Shadowlands Death Knight Leveling Guide & Best Leveling Spec 10-60

By Neryssa Updated: 2021/04/03

The Lich KingMandl Important Changes to Leveling a Death Knight in the Shadowlands Pre-Patch

Death Knights begin at level 10 instead of level 55. They may only start in their class newbie zone, unless they are an Allied Race. Allied Race members start at level 10 and begin with a short quest line in Icecrown Citadel that takes them to Stormwind or Orgrimmar.

There is a new tab on your spellbook between General and your talent specialization, simply titled "Death Knight". These are abilities that are now shared by all Death Knights regardless of any specialization they choose.

New Death Knights will not begin in a default spec (Unholy). Until they are allowed to choose a spec at level 10, their abilities are drawn from the general Death Knight abilities available to all specializations.

Experienced Death Knights will notice some talents have been reworked or rearranged, and may require re-acquiring some talents.

AoE (Area of Effect) caps are being introduced in the Shadowlands pre-patch, which places a limit on how many targets the ability can hit at once. This affects some Death Knight abilities.

Best Death Knight Leveling Spec in ShadowlandsChoosing a Death Knight Specialization

Blood: Use Dark Command or Death Grip to engage targets. Blood Boil hits enemies around you and applies Blood Plague. Death Strike is used to mitigate damage, and can be used to both heal you, or as a Runic Power dump. Marrowrend is used to generate stacks of Bone Shield, which increase your Haste and reduce your damage taken, as long as you have one charge of the buff on you. Heart Strike is used to dump Runes; when used inside Death and Decay, Heart Strike will cleave 5 times.

Frost: Use Howling Blast to deal AoE damage, spread your DoT, consume procs of Rime and generate Runic Power. Use Obliterate on single target, to spend your procs of Killing Machine and generate Runic Power. Use Frost Strike to spend Runic Power. Remorseless Winter should be used on cooldown. Frost's damage depends on paying attention to Rime and Killing Machine procs to get the most out power of the spec.

Unholy: Use Raise Dead to raise a ghoul to fight for you. Use Outbreak to apply Virulent Plague. Use Festering Strike to apply s, and Scourge Strike to blow the wounds up. Dark Transformation transforms your ghoul and makes it more powerful. Use Death Coil or Epidemic as a Runic Power dump or when you don't have Runes. Unholy's damage is dependant on keeping your ghoul transformed, keeping Virulent plague on the target, and blowing up as many wounds as possible.

Choosing a Race for Your Death Knight in Shadowlands

Default Races are races that are immediately available to be played when you start your WoW account.

Allied Races are races that are locked behind certain requirements that need to be met before you can create characters belonging to that race.

Alliance

Default Races:

Draenei

Horde

Defaults Races:

Blood Elf

Best Death Knight Leveling Talents in ShadowlandsSuggested Blood Leveling Talents in Shadowlands

Level 15 Talents

Heartbreaker Heart Strike generates 2 additional Runic Power per target hit.

Blooddrinker drains 9 health from the target over 3 sec. You can move, parry, dodge, and use defensive abilities while channeling this ability.

Tombstone consumes up to 5 Bone Shield charges. For each charge consumed, you gain 6 Runic Power and absorb damage equal to 6% of your maximum health for 8 sec.

Level 25 Talents

Rapid Decomposition Your Blood Plague and Death and Decay deal damage 15% more often. Additionally, your spell=55078] leeches 50% more Health.

Hemostasis Each enemy hit by Blood Boil increases the damage and healing done by your next Death Strike by 8%, stacking up to 5 times.

Consumption Strikes up to 8 enemies in front of you with a hungering attack that deals Physical damage and heals you for 150% of that damage.

Level 30 Talents

Foul Bulwark Each charge of Bone Shield increases your maximum health by 1%.

Relish in Blood While Crimson Scourge is active, your next Death and Decay heals you for health per Bone Shield charge and you immediately gain 10 Runic Power

Blood Tap Consume the essence around you to generate 1 Rune.Recharge time reduced by 2 sec whenever a Bone Shield charge is consumed.

Level 35 Talents

Will of the Necropolis Damage taken below 30% Health is reduced by 30%.

