DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

This rotation offers a general priority list for Frost Death Knight abilities, along with key cooldowns at the bottom. It's based on a standard build and is here to help while we work on a smarter, build-aware system. If you are very new to the game or this class, we added info on the new assisted rotation features at the bottom of this guide. Updated for the latest patch in World of Warcraft: Midnight Pre-Patch (12.0.1).

Single Target

• ObliterateView detailsUse with Killing Machine proc
• Frost StrikeView detailsIf 5 stacks of Razorice
• Howling BlastView detailsUse with Rime proc
• Frost StrikeView detailsTo spend Runic Power
• ObliterateView detailsAs a filler ability

Consume Killing Machine procs with Obliterate, maintain Razorice stacks with Frost Strike, and use Howling Blast for Rime procs. Spend excess Runic Power with Frost Strike and use Obliterate as a filler.

AoE

• Frost StrikeView detailsWith Frostbane proc and 5 stacks of Razorice
• FrostscytheView detailsUse with Killing Machine proc
• Howling BlastView detailsUse with Rime proc
• Remorseless Winter
• Glacial AdvanceView detailsTo spend Runic Power
• FrostscytheView detailsAs a primary AoE spender
• ObliterateView detailsAs a filler ability

In AoE, prioritize Frostscythe for Killing Machine procs and as a primary spender. Use Frost Strike with Frostbane procs, Howling Blast for Rime procs, and Glacial Advance to spend Runic Power. Maintain Remorseless Winter and use Obliterate as a filler.

Cooldowns

• Reapers MarkView detailsUse before Pillar Of Frost for extra Killing Machine procs
• Pillar Of FrostView detailsAlign with other cooldowns and maximize GCD usage
• Remorseless WinterView detailsUse on cooldown or align with Pillar Of Frost
• Empower Rune WeaponView detailsUse to generate resources and during Pillar Of Frost
• Breath Of SindragosaView detailsUse with 60 Runic Power and during Pillar Of Frost
• Frostwyrms FuryView detailsUse before or during Pillar Of Frost for burst damage
• ObliterationView detailsUse during Pillar Of Frost to generate Killing Machine procs

Coordinate Reapers Mark, Pillar Of Frost, and Breath Of Sindragosa for burst windows. Use Empower Rune Weapon to maintain resources and Frostwyrms Fury for high burst. Align Remorseless Winter and Obliteration with Pillar Of Frost for max DPS.

New to Class? Try Assisted Rotation

Patch 11.1.7 introduced new features that make it eaiser to pick and play new characters. These new settings can be enabled from settings » gameplay enhancements:

• Single-Button Assistant
• Assisted Highlight
• Cooldown Manager

If you are new to World of Warcraft or a certain class, enabling Assisted Highlight and Cooldown Manager can help you learn which abilities to prioritize and use.

While the Single-Button Assistant can be a much easier and more accessible way to play the game, it does come with a slight performance hit due to a small GCD penalty, as you will have to wait 25% longer in between spells and abilities.

To see which specs are best with the Single-Button Assistant feature, you can check out our DPS Rankings which uses SimC to sim every class using this feature.