The Gaming Lizard

Welcome back to another edition of Unliving, the irregular column in my blog about deathknights by a deathknight. After a seemingly long break, it's time to go back to the basics of DKs 202

An important aspect of DPS is certainly the rotations you used. Yet for Deathknights (and other classes too), you cannot simply macro a set of skills to a button to spam it. Missing an attack will surely mess up your own precious rotation so abandon it while you can.

Deathknights use a Priority system to dish out mind melting damages. So what is a priority system?

Like its namesake, a priority system is one where you choose your current attack in order of importance. For example, Deathknights rely heavily on getting diseases up in order to deal damage. Therefore, IT/PS will be number one priority.

Understanding the priority system, one can also recover faster should your momentum be interrupted half way be it running from Bone Storrrrrrrrrm or switching targets. It is imperative to know your priorities as different specs of DK; Let's take a quick look at the priorities of the 3 specs

Blood

Blood DKs, seeing that their complementary 10% damage buff comes from having >75% health, should start their rotations (for lack of better word) with an Icy Touch while running in towards the boss. This helps in reducing your GCD, allowing a faster build up of diseases.

After IT and PS, Heart Strike should go next then Death Strike to ease Death Rune usage in the second part of your rotation. Thus, your Blood Runes will always refresh faster than Death. Depending on your build, slot in a Pestilence to refresh your diseases whenever it's close to falling off (if you're spec for it)

Use Death Coil when your runes are on CD.

Frost

Frost DKs are at the forefront of using the priority system, mostly due to Killing Machine procs. KM procs must be used quickly so as to allow another KM to proc. KM + Frost Strike is the top of a Frost DK priority.

Blood Strikes are used only to generate Death Runes and thus, at the bottom of the priority list.

Unholy

While in a perfect world, Plague Strike should go first, more often than now, you'll start with IT since it will save you a GCD while on the move.

Blood Strike has a higher priority when 1) You have blood runes, 2) Desolation isn't up. Otherwise, SS all the way if you're using a Reaping build.

Runic Dump

Suffice to say, abilities using RP [namely Frost Strike and Death Coil] are often at the bottom of the priority list. Runic dump is a term used when your runes are on CD and you have to use RP abilities. While it is better to have empty your RP before starting on your next round of Rune abilities,

Final Note

When your rotation is really messed up [ie. All runes on CD and you have to apply diseases when the CD of the next available Frost and Unholy are too far apart.], do not hesitate to either restart your rotation even if it means using BS X2 with Death Runes.

Or you can use Empower Rune Weapon, yes, that little button you didn't bother to put on your action bar. It is an understated ability and a powerful one when the shit hits the bucket. Not only it reset your runes, it gives you 25 RP.

So that's all for now folks, until we meet again. DPS well!