Blood DK Warlords of Draenor Patch 6.2 Guide (Long but has TLDR Version)

[Khiyone]

I got a question on trinkets too. We started progressing Archi myth recently. I usually go Myth Vial + Heroic EDH. But i got Myth DC + Myth UeH now.
Should i swap the Heroic EDH for one of them?

Yes, swap it for the mythic UeH.

[CathRaht]

Hello,
Firstly, thanks for this wonderful guide
I have a little question about trinkets - due to upgrade possibility is mythic BFD (700) still better than heroic warforged Reaper's Harvest (726, not upgraded yet) and Warlord's Unseeing Eye (720) in term of mitigation?

Thanks!

[Coro]

Thanks, I have the same question as above. I'm currently progressing in Mythic, and these are my current options:

-- 736 Class Trinket
-- 735 Warlord's Unseeing Eye
-- 731 Empty Drinking Horn
-- 715 BoA trinket (both tank & DPS)
-- 715 Rumbling Pebble

Trying to find the best two trinkets I should use for mythic progression kills (currently we're trying for Gorefiend)

Also, I'm very, very bad at BoS, so I'm currently using Defile.

[Khiyone]

I have a little question about trinkets - due to upgrade possibility is mythic BFD (700) still better than heroic warforged Reaper's Harvest (726, not upgraded yet) and Warlord's Unseeing Eye (720) in term of mitigation?

Thanks!

BFD is better than the class trinket for mitigation, but not as good as WUE.

Trying to find the best two trinkets I should use for mythic progression kills (currently we're trying for Gorefiend)

You shouldn't be having issues with survival on Gorefiend with current gear, so DPS heirloom + EDH. WUE is the only other good trinket of the ones you listed, so for the harder bosses (mainly Tyrant) you can pick that if you're not comfortable.

[Deleted]

to Cath Raht:

The class trinket is dogshit, I was so angry when I got it out of the bonus roll.... WuE is great on fights were you spent a lot of the time on low health; Tyrant comes to mind. It can be good on other fights, but the static stats are quite poor for blood. The M BFD is pretty nice until you get an Iskar trinket.

To Coro:

Probably EDH and WuE. Try to get your hands on Anzu's Cursed Plume and Unending Hunger, so you can run EDH/Anzu's or UeH/EDH depending on the fight (and Anzu's WuE on Tyrant)

[Troxism]

Updated the guide again, should finally have gotten rid of all the 'legacy written pre 6.2 release' stuff that was just wrong or at least partially inaccurate. BoS and trinkets are more accurately represented, and the basic guide now probably has a better explanation of DS timing then the advanced guide, because copy and pasting while editing this post literally crashes the web page (probably has to do with the length), and this happened about 4 times before I figured it out so frankly I'm tired of typing out every edit 4 times.

I'm sorry for anemic updating to this, but like I said, 6.2 has just been so bad for tanks from my PoV that was/is hard to stay interested in the game at all. Legion being the way it is doesn't help much either, but thats another topic.

[Orionid]

My Death Knight is about 718 ilvl and currently running Breath. Don't see myself switching to Defile.

I currently have the following trinkets:

Heroic Anzu's 2/2
Heroic WF EDH 2/2
Mythic Pebble 2/2

For "general" use (meaning some survivability but also good DPS) should I run Anzu/Pebble since it's Mythic? Otherwise if they were all Heroic I would run Anzu/EDH according to new updates.

Assuming I get Heroic UeH and DC in the near future, would I have any use for them? Anzu w/ DC instead of EDH for AoE fights? Or run double DPS trinkets instead of Anzu...EDH/UeH for ST, EDH/DC in AoE.

I will NOT have access to Mythic Vial.

[Deleted]

I would use the EDH over Pebble on pretty much any fight. If you have no trouble surviving double DPS trinket is a good way to go, but still I wouldn't use Pebble there, since it doesn't provide you with enough stats. EDH/UeH and EDH/DC are mentioned in the guide as the best damage configurations if you have no access to vial. On the vial issue: Your vial doesn't need to be mythic to be good. If you can get your hands on a Heroic one, it can increase your breath uptime immensely.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the very detailed guide

[Deleted]

Hey,

Guild is currently on Mannoroth M, and we've had to boost my alt dk to an OK level of gear to tank so that we could have the extra grip for imps. We're 2 tanking it (which isnt an issue) and the boss hits like a wet noodle. However the combos in P4 are destroying me.

I've been using WUE HC and the heirloom trinket (which is rediculous) and I survive the initial combo but die to the pillar (or so it seems). When I take my first combo, my AMS is down from shadowforce.

I've also JUST gotten the ICP mythic trink in my cache. What combo of trinkets should I be using now? I'm thinking WUE + heirloom is still the way to go but im unsure. Any tips for taking the empowered combo?

Armory: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/characte...g/Apsha/simple
Logs from last fight: https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/dZnCLkj9mazF1cqM

any tips on my playstyle is welcome! Im new to DK

--------------------------------

EDIT: nevermind, we killed it!

[Deleted]

Hi,

I have recently switched guilds from a group, that barely managed to kill Council and then imploded, to a guild currently progressing on Xhul and that fight (as well as Tyrant) are quite a different beast than the first 4 or 5. Any tips to what I can improve on (and I know there is a lot) would be appreciated.

Here are the logs from our last progress on Xhul: warcraftlogs . com/reports/AwxgZ83dB6NkfGhJ

And an armory link: eu . battle . net/wow/en/character/dalvengyr/Dreanosh/advanced

Thanks in advance

[Dracodraco]

Hi,

I have recently switched guilds from a group, that barely managed to kill Council and then imploded, to a guild currently progressing on Xhul and that fight (as well as Tyrant) are quite a different beast than the first 4 or 5. Any tips to what I can improve on (and I know there is a lot) would be appreciated.

Here are the logs from our last progress on Xhul: warcraftlogs . com/reports/AwxgZ83dB6NkfGhJ

And an armory link: eu . battle . net/wow/en/character/dalvengyr/Dreanosh/advanced

Thanks in advance

You get killed by Felblaze Flurry *A LOT* for a DK in your gear:
https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...ability=186448 7 times over 37 attempts. You can add the 2x deaths to pure melee and 1x to the fel strike to that, and you are essentially looking at you dying as one of the first few people in 25% of the wipes. That's... Bad, but not unexpected. It's a very tank-damage heavy fight.

How can you improve?
Start utilising externals (or your own personal cooldowns) more - over 37 fights:
15 Sacs.
1 Ironbark.
9 Vigis.

I can see that your co-tank usually takes the ironbarks and painsupps, so that's fair; let him use those. You've got two warriors though, there's no reason you shouldn't both have over 20 uses of vigi (him from the DPS warrior, you from the CO-tank). His are as follow:

10 vigi.
7 Sac.
22 Ironbark.
15 Pain supp.

So here's what I'm seeing:

37 attempts = bare minimum of 37 uses POTENTIALLY to be used.

2 paladins = 22 out of 74 sacs used.
1 Rdruid = 23 out of 37 ironbarks used.
2 warriors = 19 out of 74 vigis used.
1 Disc = 15 out of 74 Pain supps used.



Your bone shield was used for an average of less than 2 per attempt - considering it should be popped before you enter the fight, that's not good. Hit it more often. It lasts for quite awhile.

You only used *85* rune taps over 37 attempts - the entire reason DKs are so incredibly good at tanking the fel-based part of Xhul is because the Reave lasts exactly 3 seconds, and rune tap lasts exactly 3 seconds. At the very, very least you can use rune tap, AMS and icebound to cover every single reave, with AMS used to absorb a reave in full every so often to recharge rune taps and IBF as emergency. In comparison to tap, you used AMS 63 times, and it has a longer cooldown and only a single charge. You'd expect your AMS+Rune tap amount over 37 fights when the duration is this short to be atleast over 100 uses if AMS can get over 60.

Likewise, your other CD usages are pitiful; 10 Vampiric bloods? 11 Icebounds?

I can see that you switched out of the multistrike trinket after about 20 wipes, that's a good first step if you're dying. Killrogg's makes you so much more durable.

