gnomeDK – Your Pink Haired Guide to All Things Death Knight

I was hoping two handed weapon itemization from Northrend quests would change as beta testing progressed, but going by the info on Wowhead’s WotLK section it looks like the bigger weapons were itemized as intended when I went through the quests in beta. The itemization issue I ran into was two handed axes grossly out performed two handed swords for death knights. I prefer swords to axes (for esthetics) and I’ll be using swords through Outland. However the best quest reward weapons in Northrend are all axes, which puts a crimp in my esthetics. More importantly it means we all need to be prepared to change weapon types and that means being skilled up before Northrend.

Axe of Frozen Death can be picked up within a couple of hours in Borean Tundrea. It is an instant upgrade over any Outland or early Northrend weapon. The first sword to compete with it is Liberator’s Blade from Grizzly Hills, several zones later. The first sword to be clear upgrade over the axe is The Argent Resolve from Icecrown. However before you reach Icecrown you should pick up De-Raged Waraxe from Zul’Drak, which beats out every quest reward two hander on the continent.

Clearly those of us sticking with two handed weapons will be using axes all through Northrend, which means keeping axes skilled up. The best way to do this is to train up axes as you level, switching out to an axe to get 4-5 skill points before switching back to your main weapon. This is annoying, but much less so than trying to catch up 65 skill points while facing mobs at or over your level (trust me, I did the later and it sucked). So in addition to the sword upgrades I have planned I also need some decent axes available for the skill ups. Here is my planned upgrade path.

Level 58

Greatsword of the Ebon Blade – Main Weapon
[Arcanite Reaper] – Skill Up Weapon
An Arcanite Reaper may not be easy or cheap for you to have crafted. If so then pick up any green level 58-60 axe you can from the AH.

Level 60

[Blade of Misfortune] – Main Weapon
Buy it now from the AH, costs ~100 gold. If you can’t get it pick up [Helboar Carving Blade] from Hellfire Peninsula.

Level 65

[Adamantite Cleaver] – Skill Up Weapon
Easy and cheap to get made and will last you until you get your good axe in Northrend.

Level 66

[Halaani Claymore] (Alliance) or [Arkadian Claymore] (Horde) – Main Weapon
Vendor purchase from Halaa, when your faction has control of the town.

There is one good axe fairly easy to get in Outland, it actually beats out all of the swords: [Honed Voidaxe]. However it requires a group to get, which isn’t viable for everyone.