Patch 4.2 rolled out last week, and pretty much every class got some love/hate. Death Knights were no exception, with the Unholy spec getting the love and Frost spec getting the hate. Once again, the bleeding edge crew over at Manaflask were all over the changes, and Daniie made the necessary adjustments. Unholy seems to be the flavor of the month, with Frost 2W coming in next and Frost 2H coming somewhere in the rear (Hawt — Editor). Again, this information is coming from the top shelf raiders who have endured the cruel taunts of “you have no life you think you’re sooooo cool” so for the love of God at least read it. Hopefully their emotional scars might be of some benefit to you.

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)

+ + +

After reading through this, and reading through Daniie’s post, there isn’t much difference between this and the Patch 4.1 posting. Which stands to reason, seeing as how Unholy got one buff and Frost 2H and DW both got maybe a couple of scale down nerfs. It’s the same game folks, no need to panic. You see this rugged, handsome face? It is one filled with unpanic. Bathe in my tranquility! Dooooo it!