Blood Death Knight
PvE guide, updated for Patch 12.1.5
Tank Rotation & Cooldowns
How to play Blood Death Knight in each rotation style: the full rotation SimulationCraft sims play by default, and the game’s Assisted Highlight and One Button rotations beside it.
Rotation style comparison
How Blood Death Knight’s DPS compares when using the game’s assisted modes instead of the full rotation, based on Single Target simulations.
- Full rotationBaseline
- Assisted Highlight-17.8%
- One Button-26.7%
The full rotation is the one SimulationCraft’s sims play by default. Its priority list is SimC’s own for the spec, read here for one build and one kind of fight.
Rotation
Beta11 abilities- 1Racial ability
- 2Vampiric Blood
- 3Raise Dead
- 4Dancing Rune Weapon
- 5Heart StrikeWhen ready
- 6Death StrikeWhen ready
- 7Any Dnd
- 8Blood BoilWhen ready
- 9Death's Caress
- 10Marrowrend
- 11Consumption
Every step also needs the ability off cooldown and affordable. Range checks are left out. A blank Targets cell means any number of targets.
Before the pull
Things to do before entering combat.
Cooldowns
When each cooldown was used across the sample fight, so you can see how often each comes back and which ones line up.
Sample opener
One simulated fight from the start, played by this list on the profile in the Gear section with that profile’s own talents, whichever build the list above is read for. Procs and timing change the order from fight to fight, so use it to get a feel for the start rather than as a script.
The full priority list
simc@ff0d07fEverything above is read from this SimulationCraft list, including the steps the page hides (the potion and on-use items) and the branches your build and fight leave out.
# This default action priority list is automatically created based on your character. # It is a attempt to provide you with a action list that is both simple and practicable, # while resulting in a meaningful and good simulation. It may not result in the absolutely highest possible dps. # Feel free to edit, adapt and improve it to your own needs. # SimulationCraft is always looking for updates and improvements to the default action lists. # Executed before combat begins. Accepts non-harmful actions only. actions.precombat=snapshot_stats actions.precombat+=/deaths_caress # Executed every time the actor is available. actions=auto_attack actions+=/use_items actions+=/use_item,name=light_company_guidon,use_off_gcd=1,if=cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<15 actions+=/use_item,name=algethar_puzzle_box,if=fight_remains>122|cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<25 actions+=/use_item,name=voracious_heart_of_ulatek,use_off_gcd=1,if=cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<20 actions+=/use_item,name=blazebinders_hoof,use_off_gcd=1,if=cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<20|fight_remains>120 actions+=/use_item,name=vile_vial_of_volatile_venom,use_off_gcd=1,if=cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<20|fight_remains>120 actions+=/fireblood,if=fight_remains>120|cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<8 actions+=/blood_fury,if=fight_remains>120|cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<12 actions+=/berserking,if=cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<=15 actions+=/ancestral_call,if=fight_remains>120|cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<15 actions+=/potion,if=cooldown.dancing_rune_weapon.remains>78|fight_remains<=30 actions+=/vampiric_blood,if=!buff.vampiric_blood.up actions+=/call_action_list,name=high_prio_actions actions+=/run_action_list,name=deathbringer,if=hero_tree.deathbringer actions+=/run_action_list,name=san_gift,if=hero_tree.sanlayn&buff.gift_of_the_sanlayn.up actions+=/run_action_list,name=sanlayn,if=hero_tree.sanlayn actions.deathbringer=death_strike,if=(runic_power.deficit<20|(runic_power.deficit<26&buff.dancing_rune_weapon.up)) actions.deathbringer+=/death_and_decay,if=!buff.death_and_decay.up actions.deathbringer+=/reapers_mark actions.deathbringer+=/marrowrend,if=buff.exterminate.up actions.deathbringer+=/deaths_caress,if=(!buff.bone_shield.up|buff.bone_shield.remains<3|buff.bone_shield.stack<6)&rune<4 actions.deathbringer+=/marrowrend,if=!buff.bone_shield.up|buff.bone_shield.remains<3|buff.bone_shield.stack<6 actions.deathbringer+=/death_strike actions.deathbringer+=/blood_boil actions.deathbringer+=/consumption,empower_to=1,if=!buff.dancing_rune_weapon.up actions.deathbringer+=/heart_strike actions.deathbringer+=/consumption,empower_to=1 actions.deathbringer+=/arcane_torrent,if=runic_power.deficit>20 actions.high_prio_actions=raise_dead,use_off_gcd=1 actions.high_prio_actions+=/dancing_rune_weapon,if=!buff.exterminate.up&!debuff.reapers_mark_debuff.up&(fight_remains>95|fight_remains<25|time>300) actions.san_gift=heart_strike,if=buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.remains<1.5&buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.remains actions.san_gift+=/death_strike,if=runic_power.deficit<36 actions.san_gift+=/any_dnd,if=buff.crimson_scourge.remains&!buff.visceral_strength.remains actions.san_gift+=/heart_strike,if=buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.stack<7 actions.san_gift+=/death_strike actions.san_gift+=/blood_boil,if=buff.boiling_point.up actions.san_gift+=/heart_strike actions.san_gift+=/blood_boil actions.sanlayn=deaths_caress,if=!buff.bone_shield.up|buff.bone_shield.remains<1.5|buff.bone_shield.stack<=1 actions.sanlayn+=/heart_strike,if=(buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.remains<1.5&buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.remains&buff.vampiric_strike.remains&fight_remains>buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.remains+10) actions.sanlayn+=/death_strike,if=runic_power.deficit<20 actions.sanlayn+=/deaths_caress,if=buff.bone_shield.stack<6 actions.sanlayn+=/marrowrend,if=buff.bone_shield.stack<6 actions.sanlayn+=/any_dnd,if=buff.crimson_scourge.remains actions.sanlayn+=/blood_boil,if=buff.boiling_point.up actions.sanlayn+=/marrowrend,if=buff.blood_debt.stack=10 actions.sanlayn+=/heart_strike,if=buff.vampiric_strike.up actions.sanlayn+=/death_strike,if=runic_power.deficit<40|fight_remains<10|(buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.remains&buff.essence_of_the_blood_queen.remains<8) actions.sanlayn+=/consumption,empower_to=1 actions.sanlayn+=/heart_strike,if=rune>=2 actions.sanlayn+=/blood_boil actions.sanlayn+=/heart_strike actions.sanlayn+=/death_strike
Is this rotation built for your talents?
The rotation follows your talent build. Sim your highest-DPS build on your own gear, for the mode and rotation style you play.