Throne of Thunder DK DPS Style

[Damien 1,514]

This thread is meant to collect useful pieces of information for Frost and Unholy Death Knights attempting bosses in the Throne of Thunder. We will add some contributions ourselves and hope that the rest will come from comments in this thread

Table of Contents

• Jin'rokh the Breaker
• Horridon
• Council of Elders
• Tortos
• Megaera
• Ji-Kun
• Durumu the Forgotten
• Primordius
• Dark Animus
• Iron Qon
• Twin Consorts
• Lei Shen

Jin'rokh the Breaker

Useful talents:

Standard DPS talents are fine here as long as you can move at the appropriate time for lightning storm. If you are having difficulty though, grab Death's Advance to ensure you can get to the center of the room and Anti-Magic Zone to help with the first tick of Lightning Storm.

Useful glyphs:

The best glyph for this fight would definitely have to be Glyph of Anti-Magic Shell. Extended duration on Anti-Magic Shell during Lightning Storm profits major returns on Runic Power to speed run recovery on primary abilities (depending on which talent you chose for rune returns). Other than that, standard glyphs seem to work fine.

Tips and Tricks:

• Keep any important DPS cooldowns for when you are standing inside the Conductive Waters. Do not use them on the pull.
• Anti-Magic Zone is very helpful for the first tick of Lightning Storm. So, right before the channel starts, drop it under the boss to help pad the raid damage. Again, Anti-Magic Shell has excellent returns during this phase as well.
• While it is not a major issue with melee, you can always predict where the tank will be thrown. The phrase "Crush your bones" will indicate that he is performing the tank throw and he'll snap-face to the statue he will throw the tank at. This will help you with positioning and keep you aware of where you need to be heading for the Conductive Water buff.

Links:

• Jin'rokh the Breaker Strategy

Horridon

Useful talents:

• Roiling Blood is a decent option here, but will hamper your DPS slightly toward the end of the fight.
• Anti-Magic Zone can be very helpful later in the fight to negate some of the raid damage by members moving out of Frozen Orbs and Lightning Nova Totems too slowly.
• Death's Advance orChilblains. Death's Advance seems to be the best choice. Chillblains can help with kiting the adds to prevent healers and non-tanks from getting hit too often, but can also reduce DPS due to the extended time it takes for the adds to exit the range of the Frozen Orbs and Lightning Nova Totems. A good tank should manage to get aggro on these adds fast enough anyway, so there should be no need for Chillblains. Death's Advance will always come in handy, especially if you are the target of Horridon's Charge.
• Death Siphon is really useful when healers are being pushed extremely hard later in the fight. While being healed without the use of self preservation abilities should not be a paramount issue, there may be situations where a Death Siphon or two can keep you alive in clutch situations.
• Remorseless Winter is one of the best AoE CC in the game. USE IT!

Useful glyphs:

• Glyph of Pestilence is highly recommended, but is typically part of the standard DPS set.

Tips and Tricks:

• Always be aware if you are the target of Horridon's Charge mechanic. When you are targeted pop Death's Advance, run to the current tank, then get out of Double Swipe's AoE, which Horridon uses after his charge.
• Be sure you interrupt Venom Bolt Volley from Gurubashi Venom Priests at the second gate and Chain Lightning from the Amani'shi Beast Shamans at the fourth gate. Proper control of Venom Bolt Volley is the key to keeping your healers out of stress. Interrupting Chain Lightning keeps unnecessary damage down.
• Pillar of Frost will always be up at every gate, so use it right before or as adds spawn. You can save it a few seconds for the Elite adds, but this is your preference. For cooldowns with a 2-minute duration, I would use them at the first and third doors when the adds spawn and use it a last time on Horridon, at the end of the fight.
• If you are the only available interrupt, be sure to interrupt the Dinomancer's cast of Dino-Mending on Horridon. This should be done by the available tank, but be prepared just in case.

