My 4x Frost DK / Paladin Setup - Based on DK Manifesto

[Ualaa]

Last Update: 28th January, 2012.

This is my set up, or interpretation of the two DK Manifesto's made by Mosg2.
Credit for discovery of the team, and a large amount of the "mechanics" belong to Mosg2.

Any suggestions for improvements are very welcome.

The PvE Manifesto was first and is a base point; the PvP Manifesto builds off of and refines the PvE version.
PvE - www dot dual-boxing dot com/showthread.php?t=33087
PvP - www dot dual-boxing dot com/showthread.php?t=34317

Another take on this - Negative1337's setup: www dot dual-boxing dot com/showthread.php?t=34986


DEATH KNIGHTS:
Prime Glyphs: Frost Strike, Howling Blast, Obliterate
Major Glyphs: Anti-Magic Shell, Hungering Cold and Death Grip.
Minor Glyphs: Blood Tap, Horn of Winter, Resilient Grip

DK Talents: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#jbhZGIorfzRdfzb:Mam0cq0Mm

DK Gems
- Blue Sockets: Stormy Ocean Sapphire (+50 Spell Penetration) [Note: Only socket three of these]
- Yellow Sockets: Resplendent Ember Topaz (+20 Strength & 20 Resiliency)
- Red Sockets: Bold Inferno Ruby (+40 Strength)

DK Enchants
- Helm (PvP Arcanum, 1,000 Honor)
- Shoulders (PvP Inscription, 2,000 Honor)
- Cloak: Greater Spell Piercing (70 Spell Penetration)
- Chest: Mighty Resilience (40 Resilience)
- Bracers: ??? (50 Strength)
- Gauntlets: Exceptional Strength (35 Str)
- Belt: Extra Socket (40 Res)
- Legs: Dragonscale Leg Armor (190 AP & 55 Crit)
- Boots: ??? (50 Mastery)
- Main Weapon: Rune of the Fallen Crusader (Chance for 3% Heal and 15% Strength increase)
- Off-Hand Weapon: Razorice (2% extra Weapon Damage, taken as Frost Damage; increases enemies vulnerability to Frost Damage).

DK Stat Priority:
5% Hit > 195+ Spell Penetration > Str > Mastery > Haste > Crit
Reforges: Everything to Mastery, but stay hit capped for Specials vs level 85's.

Weapons:
- Dual-Wielding is higher raw DPS than a big 2-Hander (Battlegrounds); a 2-Hander is larger Obliterate/Necrotic strikes (Arena).
- They will play in Unholy Presence.
- Crucible of Carnage (Cataclysm's Ring of Blood Equivalent) offers iLV 333 weaponry.
- You can also purchase up to iLV 346 weaponry on the Auction House.
- Conquest Points each week (for three weeks) should be a priority for the iLV 359 weapons.



Round-Robin's (Round-Robin within Target Group -- which is an Action Target Group with all four DK's in it)
- Blood Boil (especially good with a spread out macro), for pulling stealth classes out of stealth.
- Death Grip (also sends Outbreak to the other DK's)
- Death & Decay (1x Unholy Rune) & Blood Boil (1x Blood Rune), for stealth classes.
- Hungering Cold (for crowd control)
- Strangulate (see below)



Some keys are broadcast to the DK's only.
Most of these are Repeater Regions too, allowing for clicking.
For these, on the same keybinding I have a blank macro on the healer (Paladin), which has an icon as similar as possible.
- Army of the Dead (vs masses of enemies)
- Dark Simulacrum
- Death and Decay (x4 for mass AoE)
- Defensive Cooldowns
- Path of Frost & Cancel Aura - Path of Frost
- Raise Dead (ghoul pets)
- Runic Empowerment (refreshes all runes)
- Set Focus (for Strangulate)

Defensive Cooldowns are:
DK's - Anti-Magic Shell (damage reduction, and prevents the application of any spell with a debuff icon)
DK's - Icebound Fortitude (stun break and stun immunity)
DK's - Lichborne + Escape Artist macro (fear, sleep, charm break & immunity, plus racial root break; DK's 2nd trinket)
DK's - Pillar of Frost (knockback immunity)
Pal - Bubble (protection vs almost everything)
Pal - Hand of Protection (50% physical resistance, use after Forbearance fades while bubble is still on cooldown)
Pal - Lay on Hands (3rd Forberance triggering abiilty)
Both - DK's Trinket & Paladin uses Human racial.
I use AMS very frequently and PoF when going for Shammies or battling near edges.
The others more situationally; I might benefit from separating Pally and DK's trinket keybinds.



