Hakker's In Depth Warlock Guide v3.1

Member

Submitted by Hakker on Fri, 2007-03-16 16:12.

==Note== This guide was largely inspired by "Suicide's Lock Leveling Guide 1-70"

Version 2 Update: There is now a 60-70 section for talents
Version 2.1 Update: Added a section for equipment you should look out for
Version 2.2 Update: Added a link to wowmb.com, an awesome warlock website
Version 2.3 Update: Added an alternative build for 60-70
Version 3.0 Update: Added more builds for PVP and Raiding
Version 3.1 Update: Revised some pvp builds and corrected errors

Drain Tanking Build

Many people who play the Warlock in the begging think that the most successful way to level is to put your DOTS (Damage Over Time Spell) on the target then fear and shadow bolt to death. Not only is this dangerous, but It
is also very mana consuming and you will experience more downtime than you would using a common drain-tanking build.That is what we will be focusing on in this guide.

Note about Drain Tanking:
Few realize that Drain-Tanking is nearly useless before level 30, due to the weakness of the lower versions of the Drain Life spell. So for the first 19 levels just use the method of placing your DOTS on the
target and shadow bolting to death.
Talents:
1-9: Do your lowbie quests. Should take 2-3 hours.

10-14: 5/5 Improved Corruption
15: 1/5 Demonic Embrace
16-18: 3/3 Improved Imp (For the instances you should be running right now)
19: 2/5 Demonic Embrace
20-22: Improved VW
23-25: 5/5 Demonic Embrace
26: 1/1 Fel Domination
27-29: 3/5 Fel Stamina
Level 29 Spec

Using the method during this stage

10-29: Stack all your DoTs on a mob, send in the VW, stack all your DoTs on a second mob, and then wand the second mob to death. Repeat until low health, and then bandage/Consume Shadows. Each level should take about an hour, moving towards an hour and a half as you get closer to 30. If they are taking longer, figure out what the problem is (mobs too far apart, mobs have too much life, too much downtime) and move to an area that solves it.

Respec #1 (Level 30)
30: Respec to:
Affliction Tree
5/5 Improved Corruption
2/2 Improved Drain Life
2/2 Improved Life Tap
2/2 Drain Soul
1/2 Improved Curse Of Weakness (filler)
5/5 Fel Concentration
2/2 Nightfall
2/2 Grim Reach
31: 1/1 Siphon life
32-34: 3/5 Suppression
35-39: 5/5 Shadow Mastery
40: 1/1 Dark Pact
41-45: 5/5 Demonic Embrace
46-49: 4/5 Fel Intellect

Using the method during this stage

30-49: Drain Tank: Load the mob up on DoTs, send in the Succubus, cast Drain Life while the mob beats on you, rinse and repeat. At 40-49 keep using this method but instead of Life Tapping, use Dark Pact. A good rule of thumb is, DP only if your pet is over 50% mana, because if they run out it will slow your fighting time down. The easiest way to do this is to turn off all autocast abilities on your Succubus, and remember to DPing during the fight (rather than after) as a good time-saver because your DoTs will help keep up the DPS.

Respec #2 (Level 50)
50: Respec to:
Afliction Tree
5/5 Improved Corruption
2/2 Improved Lifetap
2/2 Improved Drain Life
1/2 Improved Drain Soul (filler)
5/5 Fel Concentration
2/2 Grim Reach
2/2 Nightfall
1/1 Amplify Curse

Demonology Tree
5/5 Demonic Embrace
3/3 Improved Imp
3/3 Improved VW
3/3 Improved Succubus
1/1 Fel Domination
2/2 Master Summoner
3/5 Unholy Power
1/1 Demonic Sacrifice

51: 1/1 Siphon Life
52: 1/1 Curse of Exaustion
53-55: 3/4 Improved Curse of Exaustion
56-60: 5/5 Shadow Mastery

grats on 60
Using the method during this stage

50-59: The Drain Tanking gets even better now. By Demonic Sacrificing your pet, you are able to regen even more life per fight, keeping up with increasing monster damage, while still 'Tapping up to full mana whenever you want because of the passive regen.

