Some of this information may be outdated, but it provides a basic overview of Death Knight mechanics.
Table of Contents
- Rune Basics and Runic Power
- Presences
- Rotations
- Weapon Enchants
- Useful Stats
1. Rune Basics and Runic Power
Runes: You'll notice you have 6 Runes: 2 blood, 2 frost, and 2 unholy. These are resources that regenerate by themselves every 10 seconds (all Runes of the same type are on the same cooldowns, so it takes 20 seconds to regenerate 2 Blood Runes, for example) after you use them. Abilities can use any combination of the runes.
Death Runes can only be created via talents and skills. When a talent says "X ability causes the Y Runes to return as Death Runes," it means: X ability happens, Y Runes go on cooldown, after the Y runes refresh, they will turn into Death Runes until they are used. They can be used as either of the three Runes, but the game will always use the non-Death runes first if they are available.
Runic Power (RP) is the other resource, basically the DK equivalent of rage. You start with 0 RP, but you generate 10 at a time for each rune spent via abilities (talents, presences, and set bonuses can increase these values for certain abilities). It will decay like rage when out of combat.
2. Presences
Death Knights have three presences: Blood (+stamina, +armor, +threat), Frost (+damage, +runic power generation), and Unholy (+attack speed, run speed, and rune regeneration speed, as well as global cooldown reduced to 1 second). All abilities can be used in all presences. These are neither warrior stances nor druid forms.
Blood Presence is for tanking. It reduces damage you take and increases your threat.
Frost Presence is for dps, it straight up increases damage done with no strings attached.
Unholy Presence is for dps as well, it increases your speed in all aspects as well as increases the damage done by your ghoul pet.
3. Rotations
DK Rotations: DKs no longer run on a rotational dps system. Basically it will be a juggling act to stop Runic Power from reaching 100 and to keep at least 1 of the 2 same-type runes on cooldown at all times. You will also need to watch for procs.
4. Weapon Enchants
Death Knights get their own weapon enchants.
Tanking Enchants: Stoneskinned Gargoyle (2-Hander, +4% armor, +2% Stamina) used to be good, now use Swordshattering (4% parry) since it reduces overall healing strain. Damage will be slightly spikier, but that's what Death Strike is there for.
DPS Enchants: Use Rune of the Fallen Crusader. If you are dual wielding, use Razorice or Cinderglacier as off-hand enchants. Fallen Crusader does not stack if you dual wield two of them.
5. Useful Stats
Strength: Raw dps boosting stat, strength gives 2 AP per point, boosted 15% from Fallen Crusader, improved by Blessing of Kings/Talents, AND gets transferred to the pet. For DPS, if in doubt, get strength.
Agility: Increases dodge chance and melee crit chance. Mediocre stat. Worse than dodge rating for tanking, worse than crit rating for dps. Still not too horrible, though.
Stamina: Survival requirement. Boosted by talents and Blood Presence.
Crit Rating: Increases both melee and spell crit chance. Does not increase pet crit chance. Decent secondary stat.
Haste Rating: Increases your attack speed, your minion's attack speed and the rate at which runes regenerate. Decent secondary stat.
Hit Rating: Reduces chance to miss! Get this to 7-8% (Draenei depending) as soon as possible. Every spec needs it.
Expertise Rating: Reduces chance of being dodged or parried. 26 expertise (after talents/racials) is the cap to remove dodges from raid bosses. Generally a good idea to get it capped then forget all about it.
Armor Penetration: Has been removed, RIP.
Dodge Rating: Avoidance stat, get it on gear where possible, can also be reforged to mastery if you prefer a more damage-reduction centric build.
Parry Rating: Avoidance stat, see Dodge Rating.
Defense Rating: Has been removed, RIP.