What spec to roll for NH?

[Luthixx 138]

Hey guys,

I currently main a hunter this expansion but I've had a friend ask me to level my warlock to help out with his guild's runs on Sundays when I'm not raiding on my hunter.

I used to main a warlock back in MoP and was 14/14H SoO (now mythic) and was extremely comfortable with all three specs back then, but am finding the changes very strange since I've barely played my lock since 6.0 hit.

I've seen on warcraftlogs that affliction generally does the highest dps, but from a more general perspective, what spec do you guys feel is the best for NH (movement, versatility, survivability, dps - everything)? Is affliction really THAT far ahead of the other two specs or can destruction / demo keep up on some fights? I'd like to bring a decent alt to these runs and I love my warlock to pieces but want to bring the most versatile/highest dps I can.

Thanks in advance!

[Lockybalboa 618]

Aff is fairly well king right now. You can run other specs and they have their moments, but the best all around is aff.

[skullytor 4]

luthixx - you and i have basically the same history. i ran a destro lock in soo and only got back when legion dropped, but have only recently been focusing on my lock again. i rolled demo at legion release as it was mathematically strong, but i found/have found that its movement limitations are very problematic (especially for us guys that were used to KJC in SOO). after clearing heroic with my guild last week, i couldnt help but feel that while demo has a fun rotation and potential for some expert upside, the movement limitations are crippling. i'll admit that i dont play the at the same skill level that i used to, but the limitations of demo were glaring. certain fights i would hold the top spot, the second high movement was involved (im talking the fights where you're running completely across the arena or in virtually constant motion) my numbers would fall apart. theres just not a lot you can do with demo when youre moving/mechanic oriented, and lifetapping/aoe'ing doesnt really buy you much when you have 30+ yards to cover. i've been seriously considering rebuilding my affliction weapon as its heavy dot dependency makes it significantly more movement friendly. 

food for thought - despite demo's heavy horespower, i feel handcuffed by virtually all movement in the spec. 

Edited February 3, 2017 by skullytor

[Luthixx 138]

Ahhh I was thinking that'd be the case. I've found myself as a hunter doing significantly better as BM than MM purely because there are so many movement heavy fights so that would probably translate into playing a warlock. I was hoping destro was still good because I loved it back in SoO (4M+ chaos bolts amirite?!) but feels very odd without burning embers.

Thanks for the replies guys, guess I'm leveling my aff weapon first then!

[spikeysquad 50]

Aff/Demo seem pretty even to me. Destro lagging behind a bit overall. However, all 3 specs can excel on their own fights and I am loving getting to play all at the moment. Do not discount Destro altogether in normal and heroic it is very good on Elisande, Botanist (though Demo 3 target damage is insane) and Gul'dan.

I am currently maining Affy but for mythic progress I will probably play Destro more than now for its ability to kill adds. 

Skullytor aye good positioning and minimising movement for Demo is very important. However the recent buff to Demonwrath being able to proc TKD helps with that as well.

I just wanted to say though that Affy, to me, feels even more limited by movement. Yes, you can refresh DoTs if needed and Lifetap which is something to do. However, with MG (which you will probably use on 9 bosses if you follow the crowd) the most important thing is Drain Soul uptime (and naturally Drain Soul uptime in UA).

So while Demo can do some damage on the move Affliction really does not seem to me to do much though I will say I haven't actually tested this so I may be way off base. Destro is also mobility impaired to a point though the 4 set helps a lot with that. I may be wrong but I don't think anyone should be under the impression that Affy is much better mobility wise. Every GCD spent on an uneeded early refresh is one that you could be draining for 70% more DoT damage. Plus you also have to time your dump phases carefully though that is not much different than setting up for your TKC.

[meditate 0]

when you are over 898 roll des on , no other class will even get close to you in damage, except on elisende maybe

 

*Mod Edit* Your comment is flatly wrong. Please stop spreading false information.

-Locky

[spikeysquad 50]

3 hours ago, meditate said:

when you are over 898 roll des on , no other class will even get close to you in damage, except on elisende maybe

Where are you getting your information from? Assuming we are talking normal/heroic then the logs very much disagree with you. It is more than likely that your raid group has a large skill variation.

Ellisande, if anything, is actually one of Destro's strongest fights and more than likely will be on top (assuming equal skill/gear level) or very very close to it.  

[Lockybalboa 618]

4 hours ago, meditate said:

when you are over 898 roll des on , no other class will even get close to you in damage, except on elisende maybe

This is flatly wrong. I've warned you before, stop posting blatantly false information that you have absolutely no proof for.

[faragorn 2]

Early on, you're probably best off using the spec whose weapon you have the most leveling in, up to 35 points.  Once I got more than one weapon to 35 I felt more free to experiment.  Your luck in legendaries can also affect things.

I have found that for single target performance I can get the most out of affliction.  Demo has good theoretical numbers but I seem to have trouble getting the spec to perform.  Destro is great in cleave fights like Botanist.

One more thing I didnt realize initially. While you need a tome to swap *talents*, you can swap *specs* freely any time out of combat even in instances so you can do Affliction on one fight an Demo on the next and Destro on the third.

[KvotheTBL 0]

Demo and Affliction are fairly strong, with Affliction pulling ahead at higher gear levels, but not by much. I run Demo for every boss with a few talent changes here and there and I generally wreck charts. I'm rarely beaten by another spec, but I've been playing a lock for quite a while.  My recommendation is to spec for what you're getting gear-wise. Heavy mastery - go Affliction, heavy haste - go Demo.  Both specs are fun to play IMO and unless you're a crazy min/maxer, you're not going to notice a huge difference in DPS.  I cannot currently speak to Destruction this patch because I hate the play style, all I can say is that they start big and finish small every time I see them in raids, which is rare. 

[Tarazet 144]

I strongly disagree that Affliction has issues with mobility; most of its kit is instant cast dots. Demo is the spec that really needs to be a stationary turret to function properly. If you're forced to move, you can use your Demonic Circle/Gateway or channel Demonwrath and that's about it.

DPS wise, Affliction is all about the execute phase. It's similar to Shadow Priest in that it ramps to infinity and beyond, as soon as boss health gets low and you get those mechanics kicking into high gear. That makes it very different from the other two Warlock specs, which have much more in the way of opening burst.

[faragorn 2]

4 hours ago, Tarazet said:

I strongly disagree that Affliction has issues with mobility; most of its kit is instant cast dots. Demo is the spec that really needs to be a stationary turret to function properly. If you're forced to move, you can use your Demonic Circle/Gateway or channel Demonwrath and that's about it.

DPS wise, Affliction is all about the execute phase. It's similar to Shadow Priest in that it ramps to infinity and beyond, as soon as boss health gets low and you get those mechanics kicking into high gear. That makes it very different from the other two Warlock specs, which have much more in the way of opening burst.

I found the mobility issues to be different.  With Demo and Destro, you have to stay still long enough to get some casts off. With Affliction, you lose a lot if you took Malefic Grasp and cant use it, but less so if you took the Agony and Corruption talents.  

[Galbsadi 0]

On 2/20/2017 at 3:59 PM, faragorn said:

One more thing I didnt realize initially. While you need a tome to swap *talents*, you can swap *specs* freely any time out of combat even in instances so you can do Affliction on one fight an Demo on the next and Destro on the third.

This is very true, and quite useful...if only I could get some legendaries to drop for my other specs (or at least demo).

[Devkarin 5]

16 hours ago, Tarazet said:

I strongly disagree that Affliction has issues with mobility; most of its kit is instant cast dots. Demo is the spec that really needs to be a stationary turret to function properly. If you're forced to move, you can use your Demonic Circle/Gateway or channel Demonwrath and that's about it.

DPS wise, Affliction is all about the execute phase. It's similar to Shadow Priest in that it ramps to infinity and beyond, as soon as boss health gets low and you get those mechanics kicking into high gear. That makes it very different from the other two Warlock specs, which have much more in the way of opening burst.

I´m going with Affliction in NH hc and it works fine. As it is said here, Affli just needs a bit time to ramp up, but if you get your rotation to run, you climb up the DPS ladders step by step.

In the beginning of the most fights, i´m struggeling in the lower rankings...but if the fight goes on i´m getting higher and higher to finish the fight in the Top % of my raid.

Guess all the three ways to play Affli are good placed in any raid. So just try them which one is the most comfortable one for you and go for it. Later just try to get a second gear an switch to another style.