Strangulate
Based on two mapped keys.
Setting Focus (DK's A & B, on press 1; DK's C & D, on press 2).
Strangulate at Focus (DK's A & C, on Press 1; DK's B & D, on press 2).
Effect -- Two different targets are focused, both are Strangulated on the first press, and both are Strangulated on the second press.
Video Link: http://www.twitch.tv/ualaa/b/306942141



I have three "Spam" DPS Sequences for the DK's.

I have created a mapped key, for each of the DK's moves.
Because they're mapped keys, they can be individually enabled/disabled via a Keymap Action > Mapped Key State Action.
(I have a toggle to enable/disable my Death Coil; it is very nice to use when opponents are out of melee range, but is far less damage than Frost Strike).

Mapped Key: Keybind Name
Hotkey: None
Step 1: Action > Keystroke Action > Send Keybind to Warcraft

Then go with Spam "x" Release:
- Action > Do Mapped Key Action > Keybind One Name > Target: Group (all of) DK's [The DK Action Target Group]
- Action > Do Mapped Key Action > Keybind Two Name > Target: Group (all of) DK's
- Action > Do Mapped Key Action > Keybind Three Name > Target: Group (all of) DK's
- Etc



Here are my three spam keys:

Spam "1" (Press)
- Slaves assist the Master
- Do Mapped Key - Mind Freeze - All DK's
- Do Mapped Key > DK Howling Blast > Target: The DK (Action Target Group).
- Sends IWT to toons in the Melee Group.

Spam "1" (Release)
- Do Mapped Key > DK Howling Blast > Target: The DK (ATG)
- Do Mapped Key > DK Frost Strike > Target: The DK (ATG)
- Do Mapped Key > DK Necrotic Strike > Target: The DK (ATG)
- Do Mapped Key > DK Death Coil > Target: The DK (ATG)
[Note: Howling Blast is the sole ability called on Key Down; on Key Up, each ability has an equal chance to be called].

Spam "2" (Press)
- Slaves assist the Master
- Do Mapped Key > Mind Freeze > Target: DK (ATG)
- Do Mapped Key >DK Obliterate > Target: DK (ATG)
- Sends IWT to toons in the Melee Group.

Spam "2" (Release)
- Do Mapped Key > DK Oblierate > Target: DK (ATG)
- Do Mapped Key > DK Frost Strike > Target: DK (ATG)

Spam "3" (Press)
- Slaves assist the Master
- Do Mapped Key - Mind Freeze - All DK's
- Sends the keybind for Death Strike to the DK's.
- Sends IWT to toons in the Melee Group.

Spam "3" (Release)
- Sends the keybind for Death Strike to the DK's.
- Sends the keybind for Frost Strike to the DK's

Mind Freeze (Mapped Key)
Four Steps
Do not advance to next step for 2.6 seconds
Sends Mind Freeze keybind to one DK on each step.

As of 4.1, Blood of the North has changed Blood Runes into Death Runes (which count as Blood, Frost or Unholy Runes); as of this change, Blood Strike has been removed from the sequence.
Meaning either an extra Frost & Unholy rune every 10 seconds or an extra two of one of those.
IE: +1 Obliterate/Death Strike or +1 Necrotic Strike & +1 Howling Blast or +2 Necrotic Strikes/Howling Blasts every 10 seconds.

[Ualaa]

PALADIN
Prime Glyphs: Divine Favor, Holy Shock, Seal of Light.
Major Glyphs: Beacon of Light, Cleansing, Divine Plea.
Minor Glyphs: Kings, Might, Insight

Paladin Talents: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#scIbdr...Zf0M:maVkfrMzc
If you will "manage" your Paladin's use of Holy Power, definitely consider Tower of Radiance & Blessed Life; I would rather concentrate on targeting and the DK's cooldowns and leave my use of Holy Power entirely controlled by the two Paladin macros.
Points in Blazing Light and Denounce are optional and can be moved elsewhere.

Pally Gems:
- Red & Blue Sockets: Purified Demonseye (20 Int & 20 Spt)
- Yellow Sockets: Mystic Amberjewel (+40 Resilience)

Pally Enchants
- Helm: PvP Arcanum (60 Int & 35 Res)
- Shoulders: PvP Inscription (2,000 Honor)
- Cloak: Greater Intellect (50 Int)
- Chest: Mighty Resilience (40 Res) or (40 Spt)
- Bracers: Exceptional Spirit (50 Spt)
- Gauntlets: Haste (50 Haste)
- Belt: Extra Socket (40 Res)
- Legs: Powerful Enchanted Spellthread (95 Int & 80 Sta) or (95 Int & 50 Spt)
- Main: Heartsong (+200 Spirit for 15 seconds)
- Shield: Superior Intellect (40 Int)

Pally Stat Priority:
Spirit > Haste > Crit > Mastery



For each of the DK "Spam" sequences, the Pally receives "1" on press and "2" on release... which does nothing, unless a focus is set.

