Frost Death Knight DPS Spell Summary (Legion 7.3)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.3 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 4. Patch 7.2 Changes
  • 5. Strengths
  • 6. Weaknesses
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Stat Choice
  • 3. Basic Rotations
    • 3.1. Single Target Rotation
    • 3.2. Multiple Target Rotation
  • 4. Cooldowns
  • 5. ChangeLog
• ×Spell Summary
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Main Resources
  • 3. Basic Abilities
  • 4. Important Procs
  • 5. Cooldowns
  • 6. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Tier 1 (Level 56) Talents
  • 3. Tier 2 (Level 57) Talents
  • 4. Tier 3 (Level 58) Talents
  • 5. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 6. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 7. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 8. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 9. ChangeLog
• +Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression
  • 2. Relic Choice
    • 2.1. Single Target
    • 2.2. AoE
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Netherlight Crucible Relic Paths
  • 1. General Optimization Advice
  • 2. Tier 2 Upgrade Priority
  • 3. Tier 3 Upgrade Priority
    • 3.1. Single Target
    • 3.2. AoE
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single Target Rotation
  • 2. Multiple Target Rotation
  • 3. Cooldown Usage
  • 4. Optional Read: Mastering Your Frost Death Knight
    • 4.1. Runes and Runic Power
      • 4.1.1. Runes
      • 4.1.2. Runic Power
    • 4.2. Dual-Wielding Versus Two-Handed
    • 4.3. Mastery: Frozen Heart
    • 4.4. Procs
      • 4.4.1. Killing Machine Procs
      • 4.4.2. Rime Procs
    • 4.5. Anti-Magic Shell Usage
    • 4.6. Advanced Cooldown Usage
      • 4.6.1. Pillar of Frost
      • 4.6.2. Empower Rune Weapon
      • 4.6.3. Artifact Abilities
      • 4.6.4. Horn of Winter
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
    • 2.1. Statistics Priority
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
  • 2. Enchants
  • 3. Consumables
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Macros
    • 1.1. Generic Macros for Death Knights
      • 1.1.1. Raise Ally
      • 1.1.2. Mind Freeze
    • 1.2. Specific Macros for Frost Death Knights
      • 1.2.1. Death Grip Mouseover Macro
      • 1.2.2. Howling Blast
  • 2. Addons
    • 2.1. Generic Addons for Death Knights
      • 2.1.1. ElvUI
      • 2.1.2. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
      • 2.1.3. GTFO
      • 2.1.4. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 2.1.5. Weak Auras
      • 2.1.6. Recount / Skada / Details!
      • 2.1.7. mRunes
      • 2.1.8. Omen Threat Meter
      • 2.1.9. Grid and GridClickSets (Optional)
    • 2.2. Specific Addons for Frost Death Knights
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Best in Slot
  • 2. Tier 20 Set Bonus
  • 3. Trinkets
  • 4. Legendary Items
  • 5. Loot Competition
  • 6. ChangeLog

General Information

On this page, we list the spells that you will often use as a Frost Death Knight.

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

About Our Reviewer

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Totemlord, a Frost Death Knight enthusiast and respected theorycrafter on the Frost Death Knight Discord. You can contact him on Discord under the name Nic#9561.

1. Introduction

If you are new to Frost, this is a great place to start to get an understanding of how the spec works. On this page we will discuss what abilities you have, what they are used for within the specialisation, how they interact with each other and also with important cooldowns. If you already have experience with Frost and are comfortable with it in Legion, it is recommended you skip this section and move on to the rest of the guide.

2. Main Resources

Runic Power and Runes are your two resources. Throughout the fight, you will look to spend as many Runes as possible and generate as much Runic Power as you can, which you will then use to help you deal more damage.

3. Basic Abilities

These are your core skills that are available regardless of talents, and form the core gameplay of the specialisation.

Frost Fever is a DoT that is applied by Howling Blast, and which you should aim to have up on the target(s) essentially at all times.

Howling Blast costs 1 Rune (although its cost is removed when you have a Rime proc), deals Frost damage to the target and all other enemies within 10 yards of them, and affects all targets it hits with Frost Fever.

Obliterate costs 2 Runes and deals a high amount of Physical damage to the target.

Frost Strike costs 25 Runic Power, and this is your only means to dump Runic Power and deal damage throughout the fight.

Remorseless Winter costs 1 Rune and deals Frost damage over time to all enemies in a radius around you, also slowing their movement speed by 50% for the duration.

Wraith Walk is a useful movement ability that increases your movement speed by 70% for 3 seconds, breaking any root effects when used, and preventing you from being slowed or otherwise impaired for its duration. It has a 45-second cooldown and performing any action (other than moving) will cancel its effect.

Anti-Magic Shell absorbs up to 30% of your maximum health in magic damage over 5 seconds, and generates Runic Power based on the damage absorbed. This should be used to mitigate magic damage throughout the fight, while the added Runic Power will help increase your DPS.

4. Important Procs

Frost Death Knights have two important procs.

Rime grants your Obliterate a 45% chance and your Frostscythe a 22.5% chance to cause the next Howling Blast to cost no Runes and deal 300% increased damage. Normally, Rime-empowered Howling Blasts are a high priority.

Killing Machine grants your auto-attacks a chance to cause your next Obliterate to be a guaranteed critical hit.

5. Cooldowns

Frost Death Knights have two important offensive cooldowns.

• Pillar of Frost increases your Strength by 20% for 20 seconds, also making you immune to "external movement effects", such as knockbacks, for the duration. It has a 1-minute cooldown.
• Empower Rune Weapon instantly recharges all of your Runes and also grants you 25 Runic Power. It has a 3-minute cooldown.

6. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 13 Jun. 2017: Updated Rime description to account for Patch 7.2.5 changes.
• 11 Dec. 2016: Page added.