I leveled pre-nerfs but full unholy is the way to go. Grab 5-10 mobs, D&D, IT, PS, Pest, UB, and then just death strike a few times to keep you topped off.
15 seconds later 10 dead mobs and you with full health.
I dunno I see the ability to solo anything and kill 10 mobs at once more godly than hitting one thing hard.
Frost does have decent burst though, but it benefits PVP more than PVE imo.
This is pretty close to what I leveled, except with the talent changes I moved some things around. Fill out Unholy first, and then Blood. I skipped Ghoul Frenzy because my ghoul really never died pre-raiding, and I also took Pale Horse for the movement buff, which you could pull from Necrosis if you wanted.
Level 80 Death Knight (17/0/54)
Blood (17 points)
Butchery - Rank 2/2
Whenever you kill an enemy that grants experience or honor, you generate up to 20 runic power. In addition, you generate 2 runic power per 5 sec while in combat.
Subversion - Rank 3/3
Increases the critical strike chance of Blood Strike, Heart Strike and Obliterate by 9%, and reduces threat generated while in Blood or Unholy Presence by 25%.
Bladed Armor - Rank 5/5
Increases your attack power by 5 for every 180 armor value you have.
Two-Handed Weapon Specialization - Rank 2/2
Increases the damage you deal with two-handed melee weapons by 4%.
Dark Conviction - Rank 5/5
Increases your chance to critically hit with weapons, spells and abilities by 5%.
Frost (0 points)
None
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Unholy (54 points)
Vicious Strikes - Rank 2/2
Increases the critical strike chance by 6% and critical strike damage bonus by 30% of your Plague Strike and Scourge Strike.
Virulence - Rank 3/3
Increases your chance to hit with your spells by 3% and reduces the chance that your damage over time diseases can be cured by 30%.
Epidemic - Rank 2/2
Increases the duration of Blood Plague and Frost Fever by 6 sec.
Ravenous Dead - Rank 3/3
Increases your total Strength by 3% and the contribution your Ghouls get from your Strength and Stamina by 60%
Outbreak - Rank 3/3
Increases the damage of Plague Strike by 30% and Scourge Strike by 20%.
Necrosis - Rank 5/5
Your auto attacks deal an additional 20% Shadow damage.
Blood-Caked Blade - Rank 3/3
Your auto attacks have a 30% chance to cause a Blood-Caked Strike, which hits for 25% weapon damage plus 12.5% for each of your diseases on the target.
Night of the Dead - Rank 2/2
Reduces the cooldown on Raise Dead by 90 sec. and the cooldown on Army of the Dead by 10 min. Also reduces the damage your pet takes from area of effect attacks by 70%.
Unholy Blight - Rank 1/1
A vile swarm of unholy insects surrounds the Death Knight for a 10 yard radius. Enemies caught in the area take 48 Shadow damage per sec. Lasts 20 sec.
Impurity - Rank 5/5
Your spells receive an additional 20% benefit from your attack power.
Dirge - Rank 2/2
Your Death Strike, Obliterate, Plague Strike and Scourge Strike generate 5 additional runic power.
Reaping - Rank 3/3
Whenever you hit with Blood Strike or Pestilence there is a 100% chance that the Blood Rune becomes a Death Rune when it activates. Death Runes count as a Blood, Frost or Unholy Rune.
Master of Ghouls - Rank 1/1
Reduces the cooldown on Raise Dead by 60 sec., and the Ghoul summoned by your Raise Dead spell is considered a pet under your control. Unlike normal Death Knight Ghouls, your pet does not have a limited duration.
Improved Unholy Presence - Rank 2/2
While in Blood Presence or Frost Presence, you retain 15% increased movement speed from Unholy Presence, and your runes finish their cooldowns 10% faster in Unholy Presence.
Crypt Fever - Rank 3/3
Your diseases also cause Crypt Fever, which increases disease damage taken by the target by 30%.
Bone Shield - Rank 1/1
The Death Knight is surrounded by 4 whirling bones. While at least 1 bone remains, <he/she> takes 20% less damage from all sources and deals 2% more damage with all attacks, spells and abilities. Each damaging attack that lands consumes 1 bone. Lasts 5 min.
Wandering Plague - Rank 3/3
When your diseases damage an enemy, there is a chance equal to your melee critical strike chance that they will cause 100% additional damage to the target and all enemies within 8 yards. Ignores any target under the effect of a spell that is cancelled by taking damage.
Ebon Plaguebringer - Rank 3/3
Your Crypt Fever morphs into Ebon Plague, which increases magic damage taken by 13% in addition to increasing disease damage taken. Improves your critical strike chance with weapons and spells by 3% at all times.
Scourge Strike - Rank 1/1
An unholy strike that deals 45% of weapon damage as Shadow damage plus 357.188, total damage increased 11% per each of your diseases on the target.
Rage of Rivendare - Rank 5/5
Your spells and abilities deal 10% more damage to targets infected with Blood Plague. Also increases your expertise by 5.
Summon Gargoyle - Rank 1/1
A Gargoyle flies into the area and bombards the target with Nature damage modified by the Death Knight's attack power. Persists for 10 sec plus 1 sec per 3 runic power up to 40 sec.
Glyphs
Glyph of Rune Strike (Major Glyph)
Increases the critical strike chance of your Rune Strike by 10%.
Glyph of Plague Strike (Major Glyph)
Your Plague Strike does 20% additional damage.
Glyph of Pestilence (Minor Glyph)
Increases the radius of your Pestilence effect by 5 yards.
Glyph of Raise Dead (Minor Glyph)
Your Raise Dead spell no longer requires a reagent.
We're invested.