Of course, while I tell all my friends that I'm finally making a toon I'll be happy to tank with, what I'm really thinking about is PvP. I had initially wanted to make a Death Knight class when the game was announced, Death Knights being my favorite Hero in Warcraft 3. I thought Warlocks were the going to be it, considering the Death Coil spell, but I ended up never making a Warlock at all. But now here's the real deal. Plate armor, badass Rune weapons, Deathchargers, and all things ooky, spooky, and vile. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.
Death Knights are an unknown variable in the PvP equation, fairly certain to throw class balance in for a loop. A majority of players will create Death Knights because the barrier of entry is so low (like myself, for example). Getting a Level 55 character right off the bat removes a huge chunk of the frustration in leveling an alt -- skipping repetitive content. Throw in the fact that Death Knights get an entirely new starting zone, an easier grind to Level 70, and I'm willing to bet more than a few people will actually get to Level 80 on a Death Knight. This means man players will know how to play a Death Knight -- and how to counter them. While abilities will surely change, observing how the class develops now will allow us to have a better grasp of how to play -- and fight -- a Death Knight when the finally go live (oh, the irony).
The spellcaster's bane
Death Knights are a caster's nightmare, with abilities like Anti-Magic Shell and Strangulate, which is a Counterspell that silences and damages opponents. Within melee range, I can even use Mind Freeze for pure caster torture. Mind Freeze is a spell interrupting ability on a 10 second timer... if it interrupts a spell cast, it also locks out that school for 4 seconds. Timed right, it will make casters cry and go into a fetal position. The only consolation that casters have is that it eats up Runic Power, which Death Knights need to generate and manage like Rage. [CLARIFICATION: Mind Freeze apparently costs 1 Frost Rune to use, but the talent Aneurysm states that "In addition, Mind Freeze consumes no runic power," which means it eats Runic Power somewhat, but does not seem to be part of the spell cost]
When engaging full health and all, I'll probably want to go with all guns ablaze (or swords aswingin', as it were) and have Unholy Presence up. Death Knight abilities aren't on the subtle side, so I'm thinking I'd like to unload as much damage as possible, and Unholy Presence helps towards that, the reduced Global Cooldown contributing to faster attacks. With the Rune system and a 1 second GCD, it's quite possible to open with up to six abilities in succession, with a 4 second downtime before the first spent Rune is back up. After those six seconds, it's highly likely that I've built up enough Runic Power to unleash another spell. From the look of things, Death Knight combat will hardly be dull.
Healing and hurting
Not only are Death Knights well-equipped to handle casters, there are more than a few abilities that put the kibosh on healing. I mean, Degeneration is huge. It's the game's best counter to HoTs -- it won't even proc Lifebloom because it doesn't remove the HoT, it only corrupts it. Stack this with a buddy's Mortal Strike effect, and healers suddenly find themselves in a real predicament. Throw in the Death Knight's numerous disease Damage-over-Time in the mix, and we have ourselves one dead healer. With HoTs out of the equation, the only healing option is a cast spell, which should managable with Mind Freeze and Strangulate.
There're also a few options for self-healing. On the passive side, it might make sense to swap to Blood Presence when I'm anywhere from half- to three-fourths life. My offense continues while I heal passively. If there are Ghouls out, Death Pact works like a Mana Potion with a 2 minute cooldown. The Rune Tap talent is another potion-like effect with a shorter 1 minute cooldown. Death Strike won't help with your current target, but it helps to ensure you don't get immediately gibbed by another.
Freeze! Don't move!
Death Knights can also break kiting with Death Grip, a 30-yard pull, making getting into melee range a breeze. I can just imagine someone writing an AddOn that plays Scorpion's "Get over here!!!" every time this spell is used. This spell greatly changes mobility in PvP. How do you kite someone who doesn't even need to try and get close to you? Once I've pulled an opponent, I can keep them in place with Chains of Ice or Hungering Cold.
Playing defensively
Defensive combat isn't quite the Death Knight's style of play, but being a tanking class, it's also certainly a viable option. Even though the class' specialty is against casters, Death Knights are far from short of anti-melee abilities. Frost Presence is a good choice when getting the beatdown from melee classes like a dual-wielding Titan's Grip Warrior. Spam that Icy Touch, which gets even better with the Frost talent Icy Talons. If against hard- and fast-hitting opponents, the Blood talent Mark of Blood is a good equalizer.
