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Frost Death Knight · Melee DPS

Frost Death Knight beginner guide

BeginnersData-drivenMediumPatch 12.1.0
519Updated

More Frost 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

Frost Death Knight is a melee dps specialization of the Death Knight in World of Warcraft. It is B tier on our ladder: 5.7% presence in the top Mythic+ groups (average key +15.3) and 49.4% of Solo Shuffle rounds won.

Strengths

  • Most played in Kings' Rest, where it shows up in 6.1% of the top runs.
  • Top players stack Critical Strike (41.7% of their secondary stats).

Build cheat sheet

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

Builds

Frost Death Knight · Mythic+

BalancedMythic+
Open build

When to use it

What the 15 top Mythic+ players we read are using, with the Deathbringer hero tree (100%). Average item level 326. The talent code is the one 13.3% of them use exactly.

Mythic+ build

15 top profilesAverage item level 326Hero tree: Deathbringer (100%)

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

CsPAkXBWxkyfx9CbGaHonEAhLNAzMMjxYY2mZmZmZbmZ0MjxYYmxgZmZmZmZmZAAAAAAAAAYMbziZbGGLMsMz20QzYBzMmZGYAYYmBzMMYA

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 Endurance87Cleaving StrikesRaise DeadSuppressionDeath Pact93Blood Draw67Runic Protection33ColdthirstWraith Walk67Death Defiance93Death's Reach73Icy TalonsOsmosisEnfeeble7PermafrostGrip of the DeadProliferating ChillBlood Scent87Insidious ChillAssimilation27Blood BondDeath Notes7Subduing GraspVestigial ShellControl Undead7Ice PrisonUnyielding Will
Reaper's Mark

Deathbringer100%

Frigid ResolveSwift and PainfulGrim ReaperRune Carved PlatesWave of SoulsBind in DarknessDeath's MessengerExterminateEchoing FuryDark TalonsDeathly BlowsWither AwaySoul Rupture
Rider's Champion

Rider of the Apocalypse

Nazgrim's ConquestHungering ThirstLet Terror ReignUnholy ArmamentsMograine's MightTrollbane's Icy FuryOn a Paler HorseDeath ChargeMawsworn MenaceWhitemane's FamineApocalypse NowRide or Die!Horsemen's AidPact of the ApocalypseFury of the HorsemenA Feast of Souls

Frost talents

Icebreaker2/2FrostreaperFrost StrikeObliterateHowling BlastKilling MachineFrostbound WillEmpower Rune WeaponPillar of FrostMurderous EfficiencyKilling StreakHyperpyrexiaNorthwindsBonegrinder2/2Arctic AssaultRage of the Frozen ChampionEnduring StrengthObliterationBreath of SindragosaFrozen DominionFrostwyrm's FurySmothering OffenseEverfrostIcy Death TorrentCryogenic ChamberFrostscytheGathering StormBiting ColdHowling BladesRunic OverflowFrigid ExecutionerIcy OnslaughtAvalancheShattering BladeInexorable AssaultFrostbaneThe Long WinterRunic Command

Apex

Chosen of Frostbrood
Most picked PvP talentsDelirium47Strangulate40Spellwarden33Deathchill33Shroud of Winter20Bloodforged Armor20Bitter Chill20Death's Cold Embrace7

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 42%
  2. 2. Mastery 34%
  3. 3. Haste 18%
  4. 4. Versatility 6%

Most socketed gems

  • 107%Flawless Masterful Garnet+16 Critical Strike & +7 Mastery
  • 93%Flawless Masterful Peridot+16 Haste & +7 Mastery
  • 73%Flawless Deadly Amethyst+16 Mastery & +7 Critical Strike
  • 73%Flawless Deadly Peridot+16 Haste & +7 Critical Strike
  • 60%Indecipherable Eversong Diamond+32 Primary Stat
  • 33%Powerful Eversong Diamond+23 Primary Stat and +0.15% critical strike effectiveness per unique Midnight gem color

Gear by slot

  • Main hand

    • Maze-roa, Warlord's Furyilvl 334 · 27%
    • Aman'muso, Warlord's Vengeanceilvl 334 · 27%
    • Jaw of the Shackled Goddessilvl 341 · 20%

    ✦ Rune of the Fallen Crusader (47%)

  • Off hand

    • Jaw of the Shackled Goddessilvl 326 · 33%
    • Strongblood's Ceremonial Cleaverilvl 334 · 13%
    • Farstrider's Chopperilvl 331 · 7%

    ✦ Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle (47%)

  • Trinket

    • Voracious Heart of Ula'tekilvl 334 · 93%
    • Zul'jin's Guillotine Techniqueilvl 332 · 47%
    • Keeper's Seething Coreilvl 329 · 33%

  • Head

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Casqueilvl 329 · 67%
    • Aetherlume Sun Guardilvl 331 · 13%
    • Spellbreaker's Coverilvl 331 · 13%

    ✦ Enchant Helm - Empowered Rune of Avoidance (73%)

  • Neck

    • Aqirbane Reliquaryilvl 331 · 80%
    • Pendant of Malefic Furyilvl 321 · 7%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Necklaceilvl 263 · 7%

