This rework ties into my General Tree rework to be found here:
Dev for a day: DK Rework General Tree Edition v2
The current iteration of frost is lacklustre IMO. Buttons do not feel impactful to press and the Mastery like most classes is absolutely boring. Of all the masteries currently in the game, Frost Mage is the only one that stands out as something other than a flat damage bonus, it also has a visual effect you can see in action which I think should be applied to all class masteries going forward.
With blizzard stating they want to reduce melee ranged capabilities across the board I have tried to keep that in mind with these talents/abilities.
Let’s begin.
Baseline Talent/Abilities
- Mastery: Vile Spirits
The imprisoned spirits within your rune weapon are yours to command, every Mastery Rating Runic Power spent you unleash a spirit to attack your current target dealing X Shadowfrost damage over 3 sec before being dragged screaming back to their spectral prison within your rune weapon and generating X Runic Power.
Thoughts: All masteries should be more interesting than simply a flat damage bonus. Preferably with some visual flair to indicate to the players that your mastery is in fact active.
- Might of the Frozen Wastes
You wield two rune weapons simultaneously, a two-handed weapon in your main hand and a one-handed weapon in your off-hand.
Thoughts: How to balance 2h vs dual wield without making one worthless in favour of the other? Combine them both and keeping the 2h and 1h crowd happy. Being able to transmog 2h weapons into a 1h weapon would fix all issues for those that like to show their collection of 1h weapons.
- Death Rune Etching
Consuming your Unholy runes will cause them to regenerate as Death runes. Consuming a Death rune also deals X% of the abilities Frost or Shadow damage as Necrotic damage over 3 sec.
Thoughts: A bit of rotational freedom and bonus damage for abilities using Death runes.
Talent Tree
1:1 Glacial Assault (Replaces Frost Strike)
1 Frost Rune
Slash at the target with your off-hand weapon dealing X Frost damage and applying Frost Fever to the target. Striking immediately again with Glacial Assault triggers a dual weapon strike dealing X Frost damage. This secondary effect can be chained so long as it is not interrupted by another rune spending ability, increasing in damage by X% each time stacking up to 3 times.
Thoughts: When chained together using death runes, this ability will be your top damaging single target ability.
2:1 Obliterate
1 Blood Rune, 1 Unholy Rune
Empower your weapons with blood and shadow, striking first with your off-hand weapon dealing X Physical damage before delivering a massive overhead strike dealing X Shadow damage.
Thoughts: The big dog now a two hit combo, the first doing physical damage, before the biggest two handed weapon in the known universe comes crashing down. Shadowy effects and tendrils arcing off the weapon as it strikes the target in an explosion of shadowy goodness.
2:2 Howling Blast
30 Runic Power
20yd Range
Blast the target with howling winds, dealing X Frost damage to the target and Y Frost damage to all enemies within 10yd of your main target. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.
Thoughts: No real change bar the reduction in range and it now consumes runic power. A bit of damage has been taken out of Rime, so it won’t feel so bad to press outside of those procs.
3:1 Killing Machine
X Procs per minute
Your auto-attack critical strikes have a chance to trigger a Rune Strike on the target.
Thoughts: Guaranteed critical strikes on Obliterate ended up leading it down the path to Wet Noodle Strike outside of KM procs. I want Frost DK to be the martial expert, primarily dealing deadly weapon attacks. The old warrior mastery Strikes of Opportunity was exactly what I want to see. Overwhelming your targets with deadly weapon strikes.
3:2 Rime
Your rune spenders have a 22.5% chance per rune to make your next Howling Blast consume no Runic Power and deal 100% increased damage.
Thoughts: Taking some damage out of Rime, so normal Howling Blasts don’t feel like a wasted GCD.
4:1 Unleashed Frenzy
When Killing Machine activates, you also gain 30% increased attack speed for your next 3 auto-attacks.
4:2 Improved Glacial Assault
Glacial Assaults secondary attack deals X/Y% more damage.
4:3 Runic Command 2/2
Your maximum Runic Power is increased by 10/20% and Runic Power spenders have a X/Y% chance to refund X% of their cost.
5:2 Frostscythe
Glacial Assaults secondary attack is replaced with Frostscythe.
