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Unholy Death Knight

Damage specialisation · Tier B in PvP, 3.7% 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 45 best-geared synced characters. Averaged per player, so one heavily geared character cannot define the answer for everyone.

  • Versatility51.6%1,082 avg
  • Mastery29.4%617 avg
  • Haste17.9%375 avg
  • Critical Strike1.2%27 avg

45

Synced 2v2 players

1,626

Average rating sampled

2,049

Highest rating sampled

PvP talents

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

Live ladder data
Necrotic Wounds

Necrotic Wounds

49%

Putrefy applies a Necrotic Wound to the enemy when it deals damage, absorbing 8% of all healing received for 15 sec. Max 3 stacks. Adding a stack does not refresh the duration.

22 players

Strangulate

Strangulate

47%

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

21 players

Spellwarden

Spellwarden

40%

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

18 players

Bloodforged Armor

Bloodforged Armor

7%

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

3 players

Life and Death

Life and Death

4%

When the target afflicted with your Dread Plague is healed, you are also healed for 10% of the amount. Additionally, Dread Plague deals 200% of its remaining damage to the target when dispelled.

2 players

Combat toolkit

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

Pressure & burst

  • Anti-Magic Zone
    Anti-Magic Zone100%

    Places an Anti-Magic Zone for 6 sec, reducing the magic damage taken by party or raid members by 15%.

  • 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.

Most played equipment

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

Back

Venomous Aspirant's Cloak

38% equipped · 263 ilvl

Back

Venomous Aspirant's Cape

24% equipped · 263 ilvl

Chest

Baleful Grave-Knight's Breastplate

67% equipped · 292 ilvl

Unholy Death Knight enchantments

  • Enchanted: Rune of the Apocalypse98%
  • Enchanted: +41 Agility/Strength & +115 Stamina76%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Chest - Mark of the Worldsoul71%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Boots - Farstrider's Hunt60%

Talent tree choices & importable builds

Talent choices across 45 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.

  • Death Defiance89%

    39 players · Class

  • Death Pact89%

    39 players · Class

  • Morbidity89%

    39 players · Specialization

  • Ghoulish Frenzy86%

    38 players · Specialization

  • Proliferating Chill82%

    36 players · Class

  • Blood Draw66%

    29 players · Class

  • Coldthirst57%

    25 players · Class

  • Cycle of Death52%

    23 players · Specialization

  • Grip of the Dead50%

    22 players · Class

  • Infected Claws43%

    19 players · Specialization

  • Icy Talons27%

    12 players · Class

  • Blood Scent20%

    9 players · Class

  • Permafrost16%

    7 players · Class

Near-universal picks (66)taken by 90%+ — effectively baseline
  • Anti-Magic Barrier100%

    44 players · Class

  • Anti-Magic Zone100%

    44 players · Class

  • Asphyxiate100%

    44 players · Class

Rarely taken (65)under 15% — situational or out of favour
  • Blood Bond14%

    6 players · Class

  • Menacing Magus14%

    6 players · Specialization

  • Assimilation11%

    5 players · Class

Import a real build

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

  • Кромгонка

    soulflayer · EU2,049

  • Daéneriahh

    tarren-mill · EU2,044

  • Gripdeez

    area-52 · US1,989

  • Hozzar

    barthilas · US1,909

  • Nightence

    tichondrius · US1,855

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
  • Frost
Brittle
Brittle100%

Your diseases have a chance to weaken your enemy causing your attacks against them to deal 6% increased damage for 5 sec.

  • Death's Echo
    Death's Echo100%

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

  • Null Magic
    Null Magic100%

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

    • 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 that deals 2,921 Physical damage and heals you for 32.00% of all damage taken in the last 5 sec, minimum 11.2% of maximum health.

    • 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%.