Links:

• Horridon Strategy

Council of Elders

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Council of Elders Strategy

Tortos

Useful talents:

• Anti-Magic Zone: useful for Quake Stomp
• Chilblains: can be used to slow down turtles (you can choose Death's Advance if someone else is slowing down the turtles)
• Roiling Blood: very useful for spreading diseases on bats
• Desecrated Ground: gives you a second ability to use for Quake Stomp

Useful glyphs:

• Glyph of Pestilence: good synergy with Roiling Blood share your thoughts!
• Glyph of Icebound Fortitude: can help against the stun from Quake Stomp (to check)

Tips and Tricks:

Have the add tank bring all the bats to melee range of Tortos so that melee DPS could AoE them down. This way, ranged DPS can focus on turtles. Here are a few tips for Unholy Death Knights.

• Use Blood Boil when the turtles are in close proximity to the Tortos' head to spread diseases.
• Unless the bats are right next to the boss's head, Blood Boil and Pestilence will not spread your diseases. In this case, you will have to use Outbreak/Plague Strike on one of the bats and then use Blood Boil to spread the diseases (it seems that the diseases on the bats will spread to Tortos even if the bats are on Tortos' side and not next to his head).
• Once the bats are in position, use your normal AoE rotation while targetting Tortos for Scourge Strike and Death Coil (DnD > Blood Boil > SS > DC > IT for Frost Runes).
• Use Desecrated Ground and Icebound Fortitude to avoid getting stunned.
• Use Anti-Magic Zone after a Quake Stomp to give your raid protection from the falling stalactites.
• Use Unholy Frenzy and Summon Gargoyle on Tortos when he has the +25% damage taken debuff.

Links:

• Tortos Strategy

Megaera

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Megaera Strategy

Ji-Kun

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Ji-Kun Strategy

Durumu the Forgotten

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Durumu the Forgotten Strategy

Primordius

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Primordius Strategy

Dark Animus

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Dark Animus Strategy

Iron Qon

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Iron Qon Strategy

Twin Consorts

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Twin Consorts Strategy

Lei Shen

Useful talents: share your thoughts!

Useful glyphs: share your thoughts!

Tips and Tricks: share your thoughts!

Links:

• Lei Shen Strategy

Changelog

• 22 Mar. 2013: Added Linkra advice for Horridon.
• 19 Mar. 2013: Added Linkra advice for Jin'rokh.
• 14 Mar. 2013: Added nitonic's advice for Tortos.

[nitonic 0]

Yesterday, I did 25man Tortos fight as unholy dk and was surprised at ranking 3rd unholy dk with only 505ilvl, so I figured I could share some tricks that helped me. Please do note that I am in no way saying I got perfect strategy nor the best dk to give advice, but merely helping people new to unholy since 5.2 changes.

Tortos

Useful talents:

Rolling Blood - awesome talents for this fight if you have add tank bring all bats to melee range. spam boiling blood, spread dots on everything, profit

AMZ - helps reduce Rockfall damage for ones falling near by, best to use towards end of massive number of Rockfalls after Quake Stomp when there's no new Rockfall dropping on top of you.

Chillblains - helps slowing turtles but if you got another class getting slows, take Death's Advance

Desecrated Ground - now you had 2 skills to avoid Quake Stomp stun

Useful glyphs:

Glyph of Pestilence - works really well with Rolling Blood talent

Glyph of Icebound Fortitude - didn't try it myself but short cd on skills that helps u avoid stun sounds legit.

Tips and Tricks:

we had add tank bring all bats to melee range of Tortos for melees to aoe them. and only ranged taking care of turtles.

- use Blood Boil when new turtles are passing right under boss's head to spread dots.

- unless bats are right under boss's head, Blood Boil/Pestilence won't spread dots from boss to bats. you will have to use Outbreak/Plague Strike on one of bats and Blood Boil to spread dots. (seems to work other way around that dots from bats spread to Tortos even when bats are tanked on the side.)

- once bats are in position, use normal aoe rotation while targetting Tortos for Scourge Strike/Death Coil. (DnD>Blood Boil>SS>DC>IT for frost runes)

- DS/IBF to avoid stuns

- Unholy Frenzy/Summon Gargolye on Tortos when he have +25% damage taken debuff.

hope this helped.

