Dread Knight Skills and Statistics

Archtype: Defensive Fighter

Statistic Performance:
Str:
Melee damage bonus
Chance to block an attack, up to 14% max

Dex:
Melee critical bonus
Ranged damage bonus
Chance to parry an attack, up to 6.4%
Chance to completely resist a spell
Increased chance to successfully defend using defensive abilities(??)
Increased chance to successfully recognize and react to enemy abilities(??)

Con:
Grants Bonus HP's
Grants bonus to resistances

Vit:
Grants a bonus to in combat health regeneration
Provides energy regeneration each second
Bonus to unmounted movement speed

Int:
Sets your spell damage average
Increased ability to identify spells and recognize tactics
Increased chance to detect opponents and identify what they are doing in combat
Increased chance to counter opponents spells(Not applied with the Dread Knight)
Increased chance to prevent opponents from countering your spells

Wis:
Grants a spell critical bonus
Grants bonus energy
Increased chance to detect opponents and identify what they are doing in combat
Increased chance to counter opponents spells(Not applied with the Dread Knight)
Increased chance to prevent opponents from countering your spells

A Second Look at Statistics...

Strength is an obvious primary choice for a DK for both aggro holding purposes and damage output. Since DK physical attacks are often based off of weapon damage plus a paltry add on, str really is a controlling factor in how much damage output you will do. You also want your block % to be as high as possible.

Dexterity is considered a middle stat by most. The percentages to parry and spell resist are fairly low. Most tend to put those extra points into Con or Str.

Constitution is another primary stat for obvious reasons. Any defensive fighter will require both the HP's and Resistances gained from constitution.

Vitality is a tertiary choice for DK's since lifetap heals are handled by str(Harrow) and Int(Cull). Scythe of Doom does flat damage and is unaffected by any stat.

Intelligenceis a somewhat hidden primary/secondary stat for DK's. Intelligence actually not only controls your spell damage average, for spells like Torture and Word of Doom, but it also affects the hate modifiers on your taunt abilities as well since they are considered spells.

Wisdom is usually a secondary or tertiary stat, wisdom does provide a spell critical bonus and enlarges the DK's power pool. A balanced DK will enjoy the benefits from Wisdom while a raider may want the points elsewhere since raid buffs will negate the loss.

Dread Knight Skills

Weapon Types
When these skills are at maximum for their level, you are granted a 10% bonus to damage associated to that weapon skill type. You can raise your skill quickly by fighting with weapons associated with that style against any opponent that grants experience upon death. Due to the 2-handed offensive and defensive capabilities of the DK, it's a pretty easy choice to pick two-handers since some of the DK abilities will not work without one.

Two-handed Piercing
Two-handed Blunt
Hand to Hand
One-handed Slashing
Thrown
Archery
Two-handed Slashing
One-handed Blunt

Spell Schools
When the skill is at its maximum for the level, the caster gains a 95% chance to hit an average equal level opponent with a spell from the associated spell school.

Conjuration
Evocation
Alteration

Combat Skills
Both block and parry constitute your melee evasion score.

Parry: This represents the ability to parry both melee and ranged attacks, completely avoiding damage. This is a part of melee evasion.
Block: This represents your ability to block both melee and ranged attacks, completely avoiding damage. This is a part of melee evasion.

Perception and Concealment

Tactic Recognition: This represents you ability to recognize attack tactics used by your opponents.
Awareness: This represents your general state of awareness about events and details about the world around you.
Combat Awareness: This represents your awareness about events and details that take place during combat.
Detection: This represents your ability to detect hidden(stealthed) opponents in the world.

General Skills

Fishing: This represents your ability to fish.

Wield Types

One-handed Wielding
Two-handed Wielding
Sword and Shield

Weapon Specialization
When a weapon specialization skill is maxed, you are granted a 10% bonus to melee damage. The Dread Knight has a total of 16 possible weapon choices to specialize in. Two handers, once again, are the obvious choice. It doesn't hurt to max as many possible in case things change.

Spear and Javelin
Bow
Crossbow
Axe
Staff
Thrown Hammers
Thrown Axes
Great Sword
Longsword
Hammer
Mace
Great Spear
Great Maul
Club
Short Sword
Great Axe