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Frost Death Knight

Damage specialisation · Tier C in PvP, 1.1% of the sample

PvE GuideRaid logs, Mythic+ players and PvE buildsPvP GuideRated ladder talents, gear stats and buildsACTIVE

Rated PvP data

A complete live guide built from rated Battle.net profiles: bracket-specific talents, PvP talents, gear, gems, enchantments, statistics and importable builds. PvE raid casts are never presented as PvP advice.

All PvPSolo2v23v3BlitzRBG

Secondary stats

Secondary stat split across the 71 best-geared synced characters. Averaged per player, so one heavily geared character cannot define the answer for everyone.

  • Versatility47.0%1,018 avg
  • Mastery35.6%784 avg
  • Haste11.2%251 avg
  • Critical Strike6.1%146 avg

71

Synced Blitz players

1,823

Average rating sampled

2,186

Highest rating sampled

PvP talents

The three dedicated PvP slots, measured from Battle.net profiles.

Live ladder data
Strangulate

Strangulate

62%

Shadowy tendrils constrict an enemy's throat, silencing them for 4 sec.

44 players

Spellwarden

Spellwarden

41%

Anti-Magic Shell is now usable on allies and its cooldown is reduced by 10 sec.

29 players

Delirium

Delirium

35%

Howling Blast applies Delirium, reducing the cooldown recovery rate of movement enhancing abilities by 50% for 12 sec.

25 players

Deathchill

Deathchill

34%

Your Remorseless Winter and Chains of Ice apply Deathchill, rooting the target in place for 4 sec. Remorseless Winter All targets within 8 yards are afflicted with Deathchill when Remorseless Winter is cast. Chains of Ice When you Chains of Ice a target already afflicted by your Chains of Ice they will be afflicted by Deathchill.

24 players

Bloodforged Armor

Bloodforged Armor

25%

Death Strike reduces all Physical damage taken by 25% for 4 sec.

18 players

Death's Cold Embrace

Death's Cold Embrace

14%

Pillar of Frost grants you Remorseless Winter and increases its damage by 400% and its radius by 150%, but your movement speed is heavily reduced for its duration. Pillar of Frost's cooldown is increased by 15 sec.

10 players

Bitter Chill

Bitter Chill

6%

Chains of Ice reduces the target's Haste by 8%. Frost Strike refreshes the duration of Chains of Ice.

4 players

Shroud of Winter

Shroud of Winter

3%

Enemies within 8 yards of you become shrouded in winter, reducing the range of their spells and abilities by 30%.

2 players

Combat toolkit

Common high-rated choices grouped by purpose. This is a PvP toolkit, not a fake raid rotation.

Pressure & burst

  • Asphyxiate
    Asphyxiate100%

    Increases the range of Death Grip by 10 yds. Killing an enemy that yields experience or honor resets the cooldown of Death Grip.

  • Death's Echo
    Death's Echo100%

    Death's Advance, Death and Decay, and Death Grip have 1 additional charge.

  • Null Magic

Most played equipment

Top two choices per slot among the highest-rated hydrated profiles.

Back

Venomous Aspirant's Cape

37% equipped · 263 ilvl

Back

Thalassian Competitor's Cloth Cloak

18% equipped · 263 ilvl

Chest

Baleful Grave-Knight's Breastplate

56% equipped · 292 ilvl

Frost Death Knight enchantments

  • Enchanted: Rune of the Fallen Crusader79%
  • Enchanted: +41 Agility/Strength & +115 Stamina65%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Shoulders - Akil'zon's Swiftness51%

Talent tree choices & importable builds

Talent choices across 71 synced characters playing this specialisation. These are observed picks, not recommendations — they say what the ladder is doing, not what you should do.

Where builds differ

Taken by between 15% and 90% of players. This is where the real decisions are.

