At the request of no one (except for Freaculano, which is almost like no one), I have included yet another class guide from the Manaflask folks – Death Knight DPS for Patch 4.1, by Daniie.  This covers the two DPS specs (Unholy and Frost), and you should read it because Manaflask (Ensidia) knows what the Hell they’re talking about.  If you think you’re pushing content, Ensidia has already bent it over and made dirty monkey love to it.  So, well, just read and educate.

Talents – Unholy DPS

The best single-target and AoE DPS spec is 7/1/33.
We have to take a filler talent as our 10th point in the Unholy Tree, you can put the point into anything you wish as that decision won’t affect your DPS directly.

The Prime Glyphs for Single Target:
Glyph of Scourge Strike
Glyph of Raise Dead
Glyph of Death Coil

The Prime Glyphs for AoE:
Glyph of Death and Decay
Glyph of Icy Touch
Glyph of Raise Dead

Stats – Unholy DPS

The stat priorities are:

Strength >> Hit (until 8%) > Haste > Mastery > Expertise (until 781 rating) > Crit

Stat Weights (not completely accurate but the ratio is pretty much the same for all gear levels):

Strength –        3.10
Hit –            1.18
Haste –            1.05
Mastery –        0.96
Expertise –        0.82
Crit –            0.78

Loot Rankings

Rotation – Unholy DPS

The best presence for single target is Unholy Presence
For AoE use Frost Presence

The priority you have to keep in mind is:

1. Diseases
2. Dark Transformation
3. Sudden Doom / Capped Runic Power)
4. Death and Decay/Scourge Strike
5. Festering Strike
6. Horn of Winter

The goal is to always have one rune of each set on recharging, that means that using up runes which have both sets recharged is your priority.

Talents – Frost DPS

Dual-Wield: 7/31/3

2-Handed: 7/31/3

Both specs have 2 filler talents at tier two which can be placed in Endless Winter, On a Pale Horse or Lichborne, none of those really affect your DPS, but each have their perks so pick what you would get the most use out of.

The Prime Glyphs for Single Target:
Glyph of Howling Blast
Glyph of Obliterate
Glyph of Frost Strike

The Prime Glyphs for AoE:
Glyph of Howling Blast
Glyph of Icy Touch
Glyph of Frost Strike

Stats – Frost DPS

The stat priorities for 2H and DW are:

Strength >> Hit (until 8% [DW gets 3% from talents] ) > Expertise (until 781 rating) > Haste > Mastery  > Crit

Stat Weights (not completely accurate but the ratio is pretty much the same for all gear levels):

Strength –        2.74
Hit –            1.98
Haste –            1.40
Mastery –        1.20
Expertise –        1.56
Crit –            1.11
Attack Power –    0.96

Loot Rankings

Rotation – Frost DPS

The best presences to use are:

AoE Frost – Frost Presence

DW and 2H Frost – Unholy Presence

1. Diseases
2. Pilar of Frost
3. KM Obliterate
4. KM Frost Strike
5. Obliterate
6. Frost Strike
7. Rime
8. Horn of Winter

The goal is to always have one rune of each set on recharging, that means that using up runes which have both sets recharged is your priority.

With the new change to Blood of the North (giving us two permanent Death Runes, Blood Tap will regenerate one depeleted Death Rune), which means you should use Blood Tap everytime both Death Runes are on cooldown.

Remember: Do not use Icy Touch at all, it has been replaced by Howling Blast, you’ll be able to keep Frost Fever up through Rime procs, you still need to apply Blood Plague through Plague Strike.

Gems and Enchants

For a meta gem Reverberating Shadowspirit Diamond is by far the best.
Use Bold Inferno Ruby in all sockets unless the bonus is 20+ Strength or 40+ of any other stat(then Fierce Ember Topaz in yellow sockets and Etched Demonseye in blue sockets).

Head      –     60 Str / 30 Mastery
Cape      –     65 Crit
Shoulder –    50 Str / 25 Crit
Chest      –     20 Stats
Bracers  –    50 Str
Gloves      –    50 Str
Legs      –    190 AP / 55 Crit
Feet      –    50 Haste / 50 Hit(If Needed)