When I got into World of Warcraft as a warlock, I thought the death knight class was cheesy and overpowered. Though I eventually found a few tiny weaknesses to exploit -- short attack range and relatively low offense for frost specialization -- the sounds of swords and axes hewing into my hapless two-hit spellcaster during PvP have been indelibly embedded in my memory.

And yes, I've given into temptation and tried out a death knight, despite another player's warning that he made one and just threw it away. For the first seven levels, I agreed with his take on the class. My technique was as smooth as a concerto played on a piano missing ten keys. I had combat recharge time I could drive a truck through. Even using Frost Presence when all else failed meant turning off crucial residual healing.

But, a few glyphs and talents later, I am in the swing of things and having an absolute blast. I even managed to kill a few fellow warlocks on the way. On the recommendations of a friend, I've gone mostly for blood talents, and here's what I've done to turn a clunky level 55 character into an aggressive fighter than can roll with the punches:

10. Glyph of Death Grip. Whoever designed this must have played Scorpion on MK or used one of those sticky rubber hands you could get from a vending machine. Using this glyph lets you move onto the nearest target without missing a beat. And actually, the target moves to you. ^^

9. Bloodworms. If you just threw the kitchen sink at a monster and the next hit will kill either of you, I hope you have Bloodworms. These handy critters often break the balance between life and death.

8. Bladed Armor. Once you get this, you get +5 attack power for every 180 armor. Helps you break out of the noob neighborhood as this talent is one you can get right after full Subversion and Butchery.

7. Vampiric Blood. +15% temporary max health and heals up 35% with actual heals like Blood Rune and Death Strike. Great way to stay Blood Gorged (see below).

6. Might of Mograine. Critical strike bonus for Blood Boil, Blood Strike and Death Strike, up to a maximum of +45%. When you start out as a DK, your criticals are downright puny. With 2 points in Virulence and other critical-enhancing talents, you turn your melee attacks into a medley of mayhem.

5. Toughness. I always wondered why death knights were so hard to kill. Well, duh. While actually a frost discipline, this one's a no-brainer. It combos with Bladed Armor and helps preserve life gain brought in from the blood talents. Another way to stay Blood Gorged.

4. Tie: Dark Conviction and Ancient Dranei War Relic. Conviction offers a maximum 5% critical bonus on hits and spells. Up to about level 65. most trinkets are gumball machine quality. Obtained in Tomb of Lights after a few Refugee Caravan quests, Dranei War Relic gives you a combo-friendly 20-second chance to punch through a tough mob or elite.

3. Blood Gorged. 10% extra damage and 10% of enemy armor ignored? Sign me up! Ties in with Bloodworms and Bloody Vengeance to help cut off big chunks of enemy life bars like so much canned cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving.

2. Death Rune Mastery. I usually avoid any skill that doesn't up your damage, but if you look closely at what DRM does, it certainly fits the bill by turning frost and unholy runes into multi-use death runes, which can count as any rune for special attacks powered by blood, frost or unholy runes. Instead of limiting yourself two high-damage blood attacks (Heart Strike and Death Strike) and waiting for those overused runes to recharge, strike with an Obliterate or Death Strike and watch your options triple once your runes reset. You can go right for the jugular by throwing these two high-powered strikes again and again over a short time period. Boost with Ancient Dranei War Relic and Hysteria and it's all over but the decomposition. This talent is well worth the 3 points it takes to speed your battles right up.

1. Tie: Mark of Blood and Death Strike. If you're getting healed for 4% of the next 20 damage sources -- even if it's piddling stuff that barely makes it through your Frost Presence, and you've got Vampiric Blood active, there's nothing that's your level that can make a scratch on you. And Death Strike, when combined with Improved Death Strike, Blood Gorged and Death Rune Mastery, becomes the gift that keeps on taking.

Honorable Mention: Dancing Rune Weapon. This is the end-all-beat-all talent you get at the end of blood talent development. With the sick ability to throw on double diseases and mimic everything you do for half damage, get this talent after you've made it through basic training with this guide. The cooldown keeps it from being a solution to all your problems, but woe to the spellcaster who runs afoul of this talent.

So good luck with your death knight development, and if you're stuck with how to organize your commands, here's a double command bar you can set up that I use through 100% of my fights:

Top row: Strangulate, Arcane Torrent (Blood Elf racial ability), Raise Dead, Vampiric Blood, Ancient Dranei War Relic, Mark of Blood, Blood Rune, Healing Potion, Mount.

Main Row: Dancing Rune Weapon, Death Grip, Plague Strike, Icy Touch, Heart Strike, Death Strike, Obliterate, Pestilence, Blood Boil, Death and Decay, Mind Freeze.