Windwalker PvE Guide

Talent Builds

There is a lot of flexibility with talents, so if you prefer a different setup or like to change a talent here or there then you can likely do that without dramatically lowering your damage. It’s a game, play what you’d like.

Abilities

Instructions

Windwalkers generally prioritize our abilities by how much damage they do and the resources (Chi, energy, execution time) that they cost. There are a couple of general goals while playing Windwalker that should help with the bigger picture before diving into the priority lists below:

• Use damaging abilities with cooldowns as soon as you can once they are off cooldown, following the priority below for the order in which to do so. This is generally about shorter cooldown core damage abilities like Rising Sun Kick. For longer damage boosting cooldowns like Storm, Earth, and Fire, see Ability Usage Notes below, though as a general rule of thumb for all of WoW, you want to stack your major cooldowns together.
• Do not overcap things. This includes Chi, Energy, and buffs such as Teachings of the Monastery stacks, if talented. You want to spend these resources before they would overcap. For Chi, this means “don’t use Chi generators if they would put you over your maximum Chi.” For Energy, this means “spend energy before it fills up.” For Teachings of the Monastery and other buffs (Blackout Kick!, Dance of Chi-Ji), see Ability Usage Notes below, but it generally means “spend these buffs before doing something that may generate them again.”
• Do not break mastery. Simple as that, do not repeat the same ability twice in a row. For a full list of what counts for mastery, see here. There are currently no situations where it is worth it to break mastery as there have been in the past.

Following these rules is the largest part of playing Windwalker. You may notice that “always be casting” is not one of our core tenets, as you are only pressing something if it aligns with these rules (something comes off cooldown, you are close to capping energy, etc). This means that as a natural consequence of following these, you may not always fill every GCD. WINDWALKER IS A SPEC WITH NATURAL DOWNTIME. This is not an indication that you are playing incorrectly or that you need more Haste (which will not really affect this). To execute these rules in the most efficient way, follow the priorities below with the goal of never using something lower in the list if it will delay something higher in the list.

Cooldowns

As said above, the safest bet is to use things as close to their cooldown as possible. However, if you can use most cooldowns at the same time without losing a cast of them, you’ll get the most out of them. You can read more about it in this article by Talby.

• Bonedust Brew – Use on AOE packs, preferably with other DPS cooldowns. DO NOT JUST SPAM Spinning Crane Kick DURING THIS! Due to the relatively low power of Bonedust Brew and Spinning Crane Kick compared to the past, it is not worth losing the damage bonus from Mastery. It’s even less worth it since we take Hit Combo in nearly every talent build.
• Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger – Use on cooldown, pair it with other DPS cooldowns like  Storm, Earth, and Fire if delaying it will not lose you a cast throughout the fight. If you don’t know if it will or not, then use on cooldown as the safest strategy.
• Serenity – See the priority lists below for more info, but the general goals are:
  • Get as many Rising Sun Kick as you can inside the window
  • Don’t worry about Chi/Energy
  • Clip Fists of Fury if Rising Sun Kick is up (by pressing Rising Sun Kick on the next GCD)
  • Try to use Fists of Fury at the last second to snapshot the free cost
  • Hold Serenity to sync up with Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger unless the remaining time in the fight means you will get an extra cast of Serenity by not waiting.
• Storm, Earth, and Fire – Used close to on cooldown while lining up with other abilities and damage bonuses. Also useful to easily tag targets for increased  Spinning Crane Kick damage. Don’t sit on 2 charges, always have it recharging.
• Summon White Tiger Statue – Mostly a “use on cooldown” button, easiest way is to macro it with an @cursor and use it as you’re running to the targets.
• Touch of Death​ – Use when it can be triggered. If you are looking to really min/max, you can make sure to only use it when it will kill the target, as this can do a maximum of 100% of your HP as damage instead of the 35% it normally does to boss targets. If using a full build centered around this with Forbidden Technique and Fatal Flying Guillotine, ideally you pull a large pack of mobs and get a single target to low HP to be able to use it on them, which cleaves to the rest of the pack. Then, you target the lowest HP remaining mob and repeat within 5 seconds (using another spell between them to keep up mastery).
• Touch of Karma – Although technically a defensive ability, it can provide offensive power. Best used as frequently as you can get as much damage absorbed as possible.

Priority Lists

The lists below assume you are doing what you need to do to avoid capping resources and using above cooldowns appropriately.

