This is an mock design for Death Knights showing how a change to 6 "Death Runes" or just 6 regular same-type Runes could successfully work and how each spec would function. An important part of this design is not only keeping current flavor, but adding addition spec individuality. Also, the new found flexibility of this rune system would allow the Dev team more space for the creation of future abilities and functionality.
Updated: 8-24-14
There is now a new mock Talent Grid to accompany the 6 Death Rune design:
Page1: (T56 - T90) http://mop-talent-grid-maker.appspot...gridId=4004001
Page2: (T100) http://mop-talent-grid-maker.appspot...gridId=4014001
Blood
1 Rune - Heart Strike - (Single Target Strike) Applies Scarlet Fever - Creates Blood Infusion
1 Rune - Soul Reaper - Creates Blood Infusion
1 Rune - Blood Tap - Renamed Rune Tap
1 Rune - Death & Decay - Shadowfrost Damage
1 Rune - Chains of Agony - New Chains of Ice (Applies Scarlet Fever + Slow)
2 Runes - Death Strike / Death Siphon - Death Siphon would replace/upgrade Death Strike
25 RP - Blood Boil - Spreads Scarlet Fever
25 RP - Death Coil
Scarlet Fever: Disease that deals Shadow damage and also applies Weakened Blows.
Blood Infusion: Each successful Heart Strike or Soul Reaper increases the heal of your next Death Strike / Death Siphon by X%. Effect can stack up to two charges. All charges are consumed by each Death Strike / Death Siphon.
Notes: 2x Heart Strike would deal slightly more damage than 1x Death Strike. Therefore, Heart Strike would be utilized to deal more damage when healing is not needed. This also applies to Soul Reaper. Both HS and SR would apply bonus healing to your next Death Strike to minimize the risk. Blood Boil would now cost RP; This change prevents needed multiple target threat from interfering with survivability. These specific changes would hopefully make Blood much more interesting to play.
Single Target Priority:
1. Apply and maintain Scarlet Fever using Heart Strike
2. Blood Tap if/when needed
3. Death Strike if/when needed
4. Soul Reaper during execute range
5. Heart Strike
6. Blood Boil
7. Free Death & Decay
8. Free Blood Boil
Multiple Target Priority:
1. Death & Decay
2. Apply Scarlet Fever using Heart Strike
3. Spread diseases using Blood Boil
4. Blood Tap if/when needed
5. Death Strike if/when needed
6. Free Blood Boil
7. Heart Strike
8. Blood Boil
Frost
1 Rune - Icy Touch - Applies Frost Fever - Procs Chill of the Grave
1 Rune - Soul Reaper
1 Rune - Death & Decay - Shadowfrost Damage
1 Rune - Chains of Agony - New Chains of Ice (Applies Frost Fever + Slow)
2 Runes - Howling Blast - Applies Frost Fever - Procs Rime - Consumes Rime
2 Runes - Frost Strike - Consumes Chill of the Grave
2 Runes - Death Strike / Death Siphon - Death Siphon would replace/upgrade Death Strike
25 RP - Obliterate - Consumes Killing Machine
25 RP - Death Coil
Chill of the Grave: Icy Touch has a 50% chance to double the damage of your next Frost Strike. Effect stacks up to 3 charges.
Rime: Howling Blast has a chance to cause your next Howling Blast to be free and consume no runes.
Killing Machine: Your autoattacks have a chance to cause your next Obliterate to deal total Frost damage.
Notes: Frost is given new life with new mechanics, creating a well-defined priority. The main idea is to use Icy Touch.....to proc Chill of the Grave.....to empower Frost Strike and only use Frost Strike while it is empowered by Chill of the Grave. Killing Machine is changed to sync up with our Mastery and no longer devalue the Crit stat. Rime is changed to offer some random bonus fun during AoE situations.
Single Target Priority:
1. Apply and maintain Frost Fever using Icy Touch
2. Obliterate w/KM or if about to cap RP
3. Soul Reaper during execute range
4. Frost Strike if 2 runes available w/Rime
5. Icy Touch to proc Rime
6. Obliterate
Multiple Target Priority:
1. Death & Decay
2. Apply and maintain Frost Fever using Howling Blast
3. Obliterate w/KM
4. Soul Reaper during execute range if against less than 4 targets
5. Howling Blast
6. Obliterate
Unholy
1 Rune - Plague Strike - Applies Necrotic Plague
1 Rune - Pestilence - AoE Shadow damage - Extends duration of Necrotic Plague - Spreads Necrotic Plague
1 Rune - Soul Reaper
1 Rune - Death & Decay - Shadowfrost Damage
1 Rune - Chains of Agony - New Chains of Ice (Applies Necrotic Plague + Slow)
2 Runes - Scourge Strike - Creates Shadow Infusion
2 Runes - Death Strike / Death Siphon - Death Siphon would replace/upgrade Death Strike
25 RP - Death Coil - Consumes Sudden Doom
Sudden Doom: Your autoattacks have a chance to cause your next Death Coil to consume no Runic Power.
Shadow Infusion: Scourge Strike creates 1 charge of Shadow Infusion. SI can only be created while the ghoul is not affected by Dark Transformation. Effect stacks up to 5 charges.
Dark Transformation: Activated passively once 5 charges of Shadow Infusion are created.
Notes: Blood uses Scarlet Fever, Frost uses Frost Fever and Unholy being the master of diseases, uses Necrotic Plague. Festering Strike would be removed and Pestilence would take over the mechanic of extending diseases. Scourge Strike would now be used to create Shadow Infusion stacks in order to activate Dark Transformation. DT would activate automatically upon reaching the 5th stack. And the number of stacks would be shown on the icon for Scourge Strike on your hotbar. The gameplay here is to maximize Scourge Strike usage while not letting Necrotic Plague fall off your targets. Also, Necrotic Plague would no longer jump or spread on it's own; It would only be spread by using Pestilence.
Single Target Priority:
1. Apply Necrotic Plague using Plague Strike
2. Maintain diseases using Pestilence
3. Soul Reaper during execute range
4. Scourge Strike if Dark Transformation is not active
5. Death Coil if you are about to cap RP
6. Scourge Strike
7. Death Coil
Multiple Target Priority:
1. Apply Necrotic Plague using Plague Strike
2. Death & Decay
3. Scourge Strike if Dark Transformation is not active
4. Soul Reaper during execute range if against less than 4 targets
5. Pestilence
6. Death Coil
All feedback is welcome.