How to Get Defensive Stance as a Warrior in WoW: Forever (Level 10 Quest for Every Race)

If you hit level 10 as a Warrior in World of Warcraft: Forever and went looking for Defensive Stance at your trainer, you won't find it. Just like in Classic, the stance is a level 10 class quest – and the same quest also teaches Sunder Armor and Taunt, the two other tools every tanking Warrior needs. Each race has its own version, and Forever adds a brand-new one for the Skyborne.

This guide covers Warriors of every race, Alliance and Horde. It's checked against World of Warcraft: Forever as live on November 11, 2026.

Quick overview

What's new in Forever: the Skyborne quest, and a stronger stance. Forever's Defensive Stance tooltip spells out a big threat bonus on top of the usual 10% less damage taken and 10% less damage done. No hotfixes or known issues have touched these quests since launch.

Human: Bartleby's Mug

1. A Warrior's Training. Lyria Du Lac in Goldshire sends you to Harry Burlguard in the Pig and Whistle Tavern in Stormwind's Old Town. You can also go there directly at 10.
2. Bartleby the Drunk. Harry wants his mug back from Bartleby, who's drinking in the same tavern.
3. Beat Bartleby. He won't hand it over – you have to win a fight against him. Start the fight at full health.
4. Bartleby's Mug. Take the mug to Harry Burlguard to learn the three abilities.

Dwarf and Gnome: Vejrek

1. Muren Stormpike. Granis Swiftaxe, the Warrior trainer in Kharanos, sends you to Muren Stormpike in Ironforge.
2. Vejrek. Muren wants the head of Vejrek, a troll in a hut in the foothills south of Frostmane Hold: /way 27.8 58.0 VejrekCopy The quest is level 11, so go in at full health and pull carefully.
3. Return to Muren Stormpike with Vejrek's Head to learn the abilities.

Night Elf: Vorlus Vilehoof

1. Elanaria. Kyra Windblade in Dolanaar sends you to Elanaria in Darnassus.
2. Vorlus Vilehoof. Elanaria asks you to defeat Vorlus Vilehoof in Teldrassil: /way 47.3 63.6 Vorlus VilehoofCopy
3. Return to Elanaria with proof of the kill to learn the abilities.

Skyborne: The Skybreaker Bulwark (new)

Skyborne Warriors of both factions have their own Forever-only quest on Zephras Isle. Seena Skybreaker, the Warrior trainer in the Hall of Arms in Valanaar, gives The Skybreaker Bulwark. She sends you to the Shrine of Akir, north of Valanaar, to defeat Zaal Stormshield and recover the Skybreaker Bulwark. Zaal casts Shield Wall, which cuts his damage taken sharply for a few seconds – use that window to heal up or reposition instead of burning cooldowns into it. Bring the Bulwark back to Seena to learn the abilities.

Undead: Ulag the Cleaver

1. Speak with Dillinger. Austil de Mon, the Warrior trainer in Brill, sends you to Deathguard Dillinger in Brill.
2. Ulag the Cleaver. Dillinger sends you to the mausoleum north of Brill. Activate the skull stone by the mausoleum to release Ulag the Cleaver, then kill him.
3. Report to Dillinger to learn the abilities.

Tauren, Orc and Troll: Path of Defense

1. Veteran Uzzek. Your Warrior trainer – Krang Stonehoof in Bloodhoof Village, Sorek in Orgrimmar or Tarshaw Jaggedscar in Razor Hill (/way 54.2 42.5 Tarshaw JaggedscarCopy) – sends you to Veteran Uzzek in the Barrens. He stands by a tree a little south-west of Far Watch Post, not inside the post itself.
2. Path of Defense. Uzzek wants 5 Singed Scales. They drop from the Lightning Hides and thunder lizards at Thunder Ridge – which is in Durotar, not the Barrens. Cross the bridge from Far Watch Post into Durotar and head north.
3. Return to Uzzek to learn the abilities.

Rewards

Most races also get an optional follow-up that ends in a class weapon – Haggard's weapons for Humans (Marshal Haggard and Dead-tooth Jack), the Grey Iron Weapons chain for Dwarves, Weapons of Elunite for Night Elves, the Heirloom Weapon for Undead and Thun'grim's weapons at Thorn Hill for Horde in the Barrens. They're good upgrades at this level.

Common mistakes

• Waiting at the trainer. Defensive Stance is not trained at level 10 – you have to do the quest.
• Hunting lizards in the wrong zone. Path of Defense's scales come from Thunder Ridge in Durotar.
• Using retail coordinates. Modern WoW moved several of these NPCs and maps. Use Forever/Classic coordinates.
• Fighting at half health. Bartleby, Vejrek, Ulag and Zaal are all tougher than regular mobs. Eat first.
• Skipping it because you're DPS. Sunder Armor and Taunt are useful for every Warrior, and you'll need Defensive Stance for dungeons the moment your group lacks a tank.

Video walkthrough

More Warrior quests

Your next big Warrior quest is the level 30 Whirlwind weapon – see How to Get the Whirlwind Axe in WoW: Forever. All our class quests and zone routes are on the WoW: Forever quests page.