Openers

Use these ability orders to start pulls, these may change frequently over time. If you are starting a pull with more Chi, such as in M+, then simply skip the steps that get you to the necessary Chi level. See the Trinkets section further down for how on use trinkets may change your opener. Note that trinkets are NOT affected by the crit buff from Skyreach, but ARE affected byFaeline Harmony. 

Ability Usage Notes

• Blackout Kick – Generally used between other abilities to “dump” excess resources.
  • Teachings of the Monastery – Use Blackout Kick as usual UNLESS you are at 3 stacks, then it moves up the priority. DO NOT OVERCAP STACKS.
• Blackout Kick! (Free Proc) – Used before you would potentially generate another proc.
• Chi Burst – When not using Faeline Stomp, just use this as filler whenever you have room according to the priority. When using Faeline Stomp, you usually would rather use this for nearly guaranteed resets when you need to refresh the Faeline Harmony debuff (Fae Exposure) or reposition your Faeline. You can do this by casting Chi Burst into as many targets as possible (e.g., your raid or a big pack of mobs) while standing in the Faeline.
• Expel Harm – Damage based on the healing it does, healing amount is based on your health, but because it generates Chi for very little Energy, just use it on cooldown when you have room for the Chi it generates.
• Faeline Stomp – Used to keep up the Faeline Harmony debuff (Fae Exposure) as much as possible. This debuff does not stack, so even if you get a reset, there’s no need to stomp again until you want to refresh the debuff. For a pretty high chance of a reset, you can use Chi Burst into as many targets as possible (e.g., your raid or a big pack of mobs) while standing in the Faeline. Faeline Harmony affects pretty much all sources of damage, including trinkets, so you want to use it before those in your opener. Note that trinkets are NOT affected by the crit buff from Skyreach.
• Fists of Fury – Most of the time, cancelling the channel (whether it be intentionally or accidentally) is a dps loss. During Serenity, the chi cost is removed as a factor which makes it worth “clipping”, or using your next ability as soon as the gcd allows.
  • Transfer the Power – Use Fists of Fury as usual, pretend this doesn’t exist, don’t aim to get to any stack count before a cast or anything like that.
• Hit Combo and Mastery – Generally, any ability that directly deals damage both benefits from and continues Mastery and  Hit Combo, as well as a few that don’t directly deal damage. For a full list, see here. Currently, there are no cases where we want to break Mastery that would outweigh its damage bonus.
• Rushing Jade Wind – If you are talented into it, then you do not have to keep it up 100% of the time, use it at its place in the priority and let it do damage for you while you do other abilities. Think of it as a strong filler, not a maintained buff.
• Spinning Crane Kick – Casting another spell does not interrupt the channel of Spinning Crane Kick, with the exception of anything that is a cast/channel (Fists of Fury, Chi Burst, Crackling Jade Lightning, Vivify, or another Spinning Crane Kick, which you cannot cast anyway while already channeling Spinning Crane Kick unless you use a specific macro to do so). You can cast your next spell as soon as the GCD is up and not interrupt Spinning Crane Kick as long as it is not one of the abilities mentioned, except Expel Harm which cannot be cast during the channel at all. For when to use this spell in general, follow the AoE priority above.
  • Dance of Chi-Ji – It is best to use the proc on  Spinning Crane Kick quickly to prevent overwriting a proc.
• Strike of the Windlord – Use on cooldown unless a damage amplifier is happening in the near future (5 seconds at max)
  • Thunderfist – Changes how you use Strike of the Windlord, so it is worth delaying Strike of the Windlord until add spawns if they would otherwise spawn while its on cooldown.

Gearing

Stats

Agility > Versatility = Critical Strike > Mastery > Haste

Stat priority can change for your character depending on your current gear and stats. Stat weights are largely an outdated thought. Sim the gear you have through Top Gear. If you’re looking for what gear to aim for, use Droptimizer.

Embellishments

The best option for embellishments is Slimy Expulsion Boots + a Toxified Armor Patch on another item. Note that the Toxified Armor Patch can be applied to any crafted leather armor, so just craft leather items that have the most value to you. For many people, a crafted leather Chest will be the biggest upgrade, but prioritize getting your 4p tier set bonus. If you have a tier chest, you can craft bracers or belt, or more likely just catalyze another tier slot instead.

Crafting Priority:

1. Slimy Expulsion Boots
2. An item with Toxified Armor Patch on another slot, like Chest, Bracers or Belt
3. An item with Alchemical Flavor Pocket (does not count towards the 2 embellishment limit), or just any other item slot you could use an upgrade in, like rings

As always, sim yourself to see exact numbers for your own character.

Weapons and 1H vs 2H

TL;DR: Generally, dual wielding wins for now with full enchants and consumables. It is likely that later in the expansion, 2 handed weapons will pull ahead. In season 2, though:

Djaruun (Mythic) > Forgestorm + Crawg >= Djaruun (Heroic 441) > Dual Wielding Regular Weapons > 2 Handed Weapons

For specific situations or item level gaps, sim your character’s options with Raidbot’s Top Gear Tool.

While we are still not at the point where 2 handed weapons generally win over dual wielding, there is a now a special case: Djaruun. At a mythic item level, this will beat all other available options. After that, the heroic version fully upgraded is more or less equal to dual wielding the max item level version of Forgestorm alongside Crawg. After that, normal 1 handed weapons still beat out 2 handers. For any more specific situations, like item level or stat differences, you will need to sim. As always, the best way to tell what is best for your character is to use Raidbot’s Top Gear Tool for the most specific and accurate results.

Gems

Use Raidbot’s Top Gear Tool for the most specific and accurate results for your character. In general, it will usually follow the stat priority above.

A special note: Don’t forget you can use Tiered Medallion Setting to put up to 3 gem slots on any neck!

Enchants

• Weapon –
  • (Double) Enchant Weapon – Shadowflame Wreathe (Raid)
  • (Double) Enchant Weapon – Sophic Devotion (M+)
• Cloak – Enchant Cloak – Graceful Avoidance
• Chest –  Enchant Chest – Waking Stats
• Bracers – Enchant Bracer – Devotion of Avoidance
• Boots – Enchant Boots – Watcher’s Loam
• Ring – Enchant Ring – Devotion of Versatility as a general recommendation, or sim for your character through Top Gear.
• Armor Kit – Fierce Armor Kit (functionally an enchant)
• Belt – Shadowed Belt Clasp

Trinkets

The easiest thing is to look at the lists on BloodMallet. They’re lists based on the sim profiles.

As always, sim your options to see what’s best for you in particular.

• As a general rule of thumb, our best trinkets for all content seem to be coming from raid: Bomb Dispenser and Beacon to the Beyond. Elementium Pocket Anvil is also a decent option, especially for mythic+ due to its increasing value over time.
  
• Dungeon trinkets worth mentioning are Homeland Raid Horn, Mark of Dargrul, Mutated Magmammoth Scale.

Note on trinket usage

Faeline Harmony currently still buffs direct-damage trinkets (such as all of the aforementioned recommendations), which makes it highly worth holding the cast until after Faeline Stomp. Note that trinkets are NOT affected by the crit buff from Skyreach. Additionally, certain trinkets have a cast time or a channeled cast (notably Beacon to the Beyond and Manic Grieftorch) which can be started during the global cooldown and may or may not be hasted (Beacon). A sample opener with a hasted channel/cast would look like this:

1. 1. Faeline Stomp
   2. Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger (to activate Invoker’s Delight)
   3. Beacon to the Beyond at the same time as Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger
   4. Tiger Palm
   5. Serenity
   6. rest of Serenity opener

Or, with an unhasted channel/cast:

1. 1. Faeline Stomp
   2. Manic Grieftorch at the same time as Faeline Stomp
   3. Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger
   4. Tiger Palm
   5. Serenity
   6. rest of Serenity opener

Other trinkets, such as Irideus Fragment, provide a buff to primary or secondary stats. These trinkets should be activated after popping all cooldown, and right before the first damaging ability. Example:

1. 1. Faeline Stomp
   2. Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger
   3. Tiger Palm
   4. Serenity
   5. Irideus Fragment at the same time as Serenity
   6. rest of Serenity opener

The remaining category of trinket, namely instant-cast direct damage trinkets such as Dragonfire Bomb Dispenser and Homeland Raid Horn, should be cast after Faeline Stomp without interfering with the above (if used together).

“Best-in-Slot”

Sim the gear you have through Top Gear. If you’re looking for what gear to aim for, use Droptimizer.

