Arthas has always been one of my favorite characters in fiction. To add to that, Death Knights have long held a special place in my heart. I chose to do this rework not because I believe the developers did a poor job with the character but rather because I feel they didn't do enough. Playing Arthas in HotS never quite felt like I was controlling a true Master of the Wastes. I will briefly discuss the subtle changes, talents, builds, and playstyles I envision for Arthas.
Changes to abilities:
All-in-all his abilities were on point. Death Coil and Howling Blast both fill roles needed for the character. Frozen Tempest does its aoe thing . I also swapped Frostmourne Hungers mana gain to 5% of max Mana to keep his mana pool decent as the game progresses.
Changes to Specs:
Arthas is currently designed to mostly fill the tank role. I always envisioned Death Knights as fully rounded characters capable of filling multiple roles. Because of this I approached the character similar to Kharazim, in that you pick your specialization from the very beginning. If the team needs a tank, you can go Blood Presence. If the team is light on dps, pickup Frost Presence for some boosted damage. If the team has no efficient laners, grab Unholy Presence to clean up lanes quicker. Versatility for different team comps/maps lends itself nicely to the capabilities of a Death Knight.
Changes to Playstyle:
Death Knights play more like combo characters than anything else. I opted to make Arthas' talent tree reflect this philosophy. Paring Unholy Presence with Uncoil lets you self-heal with Death Coil but also poison enemies near you. Tanks can grab Rune Tap for improved initiates
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