Frostscythe
A sweeping attack that strikes all enemies in front of you for X Frost damage. This will spread Frost Fever from your main target at its current duration to all damaged enemies. Critical strikes cause a wave of razorice to erupt from the ground towards your targets dealing additional Frost damage.
Thoughts: I want to limit button bloat as much as possible. When selecting this talent, Obliterate will again be your #1 damaging single target ability, and you will use death runes for Obliterate for single target damage, switching to Frost/Death rune spam of Glacial Assault when in AoE.
5:3 Sever Soul
1 min cooldown
Unleash a devastating attack that deals X Physical damage, severing the soul from its body causing X Shadowfrost damage over 12 sec to the target. The soul absorbs all damage taken from the death knight and transfers all damage taken upon its body when the duration ends. If the target dies before rejoining with their soul, absorb the soul into your rune weapon, Restoring X% of the cooldown based on the remaining duration of the active Soul Sever effect.
Thoughts: Pillar of Frost was boring as well as visually lacking. The soul of the target will follow its host body around as it moves for the duration, only the death knight can target and damage this soul. Tuning wise I am not sure if it taking just the cleave damage would make it a threatening ability, so I would probably make the DoT part of Soul Sever deal a non insignificant amount of damage.
5:4 Pillar of Frost
Your Death and Decay also conjures a pillar of frost at its centre, pulsing deadly cold every 2 sec over its duration. Each time it deals damage a stack of Bone Chilling Cold is applied, slowing the target by 20% and increasing damage taken by Pillar of Frost by 10%. Stacks up to 5 times.
Thoughts: A new and visual way to give the Pillar of Frost name something worthy in addition to tackling the issue of button bloat by merging abilities/talents when possible. A glacial spike or pillar erupts from the ground and begins pulsing cold damage in addition to death and decays normal shadow damage.
5:5 Improved Rime
Howling Blast rips frozen shards of ice from the ground and pelts your main target dealing X additional Frost damage when it consumes Rime.
Thoughts: No real change, just a bit more visual oomph instead of a flat damage increase. I’d pilfer the elemental shamans old earthen rage (I think) ability and give it a nice icy look.
6:1 Choice Node
- Raging Spirit
Your Mastery: Vile Spirits instead spawns a very, very angry spirit which unleashes a barrage of sweeping slashes at your target damaging it and any other enemies nearby for 6 sec. Deals reduced damage beyond X targets.
- Runic Prison
Every X sec spent in combat will trigger your Mastery: Vile Spirits. Entering combat will also instantly trigger your Mastery.
Thoughts: An AoE vs single target mastery modifying talent. Should be more of these for all classes alongside more interactive masteries for all as well.
6:2 Cold Heart
You have no mercy for the dying, your critical strike damage bonus is increased by X% against targets below 35% health.
Thoughts: I want frost death knights to be about the big hits, this is a nod to the old Merciless Combat talent of old. Tying a direct damage to a crowd control effect never felt right with the current talent.
6:3 Fatal Fixation
The next X sec after gaining Killing Machine negate your dual wield miss chance completely.
Thoughts: With the old KM gone, I was unsure how to proceed with this, looking at the Fury warrior tree gave me a great idea as I had forgotten completely about dual wield miss chance until now.
6:4 Together in Suffering
Your Sever Soul immediately releases X/Y of your Mastery: Vile Spirits to attack the soul.
Thoughts: More Mastery synergies.
6:5 Wailing Soul
The severed soul unleashes a deathly cry upon separation from its body, dealing X/Y Shadowfrost damage and interrupting any spellcasting for 1/2 sec to all enemies within 10yd.
6:6 Horn of Winter
Increases you and your allies Critical Strike/Mastery/Haste by X%, whatever is lowest.
Thoughts: A unique group buff to replace the god-awful button to generate resources. If this buff is too strong or results in DK being too common place in small groups, more than happy to see it just become another battle shout or mark of the wild etc.
6:8 Chill Streak
30 Runic Power
20 yd Range
No changes here
Thoughts: No changes other than now consuming runic power instead of runes as it is a spell effect.
7:1 Murderous Efficiency
Killing Machine proc chance is increased by up to X% based on the targets missing health.
