Note that this is just a compilation of the posts and research done by smarter, more experienced and more informed people, until someone has the time to write a proper DK FAQ.
How can I roll a DK?
You will need a level 55 or higher character on the same realm as well as one free character slot. Note that on PvP realms, you cannot roll a DK of the opposite faction to the rest of your characters (as usual).
I'm lost. I have no Hearthstone, where are the trainers, where is the inn?
You will have to finish the starter quests before you get access to profession trainers, an inn, a mailbox. There's also a fully functional mailbox available in one of the first stages of the starter storyline. There is however little reason to use it a that stage, as you are geared on starting and will be geared better than anything available on the AH for many levels.
But I need to log off before having completed the starter quests! Where can I rest?
Fortunately, the Ebon Hold is your capital city, and you can rest there anytime you like. This is also handy if you're out in the middle of nowhere, need to log off fast and your HS is on cooldown.
But how do I get back to the Ebon Hold?
During the starter quests, using the flight path at the Scourge camp. Afterwards, use your Death Gate ability (in your spell book, under Unholy school).
How long does the starting area take? I want to go to Outlands!
Roughly three hours. No, there are no shortcuts, but the story is worth experiencing at least once.
OK, I'm fully finished with all the starter quests. Where do I go next?
While the lure to head to Outlands at 58 immediately can appear tempting, you might also want to consider sticking to the Plaguelands till 60-61. With your new set you will seriously outgear anything there and just fly through the levels. Plus, you won't end up with being too low for any quests and won't have to backtrack in HFP. That being said, pick what works best for you.
What is the best race for DKs?
Pick what you like best. Seriously.
If you can't do that:
For Alliance, Draenei, humans and dwarves are all solid choices for PvE DPS. Night Elfes have a slight edge in tanking. For PvP, Gnomes and Humans have handy escape racials worth a second look.
For Horde: Orcs are a solid choice for DPS and OK for tanking, trolls are a good second choice. Tauren, blood elves and undead are good PvP choices, Tauren and Blood elves have also a slight edge in tanking.
Pick what you like best, though. In my subjective opinion, Humans, Orcs, Draenei and Belves look best in the blue starter plate.
Should I Dual Wield or use a 2H?
Short answer: 2H, it's meant to have an edge by design.
Detailed answer: Dilbrt explains it all here
How do I DPS with a DK? What are the cookie-cutter builds?
Theophany has an extremely extensive thread in progress, which you should read here.
Way too long, just tell me what the best spell rotations are?
Short answer: Due to the complexity of the class' mechanics, there's no simple rotations you can use (and build into a castsequence macro). You should start aquiring some notion of priorities:
- Keep your diseases up, as many other spells' damage get a sizeable bonus from running diseases
- Generate Death Runes for flexibility, learn to time your build's high damage strike
- Learn when to use your build's Runic Power spells when appropriate
- Weave in Death Strike for self-healing when appropriate
Detailed answer: Read Dilbrt's detailed exposé here.
What are Death Runes and why should I want these?
Each Talent tree has a talent which converts Blood, Unholy or Frost runes into Death Runes under certain specific conditions. The talent is in T3 in blood, T6 in Unholy and T8 in Frost. While your rune abilities consume a combination of Blood, Frost and Unholy runes, Death Runes are "universal runes" which can be used if none of the normal runes are available.
Example: You cast Icy Touch and Plague Strike, using one Frost and one Unholy Rune. You follow up with a Death Strike, which uses both runes. At this stage, if you want to hit hard with eg. Obliterate, you have to wait for the cooldown to finish on the Frost and Unholy runes consumed by Icy Touch and Plague strike - 8 seconds later. If you have two blood runes available, you can hit Obliterate right away.
Where can I familiarize myself with the class' mechanics?
Many places once you've finished the starter quests. My personal pick is Valley of Bones in HFP, killing the buzzards. You can normally pick and kill one, then have the surrounding buzzards aggro one after another right after a kill. This should give you a good feel for how to build up RP, and timing your rune usage. The buzzards also drop quest items used by a chain started at the nearby Zepellin Crash site (the third in a row), and there's plenty of Zeppelin parts on the ground to complete a second Zep Crash site quest.
Which is the tanking tree?
There's no proper tanking tree. All three trees hold some key tanking talents and these are low enough that they can be picked up no matter which tree you specialize in.
Does DK benefit from SpellPower on gear?
Not at all. All DK spells are built around AP.
What Stats should I prioritize on my gear?
Short answer: That depends and whether you're still leveling or starting to raid, and what role you will be taking. As a very rough guideline, Strength is going to be most desirable for builds. Hit rating will be important for raiding, and expertise of value for tanks and blood in particular.
As expected, stamina, avoidance and mitigation will be important to tanks.
Crit is not too important for unholy, more for blood and frost. Haste doesn't really benefit DKs as such but for the shortened global cooldown which may give more room to prioritize.
Detailed answers: check out this in-depth EJ thread.
Or here, courtesy of Theophany
What is the best leveling build?
Pick what sounds most fun. In terms of pure efficiency, Blood and Unholy tend to win out as Frost needs AoE-friendly zones to really shine, but it's a new class. Try out stuff and enjoy yourself.
Where can I find more DK resources?
Check out the stickied thread by Tyrandor here
What addons should I use?
Some form of DoT / Buff timer for tracking disease duration may be advisable. ClassTimer, Elkano's Buff Bars, Yatba do the trick nicely, or whatever you use on your warlock.
Some rune timer addons are also quite valuable, like RuneWatch, RuneHero and Magic Runes. The latter is what I use myself.
Aldor or Scryer?
While it is doubtful you'd stick around long enough to get the rep for it to matter (instead of getting better stuff in Northrend), I'd say Aldor is marginally better for tanking with the Vindicator's Hauberk than Scryers with Gauntlets of the Chosen.
Oracles or Frenzyheart Tribe?
Oracles will offer you Gold Star Spaulders, which may be marginally interesting to blood or frost DPS builds. The Frenzyheart has two pieces of healadin plate, but also the Giant-Sized Gauntlets which look decent for any tanking builds.
Additional Information, key threads
In-depth Frost compendium by Moongosexcore
PvP Build discussion
Blood PvE DPS builds discussion
Corrections, complements, additions, retractions, modifications, feedback? Fire away.
Edited, Dec 1st 2008 10:31am by Alastaironsiren