Edited March 13, 2013 by nitonic

[Damien 1,514]

Yesterday, I did 25man Tortos fight as unholy dk and was surprised at ranking 3rd unholy dk with only 505ilvl, so I figured I could share some tricks that helped me. Please do note that I am in no way saying I got perfect strategy nor the best dk to give advice, but merely helping people new to unholy since 5.2 changes.

Tortos

Useful talents:

Rolling Blood - awesome talents for this fight if you have add tank bring all bats to melee range. spam boiling blood, spread dots on everything, profit

AMZ - helps reduce Rockfall damage for ones falling near by, best to use towards end of massive number of Rockfalls after Quake Stomp when there's no new Rockfall dropping on top of you.

Chillblains - helps slowing turtles but if you got another class getting slows, take Death's Advance

Desecrated Ground - now you had 2 skills to avoid Quake Stomp stun

Useful glyphs:

Glyph of Pestilence - works really well with Rolling Blood talent

Glyph of Icebound Fortitude - didn't try it myself but short cd on skills that helps u avoid stun sounds legit.

Tips and Tricks:

we had add tank bring all bats to melee range of Tortos for melees to aoe them. and only ranged taking care of turtles.

- use Blood Boil when new turtles are passing right under boss's head to spread dots.

- unless bats are right under boss's head, Blood Boil/Pestilence won't spread dots from boss to bats. you will have to use Outbreak/Plague Strike on one of bats and Blood Boil to spread dots. (seems to work other way around that dots from bats spread to Tortos even when bats are tanked on the side.)

- once bats are in position, use normal aoe rotation while targetting Tortos for Scourge Strike/Death Coil. (DnD>Blood Boil>SS>DC>IT for frost runes)

- DS/IBF to avoid stuns

- Unholy Frenzy/Summon Gargolye on Tortos when he have +25% damage taken debuff.

hope this helped.

Thanks a lot! I've added your tips to the opening post. Keep them coming :)

[Linkra 1]

We started ToT last week, and while we have only downed 3/12, we've had a good learning experience with the first 3 bosses and adapted a few things along the way. I've recently switched to 2H Frost and here's what I have picked up.

Jin'Rokh

Useful Talents

• Standard DPS talents are fine here as long as you can move at the appropriate time for lightning storm. If you are having difficulty though, grab Death's Advance to ensure you can get to the center of the room and AMZ to help with the first tick of Lightning Storm.

Useful Glyphs

• The best glyph for this fight, in my opinion, would definitely have to be Glyph of AMS. Extended duration on AMS during Lightning Storm profits major returns on runic power to speed run recovery on primary abilities (depending on which talent you chose for rune returns). Other than that, standard glyphs seem to work fine.

Tips and Tricks

• I think one of the most important things is to NOT blow all of your major CD's in the beginning of the fight. With the damage boost you gain from the water, it is important to save CD's that are over the 30 second threshold for when you have the conductive water buff. I noticed every time (when I was play DW style) that D&D would come off of CD almost immediately after the first tank throw occurred which put gaining the buff at about 30 secs into the fight with about 30 secs of up-time. Blowing CD's in the 1-2 minute range as soon as the fight starts would completely miss the conductive water buff window.
• AMZ is quite helpful for the first tick of Lightning Storm so, right before the channel starts, drop it under the boss to help pad the raid damage. Again, AMS has excellent returns during this phase as well.
• While it is not a major issue with melee, you can always predict where the tank will be thrown. The phrase "Crush your bones" will indicate that he is performing the tank throw and he'll snap-face to the statue he will throw the tank at. This will help you with positioning and keep you aware of where you need to be heading for the Conductive Water buff.

I'll post some more thoughts on the other 2 bosses a little later this evening. Classes call! Edited March 18, 2013 by Linkra

[Damien 1,514]

We started ToT last week, and while we have only downed 3/12, we've had a good learning experience with the first 3 bosses and adapted a few things along the way. I've recently switched to 2H Frost and here's what I have picked up.

