Warlock PvP in Arenas 5.4 Affliction or Destruction

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The Topic

Although I may be posting this late into the release of 5.4 and during the new hot craze about upcoming Warlords of Draenor. 

 

The topic of discussion here, as the title suggests, is which Warlock specialization do you find most effective in which arena. This thread applies mainly to Affliction and Destruction, the reason I have exempted Demonology is because it was severely nerfed IMO during the 5.4 release.

 

 

Destruction

Personally, I find Destruction to be the most viable option for 2v2. It offers the best burst damage for the Warlock specs and the big hits of Chaos Bolt is devastating to any 2v2 team with limited heals. Shadowburn is a great way to just melt your enemy below 20%.

 

As far as DoTs go, it is impossible to compete with Affliction, but Immolate has a pretty good DoT effect, and the snare that comes along with Conflagrate (if you decided not to buy the glyph) is a great combination with your Gateways and Portals. 

 

Destruction's Ember Tap is a spectacular survival tool especially combined with Dark Regeneration. In a pinch with a downtime on your Healthstone, just pop Dark Regeneration and only use one of your Embers and you will be at more than half of your health in no time.

 

While these Destruction abilities offer great support to a quick fight where you need to blow everyone up fast, this specialization lacks in providing a constant pressure to more than a 2v2 setting. 

 

Affliction

 

Affliction is strong where Destruction is weak, this is apparent to anyone in the Warlock class. While Destruction can decimate your enemies in a short span of time, Affliction will chew up an enemy's health bar at a steady speed for the entire fight, granted your DoTs are up. 

 

Having three heavy DoTs like Unstable Affliction, Agony, and Corruption up at all times on an enemy is the highest pressure one can find of any class/spec in WoW. These are the staples of the Affliction specialization and it is obsolete without them. 

 

Survival tools in Affliction lie within your boost to healing received from Drain Life. I also  find Dark Regeneration to be the best Tier 1 talent for this class with the already boosted Drain Life effect, and less of a need for the Harvest Life talent. Of course Healthstones are useful to every Warlock spec. 

 

The Discussion

 

As someone who is a constant forum hunter, I find myself often looking up this question as my main is a Warlock. While my input can be helpful to some players, I am not anywhere near as good as other Warlocks out there.

 

Please leave your strategies/ideas about playing either one of these specs. All are welcome!

 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2014 by Phizzeledout

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The poll on this page can only help so much. Leave your comments on how to be a better Warlock PvPer.