Questions about frost tanking

[Niraea]

Hey there!
I just got duel spec for my Death Knight alt and I've a few questions about tanking specced as Frost.

1) How valuable is Icy Talons (and improved)? Is there a viable tanking spec that utilizes it?
2) I've heard since WotLK hit that DW was inferior to two-hand, but I've been hearing about DW frost tanking lately. Is two-hand still better than DW?

Thanks ^^

[mhp]

1) How valuable is Icy Talons (and improved)? Is there a viable tanking spec that utilizes it?

You can squeeze it into a tank spec, but it's better if you bring a shaman or frost dps to your raid. For 5-mans it's not worth it at all.

If you really really need it, you can make a viable tank spec with it, but you'll have to sacrifice some really good stuff to get it.

2) I've heard since WotLK hit that DW was inferior to two-hand, but I've been hearing about DW frost tanking lately. Is two-hand still better than DW?

They both work just fine. Choose whichever you like better and have the gear for.

[Sarcasm]

Make sure to use slow DPS weapons when DW tanking. Not fast tank weapons.

[Alkore]

http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-ta...Alkore&group=2

Viable Icy Talons spec but I agree with the above poster that if you have an Enh Shaman or Frost DPS DK, then don't spec for it. Go for Bladed Armour or some others.

Note: I haven't taken Virulence purely because I'm in a nice place with +hit atm. If you do need it, then I suggest taking that over Subversion.

[harky]

They both work just fine. Choose whichever you like better and have the gear for.

Both do work 'okay', but DW is definitely superior right now as Frost both for tanking and DPS. Blizzard has gone pretty far out of their way to make sure that DW is better than 2h as Frost and it's working.

[mhp]

I assumed the OP meant 2h blood when talking about 2h. 2h frost is crap.

[Zephire]

Lending this thread for another question about frost tanking (as DW):
How important is hit for DW?
Is it important at all or just a bonus if you get some?

[Lucky_]

1) How valuable is Icy Talons (and improved)? Is there a viable tanking spec that utilizes it?

It works if you're absolutely required to bring it, however increased chance to parry for DW tank is a very, very bad thing. You want to generate threat with strike attacks, not white hits because of this. Same reason why you don't take BCB as a DW tank.
Finally, it also gimps your tanking quite a bit, due to not being able to take much better talents.

2) I've heard since WotLK hit that DW was inferior to two-hand, but I've been hearing about DW frost tanking lately. Is two-hand still better than DW?

DW tanking was made possible by two things:

1. Addition of proper tanking rune to one hander weapons
2. Addition of rune strike to threat of thalassian

When it comes to frost tanking, DW is currently arguably better then 2h, because frost tree is very heavily geared towards DW. With both other trees, 2h is far superior.

[mhp]

Lending this thread for another question about frost tanking (as DW):
How important is hit for DW?
Is it important at all or just a bonus if you get some?

You'd want to cap your melee specials (5% hit with nerves of cold steel). More hit, until spell hit cap, is a nice bonus, but not something I would aim for.