DK build advice :)

Dcully

Great idea Nix, i never thought of that,im exalted with a few.
Ive 3 epic tanking items in the bank, chest,boots,wrist,looking at rep rewards on wow loot just now i reckon i can buy a few more from them so not a bad start.
I also go the 1 handed tanking sword from heroic UP the other day,not sure if i should get a blue sword to dual wield or use the skull clad cleaver 2 handed axe i got from heroic HOL
Now i must look into tanking specs, final question,are there specific builds for dual wield tanking and 2 hander tanking?

edit :

hmm just bought any tanking items i could from rep vendors with + def but with these and the odd tanking item in bank the best i can do is 467 def rating, not enough for heroics i feel?

nix

Pretty sure the heroic requirement is 450, and 540 for 25mans.

Been awhile since i tanked so a bit hazey.

EDIT: its 540, sec ill check your armoury

Darr3nG

wowwiki wrote:

Critical Hit immunity for a level 80 player against a raid boss occurs at 540 Defense and requires a defense skill of 140 (689 +def rating) from gear to achieve. The defense cap for heroic dungeons is 535 Defense.

I didn't find it too hard to reach 540 with crafted gear and instance rewards / drops.

http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Aggramar&n=eabha%C3%ADn

Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle makes it alot easier!

Nehaxak

Yeah it's 540 and the more the merrier as it up's the rest of your avoidance stats also plus gives you a little room for movement of gear if for instance you get a nice bit of gear with other high avoidance stats but no +def on it but 540 anyway, don't go below it.

My own tanking gear is a mix of blacksmithing gear, gear from offspec rolls in naxx and, eh, yeah that's it Enough to make exactly 540 Def and 31k HP unbuffed with a ton of armour and nice parry/dodge stats. Obsidian Sanctum (normal or heroic) is a good place to practice your tanking as a DK. Use a 2hander, don't DW if you can help it.
I put the gargoyle enchant on the blacksmithing 2h mace and it suits me fine to make up the +def. I just tank OS and Naxx when I'm bored and heroics if I'm really bored. I can take all the hateful strikes from Patchwerk in Naxx 10 without any problems as blood spec in the basic tanking gear I have, mostly because the other tanks usually can't take aggro from me anyway. Just got to watch out for your blood runes, try to time their availability if for instance you're planning on popping Vampiric Blood to give the healers a little break.
Rune power though, geez, always have tons of it all the time when tanking and I'd put that down to points in Scent of Blood, great talent.

Once you get 540 Def and at least 30k HP unbuffed, do a couple of Naxx 10 pugs, Main Tank or Offtank, whichever you're comfortable with - you'll get good improvements on your gear from there for tanking.
Maybe offtank for a while with an experienced main tank and learn from them as if you have the gear, ability and skill then it's just a matter of confidence and enjoying it. Very rewarding though to tank and I envy main tanks who keep at it. As DPS you just hit stuff, not an awful lot to it, as a tank you're whole raid is depending on you being great.

Dcully

Right i have def to 511 now after enchanting my heroes chest and getting two crafted blues on ah.

advice taken from http://www.bacclor.com/blog/?p=938

Need to get a couple more pieces from ah and ill be close to 540.

nix

Have you runeforge stoneskin gargoyle onto your 2h?

I could give you some pointers if you updated your armoury to show your tank gear :P

Dcully

How do i update it, i thought it auto updated.
Yeah ive done runeforge stoneskin gargoyle

Nehaxak

Had a look at your profile, honestly not too bad for a start.
Easy upgrades for you are the blacksmithing tanking helm and tanking neck from emblems. Think that should bring you pretty close to the 540.

Dcully

Yeah ive jsut gone dual spec ,blood dps/ frost tank.
I have 39 badges so one more for the badge tanking waist,ill dps heroics for more badges.

nix

dont waste bades on the tank belt, get one from heroic, think it drops in AN

Nehaxak

Yep as Nix says, get that one instead. Think that's the one I have myself for tanking with.