Warlock PvP

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Warlocks are DoT and shadow casters with demon pets and strong self-sustain via Life Tap. Forever splits Curses and Banes (Bane of Agony and Bane of Doom can stack with a Curse like Curse of the Elements), adds Wrack as a channelled Affliction DoT amplifier, and adds Incinerate and Bane of Havoc for Destruction alongside the level 40 Conflagrate talent.

Affliction Warlock PVP guide

Affliction is the Warlock that wins long fights. At 20 you put instant Corruption, Bane of Agony and a curse on everyone you can reach, Fear the melee player who gets to you, and Drain Life the health back with Soul Siphon's bonus. Your damage is slow to build, so the spec shines when fights drag on and when several enemies are in range at once.

Burst

Control

Staying alive

Battlegrounds

Affliction's job in a battleground is pressure on many players at once. Put instant Corruption and Bane of Agony on every enemy in range, healers first, and keep moving while they tick. At a control point or in a flag room, DoT every attacker and Fear the one who reaches you; Rain of Fire hits everyone standing on the point. You are a poor flag carrier with no speed boost, but a good chaser of one: DoTs keep hurting a carrier while they run, and Curse of Weakness softens a melee carrier for your team. Stay behind your own melee players and use Drain Life when an enemy gets through. Darkspear Islands, Forever's new 15 vs 15 battleground off the coast of Kalimdor, mixes control points with Arathi Basin-style flag captures and defense, which suits a Warlock who can hold a point, once Blizzard opens it for beta testing.

Open-world PvP

On the PvP ruleset, Affliction is good at picking fights and at surviving the ones it didn't pick. When you gank, open from the edge of your range with Corruption and Bane of Agony, curse the target, and Fear them if they charge; by the time they reach you, your DoTs have done much of the work. When you are ganked, use the Voidwalker's Sacrifice for a shield, Fear the attacker and use your Healthstone. If you win the exchange, Drain Life finishes it; if not, Fear again and head for guards or friendly players. You have no speed boost at this level, so don't try to outrun a Rogue or a Shaman: turn and fight with DoTs and Drain Life. Near quest objectives, Fear can send an enemy running into nearby mobs, and a player already fighting mobs is an easy target for your DoTs. Quest with Demon Armor up and a Healthstone in your bags, and Life Tap only when nobody is around. Blizzard's patch notes say Sap now flags the Rogue for PvP when used on a PvP-flagged player, so a Rogue who Saps you while you are flagged can be fought back.

Matchups

Stats

Stamina, Spell Power, Shadow Damage, Hit, Intellect, Spirit, Critical Strike. Players hit much harder than mobs, so health comes first: Stamina keeps you alive through a Rogue's opener and gives Life Tap room. Spell Power and Shadow Damage make every DoT and Drain Life stronger. Hit keeps Fear and your curses from missing. Intellect and Spirit keep you casting, and Blizzard's notes say Life Tap converts more with Spirit. No Affliction talent builds on crits, so Critical Strike comes last.

Tips

Demonology Warlock PVP guide

Demonology is the hardest Warlock to kill. At 20 you have more Stamina, a stronger Healthstone and a Voidwalker whose Sacrifice shield is more effective, and one point keeps Corruption instant. You deal less damage than the other two specs, so you win by outlasting: DoTs, Fear, and a demon between you and the enemy.

Burst

Control

Staying alive

Battlegrounds

Demonology is a defender. Hold a control point or guard your flag carrier: you last long enough for help to arrive, your DoTs hurt every attacker, and Fear sends one of them away from the point. With the Voidwalker's Sacrifice and a Healthstone you can hold a point against one attacker far longer than other cloth casters. You can carry a flag if your team protects you, since your Stamina and shield buy time, but you have no speed boost. Keep your demon close so it doesn't wander into the enemy team, and re-summon between fights, never in the middle of one at 20. Darkspear Islands, Forever's new 15 vs 15 battleground off the coast of Kalimdor, mixes control points with Arathi Basin-style flag captures and defense, and defending is where this spec fits there, once Blizzard opens it for beta testing.

