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This section of the Death Knight Frequently Asked Questions covers Death Knight talents and abilities, including starting abilities, the different talent trees, and Death Knight playstyles.
If you have a question you believe should be here, please don't hesitate to ask on our Death Knight Forum!
See our Death Knight page for a full list of Death Knight abilities.
What is the Death Knight playstyle? Are they casters or melee?
Death Knights are a plate-wearing hybrid class. They fight with a combination of melee and spell abilities, generally within melee range of an opponent. Death Knights of a certain spec (Unholy) might also be considered a pet class because of the control they have over their Ghoul minion.
What are Runes/Runic Power?
Instead of mana, rage, or energy, Death Knights have an entirely new combat system that uses Runes and Runic Power as the resource for their spells and abilities.
Every Death Knight has six Runes displayed on their character bar, two of each type: Blood, Frost, and Unholy. Many Death Knight spells and abilities cost between 1 and 3 of these Runes to use. After a Rune is used, it regenerates over 10 seconds (this can be shortened using haste stats as well as certain talents) and is then available for use in another ability.
A fourth type of Rune exists, known as a Death Rune. These Runes can be used as any of the three main types when casting a spell, and are randomly generated by upon use of a regular Rune if the Death Knight takes specific talents, like Death Rune Mastery.
Runic Power is displayed as a blue bar on the character portrait and function similar to a Warrior's rage. A Death Knight generates Runic Power each time they use an ability that costs one or more Runes. When enough Runic Power is stored up, the Death Knight can use it to cast certain spells and abilities, or to make other spells and abilities more powerful.
I thought you could switch up how many of each Rune you had available?
It is currently not possible to change the amount of each type of Rune a Death Knight has access to. Everyone has two of each type of Rune.
When developers were designing the class, the idea for players to be able to change the amount of each type of Rune was brought up as an option (so that, for instance, someone could have four Frost Runes and two Blood Runes). However, this idea was scrapped and replaces with the Runeforging ability due to class balance issues caused by too much customization.
What abilities do Death Knights start with?
Death Knights start with a few basic abilities, gaining a large number of then with each level and quest completed in the Starting Experience. Every new Death Knight starts with Rank 1 of Blood Presence, Death Grip, Icy Touch, Plague Strike, Blood Strike, and Death Coil.
What are Presences?
Presences are Death Knight abilities that function similar to Paladin Auras. Upon activating a Presence, the Death Knight and everyone in their party or raid within a certain distance of them gains the specific buff that the Presence provides. There are currently three different types of Presences, each with a different benefit: Blood Presence, Frost Presence, and Unholy Presence.
What are Ghouls?
Ghouls are Death Knight minions, similar to a Mage's Water Elemental. A Death Knight can summon and control a Ghoul in a variety of ways depending on their talent spec and level, starting at level 56 when the Death Knight gains the Raise Dead spell from a quest.
Why doesn't my Ghoul have a name?
Only Death Knights who have taken the Unholy talent Master of Ghouls with have a Ghoul with a random name. Otherwise the Ghoul will just be labeled "Risen Ghoul."
What is Runeforging?
Runeforging is a Death Knight ability similar to enchanting for weapons. Using the ability near a Rune Forge allows the Death Knight to carve one of a variety of permanent Runes onto a weapon. These Runes replace weapon enchants. Only one Rune can be on any given weapon at a time.
Each Rune gives its own unique bonus, similar to an enchant. Rune of Razorice, for example, gives each melee attack an extra 2% weapon damage as Frost damage and has a chance to increase Frost vulnerability. (Here is a full listed of Runeforging Runes on WoWHead.)
Are Runes better than regular enchants?
That is a matter of opinion. Each Death Knight should take a look at their available Runes and compare them to the enchants they can use or have access to at their level. However, Runes do provide a few unique benefits. For one, they are free. They cost no reagents or materials of any kind of use. Secondly, they provide unique benefits not found in enchants, and are often a bit more powerful, working along with the Death Knight's abilities to even great benefit.
How can I change the Rune on my weapon?
You may change the Rune on your weapon at any time at a Rune Forge by simply applying a different Rune to the same weapon and choosing to overwrite the old Rune (similar to overwriting an enchant on an item).
Do I have to Runeforge a weapon to be able to use it?
No. Runeforging is optional, thought greatly beneficial. You can pick up and use any weapon you have the skill and level for as soon as you acquire it.
Can Death Knights tank?
Yes, Death Knights are designed to be effective tanks for all levels of content given the correct gear and talent spec.
But how can a Death Knight tank with no shield?
Death Knights have high armor and avoidance modifiers, meaning they can either absorb or avoid more damage than other tanks classes with similar gear without relying on the block value provided by a shield (much like Druids tanking in Bear Form, who also lack a shield). Death Knights can also spec into a variety of talents in any of their talent trees that provide them with extra mitigation and avoidance.
How do Death Knights benefit from stats like Agility and Strength?
From Strength, Death Knights gain attack power. Each 1 Strength provides 2 attack power. From Agility, Death Knights gain critical strike rating and dodge. For critical strike rating and dodge gains from Agility, please refer to the comprehensive Combat Rating Chart in our Game Mechanics section.
Do the Death Knight abilities that consume diseases placed on the target benefit from diseases that have been placed on the target through outside means, like a Druid's Infected Wounds or a Gift of Arthas proc?
The short answer is: No.
Most Death Knight spells now specify that they benefit only from "the Death Knight's diseases,"meaning those applied directly by the Death Knight themself. Therefore, diseases applied by other classes' abilities or by weapon procs no longer count (though at one point in the Beta, they did).
See our Death Knight page for a full list of Death Knight talents and talent calculators.
What are the Death Knight talent trees?
The three Death Knight talent trees are Blood, Frost and Unholy.
What is each tree good for?
Death Knights are a unique class in that they have been designed so that, given the proper spec within each tree, a player can tank, DPS, or PvP well no matter which tree they invest most of their points in. Each tree does,however, have a certain flavor and certain abilities that give them advantages for different playstyles:
Blood: The Blood tree is focused on self and group buffing, high single-target damage, and self-healing. This makes it a good leveling and and group/raid spec.
Frost: The Frost tree is focused on survivability and mitigation over raw damage, as well as target debuffing, making it a more desirable overall tanking spec.
Unholy: The Unholy tree is focused ghoul abilities, diseases, AoE damage, and anti-magic abiltiies. Many of its talents strengthen and give more control over a Death Knight's summoned ghoul minion, making it an excellent grinding and leveling spec, as most pet classes tend to be. It also contains a few specific talents that deal with magic damage mitigation, making it a good anti-caster tank spec.
My new Death Knight has no talent points! How can I get them?
Death Knights start with no talent points. Many of the quests completed during the Starting Experience award several talent points each, along with the item and experience rewards. By the time all of the Starting Experience quests are complete, the Death Knight will have all of the talent points appropriate to the level 58 character.
What is the best Leveling/DPS/Raiding/Tanking/PvP spec?
This question is entirely subjective and every player has their own opinions. Here are a few places where you might go to see and discuss some recommended specs:
