Calling all Warlocks! The need for information is now! I just wanted to get some discussion and conversation going to see what everyone is doing now and how things may change in 3.1. To do that, I’ve posted 5 questions that you can either answer in the comments or post them in your blog to spread the love. My intentions aren’t to create another meme, but just to share some information on why we do what we do.
Also, feel free to be as in-depth as you’d like. Include links to talent builds, etc., whatever gets your point across.
- What spec are you currently?
- How long have you used this spec and why did you choose it?
- What are you most unhappy with in your current spec?
- What spec will you be taking in 3.1?
- If you plan on dual speccing, what will be your offspec?
My answers.. (links will be added shortly)
What spec are you currently?
0-41-30, Felguard/Emberstorm. The selfish version without Improved HS (I took Master Conjurer for the minimal DPS boost).
How long have you used this spec and why did you choose it?
Only a few days, actually. At 80, I started off as 0-56-15 (Meta/Ruin) because I had a lot of fun with Meta early on but found the build to be overly clunky in raid situations. I’ve always preferred Demonology builds and wanted something similar so I broke down and went for the cookie-cutter 0-41-30 build a few days ago.
What are you most unhappy with in your current spec?
I haven’t used it long enough to really find a flaw in it but what I don’t really agree with is the sacrifice Warlocks have to make to apply our version of the +spelldamage debuff. Both Unholy DKs and Moonkin apply the same debuff (a better one, unless you’re Affliction) by using spells already in their rotations while we’re forced to give up a damage dealing curse. The trade off, I know, is that CoE lasts for 5 minutes while Earth and Moon & Ebon Plaguebringer can fall off if the classes don’t keep up with their rotations but honestly, I’d rather apply a similar debuff using spells that we already use. I guess another major difference is that those two abilities are only available to a certain spec while CoE, albeit only 10% (for now, anyway), is a baseline spell for all Warlocks. But I digress. That was more a rant than an answer to the question. At the moment, I have no complaints with 0-41-30 lol.
What spec will you be taking in 3.1?
My first instinct will be to try out Meta/Ruin again with the new deep Demonology talents to see if the clunkyness is fixed (or at least limited to make the spec playable). With the Nemesis talent and the addition of Glyph of Metamorphosis, there is only a 90 second window where demon form will not be available. With the addition of Decimation, Demonology is given a boost to its DPS once the boss is at (or below) the 35% mark without having to worry about falling back on Meta as the only DPS boost. If it remains a clunky spec, I’ll probably switch back to a similar 0-41-30 spec.
If you plan on dual speccing, what will be your offspec?
If Affliction continues to be such a killer spec for tank and spank boss encounters, most likely I’ll go for some form of Haunt spec. Otherwise, I’ll be main speccing as whatever spec provides the highest DPS output during mobile fights (where you can afford not to maintain so much) and offspeccing as whatever is the highest DPS spec for tank and spank encounters like Patchwerk. This would allow me to perform at a peak no matter what type of encounter it is.
So there you go. Have at it!
*If you aren’t a Warlock but would like to answer the questions regarding your own class, feel free to do so.
1. What spec are you currently?
I’m running 2/13/56, the Deep Destruction build. After a life time of being Affliction at the beginning of BC and again at the beginning of Wrath, I felt like I needed a change to the nuke-‘em spec. The one surprise I found with this spec is that it wasn’t the old SB-Sac spec; it has a bit Affliction flavor to it with keeping proper rotations.
2. How long have you used this spec and why did you choose it?
I switched over to this spec with 3.0.3, which really is just a time stamp and not for any particular reason from patch changes. I had felt that Affliction had a glass ceiling that harken back to the BC progression, forcing a lot of warlock to the Succy-Sac Destruction if they really wanted to dps. I have in various levels been Demo, most noticeably during the lvl 64 through 70. While I had enjoyed the power of the Felguard, I just felt that the Demonic Warlock was still held hostage by how tied they are to their demons and since their demons are so easy to kill presented a huge risk to their own survivability.
3. What are you most unhappy with in your current spec?
There isn’t any huge glaring issues with this spec that bugs me, other then the RNG but then again how can you complain when sometime you get 10k (this number just seems to be a number I have seen many time but I certainly don’t have a SS of it) Conflagrate.
