Frost DK Changes Analysis

Classes Death Knight
1

  • Frost

    • Obliterate has been updated –

      • Two-Handed: A brutal attack that deals Physical and Frost damage.

      • Dual Wield: A brutal attack with both weapons that deals a total of Physical and Frost damage.

    • Shattering Blade now has an additional effect – When Frostbane consumes the Razorice stacks on your main target, it deals an additional 250% damage instead.

    • Long Winter has been updated – While Pillar of Frost is active your auto-attack critical strikes increase its duration by 1 second, up to 4 seconds.

    • All ability damage reduced by 19%.

    • Auto-attack damage increased by 300%.

    • Frostbane damage reduced by 10%.

    • Breath of Sindragosa secondary target damage reduced by 20%.

    • Hyperprexia now causes Runic Power spending abilities to have a chance to additionally deal 30% of the damage dealt over 4 seconds.

    • Empower Rune Weapon effect is now instant and no longer has a projectile.

It looks like they’re adjusting Frost DK to be auto-attack based. My guess is they’re trying to streamline spec dmg to be slightly less bursty and improve sustain dmg in between goes.

Hopefully, with the right talents, the big boost in auto-attack dmg will at least compensate for (but ideally exceed) the DPS loss from the nerf to ability dmg.

This would also explain the Death Strike nerf, with the changes to Permafrost and synergy with increased auto-attack dmg making Frost passively tankier with the beefier absorb shield from Perma. Basically, having slightly less effective Death Strikes but requiring less Death Strikes in the first place.

Of course, how this actually plays out and whether it’s an improvement to the previous meta waits to be seen.

The dmg reduction loss to Lichborne sucks, but the buff and reduced cd to Death Pact hopefully makes up for it. (This might actually not be so bad, since Lich can then be used exclusively as a cc break/immunity.)

Not sure if 2h will be as viable anymore, since (correct me if I’m wrong) dual wield I think is traditionally better with an auto-attack build. I’m guessing stat priority will also lean towards Haste/Mastery type builds to maximize auto-attacks.

This is all just me theorycrafting, btw, so take it all with a grain of salt :man_shrugging: .