Anti-Magic Barrier Reduces the cooldown of Anti-Magic Shell by 20 sec and increases its duration and amount absorbed by 40%.

Mark of Blood Places a Mark of Blood on an enemy for 15 sec. The enemy's damaging auto attacks will also heal their victim for 3% of the victim's maximum health.

Level 40 Talents

Grip of the Dead Death and Decay reduces the movement speed of enemies within its area by 90%, decaying by 10% every sec.

Tightening Grasp Reduces the cooldown on Gorefiend's Grasp by 30 sec.

Wraith Walk Embrace the power of the Shadowlands, removing all root effects and increasing your movement speed by 70% for 4 sec. Taking any action cancels the effect. While active, your movement speed cannot be reduced below 170%.

Level 45 Talents

Voracious Death Strike's healing is increased by 20% and grants you 15% Leech for 8 sec.

Death Pact Create a death pact that heals you for 50% of your maximum health, but absorbs incoming healing equal to 30% of your max health for 15 sec.

Bloodworms Your auto attacks have a chance to summon a Bloodworm. Bloodworms deal minor damage to your target for 15 sec and then burst, healing you for 15% of your missing health. If you drop below 50% health, your Bloodworms will immediately burst and heal you.

Level 50 Talents

Purgatory An unholy pact that prevents fatal damage, instead absorbing incoming healing equal to the damage prevented, lasting 3 sec. If any healing absorption remains when this effect expires, you will die. This effect may only occur every 4 min.

Red Thirst Reduces the cooldown on Vampiric Blood by 1.5 sec per 10 Runic Power spent.

Bonestorm A whirl of bone and gore batters up to 8 nearby enemies, dealing Shadow damage every 1 sec, and healing you for 3% of your maximum health every time it deals damage (up to 15%). Lasts 1 sec per 10 Runic Power spent.

Suggested Frost Leveling Talents in Shadowlands

Level 15 Talents

Inexorable Assault Gain Inexorable Assault every 8 sec, stacking up to 5 times. Obliterate consumes a stack to deal additional Frost damage.

Icy Talons Your Runic Power spending abilities increase your melee attack speed by 5% for 6 sec, stacking up to 3 times.

Cold Heart Every 2 sec, gain a stack of Cold Heart, causing your next Chains of Ice to deal extra Frost damage. Stacks up to 20 times.

Level 25 Talents

Runic Attenuation Auto attacks have a chance to generate 5 Runic Power.

Murderous Efficiency Consuming the effect has a 50% chance to grant you 1 Rune.

Horn of Winter Blow the Horn of Winter, gaining 2 Rune and generating 25 Runic Power.

Level 30 Talents

Death's Reach Increases the range of Death Grip by 10 yds. Killing an enemy that yields experience or honor resets the cooldown of Death Grip

Asphyxiate Lifts the enemy target off the ground, crushing their throat with dark energy and stunning them for 4 sec.

Blinding Sleet Targets in a cone in front of you are blinded, causing them to wander disoriented for 5 sec. Damage may cancel the effect. When Blinding Sleet ends, enemies are slowed by 50% for 6 sec.

Level 35 Talents

Avalanche Casting Howling Blast with 9spell=59057] active causes jagged icicles to fall on enemies nearby your target, dealing Frost damage.

Frozen Pulse While you have fewer than 3 full Rune, your auto attacks radiate intense cold, inflicting Frost damage on all nearby enemies.

Frostscythe A sweeping attack that strikes up to 5 enemies in front of you for Frost damage. This attack benefits from Killing Machine. Critical strikes with Frostscythe deal 4 times normal damage.

Level 40 Talents

Permafrost Your auto attack damage grants you an absorb shield equal to 40% of the damage dealt.

Death Pact Create a death pact that heals you for 50% of your maximum health, but absorbs incoming healing equal to 30% of your max health for 15 sec.

Level 45 Talents

Gathering Storm Each Rune spent during Remorseless Winter increases its damage by 10%, and extends its duration by 0.5 sec.

Hypothermic Presence Embrace the ice in your veins, reducing the Runic Power cost of your abilities by 35% for 8 sec. Does not trigger the global cooldown.

