Some suggestions for runeblade designs.
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What the fudge is a runeblade?
A vampiric runeblade is the weapon that Death knights use. It is required for casting their class-related spells. For third generation (Player-made) Death knights there can be several runeblades - all it requires is runeforging them, turning a simple sword into a more potent weapon of death and destruction.
What makes for a weapon that looks like a runeblade?
A pattern on the blade that could resemble runes or something that is otherwise gothic works.
These are the runeblades you can achieve through the Death knight starting zone, Runed Soulblade, Greataxe of the Ebon Blade and Greatsword of the Ebon Blade. They can be bought from Quartermaster Ozorg by Death knights that are out of the starting area.
They don't necessarily have to look runed, runeforging can make up for a lack of rune-ish patterns on swords like the runed soulblade. As long as the weapon has a blade and looks somewhat dark/not mundane/cool it should be fine, though your Death knight can technically runeforge whatever has a blade on it. You're free to pick something like the Skettis Curved Blade if you want.
Here are some good designs I have compiled.
Themes by Spec
Frost-themed Runeblades
Frostguard
A patterned blade that can be dual-wielded and comes with its own moving frosty enchantment, this would be great for a dual-wielding frost Death knight to transmogrify.
Pros: Looks awesome and can be crafted. You can apparently transmog two of your weapons with just one.
If you move the enchant trails behind you like swirling frosty white ribbons. A bit trivial but it looked cool enough for me to mention, it looks better with two of them.
Cons: This is a very expensive item, with the recipe costing eight gold initially or being dropped by a rare being the least of your problems. You will need an alchemist, miner, enchanter and ideally a jewelcrafter to make/grind all of the mats and require 300 blacksmithing to make it.
Your runeforging will not be visible on this item.
Crystal Sword
Looks like Frostguard but paler.
Pros: Can be dual-wielded.
Cons: Its a random drop.
Hailstorm
Pros: Has a unique design and can be dual-wielded.
Cons: Given the light colours you may not find an awful lot of gear to match it.
This has a low droprate from a WotLK raid.
Given that it has agility as a stat you may need to lay claim to it in advance for a raid.
Fang of the Leviathan
Pros:
Cons:
The Unbreakable Will
Pros:
Cons:
Sonic Spear
Pros:
Cons: Looks more like a polearm.
Seethe
Pros:
Cons:
Mourning Malice
Pros:
Cons:
Unholy-themed Runeblades
Blade of the Wretched
Has the same model as Frostguard.
Pros: Unlike the Frostguard it comes with no enchant so you can runeforge it however you want apart from the two-hander runeforgings.
It can be dual-wielded.
Cons: Its green. You might not find so much green plate sets to go with it.
Sword of Nefarian's Hand
Pros:
Cons: The quest is apparently a pain to get ahold of.
You may be hard-pressed to find an armourset that matches a white and green colourscheme.
Brutality Blade
Pros: Molten Core can be kind of fun to grind if you bring some higher levels along to steamroll everything.
Cons: You cannot dual-wield two of them.
Low droprate.
Molten Core is a raid that takes a week to reset.
Soul Cleaver
Pros:
Cons:
Despair
Pros:
Cons:
Quickening Blade of the Prince/Millenium Blade
Pros:
Cons:
The Willbreaker
Pros:
Cons:
Bonereaver's Edge
Pros: Somewhat unique design.
Cons: 5% drop from vanilla Ragnaros.
Blood-themed Runeblades
Warmonger
Pros: Going by screenshots, runeforging should show up on it. It also has creepy faces on the handle.
Cons: The droprate is abysmally low and from random mobs. You might have to blow a lot of money on the auction house for this one.
Firebreather
Looks like Frostguard but red and without an enchant.
Pros: As it is not unique-equipped it can be dual-wielded to make up for the relative lack of size for those overcompensating types.
Cons: Very low droprate from the Sunken Temple, though it does drop off several of the bosses.
Hellreaver
A large weapon with a lava-like animation, I would recommend runeforging it with Lichbane to add to the firey effect.