Open-world PvP

On the PvP ruleset, Demonology is the spec that survives ambushes. Quest with the Voidwalker out and Demon Armor up, and keep a Healthstone in your bags. When a Rogue or Warrior opens on you, use Sacrifice at once, Fear them when you can act, and DoT them; you have the health to win a long fight. When you are the attacker, open with instant Corruption and Bane of Agony and let your DoTs work while you keep your distance. You can't outrun anyone at this level, so fight where you stand, ideally near guards or friendly players. Near quest objectives, a player already fighting mobs is an easy target, and Fear can send an enemy into nearby mobs. After a fight, re-summon the Voidwalker before anything else; without it you are just a cloth caster. Blizzard's patch notes say Sap now flags the Rogue for PvP when used on a PvP-flagged player.

Matchups

Stats

Stamina, Spell Power, Shadow Damage, Intellect, Hit, Spirit, Critical Strike. Demonic Embrace raises your total Stamina by a percentage, so every point of Stamina on gear is worth more to you than to other Warlocks. Spell Power and Shadow Damage come next for your DoTs and Drain Life, then Intellect, which Fel Vitality's bigger Mana pool builds on. Hit keeps Fear from missing, and Spirit feeds Life Tap, according to Blizzard's notes.

Tips

Destruction Warlock PVP guide

Destruction is the burst Warlock. At 20 Bane makes Shadow Bolt and Immolate faster, Aftermath front-loads Immolate, and Shadowburn gives you an instant hit to finish a running or healing player. You kill quickly but last the least of the three specs, so pick fights you can end fast and keep the Voidwalker's Sacrifice for when they reach you.

Burst

Control

Staying alive

Battlegrounds

Destruction is a damage dealer who needs protection. Stand behind your team's front line and burst whoever your team is attacking: Immolate, Shadow Bolt, and Shadowburn the moment they drop low or run. Shadowburn is instant, so you can finish a fleeing flag carrier on the move. In big fights, Bane of Havoc on an enemy healer or carrier copies part of the damage you deal elsewhere onto them, and Rain of Fire hits everyone contesting a control point. You are a poor defender on your own and a poor flag carrier, so stay near teammates. Darkspear Islands, Forever's new 15 vs 15 battleground off the coast of Kalimdor, mixes control points with Arathi Basin-style flag captures and defense, so there will be plenty of grouped fights for this once Blizzard opens it for beta testing.

Open-world PvP

On the PvP ruleset, Destruction wins the fights it starts. Pick targets who are fighting mobs or low on health, open with Immolate or Shadow Bolt from full range, and Shadowburn to finish before they can react. When someone opens on you, use the Voidwalker's Sacrifice at once so you can cast through their attacks, Fear them, and burst them while they run back. If a fight turns against you, don't try to outrun it at this level: Fear, Healthstone, and look for guards or friendly players. Near quest objectives, a player pulling mobs is at your mercy, and Rain of Fire hits every enemy around a contested spot. After every fight, re-apply Demon Armor, re-summon, and Life Tap back to full Mana before moving on; you rely on a full Mana bar to burst. Blizzard's patch notes say Sap now flags the Rogue for PvP when used on a PvP-flagged player.

Matchups

Stats

Stamina, Spell Power, Shadow Damage, Hit, Critical Strike, Intellect, Fire Damage. You are the easiest Warlock to burst, so Stamina still comes first in PvP. Then Spell Power and Shadow Damage for Shadow Bolt and Shadowburn, and Hit so your casts land. Crit matters more here than for the other specs: at 30, Devastation and Ruin turn crits into kills. Fire Damage helps Immolate and Searing Pain.

Tips

Checked against WoW Forever beta build 1.60.1.70009.

Warlock abilities