Outrageous 0 Report post Posted May 31, 2015 Hey everyone, I've just started levelling a warlock (so far, playing demo and loving it ), and I've got a question. In this forum, there are threads which help you play each spec to their fullest, but I didn't manage to find any summarising each spec's pros and cons. For instance, rogue is quite obvious. Subtlety is the go-to ST spec, combat - the AoE spec, assassination - best in long cleave fights. Is there something similar with warlock specs? Or are all of them capable to do pretty much everything and it's more of a personal choice? Another question: will these pros/cons change when 6.2 hits? I reckon my fresh warlock will not raid much before the citadel opens... Thanks in advance, Outrageous Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Liquidsteel 279 Report post Posted May 31, 2015 Currently all 3 specs are equal for Single Target in BiS gear. Demonology - Currently the best all around spec. Offers amazing burst AoE and is our most mobile spec. Multi dotting not only provides damage but also extra resources which means you can channel those resources into greater priority damage. Destruction - Slightly weaker than Demonology in burst AoE but in more drawn out AoE scenarios it holds its own. Havoc allows for some fantastic cleave and it also gains a lot from multi dotting additional targets for extra resources. Affliction - Once the king of multi dotting, Affliction is currently in a rather poor state. It gains no priority target benefit from dotting multiple targets like the other two specs do, and too many targets actually make it very frustrating to play. In 6.2 Demonology is getting an extreme nerf and unless something changes will not be a preferred spec for any encounter. Destruction and Affliction will become the preferred set up, the Affliction class trinket and 4 set bonus will turn it into a Single Target powerhouse but do not support multi dotting at all (they actually run opposite to it) which is a bit weird. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spikeysquad 50 Report post Posted May 31, 2015 Welcome Outrageous. Here are my thoughts on each spec at a raiding level. Currently Demo is the most rounded and the "go to" spec, You can play it on any fight in BRF and do well with it. Demo has good mobility, insane passive cleave, excellent burst AoE and decent ST. Affliction has decent ST damage, some multidotting potential, weak AoE and no passive cleave. Destro has decent ST damage, regular burst, excellent sustained AoE, good burst AoE/cleaving but poor mobility. At the moment there are some major changes coming 6.2 for locks. Affliction is getting its DoTs buffed quite significantly so its ST (and possibly multi-dotting?) will be stronger. Demo is pretty much getting a 25% nerf to the majority of its spells and if this stays the same I cannot forsee a use for it. Destro appears to be the new goto cleave/AoE spec for us. However, I have not been on the PTR and this is only going by what I have read. P.S. Just noticed that Liquid replied but shall leave this here too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Outrageous 0 Report post Posted May 31, 2015 All right, thanks for the info. So it seems I'll need to learn the other two specs by the time 6.2 hits... well, better to find out now rather than in hfc Also, are sets for each of the specs required, or will mastery/haste based gear set work for all? I mean, it's obvious you can play the spec with any secondaries to some extent, but how badly are the "right" secondaries needed for affli/destro? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Liquidsteel 279 Report post Posted May 31, 2015 Just gear for Mastery, and take whatever else you can get. I feel Destruction handles Haste better than Affliction handles Crit, so I'll be going Mastery > Haste as best I can, but at the end of the day the higher ilvl pieces will be better regardless of what they have on it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites