WoW The War Within: Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree

We will be taking a look at an upcoming hero talent tree for the Frost/Unholy specialization Death Knight in the upcoming World of Warcraft The War Within expansion

WoW The War Within: Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree
Blizzard

Blizzard has shown another set of brand new hero talent trees that will be coming in the next World of Warcraft expansion- The War Within. We will be taking a look as this hero talent tree will be centered around Frost and Unholy Death Knights so we will see how much the gameplay will be impacted.

Blizzard has set a lot of high expectations following their reveal of the three next expansions that will be rolled out over the following years. Although the concepts and ideas behind these hero talent trees share similarities with features from previous expansions, it is exciting to see how this will be integrated into retail WoW.

WoW The War Within Hero Talent Tree Death Knight Rider of the Apocalypse
Blizzard

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WoW The War Within: Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree

Since there is a lot to cover in the initial Hero Talent tree, we will be separately examining all of the nodes so we can get a better understanding of the core concepts.

WoW The War Within Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree

Rider of the Apocalypse Keystone

Rider’s Champion: Spending Runes has a chance to call forth the aid of a Horseman for 10 seconds.

  • Mograine: Casts Death and Decay at his location that follows his position.
  • Whitemane: Casts Undeath on your target dealing Shadowfrost damage per stack every 3 seconds for 24 seconds. Each time Undeath deals damage it gains a stack. Cannot be Refreshed.
  • Trollbane: Casts Chains of Ice on your target slowing their movement speed by 70% and increasing the damage they take from you by 5% for 8 seconds.
  • Nazgrim: While Nazgrim is active you gain Apocalyptic Conquest, increasing your Strength by 5%
WoW The War Within Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree

Rider of the Apocalypse Row 1

Choice Node: 

  • On a Paler Horse: While outdoors you are able to mount your Acherus Deathcharger in combat.
  • Death Charge: Call upon your Death Charger to break free of movement impairment effects. For 10 seconds. While upon your Death Charger your movement speed is increased by 100%, you cannot be slowed, and you are immune to forced movement effects and knockbacks.

Mograine’s Might: Your damage is increased by 5% and you gain the benefits of your Death and Decay while inside Mograine’s Death and Decay.

Choice Node: 

  • Horsemen's Aid: While at your aid, the Horsemen will occasionally cast Anti-Magic Shell on you and themselves at 80% effectiveness. 
  • Pact of the Apocalypse: When you take damage 5% of the damage is redirected to each active horseman.

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WoW The War Within Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree

Rider of the Apocalypse Row 2

 

Whitemane's Famine: When your diseases deal damage to an enemy affected by Undeath it gains another stack. Additionally, when Undeath deals damage, it infects another nearby enemy.

Nazgrim's Conquest: If an enemy dies while Nazgrim is active, the strength of Apocalyptic Conquest is increased by 3%. Additionally, each Rune you spend increases its value by 1%.

Trollbane's Icy Fury: When you Obliterate or Scourge Strike a target affected by Trollbane's Chains of Ice, it shatters dealing  Shadowfrost damage to nearby enemies and slows them by 40% for 4 seconds.

WoW The War Within Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree

Rider of the Apocalypse Row 3

 

Hungering Thirst: The damage of your diseases, Frost Strike, and Death Coil are increased by 15%.

Choice Node: 

  • Fury of the Horsemen: Every 50 Runic Power you spend extends the duration of the Horsemen's aid in combat by 1 second, up to 5 seconds.
  • A Feast of Souls: While you have 2 or more Horsemen aiding you, your Runic Power spending abilities deal 20% increased damage and have 10% chance to refund a Rune.

Mawsworn Menace: The cooldown of your Horn of Winter and Unholy Blight is reduced by 15 seconds and Death and Decay is reduced by 10 seconds.

WoW The War Within Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight Hero Talent Tree

Rider of the Apocalypse Capstone

 

Apocalypse Now: Army of the Dead and Frostwyrm's Fury call upon all 4 Horsemen to aid you for 20 seconds.

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Summary

Overall, these are some very interesting design choices behind making Frost and Unholy Death Knights not only stronger damage-wise, but also give them a lot more mobility.

As more is being revealed regarding the newest World of Warcraft Expansion: The War Within, we are slowly starting to see just how much the scales have changed for Retail WoW. Here is the entire Hero Talent Tree as presented in the most recent blue post.

WoW The War Within Hero Talent Tree Death Knight Rider of the Apocalypse
Blizzard

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