60: You are now specced SM/DS, which is generally accepted to be best grinding spec pre-burning crusade

Section 2: 60-70
Talents:
Respec to the following:

http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=NyMriRfzqtbo0x

61: 5/5 suppression
62-64: 3/3 Fel Intellect
65-66: 2/2 Imp Health stone
67: 1/1 Fel Domination
68-70: 3/3 Demonic Aegis
grats on 70

Level 70 Build:

http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=NEMriRfzqtbobxczc

Alternative 60-70 Build
This build is meant to keep your regeneration high, and reduce downtime, at the cost of damage output

Respec to the following

Alternative Talent Build

61: 1/1 Fel Domination
62-64: Demonic Aegis
65-66: Master Summoner
67-69: 3/3 Fel Stamina
70: Demonic Sacrafice

How to use the method at this stage:

Stack your dots on the target, and use the traditional drain tanking method. Just about every mob you face should be able to be down able with taking little to no damage. I recommend using the succubus during this stage.

How to level:
Grind and quest at the same time. Either look for multiple quests that involve killing the same mobs, or look for multiple quests in the same areas. The more quests you can get done before running back to turn in, the faster your leveling will go. Also, remember to set your hearth to new places frequently. Every time you plan to level in a new place for more than an hour, set your hearth there, as the time saved by teleporting back to the nearest down instead of running is incredible. Perfect guides on where to find these areas can be found here:

James' Leveling Guides - http://www.wow-pro.com/node/692

Proxy/Vince's Mage Leveling Guide - http://home.comcast.net/~mxnvincent/mage.htm

While the last one is meant for mage, it shows some good grinding areas.

Equipment Choice:
I found that during early levels it was best to focus on +sta, and at around 35 or so to switch to +shadow or +dmg. If you are specced into affliction and are drain tanking, +dmg will be vastly superior to +sta. You kill the mobs much faster for the same mana, and heal yourself that much faster.

Up until about level 40 you should stack +sta and "of the Eagle" gear. At 30, start looking for Shadoweave gear, and around 40 switch into it. Full Shadoweave can be made by tailors, and will give a bonus of +114 shadow damage, along with some Int and Sta, and can be equipped at level 44.

In general, while using Dark Pact I stack as much +damage gear as possible, and while using Demonic Sacrifice, I stack as much +sta gear as possible, while keeping a minimum of +100 dmg.

I also go against using a staff, a good dagger/sword and an offhand in my opinion is way better than a staff. Think about it, with a staff you get some nice stats, occasionally an effect. With a dagger/sword and an offhand, you get stats on the weapon and sometimes an effect, AND on the offhand you can get ADDITIONAL stats AND another effect! sounds good doesn't it?

Equipment to look out for

HORDE ONLY: Ragefire Chasm
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=14150
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=14148
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=15444
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=15449
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=15452

Wailing Caverns
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=5243
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6632
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6465
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=5970
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6631
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6629
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6463
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6461

Black Fathom Deeps
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=1155
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6910
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=7001
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=16887
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=3415

Razorfen Krual
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6697
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6695
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6689
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=6693
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=4197
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=2549
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=2039

Scarlet Monastery
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=7685
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=7714
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=7713
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=7720
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=7722

Razorfen Downs
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=10762

Uldaman
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=18082
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=9470
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=9484

Maraudon
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=17719
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=17780
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=17715
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=17707
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=17710

Sunken Temple
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=12462
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=10844
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=10751

Blackrock Depths
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=11624
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=11824
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=11808

Lower Blackrock Spire
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13143
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13161
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13181

Undead Strathholme
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=18727
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13376
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=18022
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=17045
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13249

Live Strathholme
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13390
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13392
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13391
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13389
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13388

The Scholomance
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13314
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13937
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=14514 (If you are a tailor, i HIGHLY reccomend getting this)
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=13986

Upper Blackrock Spire
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=12752

My Stand on Teir 0/0.5
Typically i would not recommend getting t0/t.5 because there are much better options for this level, sure the bonuses are great (and warlocks look sexy in it ^^), stat wise there are much much better options.

Raiding Builds

Build #1
Dark Pact/Ruin
Respec to the following

Dark Pact/Ruin Build #1

This is a favorite build of mine, maxamizing shadow bolt damage output/casting time. By placing corruption on your target every once in a while you will get an instant cast shadow bolt that even further improves your damage output.

Build #2
Minimize your aggro!
Respec to the following

Build #2 - Minimize your aggro!

This build is mainly used to completely minimize the aggro you generate, so you can continue casting where other builds would have pulled aggro to you.

