In this article, we explain what the best statistics are for Frost Death Knights (WoW MoP 5.3), how the class benefits from each of them, and what your reforging strategy should be. We also detail what the various caps are and why they should be attained. The statistics priority is important as it influences reforging strategies as well as itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

Make sure to check our Gear Optimisation Guide, which serves as a support guide for this article.

The other articles of our Frost Death Knight guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Mendenbarr, a prominent theorycrafter who maintains Death Knight guides on Elitist Jerks.

1. Basics↑top

The stat priority for a Frost Death Knight depends based on whether you choose the Dual-Wielding or the Two-Handed playstyle.

Stat priority for Dual-Wielding playstyle:

1. Strength;
2. Expertise Rating (until 7.5%);
3. Hit Rating (until 7.5%);
4. Mastery Rating;
5. Haste Rating;
6. Critical Strike Rating;
7. Hit Rating (past 7.5%, up to 26.5%).

Stat priority for Two-Handed play style:

1. Strength;
2. Expertise Rating (until 7.5%);
3. Hit Rating (until 7.5%);
4. Haste Rating;
5. Critical Strike Rating;
6. Mastery Rating.

These statistics have been obtained by combining common sense, in-game testing, and simulations using Simulation Craft.

If you are unsure what the optimal reforging strategy is for the above priorities, you can Ask Mr. Robot for a personalised optimisation of your character's gear, by filling the form below.

2. Getting a Better Understanding↑top

2.1. Statistics Priority

Strength is your primary statistic. You should look for it in all of your upgrades. It provides you with Attack Power, which determines the damage your abilities do.

Expertise Rating decreases the chance that your melee attacks will be dodged (7.5% against a raid boss). Therefore, your goal is to reach the 7.5% expertise cap (see section below), which will ensure that your attacks are never dodged. Note that you should always be attacking bosses from behind, which prevents them from parrying your attacks. Therefore, it is usually unnecessary (unless the boss cannot be attacked from behind) to decrease the chance that your attacks will be parried (something that you can do by stacking Expertise Rating after reaching the 7.5% cap).

Hit Rating decreases the chance that your melee attacks will miss their target (7.5% against a raid boss). Therefore, your goal is to reach the 7.5% hit cap (see section below), which will ensure that your attacks never miss.

If you are dual-wielding, reaching the 7.5% hit cap will only prevent your special melee attacks (yellow attacks) from missing. Your normal melee attacks (white attacks) will still miss because, when dual-wielding, they have a 26.5% chance to miss by default. Even in this case, it is unnecessary to keep stacking Hit Rating after the 7.5% hit cap.

Haste Rating increases the amount of procs of Killing Machine, your attack speed, and your rune regeneration rate.

Critical Strike Rating increases your chance to critically hit with all spells and abilities.

Mastery Rating, through Mastery: Frozen Heart, increases your Frost damage. Frost damage makes up a great part of your total damage.

2.2. Hit Cap

At level 90, most races require 2,550 Hit Rating to reach the melee hit cap. Draenei, thanks to Heroic Presence, only need 2,210 Hit Rating.

2.3. Expertise Cap

At level 90, most races require 2,550 Expertise Rating to reach the expertise cap. Some races, in some cases, only need 2,210 Expertise Rating, thanks to passive racial skills:

• Dwarves when dual-wielding Maces or using a single Mace ( Mace Specialization);
• Gnomes when dual-wielding Daggers or Swords (because of Shortblade Specialization);
• Humans when dual-wielding Maces/Swords or using a single Mace/Sword ( Mace Specialization and Sword Specialization);
• Orcs when dual-wielding Axes or using a single Axe ( Axe Specialization).

3. Changelog↑top

• 20 May 2013: Patch 5.3 update: nothing to change.
• 03 Apr. 2013: Added Hit Rating up to 26.5% at the bottom of the Dual-Wielding priority.