Heya guys!!  Welcome to a much over due installment of Questions and Answers here on SJ.  Comments on my site have blown up recently and with my regular schedule, posting, etc…  I just have not had the time to answer everything.  Till now.  Today we’re focusing on nothing but questions by players and readers about Death Knights. 

So shut yer trap and listen!!  Else I’ll sick lil Fluffy here on ya!!  Got it?!  Get it?!  GOOD!!  So let’s just jump right in eh?

If you wish to contact me by E-mail you may reach me at:

Skeleton.Jack@hotmail.com

SJ Forums

I’ve had offers to help moderate and run some forums, as well as ideas on what to use for forums.  End result?  Enough people have expressed an interest in a Death Knight Forum here on SJ that I am inclined to now include it here.  I have never looked into this before however.

I’m not really interested in shelling out money for a forum though.  So if you guys know of a free service that I can host on my site, please point me in that direction.  Comments here or an E-mail works.  You can leave just a link and/or any relevant comments, and that’ll be a /win in my book.    I cannot promise to have this ready immediately however.  I’d expect to see something solid on this within the next 1-3 months.

Blood Presence vs Unholy Presence

I get questions about this all of the time, and it makes me a lil bit sad in the pants to see people need to ask.    OK, so let’s nail this one down on the head for you guys ok?  There are Specs out there that are tailor designed to use with Unholy Presence.  This means they use so many attacks within 10 seconds that it’s impossible to pull off those rotations without Unholy Presence.  In my experience however these *never* do as much competitive damage as traditional specs using Blood Presence.  In addition, the rotations are much more difficult, require far more work, leave less leeway for error, and generally don’t perform well when you are required to move in combat.

Blood Presence is designed for pure PvE dps.  That is what it is there for.  And what many people often forget, is a % bonus to your damage will scale as your damage scales.  Haste on your white attacks will not improve your scaling damage at all, except for on your white attacks which tend to be between 15-25% of your total damage at most.

Unholy Presence is designed for pure PvP dps.  Your swings happen more often for more chances of damage and a 1sec GCD allows you to unload “burst” dps in a shorter period of time, giving opposing players less possible reaction time to do something about it.  As powerful as it is however, a +15% attack speed buff in no way scales for total potential dps like a +15% bonus to *ALL* of your damage.

In short:

• Blood Presence: PvE dps
• Unholy Presence: PvP dps
• Frost Presence: Tanking, or if a focus fire’d target in PvP

Crypt Fever and Ebon Plaguebringer

Previously these 2 debuffs stacked to the amazement of myself, and many a Death Knight.  Honestly, it never made sense that they did.  So, as one would expect…  /nerf bat!!

Crypt Fever places a +30% disease damage debuff on the target.  Ebon Plaguebringer places a +13% magic damage debuff, a +3% crit buff for just you, and the effects of CF (+30% disease damage) on the target.  Because CF is automatically included in the effect of EP, it got missed by Blizz as a “stacking buff” issue.  So up until 3.0.8 release, these two debuffs stack.  Once 3.0.8 goes live, EP will overwrite CF.

How to make gold?

OK, now a lot of this will vary from server to server.  But certain facts hold true no matter where you go.  The number one lesson to remember when you try to make gold is the basic of economics in the real world.  “Supply and Demand”.  It holds true in WoW just as much as it does in rl.

The best money makers in game are without a doubt Mining, Herbalism, Skinning, and Jewel Crafting.  Out of these 4, Skinning would be the first market to drop off in profit.  Eventually everyone has crafted all of the gear they plan on crafting, or has finished leveling their trade skills.  Once that is done, there is very little call for a steady supply of Skinning materials.  It can be difficult to estimate when this “cap” will happen on any given server however.

However, everyone needs 2 things all of time (outside of gold).  Gems and Pots.  This is without question an undeniable rule of WoW.  Gems are a big deal because people swap out gems for multiple reasons.  If they get some gear upgrades (in other slots) that puts them over/under a hit/expertise cap they will often regem their gear.  Or they get new gear, or new PvP gear, etc…  People go through gems like fricking candy.  And where do people get the majority of gems?  Mining and Prospecting Ore.

And Pots?!  Flasks, Elixirs, etc…  People raid, and when they raid they use Mana Pots, Flasks, Elixirs, etc…  Now you’d think this lets Alchemy make money, but it doesn’t.  Most people go to guildies for crafting, because it’s free and doesn’t cost a tip that way.  But they do go to the AH and buy herbs.  Hence Herbalism being so pimp.

