In this article, we explain what the best statistics are for Frost Death Knights (WoW 4.3), how the class benefits from each of them, and what your reforging strategy should be. We also detail what the various caps are and why they should be attained. The statistics priority is important as it influences reforging strategies as well as itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

Make sure to check our Gear Optimisation Guide, which serves as a support guide for this article. The other articles of our Frost Death Knight guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

1. Basics↑top

The stat priority for a Frost Death Knight depends based on whether you choose the dual wielding or the two-handed playstyle.

If you are unsure what the optimal reforging strategies are for these priorities, please refer to the reforging section of our Gear Optimisation Guide.

1.1. Dual Wielding

1. Strength;
2. Hit Rating (until 8% chance to hit);
3. Expertise Rating (until 26);
4. Haste Rating;
5. Mastery Rating;
6. Critical Strike Rating.

1.2. Two-Handed

1. Strength;
2. Hit Rating (until 8% chance to hit);
3. Expertise Rating (until 26);
4. Mastery Rating;
5. Haste Rating;
6. Critical Strike Rating.

2. Getting a Better Understanding↑top

2.1. Statistics Priority

Strength is your most important stat, which provides the most benefit; you should look for this stat in all of your upgrades, as point for point it surpasses any other stat. It provides you with Attack Power.

Hit Rating and Expertise Rating, until their respective caps, are your next best stats. They ensure that your attacks will always land and that you will not waste any resources.

Haste Rating and Mastery Rating have a slightly different position in the priority (as stated above), depending on whether you are dual wielding or using a two-handed weapon.

Haste Rating increases the amount of procs of Killing Machine as well as the amount of procs from the Might of the Frozen Wastes talent (only for two-handed playstyles), as both of these are based on autoattacks.

Mastery Rating increases your Frost damage. Frost damage makes up roughly 40% of your total damage.

Critical Strike Rating increases your chance to critically hit with all spells and abilities. Although critical strikes are useful, this stat falls behind all other secondary stats.

2.2. Hit Cap and Expertise Cap

As with most other melee classes, you will want to reach the Hit and Expertise caps. They are:

• 8% chance to hit
  • for two-handed playstyle
    • 841 Hit Rating for Draenei;
    • 961 Hit Rating for other races;
  • for dual-wielding playstyle (thanks to Nerves of Cold Steel)
    • 481 Hit Rating for Draenei;
    • 601 Hit Rating for other races;
• 26 expertise or 781 Expertise Rating (for both dual-wielding and two-handed playstyles). Some races, thanks to their racial traits, only need to reach 691 Expertise Rating, in certain cases:
  • Dwarves, if they are only using maces, thanks to Mace Specialization;
  • Humans, unless they are using an axe, thanks to Sword Specialization and Mace Specialization;
  • Gnomes, if they are dual-wielding swords, thanks to Shortblade Specialization;
  • Orcs, if they are only using axes, thanks to Axe Specialization.

In the dual-wielding playstyle, additional Hit Rating as a minor benefit, reducing the chance that your autoattacks will miss. The value of this, however, is very small and you should never aim for excess Hit Rating.