Arms Warrior DPS (3.3.3)

This post is intended to help those not familiar with alot of the Arms Warrior mechanics to get a simple overview

Spec
54/8/0 is the spec

Here's the link: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#LhrcbfIt00bRdGuiohx:msq0
Just cut and paste it. It leaves a few points open for you to choose something extra...
***Note: The Link has Glyphs Already in there for You***

Poleaxe Specialization
This is the typical set of talents to take because the use of Polearms or Axes will benefit you more Crit, which helps to proc good stuff like Wrecking Crew. It also gives you more damage when you do crit, which works together with Trauma. Mace and Sword Specialization arent as popular, but you should go with whatever weapon you happen to be using at the time that deals the most damage.

Weapon Mastery
A double edged talent... it makes it so that you typically will be dodged less (increasing your damage some), but any dodged attack procs the powerful (aptly named) Overpower. Generally, you only want one point at higher levels of gear (if at all)

Improved Slam
You'll be casting Slam as your filler for damage as Arms. Does most excellent on single-target fights.

Improved Execute
If you go with Imp Ex Spec, you'll be using some filler points in the Fury tree, in which case you'll probably want Improved Cleave for trash or AoE situations and the Booming Voice/Commanding Presence talents. Unbridled Wrath is not worth it, because even with this talent... warriors tend to have too much or too little Rage. (See also, Rage Normalization on the Blizzard Forums)

Incite
If you go with the Incite Spec, you'll be going down the Prot tree to get more Rage upfront (from Imp Bloodrage) and better AoE from Imp Thunderclap. You dont want Shield Specialization for obvious reasons!

Stats

Hit: you'll need 8%, or 263 hit rating, 7% if you're a Draenei. This is the 'soft cap'. This makes it so that your 'yellow' hits dont miss. However, since Rage is (in some ways) built by means of how much damage you deal, and you still will be dealing a large amount of 'white' damage, the 'hard cap' would be 11% (10% for Draenei) or 361 hit. The 'hard cap' means neither your 'white' hits nor your 'yellow' hits will ever miss.

Expertise: oddly enough... you dont need to worry about this as Arms. If the boss dodges you, then you get a free ability that, then, cannot be dodged or parried and is almost guaranteed to crit!

Strength: give you all your Attack Power. it's the next most important stat after you're hit capped.

Crit: this triggers a few of your more important abilities, it is much much less useful compared to expertise and Armor Pen.

Armor Pen: getting Armor Pen is alot more useful to get than Crit. Mathematically speaking, it's benefit goes up faster than Crit as you stack it.

Haste: least important stat for you.

Attack Power: you'll get it from strength

Agility: better than haste, but not nearly as good as Strength, Expertise, Crit, or Armor Pen.

Armor: wear plate. You want plate for its armor value; it contributes to your attack power through the Armored to the Teeth talent. =)

Gems

Meta: Relentless (+21 Agil and +3% crit dmg)
Red: Bold (+20 Str) or Fractured (+20 ArPen)
Yellow: Inscribed (+10 Str and +10 Crit), use this only in yellow spaces if the socket bonus nets more Str or Attack Power, otherwise use all Red
Blue: Nightmare Tear (obviously you can only get just one, so put it in a good slot!)

Priority (not a rotation)

1 ) Rend (most important. don't put up a new rend until the old one has completely fallen off)
2 ) Overpower
3 ) Bladestorm
4 ) Mortal Strike
5 ) Execute
6 ) Slam (only if the boss is above 20%, otherwise leave out under 20%)
7 ) Heroic Strike (only use if above 70-95 rage)

For beginning Arms Warriors, cap your expertise.

Although dodged attacks proc Overpower which will be higher dps (top performing Arms Warriors strive to achieve almost zero exp) as mathematically speaking it will result in higher dps. Dodged white attacks will also refund you rage although not the damage.

However, the benefit of capping your expertise is that it simplifies your rotation by a massive amount. You do not have to worry bout a dodge-proc Overpower at all.

This is the prioirty queue if you don't cap ur expertise:

Rend
Dodge-proc Overpower
Overpower that is gonna expire from Taste of Blood
Bladestorm
Mortal Strike
Execute
Overpower that still has time before it expires
Slam

Heroic Strike if over 75 rage.


Thusly, a dodge-proc OP requires you to forgo your current rotation and HIT the Overpower button ASAP. It is definitely for the skilled folks.


Incite Spec is also a complicating factor that i would recommend beginning Arms Warriors to avoid until they have more experience. The sole reason for Incite is to get the +15% crit on Heroic Strike and TC. Thus you will be fitting in Heroic Strikes into your rotation. Although all top-performing Arms Warriors use this spec, it is unadvisable for newer warriors.


Nice and simple overview !
So basically my post is to explain the rationale for NOT capping your expertise and the Incite Spec. The standard no-frills Arms Spec is 54/17/0.