Windwalker PvE Quick Guide

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This guide is designed to be a basic, quick guide for Windwalker with just the information you need. For more in-depth, advanced, information follow the links to those pages in the “Further Reading” sections or in the “Advanced” section in the menu above. Navigate quickly to the section you need using the sidebar on the right.

This guide has been updated for Patch 9.0 and is regularly updated when discussion, theorycrafting, or testing yields new information.

Talents

General Talents

 

War Mode Talents (General Recommendations for Open World)
In-Depth Talent Guide

 

Ability Priority

Windwalkers operate on a priority system, NOT A ROTATION. This means that you use whatever ability is available that’s highest up in the priority and try not to delay a higher up ability in favor of a lower one. This priority is aimed at minimizing damage loss. For more information on how priorities are generated, read Babylonius’s Understanding Priorities article.

    Single Target

    1. Fist of the White Tiger (Talent) (if less than 3 Chi AND about to cap energy)
    2. Expel Harm (if less than max Chi AND about to cap energy)
    3. Tiger Palm ( if <4 Chi AND about to cap energy)
    4. Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger
    5. Weapons of Order (Kyrian Only)/Bonedust Brew (Necrolord Only)/Fallen Order (Venthyr Only)
    6. Whirling Dragon Punch (Talent)
    7. Spinning Crane Kick (with Dance of Chi-Ji proc)
    8. Faeline Stomp (Night Fae Only)
    9. Rising Sun Kick
    10. Fists of Fury
    11. Touch of Death
    12. Fist of the White Tiger (Talent) (if less than 3 Chi)
    13. Expel Harm (if less than max Chi)
    14. Chi Burst (Talent) (if less than max Chi)
    15. Blackout Kick (Only if it won’t delay Rising Sun Kick or Fists of Fury)
    16. Chi Wave (Talent)
    17. Tiger Palm

     

    Multi-Target

    (At least 3 targets)

    1. Fist of the White Tiger (Talent) (if less than 3 Chi AND about to cap energy)
    2. Expel Harm (if less than max Chi AND about to cap energy)
    3. Tiger Palm ( if <4 Chi AND about to cap energy)
    4. Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger
    5. Weapons of Order (Kyrian Only)/Bonedust Brew (Necrolord Only)/Fallen Order (Venthyr Only)
    6. Whirling Dragon Punch (Talent)
    7. Faeline Stomp (Night Fae Only)
    8. Fists of Fury
    9. Rushing Jade Wind (Talent)
    10. Touch of Death
    11. Expel Harm (if less than max Chi)
    12. Fist of the White Tiger (Talent) (if less than 3 Chi)
    13. Chi Burst (Talent) (if less than max Chi)
    14. Rising Sun Kick (ONLY to enable Whirling Dragon Punch)
    15. Spinning Crane Kick (At least 3 targets regardless of stacks)
    16. Chi Wave (Talent)
    17. Tiger Palm

      

    Opener

    1. Precast Expel Harm 15-20 seconds before pull (to start with 1 Chi)
    2. Precast Chi Burst / Chi Wave to hit after pull
    3. Faeline Stomp (Night Fae Only)
    4. Fallen Order (Venthyr Only)
      – – Use whichever combination of the following will get you to at least 5 Chi, keeping in mind that if you used Chi Burst you are at 2-3 Chi now): – –
    5. Fist of the White Tiger (Talent)
    6. Energizing Elixir (Talent)
    7. Tiger Palm
    8. Expel Harm
    9. – – With 5 Chi: – –
    10. Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger
    11. Weapons of Order (Kyrian Only, alters the rest of the opener. See the Kyrian guide for more info)
    12. Bonedust Brew (Necrolord Only)
    13. Storm, Earth, and Fire
    14. Rising Sun Kick
    15. Tiger Palm  (only if you will cap energy during Fists of Fury)
    16. Fists of Fury
    17. Expel Harm (Tiger Palm if still on cooldown) (only if you are about to cap energy)
    18. Whirling Dragon Punch

     

     

    Ability Usage

    1. 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. This is not normally feasible in a real boss fight.
    2. Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger – Use on cooldown, pair it with other DPS cooldowns like  Storm, Earth, and Fire if you are using the Invoker’s Delight Legendary
    3. Energizing Elixir – Ideally used on cooldown when at 0-1 Chi with  Tiger Palm after, to maximize resource gain.
    4. Storm, Earth, and Fire – Used as 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. Ideally you fit in 2x  Rising Sun Kick, a  Fists of Fury, and a  Whirling Dragon Punch.
    5. Hit Combo and Mastery – Any ability that does damage both benefits from and continues Mastery and  Hit Combo.
    6. Blackout Kick! – Used before you would potentially generate another proc.
    7. Rushing Jade Wind – If you are talented into this, keep it up ONLY when there are 2 or more targets. Be aware of having less resources and make sure you have enough for  Fists of Fury and other important abilities.
    8. 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.
    9. When you have  Dance of Chi-Ji, it is best to use the proc on  Spinning Crane Kick quickly to prevent overwriting a proc.
    10. 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.

     

    Covenant Abilities

    Advanced Tricks

     

    Covenants

    There is almost certainly going to be more tuning going on, despite how horrible of a thing that will be; so don’t feel that you HAVE to choose a Covenant based on sims. They’re a huge part to the expansion and a decision that’s a real PITA to undo, so don’t just blindly follow sims and what gives the highest theoretical DPS.

    Covenant Choice

    If your focus is….

    • Raiding: Kyrian
    • Mythic Plus: Necrolord
    • Both: Night Fae

    Kyrian is the best Covenant for single target and Necrolord in sustained AOE situations, making them the best for their respective contents. However, Night Fae is 2nd in single target and 2nd in AOE, which makes Night Fae the best covenant for people who want to do both at an equal level. You wont’ be 100% optimal for either, but you’ll be close enough for both.

    Link to sims courtesy of Scurch

    Currently Night Fae is simming about 2.24% behind Kyrian in pure single target and 4% behind Necrolord in DungeonSlice. Necrolord is only simming 4.75% behind Kyrian for Single Target and Kyrian is only simming 5.8% behind Necrolord for Dungeon Slice. This means that you can reasonably choose any of the three and not see it dramatically hinder your DPS, although the recommendation will stay Kyrian for Raiding, Necrolord for Mythic Plus, and Night Fae if you’re looking to split both.

    There is almost certainly going to be more tuning going on, despite how horrible of a thing that will be; so don’t feel that you HAVE to choose a Covenant based on sims. They’re a huge part to the expansion and a decision that’s a real PITA to undo, so don’t just blindly follow sims and what gives the highest theoretical DPS.

     

    Soulbinds
    • Raiding: Kyrian – Pelagos
    • Mythic Plus: Necrolord – Bonesmith Heirmir
    • Both: Night Fae – Niya

     

    Single Target
    1. Bone Marrow Hops (Necrolord Only)
    2. Coordinated Offensive
    3. Strike with Clarity (Kyrian Only)
    4. Imbued Reflections (Venthyr Only)
    5. Xuen’s Bond
    6. Inner Fury
    7. Way of the Fae Night Fae Only)
    8. Calculated Strikes

     

    Multi Target
    1. Calculated Strikes 
    2. Bone Marrow Hops (Necrolord Only)
    3. Xuen’s Bond
    4. Strike with Clarity (Kyrian Only)
    5. Way of the Fae (Night Fae Only)
    6. Coordinated Offensive (Only take this if you can keep up MotC stacks while fixating your clones)
    7. Inner Fury
    8. Imbued Reflections (Venthyr Only)
    Conduit Guide

    Kyrian
    Necrolord
    Night Fae
    Venthyr

     

    Legendaries

    Crafting Priority
    1. Invoker’s Delight
    2. Jade Ignition (Multi-Target)
    3. Last Emperor’s Capacitor (Single Target)
    4. Keefer’s Skyreach
    5. Xuen’s Battlegear
    Legendaries Guide

     

    Gearing

    Stats

    Agility > Versatility > Mastery = Critical Strike >> 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.

     

    Dual Wielding vs 2 Handed Weapons

    In general, at equal item levels, dual wielding outperforms a 2 handed weapon by 2-4% when fully enchanted and using all consumables. If you have have a 2 handed weapon of higher item level, or don’t want to enchant your weapons, or have any other scenario, use Raidbot’s Top Gear Tool for the most specific and accurate results. As a rule of thumb, testing very roughly showed somewhere around a 10-20 item level increase before 2 handed weapons started to match the damage of dual wielding, with a larger gap needed at lower item levels and in single target.

     

    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.

     

    Enchants

    Major DPS Enhancing Enchants:

     

    Minor Utility Enchants:

     

    Trinkets

    UNDER CONSTRUCTION 

    “Best-in-Slot”

    The concept of “Best-in-slot” lists is mostly obsolete, although it has “returned” a little bit in Shadowlands. Sim the gear you have through Top Gear. If you’re looking for what gear to aim for, use Droptimizer.

     

    Miscellaneous

    Consumables

     

    Racials

    Currently all races sim within 1.4% of each other and reshuffle constantly. The added utility of Blood Elf’s Arcane Torrent can be useful at times. 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.

    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:

     

    Macros

    Stopcasting Macro

    #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] 

    Talent Swap Macros

    These macros will allow you to have one button that functions for whatever talent you’ve selected at that talent row. This isn’t useful for all talent rows as some take the place of other abilities, or provide massively different functions.

    Tier 1 (Level 15)

    #showtooltip
    /stopmacro [channeling:Fists of Fury]
    /cast [talent:1/1] Eye of the Tiger; [talent:1/2] Chi Wave; [talent:1/3] Chi Burst

    Tier 3 (Level 30)

    #showtooltip
    /stopmacro [channeling:Fists of Fury]
    /cast [talent:3/1] Ascension; [talent:3/2] Fist of the White Tiger; [talent:3/3] Energizing Elixir

    Tier 5 (Level 40)

    #showtooltip
    /cast [talent:5/1] Inner Strength; [talent:5/2] Diffuse Magic; [talent:5/3] Dampen Harm

    Changelog

    • 11/22/2020 = Guide Went Live
    • 11/15/2020 = Guide Created (In Progress)