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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsDeath Knight changes in WoW Patch 3.1 PTR build 9733
by Eliah Hecht 
Mar 27th 2009 at 4:00PM
Although this wasn't the biggest PTR patch in the world (they're coming smaller and faster now, perhaps suggesting that 3.1 is near), there were still some notable changes for my new favorite melee class. The changes for Death Knights are as follows:
-
Frost
- Howling Blast cooldown has been reduced from 10 sec to 8 sec.
- Rime now resets the cooldown on Howling Blast when it procs, in addition to its previous effects.
These Frost changes are a clear buff to deep Frost DPS builds. Which was needed, because nobody plays Frost 2h.
-
Unholy
- Death Strike damage has been lowered, it now deals 60% weapon damage (down from 75%) plus 178.2 (down from 222.75) for Rank 5.
- Night of the Dead has been moved from Tier 8 to Tier 4.
- Ghoul Frenzy has been moved from Tier 6 to Tier 7.
- Master of Ghouls has been moved from Tier 4 to Tier 6.
The Unholy changes are mostly about keeping the perma-ghoul out of the hands of non-Unholy DKs. As of the prior build, a Blood spec with Master of Ghouls was getting a lot of buzz, but this is no longer going to be possible - to get MoG, you'd have to skip basically everything past Heart Strike (i.e. Blood Gorged and Dancing Rune Weapon, as well as most of Might of Mograine), which is just too much to pass up. The nerf to Death Strike is also aimed at PTR Blood builds, which were using DS instead of Obliterate. Whether or not they still will be, Blood damage will be lower now. This doesn't bother me much - I'll be able to justify staying Unholy, which I like better anyway. I'm still not happy about all that armor penetration, though.
Patch 3.1 brings us Ulduar, dual specs, significant changes to all the classes, and more! We've got you covered from top to bottom with our Guide to Patch 3.1.Filed under: Patches, Death Knight
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Zerokku Mar 27th 2009 5:03PM
On live? No one.
On the PTR? Any dk who wants to be blood dps. Blizzard wants DS to be the scourge strike or obliterate of the blood tree.
wowinsider Mar 27th 2009 5:49PM
Kassu, you keep repeating that like it's in the game manual or something. The Improved Death Strike talent makes it a viable alternative to Obliterate, allowing you to dump points into Unholy to pick up Ravenous Dead, Epidemic, Morbidity, Necrosis, and BCB.
Why not do some analysis rather than repeat the "tanking and PvP tool" mantra?
DeathPaladin Mar 27th 2009 5:55PM
I may be confusing you with someone else, Kassu, but it feels like people can't even think about post-3.1 Blood DPS without you coming in saying "But Death Strike sucks for DPS!"
Seriously. Death Strike is the way to go if you are Blood. With Diseaseless Blood going away, Obliterate is only an option if you are willing to spend at least 13 points in Frost, with the first 10 points being primarily marginal DPS increases to abilities that make up a marginal amount of Blood DPS and the last 3 points making it so Obliterate doesn't consume diseases. That's it.
Or, instead of dumping almost 20% of your talent points into making Obliterate not a waste of time, you can spend 2 points to make Death Strike do about as much (or, in a previous PTR build, more) damage than Obliterate.
Your question: What kind of fool would ever consider using it for DPS?
The answer: Anyone who specs Blood and knows how to read a spreadsheet.
Lilithsblood Mar 27th 2009 4:26PM
Hey the escapist poll is down to Relic vs. Blizzard! Like you mentioned the other day! starcraftwire.net has a post about like you guys. Make a post on wowinsider about it so more ppl can vote for blizzard!
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/375.102488?view_results=1
DeathPaladin Mar 27th 2009 4:32PM
I'm not too concerned about Death Strike being just OK, since it's not Blood's primary damage ability.
The big concern is that Dancing Rune Weapon is starting to shape up to be pretty mediocre, especially as far as most 51 point talents go (you are an outlier, Frost Mages).
Moving Night of the Dead up to low-tier Unholy looks like it could be interesting. Mostly because I feel like summoning ghoul after disposable ghoul and sending them to their death (again) has a much more Death Knight-y flavor than the permanent ghoul following me around like some 5 year old, and having to constantly babysit it. I'd love it if that were a viable way to boost my DPS a bit. It'd probably creep out my healer even more than Shadow of Death currently does. And since that talent is going the way of the dodo, I need to have a new way of creeping her out.
machoflaco Mar 27th 2009 4:37PM
Um... I play Frost DPS 2-hand. (And very well actually)
Alexander Mar 27th 2009 4:42PM
errr another frost 2h'r out here 21/50 >.> seriously was that sarcastic?
