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Sunday, September 26, 2010

3.3.5 Demonology Warlock Talents, Glyph Choices, and Playstyle

Talents:
The average demonology spec for 3.3.5 generally leaves you with 1 point less than you would like to spend, the 0/56/15 spec is optimal in virtually any gear set. The 15 points into the destruction tree are absolutely 100% necessary. The 56 points spent in the demonology tree spent the way I did below provide for the possible amount of DPS. The only talent left with 1 talent point missing is Improved Demonic Tactics. Not having this talented is 10% less crit rating for your felguard. This is ok because virtually all the other talent points spent in that tier and below provide significantly more DPS Than that particular talent that is the reason it is only 2/3, had warlocks had 1 more free point it would probably go there.

Here are the optimal talents for 3.3.5:
http://www.wowhead.com/talent#IZ0GchkAbihsgdAoE00V:oTnVzM

This spec is good for fights with not a lot of movement and with bosses with high health and not a lot of adds. This is because the execute starts at 35% and is extremely powerful. 
Fights in ICC that this spec is good for: Deathbringer Saurfang, Festergut, Blood Queen Lana'thel, Blood Prince Council, and The Lich King.
Glyphs:
The spec above has got the 3 top glyph choices for demonology.
Glyph of Quick Decay is not so much for the damage from corruption, but to increase the frequency of getting the molten core proc. This is especially beneficial during the execute when this can potentially rack up to a fairly high amount of extra damage.
Glyph of Felguard, this is nothing more than a pet DPS boost, it increases your Felguard's AP by 20% which is a fairly high amount and amounts to a moderate DPS increase.
Glyph of Life Tap, as always this glyph is good because our main nuke for the majority of the fight is shadow bolt which has a fatty mana cost so you will be going Out of mana fairly quickly if you aren't life tapping constantly, so if you're life tapping to get mana back it's a good idea to get some Spellpower out of it.

Playstyle:
Demonology is very different in playstyle versus Destruction or Affliction. This spec has a proc which should be reacted to everytime you get it, and buttons to hit every single cooldown.
Since it's a bit more complicated than either spec i'll go over everything so it is easiest to practice and get used to it.
The two things you have on the boss at all times are immolate, and corruption. Those need to be up 100% of the time. You need to be hitting demonic empowerment every single cooldown, it does not use a GCD but you can't be casting anything when you press it, so when you are applying your DoTs is the optimal time to press this button. Once your two DoTs immolate and corruption are up, you start spamming Shadow Bolt, make sure to watch your mana, it gets drained very quickly. The two other things to watch our for are Molten Core and Decimation.
If you get molten core without decimation, you bang out 3 incinerates consecutively.
If you have just decimation, or decimation and molten core, you Soul Fire. Soul Fire is your execute nuke, once you have Decimation, do nothing but maintain Immolate and Corruption, and spam the heck out of Soul Fire. 
The last thing demonology locks need to watch for is Metamorphosis, this is our main DPS increasing cooldown and should be used to maximize DPS as often as possible,  the best scenario is to time this with Bloodlust/Heroism and with your execute. And as with any other warlock spec, be sure to not clip your DoTs and let every tick fall off.
Your rotation should look something like this:
Immolate - Corruption, Shadowbolt spam (if MC procs) - 3 incinerates, target hits 35% and you get Decimation > Soul Fire Spam.

My PTR experiences will be posted fairly soon, as well as a script that I use running an outside program that will help increase your DPS and that should be used by every caster.

Happy Soul Burning,

-Beerandchips

25 comments:

  1. Thank you. Now following.

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  2. My highest lock was like, level 12. hehe. Maybe after reading this blog enough I could be convinced to roll one. :P

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  3. Maybe we could see more about General WoW stuff? grinding and such idk

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  4. That's a good idea persuasive puppy I need to look into grinding and leveling myself as I will undoubtebly be doing it soon. :)

    Rolling a Lock is the best, and as affliction, battle grounds are so easy.

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  5. Good advice! I will keep this in mind when I take the WOW leap!

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  6. looking forward to the next update...

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  7. so excited for cata! nice guide, btw

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  8. I've raided as demo for a while now. Definitely my favorite pve spec. From what my friends in the beta tell me though, destro is gonna be CRAZY good... might have to switch it up for cata :P

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  9. I should really go create a warlock now that i have some handy info!

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  10. BURN THEM SOULS MAN :]
    Hahaha good post, personally I <3 Warriors.

    Twitter.com/CawlinForReal

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  11. nice blog... you've got a good following here

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  12. epic blog, i just added u

    cant wait to read more about locks


    add me back

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  13. I had to come back just to get a second read

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  14. Nice info for warlocks, too bad i play every other class except warlock >.<

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  15. I leveled a warlock up to level 60 once. Didn't much care for it. But my mage on the other hand is a great play. Nice read.

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  16. Demonology is the spec to be for cataclysm, we have mobile AoE, great cooldowns and we're going to be really adaptable for many encounters, also 10% spellpower buff, whats up.

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  17. Awesome I was thinking of starting a warlock when cata comes out.

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  18. Nice post - keep up the good work! ;)

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  19. Lots and lots of info, good stuff. I'll check back in tomorrow to see if you posted anything about Cata.

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  20. I used to like warlocks but always played rogue so I was one of your biggest enemies... Good thing for you I quit huh? :P

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  21. I definitely didn't know that much, i must say i'm fascinated!

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