The Blood tree seems like the anti-melee tree, with talents like Forceful Deflection working synergistically with Blade Barrier. Will of the Necropolis will help fend off those Executes, for sure, and there's Scent of Blood for a free lifestealing effect. The Blood tree concentrates on Strength and Armor, making it a perfect foil for physical damage. Of course, the other trees have defenses, too, like Toughness early in Frost, as well as Frigid Dreadplate and Unbreakable Armor deeper into the tree. Unholy is more focused against spellcasters, but Lichborne affords an additional 25% chance for opponents to miss. The Unholy tree is also a PvP-friendly tree, with On a Pale Horse and Unholy Aura, so players thinking of PvP might want to consider an Unholy-heavy build. I know I am.
Best fiends for life
Death Knights are a melee class with spells, but are also a conditional pet class -- worse than a Hunter or Warlock, but better than a Frost Mage or Moonkin Druid. Raise Dead is an ability on a five minute timer that gives Death Knights a Ghoul for two minutes. With the Unholy talent Master of Ghouls, the pet behaves more like a pet, and Ferocious Dead keeps them around for three and a half minutes instead of two.
Having a pet in PvP is a boon, although Ghouls have fairly limited abilities. The real PvP application? I'll be able to raise my allies as Ghouls. Players can choose to accept the Raise Dead similar to a Resurrection spell and control the Ghoul as though it were their own character -- think Darkrune quest in Ogri'la or the Chess event in Karazhan. In Arenas, this affords my teammates an extended lease on (un)life. In close matches, it might even snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
A sickening class
On top of fantastic utility spells, there's the disease mechanic we've been buzzing on about. They have disease-based DoTs. It's notable that a Death Knight's diseases are Shadow-, not Nature-based like most diseases in the game, affording some classes a bit of defense, like a Priest's Shadow Protection or even the Warlock talent Nether Protection. Death Knights can stack a plethora of different diseases, too, and strikes like Obliterate can deal massive damage when an opponent has max debuffs.
Let's theorize a bit more, looking through the Unholy tree. There's one debuff from Plague Strike, an Unholy Death Knight's bread and butter strike; Ghouls have an ability that infects their target; there's Blood-Caked Blade, which gives the Filthy Weapon debuff; Crypt Fever looks like it'll stack over existing diseases; Ebon Plaguebringer might replace Crypt Fever when it procs; and then there's the 51-point Unholy Blight, of course. Casting Death and Decay also gives a short, 6-second disease for a total of six different disease debuffs. Immediately follow it up with a Blood Strike or Blood Boil.
I'm really excited to roll my own Death Knight, if only because there seems to be many ways to play it. It looks like the class has many solutions to different classes and playing styles that it will be challenging and fun to PvP with one. Who knows, if I have enough fun PvPing with my Death Knight, I might actually even be talked into tanking something.
Zach Yonzon writes the PvP column The Art of War(craft) while waiting for his Beta key to arrive. Any minute now. Really. He's just sitting there, twiddling his thumbs. Any minute now.
Enjoy reading practical PvP thoughts and sometimes impractical theorycraft? Check out more of Zach's The Art of War(craft), where he talks about all sorts of PvP-related subjects like how WoW can work as an eSport, or choosing the right targets in a PvP situation.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-23-2008 @ 8:25PM
Dominace said...
I can't wait for the DK to be released, the current classes are starting to become stale. Also, getting sick of the resto druid line ups forcing the game to go on for 15mins+, really going to love Degeneration, epically since it has no coodown.
Lineups like Mage/lock/Dk will probably be a healers worst nightmare, seeing as silence isn't on a Diminishing return, healers and casters alike could be spell/school locked to infinity and beyond.
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7-23-2008 @ 10:01PM
HWL said...
Most DK offensive skills have no CD,they are limited by the Runes like Rogue skills are limited by Energy.
Degeneration needs 1 UH rune,so you will get 2 Degenerations every 10 seconds.
8-03-2008 @ 8:17AM
happydays said...
Y so... SRS?
7-23-2008 @ 8:29PM
Gerb said...