Jin'Rokh

Useful Talents

• Standard DPS talents are fine here as long as you can move at the appropriate time for lightning storm. If you are having difficulty though, grab Death's Advance to ensure you can get to the center of the room and AMZ to help with the first tick of Lightning Storm.

Useful Glyphs

• The best glyph for this fight, in my opinion, would definitely have to be Glyph of AMS. Extended duration on AMS during Lightning Storm profits major returns on runic power to speed run recovery on primary abilities (depending on which talent you chose for rune returns). Other than that, standard glyphs seem to work fine.

Tips and Tricks

• I think one of the most important things is to NOT blow all of your major CD's in the beginning of the fight. With the damage boost you gain from the water, it is important to save CD's that are over the 30 second threshold for when you have the conductive water buff. I noticed every time (when I was play DW style) that D&D would come off of CD almost immediately after the first tank throw occurred which put gaining the buff at about 30 secs into the fight with about 30 secs of up-time. Blowing CD's in the 1-2 minute range as soon as the fight starts would completely miss the conductive water buff window.
• AMZ is quite helpful for the first tick of Lightning Storm so, right before the channel starts, drop it under the boss to help pad the raid damage. Again, AMS has excellent returns during this phase as well.
• While it is not a major issue with melee, you can always predict where the tank will be thrown. The phrase "Crush your bones" will indicate that he is performing the tank throw and he'll snap-face to the statue he will throw the tank at. This will help you with positioning and keep you aware of where you need to be heading for the Conductive Water buff.

I'll post some more thoughts on the other 2 bosses a little later this evening. Classes call!

Thanks a lot! :)

[Linkra 1]

Horridon

Useful Talents

• Roiling Blood is a decent option here, but will hamper your DPS slightly toward the end of the fight.
• Anti-Magic Zone can be very helpful later in the fight to negate some of the raid damage by members moving out of enemy Frost Orb and Lightning Totem AoE to slowly.
• Chillblains or Death's Advance. IMHO, Death's Advance would be the best choice. Chillblains can help with add kiting to keep healers and non-tanks from getting hit as often, but can also reduce DPS due to the extended time it takes for adds to exit Frost Orb and Lightning Totem ranges later in the fight. A good tank should have most of the aggro and Death's Advance helps you position Horridon quicker if you are the target of his Charge ability and you can exit AoE mechanics from the later adds faster.
• Death Siphon is really useful when healers are being pushed extremely hard later in the fight. While being healed without the use of self preservation abilities should not be a paramount issue, there may be situations where a DS or two can keep you alive in clutch situations.
• Remorseless Winter is one of the best AoE CC's in the game. USE IT!

Useful Glyphs

• Glyph of Pestilence is highly recommended, but is typically part of the standard DPS set.

Tips and Tricks

• Always be aware if you are the target of Horridon's Charge mechanic. When you are targeted pop Death's Advance, run to the current tank, then get out of Double Swipe's AoE after Horridon charges
• Be sure you are interrupting a Venom Priest when you are at the second gate and Chain Lightning at the fourth gate. Control of the Venom Bolt Volley is key to keeping stress off of your healers due to the debuff it applies and interrupting Chain Lightning keeps unnecessary damage down.
• PoF will always be up at every gate, so use it right before or as adds spawn. You can save it a few seconds for the Elite adds, but this is your preference. As far as 2 minute CD's, I would use these at the 1st and 3rd doors when the adds spawn and use it a last time on Horridon.
• If you are the only available interrupt, be sure to interrupt the Dinomancer's heal on Horridon. This should be done by the available tank, but be prepared just in case.

