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Protection Warrior Mythic+ PvE Guide for Midnight Pre-Patch

Welcome to Murlok’s Protection Warrior PvE guide for Mythic+ Dungeons in World of Warcraft: Midnight Pre-Patch.

Built using real‑time data from the top 50 Protection Warrior Tanks across the US, EU, KR, and TW regions, this guide highlights the optimal stats, talents, gear, embellishments, enchantments, gems, and races used in Patch 12.0 competitive M+.

Data is refreshed every 8 hours via Blizzard’s Battle.net API to ensure accuracy and up-to-date insights.

Top Mythic+ Protection Warriors

  1. Spokafun's icon
    1
    Spokafun
    Silvermoon (EU)
    Dwarf | Mountain Thane | 169 ilvl
    4293
  2. 헤라래스's icon
    2
    헤라래스
    Windrunner (KR)
    Human | Mountain Thane | 169 ilvl
    4283
  3. Manga's icon
    3
    Manga
    Tarren Mill (EU)
    Dwarf | Mountain Thane | 170 ilvl
    4236
  4. Валкивар's icon
    4
    Валкивар
    Howling Fjord (EU)
    Dwarf | Mountain Thane | 169 ilvl
    4220
  5. Ннечто's icon
    5
    Ннечто
    Howling Fjord (EU)
    Orc | Mountain Thane | 167 ilvl
    4216

Stat Priority

Stats directly affect a Protection Warrior's Tank performance, appearing on gear, consumables, enchantments, and gems.

They have diminishing returns after reaching +20% from gear, so proper balance ensures the best results.

Optimal Secondary Stats

  • 35% Critical Strike +335
  • 42% Haste +457
  • 27% Mastery +120
  • 22% Versatility +311

Stat priority

  1. Haste
  2. Critical Strike
  3. Versatility
  4. Mastery

Additional Minor Stats

  • 2% Avoidance +15
  • 9% Leech +71
  • 4% Speed +0

Stat priority

  1. Leech
  2. Avoidance
  3. Speed

Talent Build

Talents play a major role in Mythic+ Dungeons. The heatmaps below show how frequently each talent is selected among the top Protection Warriors.

  1. Most used talents, strongly recommended!
  2. Frequently used talents, offer flexibility or suit personal preference.
  3. Rarely used talents, usually chosen to unlock deeper rows in the tree.

Best-in-Slot Gear for Mythic+

Gear provides core stat bonuses and typically comes from the Great Vault, crafted items, raids, dungeons, Delves, or PvP vendors.

These items are most frequently used by top-ranked Protection Warriors in Mythic+ Dungeons.

