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Unholy Death Knight · Melee DPS

Unholy Death Knight PvP guide

PvPData-drivenMediumPatch 12.1.0
561Updated

More Unholy 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

7682 players are rated with Unholy Death Knight in Solo Shuffle this season. Together they win 50.5% of 664,851 rounds; the top 100 average 2673 rating and the best is at 3029.

Strengths

  • Wins 50.5% of its Solo Shuffle rounds across 7682 rated players.
  • Top players stack Critical Strike (41.3% of their secondary stats).

Build cheat sheet

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

Builds

Unholy Death Knight · Solo Shuffle

More damagePvP
Open build

When to use it

What the 21 top Solo Shuffle players we read are using, with the San'layn hero tree (90.5%). Average item level 288. The talent code is the one 9.5% of them use exactly.

PvP build (Solo Shuffle)

21 top profilesAverage item level 288Hero tree: San'layn (90%)

Talent code to import in-game (Talents → Import). Used exactly by 10% of the sample.

CwPAkXBWxkyfx9CbGaHonEAhLBYmBjZGDzyYmZa2mxYMjZAAAAAAAAMzwMDAWmxMjZmxMzYw2MbmZmFNzyGzGz20YhBYGAGzMjZwMzMzYGD

Talent trees

Death Knight talents

Icebound FortitudeRunic AttenuationUnholy Momentum2/2Death's EchoWill of the Necropolis2/2Rune Mastery2/2Anti-Magic BarrierUnholy BondVeteran of the Third WarMind FreezeDeath StrikeBlinding SleetImproved Death StrikeNull Magic90BrittleAnti-Magic Zone90Gloom Ward2/2Unholy EnduranceRaise DeadCleaving StrikesSuppressionColdthirst81Blood DrawDeath Pact81Runic Protection90Wraith WalkIcy Talons48Death Defiance81AsphyxiateOsmosis90EnfeebleInsidious Chill19Permafrost10Grip of the Dead57Proliferating Chill57Blood ScentAssimilationBlood Bond24Death NotesSubduing GraspVestigial ShellControl UndeadUnyielding WillIce Prison
Vampiric Strike

San'layn90%

Infliction of Sorrow90The Blood is Life90Inevitable90Visceral Strength90Gift of the San'layn90Frenzied Bloodthirst90Transfusion90Thrill of Blood90Incite Terror90Vampiric Speed90Pact of the San'layn71Bloody Fortitude81Blood-Soaked Ground76
Rider's Champion

Rider of the Apocalypse

Mawsworn Menace10Ride or Die!10Let Terror Reign10Unholy Armaments10Mograine's Might10Trollbane's Icy Fury10On a Paler HorseDeath Charge10Nazgrim's Conquest10Whitemane's Famine10Hungering Thirst10Apocalypse Now10Horsemen's AidPact of the Apocalypse10Fury of the HorsemenA Feast of Souls10

Unholy talents

Ebon FeverLord of the DeadCommander of the Dead2/2Unholy Aura2/2Doomed BiddingPutrid EchoesBlightburstRaise AbominationHarbinger of DoomGhoulish FrenzyReapingArmy of the DeadMagus of the DeadFestering ScytheNecromancer's CunningFoul InfectionsDark TransformationPutrefyClawing ShadowsSudden DoomScourge StrikeOutbreakSoul ReaperCoil of DevastationUnholy Devotion90Outnumber90Morbidity90Cycle of Death52Scourging19Menacing Magus10Blightfall10Plague MasteryGrave MasteryInfected Claws33All Will Serve5Ancient PowerSuperstrain

Apex

Forbidden Knowledge
Most picked PvP talentsNecrotic WoundsSpellwarden81Strangulate71Bloodforged Armor33Dark Simulacrum10Life and Death5

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. Versatility 49%
  2. 2. Mastery 26%
  3. 3. Haste 21%
  4. 4. Critical Strike 4%

Most socketed gems

  • 210%Flawless Versatile Amethyst+16 Mastery & +7 Versatility
  • 171%Flawless Masterful Lapis+16 Versatility & +7 Mastery
  • 90%Enduring Heliotrope+23 Primary Stat and +5% Damage Reduction when affected by Crowd Control
  • 38%Flawless Masterful Garnet+16 Critical Strike & +7 Mastery
  • 24%Flawless Quick Amethyst+16 Mastery & +7 Haste
  • 10%Indecipherable Eversong Diamond+32 Primary Stat

Gear by slot

  • Main hand

    • Venomous Gladiator's Smasherilvl 292 · 48%
    • Venomous Gladiator's Claymoreilvl 292 · 43%
    • Blood Knight's Warbladeilvl 331 · 10%

    ✦ Rune of the Apocalypse (100%)

  • Trinket

    • Venomous Gladiator's Insignia of Alacrityilvl 292 · 76%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Medallionilvl 259 · 19%

  • Head

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Casqueilvl 296 · 100%

    ✦ Enchant Helm - Empowered Blessing of Speed (71%)

  • Neck

    • Thalassian Competitor's Amuletilvl 278 · 52%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Pendantilvl 263 · 24%
    • Aqirbane Reliquaryilvl 334 · 10%

  • Shoulders

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Gibbetsilvl 296 · 81%
    • Thalassian Competitor's Plate Pauldronsilvl 288 · 14%
    • Venomous Gladiator's Plate Pauldronsilvl 292 · 5%