WTB beta key :(
It's funny you mention Death Grip and a Scorpion addon btw, seems like a lot more people (including me) had the same idea. I'm in the process of writing an addon for Death Grip, but:
1. I am just learning LUA, luckily I live in a student house, and one of the others knows how to work with it (and who's a WoW player as well :P)
2. We'll most likely have to be in beta to test certain things out, if it's working correctly and such >_<
3. I'm sure more experienced addon writers are also busy making an addon for it atm :)
For anyone interested, you can find LOTS of MK sound files at the following site:
http://www.totalmortalkombat.com/
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7-23-2008 @ 8:33PM
justy.davey said...
I'm sorry. I only got halfway down your blog. I got tired. I will roll a death knight as it is a new class and should be fun to play. But the way you write it, making a death knight a bad ass unbeatable thing only makes me shy away from it. if it is all you say then why play? it sounds like god mode on doom. Pointless. I have 5 level 70's and enjoy playing all for different reasons. Hopefully all classes will still be viable and death knights just a new addition and style to the already rich diversity. I'm not saying i've never ganked a low level before but it's not really my thing. A class that is unbeatable is no challange in pvp and would either make it less rich or just unplayable. pvp wise that is.
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7-24-2008 @ 3:14PM
Ktok said...
Fear not, they aren't *that* strong. They are just very strong in places where most other classes are weak (dealing with mf'ing resto druids for example).
So far mine is Unholy spec, but I've only had about a day to play with him. It's fun, but it's not god mode. Not even PvE. You can die, and you do have to play well, just like any other class.
7-23-2008 @ 8:47PM
Michael said...
Expect a quick patch to balance things out.
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7-23-2008 @ 8:48PM
Slaytanic said...
Another great article, Zach. My 2 sons and I are reading this, drooling over the possibilities. Being I love my PvP Tankadin (yes, I know...."prot?"), my mind is trying to come up with defenses to this class, and coming up shorthanded. It will truly be epic good vs evil at it's finest.
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7-23-2008 @ 8:56PM
Menalaous said...
I am normally the last person to jump on an OP wagon, but I honestly believe that DK's will be nerfed just prior or post WotLK release. They seam to be the bain of everything. And while I understand that a "heroic" class should be awsome it still seams just a bit...much. I mean given almost no talent set ups they can heal, stop kiting, slow melee to a pace so low it could make rouges/enchance shamys cry, and of course lock down pretty much any caster. The only weak side seams to be that they need to build runic power like rage and without it their major abilities -save those insanely deadly presences, which seem to be the dks version of auras/stances but three times better then either- are nothing. Hopefully the cost of runic power will be high. That and to this point I havent noticed a whole load of AoE ability without specing it (corpse explosion). But still they seam way to uber.
I like tanks, I like plate, I like plate + spells, thus my love hate relationship with Pallys, and so I will role one no matter what. But still they seam way to strong, and so I am afraid to get my hopes up that they wont change DRASTICALLY between now and launch and yet at the same time I hope they do. Because in solo PvP they will be king, and in anything teamed or grouped, order of kill will go; 1) DK, 2)DK, 3) DK, 4) everything else.
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7-24-2008 @ 9:16AM
pudds said...
I think you're absolutely correct. Death Knights look very interesting, but if the spells/talents play out like this, they'll be getting nerfed for PvP very early.
Prime candidates in my mind?
Death Grip - should probably be out of combat only, like charge.
Mind Freeze - is a longer shutdown than Earth Shock, the only other interrupt that deals noticeable damage
Both mechanics sound cool, particularly Death Grip, so hopefully they won't be as OP as they sound.
7-24-2008 @ 11:44AM
Lur said...
Deathgrip is not meant to be on the same power level as charge as it has no stun. It looks as though they are building it up to be a signature Death Knight ability, so don't expect it to go away. It is more meant to be akin to hamstring or slowing poison combined with a taunt. Most of the DK abilities are very short range, and with no way to close that distance, and no hamstring/poison, hunters/casters could kite them indefinitely.
7-23-2008 @ 8:59PM
Orin said...
As a hunter I will tell you that Death Grip is a certain "hunter killer".
In an arena setting, there is no way a hunter can NOT be completely taken out of the game in the first second of an Arena match with a spell that pulls them immediately into melee range of all of their opponents where the hunter is rendered helpless.