Pros: As well as looking awesome it does have good dps stats if you manage to get ahold of it whilst levelling a level 60-ish Dk.
Cons: The droprate from Hellfire Peninsula is low.
It might be a bit hard to explain the wavering lava-like animation for some Rp circles, as well as the wooden handle.
Endbringer
Drops in heroic Underbog.
Pros: It isn't used much so it may stand out. Also its kind of pink. Chicks dig pink.
Cons: Low droprate in heroic mode on the last boss of the Underbog.
Themes by Race
Blood elf
Apolyon, the Soul-Render
Pros: Definitely a validated runeblade design as one or two elven Death knights on the TGC cards use it.
Cons: Given the colourscheme it might be tricky to find any runeforging that would go with it.
Muramasa
Pros: Resembles the above, so it should be fairly valid for an elven Death knight.
Cons: Given the colourscheme it might be tricky to find any runeforging that would go with it.
Shivering Felspine
Pros:
Cons: Looks more like a polearm than a runeblade.
Twinblade of the Phoenix
Pros:
Cons: Bit dull in design colour-wise.
Greatsword of the Sin'dorei
Pros:
Cons: Requires doing the Argent Tournament.
Only available for Horde.
Draenei
Claymore of the Prophet
Pros: Does appear to have runes on it.
Cons: As with most of the weapons here, it requires your draenei character decides to go "Hey, know what would make this weapon resembling my peoples' crafting style even better? Granting it the ability to let me channel unholy spells.".
Requires doing the Argent Tournament.
Alliance-only; if you racechange it will change to Greatsword of the Sin'dorei.
Shaarde the Lesser
Drops in normal mode.
Pros:
Cons:
Shaarde the Greater
Drops in normal mode.
Pros:
Cons:
Greatsword of Forlorn Visions
Pros:
Cons: The colouring seems to change depending on the lighting. This could either be dandy or bothersome depending on your tastes and set.
Greatsword of Horrid Dreams
Drops in normal and heroic modes from Murmur.
Pros:
Cons:
Edge of the Cosmos
Pros:
Cons:
Axe of Shattered Dreams
Drops in normal mode.
Pros: Its a more runeblade-looking weapon that looks kind of draenic.
Cons: Its a low drop from Kael'thas Sunstrider in Magisters' Terrace.
Quantum Blade
Pros:
Cons:
Revenger
Pros:
Cons: Being a bit short and pink it might not come across as the most serious business Death knight weapon ever.
The droprate is low.
Tyrannical Beheader
Drops in heroic mode.
Pros:
Cons: I am not sure what an orange and purple axe matches exactly.
Forsaken
Slayer of the lifeless
Pros: Very Forsaken and Death knight-e.
Cons: A low droprate in Naxxramas, 10 man mode.
Bone Warden's Splitter
Pros: Can be dual-wielded.
Cons:
Dragon Wing Blade
Bryntroll, The Bone Arbiter
Comes in heroic and non-heroic versions. In this picture an enchant was added.
Pros: Good graphics and its made of bone, what's not to like?
Arguably suits a Death knight of either the Unholy or Frost specs.
Cons: It drops in Icecrown Citadel. Good luck with that.
Citadel Enforcer's Claymore
Pros:
Cons:
Blade of the Keening Banshee
Pros: It glows on and off. Pretty cool.
It actually appears to have runes on it.
Cons: You actually have to do Argent Tournament things.
Only available for Horde.
Gnome
Gnomeregan Bonechopper
Pros: Has a mechanical animation.
Cons: Honestly more of a Gnomish weapon than a runeblade.
Might be tricky to explain going to the efforts to make a runeblade a device.
Only available for Alliance; racechanging switches it to Blade of the Keening Banshee.
Goblin
Orc
Huge Thorium Battleaxe
Pros: Its cheaper to make in comparision to a lot of decent-looking weapons.
The recipe is easy enough to get ahold of from a vendor.
Cons: Its not as big as it looks.
Not the most runebladiest design out there.
Arcanite Reaper/Bloodied Arcanite Reaper
The first is crafted and the second is a heirloom.
