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Blood Death Knight · Tank

Blood Death Knight talents and abilities

TalentsData-drivenMediumPatch 12.1.0
150Updated

More Blood Death Knight guides

This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

93.3% of them pick the San'layn hero tree. The most repeated talent code is used exactly by 13.3% of the sample: import it in-game and adjust.

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Builds

Blood Death Knight · Mythic+

BalancedMythic+
Open build

When to use it

What the 15 top Mythic+ players we read are using, with the San'layn hero tree (93.3%). Average item level 330. The talent code is the one 13.3% of them use exactly.

Mythic+ build

15 top profilesAverage item level 330Hero tree: San'layn (93%)

Talent code to import in-game (Talents → Import). Used exactly by 13% of the sample.

CoPAkXBWxkyfx9CbGaHonEAhLxMzyMzMmxMzMMbzMz0MLmZMzMAAAAAmhZmZmZMzYAAzMzMzAAAYgBmxiGLbgsNgNAzYAAAmZAMA

Talent trees

Death Knight talents

Anti-Magic BarrierIcebound FortitudeDeath StrikeUnholy BondVeteran of the Third WarRunic AttenuationMind FreezeNull MagicWill of the Necropolis2/2Unholy Momentum2/2Rune Mastery2/2Death's EchoImproved Death StrikeAnti-Magic ZoneBrittleBlinding Sleet93Gloom Ward2/2Unholy Endurance93Cleaving StrikesRaise DeadSuppression40Death Pact47Blood Draw93Runic ProtectionColdthirst87March of DarknessDeath Defiance27Death's Reach67Icy TalonsOsmosisEnfeeblePermafrost87Grip of the DeadProliferating ChillBlood Scent73Insidious ChillAssimilation33Blood BondDeath NotesSubduing Grasp7Vestigial ShellControl Undead20Ice PrisonUnyielding Will
Vampiric Strike

San'layn93%

Gift of the San'layn93Inevitable93Incite Terror93Frenzied Bloodthirst93Transfusion93Thrill of Blood93Visceral Strength93Infliction of Sorrow93The Blood is Life93Vampiric Speed87Pact of the San'layn93Blood-Soaked Ground93Bloody Fortitude87
Reaper's Mark

Deathbringer

Frigid Resolve7Swift and Painful7Grim Reaper7Pact of the DeathbringerRune Carved Plates7Wave of Souls7Bind in Darkness7Death's MessengerExpelling Shield7Exterminate7Echoing Fury7Dark TalonsReaper's Onslaught7Deathly Blows7Wither Away7Soul Rupture7

Blood talents

Improved Bone ShieldHeart StrikeMarrowrendBlood BoilBone CollectorOssuaryDancing Rune WeaponHemostasisVampiric BloodRed ThirstSanguine GroundCoagulopathyIron HeartVoraciousEverlasting BondRapid DecompositionInsatiable BladeDeadly ReachGorefiend's GraspHeartbreakerPurgatoryBloodshotImproved Heart Strike87Boiling PointImproved Vampiric Blood2/2Bloodied BladeUmbilicus EternusFoul BulwarkLifeblood13Bloody ReflectionPlague InfusionBlood MistSanguinary BurstRelish in Blood13BloodwormsBlood FeastCarnageLeeching StrikePerseverance of the Ebon BladeConsumption

Apex

Dance of Midnight
Most picked PvP talentsDecomposing Aura80Last Dance47Bloodforged Armor47Rot and Wither27Spellwarden27Death Chain20Murderous Intent13Strangulate7

Gold means more than half of the top picks it; the number is the share that takes it when it isn't nearly everyone. Lines show which node unlocks which.

Secondary stat split

  1. 1. Critical Strike 35%
  2. 2. Haste 30%
  3. 3. Mastery 21%
  4. 4. Versatility 14%

Most socketed gems

  • 100%Flawless Deadly Peridot+16 Haste & +7 Critical Strike
  • 93%Indecipherable Eversong Diamond+32 Primary Stat
  • 73%Flawless Quick Lapis+16 Versatility & +7 Haste
  • 60%Flawless Versatile Peridot+16 Haste & +7 Versatility
  • 33%Flawless Quick Garnet+16 Critical Strike & +7 Haste
  • 27%Flawless Versatile Garnet+16 Critical Strike & +7 Versatility

Gear by slot

  • Main hand

    • Maze-roa, Warlord's Furyilvl 338 · 47%
    • Caustic Keeper-Crusherilvl 334 · 20%
    • Blood Knight's Warbladeilvl 331 · 13%

    ✦ Rune of Sanguination (67%)

  • Off hand

    • Strongblood's Ceremonial Cleaverilvl 321 · 13%

    ✦ Rune of the Fallen Crusader (7%)

  • Trinket

    • Voracious Heart of Ula'tekilvl 334 · 93%
    • Zul'jin's Guillotine Techniqueilvl 329 · 47%
    • Keeper's Seething Coreilvl 330 · 47%

  • Head

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Casqueilvl 323 · 73%
    • Skullguard of the Risen Sacrificeilvl 334 · 13%
    • Spellbreaker's Coverilvl 331 · 13%

    ✦ Enchant Helm - Empowered Blessing of Speed (73%)

  • Neck

    • Aqirbane Reliquaryilvl 333 · 93%
    • Whispering Periaptilvl 321 · 7%

  • Shoulders

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Gibbetsilvl 332 · 93%
    • Spellbreaker's Mantleilvl 331 · 7%

    ✦ Enchant Shoulders - Akil'zon's Swiftness (67%)

