Frost Tank 3.0.8 Respec Advice Sought

Hi,

I hope you guys can share some of your wisdom :)

I am a frost tank currently doing Naxx 25 man content. I am unable to use my DKP as I am trial for a month with a new guild so my gear is pretty static. I have noticed that even though the guilds two highest DPSers are behind me on say 87% threat in Omen, they could still grab Grobbulus's attention and I am wondering if Crits are spiking them over so I'd like to get rid of the situational magic stuff and get a bit more threat. I see Killing Machine as becoming a key feature of my build.

I was thinking of something like this...

Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

The key areas of doubt are:

1. I try and use Obliterate on single target fights but still find myself hitting Howling Blast and am struggling to way up whether Annhilation is worth the points or if I should just focus on HB and use Obliterate for Death Runes?

2. Virulence versus Epidemic? I currently find two points in Epidemic to be of little value but perhaps with death runes I would need it.

3. I don't currently have blood of the north and find that at times I need to sit and wait for runes (usually in a rotation where DND is used). I think BotN would give both more dynamic options and allow some extra Oblits/HBs (probably Obliterates with current CD).

4. So to summarise the gaps I am missing Annhilation, Epidemic, and Death Chill. I would have liked to have found a point for Rune Tap but it doesn't look possible without loosing threat. Death Chill is currently macrod to my HB and Oblit so if it's up (and it usually will on opening pulls) it is used.

I use a rotation of something like:

Single Target: IT > PS > BS > BS > OB > rune dump
AOE: IT > PS > Pest > BB > HB > rune dump

I suppose what I am getting at here is will the move to KM and Death Runes mean that I need Epidemic in a way I didn't before and will it affect the value of Annihilation?

My gear and spec can be found here:
The World of Warcraft Armory

Please can you assist me as I am getting bogged down in the trade offs now.

All the best,
Aenor

Yesterday, I was playing my DK and I was doing 1k DPS in Violet Hold (DK is level 78), I changed my playstyle a bit and I went for this rotation: no BP, use your death runes to replace the frost runes in Ob and spam FS whenever it's up, it should yield more TPS.

IT -> BS -> OB -> FS -> BS
IT -> OB -> FS -> OB

My build

well I might suggest changing the hit enchant on your gloves to armsman, if you its only 2% more threat but it should be helpful.

As far as epidemic versus virulence, with your diseases being up for longer with Epidemic it generally allows you one extra rotation before having to reapply icy touch and plague strike.

I would keep deathchill as being able to guarantee a crit Obliterate or HB is nice for the situations you might be worried about your dps, and if you are in dire need of rune tap then something might be wrong with your healers.

This is the Frost build I intend to try since they nerfed Bone Shield and as long as I can survive Sartharions buffed breath I won't be changing as I prefer Frost to Unholy.

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?deat...h=111315040506

Epidemic is an absolute must as it allows you to get more abilities in before refreshing as Khel said. Blood of the north will allow you to get an additional Obliterate in so it's a good talent. For starting tanks I would suggest Acclimation over BotN for the extra damage reduction and it helps alot in fights like Sartharion and Saph.

With the Glyph your Obliterate should out perform HB. You will also notice that I took Subversion for the extra 9% crit on Oblit and BS. Another option would be to drop that and 2H weapon specialization and get the 5 points in Bladed Armor. Personally I only use HB when it's free from the Rime proc or when I'm AoE tanking. DnD should only be used as an initial aggro grabber, everything after that should be HB, BB or Pestilence however sometimes your HB CD allows for another DnD.

Frost is definetely better for single target threat so I would make that your main concern, leave the AoE tanking to the pallies imo lol.

Killing Machine is complete rubbish and considering the must have talents there is really no room for it. A large amount of your white attacks will be converted into Rune Strikes making KM irrelavent.

If you have any questions about any specs or rotations feel free to PM me.