WoW Classic Warrior Leveling Guide

Leveling a Warrior in WoW Classic Anniversary or WoW Classic Era from level 1 to 60 can be a rough experience. Warrior is one of the hardest classes to level solo in Vanilla. Learn all about the right talents and weapons to smoothen your leveling adventure in our WoW Classic Warrior Leveling Guide.

📂 WoW Classic > Warrior

📅 Last updated on February 27, 2025.

Table of Contents

WoW Classic Warrior Leveling Talents

As a Warrior there are two different talent builds for efficient leveling:

The Arms build is recommended for questing on PvP realms, dungeon tanking, or dungeon cleave groups.
The Fury build is recommended for questing on PvE realms.

With both builds you should be leveling mostly with a two-handed weapon. The hit penalty for dual-wielding is very high and only worth it if your one-handed weapons are significantly better than your best two-handed weapon.

Warrior Arms Leveling in WoW Classic

This is the Arms leveling build from character level 1-39 for Warriors:

Invest your 5 first points into Cruelty for the additional crit. Unlearn your talents after reaching level 40. Now invest all 31 points into Arms and then fill up the Fury talents as you level up to reach this build at level 60:

Remove the 5 points from Axe Specialization if you don’t want to use axes all the time. Invest these 5 points into Deflection and Improved Hamstring instead.

Warrior Fury Leveling in WoW Classic

This is the Fury leveling build for Warriors:

Invest 31 talent points into the Fury tree before you start the Arms tree. Prioritize the talents Cruelty, Piercing Howl, and Death Wish while leveling.

WoW Classic Warrior Weapon Progression

While leveling a Warrior the weapon is the single most important piece of gear you have.

Note: Outside of raiding you do not need to equip weapons based on your racial abilities (axes as an Orc or swords and maces as a Human). As long as you fight enemies at your level or below the racial bonus has only a minor impact. Just equip the best weapon you can find.

These are the notable weapon upgrades for a Warrior sorted by their DPS:

Level 4: Gladius
Buy from a weapon merchant in the starting area.
Level 3: Large Axe
Buy from a weapon merchant in the starting area.
Level 4: Jagged Dagger
Skull Rock in Durotar. Quest chain starting with Report to Orgnil. To solo this chain you need to be around level 8.
Level 5: Goblin Smasher
Supervisor Fizsprocket in Mulgore. Quest chain starting with The Ravaged Caravan. To solo this chain you need to be around level 9.
Level 9: Tabar
Sold from weapon merchants in capitals for ~23 .
Level 5: Balanced Fighting Stick
Wanted: "Hogger" in Elwynn Forest.
Level 8: Copper Battle Axe
Crafted with Blacksmithing.
Level 9: Edge of the People's Militia
The People's Militia in Westfall. Enemies are level 16 – 18.
Level 9: Axe of Orgrimmar
Hidden Enemies in Ragefire Chasm.
Level 13: Trogg Slicer
Gathering Idols in Loch Modan. Pre-Quest is Ironband's Excavation.
Level 12: Woodsman Sword
Mathystra Relics in Darkshore. Long quest chain starting with Cave Mushrooms.
Level 12: Zhovur Axe
Serena Bloodfeather in The Barrens.
Level 17: Demolition Hammer
Weapons of Choice in The Barrens.
Level 11: Crescent Staff
Leaders of the Fang in Wailing Caverns.
Level 14: Staff of Westfall
The Defias Brotherhood in The Deadmines.
Level 20: Living Root
Wailing Caverns
Level 21: Odo's Ley Staff
Shadowfang Keep
Level 26: Strike of the Hydra
Blackfathom Deeps
Level 29: Corpsemaker
Razorfen Kraul
Level 30: Whirlwind Axe
Level 30 Warrior class quest. Note that you can’t solo this quest for a long time and it requires a lot of time to do the quest. It’s generally advised to skip this quest and pick up one of the next upgrades.
Level 35: X'caliboar
Razorfen Downs
Level 37: Ravager
Armory in Scarlet Monastery
Level 34: Bonebiter
In the Name of the Light in Scarlet Monastery. Note that this quest has a pre-quest that requires you to defeat 30 level 38 enemies in Desolace.
Level 44: The Rockpounder or Stoneslayer
Uldaman
Level 44: Diabolic Skiver
Zul'Farrak
Level 48: Gatorbite Axe
Maraudon
Level 49: Princess Theradras' Scepter
Maraudon
Level 54: Dreadforge Retaliator
Blackrock Depths

Early Leveling Professions

During leveling, Blacksmithing gives you an edge at the very beginning since you can craft Rough Sharpening Stone and Rough Weightstone with this profession. These stones provide a significant impact in earlier levels.

Pick Mining and Blacksmithing as your professions, if you play Hardcore Solo Self-Found (SSF) or if you start fresh on a realm. You can buy Rough Sharpening Stone or Rough Weightstone directly instead if you have gold and can use the auction house.

Warrior Leveling Rotation

The abilities you’re using will change during your leveling journey as a Warrior. The following priority list shows your spells in order of importance:

Open the fight with Charge if it’s safe to use.
Apply Rend. Don’t use Rend on enemies if Rend has regularly more than a few seconds left when the enemy dies.
Apply a few instances of Sunder Armor. Skip Sunder Armor if your enemies die in one Mortal Strike + Whirlwind.
Use Mortal Strike when available.
Use Whirlwind when available.
Use Heroic Strike if you have a lot of rage. This is more important at lower levels. Stop using Heroic Strike after you’ve obtained a hard-hitting dungeon weapon at around level 25-30 or after you’ve learned Whirlwind.

Not every ability is available while you’re leveling up. E.g. in the first few levels you will only use Rend and Heroic Strike. Adapt the priority list to the available spells you have.

Additional Warrior Resources

You can find more details about Warriors, like profession and race choices, in our WoW Classic Warrior Guide. We’ve also collected Warrior Macros for WoW Classic to enhance your gameplay and efficiency with macros.