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Death Knight
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Contents |
Background
Death Knights were first created by Gul'dan, the treacherous Orc Shaman-turned-Warlock that was responsible for bringing the Orcs through the Dark Portal to invade and conquer Azeroth. The first ever Death Knight was Teron Gorefiend, previously an Orc Warlock, but slain by Orgrim Doomhammer once the Orc leader discovered the whereabouts of the secret Shadow Council. Gorefiend's spirit was later returned to the body of a dead Human Knight by Gul'Dan, hence the term, Death Knight.
Because of their very nature, the talents and abilities possessed by Death Knights are akin to the Lich King, Arthas' powers. Arthas was, or still is, a Death Knight, but he found and destroyed the frozen body of his predecessor, Ner'zhul, and the essence of the Lich King merged with him. Arthas first appeared in Wacraft III and featured heavily in the expansion: The Frozen Throne, which follows Arthas as he makes his way to the home of the Lich King and claims the title.
Introduction
In May 2008, Blizzard held a press conference and revealed a few facts about this new class, and even showed one in action to a handful of people. In this presentation, Blizzard shared details of abilities, as well as some other useful facts about the Death Knight.
For the first time, people outside the Friends and family Alpha were allowed to try out the Death Knight themselves at the Paris Worldwide Invitational in June/July 2008. The first Talents and Skills were available for documentation, and can be found on our
Death Knights, the Facts
Humble Beginnings
Simply have a character of at least level 55 on the World of Warcraft account you play, and you will be able to create a new level-55 death knight of any race (if on a PvP realm, the death knight must be the same faction as your existing character). Upon entering the world, your neophyte death knight will undertake a series of quests designed to teach you your new abilities. You will be able to create one death knight per realm, per account.
DKs will start in the Eastern Plaguelands, in a floating necropolis, similar to Naxxramas. There will be a new area added to Eastern Plaguelands, east of Tyr's Hand and the Noxious Glade, that will be the starting zone for DKs where they will have a number of quests that will teach them how to use their spells, and reward them with better armor.
Death Knights' starting armor will be a mixture of Uncommon and Rare items (greens and blues), but they will immediately have the chance to upgrade it further by completing their starting quests. Unlike other classes, when they are first created they will have wide selection of spells to use straight away, including Summon Death Charger, which summons a regular land mount. DKs will have the chance to upgrade this mount to an epic speed one quite soon into their questing.
Due to the Death Knight's built-in abilities and tendencies, it has been indicated to us that NPCs will display some contempt for Death Knights.
Unique Resource System
Death Knights have the ability to inscribe runes on their weapons. This is similar (but not the same) to the new profession: Inscription, which will be available to all classes. The runes can be used in any combination, and are consumed as the DK uses spells, but they regenerate quickly, like a Rogue's energy. You can read more about this in the dedicated section below, Runes.
Further to the Runes, Death Knights also have another resource that slowly builds up as the Death Knight uses the Runes, called Runic Power. This power is required for certain spells, but when one of those spell is cast, all of the Runic Power is consumed regardless of how much there was left over. Runic Power also decays over time, like Warrior's Rage.
Weapons and Armor
In addition to making use of their Rune system, Death Knights have the ability to use 2-handed weapons, as well as Dual Wield, able to wield Axes, Maces & Swords.
Death Knights appear to be more alike to a Paladin than a Warrior, as they have use of a range of spells that enable the class reach it's full potential. However, Death Knights do not use mana at all, so therefore will share armor designed for Warriors as opposed to Paladins.
Hero Class
As the Death Knight is a Hero Class, players will need a character on their account which is level 55 or over. When the Death Knight is created, it will start at level 55. This means there will be no need to level the character up from level 1 like all the other classes, but also means that they will start with a full compliment of spells and abilities at their disposal. No characters are destroyed or absorbed to create a DK, the new character merely becomes available for you to play, so you will need a character slot free on the character selection screen.
Another difference to all the other classes so far is the Death Knight's use of Runes instead of Mana, Rage or Energy. There will be three choices of Rune - Unholy, Frost, or Blood. These Runes are applied to the weapon the Death Knight is using, and are slowly consumed during a fight as the Death Knight uses abilities, though they replenish over a few seconds.
Blizzard has indicated that it intends to make more Hero Classes further down the line. Speculation of which classes we might see are The Blade Master, Demon Hunter and Arch Druid.
Who Can Be a Death Knight?
Both genders of all playable races can become a Death Knight. Here's a list of the playable races at this time, and their character traits:
Horde
Tauren
War Stomp - active
Activate to stun up to 5 opponents within 8 yards - lasts 2 sec - 2 min cooldown
Endurance - passive
Max Health increased by 5%
Cultivation - passive
15 skill bonus to Herbalism
Nature Resistance - passive
All Tauren get +10 Nature Resistance
Orc
Blood Fury - active
Increases base melee attack power by 25% for 15 sec and reduces healing effects on you 50% for 25 sec.
Hardiness - passive
25% resistance to stun and knockout effects.
Command - passive
Pet melee damage increased by 5%.
Axe Specialization - passive
Orcs get +5 to Axe and Two-Handed Axe Expertise.
Undead
Will of the Forsaken - active
Activate to become immune to Fear, Sleep, and Charm effects. Can also be used while already afflicted by Fear or Sleep - lasts 5 sec - 2 min cooldown
Cannibalize - active
Activate to regenerate 7% of total health every 2 sec. by consuming Humanoid or Undead corpses within 5 yds - lasts 10 sec - 2 min cooldown
Underwater Breathing - passive
Underwater breath lasts 300% longer than normal
Shadow Resistance - passive
All Undead get +10 Shadow Resistance
Troll
Berserking - active
Activate to increase attack and casting speed for 10 seconds. Speed is raised by 10% at full health, increasing as health is lost to a maximum bonus of 30%. 3 minute cooldown.
Regeneration - passive
Increase health regeneration bonus by 10%. Also allows 10% of normal health regen during combat.
Beast Slaying - passive
5% damage bonus to Beasts.
Throwing weapon specialization - passive
Increase Throwing Weapon skill by 5.
Bow specialization - passive
Increase Bow skill by 5.
Blood Elf
Arcane Affinity - passive
Enchanting skill increased by 10.
Arcane Torrent - active - (Hunters/Paladins/Mages/Priests/Warlocks only)
Silences all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec. In addition, you gain 5 + 1/Level Mana restored per Mana Tap charge currently affecting you - Instant - 2 min cooldown.
Arcane Torrent - active - (Rogue only)
Silences all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec. In addition, you gain 10 Energy for each Mana Tap charge currently affecting you - Instant - 2 min cooldown.
Magic Resistance - passive
All resistances increased by 5.
Mana Tap - active
Reduces target's mana by 51 and charges you with Arcane energy for 10 min. This effect stacks up to 3 times. Amount of mana reduced is 50 + 1/Level - 30 yd range - Instant - 30 sec cooldown.
Alliance
Gnomes
Escape Artist - active
Escape the effects of any immobilization or movement speed reduction effect - 1 min cooldown
Expansive Mind - passive
Increase Intelligence by 5%
Arcane Resistance - passive
All Gnomes get +10 Arcane Resistance
Engineering Specialist - passive
15 skill bonus to Engineering
Humans
Perception - active
Activate to dramatically increase stealth detection - Lasts 20 sec - 3 min cooldown
The Human Spirit - passive
Increase Spirit by 5%
Diplomacy - passive
10% bonus to faction point gain
Sword Specialization - passive
Humans get +5 to Sword and Two-Handed Sword Expertise
Mace Specialization - passive
Humans get +5 to Maces and Two-Handed Maces Expertise
Dwarf
Stoneform - active
While active, grants immunity to Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects. In addition, Armor increases by 10%. Lasts 8 sec. - 3 min cooldown
Gun Specialization - passive
Dwarves get +5 to Gun Skill
Frost Resistance - passive
All Dwarves get +10 Frost Resistance
Treasure Finding - passive
Activate to see treasure chests on mini map - lasts until canceled - no cooldown
Night Elf
Shadowmeld - active
Activate while immobile and out of combat to enter stealth mode - lasts until canceled - no cooldown
Quickness - passive
Dodge chance increased by 1%
Wisp Spirit - passive
Become a wisp when dead with movement speed increase of 50% (25% faster than normal ghost)
Nature Resistance - passive
All Night Elves get +10 Nature Resistance
Draenei
Gemcutting - passive
Jewelcrafting skill increased by 5.
Gift of the Naaru - active
Heals the target 50 + 15/Level over 15 sec - 40 yd range - 1.5 sec cast - 3 min cooldown
Inspiring Presence - passive (Mages/Priests/Shaman only)
Increases the chance to hit with spells by 1% for you and all party members within 30 yards.
Heroic Presence - passive (Hunters/Paladins/Warriors only)
Increases chance to hit by 1% for you and all party members within 30 yards.
Shadow Resistance - passive
Shadow Resistance increased by 10.
Resources
A list of all the resources that Death Knights can use (some training at Weapon Master might be required) and their primary stats.
Death Knights have a completely different resource system from all the other classes so far. They have a health bar, but instead of Mana, Rage or Energy, they use Runes.
| Category | Usability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resources | ||
| Health | Yes | Important to have as much as possible if tanking |
| Energy | N/A | N/A |
| Mana | N/A | N/A |
| Rage | N/A | N/A |
| Runes | Yes | Unholy, Frost, or Blood |
| Primary statistics | ||
| Strength | Important | Adds to Attack Power |
| Agility | Important | Adds to Crit chance, Armor and Dodge |
| Stamina | Important | Adds to Health (Essential for Tanking) |
| Intellect | Not Important | Death Knights will not use mana, so it is unlikely they will need Intellect. The developers also said that DKs will use Warrior armor, which does not have Intellect on it. |
| Spirit | Not Important | As the developers said, DKs will use Warrior armor, and there is no Spirit on that so they are unlikely to need it. |
| Other Bonuses | For Tanking | Armor, Defense, Dodge, Block Rating, |
| Other Bonuses | For Damage | Crit Rating, Attack Power, |
| Armor Types | ||
| Cloth | Yes | |
| Leather | Yes | |
| Yes | ||
| Plate | Yes | A Death Knight's primary armor type |
| 1-Handed Melee Weapons | ||
| 1-Handed Axes | Yes | |
| Daggers | Unknown | |
| Fist Weapons | Unknown | |
| 1-Handed Maces | Yes | |
| 1-Handed Swords | Yes | |
| 2-Handed Melee Weapons | ||
| 2-Handed Axes | Yes | |
| 2-Handed Maces | Yes | |
| Polearms | Unknown | |
| Staves | No | |
| 2-Handed Swords | Yes | |
| Ranged Weapons | ||
| Bows | Unknown | |
| Crossbows | Unknown | |
| Guns | Unknown | |
| Thrown | Unknown | |
| Wands | No | |
| Class Specific | ||
| Idol | No | |
| Libram | No | |
| Totem | No | |
| Offhand Equipment | ||
| Shields | No | |
| Weapons | Yes | |
Specialization
Death Knights are able to tank and deal high DPS, by changing to one of the three Presences they use. These presences are very similar to the Auras Paladins use, but they only affect the Death Knight. They are:
- Frost Presence - Increases armor, and the threat a DK causes.
- Blood Presence - Increases the DKs DPS, and also heals them slightly.
- Unholy Presence - Increases attack speed and reduces the Global Cooldown on all spells and abilities, making this presence very effective for PvP.
Tanking
Death Knights don't use shields, but will be able to tank using a 2 handed weapon or by Dual Wielding. The Frost Presence spell will ensure that the Death Knight takes less damage due to the increased armor that comes with it like the Druid Bear Form, and the added threat the spell provides works like the Warrior's Defensive Stance.
The developers have said that Death Knights, like other tanking classes, will be better at tanking in some circumstances than others. They will be particularly good at taking on spell casting mobs, due to their anti-magic abilities, though we only know of a few at this time, the Anti-Magic Shield, Strangulate and Mind Freeze.
Other spells that we know of which will help the Death Knight to tank efficiently are Grip of Death and Blade Strike, you can read more about them below in the Spells, Talents and Abilities section.
Tanking and DPS
Blizzard have stated that they were aware of the fact that many players who tank like to feel they are still dealing some decent damage. In the past, Blizzard has balanced the game so that tanks don't cause much damage compared to the high DPS classes, but they have realized that players need to feel their damage is a somewhat meaningful contribution, and they want players to feel they are actually dealing some decent damage whilst tanking in future.
