Affliction Warlock Beginner's Guide

This is intended to be a simple guide to the basic rotation and dynamics of the spec that gets you up and running without requiring more advanced optimization.

Information on hero talents will be coming soon, but in general know that overall they add a minor layer on top of how each spec plays, and most of what’s here should be applicable regardless.

Talent Build #

This is a simplified talent build designed to avoid complex interactions and skip unnecessary abilities. While not optimal in all cases, it should be a great way to get started learning the spec and should work reasonably well in world content, delves, dungeons, and raids. Abilities and talents not chosen in this build are not described here, and the rotation information assumes you’ll be using the build.

Copy the text below to import the recommended build:
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Wowhead Link

Resources #

soul shards – Affliction Warlock’s primary resource, you’ll generate shards as agony does damage, so having it active on as many targets as possible is a good idea. Will be spent mainly on malefic rapture, though other abilities also have a Soul Shard cost.

Demons #

Warlocks have four directly-controlled demon pets they can choose from, each of which has situational benefits over the others. One of these should be active at all times.

imp – Does ranged single target damage to enemies, and offers singe magic to dispel debuffs from yourself or allies. A reasonable default choice if you don’t need any of the other demons.

voidwalker – Works like your own personal tank, being sturdier than other demons, having treat generation abilities, and doing AoE melee damage to enemies. Offers shadow bulwark to provide additional max health on a 2m cooldown. Great in solo content.

sayaad – A more CC-focused demon, does melee damage to enemies and will snare them. Offers seduction as a fear-like disorient usable on humanoids on a 30s cooldown. Often used in PVP because of the humanoid-only limitation.

felhunter – An anti-caster demon, does melee damage to enemies and offers both spell lock as an interrupt on a 24s cooldown, and devour magic to remove dispellable buffs from enemies. A good choice in group content to have access to an interrupt.

Core Abilities #

agony – Instant application of an 18s DoT that ramps up its damage over the duration. Generates Soul Shards as it deals damage. If refreshed with a few seconds remaining deals bonus damage to the target and surrounding enemies via volatile agony. Should be active on as many targets as possible at all times.

corruption – Instant application of a DoT that does steady damage continuously. Permanent with absolute corruption. Will extend the duration of any curses on the target with Sacrolash's Dark Strike. With nightfall, has a chance to give you a buff that makes your next drain soul faster and stronger. Should be active on as many targets as possible at all times.

unstable affliction – Short cast to apply a DoT that can only be active on one target at a time. Will generate a Soul Shard if on a target when it dies. If refreshed with a few seconds remaining does bonus damage via pandemic refreshes do extra damage with perpetual unstability. Keep this active at all times in single target, and on an enemy that needs to be killed quickly, or that will be alive a long time in AoE.

malefic rapture – Spend a Soul Shard for a short cast that does moderate damage to the target and surrounding enemies, doing more damage for each DoT that’s active. Drain Soul will occasionally make this free and instant via Tormented Crescendo. Once you’ve got your DoTs spread you’ll spend your Soul Shards on this to do further damage.

drain soul – Moderate length channel that does damage to the target, and enhanced damage on targets with low health. If the target dies while channelling will generate a Soul Shard.

  • You’ll occasionally get nightfall via corruption, which will make your next Drain Soul faster and stronger
  • Applies a debuff that increases all your damage done to the target with shadow embrace.
  • If used on a target with all three of your DoTs active, has a chance to give you Tormented Crescendo, which makes your next malefic rapture free and instant.

While there are a number of interacting effects here, the main idea is that you’ll use Drain Soul as a filler once you’ve got your DoTs spread, especially when targets are about to die or when you have nightfall.

seed of corruption – Spend a soul shard for a moderate length cast that applies a seed of corruption to the target. After a short while, or after taking a small amount of damage, the seed explodes and applies corruption to the target and surrounding enemies. Great to spread Corruption quickly to a group, but shouldn’t be used for damage once you’ve done so.

Cooldowns #

vile taint – 30s cooldown. Short cast to spend a Soul Shard and apply agony and curse of exhaustion to enemies in the targeted area. Helpful to quickly spread Agony.

soul rot – 1m cooldown. Short cast to apply a strong DoT to the target, and a lesser DoT to additional surrounding targets. With malign omen, empowers your next three malefic rapture to do extra damage and extend any active DoTs. Also lets Drain Life drain from all enemies with Soul Rot while active. You’ll usually want to follow Soul Rot with as many Malefic Rapture casts as possible, but the Drain Life interaction can be used instead if emergency healing is needed.

Effects #

These are some of the more notable effects, interactions, and passive talents that you should be aware of. It’s not covering effects (even if they’re very strong) that provide flat bonuses or that don’t require much thought to use, and it only includes those used in our recommended build.

mastery: potent affliction – Increases the damage of all of your DoTs as you gain more Mastery points. Straightforward and shouldn’t change your rotation in any way.