  • Shoulders

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Gibbetsilvl 329 · 87%
    • Pauldrons of the Forgotten Sacrificeilvl 328 · 13%

    ✦ Enchant Shoulders - Amirdrassil's Grace (80%)

  • Back

    • Silken Voodoo Drapeilvl 333 · 27%
    • Bloodthorn Burnousilvl 321 · 20%
    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Greatcloakilvl 321 · 20%

  • Chest

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Breastplateilvl 326 · 93%
    • Clutch of the Firemotherilvl 321 · 7%

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

  • Wrists

    • Spellbreaker's Bracersilvl 329 · 53%
    • Shellbound Bracersilvl 325 · 33%
    • Thalassian Competitor's Plate Armguardsilvl 292 · 7%

  • Hands

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Deathgripsilvl 324 · 100%

  • Waist

    • Girdle of Toxic Regretilvl 333 · 27%
    • Fanged Brute's Greatbeltilvl 331 · 20%
    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Girdleilvl 325 · 20%

  • Legs

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Greavesilvl 332 · 100%

    ✦ +41 Agility/Strength & +115 Stamina (100%)

  • Feet

    • Spellbreaker's Marchilvl 331 · 53%
    • Scaled Fiend's Warbootsilvl 334 · 13%
    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Sabatonsilvl 325 · 13%

    ✦ Enchant Boots - Lynx's Dexterity (67%)

  • Ring

    • Loa Worshiper's Bandilvl 331 · 60%
    • Charged Sandstone Bandilvl 321 · 40%
    • Masterwork Sin'dorei Bandilvl 331 · 27%

    ✦ Enchant Ring - Eyes of the Eagle (187%)

Abilities

  • Frost Strike35 Runic Power mpChill your weapon with icy power and quickly strike the enemy, dealing 69 Frost damage.35 Runic Power
  • Obliterate2 Runes mpA brutal attack that deals 41 Physical and 41 Frost damage.2 Runes
  • Howling Blast1 Rune mpBlast the target with a frigid wind, dealing 17 Frost damage to that foe, and reduced damage to all other enemies within 10 yards, infecting all targets with Frost Fever. Frost Fever A disease that deals 117 Frost damage over 24 sec and has a chance to grant the Death Knight 4 Runic Power each time it deals damage.1 Rune
  • Empower Rune WeaponDrain the will of your enemy to empower your rune weapon, dealing 91 Shadowfrost damage and reduced damage to enemies nearby, gaining 40 Runic Power, and grants you Killing Machine.Core ability of the specialization.
  • Frostscythe2 Runes mpA sweeping attack that strikes all enemies in front of you for 16 Frost damage. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets. Consumes Killing Machine to have its critical strikes deal 4 times the normal damage.
  • Pillar of Frost45 sec cooldownsThe power of frost increases your Strength by 20% for 12 sec.
  • Frostwyrm's Fury1.5 min cooldownsSummons a frostwyrm who breathes on all enemies within 40 yd in front of you, dealing 104 Frost damage, stunning enemies for 3 sec, and slowing movement speed by 50% for 10 sec.
  • Breath of Sindragosa1.5 min cooldowns60 Runic Power mpCall upon Sindragosa's aid in battle for 8 sec, continuously dealing 38 Frost damage every 1 sec to enemies in a cone in front of you. Consuming Killing Machine or Rime increases the duration by 0.8 sec. Deals reduced damage to secondary targets. Grants a charge of Empower Rune Weapon at the start and 2 Runes at the end.

Strategy

1What you do

Your job: deal damage in close range while dodging frontals and cleaves and interrupting the casts in reach.

  • Open each pull with your area damage once the tank has the pack: pulling threat early is how melee die.
  • Melee usually have short interrupts: take the kicks assigned to you and stun the packs you can reach.

2Mistakes to avoid

  • Tunnelling the boss while ignoring adds: the journal marks which ones must die first.
  • Standing in avoidable damage: in high keys and raid bosses, avoidable damage is what wipes groups, not the healer.
  • Holding personal defensives until it is too late: use one the moment a big hit is announced.
  • Ignoring the interrupt rotation: every uninterrupted dangerous cast is damage your healer has to fix.

Tips

  • Learn your rotation on a training dummy before the key: your damage in the first seconds of each pull is most of your damage.
  • Import the talent code of this guide in-game (Talents → Import) and adjust only the rows the fight asks for.
  • Your item level matters less than your stats: follow the secondary stat split the top players use for this specialization.
  • Face the pack away from the group only if you are the tank; otherwise stay behind it.

Matchups

Works well with

  • Arcane Mage

    In 38.2% of the top Mythic+ groups with Frost Death Knight.

  • Restoration Shaman

    In 32.1% of the top Mythic+ groups with Frost Death Knight.

  • Holy Paladin

    In 31.6% of the top Mythic+ groups with Frost Death Knight.

  • Guardian Druid

    In 26.2% of the top Mythic+ groups with Frost Death Knight.

  • Elemental Shaman

    In 26.1% of the top Mythic+ groups with Frost Death Knight.

Changelog

  1. Guide created for patch 12.1.0.

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