Glacial Advance Summon glacial spikes from the ground that advance forward, each dealing Frost damage and applying Razorice to enemies near their eruption point.

Level 50 Talents

Icecap Your Frost Strike, Frostscythe, and Obliterate critical strikes reduce the remaining cooldown of Pillar of Frost by 4 sec.

Obliteration While Pillar of Frost is active, Frost Strike and Howling Blast always grant Killing Machine and have a 30% chance to generate a Rune.

Breath of Sindragosa Continuously deal Frost damage every 1 sec to enemies in a cone in front of you, until your Runic Power is exhausted. Deals reduced damage to secondary targets.

Suggested Unholy Leveling Talents in Shadowlands

Level 15 Talents

Infected Claws Your ghoul's Claw attack has a 30% chance to cause a Festering Wound on the target.

All Will Serve Your Raise Dead spell summons an additional skeletal minion.

Clawing Shadows Deals Shadow damage and causes 1 Festering Wound to burst.

Level 25 Talents

Bursting Sores Bursting a Festering Wound deals 25% more damage, and deals Shadow damage to 8 nearby targets.

Ebon Fever Virulent Plague deals 15% more damage over time in half the duration.

Unholy Blight Surrounds yourself with a vile swarm of insects for 6 sec, stinging all nearby enemies and infecting them with Virulent Plague and an unholy disease that deals damage over 14 sec, stacking up to 4 times. Your minions deal 3% increased damage per stack to enemies infected by Unholy Blight.

Level 30 Talents

Grip of the Dead Death and Decay reduces the movement speed of enemies within its area by 90%, decaying by 10% every sec.

Death's Reach Increases the range of Death Grip by 10 yds. Killing an enemy that yields experience or honor resets the cooldown of Death Grip

Asphyxiate Lifts the enemy target off the ground, crushing their throat with dark energy and stunning them for 4 sec.

Level 35 Talents

Pestilent Pustules Bursting a Festering Wound has a 10% chance to grant you Runic Corruption.

Harbinger of Doom Sudden Doom triggers 15% more often and can accumulate up to 2 charges.

Soul Reaper Strike an enemy for Shadow damage and afflict the enemy with Soul Reaper. After 5 sec, if the target is below 35% health this effect will explode dealing additional Shadow damage to the target. If the enemy that yields experience or honor dies while afflicted by Soul Reaper, gain Runic Corruption.

Level 40 Talents

Spell Eater Anti-Magic Shell absorbs 30% more magic damage and lasts 5 sec longer.

Death Pact Create a death pact that heals you for 50% of your maximum health, but absorbs incoming healing equal to 30% of your max health for 15 sec.

Level 45 Talents

Pestilence Death and Decay damage has a 10% chance to apply a Festering Wound to the enemy.

Epidemic Causes each of your Virulent Plague to flare up, dealing Shadow damage to the infected enemy, and an additional Shadow damage to all other enemies near them.

Defile Defile the targeted ground, dealing Shadow damage to all enemies over 10 sec. While you remain within your Defile, your Scourge Strike will hit 4 enemies near the target. If any enemies are standing in the Defile, it grows in size and deals increasing damage every sec.

Level 50 Talents

Army of the Damned Death Coil reduces the cooldown of Apocalypse by 1 sec and Army of the Dead by 5 sec. Additionally Apocalypse and Army of the Dead summon a Magus of the Dead for 15 sec who hurls Frostbolts and Shadow Bolts at your foes.

Unholy Pact Creates an unholy pact between you and your pet, igniting flaming chains that deal Shadow damage over 15 sec to enemies between you and your pet. While active, your strength is increased by 8%.

Unholy Assault Strike your target dealing Shadow damage, infecting the target with 4 Festering Wound and sending you into an Unholy Frenzy, increasing haste by 20% for 12 sec.