Head

  1. Living Weapon's Faceshield

    • Set
    • 46
    Living Weapon's Faceshield icon

  2. Everforged Helm

    • Craft
    • 3
    Everforged Helm icon

  3. Soaring Behemoth's Greathelm

    • 1
    Soaring Behemoth's Greathelm icon

Neck

  1. Chrysalis of Sundered Souls

    • 19
    Chrysalis of Sundered Souls icon

  2. Amulet of Earthen Craftsmanship

    • 14
    Amulet of Earthen Craftsmanship icon

  3. Cabochon of the Infinite Flight

    • 9
    Cabochon of the Infinite Flight icon

  4. Ornately Engraved Amplifier

    • 4
    Ornately Engraved Amplifier icon

  5. Bloodstained Memento

    • 3
    Bloodstained Memento icon

Shoulders

  1. Living Weapon's Ramparts

    • Set
    • 49
    Living Weapon's Ramparts icon

  2. Reanimator's Pyreforged Shoulders

    • 1
    Reanimator's Pyreforged Shoulders icon

Back

  1. Reshii Wraps

    • 50
    Reshii Wraps icon

Chest

  1. Living Weapon's Bulwark

    • Set
    • 34
    Living Weapon's Bulwark icon

  2. Experimental Goresilk Chestguard

    • 7
    Experimental Goresilk Chestguard icon

  3. Breastplate of Otherworldly Influence

    • 4
    Breastplate of Otherworldly Influence icon

  4. Dark Priest's Carapace

    • 3
    Dark Priest's Carapace icon

  5. Everforged Breastplate

    • Craft
    • 2
    Everforged Breastplate icon

Wrist

  1. Everforged Vambraces

    • 33
    Everforged Vambraces icon

  2. Discarded Nutrient Shackles

    • 6
    Discarded Nutrient Shackles icon

  3. Living Weapon's Manacles

    • 5
    Living Weapon's Manacles icon

  4. Eco-Dome Access Bands

    • 3
    Eco-Dome Access Bands icon

  5. Flameforged Armguard

    • 2
    Flameforged Armguard icon

Hands

  1. Living Weapon's Crushers

    • Set
    • 48
    Living Weapon's Crushers icon

  2. Devourer's Gauntlets

    • 1
    Devourer's Gauntlets icon

  3. Everforged Gauntlets

    • 1
    Everforged Gauntlets icon

Waist

  1. Everforged Greatbelt

    • Craft
    • 34
    Everforged Greatbelt icon

  2. Fresh Ethereal Fetters

    • 4
    Fresh Ethereal Fetters icon

  3. Venture Contractor's Floodlight

    • 4
    Venture Contractor's Floodlight icon

  4. Living Weapon's Chain

    • 3
    Living Weapon's Chain icon

  5. Ultradense Fission Girdle

    • 2
    Ultradense Fission Girdle icon

Legs

  1. Living Weapon's Legguards

    • Set
    • 36
    Living Weapon's Legguards icon

  2. Halkias's Towering Pillars

    • 4
    Halkias's Towering Pillars icon

  3. Quantum Leapers

    • 4
    Quantum Leapers icon

  4. Everforged Legplates

    • 3
    Everforged Legplates icon

  5. Shrapnel-Fused Legguards

    • 3
    Shrapnel-Fused Legguards icon

Feet

  1. Interloper's Plated Sabatons

    • 44
    Interloper's Plated Sabatons icon

  2. Everforged Sabatons

    • 3
    Everforged Sabatons icon

  3. Living Weapon's Sabatons

    • 2
    Living Weapon's Sabatons icon

  4. Devoted Plate Walkers

    • 1
    Devoted Plate Walkers icon

Rings

  1. Ring of Earthen Craftsmanship

    • 31
    Ring of Earthen Craftsmanship icon

  2. Devout Zealot's Ring

    • 16
    Devout Zealot's Ring icon

  3. Signet of Collapsing Stars

    • 15
    Signet of Collapsing Stars icon

  4. Binding of Binding

    • Craft
    • 12
    Binding of Binding icon

  5. Band of the Shattered Soul

    • 8
    Band of the Shattered Soul icon

Trinkets

  1. Brand of Ceaseless Ire

    • 47
    Brand of Ceaseless Ire icon

  2. Astral Antenna

    • 35
    Astral Antenna icon

  3. Improvised Seaforium Pacemaker

    • 13
    Improvised Seaforium Pacemaker icon

  4. Ara-Kara Sacbrood

    • 2
    Ara-Kara Sacbrood icon

  5. Ringing Ritual Mud

    • 2
    Ringing Ritual Mud icon

Main Hand

  1. Blade of Grievous Harm

    • 14
    Blade of Grievous Harm icon

  2. Mandibular Bonewhacker

    • 10
    Mandibular Bonewhacker icon

  3. Factory-Issue Plexhammer

    • 9
    Factory-Issue Plexhammer icon

  4. Shipwrecker's Bludgeon

    • 8
    Shipwrecker's Bludgeon icon

  5. Everforged Longsword

    • Craft
    • 6
    Everforged Longsword icon

Off Hand

  1. Ward of the Weaving-Beast

    • 20
    Ward of the Weaving-Beast icon

  2. Everforged Defender

    • Craft
    • 13
    Everforged Defender icon

  3. Starlit Safeguard

    • 7
    Starlit Safeguard icon

  4. Package Protector

    • 4
    Package Protector icon

  5. Sanctified Priory Wall

    • 3
    Sanctified Priory Wall icon

Embellishments

Embellishments add special effects to crafted gear. Only two can be equipped, so selection is important.

The following embellishments are the most commonly used by high-rated Protection Warriors.

  1. Duskthread Lining

    • 52
    Everforged Vambraces icon

  2. Bind Binding Of Binding

    • 12
    Binding of Binding icon

  3. Dawnthread Lining

    • 12
    Everforged Greatbelt icon

  4. Ascendance

    • 5
    Everforged Longsword icon

  5. Writhing Armor Banding

    • 4
    Everforged Greatbelt icon

Enchantments

Enchantments enhance gear with additional stats or special procs. Most are crafted by Enchanters, leg enchants come from Leatherworkers, and some slot-specific options appear through seasonal content.

These are the top enchantments for Protection Warrior gear in Mythic+ Dungeons during Midnight Pre-Patch.

