Unholy 2ndary Tank Spec

[Rialév]

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deathknight=0055020500300300000000000000005000000 0000000000000000000205030335000015103050003102100&glyph=122004040605&version=9767 (http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deathknight=0055020500300300000000000000005000000 0000000000000000000205030335000015103050003102100&glyph=122004040605&version=9767)

This was a theory i thought up shortly after the first time I had read the patch notes, however I was never able to test it out on the PTR realm. At the time I was more concerned with a full blown unholy build, such as the one I have been previously tanking with before recently switching to Blood.

This is sort of based around a mild mitigation as well as high end TPS. The glyphs of choice with this spec (mathematically) would be Glyph of Disease, Glyph of Rune Stike, and Glyph of Bone Shield. (for Majors)

I've never really considered minor glyphs to play a major part in spell rotations for a DK. However I use Glyph of Raise Dead, Glyph of Pestilence, and Glyph of Horn of Winter.

The glyph of disease was intended in this build to eliminate using 3 runes 1 frost, 1 unholy, and 1 blood to spread your diseases after your initial rotation, and relying on RNG of Glyph of Scourge Strike. After the initial rotation (i.e. IT, PS, BS, BS, SS ---> SS, SS, SS) only 1 blood rune will be needed, allowing for a second scourge strike in the next set of rotations. As well as a Blood Boil, Blood Strike, etc.

I'd like to here some feedback from perhaps, some better number crunchers than myself. Or even some opinions on the build.

As far as Virulence goes (since I know some would be surprised that it's not specced for that) Providing that you have the gear, as well as a few other things such as Improved Faerie fire from a balance druid, and Heroic Presence (im alliance) Virulence is not a necessary talent, However, if you wanted it, I'd say replace morbidity with Virulence to gain the hit rating for your spells.

Thanks,

Rialév

[komos]

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deathknight=0055020500300300000000000000005000000 0000000000000000000205030335000015103050003102100&glyph=122004040605&version=9767

This is my suggestion though i ve not tryed yet, i used corpse exlosion for some extra threat and sourge strike for some extra dps since gargoyle is faaar away

[Rialév]

Well I've just finished testing it out live, And i've made a few tweaks to the build.

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deathknight=0055020500300300000000000000005000000 0000000000000000000205200335000015203050003102100&glyph=042012040506&version=9767 (http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deathknight=0055020500300300000000000000005000000 0000000000000000000205200335000015203050003102100&glyph=042012040506&version=9767)

First of all, I switched Morbidity with Epidemic, and 1 more point in Dirge.

Overall the DPS performance is substantially higher, and the rotation is much easier with the extra duration on the diseases. Which in turn increases streamlined threat. The 2 points in dirge makes things very easy in keep uptime while runes are on CD.

However, it is still a relatively complex rotation, much more reliant on awareness than muscle memory. The key is keeping Blood Plague on your target at all times. (which during my live tests, seems to wear off before the other diseases by about .5 seconds) Which means that timing your blood rune CD's is very vital to the performance of the spec.

the rotation is something like this. (with an occasional blood tap thrown in if necessary)

IT, PS, BS, BS, SS
SS, SS, SS

SS, SS, BS, Pest
SS, SS, SS

SS, SS, Pest, BS
SS, SS, SS

With the correct gearing and timing, spike threat is considerably higher than a full unholy build (and so far with what I've seen) considerably higher than blood as well.

Keep in mind, that this is not focused on Defense so much as it is focused on all out threat generation. So I would not reccomend this for someone who is lacking in the avoidance/stamina areas.

After a test on Patchwerk, providing that the spec is successful, I'll post a Parse as to how it performed. Should be later tonight.

Feel free to leave me any feedback or opinions.

P.S.

I did consider placing a point in Corpse Explosion, which would be an ideal RP dump on AoE fights. And I may actually try that out just to compare the TPS results with the spec I currently am using.

[Rialév]

Unfortunately, due to several addons updates I had to make today, and the shear instability of world servers, I was unable to get a WWS parse for the spec.

As soon as things are a little less shaky i'll post one.

Rest assure though, this is no longer my secondary spec :) It's my main one. The raid was impressed with it's performance so I'll be sure to get some parses on it.

[Malygor]

how was it? Im curious to see how that build goes...

this build looks interesting. My DK has reached 79 and should be 80 by next week (raid Ulduar atm takes all my time nowdays lol) and I would basically want to make this char OT only (AE basically). Your build looks intersting for that, specially when I run HCs with him.

Looking forward to your answer :)

[Rialév]

Still haven't gotten any parses on it, however I have to say that it really has a huge amount of versatility in the raiding areas. Wherein our normal MT has been more and more seen switching to a DPS spec simply because his aggro doesn't generate nearly as fast as this spec.

Thus far in the raids I have been doing, it holds very similar to Ciderhelm's Unrelenting Assault spec, wherein the raid will see a considerable increase in your personal damage, which really lends a great deal of support to everyone with no cost nor sacrifice to your ability to tank. The main difference between Ciderhelm's Unrelenting Assault spec (aside from it being a warrior spec) the Damage is much the same, however if you were to lose aggro it would be almost nothing to regain it.

In 10 man's I've seen an excess of 3500 DPS on boss fights. Close to 3800-4000 on Patchwerk. And simply alone in some of my personal tests 2500 in a very short period of time.

4000+ on large Trash Pulls.

I'd say though, that this spec is very much designed around a MT position. However if you utilized it correctly and managed aggro generation, it could very well perform efficiently in OT duties. From and AE standpoint, It probably won't outperform a full unholy or frost build, however in single target cases or 1 tank fights, it really shines simply due to the damage output.

With a few points switched around such as 1 in Corpse Explosion and a swap in points somewhere in blood, to 3/3 Ebon Plague, or even a swap from ebon plague to wanderring plague would make it an Ideal AE spec.