Pros: Could fit almost any spec or colour-themed set with the right runeforging.
The axe with a skull on it really says "I'm a dead guy. Also I'm an orc." Hell, non-Dk orcs might like it.
Cons: The Arcanite Reaper recipe is a pain to get ahold of, having a low droprate on a rare mob in an instance.
You need twenty adamantite bars and six enchanted leather to make it. So that's an alchemist and an enchanter required.
The heirloom will cost you either 3500 justice points, 160 Darkmoon tickets or 95 champion's seals.
Human
Glaive of the Pit
Pros: The yellow/gold and blue can suit a more Alliance-orientated human Death knight.
Cons: Not the most runebladiest weapon out there.
Can look a bit daft.
Liar's Tongue
Pros: Can bring to mind vrykul.
Cons:
Night elf
Teldrassil Protector
Pros: Useful for a character still clinging to their elven life. It could work for a worgen ex-druid too.
Cons: Requires doing the Argent Tournament.
Only available for Alliance.
Is your elf willing to desecrate this nice elven weapon with a runeforge?
Tauren
Edge of agony
Has a heroic and normal version.
Pros: Would likely suit a blood-spec or red set.
Cons: Alliance cannot get ahold of it; if you racechange the character it will change to Reckoning instead.
Low droprate in Trial of the Crusader.
Gurthalak, Voice of the Deeps
Raid finder version is blue, normal is orange, heroic is purple.
Pros:
Cons: Good luck getting ahold of it.
Troll
Sul'thraze the Lasher
Has the same model as Warmonger.
Pros: Very definitely trollish given the backstory.
Cons: You need not one but two swords with a low droprate to make this item. You might be killing several hours trying.
Ghoulslicer
Pros:
Cons:
Hate-Forged Cleaver
Drops in the Halls of Reflection normal.
Pros: Can dual-wield them.
Cons: Low droprate.
Runeforging won't show up on it.
Edge of Ruin
Pros:
Cons: Low droprate.
Armageddon
Pros: Works for other tribal races too.
Cons: 1% droprate from Naxrammas, 25 mode.
Worgen
What the fudge is a runeblade?
A vampiric runeblade is the weapon that Death knights use. It is required for casting their class-related spells. For third generation (Player-made) Death knights there can be several runeblades - all it requires is runeforging them, turning a simple sword into a more potent weapon of death and destruction.
What makes for a weapon that looks like a runeblade?
A pattern on the blade that could resemble runes or something that is otherwise gothic works.
These are the runeblades you can achieve through the Death knight starting zone, Runed Soulblade, Greataxe of the Ebon Blade and Greatsword of the Ebon Blade. They can be bought from Quartermaster Ozorg by Death knights that are out of the starting area.
They don't necessarily have to look runed, runeforging can make up for a lack of rune-ish patterns on swords like the runed soulblade. As long as the weapon has a blade and looks somewhat dark/not mundane/cool it should be fine, though your Death knight can technically runeforge whatever has a blade on it. You're free to pick something like the Skettis Curved Blade if you want.
Here are some good designs I have compiled.
Themes by Spec
Frost-themed Runeblades
Frostguard
A patterned blade that can be dual-wielded and comes with its own moving frosty enchantment, this would be great for a dual-wielding frost Death knight to transmogrify.
Pros: Looks awesome and can be crafted. You can apparently transmog two of your weapons with just one.
If you move the enchant trails behind you like swirling frosty white ribbons. A bit trivial but it looked cool enough for me to mention, it looks better with two of them.
Cons: This is a very expensive item, with the recipe costing eight gold initially or being dropped by a rare being the least of your problems. You will need an alchemist, miner, enchanter and ideally a jewelcrafter to make/grind all of the mats and require 300 blacksmithing to make it.
Your runeforging will not be visible on this item.
Crystal Sword
Looks like Frostguard but paler.
Pros: Can be dual-wielded.
Cons: Its a random drop.
Hailstorm
Pros: Has a unique design and can be dual-wielded.
Cons: Given the light colours you may not find an awful lot of gear to match it.
This has a low droprate from a WotLK raid.