Olicon Mar 27th 2009 5:16PM
Night of the Dead on lower tier is a godsend for me. That'd make it a lot more fun for Blood, in my opinion.
Pfooti Mar 27th 2009 5:45PM
I love my frost 2H spec!
uncaringbear Mar 27th 2009 7:02PM
"Whether or not they still will be, Blood damage will be lower now. This doesn't bother me much - I'll be able to justify staying Unholy, which I like better anyway."
LAME. Bias much?
Krakish Mar 27th 2009 9:49PM
Can we get someone better to write the DK stuff? Please?
I'd like to read something more then just, "hey this is what's changed, you all know what this means, but I'm gonna say it anyways," then go, "who cares, I like unholy!"
I mean it's nothing insightful! I've played DWing Frost/Unholy, I play frost 2h IT/FS build. I've done alot of study to the pure variety of DK builds out there. Yet all we get on wow insider is a dude who only sits around going, "I like my ghoul, naaar."
It's just sad.
Let's get someone else writing this please?
Medved Mar 27th 2009 10:06PM
Noo!! I switched my dk over to Blood so I could get used to it for Blood and perma ghoul, now I don't know what to do... Any ideas on a new spec? Or should I just wait for further changes?
ROFLAMO Mar 27th 2009 10:52PM
I have a dk in ptr. FRost duel wield just got better by making people take frostrike and deeper frost talents. I am currently pulling 6k dps in naxx25+ epics.
www.wowwebsats.com/ewgfi01238.htm
It is very viable and not a nerf.
Blood with perma ghoul is just SICK for pvp. Ive seen a guy kill 2 enh shamans and a warrior with this spec. Mind you he was in savage gear. Ive also seen many high rated (2100-2300) people my team and I goes against with dks with this spec. usualy hes got a shockadin with spell power gear those dudes make a whole lote of damage with there 7k spell power crits and judgements n studd QQ its lolaburst with imba healing if u ask me however a rogue can totally decimate that team like TOTALY because loladin cant heal himself throu burst and dk will get chain cced by the spriest or mage thats why blood ghoul dk and loladin shock are kinda rare. However for 1v1 pvp id say shockadin is the best spec. No bull
Shadymike Mar 28th 2009 1:23AM
Is there anyone left thats still playing a DK? This must be that "rollercoaster ride of emotion" theyre talking about. first we're up, now we're down. now blood, now unholy, now frost.... Jeez. We got you Blizz, No DK's for a main, Gotcha ;D
nerfed_dk Mar 28th 2009 5:27AM
It's all just more nerfs if you ask me. I had just figured out how I was going to do my talents into that last talent tree, now I'm totally screwed. Again. WTF Blizz?
Totally_Confuse Mar 28th 2009 8:56AM
Ive been a Blood/Unholy 44/0/27, grinding up to it since day 1 of my DK. No more perma ghoul has got me on the ropes, he has been my pal, I can't be a ghoul or have a ghoul, I thought I was a Death Knight...
JoanCrawford Mar 28th 2009 4:24PM
My current spec is 20/46/5.. 2h Tank.. Its a relief to hear that (thus far anyhow) they'll be reducing the cooldown on HB from 10 to 8 secs.. Personally, I use it as a tool to hold aggro.. bc we all know that DK tanks aren't one click tanks (cough, cough.. pally; XD). The damage really isn't an issue for me.. If I understand correctly, Bliz will double the damage HB will hit for.. however, I already feel the 5 sec cooldown (as it is) is a little steep... especially when runes are on cooldown (multi-target). I've never played on the PTR.. so, I am downloading to see how these changes effect me. I don't know.. The damage increase is sweet, don't get me wrong.. but the cooldown increasing bothers me. I think I like it as it is.. LOL
hurrnurr Mar 30th 2009 9:47AM
Come on Blizzard, just bite the bullet and make Rime autoproc Howling Blast. 2H frost doesn't use HB until Rime procs, anyway.
If Blood gets a free GCD, why can't we? We have to spend 51 points for ours... 51 points into a nerfed talent, might I add.