Pally 1:
/castsequence [@focus,nodead] Flash of Light, Flash of Light
/cast [@focus,nodead] Holy Shock

Pally 2:
/castsequence [@focus,nodead] Holy Shock, Holy Shock, Holy Shock, Word of Glory

If a focus is set, then alternating/spamming 1 & 2, will result in mindless healing of the focus target.
I have keys to Focus each DK or the Pally, to focus my current target and to clear focus.



The Paladin has one key for healing, for healing those outside of the group (Flash of Light).
And an assortment of click based (mouse buttons, with or without modifiers) heals.
The most used are:
- Flash of Light (Left Click, Grid Frame only)
- Divine Light (Right Click, Grid Frame only)
- Cleanse (Mouse Thumb Button 2; Button 1 is Slaves Follow the Master)


I've added a pair of Clique bindings for setting/clearing focus.
I'm using Scroll Wheel Up (Set Focus) and Scroll Wheel Down (Clear Focus).

Open the spellbook.
Click the bottom icon on the spellbook, to enter Clique binding mode.
Click the second button, "Bind Other".
Select, "Run Custom Macro".
You need to include [target=mouseover] for these to work.

Bind: Scroll Wheel Up
/focus [target=mouseover]

Bind: Scroll Wheel Down
/clearfocus [target=mouseover]

Mouse over healing is my main healing method.
I do have a Repeater Region, going to the Pally only, over my portion of Grid (my team is column one always).
The Pally also has Focus based heals.



The Paladin has a "Big Button" for "God Mode":
/Cast Divine Favor
/Cast Avenging Wrath
/Cast Aura Mastery
/Cast Divine Protection
/Cast Guardian of Ancient Kings
/Use 13
/Use 14

I have a second "Big Button", which is everything except Aura Mastery.
And then have a separate key for Aura Mastery alone.
This spreads the "specials" out a little.
Plus, now that Hungering Cold has a cast time, its nice to have Aura Mastery (Concentration Aura) prevent that from being interrupted.




The Pally also has keybinds for:
- Divine Plea (mana)
- Hammer of Justice (stun)
- Holy Radiance (AoE Healing)
- Self Bubble
- Hand of Protection (@player... secondary bubble)
- Lay on Hands



For Click healing, I use:
Grid + Grid Custom Layouts + Clique

My Custom Layout:
ToonA,ToonB,ToonC,ToonD,ToonE;NAME
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8;5/8;NAME;NR

In greater detail:
www dot dual-boxing dot com/showpost....70&postcount=6



Macros/Tactics:

An Opening Move
1. Death Grip everyone into range
-- DK A = /cast [@arena1] deathgrip
-- DK B = /cast [@arena2] deathgrip
-- DK C = /cast [@arena3] deathgrip
-- DK D = /cast [@arena4] deathgrip
2. Howling Blast x2
3. Hungering Cold
4. Focus Fire, Arena5; Howling Blast if at range or Obliterate if close.
5. Hungering Cold, when Arena 1-4 trinket to save Arena 5.
6. Runic Empowerment and Obliterate/Frost Strike spam on Arena 5.

Dual Healers
1. Focus on a hard to kill opponent.
2. When both healers are low on mana, Death Grip them both into the kill zone.
3. Mix HB and OBL, and use Runic Empowerment for extra pressure.
4. Try to put out lots of damage, so the Healers have to pressure heal with fast and inefficient heals.

Target Swap
1. Switch from one target to another, applying pressure/damage to use their healer's mana.
2. Once they're low on mana, swap from one weak opponent to another and burst the new target.
3. One of the two will probably be an easy target.

Dark Simulacrum, Part I (Aquisition)
a. Either build this into your spam macro, so you use it often; or
b. Pressure a healer at some point in the match and use it when you feel they will use a special power or die

Dark Simulacrum, Part II (Use)
a. Create an oversized button, with Dark Sim on it and click this (Repeater Region suggested) when you get a nice ability.
b. Have a macro, where each DK casts Dark Sim by Arena Number, to place a CC effect on several opponents at once.
c. Cast the Dark Sim effect at your current target.
d. Have each DK do the Dark Sim spell at themselves.
Obviously, what you do with the ability really depends on what you get with it.