Given that it has agility as a stat you may need to lay claim to it in advance for a raid.
Fang of the Leviathan
Pros:
Cons:
The Unbreakable Will
Pros:
Cons:
Sonic Spear
Pros:
Cons: Looks more like a polearm.
Seethe
Pros:
Cons:
Mourning Malice
Pros:
Cons:
Unholy-themed Runeblades
Blade of the Wretched
Has the same model as Frostguard.
Pros: Unlike the Frostguard it comes with no enchant so you can runeforge it however you want apart from the two-hander runeforgings.
It can be dual-wielded.
Cons: Its green. You might not find so much green plate sets to go with it.
Sword of Nefarian's Hand
Pros:
Cons: The quest is apparently a pain to get ahold of.
You may be hard-pressed to find an armourset that matches a white and green colourscheme.
Brutality Blade
Pros: Molten Core can be kind of fun to grind if you bring some higher levels along to steamroll everything.
Cons: You cannot dual-wield two of them.
Low droprate.
Molten Core is a raid that takes a week to reset.
Soul Cleaver
Pros:
Cons:
Despair
Pros:
Cons:
Quickening Blade of the Prince/Millenium Blade
Pros:
Cons:
The Willbreaker
Pros:
Cons:
Bonereaver's Edge
Pros: Somewhat unique design.
Cons: 5% drop from vanilla Ragnaros.
Blood-themed Runeblades
Warmonger
Pros: Going by screenshots, runeforging should show up on it. It also has creepy faces on the handle.
Cons: The droprate is abysmally low and from random mobs. You might have to blow a lot of money on the auction house for this one.
Firebreather
Looks like Frostguard but red and without an enchant.
Pros: As it is not unique-equipped it can be dual-wielded to make up for the relative lack of size for those overcompensating types.
Cons: Very low droprate from the Sunken Temple, though it does drop off several of the bosses.
Hellreaver
A large weapon with a lava-like animation, I would recommend runeforging it with Lichbane to add to the firey effect.
Pros: As well as looking awesome it does have good dps stats if you manage to get ahold of it whilst levelling a level 60-ish Dk.
Cons: The droprate from Hellfire Peninsula is low.
It might be a bit hard to explain the wavering lava-like animation for some Rp circles, as well as the wooden handle.
Endbringer
Drops in heroic Underbog.
Pros: It isn't used much so it may stand out. Also its kind of pink. Chicks dig pink.
Cons: Low droprate in heroic mode on the last boss of the Underbog.
Themes by Race
Blood elf
Apolyon, the Soul-Render
Pros: Definitely a validated runeblade design as one or two elven Death knights on the TGC cards use it.
Cons: Given the colourscheme it might be tricky to find any runeforging that would go with it.
Muramasa
Pros: Resembles the above, so it should be fairly valid for an elven Death knight.
Cons: Given the colourscheme it might be tricky to find any runeforging that would go with it.
Shivering Felspine
Pros:
Cons: Looks more like a polearm than a runeblade.
Twinblade of the Phoenix
Pros:
Cons: Bit dull in design colour-wise.
Greatsword of the Sin'dorei
Pros:
Cons: Requires doing the Argent Tournament.
Only available for Horde.
Draenei
Claymore of the Prophet
Pros: Does appear to have runes on it.
Cons: As with most of the weapons here, it requires your draenei character decides to go "Hey, know what would make this weapon resembling my peoples' crafting style even better? Granting it the ability to let me channel unholy spells.".
Requires doing the Argent Tournament.
Alliance-only; if you racechange it will change to Greatsword of the Sin'dorei.
Shaarde the Lesser
Drops in normal mode.
Pros:
Cons:
Shaarde the Greater
Drops in normal mode.
Pros:
Cons:
Greatsword of Forlorn Visions
Pros:
Cons: The colouring seems to change depending on the lighting. This could either be dandy or bothersome depending on your tastes and set.
Greatsword of Horrid Dreams
Drops in normal and heroic modes from Murmur.
Pros:
Cons:
Edge of the Cosmos
Pros:
Cons:
Axe of Shattered Dreams
Drops in normal mode.
Pros: Its a more runeblade-looking weapon that looks kind of draenic.
Cons: Its a low drop from Kael'thas Sunstrider in Magisters' Terrace.
Quantum Blade
Pros:
Cons:
Revenger
Pros:
Cons: Being a bit short and pink it might not come across as the most serious business Death knight weapon ever.
The droprate is low.
Tyrannical Beheader
Drops in heroic mode.
Pros:
Cons: I am not sure what an orange and purple axe matches exactly.
Forsaken
Slayer of the lifeless
Pros: Very Forsaken and Death knight-e.
Cons: A low droprate in Naxxramas, 10 man mode.
Bone Warden's Splitter
Pros: Can be dual-wielded.
Cons:
Dragon Wing Blade
Bryntroll, The Bone Arbiter
Comes in heroic and non-heroic versions. In this picture an enchant was added.
Pros: Good graphics and its made of bone, what's not to like?
Arguably suits a Death knight of either the Unholy or Frost specs.
Cons: It drops in Icecrown Citadel. Good luck with that.
Citadel Enforcer's Claymore
Pros:
Cons:
Blade of the Keening Banshee
Pros: It glows on and off. Pretty cool.
It actually appears to have runes on it.
Cons: You actually have to do Argent Tournament things.
Only available for Horde.
Gnome
Gnomeregan Bonechopper
Pros: Has a mechanical animation.
Cons: Honestly more of a Gnomish weapon than a runeblade.
Might be tricky to explain going to the efforts to make a runeblade a device.
Only available for Alliance; racechanging switches it to Blade of the Keening Banshee.
Goblin
Orc
Huge Thorium Battleaxe
Pros: Its cheaper to make in comparision to a lot of decent-looking weapons.
The recipe is easy enough to get ahold of from a vendor.
Cons: Its not as big as it looks.
Not the most runebladiest design out there.
Arcanite Reaper/Bloodied Arcanite Reaper
The first is crafted and the second is a heirloom.
Pros: Could fit almost any spec or colour-themed set with the right runeforging.
The axe with a skull on it really says "I'm a dead guy. Also I'm an orc." Hell, non-Dk orcs might like it.
Cons: The Arcanite Reaper recipe is a pain to get ahold of, having a low droprate on a rare mob in an instance.
You need twenty adamantite bars and six enchanted leather to make it. So that's an alchemist and an enchanter required.
The heirloom will cost you either 3500 justice points, 160 Darkmoon tickets or 95 champion's seals.
Human
Glaive of the Pit
Pros: The yellow/gold and blue can suit a more Alliance-orientated human Death knight.
Cons: Not the most runebladiest weapon out there.
Can look a bit daft.
Liar's Tongue
Pros: Can bring to mind vrykul.
Cons:
Night elf
Teldrassil Protector
Pros: Useful for a character still clinging to their elven life. It could work for a worgen ex-druid too.
Cons: Requires doing the Argent Tournament.
Only available for Alliance.
Is your elf willing to desecrate this nice elven weapon with a runeforge?
Tauren
Edge of agony
Has a heroic and normal version.
Pros: Would likely suit a blood-spec or red set.
Cons: Alliance cannot get ahold of it; if you racechange the character it will change to Reckoning instead.
Low droprate in Trial of the Crusader.
Gurthalak, Voice of the Deeps
Raid finder version is blue, normal is orange, heroic is purple.
Pros:
Cons: Good luck getting ahold of it.
Troll
Sul'thraze the Lasher
Has the same model as Warmonger.
Pros: Very definitely trollish given the backstory.
Cons: You need not one but two swords with a low droprate to make this item. You might be killing several hours trying.
Ghoulslicer
Pros:
Cons:
Hate-Forged Cleaver
Drops in the Halls of Reflection normal.
Pros: Can dual-wield them.
Cons: Low droprate.
Runeforging won't show up on it.
Edge of Ruin
Pros:
Cons: Low droprate.
Armageddon
Pros: Works for other tribal races too.
Cons: 1% droprate from Naxrammas, 25 mode.
Worgen