I play Warrior and I want to tell you exactly how to use it in Shadowbringers-level content. I’m a woman who raids and teaches, and I’ve cleaned up the noisy bits so you can start playing better, faster. Honestly, this job hits hard and heals itself in ways you might not expect.
Warrior mixes heavy damage with self-sustain. In my experience, that balance is what keeps it useful from dungeons to savage raids. You build a Beast Gauge through combos and spend it in bursts—Fell Cleave windows are where you shine. There are exceptions (depends on your niche), but the core is simple: build gauge, spend it, survive big hits.
Surprisingly, many players still treat Warrior like a pure enmity machine. That’s misleading. Yes, you tank; yes, you hold threat. But you also bring some of the highest personal DPS among tanks. That can upset healers if you play selfishly—controversial, I know. Be aware.
🛡️ Quick Job Snapshot
Short version: Beast Gauge fuels your damage bursts. Equilibrium and Raw Intuition give strong self-heal and mitigation. Nascent Flash converts part of your damage into healing for you and an ally—very useful during heavy damage phases.
When should you push damage? When the raid buff lines up and healers are ready. Why? Because Inner Release windows (your five-Fell-Cleave bursts) scale with raid buffs and potions, so they give the best returns for coordination. It’s basic math: more buffed damage = more healing from Nascent Flash (if timed right).
⚔️ Rotation Basics (simple)
Think rhythm, not memorization. Keep Storm’s Eye up to maintain a damage buff. Use Storm’s Path to build Beast Gauge. Spend gauge in Inner Release windows. That’s the backbone.
// Basic single-target flow (example)
GCD 1: Heavy Swing → Maim → Storm's Eye (keep it up)
GCD 2: Heavy Swing → Maim → Storm's Path (build gauge)
GCD 3: Heavy Swing → Maim → Storm's Path (build gauge)
Inner Release: Fell Cleave x5
Repeat
For 3+ targets, spam Overpower to build gauge and use Decimate or Mythril Tempest for AoE. Claymore? I mean, not Claymore—Decimate. (Sorry, muscle memory.)
đź“Š Gear & Stats (practical)
| Priority | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Weapon Damage / Strength | Directly increases your damage and enmity—upgrade these first |
| Critical Hit | Best second stat for burst scaling |
| Direct Hit | Smooth, predictable increases to each hit |
| Skill Speed | Only meld for specific GCD breakpoints (comfort) |
Target ranges vary by item level, so check your exact weapon and armor rather than guessing. I’ve noticed many Warriors overmeld crit they don’t need—waste of materia. Use calculators or the in-game meld preview to confirm caps.
Food: pick something that boosts Critical Hit for consistent gains. Popular picks remain Smoked Chicken and Twilight Popoto Salad for the right balance. This doesn’t always work if you’re min-maxing a very specific stat spread (there are exceptions).
🎯 Defensive Play & Cooldowns
Timing is everything. Raw Intuition plus Awareness blocks lethal physical damage from the front; pair them when you expect a hard hit. Nascent Flash is best saved for phases where you’ll hit a lot while taking damage—it converts extra damage into healing, so you get offense and recovery.
“Save Holmgang. Don’t use it like a Band-Aid.” — practical advice
Here’s the funny part: you might panic and slam all your cooldowns at once. Watch this—coordination beats panic. If you blow Rampart, Raw Intuition, and Thrill of Battle together without need, you leave nothing for the real tank buster. Communicate with healers. Use cooldowns to smooth predictable damage, not to patch surprise spikes.
Emergency rules (short): don’t Holmgang unless you must. It drops you to 1 HP and can wreck healer plans!
Advanced tips (real talk)
Use Onslaught charges for damage when safe; hold them when movement or gap control is required. Timing Inner Release with raid buffs and potions multiplies output—why? Because every Fell Cleave hit benefits from those multipliers, so a well-timed 10-second burst yields disproportionate value.
Threat is usually fine, but in add-heavy fights: Provoke then Tomahawk to quickly secure aggro. In multi-tank swaps, Shirk communication matters more than theorycraft; who takes what and when—say it out loud.
Controversial take: Warriors are often chosen for their DPS but sometimes lack the raw forgiveness of Paladin or Gunbreaker on certain mechanics. I’ve lost raid wipes because someone expected Warrior to be a magic-mitigation sponge—and that’s on the planner, not the player.
Endgame checklist (compact)
- Gear at appropriate item level for the content you’re attempting
- Consumables and potions
- Practice your burst and cooldown timing on the dummy
- Clear communication with co-tank and healers
Pro tip: run the dummy for 10–15 minutes before a raid night. Muscle memory for Inner Release windows is everything.
Extras: small code & a quote
// Quick macro-style reminder (for your notes)
if (raid_buff_window) then InnerRelease() end
if (tank_buster_incoming) then use RawIntuition + Awareness end
“Play for the group, not just your meters.” — I say that a lot.
Analogy: Warrior feels like swinging a sledgehammer with bandages wrapped around the handle—you hit hard and you keep hitting, but you need to plan when to rest and when to swing. Another image: think of Beast Gauge as a pressure tank—build pressure, open the valve at the right moment.
Counterintuitive insight: sometimes delaying an Inner Release by one global cooldown gives better overall uptime on your damage buff—sounds odd, but timing with raid buffs beats pure greed.
One small stumble here—okay, two—I’ll repeat a key point: practice, practice. Practice clears nerves. It really does.
Between us: if you want a quick start, practice Overpower-to-Decimate on groups and master a single-target five-Fell-Cleave burst. You’ll see results fast. Want specific macros or a meld plan tailored to your exact gear? Ask and I’ll write it out for you.
See you in the queue! 🪓
