Protection Warrior Tank Artifact Talents/Traits and Relics (Legion 7.2.5)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2 Changes
  • 4. Contents
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Talent Choice
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Rotation
  • 5. Active Mitigation Abilities
  • 6. Cooldown Usage
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Main Resource
  • 3. Basic Abilities
    • 3.1. Movement
  • 4. Important Procs
  • 5. Active Mitigation
  • 6. Defensive Cooldowns
  • 7. Offensive Cooldown
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents
  • 3. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents
  • 4. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents
  • 5. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 6. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 7. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 8. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 9. ChangeLog
• ×Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression
  • 2. Relic Choice
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single Target Rotation
  • 2. Multiple Target Rotation
  • 3. Active Mitigation Abilities
  • 4. Cooldown Usage
  • 5. Taunting
  • 6. Mastering Your Protection Warrior
    • 6.1. Rage Generation
    • 6.2. Mastery: Critical Block
    • 6.3. Procs
    • 6.4. Active Mitigation
      • 6.4.1. Shield Block
      • 6.4.2. Ignore Pain
      • 6.4.3. Shield Block or Ignore Pain?
    • 6.5. Other Notable Abilities
      • 6.5.1. Intercept
      • 6.5.2. Heroic Leap
    • 6.6. Detailed Cooldown Usage
      • 6.6.1. Battle Cry
      • 6.6.2. Last Stand
      • 6.6.3. Shield Wall
      • 6.6.4. Demoralizing Shout
      • 6.6.5. Spell Reflection
      • 6.6.6. Berserker Rage
      • 6.6.7. Artifact Ability
      • 6.6.8. Tier 1 Talents
      • 6.6.9. Tier 3 Talents
      • 6.6.10. Tier 5 Talents
      • 6.6.11. Tier 6 Talents
      • 6.6.12. Tier 7 Talents
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
  • 2. Enchants
  • 3. Consumables
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Macros
    • 1.1. Generic Macros for Warriors
      • 1.1.1. Mouseouver Interrupt Macro
    • 1.2. Specific Macros for Protection Warriors
      • 1.2.1. Mouseover Heroic Throw Macro
      • 1.2.2. Mouseover Taunt Macro
      • 1.2.3. Intercept Macros
      • 1.2.4. Blessing of Protection/Salvation Cancelaura Macro
  • 2. Addons
    • 2.1. Generic Addons for Warriors
      • 2.1.1. ElvUI
      • 2.1.2. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
      • 2.1.3. GTFO
      • 2.1.4. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 2.1.5. Weak Auras
      • 2.1.6. TellMeWhen
      • 2.1.7. Raeli's Spell Announcer
      • 2.1.8. Recount / Skada / Details!
    • 2.2. Specific Addons for Protection Warriors
      • 2.2.1. Omen Threat Meter
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Best in Slot List
  • 2. Trinkets
    • 2.1. Non-Raid Trinkets
    • 2.2. Raid Trinkets
  • 3. Tier 20 Set Bonuses
  • 4. Legendary Items
  • 5. Loot Competition
  • 6. ChangeLog

General Information

This page shows you how to level up the Artifact and how to choose the right Relics for your Protection Warriors. It is updated for World of Warcraft Legion 7.2.5.

The other pages of our Protection Warrior guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About Our Reviewer

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Treckie, one of the best tanks in the world, who raids in Prime. You can watch his stream on Twitch and you can follow him on Twitter.

1. Artifact Progression

For the first 35 Artifact traits, we recommend the following progression path as a Protection Warrior. The aim is to take Dragon Scales and Scales of Earth before raiding. Dragon Scales is the main survivability option, but going for Scales of Earth first could be viable if you want to maximise your DPS output for dungeon farming early on.

1. Neltharion's Fury
2. Strength of the Earth Aspect
3. Shatter the Bones
4. Intolerance
5. Dragon Skin
6. Reflective Plating
7. Dragon Scales
8. Wall of Steel
9. Leaping Giants
10. Scales of Earth
11. Vrykul Shield Training
12. Will to Survive
13. Rumbling Voice
14. Might of the Vrykul
15. Toughness
16. Rage of the Fallen and Thunder Crash (in any order)
17. Unbreakable Bulwark

If you wish to take Scales of Earth as your first golden trait, then take Wall of Steel immediately after taking Intolerance, and go for Scales of Earth. Afterwards, complete the traits to get Dragon Scales.

After this we, advise you to distribute your other Artifact points in the following way.

1. Protection of the Valarjar
2. Bastion of the Aspects
3. Gleaming Scales
4. Neltharion's Thunder
5. Vrykul Shield Training
6. Dragon Skin
7. Toughness
8. Rage of the Fallen
9. Thunder Crash
10. Shatter the Bones
11. Intolerance
12. Will to Survive
13. Leaping Giants
14. Concordance of the Legionfall

The above order is survivability-oriented, which works great for those still progressing in raids; however, if you are doing lots of Mythic+ runs or are done progressing and already doing farm, you can consider taking Rage of the Fallen, Thunder Crash, and Shatter the Bones right after Neltharion's Thunder.

2. Relic Choice

When choosing which Relics to use, always take the one that grants you the highest item level, regardless of the benefit it offers. When having to choose between Relics that grant the same item level, chose based on the following trait enhancement recommendations.

Vrykul Shield Training is the best defensive trait you can enhance, followed by Dragon Skin.

Offensively, Shatter the Bones is the best trait to buff for single-target damage, while Thunder Crash and Rage of the Fallen are best for for AoE DPS.

3. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 13 Jun. 2017: Updated Patch 7.2 artifact path slightly.
• 27 Mar. 2017: Added path for the Artifact traits added in Patch 7.2.
• 10 Jan. 2017: Updated the Relic recommendations slightly.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Added.