This interview was originally attributed to Lead Designer Jeff Kaplan. GameSpy spoke to Lead Producer J. Allen Brack regarding the Death Knight class details.]

The Death Knight is World of Warcraft's first Hero Class. Decked out in black armor and wielding massive two-handed swords, they're the game's Anti-Paladin: wielders of dark magic who are unafraid to get their hands dirty in pursuit of their quarry. When we had the opportunity to sit down with Lead Producer J. Allen Brack, we asked him to let us know more about this new playable class, and what their role would be in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.

GameSpy: We learned a lot about the new Hero Class today, the Death knight noah, and we're eager to learn more. Maybe you can elaborate on what we were told. First off, the Death Knight's niche includes being a viable raid tank, specializing in magic-damage-dealing bosses. Is that a fair assessment?
J. Allen Brack, Lead Producer: Yes, exactly.
GameSpy: So in any given Wrath of the Lich King 10-man raid, how often will the Death knight noahbe the ideal tank for a given situation, as opposed to a Warrior, Druid or Paladin?
Brack: That's a good question, but we've designed zero raid bosses at this point, so I really couldn't tell you. A good way to think about it is not what you can or can't be successful at as a Death Knight tank. Someone earlier brought up the Shattered Halls dungeon's gauntlet where you have to fight off infinite elites, and a Paladin is the ideal tank for that situation.

GameSpy: As a Warrior player, it seems like a Paladin is the only tank any group wants to take there. Not because we can't do it, but because Paladins are able to do it so much faster, and people would rather go with the most efficient, fastest option possible.
Brack: I've never run it with a Paladin, actually. I've only run it with Bears or with a Warrior, and both have been very successful. But yes, a Paladin would definitely do it "better" than the other guys. But that's a good way to think about it. There'll be an optimal way to go about certain encounters, but that doesn't make it so that you can't do it with a Bear, Paladin, Warrior or Death knight noah.