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Patch 3.1 is up for testing on the PTR. It brings some significant changes such as Ulduar, the introduction of a new Raid instance and a new talent system that allows for dual talent specs. The Death Knight class feels that the winds of change in a big way both in the form of new Death Knight Glyphs as well as significant changes to their talents and abilities.
At any time, all PTR information is subject to change because something is implemented on it, which does not mean that it will stay the same for the official patch. We will strive to keep readers apprised of any changes as they are implemented.
The changes of the Death Knight are extensive and we are going to pick out the highlights and talk about what they mean for the class as a whole.
While Death and Decay is on cool-down, Pestilence is being relegated to Blood Boil and now it will only spread the diseases on the Death Knight's current target, not inflict any immediate damage.
Blood Boil has been adjusted to compensate for the change in Pestilence. It deals damage to targets that are not afflicted by diseases and deals increased damage to diseased targets. Blood Boil's range has been reduced, and its base damage increased.
Blood Plague and Frost Fever have had their base duration increased to 15 seconds, from 12.
Plague Strike no longer removes a HoT effect from the target. To compensate, its damage has been substantially increased.
For auras like Blood Aura, Frost Aura and Unholy Aura, they've been replaced with Improved Blood/Frost/Unholy Presence. Specing into this talent adds a bonus to the presence as well as allows the Death Knight to keep a function of each presence even while in difference presences. Improved Frost Presence grants Frost Presence's health bonus in all Presences.
The Sudden Doom talent in the Blood tree now procs a free Death Coil instead of requiring you to push the button.
Howling Blast swapped positions with Hungering Cold in the talent tree, and damage bonus to targets afflicted by Frost Fever reduced from 100% to 50%. Hungering cold is the 51 pt talent in the frost tree. Moving it up certainly justifies the damage decrease, but what most 2-handed weapon loving Death Knights don't know is that this change effectively destroys Death Knight dual-wielding as we know it. Currently, the only reason dual-wielding Death Knights can keep up on damage is because their talent build is spell based, and involves spamming Icy Touch so that Rime can proc a free Howling Blast. Blood Strikes with the Reaping talent (from Unholy) make it possible to chain up to four Icy Touches. With Howling Blast moving to the bottom of the tree, however, Death Knights will no longer be able to reach Howling Blast and Reaping, therefore completely destroying this spec.
Necrosis can only be triggered by main hand attacks. Adding insult to injury, Dual-Wielding Death Knights are losing out on damage from this ability as well.
Scourge Strike has had its damage increased. Additionally, the Outbreak talent now further increases this abilities damage by 13/30/45%.
Gargoyle and Unholy Blight have swapped places in the unholy tree. Gargoyle is the new Unholy 51 talent. Along with having its damage and duration increased, the cost of Gargoyle has been reduced.
The changes to the Death Knight's talents further increase the DPS and effectiveness of the unholy tree, in particular in area of effect. Blood has been left well enough alone; accept for losing out on Expertise in exchange for armor penetration at the Blood Gorged level. Frost has been completely reshuffled, seemingly making it even less desirable than it was before. In addition, it would seem that Blizzard wants to wipe Dual-Wield Death Knights off the face of the planet, because any use they had has been completely eliminated.
At any time, all PTR information is subject to change because something is implemented on it, which does not mean that it will stay the same for the official patch. We will strive to keep readers apprised of any changes as they are implemented.
The changes of the Death Knight are extensive and we are going to pick out the highlights and talk about what they mean for the class as a whole.
While Death and Decay is on cool-down, Pestilence is being relegated to Blood Boil and now it will only spread the diseases on the Death Knight's current target, not inflict any immediate damage.
Blood Boil has been adjusted to compensate for the change in Pestilence. It deals damage to targets that are not afflicted by diseases and deals increased damage to diseased targets. Blood Boil's range has been reduced, and its base damage increased.
Blood Plague and Frost Fever have had their base duration increased to 15 seconds, from 12.
Plague Strike no longer removes a HoT effect from the target. To compensate, its damage has been substantially increased.
For auras like Blood Aura, Frost Aura and Unholy Aura, they've been replaced with Improved Blood/Frost/Unholy Presence. Specing into this talent adds a bonus to the presence as well as allows the Death Knight to keep a function of each presence even while in difference presences. Improved Frost Presence grants Frost Presence's health bonus in all Presences.
The Sudden Doom talent in the Blood tree now procs a free Death Coil instead of requiring you to push the button.
Howling Blast swapped positions with Hungering Cold in the talent tree, and damage bonus to targets afflicted by Frost Fever reduced from 100% to 50%. Hungering cold is the 51 pt talent in the frost tree. Moving it up certainly justifies the damage decrease, but what most 2-handed weapon loving Death Knights don't know is that this change effectively destroys Death Knight dual-wielding as we know it. Currently, the only reason dual-wielding Death Knights can keep up on damage is because their talent build is spell based, and involves spamming Icy Touch so that Rime can proc a free Howling Blast. Blood Strikes with the Reaping talent (from Unholy) make it possible to chain up to four Icy Touches. With Howling Blast moving to the bottom of the tree, however, Death Knights will no longer be able to reach Howling Blast and Reaping, therefore completely destroying this spec.
Necrosis can only be triggered by main hand attacks. Adding insult to injury, Dual-Wielding Death Knights are losing out on damage from this ability as well.
Scourge Strike has had its damage increased. Additionally, the Outbreak talent now further increases this abilities damage by 13/30/45%.
Gargoyle and Unholy Blight have swapped places in the unholy tree. Gargoyle is the new Unholy 51 talent. Along with having its damage and duration increased, the cost of Gargoyle has been reduced.
The changes to the Death Knight's talents further increase the DPS and effectiveness of the unholy tree, in particular in area of effect. Blood has been left well enough alone; accept for losing out on Expertise in exchange for armor penetration at the Blood Gorged level. Frost has been completely reshuffled, seemingly making it even less desirable than it was before. In addition, it would seem that Blizzard wants to wipe Dual-Wield Death Knights off the face of the planet, because any use they had has been completely eliminated.
