Discussion:
Can someone explain DKs?
(too old to reply)
Lewis
2013-12-06 17:39:33 UTC
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I flirted with DKs back when you could tank as Frost, but quickly gave
it up because the class was just TOO overpowered.\, so I never got a
real sense of them.

However, recently I decided to play a Horde toon again and thought I'd
give the DK another go.

OK, so the DK has two of each rune and uses those runes to cast just
about every spell she has. It APPEARS that the runes recharge simply as
a function of time, is that correct?

What I've found (level 64 Blood tanking) is that most of the time,
EVERYTHING is on cooldown, and I spend a lot of time stunned.

I can hold aggro (DnD+Blood Boil), but I will be tanking a group of 6 or
7 mobs and after the initial pull and blowing all the skills the first
time, I either sit their waiting for a cooldown to expire, or I sit
there being stunned for 5 seconds.

I've been in the HFP instances only, so far, so maybe that stunning is
part of those specific dungeons?

Also, when I get put into a group as DPS instead of Tank (which happens
about half the time, oddly) how do I keep from pulling aggro? I change
out of blood stance, but even so when I drop DnD and Blood Boil chances
are pretty good I'm going to pull all the extra adds, unless the tank is
a DK.
--
Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it's wrong. No matter
how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first,
and is waiting for it. --Reaper Man
John Gordon
2013-12-06 18:07:59 UTC
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Post by Lewis
OK, so the DK has two of each rune and uses those runes to cast just
about every spell she has.
Some abilities use runic power instead of runes, for example Blood Boil
and Death Coil.
Post by Lewis
It APPEARS that the runes recharge simply as a function of time, is that
correct?
Generally yes, although as you level up you get abilities and talents
that help you recharge runes faster (Empower Rune Weapon, Blood Tap,
Runic Empowerment).
Post by Lewis
What I've found (level 64 Blood tanking) is that most of the time,
EVERYTHING is on cooldown, and I spend a lot of time stunned.
I can hold aggro (DnD+Blood Boil), but I will be tanking a group of 6 or
7 mobs and after the initial pull and blowing all the skills the first
time, I either sit their waiting for a cooldown to expire, or I sit
there being stunned for 5 seconds.
I've been in the HFP instances only, so far, so maybe that stunning is
part of those specific dungeons?
It must be. Being stunned isn't anything special to DKs.

When I play my DK I do notice that I'm often waiting for an ability to
recharge. I think some tanks are just designed to be "twitchy" (i.e.
Warriors can always use Devastate), but other tanks have a slower feel
to them.
Post by Lewis
Also, when I get put into a group as DPS instead of Tank (which happens
about half the time, oddly) how do I keep from pulling aggro? I change
out of blood stance, but even so when I drop DnD and Blood Boil chances
are pretty good I'm going to pull all the extra adds, unless the tank is
a DK.
As long as you're not in blood spec nor blood presence, you're doing it
right. It's up to the tank to control adds, and some tanks aren't very
good at it.
--
John Gordon Imagine what it must be like for a real medical doctor to
***@panix.com watch 'House', or a real serial killer to watch 'Dexter'.
Lewis
2013-12-06 21:19:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
OK, so the DK has two of each rune and uses those runes to cast just
about every spell she has.
Some abilities use runic power instead of runes, for example Blood Boil
and Death Coil.
Wait, what? Theres Runes AND Runic Power?
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
It APPEARS that the runes recharge simply as a function of time, is that
correct?
Generally yes, although as you level up you get abilities and talents
that help you recharge runes faster (Empower Rune Weapon, Blood Tap,
Runic Empowerment).
I'll look for those.
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
What I've found (level 64 Blood tanking) is that most of the time,
EVERYTHING is on cooldown, and I spend a lot of time stunned.
I can hold aggro (DnD+Blood Boil), but I will be tanking a group of 6 or
7 mobs and after the initial pull and blowing all the skills the first
time, I either sit their waiting for a cooldown to expire, or I sit
there being stunned for 5 seconds.
I've been in the HFP instances only, so far, so maybe that stunning is
part of those specific dungeons?
It must be. Being stunned isn't anything special to DKs.
When I play my DK I do notice that I'm often waiting for an ability to
recharge. I think some tanks are just designed to be "twitchy" (i.e.
Warriors can always use Devastate), but other tanks have a slower feel
to them.
Well, my Paladin occasionally gets stuck waiting for a cooldown, but no
where near as often as the DK
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
Also, when I get put into a group as DPS instead of Tank (which happens
about half the time, oddly) how do I keep from pulling aggro? I change
out of blood stance, but even so when I drop DnD and Blood Boil chances
are pretty good I'm going to pull all the extra adds, unless the tank is
a DK.
As long as you're not in blood spec
I'm suppose to change specs when I get pulled into an instance as DPS?
Well, that's going to be annoying.
--
When men talk to their friends, they insult each other. They don't
really mean it.
When women talk to their friends, they compliment each other. They don't
really mean it.
John Gordon
2013-12-06 21:33:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Lewis
Post by John Gordon
Some abilities use runic power instead of runes, for example Blood Boil
and Death Coil.
Wait, what? Theres Runes AND Runic Power?
Yes. Runic power is the light blue bar beneath your health bar, and runes
are the six little circles underneath that.

