Tanking - Blood or Frost

**Ruger** · July 29, 2016

This is a bit surprising to me. I've read through many guides the past few days and all of them heavily use SS. What am I missing?

Why are you saying DS > SS? It's not like you have to choose one or the other. The spell rotation will look something like this with DS thrown in when I can.

IT > PS > Pest > BS > SS
SS > SS > SS
Pest > BS > SS > SS
SS > SS > SS

This is with the Glyph of Disease.

Alternatively, although a bit more complex, it could go something like this.

IT > PS > BS > Pest > SS
SS > SS > SS
SS > BS > SS > BS
IT > PS > SS > SS
SS > BS > SS > BS
SS > SS > SS
IT > PS > BS > BS > SS
SS > SS > SS

This would be with the Glyph of Scourge Strike which will generate more threat.

**Bensten** · July 29, 2016

Originally Posted by Ruger

...

Icy Touch has a 7x multiplier to threat, SS has 0. It's a waste to use SS for threat. SS can be used to increase your DPS while you'd sacrifice TPS. And I consider every DPS increase on a tank completely wasted unless you are heavily progressing and you're hitting the berserk timer because of 500 dps.

The DK has three spells that get a threat bonus when used in Frost Presence - beside the standard bonus frost presence is offering on it's own. Those are Icy Touch, Rune Strike and DnD. And you should use those to build up your threat. That's also the reason why DKs are so versatile; every DK in w/e spec has those spells and Frost Presence.

**Ruger** · July 29, 2016

SS has a multiplier of 0 that is correct, but Frost Presence increases threat generation and with SS you have more damage which means more threat.

Let me ask you this, what do you suggest using the FU pairs on instead of SS if you are Unholy?

**Shorttemper** · July 29, 2016

I don't think anybody wouldn't pick you if you were Frost instead of Blood. As for blood being preferred more than Frost that's player preference rather than raid preference. And yeah i'm talking bout Icecrown. I'd think twice about picking you if you were Unholy though. But then again if you're a good tank it doesn't matter.

**angrylol** · July 29, 2016

Death Strike? 3 diseases means 15% healing of max HP.

**Ruger** · July 29, 2016

Originally Posted by Shorttemper

I'd think twice about picking you if you were Unholy though.

If you haven't read all of the posts here, you should. Playing on Lordaeron factors into the decision. With the raids being buffed, Unholy may be the best option.

**Bensten** · July 29, 2016

Originally Posted by Ruger

SS has a multiplier of 0 that is correct, but Frost Presence increases threat generation and with SS you have more damage which means more threat.

Let me ask you this, what do you suggest using the FU pairs on instead of SS if you are Unholy?

The same Frost Presence multiplier also applys on icy Touch. Icy Touch has a total multiplier of 14.5145. It's stomping SS threat on it's own and you have the UH rune on top. If you are not using DS you are using IT>PS, or IT>Bone Shield if you want to activate it.

**Ruger** · July 29, 2016

Ok I'm following you. Is this outlandish? http://wotlk.openwow.com/talent#j0EM...ZcgG0x00xchu0z

Or this to generate extra RP: http://wotlk.openwow.com/talent#j0Eb...ZcgG0x0zgc0u0z

If you google search WOTLK DK Tank Guide and click on the first link there is a pretty in depth guide. There is a section for Unholy and that is where I got my info/ideas from. Does this guy not know what he is talking about?

Again, I apprecite yall taking to time to discuss this and give me some advice.

**Bensten** · July 29, 2016

As UH http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=49632 is a must have. It's a third disease that comes with Frost Fever and it increases your DS healing from 10% to 15%. If you are sure you'll always have another UH DK (mostly DPS) in your raid you can stop there. Otherwise you'd have to take http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=51099 for raid utility.

What the other dude is talking about is beyond me. But that's for many DK tanking perspectives. Many guides focus on a ridiculous amount of DPS talents rather than focusing on your main objectives. Staying alive and being able to control mobs.

**Ruger** · July 30, 2016

Alright, so how about this one? http://wotlk.openwow.com/talent#j0EZ...ZcgG0x0zgc0u0d

**angrylol** · July 30, 2016

I used this build when I was tanking with UH. Was fun.

**Beanlord** · July 30, 2016

http://wotlk.openwow.com/talent#j0ER...cgGh00bxf0t0ub
This is what I'd use. It's similar to what angrylol and bensten arleady linked but has Mark of Blood as well, which is another solid cd that you could use at the cost of a blood rune.

**Ruger** · July 30, 2016

Other than missing Veteran of the Third War, what am I missing? Why isn't the spec that I've linked considered good? I've got the extra avoidance out of Frost and Bone Shield. I've got some real nice RP generation to spam RP spells for threat.

**Beanlord** · July 30, 2016

It's not that it isn't good, but rather that I prefer blood subspecs compared to frost since aside from the 3% avoidance, you won't get much else in a 25 man environment. Frost and unholy dks already cover the -20% AS of bosses and you won't really need chill of the grave as unh. Imo blood subspec is the better option.

**Bensten** · July 30, 2016

For me it's http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=48985 that you are missing. 20% healing on a 30sec cooldown is just amazing. I don't see any reason to not take it. http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=49006 increases your Stamina and your str (->parry). It's the EHP variant that I'd be using even for Ulduar.

However, if you want to take http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=51109 go for http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=49137 instead of http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=50115. More Str is again nice to have and the free interrupt is something that - of course situational - is used quite often.

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