DPS
Death Knights make use of the Blood Presence spell, they will be able to cause a high amount of damage while healing themselves. This is ideal for soloing, or fighting in a group where the DK is in the role of a melee DPS character.
Spells that will probably be used by the Death Knight when soloing or in DPS mode will be Blood Strike, Death Coil and Death and Decay.
PvP
In PvP, the Death Knight will prove to be a tricky foe, especially against casters. The Unholy Presence spell, which reduces the global cooldown and increases attack speed, will benefit the Death Knight tremendously while in PvP.
A number of attacks the Death Knight starts with will be particularly useful against long distance foes and spell users, such as Grip of Death, Mind Freeze, Strangulate and Anti-Magic Shield. Against melee DPS enemies like Warriors, the spell Chains of Ice will be very handy.
Spells, Talents and Abilities
At the press conference in May 2008, Tom Chilton and other Blizzard members talked about some Death Knight spells, and demonstrated them for the people gathered. There has also been some mention in various interviews, blue posts and references in Lore about abilities Death Knights might have, and these are listed below, along with some other spells that Blizzard mentioned at BlizzCon 2007 when the new class was announced. However, any of these spells may be changed or even removed, as Blizzard are still nowhere near finished with the class.
At the Worldwide Invitational in Paris 2008, players could try out a Death Knight for the first time. From this time trying out the Alpha client, the following talents and spells were documented:
Runes
Death Knights will not use mana or rage, and instead will use Runes. There are three types of Rune:
Unholy Runes
Frost Runes
Blood Runes
How Death Knights will apply these Runes is by going to a specific NPC or place, probably similar to a trainer or a repair NPC. This means you won't be able to just change them mid combat or while you're out grinding.
There are six spaces for runes on a weapon, and you can put these runes on in any combination,
Eg. 2 Unholy Runes, 2 Blood Runes, 2 Frost Runes,
OR 3 Blood Runes, 3 Unholy Runes
You might want to include more runes of a certain type because some Death Knight spells may use up more runes of a certain types than others, for example, you might have a spell that uses up 3 Frost Runes, so you'd need at least 3 Frost Runes on your weapon. Or perhaps you have a lot of Blood Spells, so you want to fill your weapon with Blood Runes to ensure you can be using lots of spells without having to wait for the Runes to replenish so often.
Once used, the Runes slowly replenish to be used again, taking a matter of seconds before they are fully recharged. The cool-down on these Runes will probably be dictated by your talents and attributes, and some spells will have the ability to re-activate Runes quicker or instantly, like the Blood Boil spell. Below is an example of how the Character portrait might look once the expansion is released, as shown at BlizzCon:
You can see from the image that the portrait incorporates the weapon used by the Death Knight, and the Runes appear to be etched onto the blade. As described above, by using certain abilities, Runes can be changed during battle, and activated or recharged, depending which talents the Death Knight has learned.
Runic Power
Runic Power is another resource that the Death Knight uses. Very much like the Rogue combo points system, it charges up as Runes are used in spells until eventually there is enough to cast a spell that uses Runic Power. When any spell that uses Runic Power is unleashed, all Runic Power is consumed, no matter how much there was to start with. This means that to play a Death Knight efficiently, players must make the most of the cooldowns on Runes, combined with the Runic Power they have available. This resource also decreases over time, like the Rage on a Warrior's portrait.
Quests and Rewards
It was previously thought that the Death Knight class would become available through a series of quests completed at top level, but that has been changed. Now a lot more people will have access to the Death Knight.
As soon as the Death Knight has been created, it will be taken into a series of quests in a new area on the eastern most edge of the Eastern Plaguelands, between Lights Hope Chapel and Quel'Danis (this new areas affect on the Noxious glade has not been disclosed). The new quest series will teach the player how to handle the class, and these quests will also provide a lot of information about the Death Knight's background, how it escaped Arthas' grasp and gained its own free will. Once this zone is completed the new Death Knight is intended to move onto the existing EPL zone, however new themed quests will be added to the zone to ease the introduction of the Death Knight into the existing Level grind. These beginning quests also reward the player with upgraded, Death Knight specific gear for their character.
Although the Death Knight starts the game with a regular land mount, Blizzard have said that players will very quickly be offered a quest chain to upgrade that to an epic speed mount.
