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Warlock Path of Destruction
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Fyeah, 4 Warlock Maiev
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The Paths of Destruction: A Guide to a Warlock’s Talents
I’ve heard it said that the power of the Warlock lies in her ability to summon powerful demons to fight for her. While that may be true, one cannot ignore her plethora of damage over time spells and variety of curses. Very rarely does one hear about the benefits of Destruction spells and talents outside of PVP.
Having played a Warlock in a variety of talent arrays, I am a firm believer that a Warlock’s true power lays in her Destruction talents and spells. Through a balance of spell combinations, a Warlock can deliver death from afar, eliminating an enemy quickly and alone and without any real threat to herself. Through careful strategy (and blind luck), I have been able to solo several of the dungeons in the game at levels where experience would still be given for several kills. As for grinding, this combination works well for fast leveling and “gold digging.â€
When choosing talent points, you want to consider the powers that each talent tree brings to your character. When looking at the Demonology tree, the ability to summon a Felguard is the ultimate goal. However, it takes a minimum of forty talent points to gain the ability to summon this demon tank. In the meantime, the Warlock spends much of her time dead and summoning (and re-summoning) demons that, in my opinion, are less than stellar. Neither the imp nor the Felhunter can hold agro for long and enemies at a high level easily resist the Succubus’ special attacks. Only the Voidwalker seems to be able to take the hits of an aggressor AND hold the agro long enough for the Warlock to do her work. My recommendation is to only use the Voidwalker and save the gold you would normally spend on grimoires for other minions. Since the Voidwalker will be mostly utilized in this guide, completing “Troll of a Feather†quest from Niby the Almighty by Bloodvenom Falls in Felwood and receive the Abyss Shard allowing you to cast Summon Voidwalker with no mana or soul shard requirement (Sweet!!!).
The Affliction talent tree is also quite attractive with its wide variety of damage over time spells. Many of these spells are instant casts which frees the Warlock up immediate to cast other spells. While many of these spells are great at damage over time, they are extremely limited since generally a Warlock can cast only one curse at a time upon an enemy. The greater benefit of damage over time spells is when several DOT’s stack on one target.
The goal should be to get a kill FAST. In terms of damage per second, the Destruction spells deal a lot more damage than the Affliction spells. By using the DOT spells in the Destruction category and combining them with certain Affliction spells, you can maximize your Warlock’s potential and throw MASSIVE firepower downrange.
When examining the Destruction spells list, you will find a number of useful spells that, when combined, can kill an enemy very quickly. Immolate becomes the Warlock’s strongest DOT spell, especially when talent points are spent in Improved Immolate, Devastation, Emberstorm and, of course, Conflagration. The mainstay of the Warlock is Shadowbolt and spending talent points in Improved Shadowbolt, Bane, Devastation, Ruin and Shadow and Flame are necessary.
After spending talent points to improve your fire and shadow damage, you definitely want to receive the following spells: Shadowburn, Conflagrate and, eventually, Shadowfury. Each of these spells is an excellent “finishing†spell.
To give you a better idea of spending talent points, consider the following array when leveling:
- Improved Shadowbolt – 5
- Bane – 5
- Shadowburn – 1
- Devastation – 5
- Improved Searing Pain – 3
- Intensity – 2
- Improved Immolate – 5
- Ruin – 1
- Ember Storm – 3
- Conflagrate – 1
- Ember Storm – 5 (two more points)
- Aftermath – 2
- Shadow and Flame – 5
- Shadow Fury – 1
This array will take you to level 50 and give you the most powerful Destruction spells (Shadowburn, Conflagrate, Shadow Fury) as quickly as possible. You may have noticed that I did not put any points into Destructive Reach. As you will see later, your distance in combat will be limited by spells that are not in the Destruction category.
Another useful spell to have in your Warlock’s arsenal is Death Coil. Many claim that the basic Fear spell or Howl of Terror is imperative to have for scaring opponents away. But wouldn’t you rather have a spell that inflicts fear, does damage AND heals you??? To me, this is a no brainer. Plus, we will explore just how useful this spell can be in preventing damage to your Warlock.
