Best in Slot: Pre-Raid – Death Knight – Two-Handed Weapons
Here is a general progression of two-handed weapons for a DPS Death Knight in Northrend for World of Warcraft.
One of the very first quests in Borean Tundra rewards you with a great starter weapon, the Combatant Greatsword. From there, you can follow a basic upgrade path, or work some dungeons and grind reputations to itemize as you level.
As you complete your Borean Tundra starter quests, the Axe of Frozen Death will become available to you from a level 68 quest chain reward. At level 70, you can start to farm Utgarde Keep for a chance at Ingvar’s Monolithic Cleaver. If you have difficulties getting a UK group, your next upgrade will come at level 73 from the Blacksmith-crafted Honed Cobalt Cleaver.
When you hit 75, you’ll want to travel to Zul’Drak and participate in the Ampitheater of Anguish event. Upon completion, you can choose between an axe (De-Raged Waraxe) and a polearm (Icier Barbed Spear). They are both similar, so your decision will probably be based on personal preference. You should consider a high-end enchant such as Massacre or Berserking for your weapon as there is a good chance you’ll keep this until level 80.
- Level 68 Combatant Greatsword (12502)
Obtained by: Quest Reward – Cutting Off the Source (Borean Tundra) - Level 68 Axe of Frozen Death (13675)
Obtained by: Quest Reward – Hellscream’s Champion (Borean Tundra) - Level 73 Honed Cobalt Cleaver (14532)
Obtained by: Blacksmith or BoE (100 gold) - Level 75 Banner Slicer (14752)
Obtained by: World drop BoE (35 gold) - Level 70 Ingvar’s Monolithic Cleaver (14762)
Obtained by: Ingvar the Plunderer (Utgarde Keep) - Level 74 Troll Butcherer (16390)
Obtained by: Trollgore (Drak’Tharon Keep) - Level 75 De-Raged Waraxe (16870)
Obtained by: Quest Reward – The Champion of Anguish (Zul’Drak) - Level 75 Icier Barbed Spear (16898)
Obtained by: Quest Reward – The Champion of Anguish (Zul’Drak) - Level 78 Wyrmclaw Battleaxe (17646)
Obtained by: Cache of Eregos (The Oculus) - Level 78 Whale-Stick Harpoon (17789)
Obtained by: The Kalu’ak (Revered) - Level 78 Dreadlord’s Blade (17912)
Obtained by: Dark Runed Chest (The Culling of Stratholme) - Level 78 Dirkee’s Superstructure (18235)
Obtained by: Dirkee (rare elite) or BoE (400 gold) (The Storm Peaks) - Level 80 Argent Skeleton Crusher (19726)
Obtained by: Argent Crusade (Revered) - Level 80 Runeblade of Demonstrable Power (19940)
Obtained by: Knights of the Ebon Blade (Revered) - Level 80 Titansteel Destroyer (21721)
Obtained by: Blacksmith or BoE (1000 gold)
Prices and links provided by Wowhead. Gear score provided by Loot Rank (based on the PvE Death Knight template).
Note that most of those weapons are actually downgrades. The upgrade path for Death Knights is to start with the Combatant Greatsword—or just skip it if your two-hand sword skill is not up to standard. Get the Axe of the Frozen Death as soon as possible (it can be done at level 68).
Don’t get Ingvar’s. Pass it over to any warrior in the group, as it is an excellent weapon for Titan Grip warriors, but is slightly worse than the Frozen Death for DKs. Your warrior tank will thank you for showing that you know your class.
After the Frozen Death, the next upgrade will be De-raged Warax, which will only get replace by the Dreadlord’s Blade. Other than that blade, all upgrades will come from heroics. But there’s no point farming for the blade, just get the Titansteel Destroyer, a huge upgrade for any fresh 80 Death Knight.
Those agility polearms are for hunters, don’t be wandering around Northrend with those. Death Knights want strength, strength and strength. Going for non-strength polearms is purposefully gimping yourself.
Frozen Death, then De-raged Waraxe, then Titansteel Destroyer. That’s what you should go for and that’s all you need. Don’t let item levels fool you.
On item you did forget, the two handed mace CragThumper is a great wepon for starting dk tanks, and is avaiable in the howling fjord i believe at a very early level.