Tank Rotation & Cooldowns
This rotation guide provides a quick, basic understanding of which abilities to prioritize when playing a Blood Death Knight, along with additional details on important cooldowns at the bottom. Updated for the latest patch in World of Warcraft: The War Within (11.1).
Single Target
Ensure Death And Decay is placed before the encounter starts.
- Use to pull from range.
- Use if talented and available.
- Cast during Blooddrinker if available.
- Use twice to prime Bone Shield.
- Pandemic Blood Plague to max value.
- Use for healing and resource management.
- Use when target is below 35% health.
- Use as a filler to consume Runes.
- Reapply if not active.
- Use if at 5+ bones, otherwise use Marrowrend first.
Start with Deaths Caress to pull, then use Blooddrinker and Dancing Rune Weapon. Follow with Marrowrend to maintain Bone Shield, and use Blood Boil to keep Blood Plague active. Finish with Soul Reaper and Heart Strike as fillers.
AoE
Use Death And Decay to start the AoE phase.
- Use when 5+ bones are available.
- Use to maintain Blood Plague on multiple targets.
- Use for healing and resource management.
- Use on targets below 35% health.
- Use on cooldown for increased damage.
In AoE situations, prioritize Bonestorm when you have enough bones, followed by Blood Boil to spread Blood Plague. Use Death Strike for healing and Soul Reaper on low health targets.
Cooldowns
Use cooldowns strategically based on incoming damage and fight mechanics.
- Use for increased damage and parry chance.
- Use proactively or reactively for healing.
- Use to reduce damage taken.
- Use to absorb magic damage.
- Use to gain Bone Shield charges.
Manage cooldowns effectively: use Dancing Rune Weapon for damage, Vampiric Blood for healing, and Icebound Fortitude for damage reduction. Anti Magic Shell is crucial against magic damage, while Tombstone helps maintain Bone Shield.