Strangulate Macro
#showtooltip Strangulate
/cast Blood Tap
/cast [@focus, exists, nodead] Strangulate

DK buff macro:
#show Horn of Winter
/castsequence reset=9 Horn of Winter, Null

Pally buff macro:
#show Beacon of Light
/castsequence [@player] reset=9 Beacon of Light, Seal of Insight, Blessing of Kings (Arena) (or Blessing of Might (Battlegrounds))

[Tim]

I'm following what you are saying about the 4x DK 1x Pally group very, very close, plus there are a few people following my setup.

So it sort of is Mosq (sp?) --> Ualaa --> Tim --> Tons others

For the DK method

[Ualaa]

Blood Spec (PvE)
I'll refine this a bit over time, someone was asking about spec/macros...



For PvE, it depends on what you're doing.

For questing, I'd run in Frost spec and play the same as PvP.
You'll kill 3x faster then running the team as Blood spec, which is faster experience per hour.
You could likely run normal instances in Frost spec too, but Blood spec (dual-spec, likely) is an option.



For heroics, I would run them all in Blood.
Honestly, even for dungeons (that are appropriate for my level) I would likely go all Blood, for the ease.

If your healer is a Priest, Druid or Shaman, you'll have a fair amount of AoE healing.

A Paladin has Holy Radiance for 10 seconds of limited AoE healing every 30 seconds, and the fairly useless last talent point in Holy which is a Frontal Cone of healing; most Holy Pallies skip this talent, but it is an option.

With a Paladin healer, I would definitely run 4x Blood DK's.
With any other healer, you could likely run 1x Blood (Tank), 3x Frost (DPS), 1x Healer.



If you only have PvP gear, some heroics have been conquered with this team in 4x Blood spec (this is in 4.0.6, so not by outgearing them with superior gear from later raids etc).
So you should be able to do a lot, despite your Resilience stat getting you nothing at all.

First off, you'll be better off with two one-hander weapons, for additional Blood Worms, which provide passive healing.
A big nasty two-hander will certainly work, especially if you have something much better than your one-handers; a pair of one-handers is worth investing in, even if gradually.

Blood Presence, not Unholy.

This is the most popular talent spec for a raiding Blood DK: Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
It won't be a bad place to start with for spec.

Prime Glyphs:
- Death Strike
- Heart Strike
- Rune Strike

Major Glyphs:
- Rune Tap
- Two Others

Minor Glyphs:
- Blood Tap
- Horn of Winter
- One More



Rune Tap every 30 seconds or so.
This is party wide healing, for around a quarter of their health.

There might be a tanking rotation macro that is better, but I would likely start with:

/castsequence reset=combat Heart Strike, Death Strike
/cast Rune Strike

That is all three runes, across two abilities.
Heart Strike hits up to three targets.
Death Strike heals for a percentage of the damage taken recently.
Rune Strike is your Runic Power Dump for Blood spec, and extra threat.
I don't see the healer taking threat over a DK, and with four tanks you don't really care which has threat.

Possibly Round-robin the DK Taunt ability.
So you bounce threat from one to another, if you face something difficult and are slower in killing it (4x Tanks will be slower than 1x Tank + 3x DPS).

[Squiggoth]

One thing -- I would change both Mogs videos to be PVP centric, there was 0 PVE info on the first video.

[Ualaa]

Originally Posted by Squiggoth

One thing -- I would change both Mogs videos to be PVP centric, there was 0 PVE info on the first video.

Done.

On the other site, the first thread was in the General forum, is 50+ pages long, and had a fair bit of PvE/Heroic discussion in it, even if the focus was PvP.

The second thread is in the PvP specific forum, and is entirely PvP focused.

[Squiggoth]

Anyway, Ualaa, thank you, a ton, I hope to have my duders doing the mogs/ualaa thing in no time. I appreciate all your hard work -- you have been a champion of the hobby since I started boxing and I appreciate it.

[Lprkorngod]

guys, might a stupid question, but when changing your target in a PVE scenario, do you select it with your mouse then hit IWT before hitting your DPS key? or do you have like a select nearest target key?

hope that makes sense!

[Ualaa]

Some drive this team with one of the DK's, some drive with the healer.

Either way, you target with either the mouse or the Tab key.
It is a preference, but the mouse is precise... but might be busy with frantic healing too.

Once you have a target selected, you can press the DPS or the IWT in whatever order you like.
If your software will send both at once, that might be ideal.
Nothing stops you from having IWT on "~" (tilde, to the left one the "1" key) and your DPS sequence on "1", and pressing both together.

If the dps can fire off (Howling Blast, or another ranged power) it will.
If it cannot fire off, it won't.
If it is part of a castsequence either it fired off, or it could not and the sequence has not advanced.

[Drarkan]

How do you get your DK's to run to the target when you hit IWT other than pushing them forward with a movement key