Blood DK: to Soul Reaper or not to Soul Reaper, that is the question.

[SlippyCheeze 2]

G'day. So, the title catches it all:

As a Blood DK, should I use Soul Reaper at all?

In the guide, it talks about it as an execute down in the "details" section, but it isn't listed in the actual rotation part.

Looking at the stats, I think it would be good to drop in when I would otherwise use Heart Strike in my rotation, at least when I have less than three targets.

 

(By my math I do more damage with the 100K "dot" from Soul Reaper than 2x50% splash from Heart Strike would do, but I can imagine that may not always be true.)

 

The resource cost is identical, so it would be a clean drop-in replacement where I currently use (and the guide recommends) Heart Strike.

So, thoughts? Is this just an omission in the rotation? In my testing (solo) even one hit usually puts it in my top five sources of damage on 3-4 million HP mobs, so I can only assume that it would hit harder

[Storm 426]

Definitely use soul reaper whenever the target is under 35%. it hits roughly twice as hard as heart strike for the same rune cost. It may be an omission in the guide, or it could just be because soul reaper isn't essential to "tanking". but it is definitely essential if you're trying to maximize your tank dps.

[SlippyCheeze 2]

Definitely use soul reaper whenever the target is under 35%. it hits roughly twice as hard as heart strike for the same rune cost. It may be an omission in the guide, or it could just be because soul reaper isn't essential to "tanking". but it is definitely essential if you're trying to maximize your tank dps.

 

Thanks -- that was what I thought.  Are you the right person (or is creating this thread the right place) to get the Blood DK rotation guide updated to reflect that?  Right now it doesn't mention using Soul Reaper at all, which is what brought me to question this in the first place.  If not, can you point me to the right place or person?  (Sorry not to know that ahead of time :)

 

Given that it seems like it hits just as hard, it seems like a clear win to update the guide to reflect that even if it isn't essential for tanking. :)

[Tengenstein 11]

Furthermore if you manage to get it on adds before the DPS finish them the extra hasted melee swings  offer a slight survivability gain through scent of blood.

[Storm 426]

Thanks -- that was what I thought.  Are you the right person (or is creating this thread the right place) to get the Blood DK rotation guide updated to reflect that?  Right now it doesn't mention using Soul Reaper at all, which is what brought me to question this in the first place.  If not, can you point me to the right place or person?  (Sorry not to know that ahead of time

 

Given that it seems like it hits just as hard, it seems like a clear win to update the guide to reflect that even if it isn't essential for tanking.

 

I think only Damien and Vlad can update the guides. The best way to get their attention is probably to post a comment in the thread in the class guides forum.

 

https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/topic/573-blood-death-knight-54/