Now, what is the unspoken rule of making money?  DON’T FARM MATS FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY!!!!  OMFG this is the most newbish mistake made constantly.  Lets say you need 20 of x item.  So you get it in your head to go farm mobs to get 20 of said item.  You just wasted your time and your money.  Every player out there has a “best way possible” to make gold.  Whether it be cutting gems and selling them, mining ore, farming herbs, doing daily quests, etc…  DO THAT!!!

Whatever method you find that allows you to make the most amount of gold in the shortest time possible, stick with it and never deviate.  Ever.  It is 99% of the time more worthwhile to farm gold your best way possible, and then to go buy what you need with that gold in Trade Chat or in the AH.  Trust me.  I’ve not made over 100,000g in profits in BC alone for no good reason.

What about X Spec and Y Rotaions?!

I’d love to answer you guys, but honestly its a lot of work for no gain with the massive degree of changes coming with the 3.0.8 patch release.  In just the past 24 hours, the severe degree of changes that have hit will cause some major changes.  I am doing some research already on these topics, however it’s not ready yet.  And on top of that, more potential changes could change what I’ve already figured out.  Trust me, when 3.0.8 hits, I’ll cover Specs and Rotations for you guys.  But until then, it’s potentially wasted time and effort.

Melee and Spell Hit Caps

First off if you have not read my post Hit and Expertise Revisited, then you need to stop and go give that a good read.  It explains Hit and Expertise caps very well.  Now, people ask often if it’s worth going past the 8% hit cap.  And the answer is yes.  Now, to what degree is where it becomes tricky.

DW specs generally gain far more from hit than 2H specs, simply because DW imposes a hit penalty requiring 23.6% Melee Hit to reach the Melee Hit cap with white attacks.  So unlike a 2H build, hit rating past 8% benefits more than just your ”Spells”, but also your white attacks as well.  But while it is more valuable for DW specs, the Hit Rating value for a DW spec is still diminished once you break past 8% hit.

If you take the time to check out my Best In Slot Items (BISI) posts you can see I have categories for items when you are over 8% hit, but under the Spell Hit cap still.  This is an example of when Hit still has value past the Melee Hit cap, whether you are a 2H or DW build.

Contacting SJ to Talk

I am available to talk to, guys (err…and to girls or women!!  I’m always available to de ladies!! *wink* Heh).  But if you leave a comment telling me to find you on your server or to write you an E-mail…99 times out of 100 it just ain’t gonna happen.  Sorry.  I’ve helped someone set up their N52 keypad before on my guild’s ventrilo server, and answered questions in WoW for people who rolled level 1 newbies to talk to me.  I’ve also responded to many many E-mails without fail.  So if you want to talk to me, the best way is to E-mail me (listed at the beginning of the post).  Short of that, logging in to Bronzebeard on a level 1 newbie to send me a tell works as well.

Itemization Questions

If you have a question about DW items feel free to leave a comment or to E-mail me.  But they need to be concise questions with specific, defined goals.  Not just, “What’s the best items lol?!?!”  A better move would be, “Is x better than y item?”  I do not have weights yet for DW, so I can’t just tell you what is best atm.  Sorry.  If you have questions about any other spec…BISI is there for a reason.

Asking me to check out stuff

If you don’t put in a link, I probably won’t go look.  I’ve got enough on my plate that doing searches on stuff beyond what I am already researching isn’t likely.  If you can’t link something from work, you’re better off waiting to post a comment when you get home and can link it.

Test Dummies

OK, so I see people cry all the time because their DPS sucks on a Test Dummy when compared to the WWS reports people see in Raids.  RAID BUFFED/DEBUFFED DPS WILL ALWAYS BE GREATER THAN SOLO TESTING!!!  AWWMAHGAWD!!!!  o.O

If you go DPS in a raid you’re getting +10% AP, +20% haste, +5% crit, + spell crit, armor reduction, + hit, and MOAR!!!  If you go DPS a dummy, you get you.  That’s it.  You get it?  You also scale better with buffs, so your DPS in a raid will be significantly different from a Dummy test.  Test Dummies can be useful, and have their place, but do not ever take results from a Dummy as gospel (see what I did there?!?! :D).  Other factors in a raid could alter them.

Dual Specs

Those are still a long time coming.  I’d be shocked if they came before 3.1, and I think that might even be too early.  Blizzard posted that they wanted to make it, and make it right.  We’re talking about “phantom slots” that would hold your gear for you (not bag space) for a particular spec (which may not work as some pieces are used by more than one spec), auto changing Glyphs, auto changing Specs, and auto changing your Action Bars.  I would not expect this feature to be incoming any time soon guys.