In the end, a lot of your wipes are due to tank deaths - along with the warriors, atleast a third of the wipes if not more can be traced back to you or the warrior simply getting yourselves insta-gibbed without a cooldown up. Fix your usage, and you'll be more than fine.

Ill give you an idea of what to do - here is your longest attempt, where vanguard dies, and omnus is at 15% when the raid goes splat:
https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...kfGhJ#fight=31

You took 4 Felblaze flurries. So to best cover the damage you're going to take, do something like this:

26- AMS+Vamp blood (Sanctus is also up anyway).
43- Rune tap+Sac.
60- Icebound+Rune tap. (I always found the ~1 minute mark the most hectic).
1:20-Rune tap+AMS+Vigi.
Follow up with vamp blood if needed when off cooldown.

The important thing to take away here is that you'll have a long lasting damage reduction up for each felblaze, giving the healers a breathing room to heal you up from the spike damage even after it's over. In the end when the vanguard is almost dead, it's not AS important, and as soon as he dies, your healers will have a much easier time.


For your Warrior:
32- Ironbark (Sanctus should be up for the first two hits).
57- Vigilance.
1:21- Shieldwall.
1:46- Ironbark.
02:10- Sac.

Omnus could get another cast off before he dies, cover it with Pain Supp.

This way you have a MAJOR damage reduction up for each and every heavy damage ability the adds do. The boss' swings hurt, but the reason you get KO'd isn't the void or fel strike alone, it's when the void or fel strike LINES UP with the adds doing their abilities. Get a heavy CD up for everything, and you're good to go.


Your breathplay is generally OK, but it's hard to gauge well when you die right before you get the second use. If you have issues focusing on the fight because of breath, Defile is a perfectly good choise that gives passive reduction, rather than making a mockery of the first strike (where sanctus is up anyway).

[Deleted]

Thanks a lot, gonna try that.

[Deleted]

26- AMS+Vamp blood (Sanctus is also up anyway).
43- Rune tap+Sac.
60- Icebound+Rune tap. (I always found the ~1 minute mark the most hectic).
1:20-Rune tap+AMS+Vigi.
Follow up with vamp blood if needed when off cooldown.

May i ask what would be the point of stacking externals like that? Just because he can so to not have them unused?

if you use a 10% defensive, and then use 50% ontop of that, you get 15% total right? Not 60%, is that correct?
Or is it different when stacking personals and externals?

Do you know if bonesheild is different? bonesheild + ibf doesnt give you 30% but 70% right ?!


Also what 3 second ability are you reffering to? The flurry?


Ontopic:

Like he's saying, you're dying alot to the flurry. I had that same problem too first tries when i did xhul. It's all about using your cooldowns here, ams being your strongest. If you're using the boa trinket, you will basically be able to absorb every single flurry without even having to use anything else.

I was using anzu+wue, but I quickly understood that it has nothing to do with your gear or even your healers as a DK, its only about deffensive use here!

I'm now using vial + dc, and i basically only use ams then rune tap for every felstrike that is not ams'ed, and try to get bonesheild to time with the magical abilities instead of soaking auto attacks with it.

Haveing breath up also keeps you topped constantly

Then i use ibf to smooth out damage when needed.

Externals are used by the void tank who is a warrior, except for his vigilance which i try to use to just ease out autoattacks, better than not using it at all!

[Jellospally]

May i ask what would be the point of stacking externals like that? Just because he can so to not have them unused?

if you use a 10% defensive, and then use 50% ontop of that, you get 15% total right? Not 60%, is that correct?
Or is it different when stacking personals and externals?

Do you know if bonesheild is different? bonesheild + ibf doesnt give you 30% but 70% right ?!


Also what 3 second ability are you reffering to? The flurry?

10% and a 50% would look like this 100k hit before cds would turn into 90k into 45k. 55% total basically.

Same with Bone shield and IBF. 100k hit before cds would turn into 80k into 40k. 60% reduc.

3sec is flurry as he said in the same line he mentioned it and ya rune tap lines up for it(granted you dont really need it if you have breath up).

