Warlock Abilities Guide
Warlocks are all-rounder engines of destruction, each and every tree open to us is specifically designed to improve our killing ability, just in a variety of different manners. Additionally, each tree presents an increase to either our survivability, mass killing abilities, or PvP capabilities in its own manner, making them all viable choices for nigh any stage of the game.
Primarily I would say that affliction enhances killing speed in general PvE, that is to say grinding, leveling, dailies, etc. It focuses entirely on our DoT’s and allows you to drain tank monsters basically ending fights with 100% life/mana.
Demonology enhances survivability without truly sacrificing much DPS comparative to other builds while leveling. The differences however for those fully fel-guard specced will become more apparent once you hit 70/start PvP or PvE raiding.
Finally destruction is the premier raiding spec for endgame raiding, once you’ve achieved the required gear from medium-level raid bosses you’ll find that it pulls away from affliction for overall DPS. Finally, destruction is a viable choice of build for Arena/battlegrounds.
Affliction
Affliction is the build I see most commonly either with leveling warlocks or those who chose to run the arena route having completed the leveling grind. It presents an interesting and wildly powerful survivability strategy when combined with demonology for soul link.
Additionally affliction is the warlocks one true method of mass grinding through any given area of mobs. This is accomplished by utilizing either personal survivability or a healer and proceeding to run through the target area, picking up as many mobs as possible to hold at once and proceeding to drain tank while the healer keeps you up.
End result if all goes well is a massive amount of XP and at the worst a fifteen second mana/life break before commencing pulls again. Then again once you've passe dthe leveling side of things and should you choose the endgame raiding path Affliction is still a highly viable build throughout the earlier and mid-rank raiding spectrum, only being noticeably surpassed by destruction far later once extreme gear is available.
Demonology
Demonology is one of my original favorite talent tree specializations and the reason I actually rolled warlock in the first place, demons. Demonology gives you massive increases to all survivability, solo capabilities, and past level 50 an immensely capable pseudo-warrior pet to boot.
Initially the imp gives you a nice additional DoT, and improving it can be potentially useful at higher levels, just not while within the leveling process, not demonology. Regardless, the initial talents of choice will be demonic embrace and likely fel intellect, the former giving you a massive health increase and dramatically increasing the viability of lifetap due to your new life pool.
Finally what is the crown jewel to some, rather the crown jewels, will be demonic sacrifice and soul link – both will provide immense improvements to your lasting power as well as damage dealt for hybrid builds such as destruction/demonology or afflicition/demonology.
All in all if you go purely demonology to 50 you’ll gain the support of a pseudo-warrior pet capable of tanking and dealing massive damage all at once. The demonology tree is well rounded and very useful to first-timers or those favoring the more demonic side of operations.
Destruction
Destruction is the build of choice for both myself in PvP and endgame raiders for consistent high DPS, it’s also a hell of a lot of fun when blasting away people in Arena and BG’s with massive shadowbolt criticals or a conflagrate.
Leveling wise destruction loses some of its luster, mana efficiency goes down the drain early on and it’s
highly recommended that you either use it in a team setting/instancing or simply skip it entirely and go for affliction or demonology.
Destruction is very fun I must admit, but for leveling not so much – I’d only recommend taking this up if you really have to blow things up immediately or have already reached your high 40’s/mid 50’s.