  • Bind in Darkness90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Dark Talons90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Death's Messenger90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Deathly Blows90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Echoing Fury90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Exterminate90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Frigid Resolve90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Grim Reaper90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Pact of the Deathbringer90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Reaper's Mark90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Soul Rupture90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Swift and Painful90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Wave of Souls90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Wither Away90%

    62 players · Hero

  • Proliferating Chill87%

    60 players · Class

  • Death Defiance84%

    58 players · Class

  • Blood Draw83%

    57 players · Class

  • Coldthirst83%

    57 players · Class

  • Permafrost83%

    57 players · Class

  • Howling Blades78%

    54 players · Specialization

  • Runic Overflow77%

    53 players · Specialization

  • Frigid Executioner72%

    50 players · Specialization

  • Icy Onslaught70%

    48 players · Specialization

  • Murderous Efficiency68%

    47 players · Specialization

  • Grip of the Dead64%

    44 players · Class

  • Avalanche59%

    41 players · Specialization

  • Smothering Offense59%

    41 players · Specialization

  • Inexorable Assault57%

    39 players · Specialization

  • Everfrost35%

    24 players · Specialization

  • Blood Scent32%

    22 players · Class

  • Assimilation30%

    21 players · Class

  • Biting Cold29%

    20 players · Specialization

  • Frostscythe29%

    20 players · Specialization

  • Gathering Storm29%

    20 players · Specialization

  • Cryogenic Chamber28%

    19 players · Specialization

  • Insidious Chill28%

    19 players · Class

Near-universal picks (46)taken by 90%+ — effectively baseline
  • Anti-Magic Barrier100%

    69 players · Class

  • Asphyxiate100%

    69 players · Class

  • Death Strike100%

    69 players · Class

Rarely taken (56)under 15% — situational or out of favour
  • Shattering Blade14%

    10 players · Specialization

  • Cleaving Strikes13%

    9 players · Class

  • Vestigial Shell13%

    9 players · Class

Import a real build

Loadouts from the highest-rated synced players of this specialisation. Paste straight into the game.

  • Lìch

    pozzo-delleternità · EU2,186

  • Duavious

    illidan · US2,166

  • Teninchdk

    magtheridon · US2,131

  • Zobi

    garrosh · US2,103

  • Nickolas

    tichondrius · US2,095

Learn the spec

This page measures what players do. For rotation, stat priority and matchup play, these are the references.

  • Skill-CappedpvpArena guides, matchup play and comp theory. Subscription, and the standard reference for PvP.
  • Murlok.iopvpTalent and gear data from the PvP ladder, broken down per bracket.

Other Death Knight specs

  • Blood
  • Unholy
Null Magic100%

Magic damage taken is reduced by 5% and the duration of harmful Magic effects against you are reduced by 35%.

  • Rune Mastery
    Rune Mastery100%

    Consuming a Rune has a chance to increase your Strength by 6% for 8 sec.

  • Runic Attenuation
    Runic Attenuation100%

    Auto attacks have a chance to generate 3 Runic Power.

    • Survival

    • Anti-Magic Barrier
      Anti-Magic Barrier100%

      Reduces the cooldown of Anti-Magic Shell by 20 sec and increases its duration and amount absorbed by 40%.

    • Death Strike
      Death Strike100%

      Focuses dark power into a strike with both weapons, that deals a total of 4,355 Physical damage and heals you for 32.00% of all damage taken in the last 5 sec, minimum 11.2% of maximum health.

    • Gloom Ward
      Gloom Ward100%

      Absorbs are 30% more effective on you.

    • Improved Death Strike
      Improved Death Strike100%

      Death Strike's cost is reduced by 10, and its healing is increased by 60%.

    • Will of the Necropolis
      Will of the Necropolis100%

      Damage taken below 30% Health is reduced by 35%.

    Control & mobility

    • Icebound Fortitude
      Icebound Fortitude100%

      Your blood freezes, granting immunity to Stun effects and reducing all damage you take by 30% for 8 sec.

    • March of Darkness
      March of Darkness100%

      Death's Advance grants an additional 25% movement speed over the first 3 sec.

    • Mind Freeze
      Mind Freeze100%

      Smash the target's mind with cold, interrupting spellcasting and preventing any spell in that school from being cast for 5 sec.

