Death Knight - Blood Tank

Purpose

A tank is a character whose primary role is to absorb damage and prevent others from being attacked. A Blood Tank is probably the strongest at single target threat generation. Another unique facet to Blood Tanking is mitigation through self/improved healing.

Talents

53/8/10∞

Ability Rotation

Frost Presence∞: This is your ONLY tanking presence.

Single Target:
Keep up Icy Touch∞ and Plague Strike∞. Use remaining Unholy and Frost Runes on Death Strike∞. Use Blood and Death Runes∞ on Heart Strike∞

Multiple Targets/AoE:
Open with Death and Decay∞. Then Icy Touch∞, Plague Strike∞ and Pestilence∞. From there keep up diseases on all target using Pestilence. Use Unholy and Frost Runes on Death Strike∞. Use Blood and Death Runes∞ Blood Boil∞

Key Cooldowns

Vampiric Blood∞ - Increases your health pool by 15%, also increases the healing received by 35%. You can use Blood Tap∞ if you relly need to use this.
Icebound Fortitude∞ - Great mitigation ability.
Anti-Magic Shell∞ - Great magic mitigation ability.
Dark Command∞ - Taunt for Death Knights. This will increase your threat to a level that makes it attack you over it previous target.
Horn of Winter∞ - Keep up at all times. Great to reapply between pulls.
Raise Dead∞+Death Pact∞: These spells, when used together, can give you 40% of your total health in just a couple seconds which is very useful in tight spots, though you have to be careful with your timing, both abilities set off the GCD.
Empower Rune Weapon∞: Another not-really-tanking ability, but useful nonetheless. You can use this ability in a tight spot to give yourself some extra Runic Power for using Anti-Magic Shell or Death Pact, and reset all your runes for a quick restart if the boss wipes threat.
Death Grip∞ - This isn't a true taunt, seeing as you don't generate threat from it directly, but it is good to use if you miss your Dark Command. After you use it to regain aggro, make sure you generate enough threat in the 3 or so seconds you have it to get above the nasty DPS that pulled it off you.

Stats (In Order of Importance)

Defensive stats:

1. Defense - 540 to become uncrittable to raid bosses and below. You can go above this number, but at this point Stamina should have greater weight.
2. Stamina
3. Dodge
4. Parry

Threat stats only if you have problems:

1. Hit Rating - 8% (263 rating) is the hit cap for 2H attacks and sepcials. You do NOT need to be hit capped for Tanking
2. Expertise - 56 (460 rating) needed for the parry cap against bosses. 26 (214 expertise rating) is the minimum requirement not to have any problems during Raids. Remenber you gain 6 expertise from Veteran of the Third War∞
3. Attack Power

Gemming

Meta: Austere Earthsiege Diamond∞
Attempt to get any socket bonus that provides you with at least +6 stamina per non-blue gem you have to use to get it.
You should always have a Solid Majestic Zircon∞ in your gear if you're not aiming for the socket bonus:
Blue Socket: Solid Majestic Zircon∞
Yellow Socket: Enduring Eye of Zul∞ (Vivid Eye of Zul∞ for threat)
Red Socket: Regal Dreastone∞ (Guardian's Dreadstone∞ for threat)


You want to always have the following gem in your gear when you're going for socket bonuses, unless you're using to get Def Capped:

Recommended Glyphs

Major:
Vampiric Blood∞ Rune Strike∞ Death Strike∞.

Minor:
Blood Tap∞ Pestilence∞ Raise Dead∞.

Recommended Enchants

Helm - Arcanum of the Stalwart Protector∞ +37 Stamina +20 Defense Engineering Only: Mind Amplification Dish +45 Stamina∞
Pauldrons - Greater Inscription of the Pinnacle +20 Dodge +15 Defense∞ Inscription Only: Master's Inscription of the Pinnacle +60 Dodge +15 Defense∞
Cloak - Major Agility +22 Agility∞, Mighty Armor +225 Armor∞, (Titanweave +16 Defense∞ if you need it) Engineering Only: Flexweave Underlay +23 Agility∞
Breastplate - Super Health +275 Health∞
Bracers - Major Stamina +40 Stamina∞ (Major Defense +12 Defense∞ if you need it) Leatherworking Only: Fur Lining - Stamina +102 Stamina
Gloves - Armsman +10 Parry +2% Threat∞ (Precision +20 Hit, Expertise +15 for threat) Expertise Engineering Only: Reticulated Armor Webbing +885 Armor
Belt - Eternal Belt Buckle +1 Socket∞
Legplates - Frosthide Leg Armor +55 Stamina +22 Agility∞ Leatherworking Only: Jormungar Leg Reinforcements∞
Boots - Tuskarr's Vitality +15 Stamina Minor Runspeed Increase∞
Rings - Enchanting Only: Enchant Ring - Stamina +30 Stamina∞
Weapon 2H - Rune of the Stoneskin Gargoyle +2% Stamina +25 Defense∞
Weapon 1H - Rune of the Nerubian Carapace +1% Stamina +13 Defense∞

Recommended Consumables

Flask: Flask of Stoneblood∞
Food: The best tank food is Blackened Dragonfin∞, since it gives you avoidance. For threat use 40 sta + Exp∞, Hit∞ or Str∞
Potions: You will most likely use Indestructible Potions∞ all the time, but make sure you are carrying some Runic Healing Potions∞ with you. You can use an Indestructible Potion before you engage a boss which gives you the possibility to use it midfight once more.

Recommended Professions

Blacksmithing and Jewelcrafting are the best professions you can get right now. Another option would be Mining since at 450 it also gives you 60 Stamina, but its not as flexible as the JC Gems or the BS Sockets which you can use whatever kind of stats you want.

Macros

Avoidance macro:

Additional Tips

• Always ensure that you are facing towards the mob that is attacking you. You cannot dodge, parry, or block from behind.
• WARN your healers when you pop things like Last Stand, Shield Wall, or dodge trinkets. They may notice you taking less damage, and assume that you are no longer in danger. There are addons to do this

Sources and Other Resources

http://pwnwear.com/forum/gemming-strats-t144.html∞
http://pwnwear.com/forum/topic64.html∞
http://www.wowhead.com/forums&topic=136052∞
http://www.codeplex.com/Rawr/∞ - home of Rawr, a great gear/talent optimizer program.