DK Nerfs

Some people have actually made comments here about how OP DK’s are and that they need to be nerfed.  Or said it on other forums, etc, etc…  Now look.  I’ve admited on more than one occasion when something needed to be nerfed.  I’ve even made posts explaining to my readers why something needs to be nerfed and why I felt Blizzard made such a call.  Dual Wield Spec and Summon Gargoyle – explanations and reasonsing behind the nerfs/changes is an example.

That being said, if I say something is being nerfed too much or improperly then it is very likely I have a damn good reason for saying so.  For example, the Gargoyle nerf is needed for Blood/Frost/DW specs.  However for Unholy it is bad news.  Unholy is gaining some DPS (in 3.0.8) from Necrosis and from NotD protecting their ghouls, but in all honesty I don’t see it being enough to make up for the Gargoyle DPS loss.  In that matter, it is actually a serious issue.  Where the numbers will fall in the end?  We’ll see.  Hopefully I’m wrong, but the concern is warranted.

As far as claims of, “DK ARE OP!! NERF! NERF! NERF!”  GTFO and go QQ moar you bleeding ninny before I slap you around and take your doll away from you.  Good lord, STFU.

Just because some classes are under par does not mean you take a nerf bat to other classes that are performing well.  The vast majority of the changes coming to DK’s are BUFFS ya morons.  Retadins in PvP, Mages in PvE, etc, etc, etc…plenty of classes doing amazing “OP” things atm.  The truth is, other classes just need to be brought in line, and only a few key abilities in each class (such as the Gargoyle) need to be modified to achieve balance.

Posting on any Forum, especially if you use my Name: Skeleton Jack.

OK, first off when you post don’t be a newb.  For the love of God, think about what you write.  Think about a lot of my posts.  They don’t really flame anyone, they don’t incite anger, and they don’t make ludicrous claims without a factual basis.  Well most of the time anyways, hehehe.  *evil grin*  It is *my site* though, so I take some liberal freedoms here I would not elsewhere.

Make clear and concise points.  Try to always back up any claims by personal in game experience, or by documentation that you can reference.  Examples are information on sites, posts by people listing their experiences/results, videos, etc…  If you simply say something is bad, or wrong, but can’t acurately describe why…you are probably not going to be doing much for your arguement.

Especially if you are trying to make any kind of an impact on the Official WoW Forums, remember to ignore Trolls and to make clear and well thought out points.  You want factual experiences, or testimonies by other players who can list examples of their in game experiences, if you desire to be taken seriously.

Claims of X person said this, so it must be true!!

I don’t care if you come tell me that Ghostcrawler told you that x talent should be nerfed for y reason, or if the best highest ranked PvP’er in the world says z is over powered.  Being famous, good at playing in a certain genre (PvE, PvP, DPS, Tanking, etc), working for Blizz, etc…none of these things actually mean you know a damn thing about the game.  I’ve met some amazing PvP’ers in WoW.  People who have been ranked Gladiator’s.  But when asked detailed questions about their class, they honestly did not fully understand balance issues or the complex mechanics that made things work.  They did however know sure as hell how to kill someone quickly.  Get the point?

Just because you’re amazing at one thing, doesn’t mean you’re amazing at everything.  Many times you will see me, for example, put off questions about Blood or Tanking.  Why?  Because while I know a hell of a lot about WoW and DK’s, I am not an expert on those topics.  I have to do research and spend time making sure I find accurate and relevant information discovered by other players.

That all being said, I read a rather long post by the DK Nathyrra who has 3 arena teams at 2100+, 2200+, and 2300+ atm.  That is *BEYOND* impressive, and I would not only be inclined to listen to him speak about DK PvP, but I would actually *LOVE* to listen to anything he had to say about DK PvP in Arena.  But if you think for a moment that that also includes thinking he knows what he is speaking about in regards to PvE DPS, PvE Tanking, or even DK balance mechanics…then the answer is likely to be, “No.  You’re gonna have to prove to me you know something first.” 

In just one post he wrote, I found multiple replies disclaiming various viewpoints he had with well thought out reasons that I agreed with.  While Nathyrra is probably one of the best PvP’ers around, that doesn’t make him an expert on WoW or DK’s.

That being said, this was not an attack on GC, Nath, or any other exceptional players.  It is merely a response to a direct onsite post about Nathyrra supposedly disproving my own claims.

If you ever try to tell me I’m wrong because X person said so, then you are a newb and don’t know WTF you are talking about.  End of story.  Now if you come to me telling me that Y person found z results and posted why something works in a manner contrary to what I think or have said…well then it’s time for me to STFU and go read about it.  See the difference?

If you wish to contact me by E-mail you may reach me at:

Skeleton.Jack@hotmail.com

-Suffer Well Brothers and Sisters.

Tags: Questions