DPS Quick Reference

Dungeon DPS rotation by level, in 5-level increments. Assumes Arms while leveling (smoother rotation, MS debuff is healer-friendly), swap to Fury at 60+ when Titan’s Grip unlocks.

Always: Battle Shout up, Battle Stance, Bloodrage → Charge to open. Cleave replaces Heroic Strike on AoE pulls.

Level 35–39

Have: Mortal Strike (lvl 30), Slam, Cleave, Hamstring, Berserker Rage. Don’t have yet: Whirlwind, Execute, Bladestorm.

ST:   Charge → Mortal Strike → Slam → MS on CD → Slam filler → Heroic Strike if rage > 50
AoE:  Charge → Sweeping Strikes (if specced) → MS → Cleave spam
CD:   Recklessness on bosses (5 min CD)

Level 40–44

New: Whirlwind (36), Pummel (38), Execute (42 — only sub-20% target HP). Most rotation upgrade of the leveling experience.

ST:   Charge → MS → WW → Slam → MS on CD → WW on CD → Slam filler
      sub-20%: Execute spam between MS
AoE:  Sweeping Strikes → MS → WW → Cleave between
CD:   Recklessness, Pummel for interrupts (replaces Shield Bash for DPS specs)

Level 45–49

New: Sudden Death talent (Arms tier 8) — random Execute procs at any boss HP. Game-changer.

ST:   MS → Execute (on Sudden Death proc!) → WW → Slam → MS on CD
      Always press Execute on proc, even at 100% boss HP — it's free damage
AoE:  Sweeping Strikes + WW → Cleave → MS
CD:   Recklessness every boss

Level 50–54

New: Heroic Throw (50, ranged opener), Spell Reflection (50, big vs casters), Intervene (50).

ST:   Open with Heroic Throw at max range → Charge → MS → WW → Sudden Death Execute
      Sustained: MS → Slam → WW → MS → Overpower (if Taste for Blood proc)
AoE:  Same as 45-49
CD:   Recklessness, Spell Reflection on caster bosses (HoR Phantom Mages, MgT Kael'thas)

Level 55–59

New: No new spells, but talents fill out — Bladestorm is 1 level away. Build up to it.

ST:   MS → Sudden Death Execute → WW → Slam → MS on CD
AoE:  Sweeping Strikes → WW → Cleave; save it for big trash pulls
CD:   Recklessness; pre-position cooldowns for the level 60 unlock

Level 60–64

New: Bladestorm (51-pt Arms capstone). 6-sec channeled AoE, immune to disable, 1.5 min CD. The single biggest DPS jump in your career.

ST:   MS → Sudden Death Execute → WW → Slam → MS on CD
      Bladestorm as a DPS CD when boss has no add waves
AoE:  Sweeping Strikes → Bladestorm (3+ mobs) → WW → Cleave
CD:   Recklessness + Bladestorm together = burst window

Fury swap-point: at 60, Fury also unlocks Titan’s Grip. If you respec, your rotation becomes Bloodthirst → WW → Slam (Bloodsurge proc only) → HS rage dump. BT replaces MS, no Bladestorm, but bigger raw damage from dual 2H.

Level 65–69

New: Talent depth — Improved Mortal Strike, Bloodsurge (Fury) deepens. No new abilities.

ST:   Identical to 60-64; gear scaling is the upgrade
AoE:  Bladestorm whenever 3+ mobs and CD is up
CD:   Recklessness on opener; Bladestorm on second pull or boss burst

Level 70–74

New: Glyph slot 3 unlocks at 70. Run Glyph of Mortal Strike + Execution + Rending.

ST:   MS → Sudden Death Execute → WW → Slam → MS → Bladestorm as DPS CD
      Refresh Rend every 21s for the glyph bonus damage
AoE:  Sweeping Strikes + Bladestorm on cooldown
CD:   Recklessness on every boss; Bladestorm twice per dungeon minimum

Level 75–79

New: Final talent rounding. No new abilities, but stats start mattering — hit/expertise.

ST:   Same priority. Watch for whites missing — start gearing for hit cap (8%)
AoE:  Bladestorm + Sweeping Strikes; you should be the AoE damage leader
CD:   Recklessness opener every boss

Level 80 (cap)

New: Glyph slot 3 minor at 80. Stat caps now apply.

Pre-pot:  Potion of Speed at "1" of countdown
Opener:   Heroic Throw → Charge → Recklessness + Berserker Rage
          → MS → Bladestorm → Sudden Death Execute → WW → Slam
Sustain:  MS (4s CD) → Overpower proc → Sudden Death Execute → WW → Slam → HS at >60 rage
Sub-20%:  Execute spam, MS on CD, Bladestorm if up
AoE:      Sweeping Strikes → Bladestorm → WW → Cleave; Whirlwind glyphed to 8s CD

Stat priority at 80: Hit 8% (263) → Expertise 26 → Strength → ArmorPen → Crit → Haste.

Cooldowns at every level

Cooldown	Available	Rule
Recklessness	1 (passive); pre-talent at 30	Open every boss. 5 min CD.
Berserker Rage	32	Fear immunity (Bronjahm, Loken). Generates rage with talent.
Bladestorm	60	Trash 3+ OR boss DPS CD. 1.5 min.
Sweeping Strikes	~25 (talent)	Every AoE pull. 30 sec CD.
Death Wish (Fury)	~30 (talent)	Pair with Recklessness. 3 min.

What ruins DPS at every level

1. Heroic Strike below 30 rage. Replaces white swings, starves your specials. Above 50 rage = HS, below = nothing.
2. Forgetting Sudden Death procs. Once you have it (45+), Execute is always live. Watch the proc icon.
3. Bladestorm on 1-2 mobs. Save for 3+ adds or single-target boss burst.
4. Standing in things during Bladestorm. You can’t move out — position first, then channel.