New 120. Spec question - All help and insight really appreciated.

[Cephelapoid]

Hi Friends,

I dinged a fresh level 120 DK about 20 mins ago, and I have a question regarding what is the best DPS spec to use currently. I'm looking more to raid with my guild, but would also be doing a few M+ here and there.

I've looked at a few DPS meters on various different websites, but they all give different results. So, I thought the best thing to do was ask people who know what they are talking about.

I leveled in Blood, and it was alot of fun, but I have no interest in tanking during the end game.

Thanks guys, have a good one.

[figuratively]

What difficulty levels do you anticipate playing at? If you're running Normal/Heroic and single-digit M+, just play which ever you enjoy more or are better at.

[Deleted]

What difficulty levels do you anticipate playing at? If you're running Normal/Heroic and single-digit M+, just play which ever you enjoy more or are better at.

Yeah i second this.... if your looking to push ranks or cutting edge i would probably play Frost because it just out performs Unholy, but if you are just looking to clear heroic and chill then play what ever you prefer.

[Echoherb]

I wouldn't worry about DPS meters unless you are pushing really high end content. Play what you enjoy, because that's the spec you'll do better with.

From a purely numers perspective, frost is doing better, but patch 8.1 is right around the corner so that might change.

[Ealyssa]

If your guild nee a tank, blood obviously. Strong tank currently, hands down the best in MM+

If you want to DPS play frost, beware you wont be a must pick spec for PUG MM+

If you want to PVP, try unholy. But GL finding people willing to play with you if you dont have friend (talking from experience having myself an UH pvp alt)

[Galathir]

From a purely numers perspective, frost is doing better, but patch 8.1 is right around the corner so that might change.

The changes are small so it shouldn't have great impact. Frost will stay king.

[Th3Scourge]

Blood is about the only spec in the game I enjoy playing. all the dps rotations feel so rigid. At least blood is reactive

[Ordaine]

I've played a bit of frost this xpac, wasn't a fan.
I went unholy and loved it since. Strong cds, great burst and aoe. Being a non ranged, it's hard getting picked for pugs, but when you finally get a group you can usually top the meters if you know what you are doing.

Try them both out and play what you like. If you enjoy it, you can usually perform better with it.

[Deleted]

i would personally tell you to play Unholy but thats from my biased opinion. i feel like it takes a lot more skill to play unholy then pretty much any other mele spec and it is rewarding.

I would play the following build if you are new to the spec though for simplicity:

3,2,3,1,2,3,1

When you become more comftable with controlling your pet, runes, runic power, runic corruption, wounds, dot and cooldowns i would then switch to the most optimal spec:

2,2,3,3,2,1,2 (you can also play Epidemic instead of Pestilance) but that was be subjective to having certain traits like Festermight etc...

Try out what works for you and what you enjoy but i find unholy so rewarding that even in my guild which has Edge i still at any chance switch to unholy even knowing frost is better in pretty much every boss/encounter.

Enjoy

P.S with the 3,2,3.... it is the talent i chose going 1-3 left to right if you didnt know

[Zorachus]

i would personally tell you to play Unholy but thats from my biased opinion. i feel like it takes a lot more skill to play unholy then pretty much any other mele spec and it is rewarding.

I would play the following build if you are new to the spec though for simplicity:

3,2,3,1,2,3,1

When you become more comftable with controlling your pet, runes, runic power, runic corruption, wounds, dot and cooldowns i would then switch to the most optimal spec:

2,2,3,3,2,1,2 (you can also play Epidemic instead of Pestilance) but that was be subjective to having certain traits like Festermight etc...

Try out what works for you and what you enjoy but i find unholy so rewarding that even in my guild which has Edge i still at any chance switch to unholy even knowing frost is better in pretty much every boss/encounter.

Enjoy

P.S with the 3,2,3.... it is the talent i chose going 1-3 left to right if you didnt know

Good advice thanks. What mini rotation would you recommend with this setup ?

[Re4leader1]

Sooo basically unholy is still garbage with too many resources?

[Deleted]

Good advice thanks. What mini rotation would you recommend with this setup ?

Sorry Mini rotation? as in spell priorty or azerite powers?

[Deleted]

Play wichichever you enjoy most - this will give you higher numbers over the small difference between the other spec.

[Zorachus]

Sorry Mini rotation? as in spell priorty or azerite powers?

Spell rotation please.

[Deleted]

more of a priorty really i normally open a fight like this:
Army 4 seconds before pull (gives your 3 runes enough time to recharge as running in)
Dark Trans on 1 second
Pre Pot
VP (Maintain 100% uptime if possible)
Unholy Frenzy
1 Festering Strike (Hope you have 4 wounds)
Apoc

And then its a priorty system of maintaining VP and keeping DT on cooldown, also never fester strike if you have wounds up on the target you always want to run it down to 0 then 1 or 2 festering strikes to get it back to 4+.

1 important tip is to not cap on RP and also dont spam them out, pay attention to your runic corruption. for example you have 70 runic power and a death coil proc, you use it and get a 3 second runic corruption buff, you want to make sure that runs its 3 seconds before you death coil again to avoid wasteing the runic corrption.

[Yhcti]

What difficulty levels do you anticipate playing at? If you're running Normal/Heroic and single-digit M+, just play which ever you enjoy more or are better at.

Issue with this logic is people wont accept a weaker spec. People only want specs that are gonna carry them. Id never pick a dk for, id always go for dh rogue mage

[ymirsson]

Issue with this logic is people wont accept a weaker spec. People only want specs that are gonna carry them. Id never pick a dk for, id always go for dh rogue mage

Dont run with randoms, problem solved.

[Yhcti]

Dont run with randoms, problem solved.

This is true, my guild however is a hardcore raiding guild and they never run with the casuals all my mates quit ages ago too

[ymirsson]

You're the one casual in a raiding guild?
Well, socialize or look for another one.