For death knights (and any physical DPS class) weapons are the single most important item when it comes to performance. Here is a list of the better death knight two-handed leveling weapons. Those are ideal for anyone leveling a death knight with blood or unholy specs. You can prepare in advance by picking up any of the BoE options. And use other weapon upgrades to help determine what zones and dungeons to level up in.
Two-handed Weapons for Questing | Two-handed Weapons for Dungeons
More Death Knight Prep Guides:
DK Prep Shopping List | DK Level 70 Pre-Raid Gear
Two-handed Leveling Weapons via Questing
This is a list of death knight two-handed leveling weapons you should aim for if you plan to level up to 70 doing quests and mostly solo play.
- No dungeons required
- One group quest for optimal weapons, but skippable
- Need some gold to buy BoE weapons
- Assumes two-handed swords, two-handed axes, and polearm skills are granted to new death knights
Before Outland
Greatsword of the Ebon Blade – Level 58
At the end of the death knight starting area, you’ll have a choice between this two-handed sword or the Greataxe of the Ebon Blade. Go for the sword, its hit rating far exceeds the axe’s crit rating.
Blade of Misfortune – Level 60
This BoE sword is the most popular option for a planned death knight. Excluding two dungeon drops (Hatebringer and Shaarde the Greater) it is the best two-hander for a death knight until you reach level 64-65 and are in Nagrand.
Nagrand
Lantresor’s Warblade – Level 64, optional
This polearm is rewarded after an 11-quest series in Nagrand, but all can be done solo. If you want to focus on it you should start the quests at level 64. But keep in mind you can easily replace it at level 65 by doing the Ring of Blood in Nagrand.
Honed Voidaxe – Level 65, recommended
A two-handed axe for completing the Ring of Blood event in northern Nagrand at level 65 (or higher). This will require a 5-man group, but the event gives a lot of XP so you want to take the time to group up and complete it even without a great weapon at the end.
Halaani Claymore | Arkadian Claymore – Level 66, optional
These swords are a lesser alternative to the Honed Voidaxe if you skip the Ring of Blood event. A good reason for skipping the event is to do it for great XP per hour at the start of WotLK proper.
These are sold by the blade merchant in Halaa, Nagrand. That is the PvP area and your faction must control Halaa in order for you to access the vendor. The vendor also keeps a limited inventory of these blades. One is specifically for Alliance, the other for the Horde, but their stats are the same.
Final Levels
Sunfury Blade – Level 67
This two-handed sword comes from a Scryers-only quest chain, so hold on to your level 65-66 weapon a little longer if you opt to go with the Aldor.
Pick up the quest Manaforge B’naar in Netherstorm at level 67. After you’ve completed Shutting Down Manaforge Coruu you can then pick up Kick Then While They’re Down, which awards the sword.
The Oathkeeper – Level 68, recommended
This BoE is your best, final leveling weapon until you hit level 70. But it is a two-handed mace and death knights start with no mace skills. You’ll need to train from the weapon master in Ironforge, Exodar, or Thunder Bluff. You’ll also need to skill up from 1 to be effective with this mace. My recommendation is to have a green quality two-handed mace while you level in Outland and occasionally equip it to get your skill level up, switching back to your main weapon when doing bigger pulls.
If you’re willing to do the training you can pick this up from the auction house fairly cheap and have another weapon skill option available for future play.
Slayer’s Axe – Level 68, optional
If you don’t want to mess with the two-handed mace training for the Oathkeeper, then this is your next, best option. It is a weaker weapon and will take time to acquire, but you’ll also be earning XP during that time.
This two-handed axe is a reward from a 10-quest series starting in Shadowmoon Valley at level 68. There is an Aldor and Scryers version of the series, but the quest objectives are the same. The series can be done solo until the last quest, which recommends a 5-man group.
Two-handed Weapons for Dungeon Spamming
This is a list of death knight two-handed leveling weapons you can find in Outland dungeons as you level up to 70. I’ve included a few non-dungeon weapons as quick-grab options, too.
- For spamming dungeons, so you’ll have a decent chance of seeing these items drop from repeated runs
- Keep in mind during WotLK Classic pre-patch you’re likely to have up to 3 other death knights in your group, possibly all rolling on the same weapon
- Assumes two-handed swords, two-handed axes, and polearm skills are granted to new death knights
Before Outland
Greatsword of the Ebon Blade – Level 58
At the end of the death knight starting area, you’ll have a choice between this two-handed sword or the Greataxe of the Ebon Blade. Go for the sword, its hit rating far exceeds the axe’s crit rating.
