DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

This rotation guide provides a quick, basic understanding of which abilities to prioritize when playing a Unholy Death Knight, along with additional details on important cooldowns at the bottom. Updated for the latest patch in World of Warcraft: The War Within (11.0.5).

Single Target

Ensure Virulent Plague is applied before engaging the target.

• Soul ReaperView detailsUse if target < 35% health.
• OutbreakView detailsTo maintain Virulent Plague.
• Death CoilView detailsUse at 80+ Runic Power or with Sudden Doom proc.
• Scourge StrikeView detailsUse if Plaguebringer buff is about to expire.
• Festering StrikeView detailsTo apply Festering Wound if 2 or fewer are present.
• Clawing ShadowsView detailsUse if at least 1 Festering Wound is present.
• Death CoilView detailsUse as filler when no other abilities are available.

Focus on using Soul Reaper at low health, maintain Virulent Plague with Outbreak, and manage Festering Wound with Festering Strike and Scourge Strike. Use Death Coil to avoid capping Runic Power.

AoE

Engage with Raise Abomination to start the AoE rotation.

• Raise AbominationView detailsUse as you approach the target.
• DefileView detailsTo deal AoE damage and enable cleave.
• Scourge StrikeView detailsTo initiate Plaguebringer on targets.
• Dark TransformationView detailsUse to apply Virulent Plague and boost damage.
• Festering StrikeView detailsTo generate Festering Wounds on the target.
• EpidemicView detailsUse when 3+ targets are present.
• Death And DecayView detailsUse to maintain AoE damage and cleave.

Start with Raise Abomination, then use Defile for AoE damage. Maintain Festering Wounds and use Epidemic when facing multiple targets.

Cooldowns

Use cooldowns strategically to maximize damage output.

• Army Of The DeadView detailsUse as you run towards the boss.
• Raise AbominationView detailsUse on cooldown, ideally with other cooldowns.
• Dark TransformationView detailsUse on cooldown to boost damage.
• ApocalypseView detailsUse on cooldown, ideally with 4 stacks of Festering Wound.
• Unholy AssaultView detailsUse on cooldown for damage boost.
• Summon GargoyleView detailsUse on cooldown, prioritize Death Coil to ramp up damage.
• Abomination LimbView detailsUse on cooldown, save for add waves.
• Vile ContagionView detailsUse in AoE to spread Festering Wound.

Prioritize using cooldowns as they become available, especially Army Of The Dead, Dark Transformation, and Apocalypse for maximum damage.