Fury Warrior: 2H or 1H? A Deep Dive into Weapon Choices

The burning question for any aspiring or seasoned Fury Warrior is: should you wield two massive two-handed weapons or opt for the faster, potentially more nuanced, one-handed weapon setup? The answer, in the current meta, is a resounding two-handed weapons. While the siren song of a one-hander in your off-hand might occasionally tempt, the mechanical advantages and raw damage output of dual-wielding 2H weapons significantly outweigh any potential benefits offered by the single-handed alternative.

Why Two-Handed Weapons Reign Supreme for Fury Warriors

The primary reason for this supremacy lies in the Titan’s Grip passive ability, a cornerstone of the Fury specialization. This ability allows Fury Warriors to dual-wield two-handed weapons, opening up a world of raw power previously unavailable. This single ability fundamentally shifts the landscape of the spec, making the dual two-handed playstyle the standard. Here’s why this approach is superior:

• Pure Damage Output: Dual-wielding two-handed weapons provides significantly higher maximum damage. This, coupled with Fury’s mechanics, such as Enrage and Rampage, allows for enormous damage spikes. The base damage of a 2h weapon is considerably higher than a 1h, even when factoring in dual-wielding penalty.
• Synergy with Abilities: Many of the Fury Warrior’s core abilities, like Whirlwind and Heroic Strike, benefit from slower weapon speeds. While the priority is to have weapons of matching speeds, slower weapons in the main hand generally result in higher output. The ability to choose 2h weapons that provide the slowest speed is a huge factor in damage output.
• Superior Stat Scaling: Fury Warriors scale incredibly well with stats like Strength, Haste, and Mastery, all of which are typically found in abundance on higher item-level two-handed weapons. The greater main stats and generally higher item levels on 2h weapons make them more powerful than their 1h counterparts, even when dual-wielding.
• Less Complicated Gear Choices: While it is still important to have two competitive items, when your primary damage comes from your main-hand, the importance of the secondary weapon diminishes. This contrasts with the difficulty in keeping two competitive one-handed weapons.

The Illusion of One-Handed Benefits

The article highlights a theoretical scenario where off-hand critical hits from a one-handed weapon could potentially trigger Enrage. However, in practice, the reduced damage of off-hand attacks and the overall statistical superiority of two-handed weapons make this a negligible advantage. The 5% movement speed from dual-wielding 1-handers is also significantly less useful than the raw damage output achieved with 2-handers.

The advantage of “massive healing” mentioned when using 1-handers doesn’t outweigh the damage and rage-generation loss that comes with it. Ultimately, the idea of one-handed weapons for a Fury Warrior is a niche case that doesn’t pan out well in most content.

Dispelling the One-Handed Fantasy

While it’s true that theoretically, a Fury Warrior could use two one-handed weapons, there’s simply no competitive scenario where this becomes the optimal choice. The numbers strongly favor the power and efficiency that two-handed weapons bring. In summary:

• Off-hand Penalty: Off-hand attacks deal 50% less damage, significantly reducing the effectiveness of a one-handed weapon in that slot.
• Lower Base Damage: One-handed weapons inherently have lower maximum damage, limiting your overall potential.
• Inferior Stat Distribution: One-handed weapons generally offer lower base stats and worse stat distributions than their two-handed counterparts.
• Reliance on 2h Synergy: Fury Warriors are designed around the mechanics of dual-wielding two-handed weapons.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fury Warrior Weapon Choice

1. What is Titan’s Grip?

Titan’s Grip is a passive ability for Fury Warriors that allows them to dual-wield two-handed weapons. It is a core mechanic that makes the two-handed weapon playstyle viable.

2. Can Fury Warriors use one-handed weapons?

Yes, Fury Warriors can equip one-handed weapons, but they are generally not optimal due to the aforementioned reasons.

3. What weapon types can Fury Warriors dual-wield?

Fury Warriors can dual-wield axes, daggers, fist weapons, maces, polearms, staves, and swords, as long as they are two-handed.

4. Is weapon speed important for Fury Warriors?

Yes, weapon speed is important. Slower weapon speeds are generally preferred in the main hand because they lead to larger outputs of Heroic Strike and Whirlwind. The goal is to have two weapons of matching speeds though.

5. What stats should I prioritize as a Fury Warrior?

The primary stats for a Fury Warrior are Strength, Haste, Mastery, Critical Strike, and Versatility, in roughly that order.

6. Is Fury Warrior good for Mythic+ dungeons?

Yes, Fury Warriors are very well-suited for Mythic+ dungeons, offering excellent single-target and AoE damage.

7. What stance should I use as a Fury Warrior?

Berserker Stance is the main stance you’ll use as a Fury Warrior.

8. How do I maximize my damage as a Fury Warrior?

To maximize damage, prioritize staying enraged, maximizing your Reckless Abandon stacks, and using up those stacks before your next Rampage. Also, ensure you have a stack of aoe enhancing buff when needed.

9. Is Fury Warrior easier than Arms?

Many players consider Fury Warrior to be simpler than Arms, particularly for beginners, because it has a less complex rotation and more consistent damage output.

10. How much Haste should a Fury Warrior have?

There’s no hard cap on Haste for Fury Warriors. It is the most valuable stat for Fury overall, allowing you to get more attacks in. It is a stat that should be balanced with Mastery.

11. Why are slower weapons preferred for Fury Warriors?

Slower weapons enable larger and stronger hits from abilities that scale with weapon damage such as Heroic Strike and Whirlwind, maximizing their impact. The best way to think about this is, “all things being equal” the slower weapon in the main hand will do more damage per cast.

12. Does dual wielding 2h weapons effect movement speed?

No. Dual wielding 2h weapons does not provide any movement speed benefit. Dual wielding 1-hand weapons has the benefit of a 5% movement speed buff. This bonus is so insignificant that it should be overlooked when deciding on weapon types.

13. What is the benefit of 2h weapon over 1h?

2h weapons generally do significantly higher damage than 1h. They also have higher maximum damage, leading to increased damage potential. This increase in damage more than outweighs the benefits that one-hand weapons might have.

14. Can warriors use 1h maces?

Yes, Warriors can use 1h maces. All Warriors start with the ability to use one-handed maces.

15. Is it better to use one handed or two handed weapons for Fury Warrior leveling?

Two handed weapons will generally provide the most damage while leveling. The core ability that makes Fury warriors good is their ability to dual-wield two-handed weapons, so taking advantage of that during the leveling process is wise.

Conclusion

While the possibility of using one-handed weapons might linger in the minds of some Fury Warriors, the reality is clear: dual-wielding two-handed weapons is the superior choice in the current meta. The raw damage output, synergy with core abilities, and stat scaling all point towards the supremacy of this playstyle. Embrace the power of Titan’s Grip, and unleash the true potential of your Fury Warrior with two mighty two-handed weapons.