With all the arms threads popping up it got me thinking about what are the core gameplay elements of arms?
Not everyone will agree and that’s fine but maybe if we make, post and discuss each other’s lists some common elements will stand out.
So here is my initial list:
Mortal Strike is our main ability. We want to press it every time it is available and we shouldn’t let our rage get so low that we can not press it when it becomes available.
Rage is generated in a predictable way via our auto attacks. With experience playing he class you should be able to feel how rage is generated and spent to keep your rage from over capping and to be able to use mortal strike whenever possible.
Bleeds. Arms warrior should have bleeds but they should not be the main focus of the spec like feral. Bleeds are a great tuning knob for spec developers to adjust bust vs sustain damage. The bleeds should support the spec either through damage amps or rage generation.
Execute is an ability that comes online when a target is low health which should be a high priority spell. When in execute range the rotation should feel slightly different and therefore more engaging.
These are what I consider the core gameplay. I tried to keep the list very short again focusing on the core of the spec. But some honorable mentions would be:
Bladestorm
Cleave
Rend
Sweeping Strikes
Anger Management
Overpower
Bleeds are core to the spec for the specific purpose of toning down a burst profile. Without bleeds, in order to have competitive damage you push all that DPS into button presses. This would make arms a pvp nightmare and mandatory for pve are burn encounters if they balance for that.
It’s an on theme way of dealing a “mortal strike” or “deep wound” and gives the spec a unique visual, but its purpose is very much so balance.
I would argue that the core feel is big chunky hits with a 2h weapon. The rest of the kit is just doubling down on that fantasy.
Even sweeping strikes plays into the fantasy that the weapon has so much weight and momentum that you’re carrying the blow through to a second mob. The ability names like cleave further deliver on the fantasy.
I see bladestorm and whirlwind as more of a fury thing. Avatar and cleave feel more like arms thematically.
Whirlwind is just an iconic warrior skill. It only feels that way because fury uses the skill more than arms does and has more dedicated talents to it.
Whirlwind sure but bladestorm has always been an arms thing and should always be for aoe
Edit: as a whole I agree with the post and like the general topic and your reasonings but bladestorm is an arms ability as the other guy said fury didn’t even have access to it until legion
i mainly pvp. one of the biggest memes about arms warrior is bladestorm. heres a video from the ancient times. its just iconic for arms, and we’re all tom cruise because of it
its probably pretty dated but its a famous video about arms from back in the day about bladestorm. its just core to what arms is, we got it in wotlk 13 years ago. its an arms ability, fury warriors have always been looking in from the window like a dog with their TG weapons drooling for it. They got a taste of it once and want to take it away.
And of course if you think bladestorm is a core arms ability than you view is valid.
And if that is the consensus from the community, I would ask that it becomes baseline! Seeing how many arms specs right now don’t even pick it up! But I digress.
That’s a problem with blizzard and not having new ideas for abilities. Part of the reason playing a warrior feels dated is we have nothing new and interesting.
I personally already thought it should be baseline for arms, and while I understand some people don’t like how it doesn’t feel “tactical” to spin around like a juggernaught, the class is still a warrior that for arms uses strength rage and skill to fight and bladestorm seems to fit that pretty well.