    • Blinding Sleet
      Blinding Sleet99%

      Targets in a cone in front of you are blinded, causing them to wander disoriented for 5 sec. Damage may cancel the effect. When Blinding Sleet ends, enemies are slowed by 50% for 6 sec.

    • Frostwyrm's Fury
      Frostwyrm's Fury97%

      Summons a frostwyrm who breathes on all enemies within 40 yd in front of you, dealing 21,305 Frost damage, stunning enemies for 3 sec, and slowing movement speed by 50% for 10 sec.

    Chest

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Armor

    25% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Feet

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Warboots

    39% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Feet

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Sabatons

    25% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Hands

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Deathgrips

    52% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Hands

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Handguards

    27% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Head

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Helm

    46% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Head

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Casque

    30% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Legs

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Wargreaves

    63% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Legs

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Greaves

    14% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Main Hand

    Venomous Aspirant's Polearm

    59% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Main Hand

    Venomous Aspirant's Sword

    7% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Neck

    Thalassian Competitor's Amulet

    41% equipped · 288 ilvl

    Neck

    Venomous Aspirant's Pendant

    38% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Off Hand

    Venomous Aspirant's Sword

    10% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Off Hand

    Venom-Cursed Gladius

    1% equipped · 295 ilvl

    Ring 1

    Thalassian Competitor's Signet

    54% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Ring 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Signet

    17% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 2

    Thalassian Competitor's Signet

    48% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Ring 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Signet

    21% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Shirt

    Fashionable Undershirt

    8% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Shirt

    Precious's Ribbon

    6% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Shoulders

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Pauldrons

    24% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Shoulders

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Pauldrons

    21% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Tabard

    Galactic Gladiator's Tabard

    11% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Tabard

    Galactic Gladiator's Tabard

    11% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Trinket 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Medallion

    24% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Badge of Ferocity

    23% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Medallion

    28% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Badge of Ferocity

    20% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Waist

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Girdle

    42% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Waist

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Waistguard

    37% equipped · 285 ilvl

    Wrist

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Cuffs

    42% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Wrist

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Armguards

    21% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Enchanted: Enchant Boots - Farstrider's Hunt
    48%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Helm - Empowered Blessing of Speed45%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Chest - Mark of the Worldsoul41%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Ring - Zul'jin's Mastery41%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Chest - Mark of Nalorakk25%

    • Frost Death Knight gems & sockets

    • Enduring Heliotrope · +23 Primary Stat and +5% Damage Reduction when affected by Crowd Control58%
    • Flawless Versatile Amethyst · +16 Mastery & +7 Versatility46%
    • Flawless Masterful Lapis · +16 Versatility & +7 Mastery23%
    • Prismatic Socket14%
    • Flawless Quick Amethyst · +16 Mastery & +7 Haste10%
    • Flawless Masterful Garnet · +16 Critical Strike & +7 Mastery7%
    • Indecipherable Eversong Diamond · +32 Primary Stat6%
    • Flawless Masterful Amethyst · +17 Mastery3%
    Death's Echo100%

    69 players · Class

  • Gloom Ward100%

    69 players · Class

  • Icebound Fortitude100%

    69 players · Class

  • Improved Death Strike100%

    69 players · Class

  • March of Darkness100%

    69 players · Class

  • Mind Freeze100%

    69 players · Class

  • Null Magic100%

    69 players · Class

  • Rune Mastery100%

    69 players · Class

  • Runic Attenuation100%

    69 players · Class

  • Suppression100%

    69 players · Class

  • Unholy Bond100%

    69 players · Class

  • Unholy Momentum100%

    69 players · Class

  • Veteran of the Third War100%

    69 players · Class

  • A Feast of Souls10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Apocalypse Now10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Death Charge10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Hungering Thirst10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Let Terror Reign10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Mawsworn Menace10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Mograine's Might10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Nazgrim's Conquest10%

    7 players · Hero

  • Pact of the Apocalypse10%

    7 players · Hero