[Damien 1,514]

Horridon

Useful Talents

• Roiling Blood is a decent option here, but will hamper your DPS slightly toward the end of the fight.
• Anti-Magic Zone can be very helpful later in the fight to negate some of the raid damage by members moving out of enemy Frost Orb and Lightning Totem AoE to slowly.
• Chillblains or Death's Advance. IMHO, Death's Advance would be the best choice. Chillblains can help with add kiting to keep healers and non-tanks from getting hit as often, but can also reduce DPS due to the extended time it takes for adds to exit Frost Orb and Lightning Totem ranges later in the fight. A good tank should have most of the aggro and Death's Advance helps you position Horridon quicker if you are the target of his Charge ability and you can exit AoE mechanics from the later adds faster.
• Death Siphon is really useful when healers are being pushed extremely hard later in the fight. While being healed without the use of self preservation abilities should not be a paramount issue, there may be situations where a DS or two can keep you alive in clutch situations.
• Remorseless Winter is one of the best AoE CC's in the game. USE IT!

Useful Glyphs

• Glyph of Pestilence is highly recommended, but is typically part of the standard DPS set.

Tips and Tricks

• Always be aware if you are the target of Horridon's Charge mechanic. When you are targeted pop Death's Advance, run to the current tank, then get out of Double Swipe's AoE after Horridon charges
• Be sure you are interrupting a Venom Priest when you are at the second gate and Chain Lightning at the fourth gate. Control of the Venom Bolt Volley is key to keeping stress off of your healers due to the debuff it applies and interrupting Chain Lightning keeps unnecessary damage down.
• PoF will always be up at every gate, so use it right before or as adds spawn. You can save it a few seconds for the Elite adds, but this is your preference. As far as 2 minute CD's, I would use these at the 1st and 3rd doors when the adds spawn and use it a last time on Horridon.
• If you are the only available interrupt, be sure to interrupt the Dinomancer's heal on Horridon. This should be done by the available tank, but be prepared just in case.

Many thanks again. I've added your new tips to the opening post.

[Mendenbarr 7]

Sadly, glyph of ams doesn't give extended duration, just makes it absorb 100% of magic damage instead of 75%. :( You should update the Jin'rokh to reflect this.

Tips:

Jinrokh the Breaker

Stand at max melee range, to spend as much time in conductive water as possible.

AMS soaking perfect during lighting storm, and in electrified water if there isn't a conductive up.

AMS can be used to ignore ionization on heroic, use it right before ionization comes out to avoid the debuff, but DO NOT use it after ionization, as it will dispel you. The timer on ionization seems to be about 1:33 seconds, so it's possible to use AMS about halfway through lighting storm as well, but it's very tight.

AMZ very good on a stacked raid, to take a major portion of static burst or focused lightning. I found the best timing to be the first focused lightning after the first pool came out.

Horridon

Army after the 4th door is destroyed so they benefit from 200% increased damage. On heroic, you can army on the pull and it should be up again a second time when he's taking 200% more damage.

Stone gaze can be broken with IBF/DesG.

You can AMS soak the sand traps (yellow pools, 1st door), venom bolt volley (cast, 2nd door), living posions (green pool, 2nd door), frozen orbs (3rd door), and lighting nova totem (4th door).

You can gorefiend's grasp and stun(asphyxiate, remorseless winter) the "little" adds. Little adds seem to be any add coming out of the door, big adds seem to jump down from the top, and cannot be gripped or slowed or stunned.

Council of Elders

AMS during overcharge will make FS give back more runic then it consumes.

Saving runes and cds for sandstorm adds will skyrocket your damage.

Loa spirits can be gripped and stunned/rooted/slowed.

Tortos

Glyphed IBF will stop half of the quaking stomps from stunning you, as well as reduce the damage they deal.

You can use AMS for Rockfall for tons of RP. -Submitted by Usbeorn

Chilblains slows the turtles and bats.

Megaera

AMS clears the Cinders spell effect, as well as giving you a hefty amount of RP

AMS soaking Acid Rain/Acid Bombs = free RP

AMS allows you to run through frost patches and take no damage and get free RP

AMZ is a ok but trivial way to prevent some raid damage from Rampages.

-Submitted by Nag

AMS during rampage gives pretty much infinite runic for 5 seconds.

Little adds can be gorefiended, remorseless wintered, and get AE interrupted by frag bomb.