Best Death Knight Leveling Rotation in ShadowlandsOptimal Blood Death Knight Ability Use While LevelingDeath GripDeath's CaressBlood BoilMarrowrendBone ShieldOssuaryDeath StrikeDeath StrikeRune of the Fallen CrusaderElite Mobs:Bone ShieldDeath StrikeBlooddrinkerLots of small mobs:Blood BoilBlood PlagueMarrowrendDeath and DecayDeath and DecayHeart StrikeDeath StrikeDungeons:Blood BoilDark CommandDeath GripMind FreezeAsphyxiateOptimal Frost Death Knight Ability Use While LevelingRune of RazoriceRune of RazoriceRune of the Fallen CrusaderObliterateFrost StrikeGlacial AdvanceKilling MachineRimeElite Mobs:Pillar of FrostEmpower Rune WeaponIcebound FortitudeDeath StrikeLots of small mobs:Remorseless WinterHowling BlastRimeFrostscytheObliterateFrost StrikeGlacial AdvanceDeath StrikeDungeonsMind FreezeChains of IceDeath GripOptimal Unholy Death Knight Ability Use While LevelingRaise DeadOutbreakVirulent PlagueFestering StrikeScourge StrikeDeath CoilRune of the Fallen CrusaderElites:Death StrikeDark TransformationApocalypseLots of small mobs:Virulent PlagueOutbreakDeath and DecayFestering StrikeScourge StrikeDungeonsMind FreezeChains of IceDeath GripBest Weapons and Gear for Leveling a Death Knight in ShadowlandsDeath Knight Stat Weights in Shadowlands

Specialization

Stat 1

Stat 2

Stat 3

Stat 4

Blood

Versatility

Haste

Critical Strike

Mastery

Frost

Critical Strike

Mastery

Versatility

Haste

Unholy

Haste

Critical Strike

Versatility

Mastery

Death Knight Heirlooms in Shadowlands

(2) Set: Rested experience consumed is reduced by 30%.

(3) Set: Increases your out-of-combat regeneration in the outdoors, normal dungeons and battlegrounds.

(4) Set: Gaining a level triggers Burst of Knowledge, dealing Holy damage to nearby enemies and granting you 40% primary stat for 2 minutes. Defeating additional enemies extends this effect, up to 2 additional minutes.

(6) Set: Rested experience consumed is reduced by an additional 30%.

Helms: Polished Helm of Valor, Burnished Helm of Might, Pristine Lightforge Helm

Necklace: Eternal Emberfury Talisman

Shoulder: Polished Spaulders of Valor, Burnished Pauldrons of Might, Pristine Lightforge Spaulders

Cloak: Worn Stoneskin Gargoyle Cape

Chest: Polished Breastplate of Valor Burnished Breastplate of Might, Pristine Lightforge Breastplate

Legs: Polished Legplates of Valor, Burnished Legplates of Might, Pristine Lightforge Legplates

Rings: Captain Sander's Returned Band, Dread Pirate Ring

Trinkets: Swift Hand of Justice, Touch of the Void

2H Weapons: Bloodied Arcanite Reaper,

1H Weapon: Battleworn Thrash Blade, Devout Aurastone Hammer

Shield: Flamescarred Draconian Deflector

Chauffeured ChopperHeirloom HoarderRelics of the Past

Relic of the Past I: Set the Item Level to 23 and the Required Level to 15.

Relic of the Past II: Set the Item Level to 33 and the Required Level to 25.

Relic of the Past III: Set the Item Level to 43 and the Required Level to 35.

Relic of the Past IV: Set the Item Level to 56 and the Required Level to 45.

Relic of the Past V: Set the Item Level to 100 and the Required Level to 50.

Acherus UpgradesQuartermaster OzorgQuartermaster OzorgBest Death Knight Leveling Professions in ShadowlandsHerbalismMiningSkinningHerbalismMiningBlacksmithingMiningBlacksmithingPorous Sharpening StonePorous WeightstoneAlchemyBest Death Knight Questing Path in Shadowlands

Levels 8-10: Death Knight Class Area (except for Allied Races)

Levels 10-50: Battle for Azeroth zones or other expansion zones via Chromie Time

Levels 50-60: Shadowlands Storyline or Threads of Fate

Threads of Fate LevelingShadowlands Death Knight Leveling Gameplay MechanicsDeath Knight Runes and Runic PowerRunesHeart StrikeHowling BlastFestering StrikeRunic PowerDeath StrikeFrost StrikeDeath CoilA Blood Death Knight with 4 Runes ready to use, 2 Runes rechargings, and near full Runic Power bar.Death Knight RuneforgingRuneforging

Rune of Razorice: This rune gives you extra weapon damage as Frost damage and attacking enemies increases their vulnerability to your Frost abilities.

