wow Death Knight Class Changes in Dragonflight Alpha Build 44707

Stan · July 23, 2022

We've looked at the Death Knight changes that went live so far on the Dragonflight Alpha.

Disclaimer: Please note that some class changes may be inaccurate or missing due to bugged tooltips, as WoWDB hasn't been fully updated yet for Alpha. We summarize the class changes that went live in both Alpha build in this post.

Some class abilities that previously existed as passives or specialization abilities have now been moved to the core Death Knight or specialization trees as talents. You will find the exact talent rows in the official Death Knight talent tree preview.

Death Knight

Class Talent Changes

Soul Reaper - Strike an enemy for [ 34% of Attack Power ] Shadow Shadowfrost damage and afflict the enemy with Soul Reaper. After 5 sec, if the target is below 35% health this effect will explode dealing an additional [ 156% of Attack Power ] Shadow Shadowfrost damage to the target. If the enemy that yields experience or honor dies while afflicted by Soul Reaper, gain Runic Corruption.

New Class Talents

Abomination Limb Covenant Ability is back as a class talent.
Acclimation - Icebound Fortitude's cooldown is reduced by 60 sec.
Anticipation - Successfully interrupting an enemy with Mind Freeze grants 10 Runic Power and reduces its cooldown by 3 sec.
Assimilation - The amount absorbed by Anti-Magic Zone is increased by 10% and grants up to 100 Runic Power based on the amount absorbed.
Blood Draw - When you fall below 30% health you drain 0 health from nearby enemies. Can only occur every 3 min.
Blood Scent - Increases Leech by 3%.
Brittle - Your diseases have a chance to weaken your enemy causing your attacks against them to deal 6% increased damage for 5 sec.
Improved Death Strike - Death Strike's cost is reduced by 10, and its healing is increased by 20%.
Merciless Strikes - Increases Critical Strike chance by [2%/4%]. [Two Rank Talent]
Might of Thassarian - Increases Strength by [2%/4%]. [Two Rank Talent]
Proliferating Chill - Chains of Ice affects 1 additional nearby enemy.
Rune Mastery - Consuming a Rune has a chance to increase your Strength by 6% for 6 sec.
Suppression - Increases Avoidance by 3%.
Unholy Ground - Gain 5% Haste while you remain within your Death and Decay.

Blood

Death's Caress - Reach out with necrotic tendrils, dealing [ 19.02% of Attack Power ] Shadow damage and applying Blood Plague to your target and generating 2 Bone Shield charges.

Blood Talent Changes

Heartbreaker - Heart Strike generates 2 [1/2] additional Runic Power per target hit. [Two Rank Talent]
Red Thirst - Reduces the cooldown on Vampiric Blood by 1.5 [1/2] sec per 10 Runic Power spent. [Two Rank Talent]
Tightening Grasp - Reduces the cooldown on Gorefiend's Grasp by 30 sec. Enemies hit by Gorefiend's Grasp take [5%/10%] increased damage from you for 15 sec. Additionally, reduces the cooldown on Gorefiend's Grasp by 30 sec. [Two Rank Talent]

New Blood Talents

Blood Fortification - Stamina increased by [10%/20%/30%]. Damage taken reduced by [3%/6%/10%]. [Three Rank Talent]
Everlasting Bond - Summons 1 additional copy of Dancing Rune Weapon. While active, Heart Strike and Death Strike increases Dancing Rune Weapon's duration by 0.33 sec.
Hasty Bargain - When Crimson Scourge is consumed, you gain [2%-4%] Haste for 6 sec. [Two Rank Talent]
Heartrend - Heart Strike has a chance to increase the damage of your next Death Strike by [20%/40%].
Improved Boneshield - Bone Shield increases your Haste by [3%/6%]. [Two Rank Talent]
Insatiable Blade - Dancing Rune Weapon generates 5 Bone Shield charges. When a charge of Bone Shield is consumed, the cooldown of Dancing Rune Weapon is reduced by 5 sec.
Leeching Strike - Heart Strike heals you for 0.5% health for each enemy hit while affected by Blood Plague.
Reinforced Bones - Increases Armor gained from Bone Shield by 10%.
Shattering Bone - When Bone Shield is consumed it shatters dealing [ 10% of Attack Power ] shadow damage to nearby enemies. This damage is tripled while you are within your Death and Decay. [Two Rank Talent]

