Death Knight: Simple Questions/Simple Answers - Page 25

Feorthas · 12/26/08, 1:24 PM

@Trig: yeah, it's pestilence and not PS; I need to stop this posting-while-tired thing.

@above poster: that's more of a question that belongs in the unholy dps thread.

• Lanky · 12/26/08, 1:25 PM

@Ripaine:

1. That's not a simple question.

2. Theorycrafting Thinktank ----> Death Knight DPS Compendium.
3. Look, it is perfectly alright to come here with a basic question or a weird one that you can't really search an answer for, but rotations for leveling? Are you kidding me? The only reason you ever cast Scourge strike before blood strike as Unholy is because using SS early will the kill the mob faster. But seriously, having a rotation for leveling is absurd.

4. Death Knights are the best leveling and PvE aoe class in the game at the moment. you could chain plaguestrikes for all I care, you would still kill the mob. Testing for an optimal leveling rotation is absurd. Apply your diseases and fatfinger some strikes.

Ripaine · 12/26/08, 6:18 PM

I don't want to find the best leveling spec, I was just confused, because my DPS on Dummies and Bosses was lower with my first rotation than with the standard one. I try to min/max, so it's one of the things that bothers me so much.

I'm sorry, really thought it was a simple question and I just miss something.

PS: I can't test on 80 DKs, maybe I can get some of the guilds DKs to test it.

• Lanky · 12/26/08, 6:48 PM

Originally Posted by Ripaine

I don't want to find the best leveling spec, I was just confused, because my DPS on Dummies and Bosses was lower with my first rotation than with the standard one. I try to min/max, so it's one of the things that bothers me so much.

I'm sorry, really thought it was a simple question and I just miss something.

PS: I can't test on 80 DKs, maybe I can get some of the guilds DKs to test it.

Take my advice and wait on the min-maxing until your DK is max level, the class is actually very hard to maximize DPS on, so hard as to be almost impossible, since the real min-maxing comes down to a very refined command of rune timers, the GCD, your runic power (not going over the max with abilities), a priority based rotation, and then obviously gearing and gemming.

Enjoy the easy mode leveling experience, this enitre forum generally recommends Unholy-based leveling for 'On a Pale Horse', Boneshield and SS. Take wandering Plague and mow down massive packs of dudes. Leveling doens't get much faster.

Mortesque · 12/27/08, 2:40 PM

Is there a parry/dodge cap? If so, what is the value?

grayrest · 12/27/08, 3:24 PM

Has anybody done testing on where [Sigil of the Frozen Conscience] applies in the bonus stack? (before or after black ice/imp IT/etc) I checked for both this sigil and the dark rider and didn't come up with anything.

Originally Posted by Mortesque

Is there a parry/dodge cap? If so, what is the value?

It's complicated. (click for details)

Pyros · 12/27/08, 3:54 PM

Originally Posted by Mortesque

Is there a parry/dodge cap? If so, what is the value?

There's no cap, however values suffer from diminishing returns so the more you have the least you gain from ratings. See the general class mechanics forum for the rating at 80 post which explains it in details.

Mortesque · 12/27/08, 11:26 PM

Hmmm alright.. A better question might be to ask what % of dodge/parry should I reach before branching out hard to other attributes?

My Armory

With the new tanking rune and weapons coming out, deciding how I should best go about with stat progression. For example, I have the essence of gossamer (+111 stam) sitting in my inv which I'm unable to use due to being so reliant on the +65 def on the Seal trinket.

Quietvicks · 12/28/08, 6:55 PM

Quick question: do the death knight abilities that proc off auto attacks proc off of rune strike as well? I know necrosis does, but I've not been able to verify Killing machine or Blood caked blade.

Feorthas · 12/28/08, 7:26 PM

Originally Posted by Quietvicks

Quick question: do the death knight abilities that proc off auto attacks proc off of rune strike as well? I know necrosis does, but I've not been able to verify Killing machine or Blood caked blade.

Yes.

Caladfel · 12/29/08, 8:57 AM

Howdy.

As Blood (51/13/7), should I refresh my diseases before they drop or should I let them tick to the end and then refresh them?

Thanks.

Feorthas · 12/29/08, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by Caladfel

Howdy.

As Blood (51/13/7), should I refresh my diseases before they drop or should I let them tick to the end and then refresh them?

Thanks.

I don't know if Blood has any of the +Damage when a disease is up talents but those talents are what should make your decision for you; if you have one or more talents that increases your damage, by at least a moderate amount, then try to refresh said diseases prior to them dropping. If not, refresh them as soon as you have a free GCD.

Phoenix2584 · 12/29/08, 2:18 PM

Long time reader first time poster. I have heard rumblings of testing a new DW spec supposedly a 0/20/51? I am uploading the ptr to do some testing of my own, but I have a few simple questions as I havent really tried DW due to lack of weapon options. I have a few different ones to choose from now so I wanna give it a fair shot.

First off, are there any absolute gear reqs for this spec that I should be aware of? X amount of Hit/Crit/AP/Sigils

Secondly can anyone point me to the discussion/testing of this spec. I have dug around the DW discussion and thats probably where it is, but a link to where it picks up would be handy if available. Thanks

Dietrich · 12/29/08, 2:36 PM

I apologize if this is a repeat, but is there a compiled list of pre-heroic tanking gear anywhere? I'm frustratingly sitting at 509 Def and I don't want to blow bucks on enchants to get close to the cap so I can turn around and replace my gear.

mtrixis · 12/29/08, 3:20 PM

Best gear list I've seen is here:

Wrath of the Lich King - Plate Armor

Browse the list on the left for a similar list of jewelery/trinkets/weapons/etc

Trigonous · 12/30/08, 3:42 AM

I've been hearing a lot lately about the two new Blacksmithing "swords," but I hadn't seen them since they aren't in the patch notes. I just got onto the PTR today and took a look at 'em. It is nice that they're giving us some tanking weapon love, but is it worth it? From everything else I've heard, Death Knight tanks are supposed to get a big heavy-hitting DPS weapon to keep threat that maybe has some stamina and agility on it. If you're already defense capped, is it worth grabbing the Defender? And since parry isn't that great anyway, is the Deflector worth it at all?

