Guide:Warrior

The Warrior profession specializes in melee damage, so normally forms the frontline of many (if not most) teams. Their roles usually encompass using either swords, axes, or hammers to produce pressure through conditions, damage, interrupts, and knockdowns. Their armor does not provide any additional energy regeneration so many of their attack skills use the adrenaline mechanic, which cost no energy but need to be "charged" through attacking.

Warrior armor has a maximum armor rating of 80 and provides an additional 20 armor against physical damage. Warriors can also wear a shield when using one-handed weapons. These provide a maximum bonus of 16 armor but require investment in either Strength or Tactics for the full bonus.

Primary Weapons

Warriors have access to three weapon types. Each of these weapons has the property that if they strike a moving opponent in the back, it will always be a critical hit.

Swords are one-handed weapons with a maximum range of 15 to 22 slashing damage and an attack rate of 1.33 seconds.

Axes are one-handed weapons with a maximum range of 6 to 28 slashing or piercing damage and an attack rate of 1.33 seconds.

Hammers are two-handed weapons with a maximum range of 19 to 35 blunt damage and an attack rate of 1.75 seconds.

Primary Attribute: Strength

"When you use attack skills, each point of Strength gives you 1% armor penetration."

For each point of strength, attack skills used by a warrior get a 1% armor penetration bonus. This does not apply to autoattacks or other types of skills. This attribute contains many key offensive skills such as Bull's Strike and Primal Rage and is essential for meeting the requirements of some shields.

Attributes

Swordsmanship

"Swordsmanship increases the damage you do with swords and your chance to inflict a critical hit when using a sword. Many skills, especially sword attack skills, become more effective with higher Swordsmanship."

Swordmanship focuses mainly on Sword Attack skills, many of which revolve around inflicting conditions. Popular skills from this line are Sever Artery, Gash, Hundred Blades, and Sun and Moon Slash.

Axe Mastery

"Axe Mastery increases the damage you do with axes and your chance to inflict a critical hit when using an axe. Many skills, especially axe attack skills, become more effective with higher Axe Mastery."

Axe Mastery focuses mainly on Axe Attack skills, many of which are damage oriented. Popular skills from this line are Dismember, Agonizing Chop, and Eviscerate.

Hammer Mastery

"Hammer Mastery increases the damage you do with hammers and your chance to inflict a critical hit when using a hammer. Many skills, especially hammer attacks skills, become more effective with higher Hammer Mastery."

Hammer Mastery focuses mainly on Hammer Attack skills, which focus on knocking down opponents and applying conditions to knocked down foes. Popular skills from this line are Crushing Blow, Hammer Bash, Earth Shaker, and Devastating Hammer.

Tactics

"No inherent effect. Many skills, especially defensive skills and skills that aid your allies, become more effective with higher Tactics."

Tactics focuses mainly on defensive skills, shouts, and stances. Since most warriors are expected to be offensive while supported by a backline this attribute is largely unfavored and sees little play on Warriors, but is often used on other classes (like Monks and Necromancers) for self defense. Skills from Tactics include Healing Signet and Bonetti's Defense.

Common Warrior Builds

PvP

• Whirling Axe is popular for it's ability to break through stances repeatedly, negating Distortion and tactics stances used by many casters.
• "Coward!" is also an often-used elite for it's superb anti-kite functionality.
• The classic Shock Axe was the build of choice for Axe warriors before the buffs to Warrior's Endurance and Primal Rage. It still sees some play since the nerfs of WE and Primal.
• Build:W/E Primal Rage Axe and Build:W/any Primal Rage Sword provide a near-constant IMS and IAS, allowing Warriors to pressure targets relentlessly without sacrificing deep wound and popular utility skills.
• The standard Hammer Warrior bar normally consists of Hammer Bash, Crushing Blow, Bull's Strike, Enraging Charge, Flail, and one of the elite hammer skills (usually Magehunter's Smash, Devastating Hammer, or Earth Shaker).

PvE

• Build:W/any PvE Dragon Slash Warrior is a choice build to fuel Save Yourselves! and keeping foes knocklocked with Brawling Headbutt.
• Build:W/D Enduring Scythe is a powerful build that relies on energy gain from Warrior's Endurance to spam fast-activating scythe attacks. The fact that scythes hit multiple targets helps fuel Save Yourselves! at a fast rate, making this a prime build for upkeeping the party while providing a good stream of damage.
• Build:W/any PvE Earth Shaker is favored for its ability to permanently keep multiple foes knocked down, making it an unusual tank of sorts. To spam more efficiently and keep enemies down more consistently, players usually pair this with Infuriating Heat or Dark Fury.