DK update since cata patch

[chargersrool]

Ok so since the new expansion is coming I might get back into wow but first Id like to get updated on my favorite classes.
I quit playing wow a little after cata but before MOP. What happened to Deathknights and paladins since CATA?
Is frost dw the best dps spec for dks? etc. etc.
Thanks for any info!

[Deleted]

All specs are viable, Frost takes considerably less effort to perform at 80/90% than Unholy, and so is the most played spec (not because of performance, but because of how easy it is to play).

Blood is as great a tank as ever, we are still strong in pvp (Unholy spec of choice there). We are still the least mobile class, still the best solo'er for 95% of the old encounters.

Overall, I can't see you being disappointed by the state of the class if you choose to come back now.

[Axphyxiate]

Yeah, DW frost still simming the highest of our dps specs, unholy is like a couple k dps behind so pretty much on par, 2h a bit further behind but still viable. Overall DK DPS is mediocre, we don't top meters but we aren't bottom either. I'd suggest coming back and playing the game yourself, whether you enjoy the changes made to DKs is personal opinion, something we hate might be the one thing you love about DKs.

Not sure about pallies, have never really played one. I'm pretty sure they got a heavy revamp at the beginning of MoP or Cata and they don't seem to be changing it too drastically for WoD so I'd guess Blizzard is happy with pally's general play style atm.

[chargersrool]

Thank you Nodata and Axphyxiate,
So are the rotations somewhat the same for tank-blood and dps-frost dks? and does death strike still give you a crap-ton of hp?
Any new abilities? any paths i should take when leveling up to 90?

[Maxweii]

DW may be summing higher then Unholy by a couple k, but in raids Unholy does better. Frost used to be better at the start of the tier. But since the patch where we got some buffs for our dps specs Unholy is doing better (we are at about Ferals level, while frost is lowest melee)

[Axphyxiate]

Not really, blood DKs use heart strike, death strike, rune strike, blood boil, keep diseases up etc. Dual Wield Frost DKs mainly use howling blast and frost strike to build and use runic power, use plague strike and death and decay to keep unholy runes on CD and generate runic power. Still only have Pillar of Frost, raise dead and army of the dead for CDs. Pretty sure the only new abilities were the ones in the talent trees which you can look up pretty easily, and soul reaper which isn't really used for DW frost.

[Deleted]

Thank you Nodata and Axphyxiate,
So are the rotations somewhat the same for tank-blood and dps-frost dks? and does death strike still give you a crap-ton of hp?
Any new abilities? any paths i should take when leveling up to 90?

Unless you have some strong affinity for your ghoul or with the UH playstyle, here's what I'd recommend (if you stopped after Cata I imagine you're level 85 with crappy 85 gear):

- Double spec Blood / Frost. Start the main quest to Pandaria playing blood, because of how hard your toon is going to suck in early Cata gear. If you even remotely like stories in WoW, READ the quest line. It's exceptionally good imho compared to Cata.
- Once you're in full Pandaria greens, switch main spec to dual-wield Frost. Read a guide on how it plays, from here or at icy-veins. Finish your levelling in that spec, while queuing for instances in Blood / Frost to get in faster.
- Once you're 90, head to the timeless isle in main spec Blood but with your Frost gear. Enjoy the free 496 epics \o/

That's all I got.

[chargersrool]

Thanks again everyone. Very helpful!
Nodata youre a boss

[Axphyxiate]

You can also buy full 372ilvl greens if your gear really sucks, costs a couple hundred gold for a full set and you might need help getting to the vendor but it's not that hard.

[Roahn the Deathknight]

They fixed how stupidly slow the class felt, expecially blood at the end of Cata. Though they just removed 20% rune regen from blood.. so idk now

Idk, it seems like blood being a faster rotation than the rest is a bad thing to blizz

[Maxweii]

They fixed how stupidly slow the class felt, expecially blood at the end of Cata. Though they just removed 20% rune regen from blood.. so idk now

With the multistrike changes added to blood and also if you use necrotic plague at 100 to get runic when hit, you will notice no difference. Also, it's early alpha. Calm down it can change

[Fatel]

Thank you Nodata and Axphyxiate,
So are the rotations somewhat the same for tank-blood and dps-frost dks? and does death strike still give you a crap-ton of hp?
Any new abilities? any paths i should take when leveling up to 90?

I leveled as blood and blew through it. Unless you REALLY try, you arent in any danger of dying from anything out there. Its pretty much the same for blood with a couple of minor differences, most noticeably the fact that they nerfed out tank DPS all to hell.

[Roahn the Deathknight]

With the multistrike changes added to blood and also if you use necrotic plague at 100 to get runic when hit, you will notice no difference. Also, it's early alpha. Calm down it can change

Do I appear to be in a state of distress?

[Maxweii]

Do I appear to be in a state of distress?

Yes, enough to be spreading what can be interpreted as misinformation. Last thing we need in early alpha is people hearing the wrong things, and bringing those things to debs to 'fix'. More time they deal with meaningless questions less time we get for problems to be fixed

[SlippyCheeze]

Thank you Nodata and Axphyxiate,
So are the rotations somewhat the same for tank-blood and dps-frost dks? and does death strike still give you a crap-ton of hp?
Any new abilities? any paths i should take when leveling up to 90?

I would suggest checking out the guides in this forum (or on icy-veins.com) for the rotation, talent and glyph guides, etc. The later have changed ... a bit ... since cata. That should help you get up to speed quickly.