
Heroic Stamina – Mitigation/Stun Resist – This decreases your damage taken by mobs. This is important to mitigate damage and to resist stuns.
Heroic Agility – Avoidance/Strikethrough – Increases Avoidance and raises Strikethrough chance. This has a two-fold effect of both getting less mob ripostes evading more attacks!
Heroic Dexterity – Combat Effects/Accuracy — Combat Effects (proc rate) is the big one here. 1 HDex = increased proc rate 3%, up to 100%. Accuracy is also nice as it increases your chance to hit.
Heroic Strength – The main feature of HStrength is that it increases your passive damage shield (1 per HStrength), but it doesn’t help you tank better. Don’t go out of your way for this unless your goal is DPS.
Discipline Priority
– Timers with the same “number” share a cooldown. Numbers in () is the level required to use the skill. For example, Provoke (20) requires player level 20.
Aggro Discs
– Aggro discs generate a small amount of hate, and most apply a hate DoT as well. Typically 30 second cooldown. Most share a cooldown but Bazu Bellow in OoW will stack with the others.
Provoke (20) – Classic
Bellow (52) – LDoN
Berate (56) – LDoN
Incite (63) – PoP
Bellow of the Mastruq/Ancient Chaos Cry (65) – GoD
Bazu Bellow (69) OoW
Defensive Discs
Fearless (40) – Classic
Immune to Fear for 1 minute. 30 min cooldown. Timer 5
Evasive (52) – Kunark – Use on Fast hitting mobs
Greatly Increases Avoidance AC for 3 minutes. 7 min 48 sec cooldown. Timer 2
Defensive (55) – Kunark – Use on Hard hitting mobs
45% Melee Migitation for 3 minutes. 10.5 min cooldown. Timer 2
Furious (56) – Kunark
100% Riposte for 12 seconds. Timer 3
Stonewall (65) – GoD – Use on Hard hitting mobs
Replaces Defensive (55) but has a 70% snare effect. Timer 2
Shocking Defense (70) – OoW
Stun Proc chance when attacked with 150% proc mod for 1 minute. 15 minute cooldown. This is somewhat mediocre but is worth mentioning. Timer 7.
Offensive Discs
Mighty Strike (54) – Kunark
All attacks critical strike for 30 seconds. 25 minute cooldown. Timer 4
Skill Priority
Taunt – Gives you aggro 1 point over NPC’s current target. It has a chance to fail. It is important to max this out ASAP.
Bash – Use with a shield, gives slight aggro and can stun enemy. You can /autoskill this at level 62+
Kick – Gives some extra damage and small aggro. Use when two hand or dual-wield tanking. You can /autoskill this at level 62+
AA Recommendations
– Usually you want to get Defensive AA’s first. Run Speed is also important. Get them in whatever order works best for your setup. Some of the best AA sorted by type are:
Defensive
Combat Stability – Increased Mitigation AC
Combat Agility – Increased Avoidance AC
Natural Durability – Increased HP %
Planar Power – Increased Max Stats
Sturdiness – Increased HP
Physical Enhancement – Increased Mitigation/Avoidance AC
Utility
Stalwart Endurance – Lowers chance to be stunned by up to 75% (PoP)
AE Taunt– AE Taunt
Innate Run Speed – Base Run Speed Increase
Offensive/Aggro
Strikethrough – Increased chance to Strikethrough (less ripostes)
Burst of Power – Increased Double Attack and Flurry Chance
Ambidexterity – Increased dual wield success rate
Weapon Affinity – Substiantially Increases Proc Rate
Bonus Tips
– Dodge Mod+ % is not very effective (i.e. Icy Prism of Avoidance or Signet of Might).
– Improved Dodge (Worn) is very effective and is worth getting (GoD+).
– The Warrior 1.0 Epic is worth doing in both Kunark and Velious eras. Once Luclin comes a lot of more aggro weapons become available, but the 1.0 is still a great runner-up at that point. The 2.0 epic is also BiS in OoW.
– Grab any aggro/stun clickies you can from raids, but most don’t stack. Examples: Orb of the Sky, Symbol of the Planemasters, Timestone Adorned Ring.
– Load up on Cloudy Potions (invisibility).
– Cobalt Bracer has a shrink clicky. It can be cast on others.
– Cobalt Greaves has an invisibility clicky. It can be cast on others.
– Incarnadine Breastplate has Gather Shadows clicky (invisibility), but it is self only.
– Have Bow/Arrows or Ninja Stars that can pull mobs at from a distance.
– Make use of the bandolier. You are going to have a lot of weapons eventually.
– Get instant cast clickies when you can to mitigate mobs that cast dispel.
– Buy a store mount if you get increased stats from it. Every bit helps on a Warrior!
– A lot of mobs in early EQ cast root so keep your eyes open for good magic resist gear. Skull-Shaped Barbute for example.
– Stacking Damage Shields can increase your DPS greatly.
– Keep Heal over Time, Haste, and Spirit of Wolf potions handy.
– Make your healers love you by keeping some spare Clarity potions in case there is no Enchanter around. If you hate your healer then use it yourself and tell them it was your last one.
