Frost Death Knight DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

This rotation offers a general priority list for Frost Death Knight abilities, along with key cooldowns at the bottom. It's based on a standard build and is here to help while we work on a smarter, build-aware system. Updated for the latest patch in World of Warcraft: The War Within (11.1).

Single Target

Use with Killing Machine proc.
Maintain Icy Talons and Unleashed Frenzy or if buffs are expiring.
Use on cooldown.
Use with 5 stacks of Rune Of Razorice.
Use with Rime proc.
Use if Runic Power > 70.
Use to spend Runes.
Use to spend Runic Power.

Prioritize Obliterate with Killing Machine procs, maintain buffs with Frost Strike, and use Remorseless Winter on cooldown. Spend resources efficiently with Frost Strike and Obliterate.

AoE

Use to enable cleave.
Use with Killing Machine proc.
Use on cooldown.
Maintain Unleashed Frenzy and Icy Talons or if buffs are expiring.
Use with Rime proc.
Use to spend Runes.
Use to spend Runic Power.
Use to spend Runic Power.

For AoE, prioritize Death And Decay for cleave, Obliterate with Killing Machine procs, and Remorseless Winter on cooldown. Use Glacial Advance or Frost Strike to spend Runic Power.

Cooldowns

Use on cooldown, ideally with potions or trinkets.
Pair with Pillar Of Frost for resource generation.
Use with Pillar Of Frost and on multiple targets.
Use with Pillar Of Frost, pooling resources beforehand.
Use on cooldown or for add control.
Use to generate resources when needed.
Use on cooldown, avoid during Pillar Of Frost with Obliteration.
Use before Pillar Of Frost for synergy.
Use Chains Of Ice at 16+ stacks.

Align Pillar Of Frost with other cooldowns like Empower Rune Weapon and Frostwyrms Fury. Use Breath Of Sindragosa with pooled resources, and Abomination Limb for adds or on cooldown.