PvP Builds
If you've payed attention to the forums, than you would know that warlocks are currently one of the most powerful pvp'ers ever. These builds should help you maxamize your pvp power

Build #1
Respec to the following

PvP Build #1

This build allows you to do EXTREMELY high amounts of damage in short amounts of time, with nightfall you get instant cast shadow bolts, and with soul leech you even get to regenerate health when you attack targets!

Build #2
Respec to the following

PvP Build #2

This build focuses around the demonology tree, increasing your durability and at the same time buffing you and your pet to do more damage.

Looking for some more awesome warlock guides?
You can check an entire website dedicated to warlocks here:
http://www.wowmb.net/

From everything from pets to mounts, wowmb has everything to help max your warlock power.

Well, thats all, I hope this guide can help you level a lot faster with your warlock. Thanks for

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Trusted Member

Really Needs update.

Submitted by TehBuG on Wed, 2008-03-05 08:12.

Sup. this guide could really use a skilled hand to update it. ive been following as best as possible, but some things just are not doable.

for example:

46-49: 4/5 Fel Intellect

Fel Intellect is a max 3 skill now.

id do it, but im so freakin nub at wow still ;D

-------------------------

till shade is gone, till water is gone, into the shadow with teeth bared, Screaming Defiance with the last breath, to spit in sightblinders eye on the last day. - Aiel Saying. refernce to how long they will fight the "dark one" (R. Jordan, Wheel of Time"

Trusted Member

Emaple 2: 53-55: 3/4

Submitted by TehBuG on Sun, 2008-03-09 05:16.

Emaple 2:
53-55: 3/4 Improved Curse of Exaustion

talent no longer exists.

Plagarism

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2008-01-08 02:48.

Please give credit to Suicidal from the offical WoW forums for writing basically the first half of your guide.

Administrator

If this is true, you should

Submitted by Jame on Tue, 2008-01-08 19:15.

If this is true, you should definitely give credits to that person.

Hmm

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2008-01-10 04:13.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=79826431&sid=1

Quote:
"Below I present an updated version of Suicide's Warlock leveling guide. On the previous boards, a lock named Suicide posted a wonderful guide detailing the fastest specs to 60, and basic strategies to accompany them. After the switch to the new forums, and then the advent of the Burning Crusade, no one had made an attempt to update the guide. Given the sheer number of posts made daily asking for leveling/build advice, I dusted of an archived version of the guide and gave it a facelift. At the bottom of the post, I've outlined what changes I contributed to the guide. The rest of the guide, as well as the concept for the guide itself, can be attributed to Suicide. "

Administrator

I added credits at the start

Submitted by Jame on Thu, 2008-01-10 12:42.

I added credits at the start of this guide. Thanks for pointing this out Smiling

Member

Drain Hunting

Submitted by Earl Grey on Fri, 2007-03-16 19:02.

Instead of Fearing & Shadow Bolting until level 30 you can "Drain Hunt":
VW tanks, while you first stack the DoT's, Life Tap and then basically Drain the mob until dead. This way you keep mana and life up so you can keep going with no downtime.

This guide gives two conflicting advice for the 10-19 level range.
The first advice is:
... for the first 19 levels just use the method of placing your DOTS on the
target and shadow bolting to death.
If you do this you will run out of mana fast. At least use a wand instead of Shadow Bolting.

The second advice is IMO better:
10-29: Stack all your DoTs on a mob, send in the VW, stack all your DoTs on a second mob, and then wand the second mob to death.
This results in the warlock tanking, unless I missed something? I prefer to send in the VW before stacking any DoT's. After all, the VW's job is to tank. He is really not good at killing stuff.

Member

Change-up in the respec at level 50

Submitted by Ethesis on Tue, 2007-06-19 20:00.

http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=NA0rVR0zoZMxhuMrz is what I did with the respect (I waited until 52 instead of doing it at 50 because I wanted to play more with affliction).

Figure this will be fun, and I'll learn from it.

I was pretty much pure affliction for a bit, which was fun.

//////////

I confess I abandoned that spec and went back to affliction ...

Also, on the staff v. dagger & off-hand (Burning Crusade has some great daggers), the real answer is: it varies. Keep an eye out. Especially in the Outlands you will find that it varies a lot -- the same with enchants that work on different weapons.

Most of the time I find that a staff is better, every so often you come up with a weapon + off hand that is better (which is what I have now).

Hakker's In Depth Warlock Guide v3.1

Really Needs update.

Emaple 2: 53-55: 3/4

Plagarism

If this is true, you should

Hmm

I added credits at the start

Drain Hunting

Change-up in the respec at level 50

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