Frost: Single target threat issues/ Tanking Q'sFollow

Greetings Allakhazam users

So I recently rerolled DK from a warrior, and have been enjoying the Deathknight class very much, however, there are a few issues I am having, that I have not been able to solve, despite doing some homework. I've gathered the DK stickies here were outdated, so I only breezed over them lightly.

I'll kick it off with the biggest issue I am having : Single target threat as frost.

I'll start off with listing my character name and server so you can check the armory, (Reading around, I noticed you guys don't like links from first time posters :P). The name is Odoylle, on Demon Soul Horde, US.

So, on a boss, my rotation is as follows:

Death and Decay--> Howling Blast --> Blood tap --> Plague strike + Rune strike whenever its up. Once that initial rotation is over, ill hit it with some Obliterates as well, with frost strikes mixed in, maintaining diseases at all times. I watch the threat meter, and it seems Howling Blast generates more threat than Obliterate. Could be wrong though. In any case, people are almost ALWAYS nipping at my heels as far as threat goes, where as on my warrior, people were never even close. I understand Blood is *the* single target threat spec, however, I am mostly casual, and cannot raid, so I chose frost as my tanking spec for the AoE utility for 5 mans.

Any suggestions?

Second issue I am having, is the scenario where I encounter unexpected adds. If howling blast and Death and Decay are on Cooldown...Well...I really dont know what to do. I feel like I just sit there with my pants down, waiting for my runes, while my party gets shredded to bits! Empower rune weapon helps if they happen to be off cooldown but my runes are down, but its usually not the case. On my warrior I usually had demoralizing shout/thunderclap/shockwave/challenging shout to choose from if things went sour, but I feel as though I have far fewer tools to deal with this scenario on my Deathknight.


Last question:

As a tank. Icy talons for the group? Or do I spec a little more "selfishly" and focus on talents that would improve *me*, as far as mitigation or threat output would go?


Im pretty sure these issues are more to do with my potential inexperience as a Deathknight (I've been playing a Warrior since Vanilla), and needing to learn some more. Hopefully you guys can offer some of your insight, and steer me in the right direction.

PS: I am going to be adjusting my talent spec soon (I made some noobish mistakes initially speccing in frost), once I get my Icy Talons dilemma out of the way :P

Thank you all in advance

For single-targets: Start with DnD, IT/PS/BS and into the rotation

For multi-targets (with the Howling Blast glyph): DnD, HB, BB, IT, PS, BS, FS etc....
Alternate multi-target: HB, BB, BB, Oblit, FS etc...

I like to sometimes save a Blood Rune for the occasional Blood Boil if there are adds but it's not always there of course. Don't waste Death Grip just in case you need to actually use it to peel a mob from your healer.

Tie Rune Strike to an often used key (or keys) and you won't need another keybind (or, shudder, click) to worry about. Try this:

/cast Obliterate 
/cast !Rune Strike

I don't normally spec for Imp Talons in my tank builds. I have on occasion but not that often and I certainly would not for 5-toons. This is the one I'm using now for the occasional times I tank on my DK.

Good luck

I agree with this. For single target, I sometimes even obmit DnD. I'll use FS too, etc.

But for AOE threat, I'll lay down DnD 1st, it's the only way I can ever hold aggro versus mages and locks (and warriors too).

As for Sigil, I use the DPS version :P (rather than the avoidance version)
Yes, these days, ... survivability is not that big a problem (OP Healers, keke).
Holding threat is.... the better your threat, the faster your DPS can kill the mobs.

This is true until you get the proc that makes it free to cast (Rime? I'm terrible with spell / talent names, I'm mostly familiar with the effects). This makes it free threat, which can NOT be turned away.

Free threat and free attacks regardless of where they come from are always welcome so yes, HB when Rime procs for the free AoE damage and threat.

HB glyph is a godsend to me, love it for snap AoE threat, DnD, HB, BB is awesome, and since having 2 diseases up on your target doesn't increase the damage of Blood Boil, the HB glyph means you can get all the enemies with a max damage Blood Boil right off the bat which means big threat in the first 2 seconds of the fight.

I haven't tanked in a long time, but still working on getting a respectable set so I can start queing up in the LFD system as a tank when I feel like I want to do that, or tank guild runs or something.

also keep in mind with your rotation and weapons......your hit and expertise.....if these are not capped, gaining threat is hard to do also.

hit 8% melee
hit 8-11% spell
expertise of 26 = 6.5%

Yellow/non-DW melee attacks are 8% now. DW is ~27%. Spell is 17%. This is hit which is what I think we are talking about.

Expertise for dodge removal when hitting it from the back is 6.5%.

Tank expertise cap is around 36 or something to make the % reduction be around 14%. The 6.5% works to push dodge off but Parry takes even more.

Also boss mobs have a crit suppression of 4.8% so that also can be a factor in modifying the melee attack table but will typically push things to be hits; not misses, dodges, parries, etc.

Honestly, I have no idea what buasu meant. I was by chance just reading up on melee attack table mechanics and recent testing of them.

edit: clarity

Edited, Feb 11th 2010 7:19am by Horsemouth