4. What spec will you be taking in 3.1?
I’m still not totally sold on any of the rebuilt talent trees yet, I will undoubtedly be testing a good many specs when 3.1 come.
5. If you plan on dual speccing, what will be your offspec?
Much like what you had, one Boss spec and one Trash spec. We have always been plagued by that in the past where some of our spec was superbly oriented for long fights and some were awesome for shorter fights. We can have our cake and eat it too.
Ooh, I’ll work on posting my answers this weekend. Not that my answers are too exciting
1. Haunt/Ruin.
2. I’ve actually been affliction as long as I can remember. I’ve tried Demonology and Destro; neither of them seemed to have that same pull. Something about affliction just hits me right (even apart from the details in-game). Destro felt like being a mage. Affliction has a very unique feel that no other class or spec has. The complexity of it is very appealing to me; I’m always casting a different spell, and keeping track of them all. Also, it’s fun to see your damage rise as your rotation gets going, and once you’ve settled down, it’s still interesting. You’re never spamming anything.
3. Unhappy with? Easy. If I have to move, or switch targets, my dps drops like it has been clubbed in the back of the head with a blunt object.
4. I will definitely stay with a deep affliction build, since I both know it well and love it.
5. Hmm. This one is tough. First, I will probably try an 0/41/30 or 0/30/41, which look to be the new crit-heavy builds. I’ve never tried a build based around crit before, so we’ll see how that goes. Failing that, though, I do want to try out Metamorphosis. And, in the end, I may switch to an affliction PvP build and an affliction PvE build. (Side note – if they weren’t nerfing Voidwalker tanking, that would be my offspec. No contest.)
Beat cha Syrana!
Post is up!
Man, Fuu really jumped on that one. Look for my answers to pop up tomorrow.
I answered you in a post on my blog!
[...] of Fear.Win is curious about what 3.1 has in store. Sure, we’ve all read the patch notes (well, you probably have; I think I might be a [...]
^ Me too.
@ Everyone – Wow, this hasnt been up 12 hours yet and I’ve already gotten a lot of responses. Thanks and I’ll be sure to read your posts at home if you’re a Blogger user (still firewalled at work). I feel the love!
@Fuu – Holy crap, I didn’t know it was a race!
I’m not promising anything before Saturday. But it should be up by then. And I’m glad you are getting a lot of response to this, Abi!
1. What spec are you currently?
Cookie cutter 56/0/15. Had a brief pass over FG/Drain life when leveling. Switched to full affliction and since I started raiding did a respec to remove some less usefull talents. I ve been lucky coz this expansion the “best raiding” build fitted with my personal taste.
2. How long have you used this spec and why did you choose it?
I’ve been affliction most of the time. I guess its a residue from my time spent drain tanking when leveling. But then I’ve tried both Destro and Demo and neither captured my attention.
3. What are you most unhappy with in your current spec?
Inconsistency. There are fights and times that this spec pulls a lot of DPS but fight mechanics/focus can seriously affect the DPS especially in my case. Another side-effect with me and this build is that the more I try the worse my DPS gets a.k.a. clipping dots for fear of them falling off.
4. What spec will you be taking in 3.1?
I will try the Meta/Ruin spec because turning myself into a goblin grenade every now and again is something that sounds really fun.
5. If you plan on dual speccing, what will be your offspec?
Haunt/Ruin, old habits die hard.
“There are fights and times that this spec pulls a lot of DPS but fight mechanics/focus can seriously affect the DPS especially in my case. ”
This is the main reason I went for Felguard/Emberstorm as it seems to be the most forgiving spec. I’d still like to give Haunt/Ruin a shot if the fights in Ulduar are a little less mobile than the current content.
[...] Vae Victus ← Questions. I has them. [...]
I have the basic cookie cutter Fel-guard/Emberstorm spec and I have tried many other specs. I come back to the 0/41/30 spec with my tail between my legs because of the DPS drop, I have to sigh at the fact that have to stay at this spec to even stay at the top.
Grr. Why won’t blizzard give Warlocks a fair chance at playing ALL specs?
The 3.1 feedback I’ve seen so far has all 3 trees close to even but I’m sure someone will figure out a hybrid spec.. they always do lol.