Rune of the Fallen Crusader: This rune gives your melee attacks a chance to heal you for a small percentage of your health and increase your Strength for a few seconds.

Rune of Unending Thirst: This rune increases your movement speed by 5%. Additionally, when you kill an enemy that yields experience or honor you heal for 5% of your maximum health and gain 10% Haste and movement speed.

Rune of the Fallen CrusaderRune of RazoriceRune of the Fallen CrusaderDeath GateDeath Knight UtilityAnti-Magic ShellIcebound FortitudeDeath's AdvanceDeath StrikeMind FreezeChains of IceControl UndeadDeath GripRaise AllyShadowlands Death Knight Class AbilitiesStarting Abilities: Death Knight Beginning Class Zone

Rune Strike, a blow that strikes for Physical damage. This attack cannot be dodged, parried, or blocked.

Death Strike, which focuses dark power into a strike for Physical damage that heals you of 25% of all damage taken in the last 5 seconds, minimum 7% of maximum health.

Death Grip, which grips and enemy and pulls him toward you. Also interrupts casting when you do this.

Death Coil, which fires a blast of unholy energy at a target, causing Shadow damage to an enemy or healing an Undead ally.

Mind Freeze, which interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 3 sec.

Death and Decay, which corrupts the targeted ground, causing Shadow damage to targets in that area.

Veteran of the Third War, a passive ability that increases stamina by 30% for Blood and 10% for Unholy, Frost, and un-specialized.

Anti-Magic Shell is learned at level 9. This ability envelops the Death Knight in a protective barrier that absorbs magic damage, prevents the application of harmful magic effects, and grants Runic Power if it absorbs damage. Lasts for 5 seconds.

Runeforging, which allows the Death Knight to emblazon their weapon with runes. Requires a Runeforge. There are several across the world, but the most convenient is located in Acherus, the Death Knight zone accessible through Death Gate

When you complete the Death Knight area, you will be awarded Death Gate, a teleport that returns you to Acherus,

General Death Knight Class Abilities

Raise Dead (level 12): Raises a ghoul to fight by your side. You can have a maximum of one ghoul at a time. Lasts 1 minute.

Chains of Ice (level 13): Shackles the target with frozen chains, reducing movement speed by 70% for 8 sec.

Dark Command (level 14): Command the target to attack you.

On a Pale Horse (Passive) (level 22): Increases your mounted speed by 20%.

Path of Frost (level 27): Activates a freezing aura for 10 min that creates ice beneath your feet, allowing party or raid members within 50 yards to walk on water. Usable while mounted, but being attacked or damaged will cancel the effect.

Lichborne (level 33):
Draw upon unholy energy to become Undead for 10 sec, increasing Leech by 10%, and making you immune to Charm, Fear, and Sleep.

Control Undead (level 37): Dominates the target undead creature up to level 38, forcing it to do your bidding for 5 min.

Icebound Fortitude (level 38): Your blood freezes, granting immunity to Stun effects and reducing all damage you take by 30% for 8 sec.

Raise Ally (level 39): Pours dark energy into a dead target, reuniting spirit and body to allow the target to reenter battle with 60% health and at least 20% mana. One of the few rezzes that can be applied during combat (though not in the Arena).

Death's Advance (level 42): For 8 sec, your movement speed is increased by 30%, you cannot be slowed below 100% of normal speed, and you are immune to forced movement effects and knockbacks. Passive: You cannot be slowed below 70% of normal speed.

Anti-Magic Zone (level 47): Places an Anti-Magic Zone for 10 sec that reduces spell damage taken by party or raid members by 20%.

Death's Advance (level 49, Rank 2): Death's Advance movement speed increased by 5% and the duration is increased by 2 sec.

Sacrificial Pact (level 54): Sacrifice your ghoul to deal Shadow damage to 8 nearby enemies and heal for 25% of your maximum health.