    • Army of the Dead
      Army of the Dead98%

      Summon or empower Lesser Ghouls to form an unholy army of 8 for 30 sec. While active, summoning a Lesser Ghoul will instead execute Orders based on nearby enemies. Death Orders Lesser Ghouls strike with you, dealing 747 Shadow damage to your target. Epidemic Orders Lesser Ghouls erupt in viscera, dealing 259 Shadow damage to nearby enemies. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets.

    Control & mobility

    • Blinding Sleet
      Blinding Sleet100%

      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.

    • 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.

    • Enfeeble
      Enfeeble98%

      Your ghoul's attacks have a chance to apply Enfeeble, reducing the enemies movement speed by 30% and the damage they deal to you by 12% for 6 sec.

    Chest

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Armor

    24% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Feet

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Sabatons

    60% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Feet

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Warboots

    31% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Hands

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Deathgrips

    64% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Hands

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Handguards

    20% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Head

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Helm

    76% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Head

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Casque

    11% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Legs

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Wargreaves

    58% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Legs

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Legguards

    27% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Main Hand

    Venomous Aspirant's Polearm

    53% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Main Hand

    Venomous Aspirant's Battleaxe

    36% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Neck

    Venomous Aspirant's Pendant

    44% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Neck

    Thalassian Competitor's Amulet

    40% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 1

    Thalassian Competitor's Signet

    49% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Signet

    31% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 2

    Thalassian Competitor's Signet

    62% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Signet

    13% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Shirt

    Precious's Ribbon

    11% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Shirt

    Green Workman's Shirt

    4% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Shoulders

    Venomous Gladiator's Plate Pauldrons

    38% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Shoulders

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Gibbets

    31% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Tabard

    Galactic Gladiator's Tabard

    20% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Tabard

    Astral Gladiator's Tabard

    9% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Trinket 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Insignia of Alacrity

    38% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Medallion

    33% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Medallion

    40% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Insignia of Alacrity

    33% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Waist

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Waistguard

    76% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Waist

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Girdle

    18% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Wrist

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Cuffs

    62% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Wrist

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Armguards

    22% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Enchanted: Enchant Ring - Silvermoon's Tenacity
    53%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Shoulders - Akil'zon's Swiftness53%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Helm - Empowered Blessing of Speed51%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Ring - Zul'jin's Mastery22%

    • Unholy Death Knight gems & sockets

    • Enduring Heliotrope · +23 Primary Stat and +5% Damage Reduction when affected by Crowd Control87%
    • Flawless Masterful Lapis · +16 Versatility & +7 Mastery64%
    • Flawless Versatile Amethyst · +16 Mastery & +7 Versatility18%
    • Prismatic Socket13%
    • Flawless Quick Amethyst · +16 Mastery & +7 Haste9%
    • Flawless Versatile Peridot · +16 Haste & +7 Versatility4%
    • Versatile Amethyst · +11 Mastery & +4 Versatility4%
    • Flawless Masterful Peridot · +14 Haste & +6 Mastery2%
    Blinding Sleet100%

    44 players · Class

  • Brittle100%

    44 players · Class

  • Death Strike100%

    44 players · Class

  • Death's Echo100%

    44 players · Class

  • Icebound Fortitude100%

    44 players · Class

  • Improved Death Strike100%

    44 players · Class

  • March of Darkness100%

    44 players · Class

  • Mind Freeze100%

    44 players · Class

  • Null Magic100%

    44 players · Class

  • Rune Mastery100%

    44 players · Class

  • Runic Attenuation100%

    44 players · Class

  • Runic Protection100%

    44 players · Class

  • Unholy Bond100%

    44 players · Class

    • Insidious Chill11%

    5 players · Class

  • Grave Mastery9.1%

    4 players · Specialization

  • Death Notes4.5%

    2 players · Class

  • Arctic Assault2.3%

    1 players · Specialization

  • Avalanche2.3%

    1 players · Specialization

  • Bind in Darkness2.3%

    1 players · Hero

  • Blightfall2.3%

    1 players · Specialization

  • Bonegrinder2.3%

    1 players · Specialization

  • Breath of Sindragosa2.3%

    1 players · Specialization