How to save Blood DK in a few easy steps:
All of this is easy to implement and would greatly improve BDK’s life, the rest is up to Blizzard, as the feedback is here.
Abom limb has been moved to the unholy tree from the class tree so that out and gone. The real issue is having to spend 3 talents replacing with gorfiends in the blood tree. Gorfiends needs to be moved so we dont have to wholesale give up on the right side of tree to take it. Swap it and Tightening grasp with consumption/bloodrinker and carnage. Also, the dk class tree is already terrible with unfun and uninspiring nodes. now taking three more away with abom, amz, and unholy ground. I dont even want the extra points as there nothing to take that matters. The entire last three rows have become the “who gives a f*** rows.” Only impactful talents in it are will of the necropolis and null magic.
bdk needed god like a whole expansion ago. Specs been dead since Slands and its going to take ALOT more than just those changes to get this pos spec back to life. For now tho id settle well on something simple, easy, and fast. Like a raid buff that wood be nice
These changes were just to make it usable, because the way it is in 11.2 BDK died in M+, and is the worst tank by far, even more so as he goes up in stone levels, but Blizzard gave him an overwhelming nerf at the beginning of TWW and then abandoned him, and he died little by little with nerfs aimed at other specs, until in 11.2 they decided to kill BDK once and for all, and it seems like Blizzard isn’t listening, there hasn’t been any response yet about this situation. The problem is that all that’s left is to stop playing and wait for the next expansion, because the class you like to play is in this situation.
bliz does not listen to dk players fam its why UH still has wounds after a cool decade of complaining about them. Bliz hates the class and the players too so we are going to get gutted by another half baked rework where the devs outright ignore our feedback. Still no raid buff either.
So why are you playing the game? If Blizzard hates you as a customer then go somewhere else. Talk with your money.
shhhhhhhh 
DK is the best tank for pugs when not pushing over 13’s. If you play tanks it’s so obvious.
When you start pushing for high IO to be a rock star, then the issues come out. (Or when you do organized groups with solid players)
But pug life just going for achievements and mounts? DK is the best. Hands down. Not even close.
who cares about the plus 12 key meta???. Also its incorrect chaos brand still windmill dunks anything a bdk can bring to a 12 key. But also I care more about my raid viability, and my Mplus viability, and not just at the vaulter filller key level. I want to push for score in my favorite spec again, its been a few xpacs tho since bdk was even worth considering at a real key level.
Obviously I care about the 12-13 key level since my entire post was based on that fact . That’s literally why my post SAID that .
Thanks for your great insight though that you don’t care about the same thing that I prioritize.
And grouping mobs > brand for bad pugs. Which is also 10-13 keys. Also (gasp) probably something you don’t care about at your higher level keys with more skilled players and more coordination.
I kinda of agree with that.
In a way I think DBK is the best tank for the chill wow player, that is 2.5k io, portals, Aotc, delv 11.
But there are some caveats to that.
You need to be able to deal with the hole HP ping pong horror movie with no problem, not everyone has the gut for that.
You REALLY want gear with this spec.
Blizzard seems to have no idea what to do with DK.
So I think something like a Prot Warrior would be way more comfortable and reliable, especially with less gear and especially for new tank players.
I think the only real suffering you would go through as a Prot War is doing Priory of the Sacred Flame.
Grtz then fam, i am glad u hav ur prefered tank for speed running chore keys with casuals. Me personally I would like to see more from my favorite tank spec than half baked surrivability in mid tier keys and a lackluster griping ability. Also your incorrect 3% more magic dmg still windmills on Dk single grips, bc any half decent tank player can group just fine without grips.
I looked at your gear. You seem really good and play probably with really good players. I don’t think you pug much with the bads. lol. And try grouping mobs on a monk or guardian , it sucks. Of course it’s doable. DK is a joke though. Heck in priory, I just grip on all the snipers. In cleft the front area pulls are a joke as well.
Like I said, I’m not claiming DK is the best at your level, I know for a fake it’s not. I don’t even think DK is the most fun. I personally am enjoying my warrior the most right now because of the DPS levels of damage. And I like DH more for the almost DK levels of control .
But it doesn’t change the fact that for PUG groups with bad players (which feels like soooo much right now at the end of the season) DK is absolutely the best for getting a weekly key done. To be fair, any tank at a high ilevel will be good, I get it. And I get I don’t understand your perspective at those higher 16+ keys
And what makes you think Dk to be the best tanks for pugs at 12 and below? What criteria?
I dunno what world you live in, but in my experience blood DK is by far the least liked tank by pugs and especially by pug healers. Blood DK has one of the highest, if not the highest skill floor among all tanks. a poorly played guardian / warrior can still complete the dungeon, if the rest of group is strong. a poorly played bDK is always GG, no healer or dps will be able to compensate for it.
Btw I play actively 3 tanking specs - bDK, prot pally and warrior and I have 2 close friends who play guardian and vDH. I also play 2 healing specs and 1 dps spec.
Yes I’m thinking more 10 and under instead of 12. And to be fair as follow up, all tanks when hitting top gear have no issues with 10’s.
DK just has the complete package to make up for bad players. Epically with the solid DPS. Battle rez to help also with bad pugs.
With good players, yes, DK is nothing special.
that is pure cope fam.
We had a discussion awhile ago. I made the argument that DK are some of the best at 10-12 . I’m going to walk that back the more I play my DK end season. I concur with your assessment that they need some serious help.
I still think for a basic 10 key they are ok. But even in 12, doing my standard pull on Cinder, with a BAD group I was dying , while with other tanks even with a bad group my other tanks can survive. The group might die , but my tank can last it out. At least for awhile. DK needs love. I stand corrected . When I discussed it with you I was not pushing 12’s on my DK just 10’s.
Obviously it’s doable (I’ve already cleared 12’s) but it’s way more unforgiving. With literally zero reward .
You forgot the most important: