Hello,
as the title implies I wanted a shield/block character with healing power.
I came up with this Deathknight:
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/pZrPRd62
I suppose I too much lack offensive ability, but count on blitz to lower the ennemy DA.
Also I placed a Seal of the Night on the sword as I have pierce & cold conversion to vitality on Bone harvest. (Not sure if it works as I suppose though: ie. that those pierce/cold damages will be converted).
Note that I probably have none of those items, ok maybe 1 or 2 (must check), so I will probably never reach this. Yet I want to approach it with what I will drop on the go.
Is this build too bad and should I forget it, or does it have potential ?
Also I plan only to play the campaign (not crucible or SR, unless it proves working 
)
Just a quick comment on one aspect: the pierce & cold conversion to vitality is indeed on Bone Harvest, which means it works only with Bone Harvest. That is, all pierce and cold damage done with a Bone Harvest attack will be converted to vitality, whether that pierce/cold damage is innate to the skill or is added to it through e.g., flat damage sources. However, it will not convert damage outside of Bone Harvest attacks. You have several sources of physical to vitality conversion that are not limited to a specific skill - those work globally, with every attack (retaliation damage being the only exception, I think).
If I understand your MC concept, the problem is that if you go too much defense, you take forever to kill and it might get slow and boring. This is a variant that might compromise but still keep most of your desired playstyle:
Forcewave/Bone Harvest Death Knight Blocker
- On defense no significant regen, but plenty of defense and decent block numbers. Targo’s Hammer is fun when mobbed and provides some health leech. and damage. No Stone Form Damage absorb, but mark of torment should cover that issue. (can’t have everything). Ravenous Earth/Decay reduces damage as well. And with Bat attached = more damage and healing.
- On attack, much more damage, much of it from increased Soul Harvest and extra flat damage sources (augments,etc) plus ~2x more %vit bonus. Bone Harvest every 2s for huge AoE spam and Forcewave for downtime spam and more singe attack (also some AoE on this + a bit of crit). The weapon converts everything to one damage type (vit) with FW.
- Unfortunately Resist Reduction is too important to increase damage, so Will of Rattosh is worth getting. Think about it as a 25%+ damage boost while active. It also helps to leech heath against opponents that resist leech.
The suggested build’s resist overcaps are low and could be juggled more through items/components if desired. Or use potions.
If you are self-found, you will have to adapt as you find stuff. Necro skills will be fairly consistent. Some soldier skills might adapt, such as moving to Cadence or including Siphon Souls, etc. BH is pretty central to maintaining damage output.
Hello,
thanks for the advices.
I already started the character and put point in Cadence (+ other skills like reaping strike), so it is a bit late to change too much.
Also having neither tree of life, nor the dryad is a bit too much for me, I’d like to have at least the dryad, by removing the few points in Obelisk of Menhir.
But I like the huge amount of OA and damage improvements you have. I agree on Will of Rattosh (I bet this is the one that allows most of these improvements).
I will think about it.
first, it’s cheap and easy to move point from skills, all you need is Iron. second, if you’re already going into S&B, you can bypass some of those skills as you have lots of options for life leach on attack.
From what I’ve read, cold is not difficult to pull off on a DK, but it’s easier/ more efficient to go Vitality/ Aether.
Depending on what you want your end point to be, depends on how you progress.
Hello,
this is another variant:
I went for will of Rattosh and targo hammer, but kept the dryad.
I did not change the items (or maybe a little), but as I said there is very very small chance I get all of them anyway:
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/pZrP0Y62
This is my current setup (keep in mind I’m in elite), with a taste of the Dryad and it is a true game changer:
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2dlRm02