Death Knight · DPS · MoP Classic 5.4.8

MoP Classic P5 Unholy Death Knight Guide

Keep diseases and pet active, convert Death Coil into Dark Transformation uptime, and save snapshot windows for Summon Gargoyle.

Core resource:Runes · Runic Power

Core Rotation

Maintain both diseases, extend diseases with Festering Strike, consume Unholy runes with Scourge Strike.
Death Coil both prevents runic power overflow and stacks Shadow Infusion; use Dark Transformation as soon as you reach 5 stacks.
Before summoning Gargoyle, stack strength/haste buffs; during burst, use Empower Rune Weapon to replenish resources.

Disease：Frost Fever and Blood Plague are the foundation of sustained damage and the Scourge Strike system; Festering Strike extends rather than just adds damage.
Dark Transformation：Death Coil stacks Shadow Infusion, empowering the ghoul at 5 stacks. Uptime depends on runic power cycling and not wasting stacks before phase transitions.
Gargoyle Snapshot：Strength, haste, and external buffs at summon time determine the entire summon's quality; this is the spec's most important burst check.

-6 to -4 sec｜Pre-cast Army of the Dead per raid plan：Avoid long channels and first GCDs after the pull.
-2 sec｜Potion; apply both diseases during burst：Get potion benefit from the first tick and reduce ramp-up.
0–3 sec｜Summon Gargoyle (after confirming trinket/strength procs)：Lock the highest-quality summon snapshot.
Afterwards｜Festering Strike stabilizes diseases; Scourge Strike spends Unholy runes.：Establish a sustainable rune structure.
High Runic Power｜Consecutive Death Coils; at 5 stacks immediately use Dark Transformation：Prevents overhealing and starts first pet coverage early.

Don't miss potion, trinket, and raid buff snapshots before Gargoyle.
When switching, first judge target lifespan; don't waste full disease application on soon-to-die adds.
Dark Transformation uptime, ghoul attack downtime, and Shadow Infusion overflow.
Buffs active when Gargoyle is summoned, and disease uptime gaps.