Why Do Warriors Want Slow Weapons in WoW Classic?
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The preference for slow weapons among Warriors in Classic WoW isn’t arbitrary; it’s rooted in the game’s mechanics and how various Warrior abilities scale. In short, Warriors often favor slower weapons due to their higher damage per swing, which translates into greater burst damage with certain abilities. This is primarily because many of a Warrior’s most damaging abilities, like Heroic Strike and Whirlwind, calculate their damage based on the weapon’s base damage, not its DPS. Slower weapons generally have a higher base damage per hit, leading to a greater impact from these abilities, even if the overall damage output is roughly the same over time due to swing speed being normalized.
The Core Mechanics Behind Slow Weapon Preference
Ability Scaling with Weapon Damage
Many Warrior abilities don’t simply add a flat damage amount; instead, they add to or multiply the damage of your weapon’s base attack. This is crucial because weapons with slower swing speeds typically possess a higher damage range than faster weapons with the same DPS.
- Heroic Strike: This ability adds a substantial amount of damage to your next melee attack. Since it utilizes your main hand’s damage, a slow weapon with a high damage range yields a significantly more powerful Heroic Strike compared to a fast weapon.
- Whirlwind: Like Heroic Strike, Whirlwind benefits from the base damage of your weapon. A larger damage range translates directly to a larger output for this ability.
- Slam (Fury Warriors): Some Fury Warrior builds, particularly those using a 2H weapon, utilize Slam frequently. Similar to the other abilities, the higher base damage of slower weapons makes Slam hit harder.
Rage Generation and Threat
While there is a case for faster weapons to generate more rage through consistent hits, this rage gain is generally normalized by talents and abilities. A Warrior tank might occasionally use a faster weapon for rage gain but will usually prioritize threat generation. As threat generation is based on damage, the higher base damage of slow weapons proves more effective, especially when used in conjunction with abilities that cause high threat.
Weapon Normalization and Its Limits
It’s true that weapon normalization occurred in later patches of WoW, and the intent was to make all weapons of the same DPS output similar overall damage. However, normalization primarily affects white damage or auto-attacks, while abilities still scale with the weapon’s damage range as mentioned above. This means that while the raw auto-attack DPS from a fast and slow weapon might be similar, the burst damage potential, particularly for Warriors utilizing their abilities, is significantly higher with slower options.
The Impact of Main-Hand Weapon
Another vital point is that the main-hand weapon’s damage is usually the deciding factor for many abilities. When dual-wielding, many of the damage calculations are still based on the main hand’s damage, making a slow and powerful main-hand weapon crucial for maximizing burst potential.
The Role of Specialization and Racial Traits
- Human Warriors: The Human racial trait, Sword Specialization, grants a bonus to weapon skill with swords. This advantage enhances their hit chance and glancing blows, making slow, high-damage swords an optimal choice for both 1H and 2H builds.
- Troll Warriors: Troll’s racial ability Berserking can offer a quick attack speed boost, which makes a slow weapon more impactful during the ability’s duration by allowing more powerful, normalized attacks to land.
Why Not Always Slowest?
It’s worth noting that “slowest” isn’t always “best”. While generally favored, the optimal weapon is often a balance between speed and maximum damage. The goal is to maximize the impact of each swing while not losing out on attack uptime. Therefore, warriors often aim for a high maximum damage slow weapon in their main hand, and can experiment with fast weapons in their off-hand for more consistent rage generation depending on their role.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is weapon speed normalization completely irrelevant in Classic WoW?
No, weapon speed normalization does impact white damage (auto-attacks), but it does not completely neutralize the benefit of slow weapons. Abilities still scale with base weapon damage, which is higher on slow weapons, leading to higher burst damage.
2. Do fast weapons have any advantage for warriors?
Yes, faster weapons can generate rage more consistently through auto attacks, and some warrior tanks may use a faster weapon on occasions. However, the difference in rage generation between fast and slow weapons is minor.
3. Does main-hand or off-hand weapon speed matter more?
Main-hand weapon speed matters significantly more for most abilities as their damage calculations are primarily based on the main-hand weapon’s damage range.
4. What weapon speed should I prioritize as a Fury Warrior?
Fury Warriors typically prefer a slow weapon in their main hand, especially for abilities like Heroic Strike and Whirlwind. When dual wielding, a slower weapon in the main hand is generally recommended.
5. Are dual-wielding slow weapons viable for fury warriors?
Yes, in some cases, dual-wielding slower weapons can be viable, though it’s more common to have a slower main-hand weapon and a faster off-hand weapon.
6. Should a Warrior tank use slow weapons?
Yes, slow weapons are generally preferred for tanking as they provide higher threat generation through abilities. While some might use faster weapons for rage generation, slow weapons’ damage output is crucial for holding aggro.
7. Does race influence weapon choice for Warriors?
Yes, racial abilities like the Human’s Sword Specialization make swords the preferred choice for them, impacting their weapon choice due to the increased skill bonus.
8. How does weapon skill affect weapon speed in Classic WoW?
Weapon skill does not directly affect weapon speed, but it does improve your hit chance and reduce glancing blows, making each swing more effective. This is enhanced by slow, high damage weapons.
9. Why is a slow 2H weapon popular for some Fury Warrior builds?
Slow 2H weapons are popular for Slam builds due to their high base damage, which scales effectively with the Slam ability, leading to greater overall damage output.
10. Does weapon type matter besides speed?
Yes, weapon type matters as some races have racial bonuses with specific types of weapons, such as Humans and Swords. Additionally, some weapons have unique stats, which are important for warriors.
11. What is the best secondary stat for a Fury Warrior in Classic WoW?
Haste is a crucial secondary stat for Fury Warriors, as it can improve their overall damage output by increasing the rate of auto-attacks and reducing global cooldown.
12. Are daggers a good choice for Warrior tanks?
While it may seem counterintuitive, some Warrior tanks have used daggers for their speed and ability to generate rage. However, the increased threat generation and damage output of slow weapons generally make them more effective.
13. What is the most powerful class in Classic WoW?
Hunters and Mages are often considered the most powerful classes for leveling in Classic Hardcore due to their ability to maintain high kill speed and safety.
14. Is Engineering the best profession for a Warrior in Classic WoW?
Yes, Engineering is widely considered the best profession for Warriors due to the powerful utility it provides through gadgets and explosives, boosting both damage and utility.
15. Is Arms or Fury better for leveling a Warrior?
Arms is generally recommended for leveling due to its consistency and survivability. Fury is more susceptible to damage and will require more careful playstyle. However, Fury can be strong when a healer is present.
In conclusion, the preference for slow weapons among Warriors in Classic WoW boils down to the mechanics of how their abilities scale with weapon damage. While faster weapons have some advantages, the high base damage of slow weapons results in significantly more burst damage through abilities such as Heroic Strike, Whirlwind, and Slam, making them a preferred choice for many Warrior builds. This preference is reinforced by the role of the main-hand weapon in damage calculations, as well as racial abilities that can further enhance slow weapon effectiveness.