As for externals. Tbh there is no reason to not just use them for hits if you can. Almost everything is constant. There really isn't random damage. There is random healers are afk/not paying attention/etc etc. Damage on almost every fight is pretty constant or at least predictable to a point where there is no real need for oh shit cds at least not as a dk at this point.

Personally i'd rather they remove externals completely and put all the helpful stuff on the tank so better tanks have more control than others but meh.

[Dracodraco]

As Jellos explains it - cooldowns are additive, not multiplicative. Stacking them (especially "big" ones like Rune tap + IBF) is generally not adviced because it dilutes the overall strength, but that assumes consistent high damage that you want to mitigate for a long period of time - such as Archimonde P2.

But then again, echo what Jellos says - you've got the cooldowns, they are NOT being used, and you're dying to spike-damage that is 100% predictable (you know exactly when the abilities are being casted and can act against it). Using every single cooldown at your disposal to survive and make the healers job easier is your first goal on any fight. Sure, keep IBF for emergencies if you'd like, but sitting on vamp blood? That's just silly. It's a low impact cooldown that can be used very frequently to counter a heavy damage spike.

Same goes for externals; If you're not using them yet, but ARE dying to predictable spikes, start using them. It doesn't matter if you're combining a few CDs; It just means a bigger reduction, and you wouldn't be using the CDs anywhere else anyway.

[Veiled Shadow]

Hi, I had a gear question (ordinarily I'd just sim it, but SimC for Blood is really bad as I understand):
The comparison is between a 710 Cloak of Steeled Nerves (198 strength, 141 multistrike, 116 BA) and a 735 Soulbinder's Greatcloak (250 strength, 223 haste, 109 multistrike).

So I'd effectively be trading 52 strength and 223 haste for 32 multistrike and 116 bonus armor. I'd estimate bonus armor to be roughly twice as good as haste, and strength to be slightly better than multistrike, so it's not entirely clear to me which is better.

[Orionid]

Hi, I had a gear question (ordinarily I'd just sim it, but SimC for Blood is really bad as I understand):
The comparison is between a 710 Cloak of Steeled Nerves (198 strength, 141 multistrike, 116 BA) and a 735 Soulbinder's Greatcloak (250 strength, 223 haste, 109 multistrike).

So I'd effectively be trading 52 strength and 223 haste for 32 multistrike and 116 bonus armor. I'd estimate bonus armor to be roughly twice as good as haste, and strength to be slightly better than multistrike, so it's not entirely clear to me which is better.

Well one of those Cloak's is a DPS cloak the other is a Tank cloak. So I guess the question is moreso of whether you have difficulty surviving, personally I would always chose the 'Tank' cloak though with bonus armor, also multistrike is good if you're running Breath

[Resurgo]

For us as tanks, and especially how we're AP based, even the high ilvl doesn't make up for the fact that it's a rather large loss of AP.

Tank cloak is basically 198str + 116str(bonus armor)
735 cloak is simply 250str

(pay a bit more attention to how Bonus armor works for us in the very first post of this thread)

[Khiyone]

Well one of those Cloak's is a DPS cloak the other is a Tank cloak. So I guess the question is moreso of whether you have difficulty surviving, personally I would always chose the 'Tank' cloak though with bonus armor, also multistrike is good if you're running Breath

"Tank" cloaks are distinguished by having a somewhat better stat on them. That doesn't necessarily mean that they're better for survivability - it's like saying that a crit/vers piece is always going to do less damage than a multistrike/mastery piece for Unholy.

For us as tanks, and especially how we're AP based, even the high ilvl doesn't make up for the fact that it's a rather large loss of AP.

Tank cloak is basically 198str + 116str(bonus armor)
735 cloak is simply 250str

(pay a bit more attention to how Bonus armor works for us in the very first post of this thread)

Um, you are completely ignoring the non-BA secondaries, and secondaries really aren't that much worse than primaries. They already mentioned the tradeoff in their post: by using the 710 cloak, you lose 52 strength and 223 haste (has a weight of 1081 using the BoS stat weights on the first page) and gain 32 multistrike and 116 bonus armor (has a weight of 712). It's not even remotely close - the 735 cloak is far better. I also don't think that it would even be a survivability loss considering how much haste/strength you're gaining for a pitiful amount of BA.