The fact that this is a base line ability that every Death Knight has in their spellbook makes it even more worrisome. It'd be as if all the rogues in arena had Shadowstep. Oh wait, they kinda do, don't they? :)
Am I worried? Hell, yes. If hunters think they had it bad in Seasons 1 through 4, wait until Season 5.
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7-23-2008 @ 9:11PM
Zep said...
There seemed to be some typos in this article. Mind Freeze says it costs a frost rune, not runic power. Death pact works like a HEALTH potion, not mana (you may have been thinking of the WC3 Lich and the WoW warlock ability, Dark Pact).
I'll also point out that Mark of Blood has been changed 3 times in the alpha and beta so far, and we cannot expect it to keep its current form. Initially it allowed allies to be healed whenever an ENEMY was healed. The current effect is better for PVP considering death knights are good anti-healers, but probably worse for PVE (when putting mark on an ally would let all people in the raid get healed).
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7-23-2008 @ 9:51PM
Azyriel said...
To be fairly honest It would not surprise me in this least when death knights actually become either A) nerfed to hell and won't actually be useful till next xpac or B) OP to hell and blizzard won't be able to balance it properly till next xpac thus potentially leading the DK to option A for that expac. Then again all the abilities just seem FAR to good to be true so there must be a hitch there somewhere.
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7-23-2008 @ 10:13PM
Dantheman102100 said...
Just a guess, DKs are going to be over powered when they come out. The only real weakness I can see is that their combat system involves heavy use of diseases, which are easily removed by paladins, druids, etc.
Death Grip makes them very hard to kite, and they have lots of abilities to prevent the other guy from getting a spell off. Versus healing specced classes, the ability to corrupt Hots is basically an I Win button.
High damage + lots of armor + lots of magic resistence + un-kiteability + self healing based on damage done = One over powered mofo.
Must admit though, it seems like they are being designed to be a paladin's free honor kill. Most of Ret's damage out put is physical damage, plus supliments of holy damage. Both will have passive healing/fuel regeneration based on damage done, and as previously mentioned, one of their main game play mechanic is easily removed by paladin's cleanse.
Plus, Lichborne changing them to demon type opens them up to turn evil, exorcism, and holy wrath. Plus their ghouls will be undead, making them vulnerable to these abilities as well.
Maybe Bliz's way of saying way of light > way of evil? Dunno, but they are looking like a paladin's free lunch.
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7-23-2008 @ 10:14PM
rjuan536 said...
For one DKs have no slowing effects aside from one that has a long cooldown and other then that just diseases. If we can get our hands on them. Death knights will reign. If not they will be as worse off as warriors without intercept.
Also Unholy DKs will be great against casters but only so so against melee. While Bloods will rape melee and get raped by casters. Frost, not much is known about it really but we have to wait and see.
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7-24-2008 @ 10:15AM
jbodar said...
They may not have Intercept, but can't they Death Grip, then Chains of Ice to keep people close?
7-23-2008 @ 10:52PM
STereo said...
I totally agree. The hunter class was totally f*d over in TBC and it's looking even worse in Wrath. It's clear from inspecting the new talents and abilities that the geniuses in charge of class balance have not even considered what impact this will have.
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8-06-2008 @ 4:09PM
Daddywarbuck of Farstriders said...
Hunters now have ridiculous damage giving capabilities, its like warlocks, in mail, with harder to break cc.
7-23-2008 @ 11:25PM
Dargon said...
I have played a DK to 60 in the Beta and I feel they are incredibly overpowered. I am blood spec'd and am basically invincible. The amount of regen and dmg that I can put out is just unreasonable. I expect a fairly large nerf before or early on during live release. Unfortunately with a couple exceptions the only toons seeming to be running around Outland or Azeroth are DKs, and there are only a couple DKs in Northrend, so I haven't had a chance to PvP against them very much.
Also, Degeneration needs a nerf. I understand Blizzard doesn't balance classes on a 1 on 1 basis, but this ability will single handedly knock druids out of competition in the Arena (esp in 2v2 and 3v3). It is simple so unfair that I don't see how they could ignore it.
The Bloodworms are totally broken. I was in WPL and I killed a skeleton and 5 popped out, I proceeded to destory every mod in Felstone field and finished with full health.
Don't get me wrong death knights are fun, but they are the epitome of EZ mode.
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