Thoughts: As the target gets closer to death, the onslaught of blows only increases.
7:2 Inexorable Assault
Gain Inexorable Assault whenever you trigger Killing Machine, stacking up to 5 times. Upon reaching 5 stacks, your next Obliterate initiates a massive combination attack (see Fury Warrior Rampage ability, but more Death magic stuff). This attack cannot be dodged, parties or avoided in anyway (as per the meaning of the word Inexorable)
Thoughts: Current Inexorable Assault is what I’m told by young people I work with as “mid”. It is now more accurate to its namesake, and should suitably crush any and all opposition.
7:3 Choice Node
- Ice in your Veins
Your Icebound Fortitude damage reduction now starts at 90% and reduces by 10% per sec.
- Permafrost
Gain Permafrost. If you already have access to Permafrost, your auto-attacks now add X% of their damage to the shield.
Thoughts: I like the idea behind Permafrost, and I think having an icy barrier constantly growing on your armour is something a frost death knight would have.
7:4 Empower Rune Weapon
Anytime one of your Mastery: Vile Spirits is returned to your rune weapon, you gain X% Haste for 5 sec and regenerate X Runic Power over 5 sec.
Thoughts: Reducing the number of active dps cooldowns to handle the button bloat and the redundancy of stacking cooldowns on top of each other. There is already a lot of cooldowns available to death knights at this point and the hero tree will no doubt compound this issue.
7:6 Choice Node
- Ice…olating Chill
Chill Streak can bounce to the death knight provided there are no other enemies within range, each time it does this it increases the damage the enemy takes from the next bounce by 24%. Bonus damage is lost if this bounces between enemies.
- Deadly Chill
Chill Streak critical strikes spawn another orb, this orb deals 50% less damage and has half the number of remaining bounces as the original Chill Streak that spawned it.
Thoughts: A few more interesting options here, I would love to see Deadly Chill in action during big AoE pulls, and Ice…olating Chill whilst still useful for AoE, will really shine in single target, especially in PvP before people realise what talent you’re running and they leave their friend alone with you and the chill streak.
8:1 Frigid Executioner 2/2
Obliterate deals 7.5/15% increased Physical damage and has a 7.5/15% chance to refund both runes consumed.
Thoughts: Moved Frigid Executioner here as we have enough power baked into Killing Machine by this point.
8:2 Crystalline Weapons
You conjure 2 icy replicas of your off-hand weapon (or random one-handed from your bag with a Glyph). Anytime a target you are in combat with falls below 35% health these weapons fly out instantly impaling the target, dealing X Frost damage instantly, these weapons remain impaled in the target dealing X Frost damage per sec until the targets health returns above 35%, a new target falls below *35% health or the target dies. Only one set of weapons can exist at once.
Thoughts: Shattering Blade is too close to festering wounds for my liking and is gone. Crystalline Weapons were a cool part of Legion frost, and how we never got something similar back is mindboggling. These weapons will always float around you, and will constantly fly around inflicting damage on any target in combat with you who is approaching death.
8:4 Rage of the Frozen Champion 2/2
Each rune consumed has a 4/8% increased chance to trigger Rime and consuming Rime generates 5 Runic Power.
Thoughts: Taking a bit of direct damage out of Rime by removing icebreaker, too many modifiers will leave Howling Blast too weak outside of procs.
9:1 Soul Reaper
1 Blood, 1 Frost Rune
6 sec cooldown
Strike at the targets body and their very soul dealing X Physical damage and dealing X% of that damage as Frost damage.
Afflicts the target with Soul Reaper. After 5 sec, if the target is below 35% health this effect detonates dealing X Shadowfrost damage to the target.
Thoughts: Soul Reaper is very much a Frost themed ability IMO. This ability should deal enough damage even outside of execute range to press on cool down should you select it.
9:2 Frostwyrms Fury
1.5 min cooldown
Summons a frostwyrm which breaths on all enemies within 40 yds in front of you leaving a trail of deadly frost dealing X Frost damage per sec and slowing all enemies in the area by 70%. Lasts 10 sec.
Thoughts: Cooldown reduced and damage is now dealt over time so as to reduce the chance this ability gets slapped with a PvP damage nerf for another 300 years.
9:3 Winter Unending
Remorseless Winter applies Frost Fever to targets it damages, triggering its damage each time Remorseless Winter deals damage.
Thoughts: Big combined AoE damage from Remorseless Winter and Frost Fever, also increasing its stack count very quickly.
10:1 Soul Reaver (Child to Soul Reaper)
X procs per minute
Your auto-attacks have a chance to make your next Soul Reaper free, resetting its cooldown and allowing its applied secondary effect to detonate regardless of the target’s health.
Thoughts:- Make Soul Reaper awesome once more. Fear the swirly souls effect!
10:2 Soul Wound (Child to Soul Reaper)
Soul Reaper’s secondary effect also deals damage over time, adding this damage onto the detonation effect. The detonation is always a critical strike, and its damage is increased by your Critical Strike chance.
Thoughts: PvE, this is going to make pressing this button fun. In PvP, your enemy had better have a dispel magic ready to go.
10:3 Choice Node (Child to Frostwyrms Fury)
- Breath of Sindragosa (Replaces Frostwyrms Fury)
2 min cooldown
20 Runic Power per sec
Your frostwyrm hovers above the battlefield, unleashing its frost breath directly at your target, dealing X Frost damage to it and all nearby enemies each sec. The attack continues until you exhaust your Runic Power, or X sec have elapsed.
Thoughts: I absolutely hate breath of sindragosa for a number of reasons. Firstly, it looks absolutely stupid and secondly it promotes some of the worst gameplay mechanics in the game. I’ve hated this ever since it was mandatory for max dps during Warlords of Draenor. However, some people like it, same as pineapple on pizza I guess. Breath is now changed visually and mechanically, the breath now comes from an actual dragon that blasts your target and the duration now has a cap that should severely limit the massive damage variance this ability can have in it’s current state.
- Absolute Zero
Frostwyrms Fury strafes the area twice, first freezing all targets in the area of effect for 3 sec before returning dropping frost bombs along its path. Frost bombs deal X Frost damage, frozen targets suffer 50% more damage.
Thoughts: A double strafing run, the existing animation for frostwyrms Fury is awesome, and seeing it return dropping bombs on frozen targets would look so good.
10:4 Winds of the Throne (Child to Winter Unending)
Your Remorseless Winter can cause Frost Fever stacks to exceed its normal maximum of 3 up to a maximum of 6. These excess stacks are lost when your Remorseless Winter ends.
Thoughts: Increases the damage of Frost Fever up to 60% and eventually reducing movement speed by 60% and attack and cast speeds by 30%.
10:5 Frozen Throne (Child to Winter Unending)
Replaces Remorseless Winter
90 Runic Power, 1 rune per sec
60 sec cooldown
3 to 9 sec channel
Encase yourself in ice, generating an absorb for X% of your maximum health and unleashing deathly cold upon all enemies within 20 yds, dealing X Frost damage per sec. Whilst the absorb holds, you are completely immune to all control effects. When the absorb is destroyed or the abilities duration ends, it explodes dealing X Frost damage and freezes all targets within 20 yds for 3 sec. This damage is always a critical strike.
Consumes 1 rune per sec whilst active up to 6. Everfrost and Gathering Storm are increased by 200%, increasing its periodic damage dealt each time it deals damage by 12% and each rune consumed increasing damage by a further 20% and extending its duration by 1 sec per rune.
Thoughts: Picture the Diablo 4 Sorceror Deep Freeze ability and slap that into World of Warcraft. Blistering cold radiating out dealing a monstrous amount of damage. In PvE, you’ll line this bad boy up to absolutely wreck packs. In PvP, anyone standing in this ability had better be using defensives.
End notes
So that’s how I would go about rejuvenating the Frost death knight experience. A stronger focus on melee strikes, improved visuals/thematics with soul magics and vile spirits. Is also the dedicated dual wield spec once again, putting 1h vs 2h balancing forever to bed.
Comment, like etc below on what you like and you don’t. Perhaps some of the devs stumble across this and it opens their minds up to some new ideas. Or perhaps not, who bloody knows.
Cheers