Blood Death Knight Class Abilities

Heart Strike (level 10): Instantly strike the target and 1 other nearby enemy, causing Physical damage, and reducing enemies' movement speed by 20% for 8 sec

Mastery: Blood Shield (Passive) (level 10): Each time you heal yourself with Death Strike, you gain 16% of the amount healed as a Physical damage absorption shield. Also increases your attack power by 8.0%.

Marrowrend (level 11): Smash the target, dealing (37.557% of Attack power) Physical damage and generating 3 charges of Bone Shield. Bone Shield: Surrounds you with a barrier of whirling bones, increasing Armor.

Blood Boil (level 17): Deals (30% of Attack power) Shadow damage and infects all enemies within 10 yds with Blood Plague. Blood Plague inflicts a disease that drains health from the target over 24 seconds.

Crimson Scourge (Passive) (level 18): Your auto attacks on targets infected with your Blood Plague have a chance to make your next Death and Decay cost no runes and reset its cooldown.

Rune Tap (level 19): Reduces all damage taken by 20% for 4 sec.

Asphyxiate (level 21): Lifts the enemy target off the ground, crushing their throat with dark energy and stunning them for 5 sec.

Heart Strike (level 23, Rank 2): Heart Strike generates 5 additional Runic Power.

Blood Boil (level 24, Rank 2): Blood Boil gains one additional charge.

Death's Caress (level 28): Reach out with necrotic tendrils, dealing (Shadow damage and applying Blood Plague to your target. Blood Plague inflicts a disease that drains health from the target over 24 seconds..

Vampiric Blood (level 29): Embrace your undeath, increasing your maximum health by 30% and increasing all healing and absorbs received by 30% for 10 sec.

Gorefiend's Grasp (level 32): Shadowy tendrils coil around all enemies within 15 yards of a hostile or friendly target, pulling them to the target's location.

Dancing Rune Weapon (level 34): Summons a rune weapon for 8 sec that mirrors your melee attacks and bolsters your defenses. While active, you gain 40% parry chance.

Marrowrend (level 41, Rank 2): Bone Shield increases your Haste by 10%.

Death and Decay (level 43, Rank 2): Heart Strike hits up to 3 additional enemies while you remain in Death and Decay.

Improved Rune Tap (level 44, Rank 2): Rune Tap gains an additional charge.

Veteran of the Third War (level 49, Rank 2): Stamina increased by 30%.

Heart Strike (level 52, Rank 3): Damage increased by 20%.

Improved Vampiric Blood (level 56, Rank 2): Increases all healing and absorbs by 5% and duration by 2 sec.

Ossuary (level 58): While you have at least 5 Bone Shield charges, the cost of Death Strike is reduced by 5 Runic Power. Additionally, your maximum Runic Power is increased by 10.

Frost Death Knight Class Abilities

Howling Blast (level 10): Blast the target with a frigid wind, dealing Frost damage to that foe, and reduced damage to all other enemies within 10 yards, infecting all targets with Frost Fever. Frost Fever: a disease that deals Frost damage over 24 sec and has a chance to grant the Death Knight 5 Runic Power each time it deals damage.

Mastery: Frozen Heart (Passive) (level 10): Increases the damage of your Frost abilities by 16.0%.

Might of the Frozen Wastes (Passive) (level 10): While Dual-wielding, your Obliterate and Frost Strike also strike with your off-hand, and each weapon can be engraved with a Runeforge enchant.

Frost Strike (level 11): Chill your weapon(s) with icy power and quickly strike the enemy, dealing Frost damage.

Obliterate (level 14): A brutal attack that deals Physical damage.

Dark Succor (Passive) (level 18): When you kill an enemy that yields experience or honor, your next Death Strike within 20 sec is free and heals for an additional 10% of maximum health.

Remorseless Winter (level 19): Drain the warmth of life from all nearby enemies within 8 yards, dealing Frost damage over 8 sec and reducing their movement speed by 20%.

Runic Empowerment (level 21): Each Runic Power you spend has a 2.0% chance to instantly grant you a Rune.

Killing Machine (Passive) (level 23): Your auto attack critical strikes have a chance to make your next Obliterate critically strike.

Might of the Frozen Wastes (level 24, Rank 2): Wielding a two-handed weapon increases Obliterate damage by 30%, and increases the chance for your auto attack critical strikes to grant Killing Machine.

