Affliction Warlock DPS Spell List and Glossary — The War Within (11.0.5)

Last updated on Oct 29, 2024 at 20:56 by Motoko 46 comments
General Information

On this page, we present you with all spells and procs that you need to understand as an Affliction Warlock in World of Warcraft — The War Within (11.0.5).

If you were looking for WotLK Classic content, please refer to our WotLK Classic Affliction Warlock spells.

1.

Affliction Warlock Spell Summary

If you are new to the Affliction Specialization, this is a great place to start reading and begin breaking down the key spells that hold together this specialization. This page will discuss your specialization's abilities, how they influence gameplay and resource generation, how they interact, and your cooldowns. If you have some experience with Affliction already, it is recommended to skip over this section and move on to the rest of the guide.

To utilise abilities more efficiently, check out the Macros section on the Addon page.

2.

Main Resources for Affliction Warlock

Soul Shards are the main resource of Affliction Warlocks. Soul Shards are generated by your main damage over time spell, Agony Icon Agony, and can be spent on powerful new spells.

Mana is a secondary resource for Affliction Warlocks. Your main spells do not cost much Mana to cast and will never threaten your Mana pool. Utility spells, such as Demonic Gateway Icon Demonic Gateway, and Crowd Control abilities, such as Fear Icon Fear, cost more Mana than ever before, so be wary about using them too liberally.

3.

Unlocking Abilities

This page lists all available abilities after reaching the max level. If you are still leveling, check out the Warlock Leveling page, which offers detailed information on when you unlock all of these abilities.

4.

Basic Abilities for Affliction Warlock

These abilities are available no matter what talents you choose and form the bread and butter of this specialization.

For more information on using these abilities together in your rotation, please read our Rotation page.

4.1.

Damage Over Time Spells (DoTs)

DoTs deal damage every few seconds, with the tick rate being determined by the player's Haste.

Agony Icon Agony is your primary DoT spell, and it is the most important. Agony has a long ramp-up time, gaining damage with every tick, and it has the chance to generate Soul Shards. Maintaining this effect at all times is essential due to the resources it provides and its stacking nature.

Corruption Icon Corruption is a medium-strength DoT. You should keep this applied to your targets at all times.

4.2.

Direct Damage Spells

Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt is your main filler spell. Shadow Bolt has a short cast time and deals moderate damage.

4.3.

Demons

While leveling, Warlocks will learn to summon different demons, each offering a unique set of abilities and, therefore, better suited for specific situations.

Summon Imp Icon Summon Imp is the first Demon available, offering ranged attacks and a defensive dispel. It is better suited for scenarios where having an additional defensive dispel that does not come from a player is valuable. When there are frequent target swaps, a melee demon without a charge will waste precious seconds.

Summon Voidwalker Icon Summon Voidwalker is the second Demon and the first melee. Sporting high armor, Taunt, and AoE is the better option to tank damage or to deal AoE.

Summon Sayaad Icon Summon Sayaad offers the unique debuff that increases the damage taken from the Demon by up to 10% and slows the target by 50% while also offering Seduction Icon Seduction as an additional form of crowd control. It is best suited for PvP and pure single-target damage.

Summon Felhunter Icon Summon Felhunter is the only baseline pet with an interrupt and an offensive purge, making it desirable in those situations.

4.4.

Defensive Cooldowns and Tools for Affliction Warlock

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Unending Resolve Icon Unending Resolve UR The baseline defensive cooldown, combining damage reduction and interrupt and silence immunity.
Fear Icon Fear - The iconic Warlock ability that allows to disorient a target for the duration, or until they suffer enough damage to snap out of it. It has no cooldown but is limited to 1 target at any time and has a relatively high mana cost.
Curse of Weakness Icon Curse of Weakness CoW Slows target attack speed, mostly useful against enemies (or classes) that hit hard with their auto attacks.
Healthstone Icon Healthstone HS Unique consumables created by Warlocks that restore 25% of the target's total health with 3 charges, using Create Healthstone Icon Create Healthstone or later Create Soulwell Icon Create Soulwell.
Health Funnel Icon Health Funnel - Initially sacrifices player health to heal over time the current pet, generally used to extend the survivability of the minion while under pressure.
Drain Life Icon Drain Life DL Channeled spell that transfers health from the target to the player, first and foremost, a defensive tool to recover health points at the expense of lower damage output.
Eye of Kilrogg Icon Eye of Kilrogg - Summon a separate entity which the player control instead of the character, allowing to remotely scout locations without putting the caster in danger.
Unending Breath Icon Unending Breath UB Enables underwater breathing and, most importantly, increases swim speed.
Subjugate Demon Icon Subjugate Demon - Enable to take control of any non-boss Demon and use it as a main pet for its duration.
Soul Leech Icon Soul Leech - Passive that rants an absorption shield for 8% of all single target damage done, up to a maximum of 10% of maximum player health.
Soulstone Icon Soulstone SS Powerful utility that can be used both preemptively and reactively to resurrect a player in combat.
Command Demon Icon Command Demon - Condense in a single keybind your Demon's most relevant active abilities:
  • Imp: Singe Magic Icon Singe Magic;
  • Voidwalker: Shadow Bulwark Icon Shadow Bulwark;
  • Sayaad: Seduction Icon Seduction;
  • Felhunter: Devour Magic Icon Devour Magic.
Ritual of Doom Icon Ritual of Doom - Allows to summon a Doomguard with the aid of 4 more players.
Ritual of Summoning Icon Ritual of Summoning - Allows the Warlock to create a summoning stone and summon party/raid members.
5.

Class Tree Active Abilities of Affliction Warlock

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Fel Domination Icon Fel Domination FelDom Reduces the next Demon summon cast time by 6 seconds and removes the Shard cost.
Demonic Circle Icon Demonic Circle TP Allows to place a rune for 15 minutes and to teleport to that location while removing movement slowing effects.
Burning Rush Icon Burning Rush BR Toggle ability that provides movement speed bonus and a minimum speed of 100% at the expense of Warlock health as long as it is active.
Curses of Enfeeblement Icon Curses of Enfeeblement CoT/CoEx Grant access to both Curse of Tongues Icon Curse of Tongues and Curse of Exhaustion Icon Curse of Exhaustion.
Howl of Terror Icon Howl of Terror HoT A disorient ability that can affect up to 5 targets within 10 yards of the Warlock. It works similarly to Fear Icon Fear but can hit multiple targets and is instant cast, making it valuable in PvP.
Mortal Coil Icon Mortal Coil Coil Horrify effect that incapacitates a target for 3 seconds but, above all, heals the Warlock for 20% of their total health. Extremely valuable both in PvP and PvE.
Amplify Curse Icon Amplify Curse - Empowers the next curse application. Abilities that apply a curse to multiple targets will also benefit from this activity.
Banish Icon Banish - Allows for phasing a Demon or Aberration out, preventing any actions and making them immune.
Demonic Gateway Icon Demonic Gateway Gate, Gateway Creates two points which players can travel between by interacting. Players may only use the gateway once every 90 seconds.
Dark Pact Icon Dark Pact DP Sacrifices a portion of the caster's current health to provide a much greater shield. It can be used while crowd-controlled. Its low cooldown and strength of the shield is one of the main reasons warlocks are considered very durable and survivable.
Shadowfury Icon Shadowfury SF The only AoE stun Warlocks have access to. Valuable in dungeons and PvP alike.
Shadowflame Icon Shadowflame - Offers a powerful slow in a cone in front of the caster.
Soulburn Icon Soulburn Sburn Consumes a shard to enhance the next selected spell. The Drain Life and Healthstone is the strongest defensive option while being the one with the highest usability across all the various situations. The other choices can be equally powerful but are answers to particular scenarios.
6.