  • Back

    • Adherent's Silken Shroudilvl 331 · 40%
    • Silken Voodoo Drapeilvl 333 · 33%
    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Greatcloakilvl 325 · 13%

  • Chest

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Breastplateilvl 331 · 93%
    • Reckless Spirit Breastplateilvl 334 · 7%

    ✦ Enchant Chest - Mark of the Worldsoul (100%)

  • Wrists

    • Spellbreaker's Bracersilvl 331 · 80%
    • Overseer's Vambracesilvl 321 · 13%
    • Shellbound Bracersilvl 334 · 7%

  • Hands

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Deathgripsilvl 323 · 80%
    • Spellbreaker's Resolveilvl 331 · 13%
    • Despondent's Gauntletsilvl 321 · 7%

  • Waist

    • Girdle of Toxic Regretilvl 334 · 53%
    • Autumn's Boon Beltilvl 321 · 13%
    • Girdle of Pestilent Purificationilvl 321 · 13%

  • Legs

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Greavesilvl 333 · 80%
    • Chausses of Unbound Rancorilvl 334 · 20%

    ✦ +41 Agility/Strength & +115 Stamina (93%)

  • Feet

    • Spellbreaker's Marchilvl 331 · 40%
    • Entombed Cultist's Sabatonsilvl 331 · 27%
    • Poison-Proof Stompersilvl 324 · 27%

    ✦ Enchant Boots - Farstrider's Hunt (67%)

  • Ring

    • Masterwork Sin'dorei Bandilvl 331 · 47%
    • Alluring Bubblebandilvl 333 · 33%
    • Band of the Amani Warlordilvl 321 · 27%

    ✦ Enchant Ring - Eyes of the Eagle (133%)

Abilities

  • Heart Strike1 Rune mpInstantly strike the target and 1 other nearby enemy, causing 69 Physical damage, and reducing enemies' movement speed by 20% for 8 sec.1 Rune
  • Marrowrend2 Runes mpSmash the target, dealing 78 Physical damage and generating 3 charges of Bone Shield. Bone Shield Surrounds you with a barrier of whirling bones, increasing Armor by 110. Each melee attack against you consumes a charge. Lasts 30 sec or until all charges are consumed.2 Runes
  • Blood BoilDeals 57 Shadow damage and infects all enemies within 10 yds with Blood Plague. Blood Plague A shadowy disease that drains 93 health from the target over 24 sec.Core ability of the specialization.
  • Vampiric Blood1.5 min cooldownsEmbrace your undeath, increasing your maximum health by 30% and increasing all healing and absorbs received by 30% for 10 sec.Cooldown 1.5 min cooldown
  • Dancing Rune Weapon2 min cooldownsSummons a rune weapon for 8 sec that mirrors your melee attacks and bolsters your defenses. While active, you gain 30% parry chance.Cooldown 2 min cooldown
  • Gorefiend's Grasp1.5 min cooldownsShadowy tendrils coil around all enemies within 15 yards of a hostile or friendly target, pulling them to the target's location and Silencing them for 3 sec.Cooldown 1.5 min cooldown
  • Abomination Limb2 min cooldownsSprout an additional limb, pulling enemies further than 8 yds from you every 1 sec. The same enemy can only be pulled once every 4 sec.Cooldown 2 min cooldown
  • Consumption45 sec cooldownsEmpower the runes in your weapon, reducing the damage you take over the duration and unleashing a devastating attack that deals 218 Shadow damage and consumes up to 75% of your Blood Plague instantly from enemies in front of you. I: Consumes up to 25% of your Blood Plague. While empowering, your damage taken is reduced by 5% and an additional 8 sec after empowering. II: Consumes up to 50% of your Blood Plague. While empowering, your damage taken is reduced by 10% and an additional 4 sec after empowering. III: Consumes up to 75% of your Blood Plague. While empowering, your damage taken is reduced by 15% and an additional 2 sec after empowering.Cooldown 45 sec cooldown

Strategy

1Contested talents

Talents that not every top player takes: choose them by fight.

  • Blinding Sleet — 93.3% of the top players
  • Unholy Endurance — 93.3% of the top players
  • Blood Draw — 93.3% of the top players
  • Blood-Soaked Ground — 93.3% of the top players
  • Thrill of Blood — 93.3% of the top players
  • Infliction of Sorrow — 93.3% of the top players
  • Frenzied Bloodthirst — 93.3% of the top players
  • The Blood is Life — 93.3% of the top players
  • Visceral Strength — 93.3% of the top players
  • Inevitable — 93.3% of the top players
  • Incite Terror — 93.3% of the top players
  • Pact of the San'layn — 93.3% of the top players

2Key abilities

The abilities that define the specialization:

  • Heart Strike
  • Marrowrend
  • Blood Boil
  • Vampiric Blood
  • Dancing Rune Weapon
  • Gorefiend's Grasp
  • Abomination Limb
  • Consumption

Tips

  • Know which enemy casts must be interrupted or stopped in each dungeon: the journal lists them for every boss.

Matchups

Works well with

  • Arcane Mage

    In 51.2% of the top Mythic+ groups with Blood Death Knight.

  • Holy Paladin

    In 45.3% of the top Mythic+ groups with Blood Death Knight.

  • Elemental Shaman

    In 35.1% of the top Mythic+ groups with Blood Death Knight.

  • Arms Warrior

    In 34.9% of the top Mythic+ groups with Blood Death Knight.

  • Demonology Warlock

    In 24.6% of the top Mythic+ groups with Blood Death Knight.

Changelog

  1. Guide created for patch 12.1.0.

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