Cataclysm Classic Destruction Warlock Rotation and Cooldowns

This page contains all relevant information needed for Destruction Warlocks before the release of Cataclysm Classic. We will be updating this with all the latest information as soon as more is discovered, so make sure to check back.

Destruction Warlocks bring decently high single-target and some solid multi target and cleave damage thanks to Bane of Havoc. Destruction comes With a strong Demon, The Imp and a plethora of hard hitting fire spells to nuke your enemies. Destruction is based largely around hard casting spells, while keeping up a couple DoT's and playing around your Empowered Imp procs and Improved Soul Fire uptime.

A massive change coming into Cataclysm is how DoT's work. In the past you used to want to let them run their entire duration to get full value of it. This is no longer an issue in Cataclysm. Now you can clip your last tick of the DoT and the remainder will carry over into the new refreshed DoT, giving you an extra tick of that DoT, which can be further improved depending on your Haste rating. Check out the Stats page for more in depth information about Haste breakpoints for each DoT. This also ensures that you can have 100% uptime on most encounters.

The job of an Destruction Warlock is very simple. You want to keep your main DoT's up with Immolate and Corruption and Bane of Doom, use Conflagrate and Chaos Bolt on cooldown while filling with Incinerate. A new and fun part of the Destruction rotation is now you actually get to Soul Fire far more often than in Wrath thanks to two talents. Improved Soul Fire, provides an 8% damage increase for 20 seconds after you cast Soul Fire, so you'll be casting it frequently to keep the buff up. Empowered Imp makes all your Imps Firebolt have a chance to give you an instant cast Soul Fire. This adds much more fun to the rotation and the ability to keep up on the damage.

1. (Prepull) Make sure your Summon Imp is out.
2. (Prepull) Make sure both Fel Armor and Soul Link is on.
3. (Prepull) Don't be max range due to wanting to run in and Shadowflame. If the boss allows, 10-15 yards is preferable.
4. (Prepull) Pop a Volcanic Potion.
5. Precast Soul Fire — Have this hit the boss right when the pull timer hits zero This ensure you have your Improved Soul Fire buff up for the 8% damage increase.
6. Make sure your Imp is attacking.
7. Cast Curse of the Elements if no other member is putting up the debuff. Assassination Rogue, Balance Druid and Unholy Death Knight may also apply this debuff.
8. Pop your cooldowns like; Blood Fury, Demon Soul, Trinkets and whatever else you have.
9. Cast Bane of Doom — Only Bane of Agony if the boss won't live for 30 seconds.
10. Cast Summon Doomguard — He cannot be lusted, but snaps your spell power, so pop this when you have as much spell power as possible. Hold this until you have your Spell Power procs up. It will attack whatever has your Bane of Doom or Bane of Agony on it.
11. Cast Immolate — Keep this up at all times.
12. Cast Conflagrate — Keep this on cooldown as often as you can. You get a 30% cast time reduction from the talent Backdraft, for your next three Incinerate and Chaos Bolt, this last 15 seconds.
13. Cast Corruption — Keep this up at all times. Even as a Destruction Warlock, Corruption does great damage, especially when paired with Improved Corruption
14. Cast Soulburn and then Soul Fire — This is your Soul Fire instant cast. You can opt to save this until 20 seconds after the encounter starts, just in case you don't get a proc from Empowered Imp to instantly get your buff from Improved Soul Fire.
15. Cast Chaos Bolt — and keep this on cooldown as much as you can.
16. Cast Shadowflame — If being in melee range allows, you should use this on cooldown. This does great single target damage. If you are worried about dying in melee, then do not worry about using Shadowflame.
17. Fill with Incinerate — You will be using this as often as you can, so long as all of your DoT's are up.
18. Make sure to track your Improved Soul Fire buff. This is vital to playing a Destruction Warlock. This buff gives you 8% damage increase for 20 seconds everytime you Soul Fire. Make sure you're casting Soul Fire every 20 seconds to ensure that you have this buff up as often as you can.
19. Make sure to track your Empowered Imp procs. This is vital to playing a Destruction Warlock. You have a 4% chance everytime your Imp casts Firebolt.
20. Once the boss is below 20%, cast Shadowburn on cooldown. This does great damage and gives you three Soul Shards.
21. If there is multiple targets, cast Bane of Havoc on an add and continue your rotation into your main target.
22. IF YOU HAVE YOUR 4 SET TIER 11 SET BONUS!! Make sure to cast Fel Flame twice to take advantage of your 4 set bonus. If you can use them while moving then great, otherwise just use them as you get procs.

AoE as a Destruction Warlock is just running into melee, casting Shadowflame and then spam Rain of Fire while waiting for Shadowflame to come off cooldown.

1. Cast Soul Fire to put up the 8% damage buff.
2. Cast Shadowflame when you get into melee.
3. Cast Rain of Fire while waiting to reapply your Soul Fire buff or to Shadowflame.