Defensive Stance

Defensive Stance
Defensive Stance 1.5 sec cooldown Instant A tanking combat stance that decreases damage taken by 20%, increases threat generation, and generates 1 Rage every 3 sec while in combat. Improved Defensive Stance (Level 92+) Defensive Stance now increases your armor by 10% and reduces damage taken by an additional 5%.
Usable by
Class	Warrior
Properties
Type	Utility
School	Physical
Casting time	Instant
Cooldown	1.5 sec
Level required	9
Related buff
Defensive Stance A tanking combat stance that reduces damage taken and increases threat generated.
TCG image

• Defensive Stance
• Instant
• A tanking combat stance that decreases damage taken by 20%, increases threat generation, and generates 1 Rage every 3 sec while in combat.
  
  Improved Defensive Stance (Level 92+)
  Defensive Stance now increases your armor by 10% and reduces damage taken by an additional 5%.

Defensive Stance is a core warrior ability learned at level nine. It is the second stance learned by warriors, and is considered essential for warriors who tank. While decreasing damage taken, it increases threat generation and generates one rage every three seconds while in combat.

Modified by

• Glyph of the Subtle Defender

Talents

• Gladiator's Resolve

Protection abilities

• Unwavering Sentinel

Notes

Defensive Stance is a cautious back-footed stance that allows warriors to react more efficiently to incoming attacks, and better utilize the sheer immensity of armor available. The slower, more deliberate nature of the stance makes it difficult to inflict as much damage. This style of fighting lends itself to shield use with main-handed weapons for the most effect, but can be successfully used with any type of weapon to a lesser degree.

Tips

• A must for main tank work, the damage reduction, increased threat, and rage generation make all the difference when working in a group.

• This stance does have some place in solo work. If a fight looks like it could go either way, a stance swap to Defensive will more often than not allow the warrior to survive long enough to finish the job.

• Under normal circumstances, however, it is an unnecessarily slow way to go one-on-one vs solo mobs, and [Battle Stance] or Gladiator Stance would achieve the same effect in a shorter time, with minimal extra risk.

• In PvP, this stance is less helpful because combat is generally decided by who can cause the most critical hits and stun or fear effects in as short a time as possible. Survivability usually comes second to "Shock and Awe". Use Defensive Stance only briefly if you wish to reduce damage that you know will come soon.

Removed quests

Note: These quests are no longer associated with this particular mob/NPC/item.

This ability was gained through completing one of several quests:

• [10] Vejrek in Ironforge
• [10] Vorlus Vilehoof in Darnassus
• [10] Bartleby's Mug in Stormwind
• [10] Strength of One in Azuremyst Isle
• [10] Path of Defense in The Barrens
• [10] Ulag the Cleaver in Tirisfal Glades

You could only have one of these quests at a time, as their rewards are identical skills.

Patch changes

• Patch 6.2.0 (23-Jun-2015): Improved Defensive Stance now also decreases damage taken by 5%.
  
• Patch 6.1.0 (24-Feb-2015): Improved Defensive Stance now increases armor by 10% (up from 5%).
  
• Patch 6.0.2 (14-October-2014): Defensive Stance now reduces damage taken by 20% (down from 25%).; Defensive Stance for Arms Warriors now generates 50% as much Rage from auto-attacks as in Battle Stance.
  
• Patch 5.3.0 (21-May-2013): Defensive Stance now decreases damage taken by 25%, up from 15%.
  
• Patch 5.2.0 (5-Mar-2013): Defensive Stance now reduces damage by 15% (was 25%).
  
• Patch 4.3.0 (29-Nov-2011): Threat generated by classes in active tanking modes has been increased to 500% damage done, up from 300%. This applies to druids in Bear Form, death knights in Blood Presence, warriors in Defensive Stance, and paladins with Righteous Fury active.
  
• / Patch 4.0.1 (12-Oct-2010): Now increases threat by 200% and decreases damage taken by 10%. It is available at level 10 for 6 46
  
• Patch 3.1.0 (14-Apr-2009): Now reduces damage caused by the warrior by 5% (previously 10%).
  
• / Patch 3.0.2 (14-Oct-2008): Defensive Stance now increases threat by 45%.
  

See also

• Grey Iron Weapons quest chain
• Weapons of Elunite quest chain

External links

• Wowhead
• Thottbot
• WoWDB