This post is still current for 4.2. Although it should be noted that Affliction drain life is no longer considered “viable” by a lot of people in 4.2. As such I’ve updated the title etc.
So your a warlock, and your fairly new at this whole warlock thing and EJ is overwhelming, or perhaps your just being lazy? Maybe you switch between all the specs fairly often and need a reference point for it all, or maybe it’s your 10′th alt and you need a quick reference for it. Well here’s my quick and dirty guide to the various rotations, specs, glyphs and stats for the 3 warlock specs.
Keep in mind, if your serious about raiding, this isn’t a full substitute for Reading through the various EJ sources or doing the research yourself. I’ve glossed over several things, and made generalizations, things like rotations and stats can have various subtleties and changes based on your gear and specific stats.
Important note: Demonology changes went in this patch that created the need for 2 specs. Both a single target spec and a multiple (2-3) target spec, both specs can AE effectivly.
So without further ado;
Demonology (multiple targets)
Important note: This spec is designed for multidoting multiple target fights (2-3 targets at any one time), the single target spec is designed for a single target fight. Both specs can AE effectivly though. For example this spec could be used for gunship while the single target spec could be used for Yor’sahj.
Spec + glyphs
http://wowtal.com/#k=-AAuQwJ4.aei.warlock.Rf_Nhs
In AE situations use the glyph of felguard over incinerate, see pet section for more details
Free talents
Fel Synergy, Demonic Embrace, Demonic Aegis, are all free talent points. To a lesser extent so are Demonic Rebirth and Demonic Empowerment.
Single target rotation/priority
Curse of elements
Bane of doom
Immolate
Hand of guldan
Fel flame on 4T11 proc
Corruption
Shadow flame (if in range etc)
Incinerate (on molten core proc)
Decimation (if sub 25% HP)
Shadow bolt
Stats
Int > spell power > hit > haste > mastery > crit
pet
In single target situations you should use the felhunter, in AE situtations you should use the felguard with the glyph of felguard
Cooldowns
Be sure to make use of metamorphasis (preferably with immolation aura used twice) and demon soul. If your using soul burn for soul fire be sure to try and use all of your soul burns before you hit the execute phase. Attempt to have your CDs up to use in conjunction with SF spam sub 25%.
Demonology (Single target)
Important note: This spec is designed for single target fights, the multi target spec is designed for a multi target fight (2-3 targets at any one time). Both specs can AE effectivly though. For example this spec could be used for Yor’sahj, while the multi target spec could be used for gunship.
Spec + glyphs
http://wowtal.com/#k=HetMzJk.aei.warlock.Rf_Nhs
In AE situations use the glyph of felguard over incinerate, see pet section for more details
Free talents
Fel Synergy, Demonic Embrace, Demonic Aegis, are all free talent points. To a lesser extent so are Demonic Rebirth and Demonic Empowerment.
Single target rotation/priority
Curse of elements
Bane of doom
Immolate
Hand of guldan
Fel flame on 4T11 proc
Corruption
Shadow flame (if in range etc)
Incinerate (on molten core proc)
Decimation (if sub 25% HP)
Incinerate
Stats
Int > spell power > hit > haste > mastery > crit
pet
In single target situations you should use the felhunter, in AE situtations you should use the felguard with the glyph of felguard
Cooldowns
Be sure to make use of metamorphasis (preferably with immolation aura used twice) and demon soul. If your using soul burn for soul fire be sure to try and use all of your soul burns before you hit the execute phase. Attempt to have your CDs up to use in conjunction with SF spam sub 25%.
Destruction
Spec + glyphs
http://wowtal.com/#k=eAxYbgT9.ala.warlock.-QlJu5
Free talents
The points in Shadow fury, nether ward and nether protection can be placed else where. The points in fel synergy can be shifted to demonic embrace if you want.
Single target rotation/priority
Curse of elements
Soul fire to keep up the improved soul fire buff, attempt to time it so it will drop of, but only briefly (think of it as a old school dot, get as close to 100% uptime, without hitting 100% uptime)
Immolate
Bane of doom
Conflagerate
Fel flame on 4T11 proc
Corruption
Shadow flame (if in range etc)
Chaos bolt
Shadowburn (small DPS upgrade to use)
Incinerate
Stats
Intellect > spell power > hit >>> haste > crit > mastery
Pet
Your imp is your best friend as destruction
Cooldowns
Be sure to make use of demon soul, and to soul burn soul fire every once in a while, with preference to saving it for movement bits to keep up ISF.
AfflBolt
Spec + glyphs
http://wowtal.com/#k=1WlK2_l.ala.warlock.qIaqSt
Free talents
Jinx and Siphon Life are free talents. Soulburned: Seed of corruption is also considered ‘free’, although when dropped its usually for a single point in fel synergy to help keep your pet alive.
On that note you can also drop the UA glyph for COA glyph if you use that for multi doting, and the shadow bolt or LT glyph for soul swap if you want to make heavy use of that.
Single target rotation/priority
Haunt
Bane of doom
Corruption
Unstable Affliction
Drain soul (below 25%)
Shadow flame (if in range etc)
Shadow bolt
stats
Intellect > spell power > hit >> haste > crit > mastery
pet
You get to play with the mage noming fel hunter as affliction
Cooldowns
Be sure to make use of demon soul, and if your using soul burn for soul fire be sure to try and use all of your soul burns before you hit the execute phase.
AfflDrain
Spec + glyphs
http://wowtal.com/#k=1zgpUk9S.ala.warlock.-KHwn5
Free talents
Jinx and Siphon Life are free talents. Soulburned: Seed of corruption is also considered ‘free’, although when dropped in this case it should be dropped to fill out pandemic.
On that note you can also drop the UA glyph for COA glyph if you use that for multi doting, and the shadow bolt or LT glyph for soul swap if you want to make heavy use of that.
Single target rotation/priority
Haunt
Bane of doom
Corruption
Unstable Affliction
Drain soul (below 25%)
Shadowflame
Drain life
stats
Intellect > spell power > hit >> haste > crit > mastery
pet
You get to play with the mage noming fel hunter as affliction
Cooldowns
Be sure to make use of demon soul, and if your using soul burn for soul fire be sure to try and use all of your soul burns before you hit the execute phase.
Thanks for the great guide! I have a question,
[q]Soul fire to keep up the improved soul fire buff, attempt to time it so it will drop of, but only briefly (think of it as a old school dot, get as close to 100% uptime, without hitting 100% uptime)[/q]
Would it not be wise to let Soulfire hit just inside of the buff going off for that extra 8% damage on it?
Thanks,
Drew Mac
Its typically considered a DPS gain to not clip the ISF buff and instead get a extra incinerate/conflag/chaos bolt in there. If you can keep the gab small enough then the cast you start without the ISF buff will end with it up, and will benefit from it. I would caution from casting DoTs during that period though, losing 8% on immolate (and hence conflag)/corruption/bane of doom would be a rather large loss.
I’m in a semi-hardcore raiding guild with ilevel 366 gear and I run a destruction spec. I’ve always been destruction as at least my main spec since 2004. I love the play-style and I’m considered one of our best DPSers easily topping 20k on all Firelands bosses (Except on Rhyolith I run demo/affliction) and capping out at 24k on Baleroc and Staghelm at this time – i’m certain with 375+ gear that I can obtain between 26-30k in these same boss scenarios – 2-4k less than the affliction ceiling. It is my nature to do a lot of research and of course one can’t help but notice the widely accepted fact that affliction and demo are the best specs to play right now based solely on number parses.
I feel this being held over my head b/c my raid leader sees what I do as destro and has frequently talked to me about affliction/demo b/c he’s under the assumption that if I can do what I do as destro then my affliction/demo dps would be exponentially even better. The fact of the matter though is that destro/affliction/demo are all very distinctly different play-styles and as of 4.2 demo focuses on mastery while affliction/destro still warrants haste – so there’s an itemization conflict in running affliction or destro primary with a demo secondary. Plus I will concede the fact that affliction/demo AoE are superior to destro at this time.
One thing I have brought up with our raid leader is that destruction warlocks like myself should really be used for what they are and not be used to address what an affliction or demo lock would be used for – I’m primary target DPS and can be a support AoE, not primary AoE and multi-target dots. I’m still one of our top 3 primary DPSers so how can I get him to think of me that way and if he wants some more AoE or 3+ multitarget dots in the group to bring a demo/affliction warlock. They’d be a great complement frankly. Ragnaros is a perfect example – destro lock great for Sons of Flame and primary damage on Rag and very survivable due to Nether Ward and mobility which is about 75% of the fight.
I’m a bit on the fence as to what to do for a secondary spec and how to satisfy the various roles I’m expected to fill in a raid. What should I do?