Question.

[Applegarth]

So, what is the general rule of thumb tanking tree for a DK?

Also, so all plate tanks wear the same gear now right? Or is there like a different set for people that use sword and board, like my pally?

[Draekon]

The plethora of other threads on this topic apparently didn't satisfy your question. There is not "tank" tree. All the trees have ways to tank.

Draekon

[Deleted]

We use the same gear except ofc for gear with shieldblock value.

[Trunk]

IMO if you're not deep frost you wont be able to tank the end game content. Yes unholy and blood have their nifty ways of damage mitigation but they are only gonna get you so far.

yes sword and board tanks like ur pally use different gear than DKs.. they usually use sword and board whereas DKs usualy dont use sword and board

*might as well not have said anything at all*

Yes all plate tanks use the same gear accept the DK uses 2h weapons. Def cap is still 540 (uncritable). This may be harder for the DK to attain due to the fact that 2h weapons dont have any Def stats that most "tank" weapons do. You can of corse DW one handed tank weapons but imo this defeats what a DK was built around.

Hope this helps.

[Applegarth]

well should a frost DK use a two hander or dual wield

[aikouka]

I've always looked at it based on what unique factors that they can apply to tanking (typically what bells and whistles they get from talents)...

Blood: Can receive extra healing, Can cause healing based on mob attack speed (including any direct damage i.e. spells), can deflect spell damage

Frost: Can reduce chance to be hit, Can increase parry chance (more so with glyph) and armor significantly, has increased Icebound Fortitude duration, decent AoE capability from Howling Blast

Unholy: Reduces incoming damage via Bone Armor, Can reduce incoming magic damage, Can absorb incoming magic damage, high AoE capability from Wandering Plague

Now personally, I look at it in this regard...

Blood: Reactive... requires you to be healed to in effect... "take less damage"

Frost: RNG... requires the roll of the dice to mitigate a hit via parry or reduced chance to be hit

Unholy: Mitigation... flat out reduces attacks via Bone Armor or Icebound Fortitude. Can also do decent magic mitigation via using magic suppression and AMZ (6 talent point investment though).

Let me know if I'm a bit off on any of these. I also know that there are more talents that I didn't get into much such as Will of the Necropolis in Blood or Acclimation in Frost.

[taek]

Unholy: Mitigation... flat out reduces attacks via Bone Armor or Icebound Fortitude. Can also do decent magic mitigation via using magic suppression and AMZ (6 talent point investment though).

Icebound Fortitude is not an Unholy talent. It's most effective with Frost DKs because it lasts 50% longer for Frost DKs rather than blood/unholy DKs.

Frost's magic mitigation is also rather good, with the frost aura & acclimation, a frost DK gets up to 230 resistance to whatever spell types are hitting him.

I'm currently finding Frost better at tanking, but Unholy's Bone Armor is very powerful when it can be kept up.

This will all also have to be re-evaluated when Blizzard improves overall mitigation of frost presence and reduces the effectiveness of the other talents.