Since the latest patch (cross server heirlooms) i have been leveling two characters, a warrior tank and a paladin tank.
Currently both characters are nearing Cataclysm levels, but i must say i find the Warrior tank's AoE capabilities to be very poor when compared to the Paladin tank's AoE.
Tank warrior has:
- Thunderclap (6 sec cooldown)
- Shockwave (20-40 sec cooldown)
Cleave and Revenge only affect 2 (or 3) targets, so i really don't count them as a true AoE spell.
Tank paladin has:
- Hammer of the Righteous (4 second cooldown, lowered by haste)
- Consecration (9 second cooldown, lowered by haste)
- Holy Wrath (8 second cooldown, lowered by haste)
- Seal of Righteousness (permanent AoE on every melee attack)
- (lvl90) Holy Prism (20 second cooldown)
Paladins also have the Avenger Shield that has a chance of resetting on every dodge/parry, but since it hits only 3 targets i did not include it in the list.
Not only do paladin tanks have 5 true AoE spells compared to warrior tanks only having 2 true AoE spells, but paladin cooldowns are even lessened by haste from items and buff effects.
I do know that warriors have an aoe taunt, but it is on a pretty damn long cooldown... not to mention that certain dungeons have areas where waves of mobs constantly stream in to attack - and my warrior AoE spells are just on a too long cooldown for me to be able to reliably get threat on these new attackers.
On my paladin i ALWAYS have at least 1 aoe spell ready - it simply can not happen that none of my aoe spells are ready... since by the time i cast the last AoE spell, my first 2-3 AoE spells are already prepared again!
Don't get me wrong, i still like my warrior tank - but when i am running through lvl15 to lvl85 dungeons as a tank, as a warrior tank i am always lacking more AoE attacks.
On my paladin tank, the dungeons that gave me trouble with AoE on my warrior are simply not a problem on my Paladin - i even have Hand of Protection and Hand of Sanctuary (two of each if talented) that can help counter lack of threat, but such a problem simply never happens on my paladin... but my warrior is drowning in AoE threat issues if mobs attack when my thunder clap is not ready...
It often happens that a patrol comes or a party member pulls another mob pack while my Thunderclap/Shockwave are on cooldown - and i am pretty much forced to watch my healer (or dps) just get beaten to death by the newly arrived mobs, simply because i have no AoE buttons to press that would help.
I am kinda hoping that warrior tanks in WoD either get a new low cooldown AoE attack (like druid swipe or paladin hammer of righteous), or perhaps a glyph that makes Thunderclap have 3 (or 4) seconds of cooldown.
ADDITION:
The amount of AoE threat warriors deal is FINE.
However i see a problem in warriors dealing AoE threat only ONCE every 6 seconds, assuming the longer cooldown Banner/Shockwave/Leap is not ready.
Paladins do AoE attacks every ~1 second, essentially being a beacon of constantly pulsing AoE threat - no chance new monsters can go for the healer.
Warriors do 1 TClap AoE every 6 seconds, and are unable to do AoE threat if their Thunder Clap is on cooldown - so mobs can go rampant during those ~6 seconds until your next TClap is ready.