Xequecal · 12/30/08, 6:59 AM

Does anyone know if the Toughness talents (Warrior, Shaman, Paladin) will reduce the duration of Frost Fever if you have Chilblains talented? This seems rather relevant in PvP, especially since Paladins can potentially combo it with Pure of Heart to cut Frost Fever down to sub-3 second duration, if Toughness affects it.

Talibb · 12/30/08, 12:56 PM

Chillblains is a seperate debuff applied at the same time you apply frost fever, so the duration or Frost Fever should not be affected by talents like toughness.

Bibdy · 12/30/08, 7:11 PM

Originally Posted by Trigonous

I've been hearing a lot lately about the two new Blacksmithing "swords," but I hadn't seen them since they aren't in the patch notes. I just got onto the PTR today and took a look at 'em. It is nice that they're giving us some tanking weapon love, but is it worth it? From everything else I've heard, Death Knight tanks are supposed to get a big heavy-hitting DPS weapon to keep threat that maybe has some stamina and agility on it. If you're already defense capped, is it worth grabbing the Defender? And since parry isn't that great anyway, is the Deflector worth it at all?

Blizzard said they were considering 3 things to help newbie DKs reach the defense 'cap' (or 'floor', or whatever you want to define 540 defense skill as): Sigils, a Runeforge enchant and weapons. Wouldn't you know it, they decided to go with all 3.

That's what the weapons are directed towards, but the Defender is a very good weapon for pure avoidance, despite its low DPS and item level compared to other weapons you can pick up in N or H Naxxramas. Actually, its the best weapon for pure avoidance if you don't need to worry about your threat generation as much (e.g. Patchwerk), so I hope they make it BOE before it gets rolled off the PTR and I can get my hands on one without having to drop LW.

Personally, I don't think they're necessary (the runeforge and sigil are MORE than enough to get a newbie DK to 540 defense skill with only a rudimentary amount of effort), nor do I think its a good idea to release them. People will probably start complaining "I can't pick up Death's Bite because I can't afford to drop the 90 defense rating on this thing!", then they release even more powerful 2H tanking weapons in the form of boss drops, and then you get raids constantly DEing that "God damned 2H tanking sword" again.

And no, stay the hell away from the Titansteel Deflector.

Zubras · 12/31/08, 10:06 AM

For weeks I have read the forums on Frost, Unholy and Blood DPS. Each spec has its appeals and honestly I have tried blood and unholy only.

Currently I am spec'ed the standard 17/0/54 and like it but I am always looking to do better.

Power 2944
Hit Rating: 309
Crit Chance: 21.69% (unbuffed)
Expertise: 5 (I am working on capping this)

My question is simple...

I am all about max DPS so based solely off thee raw data .. which spec is max DPS?

• Lanky · 12/31/08, 10:45 AM

What is with you people and pretend-simple questions?

2Hand Unholy is currently the best single target DPS spec until a certain level of gear is reached ( a level we haven't seen yet). Some would argue that Dual-wielding is on par with Unholy, but I very much doubt it, despite the recount parses. Blood scales better than Unholy, and will surpass it once gear levels rise.

Zubras · 12/31/08, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Lanky

What is with you people and pretend-simple questions?

I tried to K.I.S.S. without asking all the math behind the DPS output since the math is there for the viewing.

Now what I need to do is work on getting my DPS ramped up. It currently is all over the place ranging for 1.1k to 2.2k. Trying to keep it on the higher end but having a hell of a time doing that.

Feorthas · 12/31/08, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Zubras

I tried to K.I.S.S. without asking all the math behind the DPS output since the math is there for the viewing.

Now what I need to do is work on getting my DPS ramped up. It currently is all over the place ranging for 1.1k to 2.2k. Trying to keep it on the higher end but having a hell of a time doing that.

That's all fair and good, however you did pretty much say "these are some of my stats, make me better at dps" (rather politely but still). This isn't really the thread for questions that vague. Had it been "these are my stats, should I go for more hit or crit?" (or something like that) this would've been the perfect thread.

And, yes, dump some hit for crit; you only need 8% these days and I *think* that 302 is over that number. The best option would be, of course, to swap some gems around since you can convert ratings at a 1:1 ratio that way.

For future reference, go grab Rawr from the general Class Mechanics forum, load your charcter in, and swap your rotation to the Unholy option. It should get you some good gear reccomendations as far as general upgrades go. The one caveat is that it thinks that Death Knights are pallies so you have to load upgrades from armory and then make our T7 wearable by a paladin to see how they compare.

Trigonous · 12/31/08, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by Bibdy

Sigils, a Runeforge enchant and weapons...they decided to go with all 3

Sigil? They're finally coming out with a new Sigil? I hadn't heard of this yet, what is it and how can you get it? (Again not in the PTR patch notes, arg).

♦ Darkside · 12/31/08, 1:12 PM

Sigils - Items - World of Warcraft

Everything with a required level of 74 shown there is going to be added in patch 3.0.8.

Also, they will be adding a Sigil that procs +defense rating every time you cast icy touch.