What is the best opening rotation for DK Tanks on multiple targets or mobs ?

[Darthdingo]

I haven't play my DK Tank in awhile, just got back on him after playing my Tankadin 99% of the time.

So for leveling in Cataclysm, I have found this rotation to work best on single targets, and yes I know the DK runes are based on a priority system, rather than the awesome and great fixed rotation which I miss dearly. Anyways, this is what I use on single targets, and it seems to work just great; IT>PS>DS>RS>HS>HS>RS. I know I can go disease-less, but rather stick with them for now.

What would be a good starter for multiple targets ? Do I always need to be using DnD ?

Also once I ding 81 next week, where will Outbreak come in ? That replaces both IT +PS ? Does it also spread them like Pest does, or do I still need to cast Pest after Outbreak on mobs and multiples ?

Thank you,
Dingo

[Felycitas]

Here's the opening rotation I use for 2+ mobs currently...

D&D, Blood Boil, Icy Touch, Pestilence, Blood Tap, Blood Boil, Death Strike.

Works fairly well for snap aggro in the very beginning.

[MellvarTank]

Usually for multi-mobs on my DK tank I'll use DnD>BB>HS>HS>RS(if proc'd)>DS>RS/DC to generate a rune, or blood tap. It's all about cleaving abilities and the DPS I was running with were all geared out so that was pretty much what I had to do. For longer pulls, I would add diseases in after I got snap aggro with that rotation.

[Felycitas]

I'm glad the bot approves so resoundingly!

[Masterkiller]

Pre-pull: HoW

Pull: DnD -> BB -> DS -> BB -> DS -> RS -> [Tab] -> RS -> BB SPAM

Locked in. Target swap and RS/HS.

[Bosk]

I am only putting down a D+D for them to run into then I go diseaseless. I've not lost threat to anyone, I do spread my RS around to smack different mobs in the face. I'll BB if I think I need the damage reduction, but not for threat.

[chumz]

Mark the whole group your pulling and you dont have to worry about it as much, but i will mark all, have skull targeted, dnd, it, ps, pest, then bb, depending on how many mobs there are hs or bb

[PosiJoel]

IMO you should always be hitting BB, as it applies Scarlet Fever.

I usually open with DnD, IT, PS, Pest, BB. And typically just mark the initial target with a skull. By the time the first target dies you should have gathered more than enough threat on the others. After casting BB once, Scarlet Fever will typically last as long as the entire pull (Provided you have 3/3 in Epidemic), so HS/DS after that. Putting up a Blood Shield is helpful with DS, but keep in mind that your diseases need to be applied in order to do so.

[Insahnity]

I'm with PosiJoel. I stick with DnD to get their attention, getting diseases spread around and then Blood Boiling. If the mobs go down fast or I am walking into a pull with 4 death runes, I might sometimes slack off and BBx6. Going DnD->BB->DS is not bad, but if the mobs take a while to bring down, you are more likely to hold threat with diseases ticking from the beginning.

[Rabban]

I only use diseases on long fights like bosses.

DnD > BB > HS > DS this is usually enough to get the initial aggro as long as the dps target you target then you can start spreading some RS about but most of the time HS & DS are enough. I my opinion IT > PS > Pest is just a waist of runes I could be using for useful abilities.

[Nightdemon]

Typically, for AoE, I run with a DnD > Outbreak > Pest > BB > DS > RS > DS, or thereabouts. Will keep tabbing through targets using RS etc too. Typical BB / Spam etc then. Havent really had much of a problem with that.

Single target, I tend to open with Outbreak > HS > HS > Blood Tap > BB > DS > RS > DS.

Thats just me though. Not claiming they're the best rotations, but I dont tend to have any problems with them.

[Mort-sause]

Depends greatly on the pull, if there is cc, if they are casters etc..

If the pull is three mobs or less, no casters:
Mark my target skull,
Outbreak,
(once in range)Death Strike,
Pestilence,
Heart Strike-Heart Strike,
Death Strike(rinse repeat, spamming Rune Strike while runes cd)


If the pull is three mobs or less and one is a caster:
Death grip the caster - (then wait for the first spell) Mind Freeze,
Double Heart Strike,
Death Strike (repeat, interrupting as needed with rune strike filling the gaps)


If the pull is four mobs or more (no caster):
Outbreak to pull,
DnD for them to run through,
Double HS,
DS,
Pest.


Two or more casters:
Death grip the first caster,
DnD,
Strangulate the second caster....
Heart, Death, Rune as needed.


Granted, if your dps ignore markings and pull for you and such, this all goes to toilet. Play it by ear at that point.

At all times, try to position the mobs in front of you, with their collective backs to the group.

Hope that helps.

[Baridin]

Mostly I:
- deathgrip over the skull-target just after cc goes up

=> this is critical in pugs, as it makes skull the only target to hit for a couple of gcd's, bad dps now tend to go all tunnelvision in their single-target rotation

- apply outbreak if up, IS+PS if not
- bloodboil + pestilence as rest of the mobs arive

[Theotherone]

IMO you should always be hitting BB, as it applies Scarlet Fever.

I usually open with DnD, IT, PS, Pest, BB. And typically just mark the initial target with a skull. By the time the first target dies you should have gathered more than enough threat on the others. After casting BB once, Scarlet Fever will typically last as long as the entire pull (Provided you have 3/3 in Epidemic), so HS/DS after that. Putting up a Blood Shield is helpful with DS, but keep in mind that your diseases need to be applied in order to do so.

This is what I do except after BB it's usually DS then spam HS and Rune Strike and DS whenever it's up. I'll also throw out DnD whenever it comes up. But then again once you DnD, IT, PS, Pest and BB, you can pretty much just hit whatever is lighting up - it's threat auto pilot by that point.

[PatrikL]

Maybe it should be mentioned since some people have talked about going disseaseless that in the future Scarlet Fever will not be applied by BB but instead by Blodo Plague so disseaseless will be less attractive. In other words if you are applying disseases today continue with it.

[Illidra]

DnD, outbreak, pest, bb + DS spam.

[Theotherone]

DnD, outbreak, pest, bb + DS spam.

Yeah outbreak is fun and saves a global cooldown.

[swollenpickles]

Yeah outbreak is fun and saves a global cooldown.

Outbreak is great. I usually just drop DnD and the outbreak,pestilence,blood boil and the start smacking stuff in the face with runestrike, death strike and heart strike. If there are 3 or more mobs I'll tab/rune strike around about to spread the love.

I still mark targets though and so long as people follow a kill order there's not usually a problem. I have found that for some people, if you mark skull, cross and then don't bother marking the third target, they get confused and assume that they should blow all CDs on the unmarked target to pull aggro as soon as they can.

[Theotherone]

i have found that for some people, if you mark skull, cross and then don't bother marking the third target, they get confused and assume that they should blow all cds on the unmarked target to pull aggro as soon as they can.

rofl

[Smartass]

Outbreak should be first.. if you dnd first sometimes youll end up with 1rp less which messes up your first RS