[Death Knight] Unholy AoE Tanking Guide

[StolenLegacy]

UNHOLY AOE TANKING DEATH KNIGHT GUIDE
Hello everyone, this is a guide for all those new Death Knights who do not want to just whack away at the mobs, but instead want to take Death Knight-ness to a completely new level as tanks. I know many say that you can only tank well as Frost, but I have tanked everything up to Crypts, and I yet have to see a instance i can not tank - as Unholy Spec.

Disclaimer
I have written this guide by myself, if it is similar to any other guide, this is not intended. I also do not want this guide to be posted anywhere without my permission. Be nice and send me a PM, and most likely I will approve.

The Basics of the AoE Tanking Deathknight
The Unholy AoE Tanking Deathknight uses mostly Diseases and effects that support those to generate threat. As any tanking Deathknight, the Frost Presence is to ALWAYS be used.

The Build
The must-have talents
3/3 Wandering Plague - Does even more AoE threat. A solid Staple.
5/5 Desecration - Since we rely on the Mobs to stay within AoE range, slowing spells are great. But since it also makes you do 5% more dmg...great.
1/1 Unholy Blight - Does AoE Aggro. Simple.
5/5 Blade Barrier - You will be using mostly blood runes, even though this is a Unholy Build, so this should be up most of the time.
3/3 Morbidity - You rely on Death and Decay to do Threat a lot. Reduced Cooldown? Always!
3/3 Crypt Fever - Same as with Unholy Blight. It is another Disease? I take it!
5/5 Magic Suppression - Casters are the greatest weakness of the Unholy Tank. Everything that makes it easier to deal with them is great!
2/2 Unholy Command - The only way to stop caster mobs from running way is Death Grip. And that cooldown is long. Reduce it using this.
2/2 Epidemic - Longer Diseases means less Rune Costs reapplying them (and that does cost a lot!)

The advised talents
5/5 Anticipation - Dodge is great for any tank, but even more so for Deathknights, since we can't block.
3/3 Outbreak - Increases the Damage of some of our staple skills.
1/1 Shadow of Death - Even if it's only to avoid repairs...but this also gives a 2% bonus to Stam and Strength!
1/1 Bone Shield - Our version of the Oh-Crap-I-Have-To-Outlast-This button.
3/3 Ebon Plaguebringer - It makes your Crypt Fever even stronger.
1/1 Anti-Magic Zone - Some more stuff against casters? Oh yes!
5/5 Impurity - More Damage from our Spells...Yes!
5/5 Rage of Rivendare - Even MORE Damage from our Spells...Yes!
2/2 On a Pale Horse - Shorter Stun, more important, Shorter Fear.

The good-to-have talents
1/1 Scourge Strike - This gives us one more way to build single-target aggro.
2/2 Two-Handed Weapon Specialization - Always nice to do more damage. Damage = Threat!
5/5 Toughness - You Last Longer. That's all.
1/1 Master of Ghouls - Makes it viable to have your ghoul out in instances.

Glyphs
Major
Glyph of Icebound Fortitude - Makes this always usable.
Glyph of Bone Shield - More Charges makes it last longer.
Glyph of Dark Command - Every Tank hates his taunt being resisted.
Glyph of Plague Strike - More Damage equals more damage.
Glyph of Death and Decay - Enemys that cower in fear do not attack you thus do not do any damage. Useful for trash.

Minor
Glyph of Pestilence - Makes sure all your targets get their diseases.
Glyph of Blood Tap - QUICKLY need a rune?
Rune of Raise Dead - Allows you to use Raise Dead as a quick RP boost.
Tanking
You pull using Death Grip. Simple. Use it on the focus target, the others should come running towards you. Immedeately throw down Death and Decay around you, then Plague Strike and Ice Touch to place your diseases on the focus target. By now, the other mobs should have reached you. Now, use Pestilence to chain your diseases onto all mobs. Now, everytime your Blood Rune is off cooldown, use Blood Boil. Reapply your diseases by using the Plague Strike+Ice Touch+Pestilence combo (uses one rune of each style). This is the MOST important thing to do when your runes are ready. Using Blood Boil is the LEAST important. What is between them, you ask? Reapplying Death and Decay around you, of course.

So:
IF all your rune schools have one rune (or more) ready and your diseases are on the targets, use Death and Decay. If it is on cooldown, Blood Boil. If your diseases have run out, Plague Strike+Ice Touch+Pestilence. On spare GCDs (you WILL have those), use your runic power. Here, Unholy blight or Death Coil as an alternative.

This all assumes you have perfect conditions. Here are how to handle others:
Exceptions
Pulls with one Caster
This is still simple. Instead of pulling the focus with Death Grip, pull the Caster to you and proceed as always.

Pulls with two Casters
Instead of pulling with Death Grip, instead run in (preferably with Bone Armor up because you can't parry hits from behind) and position yourself next to the caster. Pull the other one to you with Death Grip.

Pulls with three Casters
Now this is where it gets tricky.
Run up to the First Caster, interrupt him, tow him to the second, then Death Grip the third.

Pulls with four Casters
Sometimes these are possible. This is when two of the casters are close enough to each other to be both caught within your AoEs. Then, interrupt one, pull it to the two close-to-each-other ones, Death Grip the fourth, done. If they are apart, have some class with counterspell/silence capabilities counterspell one and then Icy Touch them to have them run to you. You might want to spread your diseases by applying them to the one Icy Touch is already on and Pestilence from that one.

Pulls with 5+ Casters
I haven't found these to be possible on your own. Have a off-tank tank one of them, or rely on a combination of the tactics above.

Fearing Mobs
Tricky, because having mobs running out of your AoE to follow you is bad. First, check whether any of your group Members can do anything about it. Fear Ward, for example. Or a Tremor Totem next to you. Otherwise, equip your PvP Trinket.

If you Want any more special occasions that I forgot to be added, post a reply.

When to use your special abilities
Anti-Magic Zone
Quite logical, when you are going to get heavy magic damage. On a pull with 3 casters, you might want to make a caster the focus target and blow this until that caster is down, lightening the load on your healers.

Bone Armor
Either use this as a panic button or blow it everytime it is ready to increase your damage, instead using Icebound fortitude as a panic button. (Thanks to dotOrion)

If you want other abilities to be postet here, say so.

That's it
Yep, that's it, hope you understood everything, have fun with your tanking deathknight. If you have any suggestions, just post. I also apologize for any grammar mistakes I might have made, I am a native German Speaker.

So Far,
Stolen

[dotOrion]

Some comments:
- Unholy Blight does not add an extra disease anymore.
- You could also add useful glyphs (Bone Armor, Plague Strike glyphs for example)
- When would be a good idea to use Anti-Magic zone ?
- You can use Bone Armor as a panic button, but it also increases your damage when it's still up, so you can also just use it whenever it's up for more threat when you trust your healers, and use for example Icebound Fortitude as a panic button instead.

Other than that, informative piece of text.

[StolenLegacy]

Some comments:
- Unholy Blight does not add an extra disease anymore.
- You could also add useful glyphs (Bone Armor, Plague Strike glyphs for example)
- When would be a good idea to use Anti-Magic zone ?
- You can use Bone Armor as a panic button, but it also increases your damage when it's still up, so you can also just use it whenever it's up for more threat when you trust your healers, and use for example Icebound Fortitude as a panic button instead.

Other than that, informative piece of text.

Great tips, +rep

EDIT: Added the sections you suggested. Thanks!

[Ruub]

ThnQ for this build

[Garadaz]

Great guide mate , since im still learning stuff about unholy , i would like to ask if you could put the talent tree you use .

[StolenLegacy]

Great guide mate , since im still learning stuff about unholy , i would like to ask if you could put the talent tree you use .

No, sorry, I won't.

Two reasons:

a.) I don't want thousands of DKs running around copying my tree (Which is why I didn't put my charname here)
b.) I styled this guide as a GUIDEline for a reason. This is not a build, it is a playstyle. It is a lot about personal preference, about group members. Do I want 20% more armor or a bit more threat? do i want a controllable ghul or some great frost talent?

I really hope you understand my concerns.

regards,
Stolen

[Brolly]

+Rep (fillor)

[Shizka]

I will rep you if you give me some areas where this is useful

[StolenLegacy]

I will rep you if you give me some areas where this is useful

Hm, this is about AoE tanking? Tanking is useful inside instances. This build is maybe able to AoE Grind, but it would most likely require the Death and Decay Glyph to do so effectively. For spots, look on the internet, most spots where Prot Grinding is possibly should allow this too.

regards,
Stolen