Unholy DPS, any other specs ?

[Blightrose 5]

So I mainly play unholy dk and while I enjoy it more than frost it does annoy me that the only really viable spec is dark arbiter. Are there any other talent/legendary comboes that do damage close to dark arbiter and worth trying ?

I have every legendary except Death March.

[Nooksi 0]

You can actually try the AoE Build with defile. For that you would require the helm tho. For Single Target, the second lego should be Cold Heart too. Might also have to sim with Class Ring.

I Like that build because it evolves less around the big damage cd with arbiter. It does perform a little lower though.

Build I run with defile is: 

3,2/3,3,1,?,3,2

 

Also: Vari Trinket becomes rather strong in this build because of high mastery. But thats a question to be answered by sims.

[Valks 2,375]

2 hours ago, Nooksi said:

You can actually try the AoE Build with defile. For that you would require the helm tho. For Single Target, the second lego should be Cold Heart too. Might also have to sim with Class Ring.

I Like that build because it evolves less around the big damage cd with arbiter. It does perform a little lower though.

Build I run with defile is: 

3,2/3,3,1,?,3,2

 

Also: Vari Trinket becomes rather strong in this build because of high mastery. But thats a question to be answered by sims.

Since this build is only ever touched on Eonar, you can easily run it without helm. Just run Cold Heart + Kil'jaeden's + Deathlord, any combination of those 3. Really doesn't matter much, can easily top parse with any of them. 

For ST, I don't think this even comes close to being viable. For me, running the defile build you suggest with appropriate legendaries at 965 item level is a 350K DPS loss, almost a 14% loss. 

[Nooksi 0]

It is a loss of DPS, no questions asked. Arbiter is the ST build and does sim significantly better. I never use the defile Build in any ST Scenario.

OP did not ask for the most viable spec, but for an alternative to arbiter.

The important part of the helm is the 10% increase to DC and the lower cd on on defile for a better uptime of the mastery bonus.

Just did some sims:

https://www.raidbots.com/simbot/report/FJSYRg427FT38ED9GPzEF

https://www.raidbots.com/simbot/report/7R9ZVKsJehzi8o3W29H2cV

https://www.raidbots.com/simbot/report/pC3VtP6WnEcEsvZqckdix4

 

As stated, not a question that defile sims lower in every ST scenario. A 15%~ DPS loss is hurting a lot when talking competitive, but when talking enjoyable playstyle, it is not that much.

On my sims, the loss is about 300k dps, which is similar to your loss percentage.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Nooksi

[Blightrose 5]

Yeah I know fully well that Dark Arbiter is THE single target spec, it is just starting to annoy me that there is no other way to play the character. I have tested about every other combo I can think of and while some of them are not terrible, they are still several 100k short of DA. Really hope that BfA opens up for multiple viable specs across classes.

 

I dont have the damn helmet yet (only legendary I miss) so Im hoping to give the aoe spec a go once I get it, should at least be viable for a few fights.

[Valks 2,375]

On 24/04/2018 at 9:36 AM, Nooksi said:

It is a loss of DPS, no questions asked. Arbiter is the ST build and does sim significantly better. I never use the defile Build in any ST Scenario.

OP did not ask for the most viable spec, but for an alternative to arbiter.

I know, but they did ask for a combo that does damage "close to" Dark Arbiter. In ST, it's pretty far off, but for AoE, I think it's a fine recommendation, but something that is used anyway.

On 25/04/2018 at 1:55 AM, Blightrose said:

Yeah I know fully well that Dark Arbiter is THE single target spec, it is just starting to annoy me that there is no other way to play the character. I have tested about every other combo I can think of and while some of them are not terrible, they are still several 100k short of DA. Really hope that BfA opens up for multiple viable specs across classes.

I dont have the damn helmet yet (only legendary I miss) so Im hoping to give the aoe spec a go once I get it, should at least be viable for a few fights.

With the lack of tier bonuses and legendaries to buff things, I think things will be even more "straightforward" in terms of choices. It will rest entirely on how Blizzard balances things.

[simpetar 12]

No question that DA is the ST build, but there are times when boss damage is not the top priority. For instance during mythic Varimathras, Soul Reaper isn't completely out of question if you are assigned to deal / struggle with the adds - DA just cannot get the job done effectively. (Or you can go frost and save yourself the headache.)

Similar situation is with Coven. People usually take DA and maintain plague on both bosses. There is a sweet spot however, where bosses are far enough to break their link, but close enough for Defile to touch them both. You (and others) can then cleave for the majority of the fight. Tanks must be good and communicate well to pull this off, but it is well worth it.

[Valks 2,375]

On 1.5.2018 at 10:55 AM, simpetar said:

No question that DA is the ST build, but there are times when boss damage is not the top priority. For instance during mythic Varimathras, Soul Reaper isn't completely out of question if you are assigned to deal / struggle with the adds - DA just cannot get the job done effectively. (Or you can go frost and save yourself the headache.

In a situation like this, you'd normally look to other classes to swap to AoE IMO. Fury Warriors or Affli locks lose far less ST damage by going for an AoE build than UH would.

[Vorguz 33]

I just simmed my uh dk with different talent sets:
The Arbiter build is better with my current stats, but if you are willing to play a crit heavy build go for 3(2 without the talent ring)221133. It's only a loss of ~5%. (My stats are way off for the crit build.)
You will do more sustained damage instead of the burst heavy arbiter build. Which is problematic, as burst is required to shorten cetain phases. You will make up for it during add situations, because the wouds deal aoe damage and thus will do more aoe than the arbiter.