So, how should you apply these spells? My experience seems to suggest the following combination that can easily be made into a macro:
1. Pet Attack
2. Immolate
3. Curse of Agony
4. Corruption (full casting time)
5. Searing Pain
6. Shadow Bolt
7. Conflagrate
8. Death Coil
9. Shadowburn / Shadowfury
Let me take a minute to explain this combination. Let the Voidwalker engage the target allowing the Voidwalker’s Torment ability to hold the target. Your first spell, Immolate (with all its improvements through your talent array), causes good initial damage, then damage over time. Curse of Agony is another excellent DOT spell and one you want to have running early on. Corruption comes next. You will notice that in my talent point array, no points were given in Improved Corruption, decreasing the casting time of the spell. I do this so that the Immolate and Curse of Agony have as much time to work on the target before hitting it with harder spells that inflict more agro. Searing Pain is the last spell in the macro as it hits the target hard and may cause the target to leave the Voidwalker and attack you.
Here is where some good improvisation comes in to play. The remaining spells in the above spell list can be rearranged to fit a given situation. If Searing Pain causes your Warlock to agro the target, the instant spell, Death Coil will cause the target to run away before it gets to the Warlock. Obviously, distance plays a major factor in this series. I generally try to be at max range for my Curse of Agony spell, as it is the spell with the shortest range in the above list.
With the target fleeing or still engaged with the Voidwalker, you should have plenty of time to cast Shadowbolt. Again, this might agro your target away from your minion.
Throughout this process, keep an eye on the duration of your Immolate spell. Since Conflagrate consumes the Immolate spell, you’ll want to wait until the last possible moments before casting this instant spell to allow Immolate to run its full damaging course. If the target is still alive (and quite often, it will not be), you can finish it off with Death Coil, Shadowburn or Shadowfury. Each of these instant spells is great to ensure that the target is never able in range enough to attack the Warlock in melee.
I have used this combination with a variety of targets and with several different minions. I must say that the Voidwalker does the best job at holding agro while inflicting damage, allowing your Warlock plenty of time for spell work. Using this combination is a great way to stay alive while grinding and completing quests. In fact, even when fighting opponents at my level or even slightly higher, an opponent rarely has the opportunity to attack my Warlock in melee. I can then use Life Tap to replenish my mana and a bandage to quickly heal myself.
This guide by no means presents the only utilization of Destruction talents. Since many hard-core gamers say Destruction only works well in PVP, this guide describes an additional advantage for a Warlock to follow the Paths of Destruction.
This is retarded.
I am a 70 Lock currently raiding Hyjal and BT. I have to say this might be the worst Lock guide ever. If people actually follow this guide that appears to have been written by a lowbie Lock thinking they got it figured out they will no doubt quit playing the class.
If you go Destro... do NOT ever under ANY circumstances send your Voidwalker in then open with Immolate. I mean seriously... think about that. Open with a spell that will rip aggro from him? Have you ever actually played a Warlock? Open with Corruption since you dont want points in it evidently, the cast time lets your pet build a wee bit of aggro, then hit him with agony, still not alot of heavy damage being put on the mob so the pet keeps aggro. THEN and only then do you cast Immolate. Now you have aggro. You should be at max range so start casting Shadow Bolt or what ever you want to do. Simple as that. Rinse and repeat. And searing pain?! That is your PvP spell. You never ever ever ever use that in a group situation so why waste the points. If you want it on your spell bar... fine... but only use it in PvP. I cant believe you said it MAY rip aggro from your Voidwalker. By the time you are 70 and raiding even the basics like Kara... and Destruction to boot.. seriously... are you even 70? As a Destruction Lock you will NEVER have a pet that can hold aggro. If your Voidwalker is holding aggro for the whole fight you need to look at the way you play. Destruction is not Affliction. You dont kill "slowish" you one shot things.
If you haven't mastered the class don't write a guide.
just wanted to
just wanted to add:
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA ROFLMAO!!!
You Sir Are An Idiot!
You Sir Are An Idiot!
I must say I agree with the
I must say I agree with the response, though I dont have a lot of experience (lvl 50 demo lock w/felguard) I know that casting immolate first as soon as I send my VW will definately pull aggro on me, I rarely use searing pain,(but I see now that it is a good pvp spell, thanks to the guy with the response). I think there is a reason people barely mention destro outside of PvP, and you just showed why.
ahaaahahaaaaahhhhahahahah
ahaaahahaaaaahhhhahahahah lollooooloololooooool. i would bother to correct some of this but there waaaaaay too much crap in it. open with immolate = lol.... searing pain = lol... curse of agony instead of shadow (when destr) = lol... no destructive reach = lol (it gives u -10% threat why the hell pass on that) DEATH COIL = AHHAHH ZOMG ROFLMFAO and conflagrate = sucky... u shd go halfway down the demo tree to get sacrifice pet...
btw for those who are wondering if destruction / affliction is more dmg, head for affliction til u have about 1200 +spell damage, 20% ish crit chance and +16% ish hit rating. i bid you farewell :)
Noob's comments are ONLY
Noob's comments are ONLY accurate (1200 spell dmage, 20% crit, etc, 202 spell hit) if you are a RAIDING WARLOCK!
I'm level 70 and do NOT have any of those stats; I'm at 900 spell damage, 18% crit, less than 75 spell hit) and I got TIRED of affliction's "slow-death" kill rate (yes I know it can go faster, but dot, dot, dots ticking away while having to fear kite the mob or have them beat on you while you drain tank) got really old...so i respecced
to a Demonic Sacrifice / Destruction build (0/21/40), and have never looked back!
In pve, instances, even heroic instances very infrequently do my spells get resisted, and I do massive damage.
When i'm grinding solo, or doing solo questing, I never cast a single DOT, not even Immolate ---
I open with shadowbolts and close with them - and never do i need more than 2 or 3 of them before any mob is corpsed!
I don't have a minion out & active - it's sacrificed for better benefit (for those who do not know);
* Fel Hunter = regenerates 3% of your mana every 4 seconds.
* Void Walker = regenerates 2% of your health every 4 seconds
* Succubus = +15% shadow damage (that is a massive boost to dps)
* Imp = +15% fire damage
Those benefits, IMO, with a destruction build far outweigh any disadvantage of not having an active pet.
But you don't need those massive stats Noob mentioned (Noob is a very fitting name for him).
Oh man, you have no idea how
Oh man, you have no idea how wrong you are about affliction. Sure, it kills alot more "slowly" but with 1600ish bonus shadow (buffs and all), 16% crit and maxed out hit, I can guaranteed you that although you won't do much damage on trash, you'll leave people scratching their heads as to how come an affli lock can outdps 99% of people on a boss fight.
I tried destro, sure, it has more damage, but where's the fun of sitting on your #%!#$ and just pressing one button? At least I can say I play the piano!
My experience is that
My experience is that Destructive Reach definitely reduces Immolate's threat (9 out of 10 times, for me, as a level 50, full Destruction specc'ed, with +183 spell dmg) and thus (for me) the VW holds aggro nicely.
Do you use the ascription
Do you use the ascription “retarded" whenever you cannot understand someone? Just how did you come up with advice, such as "do NOT ever under ANY circumstances send your Voidwalker in then open with Immolate"? I doubt you have ever (not even once) tried a full Destruction build.
And just how (pray tell) did you come up with such "brilliant" deductions, such as "appears to have been written by a lowbie Lock" when the guide author said "This array will take you to level 50" (or is it that you cannot read)? You even hammer your ignorance out further still, with "By the time you are 70 " and "are you even 70?". I think might be a pompous, bigoted, windbag, sir.
And I think you need to look at Searing Pain again. Just how much mana gets you how much damage? Hmmm, I wonder whether Searing Pain is intended for finishing (or close to finishing) casts? Actually, that is how you can use Searing Pain.
Ahh, you spew hot air further still, with "As a Destruction Lock you will NEVER have a pet that can hold aggro.". Hmm, that is not what I have seen, and that is not what the author has seen. So, I must wonder whether you, dear sir, see anything at all.
Look this guide isn't perfect, but you and your response are worse.
In contrast to others (who are willing to criticize without being constructive), here is a cast sequence I use (as a level 50 Destruction lock):
Firestone already in offhand. Send VW in. Arm staff and chase after VW to the mob. Cast Curse of Elements. Cast Immolate. **Spend some time** wailing of the mob with your staff (while your Firestone's weapon damage, and Immolate's DOT do their work). When mob's health gets to 40%, cast Searing Pain (I do *not* get the Improved Searing Pain talent) and instacast Conflagrate. The mob should now be dead. I almost never pull aggro (part from the briefest of time between the Searing Pain cast and the Conflagrate instacast). Tap life twice. On to next mob.
And to make it clear (just like the original author), I am talking about *leveling* (*not* raiding). And in case comparing sizes is important to you ("I am a 70 Lock currently raiding Hyjal and BT.", most impressive, lol), I have two other level 70 locks, one level 65, one level 50, and about a half dozen at levels 40-45. And yes, I do like Afflocks and I do like Demonology. My level 50 Destro lock gear is +DMG >> +STA >= +INT >> +SPI.
