Death & Decay

[novas]

Alright so this is probably a really stupid question but I can't find the answer to this question anywhere really. Well at least one that actually answers the question

Comments

[moonbeamdanser]

As Frost DPS, you only ever want to be in Unholy presence. (The rare exception is if you plan to do a lot of AoE damage AND you dual-wield, in which case you /can/ switch to Frost presence for THAT fight

[moonbeamdanser]

I can't edit: I meant to say Frost Strike, NOT Rune Strike. Rune Strike is a specific, threat-generating move that only Blood DKs should ever use for tanking. I blame the Nyquil for this.

[firebrand164]

Off-topic but thought you might like to know: as of a few days ago, everyone can edit their comments :)

[moonbeamdanser]

Not able to edit a comment once it has been commented to. :)

[pandora_nervosa]

I agree completely with the previous comment. My main is a DW Frost DK and we, all frost, even using a two-gander, now DPS's in unholy presence (as haste is our very good friend. In certain fights, you will aoe in frost pres. and I keep a separate weapon runed w/ Cinderglacier for those but you don't have to worry about that until raiding. But, yes, Death and Decay is ok to use for aoe until you get Howling Blast and even when you DO have it, although as previous poster commented, HB packs more of a punch.

[silvers_shadows]

even using a two-gander

I now have images of a DK DW-ing two geese. Thanks, my new keyboard really needed that tea injection ;)

[pandora_nervosa]

Auto-correct is ruining my life. However, dual-wielding geese would be awesome!!

[silvers_shadows]

For you, courtesy of my other half

[midnightsteel]

Just to add a little more to moonbeamdaner's fine answer:

What you've heard about D&D's high threat may be down to the fact that it hits an unlimited number of targets in the selected area as soon as you drop it. If you use it at the very start of the fight, before the tank has used their big AoE skill, you do risk pulling threat just because you've hit a mob first. This goes for Howling Blast too, when you get it: don't go crazy wi'those numbers until the tank has hit their Death and Decay or class equivalent.

Edited because I cannot construct sentences, apparently!

[mayitbe]

^ This. I also like to use D&D but only after the tank has generated enough threat, still sometimes you may get a straggler run towards you if the tank's aggro hasn't hit them yet. DK's are a boss....;)

[hooves]

No, D&D's tooltip says it causes high threat. (So does...is it Rune Strike?)

[moonbeamdanser]

DnD does generate threat but if its used in any other presence than Blood the generated threat is usually negligible compared to what the tank's threat is.

[windfury]

I'm not sure why everyone is advising you to use unholy, since you don't have it yet. It's easy to forget when you get things when you're used to level capped toons

[archangelbeth]

*has flashbacks to DKs trying to tank in non-tank Presence (could not hold aggro if you handed it to them in a basket with a bow tied around the handle!), and spiky damage of fine-fine-fine-fine-OH-ELUNE-WHAT-WHAT-WHAT???*

...Or, er, yeah. That level. Has a lot of variation, and even the excellent DKs can be... erratic in how they take damage. (Heck, DKs in general are a heck of a complex class, I think; I have a lot of admiration for DK tanks. And a lot of admiration for PUG DKs who pick up the tanking job till my druid can battle-rez the real tank. You, there in the back? I love you. Thank you.)

[novas]

Oh I don't yell at any tanks lol. As long as they aren't just being overly stupid and pulling mass amount knowing the healer can't keep up or other stupid crap, then yeah that bothers me but I still rarely ever say anything. ;P

All I have been playing in is frost because I haven't gotten unholy presence yet but I was wondering what the significance is being in unholy once you do get it?

[windfury]

The simple answer is that Unholy Presence is just an overall DPS increase

[sarah_silence]

Use Death and Decay until you get Howling Blast. After you get HB, you'll find you won't use D&D much because of its 30 second cooldown...whereas HB is instant cast as long as your runes are active. I only use it when I want to add a little extra oomph to an area that already has several mobs.

Also, for AoE, don't forget Pestilence. Once you apply your Blood Plague and Frost Fever to a mob, hitting Pestilence will spread the love to any nearby mobs within 10 yards. It only does 50% of normal damage to the adds, but that adds up.

[doerte]

I only use Death and Decay if it's a really big pull. Otherwise it's just not worth the time it takes to place it because things die too quickly.

[novas]

Yeah I've actually noticed that lol.