T's Death knight Guide 4.4: Unholy Rotation

DISCLAIMER: This guide is not updated to 3.1 yet. Please be patient.

If you have not done so already, PLEASE read the Basic Combat chapter.

**From this point forward, all calculations are not including Butchery, which almost every talent build, regardless of spec, will include. Honestly, that math is just too complicated, I'll leave that to EJ.

Here's my basic Unholy build.

This is fairly simple, as well.

Phase 1

B B F F U U
RP: 0

Apply Diseases, as normal.

B B F F U U
RP: 25

Dirge grants extra RP.

2 Blood Strikes.

D D F F U U
RP: 45

Reaping grants Death Runes, just like Blood of the North in the Frost rotation.

Unholy's special strike is Scourge Strike.

D D F F U U
RP: 65

Now, it would appear that Obliterate will do more damage than Scourge Strike. However, without Annihilation, Obliterate will consume the diseases. Diseases are more important to Unholy builds than any other, by far. Plus, you will have to burn Runes to reapply them constantly. Scourge Strike, while less damaging, itself, will grant more damage, overall.

Just like the Blood rotation, were going to save RP for Gargoyle.

Phase 2

D D F F U U
RP: 65

We have Epidemic, so diseases do not need to be reapplied. Since we're sitting on a bunch of Runes, the best thing to do with them is use 3 Scourge Strikes.

B B F F U U
RP: 100

At this point, bring out the Gargoyle and repeat the rotation. Unlike Dancing Rune Weapon from Blood, which gains buffs as you do, your Gargoyle only scales with your stats at the time it is summoned, so time your buffs and trinkets accordingly.

Just like DRW, gargoyle has a 3 minute cooldown, so burn RP with Death Coil or Unholy Blight until it's ready to use again. Also, just like Blood, there are fancier rotations out there, but I'm trying to keep things simple.