Lichborne: The Underhold raid loot for death knights
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Lichborne for blood, frost, and unholy death knights. In the post-Cataclysm era, death knights are no longer the new kids on the block. Let's show the other classes how a hero class gets things done.
The Underhold is the third section of the Siege of Orgrimmar, and will be opening up for Flex raiders this week. With that in mind, today we'll look at the loot that drops for the 3 bosses contained within. As before, the same disclaimers from the last two weeks apply. While "Best in Slot" is all well and good, "Best in Slot" also assumes you are playing at the top of your game, using very specific rotations, talents, and glyphs, and using cooldowns at the proper times, and that the gear you're picking up is mostly heroic or heroic warforged gear. Also, upgrades are upgrades, so if you're wielding Raid Finder gear from Throne of Thunder, even non-optimal flex gear from Siege of Orgrimmar is probably going to be an upgrade. Keep that in mind when grabbing gear as well.
Malkorok
Malkorok's Tainted Dog Tags have mastery and critical strike, making them very good for all 3 death knight DPS styles. If you're DPS, you'll likely want one of these.
Malkorok's Skullcleaver has critical strike and hit rating, which means it's not as optimally statted for dual wield DPS as other choices from this tier.
Legplates of Willful Doom have mastery and critical strike, making them another universally solid gearing choice for all DPS. If you don't need to wear tier legs for your set bonus, you may want to go for these.
Malkorok's Giant Stompers have expertise and mastery, meaning they're a solid gearing choice for dual wield DPS or blood tanks.
Blood Rage Bracers have parry and expertise, making them a middling choice for death knight tanks. Still, with no pure tank bracers with mastery this tier, these may have to be enough.
Vial of Living Corruption reduces the cool down of Anti-Magic Shell, Bone Shield, Dancing Rune Weapon, Icebound Fortitude, Outbreak, and Vampiric Blood. Remember, though, if you're not using that extra cool down time, this trinket turns into nothing more than a little extra stamina.
Spoils of Pandaria
Helm of the Night Watchman has haste and critical strike rating, making it not every great for any death knight. Stick to your tier helm.
Seal of the Forgotten Kings also has haste and critical strike, but it may end up being a decent ring to take for some DPS, if only because it does have a gem slot, and most of your other options have hit or expertise, which you may not need depending on your other gear. Take that into account.
Ominous Mogu Greatboots come with dodge and expertise, one of the less desirable combinations of tank stats for a death knight. Take only if you really need more dodge rating to balance your avoidance stats. Otherwise, there's probably better.
Untarnishable Greatbelt has parry and mastery, making it a very easy front runner for best tank belt of the tier. This will probably be a solid pickup for any death knight tank.
Thok the Bloodthirsty
Thok's Tail Tip is the DPS trinket you want for sure this tier. Amplifying your main secondary stats means it's only going to get better the better geared you get. Combine that with a solid strength proc and additional critical strike damage, and you have a no brainer. Pick this up.
Devilfang Band has mastery and expertise, making it an especially nice choice for a dual wield DPS death knight, assuming you need the expertise. The mastery also means it may end up on the finger of a few tanks as well.
Britomart's Jagged Pike continues the rebirth of the strength-based polearm. Alas, the combination of haste and mastery means it is not the best two-handed weapon you can get this tier for DPS. Tanks might get some mileage out of that mastery for sure though.
Helmet of Cyclopean Dread has haste and mastery, but while that's not the greatest combination, there's not really much that's better this tier. Wear this for the set bonuses, if nothing else.
Faceguard of Cyclopean Dread, on the other hand, is an excellent blood tank helmet, with plenty of mastery and parry. Add to that the need for set bonuses, and this is one tanks will want to wear.
Icy Blood Chestplate is very solid for tank death knights, thanks to mastery and parry. Just remember that blood death knights do want their set bonuses this tier, so that may make this piece a no-go anyway.
Learn the ropes of endgame play with WoW Insider's DK 101 guide. Make yourself invaluable to your raid group with Mind Freeze and other interrupts, gear up with pre-heroic DPS gear or pre-heroic tank gear, and plot your path to tier 11/valor point DPS gear.