Seal of Diurna’s Chosen

For Windwalkers, the Seal from Eranog in Vault of the Incarnates is still powerful at mythic item level, mostly if you already have one with a socket (note that you cannot get a season 1 socket item anymore, or use a season 2 socket item on this). In single target specifically, it can beat any regular ring even at the highest item levels available in season 2 (447 with a socket). For any other situations, just sim whatever options you have available.

Miscellaneous

Consumables

• Phial – Iced Phial of Corrupting Rage for all content, or Phial of Tepid Versatility for a nearly equal but slightly tankier option
• Potion – Elemental Potion of Ultimate Power
• Food – Grand Banquet of the Kalu’ak/Hoard of Draconic Delicacies, Deviously Deviled Eggs, or Fated Fortune Cookie
• Weapon Enhancement –  Buzzing Rune

Racials

Currently, all races sim within a small range of each other and reshuffle constantly. Other than that, pick whatever race you prefer.

Professions

Professions have no bearing on your ability to perform your role. Pick whatever will make your playing time easier and more enjoyable. As a starting point, many players take Engineering and/or Alchemy for some small perks.

WeakAuras

WeakAuras are ways to show things on your screen in a customized and personalized way. The best WeakAuras are the ones that you set up for yourself specific to your style and needs. However, many people have already made ones for themselves to share, so check them out and use them as bases to customize your own.

WAGO.IO

No WeakAuras are “required” but some are very useful:

• Babylonius’s WeakAura Suite – WeakAura group created by Babylonius (author of this guide), aimed at having all you need to play Windwalker.
• Last Ability Tracker – Tracks the last ability you used in order to minimize mistakes with Mastery. Turns red when a mistake is made, turns blue when an ability is dodged, parried, or misses.
• Jeremy’s Magic Rotation Helper – Works similar to Hekili, but uses dynamically updating math to tell you what to press.
• Touch of Karma Absorb Remaining – Tracks the duration of Touch of Karma and the amount of shield left to absorb.
• Mark of the Crane Stacks – Tracks the amount of Mark of the Crane debuffs you have out.
• Mark of the Crane Duration Tracker – Tracks your current Marks of the Crane up on enemies in a single bar with sparks for each mark. Also available in a multi-bar version with individual bars.
• Diffuse Magic – Gives you a warning when you have a debuff on you that can be dispelled or reflected using Diffuse Magic in Mythic/Mythic+ dungeons.
• Skyreach Tracker – Tracks the buff and subsequent debuff from the Skyreach talent.

Here are some additional Plater things

• Babylonius’s Plater profile – Just tracks Mark of the Crane
• Mark of the Crane tracking plugin – Changes the color of the nameplate if it has the MotC debuff.

Macros

Don’t Clip FoF

#showtooltip Tiger Palm
/stopmacro [channeling:Fists of Fury]
/cast Tiger Palm

Change Tiger Palm to whatever ability you want. This macro prevents you from cancelling the channel of Fists of Fury early and missing a tick of damage. It is recommended to use this on your main rotational abilities. If you are using Last Emperor’s Capacitor, you may want to add this line in the middle for the same effect for Crackling Jade Lightning:

/stopmacro [channeling:Crackling Jade Lightning]

Using Invoke Xuen in a Castsequence Macro

Normally, Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger cannot be used in a castsequence macro due to the comma in the name. However, there is a workaround that will allow you to, as an example from Shadowlands, combine Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger and Weapons of Order into a single macro. Note that you still have to press this twice, since they are both on the GCD:

#showtooltip

/cast [nopet] Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger

/cast [pet] Weapons of Order

Shared Buttons

If you’d like for two talents to be on the same keybinding and change whether or not you know one of them, then use this:

#showtooltip
/cast [known:Chi Burst] Chi Burst;
/cast [known:Chi Wave] Chi Wave;

or this:

#showtooltip

/cast [known:137639] Storm, Earth, and Fire;

/cast [known:152173] Serenity;

Simply change out the ability so it looks like this: /cast [known: Talent A] Talent A; Talent B

You can either use the spell name in the known condition or the spell ID (which you need addons to see in your UI), but spell names with commas such as “Storm, Earth, and Fire” or “Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger” cannot be used and will require the id.

Changelog

• May 4, 2023 – Updated for 10.1
• Mar 24, 2023 – Onyx Annulet Updates
• Nov 26, 2022 – Guide created for Dragonflight