Actually I just checked Warlocks Den and 0-40-31 is supposedly the highest DPS spec on the PTR, using your Imp to DPS, giving the Master Demo fire boost and adding Conflag to the rotation. There were a few complaints that the rotation was a little more difficult but the DPS was great.
Hybrid specs have always been uninteresting to me because I always feel like I’m missing those 41/51 point talents that make the trees stand out.. but who can argue with doing more damage? It’s our job to kill things lol.
I believe the 0/40/31 build for 3.1 is somewhat similar in nature to the current deep destruction utilizing Empowered Imp in it’s build. I’m tempted to get on PTR and test as we get closer to 3.1 launch, I just don’t like testing on PTR since there are still so much changes till any patch launch.
[...] Syrana on Apr.11, 2009, under World of Warcraft Everlasting [...]
Reply posted here.
@ Hydra – Thanks for answering them!
What spec are you currently?
53/0/18 Haunt/Ruin with hit talents for PvE, 54/17/0 Haunt/SL for PvP
How long have you used this spec and why did you choose it?
I’ve been using Haunt/Ruin since WotLK came out. I had a brief spell as FG/Ember while gearing up in heroics, but strongly disliked the pet management and overly simple rotation. Affliction is fun and rewarding to use, and not nearly as hard as people make it out to be–I don’t even use a DoT timer.
For PvP, I used a Destro build until the Arena season started, and then switched to Haunt/SL. Affliction gives the greatest mobility and sustained offensive pressure, and relies the least on cast times.
What are you most unhappy with in your current spec?
I can’t really complain about PvE Affliction at all. Sometimes the lack of burst is annoying on trash, I guess.
On the other hand, the lack of burst is incredibly frustrating in PvP. This, combined with the class’s inherent lack of survivability (even for the 24 hours I was Meta), led me to stop playing my Warlock for over a month and roll a Priest. The problems with survivability have definitely toned down as the season has gone on, but I still dislike the uphill battle that a lot of Arena matches are. Getting outplayed is okay, but being out-classed is not very fun.
What spec will you be taking in 3.1?
I’ll most likely be staying Affliction until I get more hit gear, and then switching to 0/40/31. I currently still need to take the hit talents to stay capped.
If you plan on dual speccing, what will be your offspec?
Probably an SL/Destro PvP build. Affliction PvP has been gutted on paper and (apparently) on the PTR, and I strongly dislike deep Demo builds of all flavors.
“I currently still need to take the hit talents to stay capped.”
This is the hardest factor in choosing my initial build in 3.1. I’ll be 3% below hit without it too, unless I want to replace a majority of my gems with +16 hit gems >.>
I, personally, think this talent should have gone in to Destruction since every current hybrid raid spec goes in to the Destruction tree.. but you know, that would make sense.. and that doesn’t happen.
I might be a little late since I just found this blog today but thought I would add my response anyway.
1. What spec are you currently?
– 51/14/5 (something like that).. haunt allows me to lifetap for infinite fights, improved fel armor boosts my SP by over 100 now and since I open with SB I decided to shave .5 seconds off the cast time.
2. How long have you used this spec and why did you choose it?
– I originally leveled with points all over the place since I was new to the game (most points in demonology) and didn’t really understand how talents affected your character. Eventually I decided that affliction was the way a warlock should be played and have stayed this way for most of my career.
3. What are you most unhappy with in your current spec?
– lack of burst damage. When fighting the boss in the spider wing and I try to free people from the webbing it takes me 5-6 seconds to do so (3-4 SPs or 1-2 SBs). Other classes can do it in under a second.
4. What spec will you be taking in 3.1?
– haven’t really looked at the changes but I would love to try something new. Every time I tried destruction I would deal low DPS and run out of mana so I would respec back to affliction. I haven’t tried meta since it came out… I was hoping I’d be bigger
5. If you plan on dual speccing, what will be your offspec?
– When leveling I had a hybrid build that was affliction up to SL and demonology up to Felguard. It allowed to run around dotting things and never die. I could pretty much run around killing stuff and never run out of mana or life. I only took breaks to loot. I will probably use this as my off-spec and stick with affliction for raiding.
[...] of Fear.Win is curious about what 3.1 has in store. Sure, we’ve all read the patch notes (well, you probably have; I think I might be a [...]