Blood Death Knight BiS Gear in Phase 1 Cataclysm Classic

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Stat Priority And Cap Ratings

Your Stat Priority for Blood DK BiS in Cataclysm Classic should be like this (left to right):

Stamina → Mastery → Hit Rating to 8% → Expertise Rating to 6.5% → Strength → Avoidance/Parry Rating → Haste

Stamina

Stamina is the fundamental stat for all tanks, providing Effective Health Points (EHP) and increasing the Vengeance cap.

Mastery

Mastery grants Blood Shield, which is essential for self-sustain tanking and ensuring smoother damage intake. Prioritize this Secondary Stat when selecting gear for each slot.

Hit Rating

Hit Rating is a critical Secondary Stat for ensuring a smooth opener and rotation. Both Outbreak and Rune Strike can miss, potentially causing Death Strike to fail and leaving you exposed.

Expertise Rating

Expertise Rating is a top-tier secondary stat for boosting damage and ensuring the reliability of our Weapon Strikes.

Strength

Strength boosts Attack Power, enhancing the damage of all abilities. All gear, except for trinkets, will include Strength, as Agility no longer contributes to Armor or Dodge Rating.

Avoidance Ratings

Avoidance Ratings now suffer from significantly higher Diminishing Returns compared to WotLK Classic. In Cataclysm, it is common to reforge Dodge or Parry Rating to Mastery if the item lacks it.

Gear

Helmet For Blood DK

The Blood Death Knight Tier 11 Set bonuses are very strong for Phase 1. We should aim to acquire the Tier helm because it offers a high amount of Hit Rating and a significant amount of Dodge Rating, which can be reforged to Mastery.

Best Enchant: Arcanum of the Earthen Ring (Revered reputation with The Earthen Ring required).

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Magma Plated Faceguard	Heroic Token Crown of the Forlorn Vanquisher/Essence of the Forlorn	Nefarian in Blackwing Descent or Al’Akir (Throne of the Four Winds)
Non-tier Best	Dragon Bone Warhelm	Maloriak	Blackwing Descent
Alt	Daybreaker Helm	Valiona	The Bastion of Twilight

Shoulders For Blood DK

For this phase, we’ll aim for the Tier 11 set bonus by acquiring the Magma Plated Shoulderguards. If you’re lower on the priority list for Tier gear in your guild, the Pauldrons of the Apocalypse are also a good alternative.

Best Enchant: Greater Inscription of Unbreakable Quartz (Exalted reputation with Therazane).

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Magma Plated Shoulderguards	Heroic Token Shoulders of the Forlorn Vanquisher / Essence of the Forlorn	Cho’gall (The Bastion of Twilight) or Al’Akir (Throne of the Four Winds)
Non-tier Best	Pauldrons of the Apocalypse	Nefarian	Blackwing Descent

Cloak For Blood DK

Cloak options in this phase can be frustrating. In Cataclysm, there are “Random Enchantment” items that provide various combinations of Secondary Stats. Our best choice will be a cloak with Mastery and either Dodge or Haste.

Best Enchant:

Enchant Cloak – Greater Critical Strike.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Self-Sustain	Cloudburst Cloak	Al’Akir	Throne of the Four Winds
Avoidance	Permafrost Cape	Al’Akir	Throne of the Four Winds

Chest For Blood DK

To obtain the Tier 11 set bonus, go for the Magma Plated Chestguard. If you are low on the priority list for Tier Tokens, the Battleplate of the Apocalypse is your next best option.

Best Enchant: Enchant Chest – Greater Stamina.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Magma Plated Chestguard	Heroic Token Chest of the Forlorn Vanquisher / Essence of the Forlorn	Halfus Wyrmbreaker (The Bastion of Twilight) or Al’Akir (Throne of the Four Winds)
Non-tier Best	Battleplate of the Apocalypse	Cho’gall	The Bastion of Twilight

Bracers For Blood DK

Our “True BiS” this phase is the DPS bracer, Bracers of the Mat’redor. However, since you are likely to be last in priority for these, obtain Bracers of Impossible Strength instead.

Best Enchant: Enchant Bracer – Major Stamina.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Less Likely	Bracers of the Mat’redor	Sinestra	The Bastion of Twilight
Most Likely	Bracers of Impossible Strength	Halfus Wyrmbreaker	The Bastion of Twilight

Gloves For Blood DK

One of the stronger Tier 11 choices, due to its base Mastery Secondary Stat, is the Magma Plated Handguards. If you are low on priority for Tier Tokens, use Gravitational Pull while you wait.

Best Enchant: 2 options – EHP – Heavy Savage Armor Kit or Mastery – Enchant Gloves – Greater Mastery.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Magma Plated Handguards	Heroic Token Gauntlets of the Forlorn Vanquisher / Essence of the Forlorn	Atramedes (Blackwing Descent) or Al’Akir (Throne of the Four Winds)
Non-Tier Best	Gravitational Pull	Elementium Monstrosity	The Bastion of Twilight

Belt For Blood DK

Sadly, the belt slot is another Random Enchantment drop from Throne of the Four Winds. Pick up any drop that has Mastery and Avoidance.

Don’t forget to use an Ebonsteel Belt Buckle to add an additional gem slot.