Head

  1. Incandescent Essence

    • 1
    Incandescent Essence icon

Back

  1. Chant of Leeching Fangs

    • 46
    Chant of Leeching Fangs icon

  2. +15 Leech

    • 2
    +15 Leech icon

  3. Chant of Burrowing Rapidity

    • 1
    Chant of Burrowing Rapidity icon

Chest

  1. Crystalline Radiance

    • 49
    Crystalline Radiance icon

  2. Crystalline Radiance

    • 1
    Crystalline Radiance icon

Wrist

  1. +43 Leech

    • 43
    +43 Leech icon

  2. +35 Leech

    • 2
    +35 Leech icon

  3. +66 Speed

    • 2
    +66 Speed icon

Legs

  1. Stormbound Armor Kit

    • 29
    Stormbound Armor Kit icon

  2. Defender's Armor Kit

    • 20
    Defender's Armor Kit icon

  3. Charged Armor Kit

    • 1
    Charged Armor Kit icon

Feet

  1. Defender's March

    • 35
    Defender's March icon

  2. Scout's March

    • 14
    Scout's March icon

  3. Defender's March

    • 1
    Defender's March icon

Rings

  1. +21 Haste

    • 36
    +21 Haste icon

  2. +21 Versatility

    • 31
    +21 Versatility icon

  3. +21 Critical Strike

    • 20
    +21 Critical Strike icon

Main Hand

  1. Authority of Radiant Power

    • 23
    Authority of Radiant Power icon

  2. Oathsworn's Tenacity

    • 15
    Oathsworn's Tenacity icon

  3. Council's Guile

    • 9
    Council's Guile icon

Off Hand

  1. Oathsworn's Tenacity

    • 1
    Oathsworn's Tenacity icon

Gems

Gems provide focused secondary stat bonuses to help fine‑tune builds. They are crafted by Jewelcrafters and socketed into gear.

Sockets can be added to Necklaces and Rings with the Magnificent Jeweler's Setting , or to other gear through seasonal vendor items.

These are the most popular gems among top‑rated Protection Warriors in Mythic+ Dungeons.

Algari Diamond

  1. Culminating Blasphemite

    • 38
    Culminating Blasphemite icon

  2. Culminating Blasphemite

    • 2
    Culminating Blasphemite icon

  3. Elusive Blasphemite

    • 2
    Elusive Blasphemite icon

  4. Culminating Blasphemite

    • 1
    Culminating Blasphemite icon

Fiber

  1. Pure Dexterous Fiber

    • 28
    Pure Dexterous Fiber icon

  2. Pure Chronomantic Fiber

    • 13
    Pure Chronomantic Fiber icon

  3. Pure Precise Fiber

    • 5
    Pure Precise Fiber icon

  4. Pure Energizing Fiber

    • 2
    Pure Energizing Fiber icon

  5. Chronomantic Fiber

    • 1
    Chronomantic Fiber icon

Prismatic

  1. Quick Sapphire

    • 86
    Quick Sapphire icon

  2. Deadly Sapphire

    • 48
    Deadly Sapphire icon

  3. Deadly Emerald

    • 43
    Deadly Emerald icon

  4. Versatile Emerald

    • 43
    Versatile Emerald icon

  5. Versatile Ruby

    • 36
    Versatile Ruby icon

Most Played Races for Protection Warrior M+

Racial traits can provide noticeable advantages in PvE, giving a competitive edge in Mythic+ Dungeons.

These are the most commonly chosen races among top‑rated Protection Warrior Tank players in Midnight Pre-Patch.

  1. Dwarf

    • 17
    Dwarf icon

  2. Night Elf

    • 12
    Night Elf icon

  3. Human

    • 6
    Human icon

  4. Blood Elf

    • 4
    Blood Elf icon

  5. Orc

    • 2
    Orc icon

Protection Warrior Guide FAQ

Here are answers to common questions about how this guide is built and how to interpret the data.

How is this Mythic+ PvE guide created?

This guide compiles live data from the top Protection Warriors in Mythic+ Dungeons using Blizzard’s Battle.net API .

How often is the information updated?

Data updates every 8 hours.

Why is this guide valuable?

The guide provides real-time build insights, showing exactly what high-ranking players are currently using, helping you make informed decisions for your character.

Is this guide current?

Yes. The guide always reflects the latest information for Midnight Pre-Patch and Patch 12.0.

Is this guide suitable for beginners?

Yes. Beginners can easily identify current trends and optimal setups. However, it does not provide gameplay tutorials.

Why isn’t my character listed in the top rankings?

Reasons may include inactivity, falling below the minimum rating threshold, frequent spec changes, or gear not optimized for PvE.