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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 92 best-geared synced characters. Averaged per player, so one heavily geared character cannot define the answer for everyone.

  • Versatility50.2%1,059 avg
  • Mastery28.2%599 avg
  • Haste20.2%427 avg
  • Critical Strike1.4%33 avg

92

Synced 3v3 players

1,620

Average rating sampled

2,348

Highest rating sampled

PvP talents

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

Live ladder data
Necrotic Wounds

Necrotic Wounds

45%

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.

41 players

Spellwarden

Spellwarden

40%

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

37 players

Strangulate

Strangulate

40%

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

37 players

Bloodforged Armor

Bloodforged Armor

5%

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

5 players

Life and Death

Life and Death

2%

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

Dark Simulacrum

Dark Simulacrum

1%

Places a dark ward on an enemy player that persists for 12 sec, triggering when the enemy next spends mana on a spell, and allowing the Death Knight to unleash an exact duplicate of that spell.

1 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.

  • Rune Mastery

Most played equipment

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

Back

Venomous Aspirant's Cloak

42% equipped · 263 ilvl

Back

Venomous Aspirant's Cape

23% equipped · 263 ilvl

Chest

Baleful Grave-Knight's Breastplate

67% equipped · 292 ilvl

Unholy Death Knight enchantments

  • Enchanted: Rune of the Apocalypse95%
  • Enchanted: +41 Agility/Strength & +115 Stamina85%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Chest - Mark of the Worldsoul77%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Boots - Farstrider's Hunt72%

Talent tree choices & importable builds

Talent choices across 92 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.

  • Proliferating Chill84%

    76 players · Class

  • Blood Draw68%

    61 players · Class

  • Cycle of Death62%

    56 players · Specialization

  • Grip of the Dead57%

    51 players · Class

  • Coldthirst54%

    49 players · Class

  • Infected Claws28%

    25 players · Specialization

  • Icy Talons23%

    21 players · Class

Near-universal picks (70)taken by 90%+ — effectively baseline
  • Anti-Magic Barrier100%

    90 players · Class

  • Asphyxiate100%

    90 players · Class

  • Death Strike100%

    90 players · Class

Rarely taken (99)under 15% — situational or out of favour
  • Assimilation14%

    13 players · Class

  • Blood Scent12%

    11 players · Class

  • Menacing Magus11%

    10 players · Specialization

Import a real build

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

  • Petkick

    tichondrius · US2,348

  • Unholy

    daggerspine · US2,194

  • Graphics

    moon-guard · US2,151

  • Sairusmarsik

    ravencrest · EU2,116

  • Кромгон

    soulflayer · EU2,100

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
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.

  • Unholy Bond
    Unholy Bond100%

    Increases the effectiveness of your Runeforge effects by 20%.

    • 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 2,448 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%.

    • Gloom Ward
      Gloom Ward99%

      Absorbs are 15% more effective on you.

    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.

    • Enfeeble
      Enfeeble97%

      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

    23% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Feet

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Sabatons

    71% equipped · 288 ilvl

    Feet

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Warboots

    24% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Hands

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Deathgrips

    83% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Hands

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Handguards

    9% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Head

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Helm

    73% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Head

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Casque

    13% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Legs

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Wargreaves

    47% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Legs

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Legguards

    36% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Main Hand

    Venomous Aspirant's Polearm

    47% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Main Hand

    Venomous Aspirant's Battleaxe

    38% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Neck

    Thalassian Competitor's Amulet

    46% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Neck

    Venomous Aspirant's Pendant

    38% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 1

    Thalassian Competitor's Signet

    59% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Signet

    23% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 2

    Thalassian Competitor's Signet

    65% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Ring 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Signet

    17% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Shirt

    Precious's Ribbon

    9% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Shirt

    Artisan Officer's Shirt

    3% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Shoulders

    Venomous Gladiator's Plate Pauldrons

    46% equipped · 292 ilvl

    Shoulders

    Baleful Grave-Knight's Gibbets

    27% equipped · 295 ilvl

    Tabard

    Galactic Gladiator's Tabard

    13% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Tabard

    Astral Gladiator's Tabard

    9% equipped · 1 ilvl

    Trinket 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Insignia of Alacrity

    49% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 1

    Venomous Aspirant's Medallion

    24% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Medallion

    53% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Trinket 2

    Venomous Aspirant's Insignia of Alacrity

    23% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Waist

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Waistguard

    76% equipped · 288 ilvl

    Waist

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Girdle

    14% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Wrist

    Venomous Aspirant's Plate Cuffs

    58% equipped · 263 ilvl

    Wrist

    Thalassian Competitor's Plate Armguards

    20% equipped · 285 ilvl

    Enchanted: Enchant Shoulders - Akil'zon's Swiftness
    66%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Ring - Silvermoon's Tenacity61%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Helm - Empowered Blessing of Speed60%
  • Enchanted: Enchant Ring - Zul'jin's Mastery24%

    • Unholy Death Knight gems & sockets

    • Enduring Heliotrope · +23 Primary Stat and +5% Damage Reduction when affected by Crowd Control89%
    • Flawless Masterful Lapis · +16 Versatility & +7 Mastery68%
    • Flawless Versatile Amethyst · +16 Mastery & +7 Versatility25%
    • Flawless Quick Amethyst · +16 Mastery & +7 Haste11%
    • Flawless Masterful Peridot · +16 Haste & +7 Mastery7%
    • Flawless Versatile Peridot · +16 Haste & +7 Versatility3%
    • Prismatic Socket3%
    • Flawless Quick Amethyst · +14 Mastery & +6 Haste2%
    Death's Echo100%

    90 players · Class

  • Icebound Fortitude100%

    90 players · Class

  • Improved Death Strike100%

    90 players · Class

  • March of Darkness100%

    90 players · Class

  • Mind Freeze100%

    90 players · Class

  • Rune Mastery100%

    90 players · Class

  • Runic Attenuation100%

    90 players · Class

  • Unholy Bond100%

    90 players · Class

  • Unholy Endurance100%

    90 players · Class

  • Unholy Momentum100%

    90 players · Class

  • Veteran of the Third War100%

    90 players · Class

  • Will of the Necropolis100%

    90 players · Class

  • Blinding Sleet99%

    89 players · Class

    • Blood Bond8.9%

    8 players · Class

  • Permafrost8.9%

    8 players · Class

  • Grave Mastery7.8%

    7 players · Specialization

  • Insidious Chill5.6%

    5 players · Class

  • Subduing Grasp5.6%

    5 players · Class

  • Blood-Soaked Ground4.4%

    4 players · Hero

  • Bloody Fortitude4.4%

    4 players · Hero

  • Frenzied Bloodthirst4.4%

    4 players · Hero

  • Gift of the San'layn4.4%

    4 players · Hero