Warriors are the melee-centered class. These characters are tough as nails and masters of weaponry and tactics. The special abilities of the warrior are naturally combat-oriented. Here are a few sample skills available to Warriors: Shield Bash - A skill that allows the Warrior to strike enemies with a shield, stunning them for a short period of time. Defensive Stance - A technique for warding off enemy attacks. When used, this skill increases the character's armor rating for a little while. Whirlwind - An attack spell that sends the caster into a berserk fury, creating a destructive force that damages nearby enemies within a small area of effect.

Warriors are the melee-centered class. These characters are tough as nails and masters of weaponry and tactics. The special abilities of the warrior are naturally combat-oriented. The Warrior is the ultimate toe-to-toe fighter with the most options available to him. Unlike other Warriors you might have played in other games, the Warrior of World of Warcraft has many different options and abilities to use during combat.

Strengths:

-Able to equip all armor and almost all weapons
-Takes the most damage before becoming incapacitated
-Great close range melee skills
-Lots of equipment options
-Slaughter monsters

-No healing abilities, relies on food or other players to heal
-Very gear dependant class

Allowable Races: Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, Orc, Tauren, Undead, Troll

Allowable equipment: cloth, leather, mail, shields, bucklers (all)
Allowable weapons: 1 & 2 handed axes, maces, swords, thrown, daggers

Rage
The Warrior has a red rage bar. This is similar to a mana bar for casters. During combat the Warrior generates rage based both on damage done and damage taken/prevented, you may also generate rage using specific abilities. The rage bar continues to fill as the Warrior fights. Once the Warrior has enough rage points, the Warrior can now use different skills that require rage. When not in active combat, the Warrior's rage slowly fades to 0. The Warrior also loses all accumulated rage if the Warrior switches stances, so plan ahead and avoid changing stances mid fight!

Stances
The Warrior has different stances available to them which determine what abilities they can use during combat. There are special stance buttons located above your action bar to switch stances. If you switch stances during battle you lose all your rage so keep that in mind. Typically you don't switch stances during battle. Stances are for different situations. Battle Stance is used mainly for soloing, adding different state changing attacks and high damage moves. Defensive Stance offers fewer types of offensive special attacks but gives the Warrior more defensive specials plus a bonus to your defense rating. This is primarily meant for acting as a group's main tank.

Action Bar
Each Stance has its own action bar. You place abilities for that stance on that bar. When you switch stances, your action bar also switches.

Shouts
The warrior has several shouts which are useful in combat situations. All shouts require Rage to use, are instant and have a moderate re-use timer.

Battle Shout - increases party's melee and ranged damage.
Intimidating Shout (emergency spell) - Nearby enemies flee in fear. The targeted enemy cowers in place in fear. This ability has a very long cooldown which makes it useful in emergency situations to get away.
Demoralizing Shout - Reduces the amount of melee damage dealt by nearby affected enemies.
Challenging Shout - A shout that causes all nearby enemies to attack the Warrior. Long cooldown time so best used in emergency situations to save group members.

Inner Rage - Instant boost to your rage! This ability has a long cooldown which means it can only be used every few battles. The intended purpose for this ability is for an emergency type ability when too many enemies are pulled or when the situation looks grim. Also good to use for those tough fights when you know it's going to get hairy.

Battle Stance abilities

Charge - This should be used at the start of combat to generate some rage. The Warrior will quickly dash to the monster's location. Advanced ranks in charge allow for a chance to stun the enemy for a few moments. To use you must not be involved in active combat, and be close enough to the enemy without being inside the minimum range for the charge. A "*" will be shown next to your name that indicates that you are currently in combat. It may take some time to learn how to properly use Charge.
Rend - Your next attack will cause bleeding of the target. In addition to your regular weapon damage your target takes bleed damage for a brief period of time. This is a DOT that should be used at the start of combat.
Strike - Strong attack that increases the melee damage on your next attack.
Hamstring - Your next attack will cause additional damage and have a good chance to slow enemy movement for a short duration. Best used to prevent an enemy from quickly fleeing. Also can be used as an escape ability.
Thunderclap - An instant close range area attack. All enemies affected by Thunderclap take slight damage but also their attacks are greatly slowed for a short time.
Overpower - Instant attack that causes extra damage. Only usable after a target blocks, parries, dodges, or deflects.
Kick - Instant attack that causes additional damage and has a chance to interrupt your target's spell casting. This ability should be used against casters to prevent them from using their spells or healing.
Punishing Blow - Your next attack causes additional damage and forces the target to attack you! Punishing blow must be used from behind. One of the few taunt abilities that the warrior has in battle stance, great for saving a group member who is in trouble. Punishing blow has a long cooldown time so use sparingly.

Defensive Stance abilities

Sundering Strike - Your next attack reduces target's armor, Sundering Strike can be stacked up to 5 times. Continue to reduce the armor of the target to make them take more damage.
Shield Block - Greatly increases chance to block. Only blocks one frontal attack. In addition to reducing the damage taken it also sets up the revenge counter attack combo.
Shield Bash - Instant attack that bashes the target interrupting spell casting 75% of the time and causing additional damage.
Disarm - If the enemy is using a weapon, a successful use of disarm will greatly reduce the damage dealt by the target for a short period of time. Long cooldown time.
Taunt - Instant ability that taunts the target, a successful use will draw the attention of the target causing them to attack you. This should be used regularly to keep the monsters attacking you. This of course requires healers to keep you alive during the battle.
Revenge - Instant attack that causes extra damage. Counter attack the enemy for additional damage. This must follow a defensive action, best used in conjunction with Shield Block.

Combos
Use a Shield Bash/Block then attack then use Revenge.

Training
It's very important to build up your skills in multiple weapons so you can easily switch to a different weapon if a very good weapon comes along. Keep weapons of as many types as you can in your packs and continue to swap them to build up your skills.

Tradeskills
Mining/Blacksmithing - Make all your own equipment
Herbalism/Alchemy - Make healing potions and potion buffs
First Aid - You can't normally heal yourself so take this skill up to reduce downtime.
Cooking/Fishing - Catch and make food to reduce downtime after combat.

Tips
-Team up with healers (Priest, Shaman, Druid) to keep you alive.

-Pick one or two of the two-handed weapon types to use. It costs points to train in each type, so focus on just a few.

-Manage your Rage! If you are fighting a caster save some Rage for a timely shield bash/kick to stop them from blasting you or healing themselves. That one extra use of Strike may have caused some extra damage but if the monster heals it's like starting all over.

-Try and plan your talents ahead of time. If you want to make a fierce close in fighter with many hit points, you should stick with the stamina and prowess talents. If you want to be a offensive powerhouse, you should stick with the strength and weapon specialization talents.

- Protect your group mates, a Priest or a Mage isn't meant to take the brunt of an enemies attack. Use the taunt ability to focus the attacks on yourself.