    ✦ Enchant Shoulders - Akil'zon's Swiftness (81%)

  • Back

    • Thalassian Competitor's Cloth Cloakilvl 286 · 38%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Cloakilvl 263 · 24%

  • Chest

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Breastplateilvl 297 · 67%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Plate Armorilvl 263 · 5%

    ✦ Enchant Chest - Mark of the Worldsoul (95%)

  • Wrists

    • Venomous Gladiator's Plate Wristguardsilvl 292 · 38%
    • Thalassian Competitor's Plate Armguardsilvl 287 · 29%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Plate Armguardsilvl 263 · 19%

  • Hands

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Deathgripsilvl 295 · 100%

  • Waist

    • Thalassian Competitor's Plate Waistguardilvl 289 · 57%
    • Venomous Gladiator's Plate Girdleilvl 292 · 19%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Plate Greatbeltilvl 263 · 14%

  • Legs

    • Baleful Grave-Knight's Greavesilvl 292 · 52%
    • Venomous Gladiator's Plate Wargreavesilvl 292 · 24%
    • Chausses of Unbound Rancorilvl 334 · 10%

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

  • Feet

    • Thalassian Competitor's Plate Sabatonsilvl 289 · 67%
    • Spellbreaker's Marchilvl 331 · 10%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Plate Warbootsilvl 263 · 10%

    ✦ Enchant Boots - Farstrider's Hunt (62%)

  • Ring

    • Thalassian Competitor's Signetilvl 275 · 119%
    • Venomous Aspirant's Signetilvl 263 · 43%
    • Venomous Gladiator's Signetilvl 292 · 10%

    ✦ Enchant Ring - Zul'jin's Mastery (114%)

Abilities

  • Outbreak1 Rune mpInflicts the target with Dread Plague and Virulent Plague. Dread Plague A malicious plague that deals 153 Shadow damage over 24 sec. Explodes for 64 Shadow damage to nearby enemies and infects one when the host dies. Can only be applied to 1 host at a time. Virulent Plague An infectious plague that spreads to all nearby enemies, dealing 71 Shadow damage over 24 sec.
  • Scourge Strike1 Rune mpAn unholy strike that deals 47 Shadow damage and causing your plagues on the target to erupt, dealing their damage an additional time at 35% effectiveness. Applies Virulent Plague or spreads it to a nearby enemy.
  • Putrefy1 Rune mpSummon a Lesser Ghoul to strike the enemy for 69 Shadow damage and have them explode for 48 Shadow damage to nearby enemies.
  • Dark Transformation45 sec cooldownsCorrupt and evolve your Ghoul into a Monstrosity, greatly empowering its abilities for 15 sec. Death Coil and Epidemic extends the duration of this effect by 1.0 sec.
  • Soul Reaper15 sec cooldowns1 Rune mpRupture the soul of your enemy, dealing 156 Shadowfrost damage and causing the foe to take 20% increased damage from your diseases and minions for 8 sec. Only usable on enemies below 35% maximum health. Consumes up to 3 Lesser Ghoul stacks to summon them instantly.
  • Army of the Dead1.5 min cooldowns1 Rune mpSummon or empower Lesser Ghouls to form an unholy army of 8 for 30 sec. While active, summoning a Lesser Ghoul will instead execute Orders based on nearby enemies. Death Orders Lesser Ghouls strike with you, dealing 11 Shadow damage to your target. Epidemic Orders Lesser Ghouls erupt in viscera, dealing 2 Shadow damage to nearby enemies. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
  • Sudden DoomPassiveDread Plague has a 35% chance to exhilarate you, making your next Death Coil or Epidemic cost 15 less Runic Power and deal 35% increased damage.
  • Clawing ShadowsPassiveShadows guide your strikes, increasing the damage of your Scourge Strike by 25%, and causing it to grant you Clawing Shadows up to 4 times. For each stack of Clawing Shadows, your Scourge Strike chains to an additional enemy. Each subsequent chain deals 10% reduced damage.

Strategy

1How it plays in arena

In Solo Shuffle, a melee wins by staying on its target through kites and swapping to the healer when the enemy uses its defensives.

2PvP talents

The PvP talents the top rated players pick most:

  • Necrotic Wounds — 100%
  • Spellwarden — 81%
  • Strangulate — 71.4%
  • Bloodforged Armor — 33.3%
  • Dark Simulacrum — 9.5%
  • Life and Death — 4.8%

3Stats

Secondary stat split of the top players: Versatility 48.8% > Mastery 26% > Haste 20.7% > Critical Strike 4.5%.

Tips

  • In Solo Shuffle, a melee wins by staying on its target through kites and swapping to the healer when the enemy uses its defensives.
  • Melee usually have short interrupts: take the kicks assigned to you and stun the packs you can reach.

Matchups

Works well with

  • Arcane Mage

    In 44.1% of the top Mythic+ groups with Unholy Death Knight.

  • Holy Paladin

    In 37.7% of the top Mythic+ groups with Unholy Death Knight.

  • Guardian Druid

    In 31% of the top Mythic+ groups with Unholy Death Knight.

  • Restoration Shaman

    In 30.5% of the top Mythic+ groups with Unholy Death Knight.

  • Elemental Shaman

    In 25.6% of the top Mythic+ groups with Unholy Death Knight.

Changelog

  1. Guide created for patch 12.1.0.

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