As of Patch 3.3 “Ways of War”, each of the seven martial classes plays through its own signature resource loop instead of the old “attack and self-buff” pattern. This page explains how they work. (The spellcasting and hybrid classes — Magician, Warlock, Necromancer, Minstrel, Tamer, Hexblade, Mimic, Runesmith — already have their own systems and are unchanged.)

The shared rules

• Every martial class has a resource that fills as you fight, shown on a live meter above your hotbar in combat.
• Combat-only, and it resets between fights. The meter clears once a fight has been idle for about 30 seconds, so it never carries into the next battle — there is nothing to hoard or grind.
• It builds through normal play — landing hits, or (for some classes) taking them. Weapon Artes, spells, Attunements, Crossroads and Traits all still work exactly as before; this is an added layer.
• You spend the resource through one of your existing class abilities, which has been re-tuned for the new role.

Fighter — Momentum

Resource: Momentum, 0–5. Builds +1 per landed attack.
While held: +8% attack damage per Momentum (a full 5 = +40%).
Spender — Momentum Breaker: consumes all Momentum in one blow for +35% damage per point. Hold for sustained pressure, or dump for a spike.

Gladiator — Rage

Resource: Rage, 0–100. Builds +15 per hit landed and +25 per hit taken.
While held: up to about +40% damage at full Rage (roughly +0.4% per point).
Spender — Wide Cleave: requires 60+ Rage; consumes all of it for a massive cleave.

Paladin — Aegis

Resource: Aegis, 0–100. Builds by taking hits.
While held: at 40+ Aegis, you take 15% less damage from all sources.
Spender — Divine Judgment: releases your banked Aegis as holy damage that scales with how much Aegis you stored. The more you tanked, the harder you smite back.

Lancer — Skyleap

Resource: an Airborne state (not a meter).
How it works: use Skyleap to become Airborne, then on your next turn use Falcon Dive for a plunging strike at ×3 damage that cannot miss. If you do not Dive, the state lapses. A turn of setup for a guaranteed, unavoidable spike.

Archer — Marks

Resource: Marks, 0–5, applied to your target. Builds +1 per landed attack.
Spender — Storm of Arrows: consumes every Mark, firing one arrow per Mark — a full five-Mark volley is a hail of damage. Set up, then detonate.

Rogue — Combo

Resource: Combo Points, 0–5. Builds +1 per landed attack.
Spender — Shadowstrike: spends your Combo Points for a burst (+20% per point), with +120% extra damage against any enemy below 25% HP. The only martial with a true execute.

Pugilist — Chi

Resource: Chi, 0–10. Builds fastest of any class, +2 per landed attack.
Spenders (your choice):

• Storm of Fists — a flurry that adds one extra strike per 2 Chi (offence).
• Inner Fire — channels Chi into recovery, healing 3% of max HP per Chi (survival).

The only martial that can flex its resource between damage and staying alive, mid-fight.

A note on balance

These systems launched in Patch 3.3 and their numbers may be tuned as they are seen in live play. The intent is seven warriors that each feel powerful in their own distinct way.