Frost Talent Changes

Icy Talons - Your Runic Power spending abilities increase your melee attack speed by 5% [2%/4%/6%] for 6 sec, stacking up to 3 times. [Three Rank Talent]
Killing Machine (Rank 2) renamed to Improved Killing Machine.
Obliterate (Rank 2) renamed to Improved Obliterate - Increases Obliterate damage done by 20% [10%/20%]. [Two Rank Talent]
Rime (Rank 2) renamed to Improved Rime - Increases Howling Blasts damage done by an additional 150% [75%/100%]. [Two Rank Talent]
Might of the Frozen Wastes - Wielding a two-handed weapon increases Obliterate damage by 30%, and increases the chance for your auto attack critical strikes to always grant Killing Machine.
Pillar of Frost - The power of frost increases your Strength by 20% 30% for 12 sec.
Frost Strike (Rank 2) renamed to Improved Frost Strike - Increases damage done by 20%. Increases Frost Strike damage by [10%/20%]. [Two Rank Talent]

New Frost Talents

Absolute Zero - Frostwyrm's Fury has 50% reduced cooldown and Freezes all enemies hit for 3 sec.
Biting Cold - Remorseless Winter damage is increased by 30%. The first time Remorseless Winter deals damage to 3 different enemies, you gain Rime.
Bonegrinder - Consuming Killing Machine grants 1% critical strike chance for 10 sec, stacking up to 5 times. At 5 stacks your next Killing Machine consumes the stacks and grants you [5%/10%] increased Frost damage for 10 sec. [Two Rank Talent]
Cold-Blooded Rage - Frost Strike has a [5%/10%] chance on critical strikes to grant Killing Machine. [Two Rank Talent]
Enduring Chill - Chill Streak's bounce range is increased by 2 yds and each time Chill Streak bounces it has a 20% chance to increase the maximum number of bounces by 1.
Everfrost - Remorseless Winter deals [2%/4%] increased damage to enemies it hits, stacking up to 10 times. [Two Rank Talent]
Frigid Executioner - Obliterate deals 10% increased damage and has a 12% chance to refund 2 runes.
Frostwhelp's Aid - Pillar of Frost summons a Frostwhelp who breathes on all enemies within 40 yards in front of you for [ 20% of Attack Power ] Frost damage. Each unique enemy hit by Frostwhelp's Aid grants you [2%/4%] Mastery for 15 sec, up to [10%/20%]. [Two Rank Talent]
Invigorating Freeze - Frost Fever critical strikes increase the chance to grant Runic Power by an additional [5%/10%]. [Two Rank Talent]
Piercing Chill - Enemies suffer 5% increased damage from Chill Streak each time they are struck by it.
Rage of the Frozen Champion - Obliterate has a 15% increased chance to trigger Rime and Howling Blast generates 8 Runic Power while Rime is active.
Runic Command - Increases your maximum Runic Power by [5/10]. [Two Rank Talent]
Unleashed Frenzy - Frost Strike increases your Strength by 1% for 6 sec, stacks up to 3 times.

Unholy

Festering Strike - Increases damage done by 20%. Festering Strike and Festering Wound damage increased by 10%.
Death and Decay (Rank 2) renamed to Cleaving Strikes - Scourge Strike hits up to 4 additional enemies near the target while you remain in Death and Decay. Clawing Shadows hits up to 4 additional enemies near the target while you remain in Death and Decay.
Death Coil (Rank 2) renamed to Unholy Command - Damage dealt by Death Coil reduces the cooldown of Dark Transformation by 1 [0.5/1.0] sec.
Scourge Strike - Increases damage done by 20%. Scourge Strike damage increased by 10%.

Unholy Talent Changes

Unholy Blight - Surrounds yourself with a vile swarm of insects for 6 sec, stinging all nearby enemies and infecting them with Virulent Plague and an unholy disease that deals [ 27.83% of Attack Power ] damage over 14 sec, stacking up to 4 times.Your minions deal 3% increased damage per stack to enemies infected by Unholy Blight.
Unholy Assault - Cooldown changed from 1.2 min to 1.5 min.

New Unholy Talents

Deadly Coil - Reduces the Runic Power cost of Death Coil by [5/10]. [Two Rank Talent]
Death Rot - Death Coil debilitates your enemy applying Death Rot causing them to take 2% increased Shadow damage, up to 20% for 8 sec. If Death Coil consumes Sudden Doom it applies two stacks of Death Rot.
Festermight - Popping a Festering Wound increases your Strength by [1%/2%] for 20 sec stacking. Does not refresh duration. [Two Rank Talent]
Ghoulish Frenzy - Dark Transformation also increases the attack speed and damage of you and your Monstrosity by 4%.
Improved Death Coil - Death Coil deals 20% additional damage and seeks out 1 additional nearby enemy.
Morbidity - Diseased enemies take [3%/6%] increased damage from you per disease they are affected by. [Two Rank Talent]
Reaping - Your Soul Reaper, Scourge Strike, Festering Strike, and Death Coil deal 20% additional damage to enemies below 35% health.
Replenishing Wounds - When a Festering Wound pops it generates an additional 3 Runic Power.
Unholy Aura - All enemies within 8 yards take [10/20]% increased damage from your minions. [Two Rank Talent].