Best Belt Tinker (Engineer only): Nitro Boosts.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Avoidance	Thunder Wall Belt	Nezir	Throne of the Four Winds
Non-RNG	Jumbotron Power Belt	Magmatron	Throne of the Four Winds
Damage	Sky Strider Belt	Nezir	Throne of the Four Winds

Legs For Blood DK

The legplate slot offers some flexibility in selection. This will be your favored off-piece from the Tank Tier 11 set. The most efficient option is the Magma Plated Legplates due to their high Hit Rating. This can free up many reforges on your other gear slots, making gearing more convenient.

Best Leg Armor: Drakehide Leg Armor.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Magma Plated Legplates	Heroic Token Leggings of the Forlorn Vanquisher / Essence of the Forlorn	Maloriak (Blackwing Descent) or Al’Akir (Throne of the Four Winds)
Avoidance	Legguards of the Unseeing	Atramedes	Blackwing Descent
Alt (RNG)	Thunder Wall Greaves or Sky Strider Greaves	Al’Akir	Throne of the Four Winds

Boots For Blood DK

The strongest boot option comes from Sinestra. Thanks to the extra socket, these boots have a much higher stat budget than the alternatives.

Best Enchant: Enchant Boots – Earthen Vitality (EHP) or Enchant Boots – Lavawalker (Mastery).

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	War-Torn Crushers	Sinestra	The Bastion of Twilight
Alt	Massacre Treads	Chimaeron	Blackwing Descent
Alt	Molten Tantrum Boots	Magmaw	Blackwing Descents

Jewelry

Neck For Blood DK

The best necklace in Phase 1 is Caelestrasz’s Will, which comes from Sinestra. The extra gem slot makes it the superior choice for us.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Caelestrasz’s Will	Sinestra	The Bastion of Twilight
Alt	Rage of Ages	Nefarian	Blackwing Descent
RNG Alt	Permafrost Choker or Cloudburst Necklace	Al’Akir	Throne of the Four Winds
Last Resort	Ironstar Amulet	Atramedes	Blackwing Descents

Rings For Blood DK

Our ring options in Phase 1 are quite limited. The best option is an unlikely DPS ring from Sinestra. Other viable choices with Mastery are the Random Enchantment rings from Al’Akir. You’ll likely be hoping for good ring drop combinations for several weeks.

Best Enchant (Enchanter only): Enchant Ring – Greater Stamina.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Dargonax’s Signet	Sinestra	The Bastion of Twilight
RNG Alt	Permafrost Signet or Cloudburst Ring	Al’Akir	Throne of the Four Winds
Easy Alt	Bile-O-Tron Nut	Chimaeron	Blackwing Descent

Trinkets For Blood DK

Trinkets in Phase 1 are fairly limited. You can choose between two Stamina options: Symbiotic Worm and Vial of Stolen Memories for fights that aren’t heavy on magic damage. For fights like Heroic Nefarian, you’ll want to equip the Mirror of Broken Images for its powerful on-use effect.

Side Note: The Mirror of Broken Images will likely be useful throughout Cataclysm. Don’t be quick to discard this trinket, as its “On-Use” effect is extremely powerful for increasing your survivability against magic damage bursts. This is similar to how Sindragosa’s Flawless Fang was valuable for mitigating Sindragosa’s Frost Breath and The Lich King’s Soul Reaper.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Mirror of Broken Images	Exalted with Baradin’s Wardens or Hellscream’s Reach	Quartermaster Brazie or Pogg in Tol Barad
Overall Best	Symbiotic Worm	Magmaw	Blackwing Descent
Alt Stamina	Vial of Stolen Memories	Valiona	The Bastion of Twilight
Alt	Lifebound Alchemist Stone	500 Alchemy Alchemy Skill	Alchemy Trainer

Weapons

2-Handed Weapons For Blood DK

Out of the three available options in Phase 1, we will choose the most realistic BiS: Akirus the Worm-Breaker. Since Reclaimed Ashkandi, Greatsword of the Brotherhood is the best option for most two-handed DPS, we will have low priority on it.

Best Enchant: Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle (Mitigation) and Rune of the Fallen Crusader (Damage).

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Reclaimed Ashkandi, Greatsword of the Brotherhood	Nefarian	Blackwing Descent
Most Likely	Akirus the Worm-Breaker	Magmaw	Blackwing Descent
Alt	Shalug’doom, the Axe of Unmaking	Cho’gall	The Bastion of Twilight

Relics For Blood DK

The Relic slot has changed significantly, as it no longer provides unique effects for each relic. Instead, relics now offer Primary and Secondary Stats along with a Prismatic Socket that can hold any standard gem color, but without any socket bonuses. Generally, you should opt for the relic with the higher item level.

Rank	Item	Source	Location
Overall Best	Relic of Khaz’goroth	700 Valor Points	Faldren Tillsdale or Jamus’Vaz

F.A.Q.

What are the best Races for Blood DK?

Alliance – Dwarves or Worgen, Horde – Goblins or Orcs.

Are Blood DK’s good?

With the right play style and knowledge of encounters, Blood Death Knights are a formidable force, especially in fights with infrequent but high, non-lethal physical damage.

What tier is Blood DK in?

He’s the only S-tier tank in Cataclysm Classic.

What is the best rune for Blood DK?

Either Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle for Mitigation or Rune of the Fallen Crusader for Damage.