Class Tree Passive abilities for Affliction Warlock

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Fel Pact Icon Fel Pact - Reduces the cooldown of Fel Domination, increasing the frequency of use.
Demon Skin Icon Demon Skin - Empowers the Soul Leech Icon Soul Leech class trait offering passive generation while in combat and a maximum total shield possible.
Fel Armor Icon Fel Armor - Empowers Soul Leech Icon Soul Leech by staggering a portion of the damage received and offering passive damage reduction.
Fiendish Stride Icon Fiendish Stride - Reduces the health cost of Burning Rush Icon Burning Rush while also increasing the bonus movement speed.
Abyss Walker Icon Abyss Walker - Offers a very moderate damage reduction after using either Demonic Gateway or Demonic Circle.
Demonic Embrace Icon Demonic Embrace - increases stamina.
Demonic Inspiration Icon Demonic Inspiration - Increases pet attack speed each time the Warlock generates a full shard.
Wrathful Minion Icon Wrathful Minion - Provides a pet damage boost whenever the Warlock generates a full shard.
Demonic Fortitude Icon Demonic Fortitude - Increases the Warlock and their pet's maximum health.
Teachings of the Satyr Icon Teachings of the Satyr - Reduces Amplify Curse Icon Amplify Curse cooldown.
Accrued Vitality Icon Accrued Vitality - Adds a healing over time component to Drain Life Icon Drain Life.
Sweet Souls Icon Sweet Souls - Increase Healthstone heal and makes it, so any party/raid member that uses one of the warlock healthstones also heal the Warlock themselves for the same amount.
Nightmare Icon Nightmare - Increase the amount of damage the targets will suffer before breaking from a Feared effect.
Horrify Icon Horrify Fear Icon Fear causes targets to tremble in place instead of fleeing.
Lifeblood Icon Lifeblood - Grants the caster leech after using a healthstone.
Strength of Will Icon Strength of Will - Increases the damage reduction component of Unending Resolve Icon Unending Resolve
Dark Accord Icon Dark Accord - Reduces the cooldown of Unending Resolve Icon Unending Resolve.
Ichor of Devils Icon Ichor of Devils - Reduces the amount of health sacrificed for the same shield value.
Frequent Donor Icon Frequent Donor - Reduces Dark Pact Icon Dark Pact cooldown.
Socrethar's Guile Icon Socrethar's Guile - Increases Agony Icon Agony damage.
Sargerei Technique Icon Sargerei Technique - Increase Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt and Drain Soul Icon Drain Soul damage.
Dark Fury Icon Dark Fury - Increases Shadowfury Icon Shadowfury range by 2 yards and reduces its cooldown.
Swift Artifice Icon Swift Artifice - Cast time reduction on Soulstone Icon Soulstone and Create Healthstone Icon Create Healthstone.
Demonic Tactics Icon Demonic Tactics - Passive critical strike chance and additional critical strike chance from gear rating.
Teachings of the Black Harvest Icon Teachings of the Black Harvest - Enhance pet's utility ability with a corresponding minor bonus effect.
Resolute Barrier Icon Resolute Barrier - Provide cooldown reduction on Unending Resolve Icon Unending Resolve whenever the caster suffers damage instances greater than a percentage of their maximum health.
Fel Synergy Icon Fel Synergy - Provides constant background healing for the Warlock and their pet.
Soul Link Icon Soul Link sl, link Transfer a percentage of the damage taken by the Warlock to their pet instead. When using Grimoire of Sacrifice Icon Grimoire of Sacrifice, it provides extra stamina.
Demonic Resilience Icon Demonic Resilience - Reduces the chance the Warlock will be critically hit and also reduces the damage their pet takes.
Pact of Gluttony Icon Pact of Gluttony PoG Warlock Healthstones can be used by the caster every minute, without being limited to one per combat.
Soul Conduit Icon Soul Conduit SC Gives a chance for every Shard spent to be refunded.
7.