Soul Leech - With associated talents will passively provides an absorb shield that replenishes as you and your demons do damage. Also provides healing as damage is absorbed. An important defensive effect but not one that requires much active thought.

Rotation Overview #

This is an overview of the core rotation. It’s not a strict priority order but rather an outline of how the different abilities interact and are used. It assumes you’re using the recommended talent build above.

A note on DoTs – Spreading damage-over-time effects is the foundation of Affliction Warlock’s rotation. An important effect to be aware of is that for abilities like agony and unstable affliction, not only do you get bonus damage for refreshing them later in their duration, but if your refresh them with a few seconds left the remaining time gets added to the total duration. This means you’ll always want to refresh them before they expire. This can be tough to do in practice but you’ll benefit from trying to do so whenever possible.

Single Target:

AoE:

Defensives #

unending resolve – 8s of 25% damage reduction on a 2.3m cooldown. Also makes you immune to interrupt, silence, and pushback effects. Should be used whenever significant damage is expected or when you’re in danger of dying.

dark pact – Sacrifice 20% of your health to gain a significant 20s absorb shield. 45s cooldown. Should be used liberally as damage is occurring.

curse of weakness – Makes the target’s auto-attacks slower for 2m. Can be on multiple targets simultaneously. Try to use this on enemies that are doing melee damage whenever you can.

Sustain #

drain life – 4s channel that does minor damage to the target and restores your health while doing so. Helpful in a pinch if you need to top off your health.

health funnel – 4s channel that sacrifices some of your health to heal your current Demon. Mainly useful in solo content while your Demon is tanking for you.

create healthstone – Short cast that adds a Healthstone to your inventory with 3 charges that can be used to restore your health. Creating the stone has no cooldown but using it has a 1m cooldown. Have both Create Healthstone and the healthstone itself available on keybinds so it can be used easily. An important self-healing tool that should be used whenever you’re lower on health or at risk.

  • create soulwell – 2m cooldown that places a soulwell on the ground that lets party and raid members acquire their own healthstones. Always put these down at the start of dungeons or before raid bosses to help your group out.

mortal coil – Instant cast to disorient the target for 3s and restore some of your health. 45s cooldown. Helpful both as a stop/interrupt and an emergency heal if your Healthstone isn’t available.

Crowd Control #

fear – Short cast to force the target to flee for 20s, but damage will break the effect. Be aware that the enemy running around can pull other nearby enemies.

curse of tongues – Curse the target to increase cast times by 30% for 1m. Can be used on multiple enemies. Look out for enemies, including bosses, that have cast times and use this to reduce their damage.

curse of exhaustion – Curse the target to reduce movement speed by 50% for 12s. Can be used on multiple enemies. Helpful when kiting.

Mobility #

Burning Rush – Significant movement speed boost you can toggle on or off, but drains your health while used. With relevant talents the health drain is very manageable so great for getting around out of combat. Also useful in-combat when movement is required but don’t use it more than needed and be sure to toggle it off when done.

demonic circle and demonic circle teleport – Places a marker on the ground that you can then teleport to on a 30s cooldown. Has a range of uses, but generally speaking during major fights try to place the circle in a safe location so you can get out of trouble quickly.

Utility #

soulstone – Short cast with two related uses. If used on a living ally, including yourself, gives a 15m buff that allows resurrecting upon death. If used on a dead ally brings them back to life at 60% health, even while combat is ongoing. 10m cooldown regardless of how it’s used. Keep this active on yourself when doing solo content, but probably best to save for the in-combat resurrect while in groups.

Quality of Life #

ritual of summoning – 2m cooldown that lets your group, while out of combat, teleport members to your location from anywhere in the world. The details are fussy but you’ll be expected to know how this works in group content so bear with me…

  • When cast you channel while creating an intractable glowing circle on the ground.
  • While you’re channelling two other group members should then also interact with it, which will create a doorway-like portal at that location and end the channel.
  • Then any group member can target a missing ally and interact with the portal, creating a new intractable glowing effect.
  • Finally, when one additional group member also interacts with that glowing effect the missing ally will be summoned.

This can significantly simplify and speed up the process of assembling a group at the beginning of a dungeon so use it rather than making people travel.

eye of kilrog – Niche ability that summons a stealthed, flying eye you can control to scout around. Very occasionally helpful to see areas you can’t safely reach.

unending breath – Buffs yourself or an ally to be able to breathe underwater and have increased swim speed for 10m. Usable on multiple allies.

command demon - This is a placeholder ability of sorts that will be replaced with your current Demon pet’s active ability. If you put it on a keybind you won’t need to separately bind each demon’s ability.

Not Used #

subjugate demon – Niche ability that lets you control the target demon for up to 10m. When used your pet Demon will be dismissed and you can control the subjugated one via your pet bar. Fun to play around with but not required or hugely impactful in most content.

ritual of doom – Extremely niche ability that starts a ritual allowing you and 4 other party members to summon a Doomguard on a massive 1 hour cooldown. You’ll practically never use this.

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