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Warlocks - 3.3.3; Catalyst's guide to the deadliest DoT class
Topic Started: Mar 5 2010, 06:38 PM (110 Views)
Exsecratus
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This guide is intended for those who have reached level 80 and are ready to start raiding in earnest. It's not meant for PvP warlocks - that will be a separate guide, preferably written by someone with more experience at PvP than me.

As of patch 3.3.3, the following are the only specs you should be considering (information taken from WoWmb.net and modified based on Elitist Jerks information):

Deep Affliction (55/00/16)
Glyphs: Haunt, Quick Decay, Life Tap
Pet: Felhunter
Stone: Spellstone
Casting Priority: Haunt, Corruption, Unstable Affliction, Curse of Agony, Shadow Bolt (below 25% replace with Drain Soul)

Haunt need not be cast immediately after it comes off cooldown, but should be cast early enough so the debuff stays on the target for all times. As for all specs, Life Tap to keep the buff up. Recommended starting rotation is LT,SB,Haunt, Corr, UA, Curse of Agony.

Affliction gets its favorite pet back, the Felhunter.

It is a minor dps loss to take points from Cataclysm and Improved Life Tap to get Fel Synergy (pet healing) and/or Improved Drain Soul (threat reduction). I would recommend doing these changes to the spec for actual raiding, unless you have an awesome tank. Also there seems to be a reasonable amout of AoE damage in Icecrown, so a point in Fel Synergy is useful.

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Deep Destruction (00/13/53+5)
Glyphs: Conflagrate, Incinerate, Life Tap (or Immolate)
Pet: Imp
Stone: Firestone
Casting Priority: Immolate, Conflagrate, Chaos Bolt, Curse of Doom, Incinerate

Nothing new here. It is a minor dps gain to cast CoD after the first round of cooldowns so you can grab the Pyroclasm buff. Life Tap to keep the Glyph up.

There are basically two different possibilities to distribute the remaining 5 talent points, without any significant DPS difference:

(00/13/58) ISL build, very mana efficient, brings replenishment buff
(00/18/53) strong Imp build, if you don't like any of the above

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Deep Demonology (00/56/15)
Glyphs: Life Tap, Felguard, Quick Decay (alternative: Metamorphosis)
Pet: Felguard
Stone: Spellstone
Casting Priority: Curse of Doom, Immolate, Corruption, Shadow Bolt (Incinerate if Molten Core procs, Soul Fire below 35%)
Cooldowns: Metamorphosis, Immolation Aura (during meta), Demonic Empowerment

During a fight you will spam Shadow Bolts until you get a Molten Core proc in which case you cast 3x Incinerate. Keep all DoTs up, even below 35%. Below 35% Decimation will be activated. Soul Fire will not consume the Decimation effect anymore, and will refresh it everytime it hits the target. This means Decimation weaving is over, you can just spam Soul Fire below 35%.

Demonic Empowerment should ideally be macro'd into all other spells so it is used on cooldown. The use of Meta should be adjusted to the fight, for a tank and spank scenario just use it on cooldown.
Life Tap as usual. You might want to keep your mana up so that you don't have to tap while Meta is up, so you benefit maximally from it.

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My personal favorite is deep destruction, but simulations show that deep destruction isn't as good as deep affliction in tier 10 gear on prolonged battles. Your mileage may vary.

Upcoming are guides to various raids as warlock.
Edited by Exsecratus, Mar 5 2010, 06:53 PM.
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Thank you Exs. I'm going to try the deep demonology spec - which means I have to change my spec again:P
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