Blade of Misfortune – Level 60, recommended
This BoE sword is the most popular option for a planned death knight. And it is better than any two-handed weapons out of the Hellfire Peninsula dungeons you’ll visit in your early 60s. If you can spare the gold pick this up and plan to keep it under you get into the Underbog.
Coilfang Reservoir & Auchindoun
Hatebringer – Level 63
A great weapon from Ghaz’an in the Underbog.
Terokk’s Quill – Level 65
This is a quest reward involving Sethekk Halls. It is only a small upgrade over Hatebringer, but a guaranteed reward if your dungeon luck hasn’t been great so far.
Nagrand
Honed Voidaxe – Level 65, optional
A two-handed axe for completing the Ring of Blood event in northern Nagrand at level 65 (or higher). While outside of dungeons it still requires a 5-man group and offers a lot of XP as well as a guaranteed weapon. Well worth your group’s time to travel to Nagrand once level 65.
The Honed Voidaxe is an upgrade for Blade of Misfortune and any weapon out of the Hellfire Peninsula dungeons. But it is not worth replacing Hate bringer or Terokk’s Quill.
Halaani Claymore | Arkadian Claymore – Level 66, optional
These swords are a lesser alternative to the Honed Voidaxe if you skip the Ring of Blood event. A good reason for skipping the event is to do it for great XP per hour at the start of WotLK proper.
These are sold by the blade merchant in Halaa, Nagrand. That is the PvP area and your faction must control Halaa in order for you to access the vendor. The vendor also keeps a limited inventory of these blades. One is specifically for Alliance, the other for the Horde, but their stats are the same.
Final Levels
Crow Wing Reaper – Level 68
Drops from Talon King Ikiss in Sethekk Halls. It is a big upgrade over Terokk’s Quill, but you’ll have to wait for a few more levels to use it.
The Oathkeeper – Level 68, recommended
This BoE is your best, final leveling weapon until you hit level 70. But it is a two-handed mace and death knights start with no mace skills. You’ll need to train from the weapon master in Ironforge, Exodar, or Thunder Bluff. You’ll also need to skill up from 1 to be effective with this mace. My recommendation is to have a green quality two-handed mace while you level in Outland and occasionally equip it to get your skill level up, switching back to your main weapon when doing bigger pulls.
If you’re willing to do the training you can pick this up from the auction house fairly cheap and have another weapon skill option available for future play.
Two-handed Weapons At Level 70
Assuming you’re leveling during the WotLK pre-patch there are several level 70 weapons worth looking into. That said be careful about putting too much time or gold into a weapon upgrade before the full launch of WotLK. Many weapons will be quickly replaced once you start leveling in Northrend.
These weapons are ordered from stronger to weakest, but all beat The Oathkeeper.
Apolyon, the Soul-Render – Kil’jaeden, Sunwell
Shivering Felspine – Trash, Sunwell
Cataclysm’s Edge – Archimonde, Mount Hyjal (low drop rate)
The Blade of Harbingers – 150 BoJ (best bet if you can get enough Karazhan and ZA runs in)
Torch of the Damned – Essence of Anger, Black Temple (low drop rate)
Soul Cleaver – Teron Gorefiend, Black Temple (low drop rate)
Halberd of Desolation – Naj’entus, Black Temple (low drop rate)
Twinblade of the Phoenix – Kael’thas, Tempest Keep (low drop rate)
Jin’rohk, the Great Apocalypse – Zul’jin, Zul’Aman (low drop rate)
Ethereum Nexus-Reaver – BoE off of Doomwalker (too expensive)
Hammer of the Naaru – Maulgar, Gruul’s Lair
Gorehowl – Malchezaar, Karazhan
World Breaker – Karathress, SSC
Khorium Champion – BoE made with blacksmithing (best bet for advance preppers, but mind the cost)
Anything below this line is worst than BoE greens from the starting zones in Northrend.
Axe of the Gronn Lords – Gruul, Gruul’s Lair
Despair – Julianne, Karazhan
Arcanite Ripper – Tenris Mirkblood, a special boss in Karazhan only during the WotLK pre-patch event
Legacy – The Crone, Karazhan
Glaive of the Pit – Magtheridon, Magtheridon’s Lair
The Oathkeeper – World drop BoE