So, here I am using my Destruction lock pretty much like a *mêlée* fighter (wailing on mobs with my staff), casting Immolate (right after Curse of Elements) and I *rarely* get aggro. And yet you say "As a Destruction Lock you will NEVER have a pet that can hold aggro." "Right", either Blizz changed the talents or (yes indeed) you are a pompous, bigoted, windbag.
Destruction Talents and
Destruction Talents and Tactics, leveling at 50.
Destruction (41 points)
5/5 Improved Shadow Bolt
5/5 Bane
5/5 Devastation
1/1 Shadowburn
2/2 Intensity
2/2 Destructive Reach
5/5 Improved Immolate
1/1 Ruin
5/5 Emberstorm
3/3 Backlash
1/1 Conflagrate
5/5 Shadow and Flame
1/1 Shadowfury
Tactics with a VW:
* Especially towards the end of a battle, consider *not* using use Backlash's proc (which is an insta-cast Shadowbolt) because Conflagrate costs less mana.
* Use your staff. Get up and personal. The Firestone buff on the staff will proc fire damage (this has one hot special effect :). Balance staff DPS with its other buffs (I use an "of Fiery Wrath" staff).
* At the *beginning* of battle, *do* consider using Backlash's proc (if the mob hits you before your VW).
* First cast Curse of Elements (unless Backlash proc'ed)
* Always watch Immolate's cool down: Learn when to cast Searing Pain, allowing just enough time for you to cast Conflagrate (before Immolate expires). If you do this when a mob's health is about 40% then the mob dies.
* Use your Firestone. If you want a wand (I thought I would, but I have not missed it:), create a macro (type /m) that has the following one line "/script UseContainerItem(3,1);" (omit the quotes).
* Get as much fire damage gear as possible ("of Fiery Wrath" or "spell damage")
* Get as much +Stamina gear as possible.
* Shadowfury is a situational AOE effect that will cause threat. Consider reserving Shadowfury for times when multiple mobs equally have depleted health (one or two mobs surviving should not be a big deal). You can deplete multiple mobs' health by quickly casting multiple Curse of Agony, Life Tap'ping, and bandaging. Or if you are at full health you can use Shadowfury followed by Hellfire.
* Lots of bandages and/or mana is needed: This style of play is to destroy quickly and wory about your resources later. Somewhat similar to the way some mages play (but you are not ranged).
* Get a threat addon (I use Omen 2).
* The sequence "Staff, Curse Of Elements, Immolate" will *not* get you aggro (the mob may *first* try to hit you before the VW has threat, but that is OK because you have Backlash) and because the two Destructive Reach talent points (in the build above) have reduced the threat of your Destruction spells by 10%.
* The sequence "Staff, Curse Of Elements, Immolate, Life Tap, Drain Life, (Corruption), Drain Soul" should get you a soul shard (without aggro).
* For range, send VW in, cast Curse Of Elements, Immolate, Life Tap (or Corruption or Shadow bolt, depending upon threat and mob health), and end with Soul fire.
* Don't worry if you do get aggro: Backlash should proc and Intensity helps Searing Pain be cast interruption-free, be ready to Conflagrate, and maybe you can use Fear, Howl of Terror, or Death Coil.
* There are plenty of other cast sequences (you can play most of the basic Afflock cast sequences, just not as effectively as an Affliction Warlock:).
* If you plan on staying in Destruction tree, consider sinking your next 3 talent points into Soul Leach.
* Based up my assumption that Blizz puts talents within a given tree for a reason, it appears the Succubus might be a useful alternative minion.
* I plan to largely stay within the Demonology tree until at least level 64 (when Incinerate becomes available).
* Starting at level 54, I will sink 3 points into Demonology’s Improved Imp and Improved Healtsone. Plus I will put another 2 points into Destruction's Pyroclasm (for Dire Maul). At level 60 I plan to start doing instances, starting with the two epic mount instances (and then all Outlands instances).
* This is a great talent tree for farmers/gatherers (those who have Skinning with either Herbalism or Mining). You get rid of mobs quickly. You use gathering time to gain the health regeneration benefit of Demon Armor.
* This is a great talent tree if you have a friend at about the same level who is levelling a fire mage.