Corpse Explosion

Corpse Explosion was a death knight ability that caused a corpse to explode, damaging nearby enemies. Exploded corpses changed to meat or bones models and could still be looted and skinned.

Although the tooltip made no mention of it, Corpse Explosion could also be cast on a death knight's own "living" ghoul. Rather than an instant detonation for minor area damage, the ghoul's explosion was delayed by two seconds and dealt much more damage than what was listed. The effect was similar to the Explode ability a player gained when raised as a ghoul by a death knight's (pre-3.0.8) Raise Dead (death knight ability), (pre-3.1.0) Shadow of Death, or (pre-4.1.0) Raise Ally.

In order to specify the ghoul as the target of the spell, the ghoul needed to be selected before the spell was used.

• This ability was planned to return in Mists of Pandaria, being redesigned with the following effect: "Detonate the nearest Disease-Ridden corpse with shadow damage within 15 yards, afflicting them with Blood Plague and Frost Fever. An enemy that dies with one of more of your diseases will get the Disease-Ridden effect." Ultimately, it returned instead in a purely cosmetic form.

• Glyph of Corpse Explosion

• Corpse Explosion (Scourgewar), TCG card