Whenever you use an ability that takes runes, it generates runic power.
Post by Lewis
Post by John Gordon
As long as you're not in blood spec
I'm suppose to change specs when I get pulled into an instance as DPS?
Well, that's going to be annoying.
Frost/Unholy can deal a lot more damage, so it's worth switching.
--
John Gordon Imagine what it must be like for a real medical doctor to
***@panix.com watch 'House', or a real serial killer to watch 'Dexter'.
Catriona R
2013-12-06 23:41:50 UTC
Permalink
On Fri, 6 Dec 2013 21:33:37 +0000 (UTC), John Gordon
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
Post by John Gordon
Some abilities use runic power instead of runes, for example Blood Boil
and Death Coil.
Wait, what? Theres Runes AND Runic Power?
Yes. Runic power is the light blue bar beneath your health bar, and runes
are the six little circles underneath that.
Whenever you use an ability that takes runes, it generates runic power.
Yep, so ideally when you've used a few runes you end up kinda
alternating abilities; I've not been Blood for a while but as Unholy,
I'm alternating between some strike that uses runes (whichever one has
its rune off cd!) and Death coil, probably 2-3 rune strikes to one
runic power ability. As unholy I very rarely have to wait for some
ability to become available, there's nearly always some button i can
press.
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
Post by John Gordon
As long as you're not in blood spec
I'm suppose to change specs when I get pulled into an instance as DPS?
Well, that's going to be annoying.
Frost/Unholy can deal a lot more damage, so it's worth switching.
Yeah, Blood is I believe excellent for soloing tough stuff, it's got
incredible survivability. I was using it for regular play for quite a
long time (it was initially a dps spec then became the tank spec and I
kept it) but I switched to unholy last time I was levelling, once I
got used to it it was pretty fun. Although a tad boring when mobs die
so fast you never get to use most of your abilities, my ubercharged
beefed up pet ability is pointless, as by the time I get it set up
there's nothing alive for it to kill :-P I'm hoping it may get more
interesting/less overpowered when i get higher lvl (only 85 atm).
Lewis
2013-12-07 01:39:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
Post by John Gordon
Some abilities use runic power instead of runes, for example Blood Boil
and Death Coil.
Wait, what? Theres Runes AND Runic Power?
Yes. Runic power is the light blue bar beneath your health bar, and runes
are the six little circles underneath that.
Whenever you use an ability that takes runes, it generates runic power.
Post by Lewis
Post by John Gordon
As long as you're not in blood spec
I'm suppose to change specs when I get pulled into an instance as DPS?
Well, that's going to be annoying.
Frost/Unholy can deal a lot more damage, so it's worth switching.
It means learning another spec. I don't even know the first one yet.
--
"There will always be women in rubber flirting with me."
unknown
2013-12-06 23:40:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Lewis
Post by John Gordon
Post by Lewis
Also, when I get put into a group as DPS instead of Tank (which happens
about half the time, oddly) how do I keep from pulling aggro? I change
out of blood stance, but even so when I drop DnD and Blood Boil chances
are pretty good I'm going to pull all the extra adds, unless the tank is
a DK.
As long as you're not in blood spec
I'm suppose to change specs when I get pulled into an instance as DPS?
Well, that's going to be annoying.
( it used to be that..)
Tanking specs generate a lot of extra threat so they can hold it against
dps even with lower damage.
Some generate it slowly, some generate large spikes.
The main tank will miss a couple of AOE chances on the adds in favour of
keeping the boss more interested later on and keep them off the dps.

Thumping away with AOE that is further enhanced by DK effects as a tank
is spiking the ads.
Fighting as a tank then pulling adds shouldn't be a problem, except
* it pulls power generating hits off the main tank( I forget if DKs get
these but works for others anyway )
* maybe distracts the healer(s)
* and does less damage

DPS spec with focused attack generates less threat even though greater
damage.
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