Specialization Tree Active Abilities of Affliction Warlock

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture MR The main Soul Shard spender spell, both in a single target and to a certain extent during multi-target situations. The ability does damage for each periodic effect on any target within range as long as they are in a line of sight of the caster.
Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction UA The hardest-hitting DoT is limited to 1 target at a time. If the target dies while it is active, it generates a Soul Shard.
Seed of Corruption Icon Seed of Corruption SoC An AoE ability that costs 1 Soul Shard and embeds a seed in your target, which explodes after 12 seconds and spreads Corruption Icon Corruption to all targets damaged. The seed is detonated early if the target takes enough damage from you. This ability is used for damage on large AoE packs. It deals moderate damage and spreads your Corruption to every target without investing in additional global cooldowns to apply it.
Drain Soul Icon Drain Soul DS Replaces Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt with a channeled ability that also deals twice the damage when the target is below the health threshold. If the target dies during the channel, Drain Soul Icon Drain Soul generates a shard.
Phantom Singularity Icon Phantom Singularity PS Damage over time effect on the primary target, which also pulsates an AoE effect within 15 yards over 16 seconds and heals for 25% of the damage done. It has a 45s cooldown.
Vile Taint Icon Vile Taint VT A targeted ground effect that triggers damage over time effect and applies Agony Icon Agony and Curse of Exhaustion Icon Curse of Exhaustion to up to 8 targets.
Grimoire of Sacrifice Icon Grimoire of Sacrifice GoSac Allows sacrificing the current Demon to inherit their Command Demon Icon Command Demon ability and a chance to deal with additional Single Target Shadow damage on their spells.
Haunt Icon Haunt - Single target ability that increases the damage taken from the Warlock. Cooldown resets on kill.
Summon Darkglare Icon Summon Darkglare Dgl Cooldown ability that extends every DoT on all enemies by 8 seconds and will deal increased damage based on the number of active DoTs at the time of summoning.
Soul Rot Icon Soul Rot SR Damage over time ability that can hit up to 3 additional targets nearby for a portion of the damage. While the debuff is active casting Drain Life Icon Drain Life will also affect any target hit by Soul Rot Icon Soul Rot.
Oblivion Icon Oblivion OB Channeled ability that deals extreme damage single target for its duration, costing 2 shards and with a 45-second cooldown.
8.

Specialization Tree Passive Abilities of Affliction Warlock

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Writhe in Agony Icon Writhe in Agony WiA Increases the initial and max damage of Agony Icon Agony.
Dark Virtuosity Icon Dark Virtuosity HoS Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt and Drain Soul Icon Drain Soul deal additional damage.
Absolute Corruption Icon Absolute Corruption AC Increases Corruption Icon Corruption damage and makes the duration permanent (limited to 24 seconds in PvP).
Siphon Life Icon Siphon Life SL Increases Corruption Icon Corruption damage and heals the Warlock for a portion of the damage dealt.
Kindled Malice Icon Kindled Malice KM Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture and Seed of Corruption Icon Seed of Corruption deal additional damage.
Nightfall Icon Nightfall NF Makes Corruption Icon Corruption have a chance each time it damages to make the next Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt instant cast or Drain Soul Icon Drain Soul channel 50% faster while also dealing increased damage.
Volatile Agony Icon Volatile Agony VA Refreshing Agony Icon Agony within the threshold inflicts Shadow Damage in a Area, centered around the target.
Improved Shadow Bolt Icon Improved Shadow Bolt ISb Reduces cast time and increases the damage of Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt.
Summoner's Embrace Icon Summoner's Embrace SuE Passive increase in Warlock and Pet damage.
Shadow Embrace Icon Shadow Embrace SE Stacking debuff on target that increases the damage they take from the Warlock.
Sacrolash's Dark Strike Icon Sacrolash's Dark Strike sacro Increases Corruption Icon Corruption damage, and at each tick, it will extend by half a second, whatever Warlock Curse is active on the target.
Cunning Cruelty Icon Cunning Cruelty CuC Gives a chance to both Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt and Drain Soul Icon Drain Soul to trigger a Shadow Bolt Volley that hits up to 5 targets.
Infirmity Icon Infirmity Inf Increases the number of initial stacks of Agony Icon Agony when applied by Vile Taint Icon Vile Taint, and increases the damage taken from targets damaged by Phantom Singularity Icon Phantom Singularity.
Improved Haunt Icon Improved Haunt ImH Haunt Icon Haunt deals increased direct damage, applies 1 stack of Shadow Embrace Icon Shadow Embrace and has reduced cast time.
Malediction Icon Malediction Mal Passive Critical Strike chance increase for Corruption Icon Corruption, Agony Icon Agony and Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction.
Malevolent Visionary Icon Malevolent Visionary MV Increases the damage of Summon Darkglare Icon Summon Darkglare while also providing a burst of damage at the beginning.
Contagion Icon Contagion Co Passive Critical Strike damage increase for Corruption Icon Corruption, Agony Icon Agony and Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction.
Cull the Weak Icon Cull the Weak CtW Provides a damage increase for Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture as the spell hits additional targets in its cast.
Creeping Death Icon Creeping Death CD Increases the frequency at which Agony Icon Agony, Corruption Icon Corruption, Siphon Life Icon Siphon Life and Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction will damage the target.
Tormented Crescendo Icon Tormented Crescendo TC Gives your Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt and Drain Soul Icon Drain Soul a chance to make the next Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture cost no shard and be instant when Agony Icon Agony, Corruption Icon Corruption and Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction are active on the target.
Xavius' Gambit Icon Xavius' Gambit XG Passive damage increase for Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction.
Focused Malignancy Icon Focused Malignancy FM Increase the damage of Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture on targets affected by Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction.
Perpetual Unstability Icon Perpetual Unstability PU Reduces cast time of Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction, and refreshing the spell within the threshold causes additional damage on the target.
Malign Omen Icon Malign Omen MO Soul Rot Icon Soul Rot casts grant 3 stacks of a buff which gives Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture damage increase and dot extension.
Relinquished Icon Relinquished Re Slightly increases Agony Icon Agony shard generation.
Withering Bolt Icon Withering Bolt WiB Increases the damage of Shadow Bolt Icon Shadow Bolt or Drain Life Icon Drain Life per each unique damage over time effect on the target.
Improved Malefic Rapture Icon Improved Malefic Rapture IMR Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture get a damage increase and a reduction in cast time.
Death's Embrace Icon Death's Embrace DE Increases Drain Life Icon Drain Life healing when the Warlock health is below the threshold and increases the damage of Agony Icon Agony, Corruption Icon Corruption, Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction and Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture when the target health is below the threshold.
Dark Harvest Icon Dark Harvest DH Gives the Warlock a temporary Haste and Critical Strike chance increase for each target affected by Soul Rot Icon Soul Rot.
Ravenous Afflictions Icon Ravenous Afflictions RA Critical strikes from Agony Icon Agony, Corruption Icon Corruption, Unstable Affliction Icon Unstable Affliction have a chance to grant Nightfall Icon Nightfall. The effect is a RPPM therefore does not scale with the number of targets.
Malefic Touch Icon Malefic Touch MT Adds an additional damage instance to each target hit by Malefic Rapture Icon Malefic Rapture.
9.

Changelog

  • 21 Oct. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 11.0.5.
  • 09 Sep. 2024: Reviewed for The War Within Season 1.
  • 21 Aug. 2024: Reviewed for The War Within.
  • 23 Jul. 2024: Updated for The War Within pre-patch.
  • 07 May 2024: Reviewed for 10.2.7.
  • 22 Apr. 2024: Reviewed for Season 4.
  • 19 Mar. 2024: Reviewed for 10.2.6.
  • 15 Jan. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
  • 06 Nov. 2023: Updated for Patch 10.2
  • 04 Sep. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
  • 10 Jul. 2023: Updated for talent changes in Patch 10.1.5.
  • 01 May 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.
  • 20 Mar. 2023: Updated talent trees to reflect class and spec changes for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 24 Jan. 2023: Updated for talent changes in Patch 10.0.5.
  • 11 Dec. 2022: Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 28 Nov. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
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