Frost death knights wield two one-handed swords and can be on top of the charts on single target DPS on some fights. In high mobility fights it can prove to be a challenge to maintain that DPS. Two hand is not viable on this expansion.
Stats for Frost Death Knight Wotlk
Stat priority
5% Soft hit cap > 21 Expertise > 1400 ARP > Strength > 11% Hard hit cap > Haste > Crit
Note: Races with weapon expertise increase require 5 less expertise and the itemization is different for BIS.
Frost Death Knight Stats Overview
Hit Cap
Melee hit cap is 8%, with [Nerves of Cold Steel] gives 3%, so the total amount for the soft hit cap is 5%. For a caster the hit cap is 17% plus 3% with [Virulence] and 3% from other classes debuffs, so 11% to hit with spells, this concerns mostly the spells, so comes after soft hit cap, expertise, Armor penetration, and Strength.
Expertise
Expertise lowers the chance of getting dodged or parried. Has a melee class 26 expertise is the soft cap, with [Thundra Stalker] giving 5 expertise the total amount needed is 21 expertise.
Armor penetration (ARP)
Armor penetration is one of the most beneficial stats, it can ignore armor and after 400 armor penetration it gives the highest DPS boost, that’s why after this threshold all gems should be Armor penetration. Most people will gem for Strength bellow 400 and armor penetration above, depending on the gear available.
Strength
The best stat when you are bellow 400 ARP and hit/expertise capped. It increases attack power.
Haste
Haste reduces the global cooldown by a small amount and increases the speed of the attacks.
Critical Strike
Death Knight abilities can do from 200% to 250% increased damage with critical strikes, however, there is already a substantial gain on critical strike from the talents, making critical strike less dependent on gear.
Stats Breakdown without increasing effects
33 hit rating ≈ 1% to hit
33 expertise rating ≈ 1 expertise
33 haste rating ≈ 1% haste
45 critical chance ≈ 1% critical
1 stamina ≈ 10 Health
1 intellect ≈ 15 mana
1 agility ≈ 1 attack power
1 strength ≈ 2 attack power
1 critical chance ≈ 84 agility
14 Armor Penetration ≈ 1% Armor ignore