Death Strike (level 28, Rank 2): Death Strike's cost is reduced by 10, and its healing is increased by 60%.

Pillar of Frost (level 29): Increases your Strength by 10% for 15 sec. Each Rune spent while active increases your Strength by an additional 1%.

Rime (Passive) (level 32): Obliterate has a 45% chance to cause your next Howling Blast to consume no runes and deal 150% additional damage.

Remorseless Winter (level 34, Rank 2): Increases damage done by 20%.

Improved Rime (level 41, Rank 2): Increases Howling Blast's damage done by an additional 150%.

Runic Overflow (level 43, Rank 2): Increases damage done by 20%.

Frostwyrm's Fury (level 44): Summons a frostwyrm who breathes on all enemies within 40 yd in front of you, dealing Frost damage and slowing movement speed by 50% for 10 sec.

Empower Rune Weapon (level 48): Empower your rune weapon, gaining 15% Haste and generating 1 Rune and 5 Runic Power instantly and every 5 sec for 20 sec.

Pillar of Frost (level 49, Rank 2): Increases Strength by 10%.

Runic Strikes (level 52, Rank 2): Increases damage done by 20%.

Empower Rune Weapon (level 56, Rank 2): Reduces the cooldown by 15 sec.

Frostreaper (level 58, Rank 2): Your next Obliterate also deals Frost damage.

Unholy Death Knight Class Abilities

Festering Strike (level 10): Strikes for Physical damage and infects the target with . : A pustulent lesion that will burst on death or when damaged by Scourge Strike, dealing Shadow damage and generating 3 Runic Power.

Mastery: Dreadblade (Passive) (level 10): Increases the damage of your Minions and Shadow damage abilities by 18.0%.

Scourge Strike (level 11):An unholy strike that deals Physical and Shadow damage, and causes 1 Festering Wound to burst.

Outbreak (Passive) (level 17): Deals Shadow damage to the target and infects all nearby enemies with Virulent Plague. Virulent Plague:
A disease that deals (112.5% of Attack power) Shadow damage over 27 sec. It erupts when the infected target dies, dealing Shadow damage to nearby enemies.

Dark Succor (level 18): When you kill an enemy that yields experience or honor, your next Death Strike within 20 sec is free and heals for an additional 10% of maximum health.

Apocalypse (level 19): Bring doom upon the enemy, dealing (50% of Attack power)% Shadow damage and bursting up to 4 Festering Wounds on the target. Summons an Army of the Dead ghoul for 15 sec for each burst Festering Wound.

Runic Corruption (Passive) (level 21): Each Runic Power you spend has a 1.4% chance to increase your Rune regeneration rate by 100% for 3 sec.

Sudden Doom (Passive) (level 23): Your auto attacks have a chance to make your next Death Coil costs no Runic Power.

Improved Festering Strike (level 24, Rank 2): Increases damage done by 20%.

Death Strike (level 28, Rank 2): Death Strike's cost is reduced by 10, and its healing is increased by 60%.

Raise Dead (level 29, Rank 2): Raises a ghoul to fight by your side. You can have a maximum of one ghoul at a time.

Dark Transformation (level 32): Transform your ghoul into a powerful undead monstrosity for 15 seconds. The ghoul's abilities are empowered and take on new functions while transformation is active.

Summon Gargoyle (level 32): Summon a Gargoyle into the area to bombard the target for 30 sec.

Epidemic (level 34): Causes each of your Virulent Plagues to flare up, dealing Shadow damage to the infected enemy, and additional Shadow damage to all other enemies near them.

Unholy Command (level 41, Rank 2): Damage dealt reduces the cooldown of Dark Transformation by 1 sec.

Cleaving Strikes (level 43, Rank 2): Scourge Strike hits all enemies near the target while you remain in Death and Decay.

Army of the Dead (level 44): Summons a legion of ghouls who swarms your enemies, fighting anything they can for 30 sec.

Apocalypse (level 49, Rank 2): Reduces the cooldown by 15 sec and increases the damage done by 15%.

Dark Transformation (level 52, Rank 2): Dark Transformation grants your ghoul 100% energy.

Scourge Strike (level 56, Rank 2): Increases damage done by 20%.

Apocalypse (level 58, Rank 2): Apocalypse generates 2 Runes.

Target Caps on Death Knight Abilities

Scourge Strike (All) - capped at 5 targets, if in Death and Decay

Sacrificial Pact (All) - capped at 8 targets

Heart Strike (Blood) - capped at 2 targets; 5 targets if in Death and Decay

Frostscythe (Frost Talent) - capped at 5 targets

Clawing Shadows (Unholy) - capped at 5 targets

Bursting Sores (Unholy Talent) - capped at 8 targets

Pestilence (Unholy Talent) - wound generation from this talent is capped at ~10 wounds.

Blood Boil (Blood)

Frostwyrm's Fury (Frost)

Remorseless Winter (Frost)

Avalanche (Frost Talent)

Frozen Pulse (Frost Talent)

Glacial Advance (Frost Talent)

Virulent Plague (Unholy) - explosion only soft-capped

Defile (Unholy Talent)

Epidemic (Unholy Talent) - The primary portion triggers on up to 20 individual targets affected by Virulent Plague, each of those can cleave up to 6 targets with the secondary component.

Unholy Blight (Unholy)

Unholy Pact (Unholy)

Breath of Sindragosa

Comments

Comment by Habutat

The description for the Goblin racials are twisted.

Comment by Selenddron

Is there supposed to be a 110-120 area of this? I didn't notice one.

Comment by Edgysan

I would not suggest heirlooms (head,chest,shoulders) for lvls 110-120 but ok...

Comment by Jevnaker

Also there is only warmode talents suggested for blood not for the other two speccs.

Comment by schwarzekuh

At level 70, you will want to start runeforging your weapons with Rune of the Fallen Crusader, which has a chance to heal you and increase your Strength.

Rune of the Fallen Crusader is now available at Level 55.

Comment by Taraezor

Note: Ensure you asked Chromie to select Northrend to ensure the rewards as outlined below are excellent for you! She'll have exhorted you, in her sassy voice, to show no restraint when taking on the scourge!

Levelled up rapidly. My Blood DK has a woeful weapon (and gear too). If going to Northrend then the quest Filling the Cages will be ideal. Reward is a spec specific weapon Grinder of Reverse Emancipation and it doesn't require a huge quest chain. Over in Grizzly Hills. Best of all, I got a blue upgrade!

The breadcrumb style prerequisites for this quest are Troll Season! or Good Troll Hunting.

Now at Sholazar, at River's Heart, pick up the breadcrumb style quest Force of Nature from Pilot Vic. You are sent to meet the avatar of Freya who promptly offers you An Issue of Trust and after you've killed the mobs you get a sweet piece of gear. The followup quest Returned Sevenfold rewards a nice peace of gear and a ring to boot.

Also up on the very high platform on the edge of the Basin, to the east, is another quick quest A Timeworn Coffer with an appropriate gear reward and nice XP of course.

I do this little shuffle on all my alts. Of course, when a prepatch for any expansion hits, always look for easy gear catch ups from Blizzard.

Comment by kv83

I'm sorry, but recommending Unholy over Frost seems really, really bad. Unholy is a very involved spec, with multiple cooldowns to juggle. Frost has a simple rotation, great survivability and not as many plates to spin as Unholy. I think it's a major fault to recommend Unholy to new players to the class, resulting in frustration. Probably why icy-veins recommends Frost over Unholy too.

Comment by sofibo12345

Thanks for posting this guide

Comment by Moezso

Why would you advise players to use dark command or death grip to engage targets? Neither of those are best used on pull, they are better used to get a mob off a dps or healer, or yank a caster, or as a second interrupt (in death grip's case). Taunting on pull means your taunt is on CD for when you need it, and gripping on pull divides the pack, diminishing cleave. Pull with DnD into BB, or just BB if DnD is on CD.

Comment by shogundr4g0n

For Frost, if you want to dual wield you are better of doing on your off-hand the Bloodsoaked Skullforge Reaver, since it gives you strength which it's better than getting more crit from Devouts Hammer

Shadowlands Death Knight Leveling Guide & Best Leveling Spec 10-60

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