Stun from little adds can be broken by IBF/DesG, or dispelled.

Ji-Kun

Feed pools and flying food can be AMS soaked.

Death's advance makes down draft easier to deal with, while glyph of pillar of frost makes you immune to the pushback. The closer you are to the boss, the less pushback there is.

In some cases, you can go from one platform to another without using a feather, all you need is goblin glider.

Flying directly above the boss during feed young should give you the 100% damage buff 100% of the time.

"When using a feather, your summoned ghoul vanishes. If you land on the ground before the feather expires, your pet is not automatically resummoned and you have to blow the 2 min cd to bring it back. If you stay up in the air until it expires and fall naturally, your pet will be automatically resummoned. Note: This applies to Unholy's perma-ghoul, but I do not know how it affects Frost's ghoul nor Army of the Dead." -Submitted by Usbeorn

Ji-kun sounds suspiciously like chicken.

Durumu the Forgotten

All light spectrums can be AMS soaked while standing in them for medium runic.

AMS seems to make you immune to drain life during it's duration.

Pillar of frost makes you immune to force of will/goblin glider will save you (untested)

Primordius

Best way to avoid stepping on puddles when you are mutated is to stand between the boss and the wall.

Army is suggested for add damage, as they do 75% to the boss regardless of whether or not you are mutated (unconfirmed, might not be true, need more testing on this one)

Dark Animus

AMS prevents damage from Massive Anima Golem's Explosive slam and the application of the debuff. -Submitted by Deathstapa

AMS for the Matter Swag is nice. You can be instantly dispelled, your team-mate take minimal damage & you generate 100 RP. - Submitted by Tohji

The best way to use AMS for DPS is on CD, for soaking Anima Font and Jolt! - Submitted by Tohji

Iron Qon

AMS prevents scorched from being applied, and negates most of the damage from unleashed flame.

As expected, IBD/DesG breaks stuns.

Death's advance negates most of the movement part of frozen blood.

DesG removes frozen blood. - Submitted by Tohji

IBF removes Frozen Blood too! - Submitted by Tohji

Twin Consorts

AMSing in fire trial gives runic.

Lei Shen

You can ams every thunderstruck in p1, and every second thunderstruck in p2.

You can gorefiend's grip the adds, but the balls spread out again quickly.

AMZ negates thunderstruck for the melee ground.

AMZ also amazing on static shock during transition.

Death's advance helps to counter the wind in p3.

[Asz 0]

• Anti-Magic Zone: useful for Quake Stomp

This is wrong. Weird that noone else has mention it before. AMZ - > Magic dmg, Quake Stomp -> Physical dmg...

[Mendenbarr 7]

Yes, that is correct, but AMZ can help with the rockfalls right after quake stomp.

[Kohai613 0]

For Heroic Jin'Rokh, I reccomend not using the Anti-Magic Shell glyph during the heroic encounter. Using AMS when there is about a second on the cooldown of Inozation. Taking off the glyph will sometimes cause his lightning attack to consume your full AMS and you will get the debuff. With the glyph not equipped you will keep the AMS and not get the debuff, then during Lightning Storm when you are dodging the balls use it as soon as it comes off CD, then it will come off CD 2-3 seconds before the next Inozation, then it will come down for the lightning storm, and the next inozation making DK DPS easy for dodging that mechanic.

[nicarlitos 13]

For Heroic Jin'Rokh I would also recommend using the Glyph of Shifting Presence.

When playing as frost DK, I run out of the water pool with exactly 10 seconds left on Ionization, switch to blood presence and hit AMS (glyphed) a few seconds before the debuff wares off. This gave me enough mitigation each time.

I don't do any dps during the dodging phase so I stay in blood presence, we all agreed that staying alive is far more important. Just remember to switch out of blood presence when the phase ends.

You should then start off again with a nice chunk of runic power, as the ionization/AMS will give you 100rp- dropping to 70 with the glyph of shifting presence.

I also took AMZ and Death Pact. These in combination with IBF and a health stone should help cover the 'oh-shit' moments if you fail to dodge correctly.