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Blood Death Knight PvE Guide - Cataclysm Classic

Class
Spec
Rotation
Talent Builds
Glyphs
Consumables
Races
Professions

These guides are based on simulation data, tools, and theorycrafting from original Cataclysm. We'll be sure to update them when modern sims are finished. Rotations are likely to get optimized via sims, but it should already give you a very strong starting point.

Introduction

    Blood Death Knights bring a 10% Attack Power buff with
    Abomination's Might
    and 10% Physical Damage debuff with
    Scarlet Fever
    . All Death Knights also bring a Strength and Agility buff with
    Horn of Winter
    and a Combat Resurrection with
    Raise Ally
    .

Cataclysm Classic Blood Death Knight Rotation

    Blood Death Knights are considered the best Tank in Cataclysm. The changes to
    Death Strike
    healing, as well as their
    Mastery: Blood Shield
    gives them insane self healing and damage prevention. They have an abundance of defensive cooldowns, so they have an answer for every situation. Another big quality of life change that all Blood Death Knights got is
    Outbreak
    now has a 30 sec cooldown, which means you can use this exclusively to keep your
    Blood Plague
    and
    Frost Fever
    on enemies, and you no longer need to
    Icy Touch
    and
    Plague Strike
    .

Single Target

  1. Use
    Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle
    .
  2. Be in
    Blood Presence
    .
  3. Maintain
    Horn of Winter
    if assigned.
  4. Maintain
    Bone Shield
    .
  5. Cast
    Blood Tap
    .
  6. Cast
    Empower Rune Weapon
    when all Runes are on cooldown and you won't cap on Runic Power.
  7. Cast
    Raise Dead
    . You can either use this as a DPS cooldown, or combine it with
    Death Pact
    for a defensive cooldown.
  8. Cast
    Dancing Rune Weapon
    as a DPS cooldown, or save it for a defensive cooldown.
  9. Cast
    Rune Strike
    to avoid capping on Runic Power.
  10. Maintain
    Blood Plague
    and
    Frost Fever
    with
    Outbreak
    or
    Icy Touch
    and
    Plague Strike
    if it's on cooldown.
  11. Cast
    Death Strike
    .
    Blood Rites
    will turn your Frost Runes and Unholy Runes into Death Runes when it is used.
  12. Cast
    Heart Strike
    . Only use Blood Runes for this.

AoE

  1. Cast
    Death and Decay
    .
  2. Cast
    Outbreak
    to apply
    Blood Plague
    and
    Frost Fever
    or
    Icy Touch
    and
    Plague Strike
    if it's on cooldown.
  3. Cast
    Pestilence
    to spread them.
  4. Cast
    Heart Strike
    below 4 enemies, otherwise use
    Blood Boil
    .
  5. Cast
    Death Strike
    depending on how much damage you are taking.
  6. Cast
    Rune Strike
    to avoid capping on Runic Power.

Defensive Cooldowns

  1. Rune Tap
    .
  2. Vampiric Blood
    .
  3. Icebound Fortitude
    .
  4. Dancing Rune Weapon
  5. Army of the Dead
  6. Anti-Magic Shell
    .
  7. Death Pact
    on the ghouls from
    Army of the Dead
    or
    Raise Dead
    .

Cataclysm Classic Blood Death Knight Talents

Standard Build

If someone else is already providing the
Abomination's Might
buff, you can move those points into
Scent of Blood
or
Butchery
. You can also move the points into
Crimson Scourge
for more AoE focus.
0
Blood
0
Frost
0
Unholy

Cataclysm Classic Blood Death Knight Glyphs

  1. Prime:
    Heart StrikeHeart Strike
    ,
    Rune StrikeRune Strike
    ,
    Death CoilDeath Coil
    ( With
    LichborneLichborne
    )
  2. Optional: For AoE, replace
    Rune StrikeRune Strike
    with
    Death and DecayDeath and Decay
  3. Major:
    Vampiric BloodVampiric Blood
    ,
    Dancing Rune WeaponDancing Rune Weapon
    ,
    Anti-Magic ShellAnti-Magic Shell
  4. Optional:
    Rune TapRune Tap
    ,
    Blood BoilBlood Boil
    ,
    Bone Shield-cataBone Shield
  5. Minor:
    Blood TapBlood Tap
    ,
    Horn of WinterHorn of Winter
    ,
    Resilient GripResilient Grip

Cataclysm Classic Blood Death Knight Best Consumables

Flasks and Elixirs

    Best:
  • Elixir of Deep Earth
    or
    Prismatic Elixir
  • +
    Elixir of the Master
    Alternatives:
  • Flask of Steelskin

Food

    Best:
  • Lavascale Minestrone
    Alternatives:
  • Salted Eye
    ,
  • Seafood Magnifique Feast

Potions

    Best:
  • Earthen Potion
    Alternatives:
  • Golemblood Potion

Cataclysm Classic Blood Death Knight Best Races

Alliance

  1. Dwarf:
    Stoneform
    and
    Mace Specialization
  2. Worgen:
    Viciousness
    and
    Darkflight
  3. Human:
    Sword Specialization
    and
    Mace Specialization
  4. Draenei:
    Heroic Presence
  5. Night Elf:
    Quickness

Horde

  1. Goblin:
    Time is Money
    ,
    Rocket Barrage
    , and
    Rocket Jump
  2. Orc:
    Axe Specialization
    and
    Blood Fury
  3. Troll:
    Berserking
    and
    Regeneration
  4. Tauren:
    Endurance
  5. Blood Elf:
    Arcane Torrent

Cataclysm Classic Blood Death Knight Best Professions

  1. Blacksmithing:
    Socket Bracer
    and
    Socket Gloves
    .
  2. Jewelcrafting: Unique Epic Gems.
  3. Leatherworking:
    Draconic Embossment - Stamina
    . Becomes 2nd best in T13.
  4. The rest of the Crafting Professions provide nearly identical benefits.

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