World of Warcraft

Blizzard Changes Death Knight Talent Trees

It appears as if Blizzard has updated the official Death Knight page on the Wrath of the Lich King website.

The major changes are to the Death Knight's talent trees. There's no longer a heavy focus on tanking in one specific tree; instead, each tree will be capable of offering a different flavor of DPS capability as well as tanking ability.

This seems like an excellent decision on Blizzard's part, as it means that for one of the first times ever, players truly are capable of choosing whichever talent spec they prefer, and are still able to perform each role their class is designed for.

Is this a hint at the future for World of Warcraft's other classes? It's hard to say, as Wrath of the Lich King is still in very early Alpha, but the changes to the Death Knight talents are definitely a step in the right direction.

Here's what the old page said:

Death Knight Talents -- Original Description

And the new description for each tree:

  • Blood: Talents in this tree focus on weapons, armor, and strikes.
  • Frost: Talents in this tree focus on control, counters, and combos.
  • Unholy: Talents in this tree focus on spells, summons, and diseases.

As you can see, none of them really mention a specific role -- each offers its own flavor on playing the class instead -- allowing the player to both tank and dish out DPS effectively, regardless of their talent spec.

What are your thoughts on this new direction with the class?

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  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    My main is a Warlock, Unholy sounds interesting :-D

  • dimnort said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    i liked the previous explanations...

  • Paygan said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    I think they need to release more then one class, give people a choice, but that will never happen.

  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    Myself, I'd like ye olde talents trees that focus. I don't want to be forced to tank no matter my spec, I want to be able to pump out more DPS and PvP. It sounds like fun to kill some undead, and then turn him into my ghoul X3 Getting them back for chewing on my brain.

  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    I prefer it, the new direction that is. Class viability is all too often focused on a single, "perfect" spec, and to sway outside of that is blasphemy. With this sort of move, it seems that Blizzard is trying to bring the focus away from spec viability and instead turn it into overall class viability.

  • Seiketi said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    Good job blizzard, something that seems like a good idea in writing. Now lets see how what they actually do with it. And while your at it, Fix Resliance.. that really ruined the game.

  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    i think it is very cool, however, i just want this new class. so i wish they would stop changing it, and just get on with it. other than that thought i can't wait the death knight is sounding better and better each day.

  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    Looks good. IAS better be on the 20+ side of the Unholy tree or Death Knight is going to bump the Rogue class.

  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    I feel like Blizz will find a way to make sure that though Death Knights are a "Hero" class, they don't entirely overshadow every other class in the game. This seems to be a step in that direction.

  • Dayon said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    The only problem I have with the Deathknights as of now are how they aren't planning any racial restrictions. I think it should just be one for Alliance, one for the Horde, but I won't mention which. This isn't a thread for that kind of discussion.

  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    I think this is a step in the right direction. It looks like there will be less of a chance of the DKs getting forced into "cookie cutter" builds that plague WoW currently.

  • Roganzar said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    The more that I read on the Death Knights, the more I'm looking forward to playing with the class and seeing what it can do. Seriously, the ghoul-ing opposing players on BGs is just insult to injury.
    By the way, if there is no race requirement then, TAUREN DEATH KNIGHT FTW!

  • 28117 said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    i think its gunna be awsome cause u only have to get to lvl 55 to start a Death Night and ur Death Night starts at 55 to or so the we-site says http://www.worldofwarcraft.com

  • curuTH said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    Dunno where its being said about being early in alpha stage, it is very near its end of alpha if not at the end from my sources as most class updates are finished, most instances and terrains are finished, the area under Kara is now populated with terrain and is finished as is the nexus at Naxxramus...

    Expect open beta to be sooner rather than later. I had this when I was closed and open tester for Lord of the Ring's Online, some ppl at Blizzard are keeping their cards close to their chest as to how far this is ready to go.

    Looking at the comments below, I don't agree with the "fix resilience" thing one bit, resilience is a superb addition to defence and no main tank in the areas between tanking Kara thru to MH will turn away from a bit of resilience to top off the uncrits and uncrushables, people seem to understand resilience poorly and even our clothies are feeling its benefit against Moroes Garrote, surviving longer, buying time for the pallies to cleanse them. Resilence is just that, making the player harder to kill, not just in PvP but anywhere in Warcraft, it would be a fatal mistake for Blizzard to remove that stat imho.

  • OMally said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    Fantastic idea! I'm tired of seeing cookie cutter specs. IMHO most classes should get a talent tree overhaul, make it more personal to a player rather then typing "good spec for holy priest" or something similar into Google. But wotlk is only in alpha, so it could happen, i guess we'll see "soon".

  • Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    i thought it was going to be great for pvpers, but now i think its gonna be weak in pvp. just becouse of blood.

  • Gazrella said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    I think its a great idea, I look forward to being able to play with it. I cant wait its a brilliant idea, and I agree with Curu about lich king.

  • Strawb said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    GG Blizzard. Really looking forward to trying out the different specs with this class. Especially with these changes. I had already planned on going full Blood-spec, but it seems I can change it around a bit now.

    Gief open beta!

  • skorn said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:16 AM ()

    So the DK won't have the increased threat and dmg mitigation anymore for tanking? :/

  • OMally said 
    Wed, Jun 4 2008 2:15 AM ()

    Don't you think it would be a tad ridiculous if they expected a DK to tank without either of those?....

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