Guide to Playing a Warlock at Lower Levels

Why be a warlock?

1. Warlocks are one of the fastest leveling classes in the game. The only class faster than warlocks are hunters.
2. Warlocks are one of the best PvP classes in the game. At all levels.

Warlock Roles in Endgame

1. DPS in Raids
2. Excellent CC in Arena

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Starting a Warlock

Races
-PvE: Human (Diplomacy!)
-PvP: Gnome (Small Size) or Undead (Will of the Forsaken)

Normally, if you want to PvP go Horde. They win a lot more than alliance. Nobody knows why.

How to Level as a Warlock

The best guide as to how to level as a warlock is most definitely one from the WoW forums, written by SUICIDAL. It is a bit out of date, but that doesn't really matter

Talents:
10-14: 5/5 Imp Corruption
Fill the demonology tree
29 spec: http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=IVZ0xG0G

Respec #1 (Level 30)
30 spec: http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=IVzrVRbz
50 spec: http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=IizriRbkqtbo

After 50, you can put points in either Demonology for some extra stamina or Destruction (recommended) for dps in instances.

Note about Drain Tanking:
Common knowledge is that Drain Tanking is the most efficient leveling spec. Few realize, however, that it is nearly useless before level 30, due to the weakness of the lower versions of the Drain Life spell.

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.

Summary:
1-9: Do your lowbie quests. Should take 2-3 hours.

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.

30-39: Drain Tank: Load the mob up on DoTs, send in the Succubus, cast Drain Life while the mob beats on you, rinse and repeat.

40-70: Drain Tank, 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.

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 draintanking, +dmg will be vastly superior to +sta. You kill the mobs much faster for the same mana, and heal yourself that much faster." -Clutchsama

It's my personal opinion that 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.

Most of this guide was written by Suicidal from the main World of Warcraft community site.

Notes:

1. Instead of using a succubus to drain tank in levels 40-49, use an imp with fireball turned off if you have the shadoweave gear. (or other gear that gives a lot of shadow).

2. At level 56, you can respec to a felguard build. http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=IVZ0gczIizcesz . Keep putting points in affliction. Stack +dmg. To grind with a felguard cast: CoA + petattack, Corruption, Immolate, Lifetap, Drain life, Drain life. Once you get the improved Drain Soul, drain soul at the end to gain mana.

3. In the 40s, go to the auction house and just search for cloth gear around your level. Get all the gear that gives +shadow damage and +spell damage for cheap. Ex: Dreamweave Gloves. Also, get a good shadow damage staff from the auction house. The only good +spell damage staff is Zumrah's Vexing Cane, which only gives +20 spell damage and has a low drop chance.

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Guide to PvPing in lower levels

Note: This is my style that I describe and I find it to be effective. You should take this section of this guide as a suggestion. If you find your style to be just as effective, feel free to post it in the comments. I'll probably include it.

1. STACK SHADOW DAMAGE AND STAM. Those are the only 2 stats that matter. Shadow Damage > Stam too, because you...

2. Run with a voidwalker! The voidwalker sacrifice skill gives you a shield that absorbs a godly amount of damage.

3. Use a spellstone! The use effect clears you of all magic debuffs!

4. Watch out for Paladins, Priests, Druids, and Mages. All of these classes have dispel effects. Paladins and Priests can dispel Magic effects (Corruption + Siphon Life), but not curses (Curse of Agony). Druids and Mages can dispel curses but not magic effects. So on a Paladin / Priest, just use Curse of Agony (or Curse of Tongues) and on a Druid / Mage don't use Curses.

5. Insta Howl of Terror = FTW. Don't risk being interrupted in the middle of a fear cast by a mage, rogue, warrior, or shaman. If you're fighting those classes, just use Insta Howl of Terror. In fact, if you're fighting any class where fear will take a long time to cast, just use insta Howl of Terror, it only has a 40 second cooldown.

6. Don't use Drain life near an unfeared Mage, Rogue, Warrior, or Shaman unless you're sure their Counterspell, Kick, Pummel, or Earthshock is on CD.

7. Always cast Unending Breath and Detect Invisibility on yourself, it makes it more difficult to get your void shield dispelled.

8. Basic BG Tactics
   
   1. Don't play in 10-19, the twinks rule there. You will dominate 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59.

   2. Warsong Gulch: Warlocks are one of the best escort and defending classes. Curse of Exhaustion = win. Either escort your flag carrier back, slowing people chasing him down with curse of exhaustion, insta howl of terror if there are too many, DoT them up to piss them off. On defense, either stay on the roof or on the second floor and watch. As soon as somebody comes in to grab the flag, either 1v1 them, or if it's like 4 guys, slow em all down with curse of exhaustion. If there's a druid or a mage with them, fear the druid or mage, and then slow em all down with curse of exhaustion.

   3. Arathi Basin: Defense is pretty simple. Offense is better if you go in BEFORE everybody else, DoT everyone defending the flag, mass fear, reDoT, etc. Basically be Rambo until you die and then when the reinforcements come in to attack that node, all the defenders will be at half health or less.

   4. Alterac Valley: DoTs + Range = FTW.

9. How to fight 1v1...
   
   1. Warriors - They will probably charge you in the beginning, so quickly use instant howl of terror and stack your 3 DoTs on him. If he Hamstringed you before you feared him, Drain life him and hope nightfall procs a couple of times. If he resists the fear or is immune and you are hamstringed, attempt to jump around him while your DoTs kill him. If you aren't hamstringed when he is feared, quickly run the other way from the warrior. He will attempt to chase you down, don't stop running. If you get within 25 yards of the warrior, he will intercept you (teleports him to you and stuns you for a couple of seconds). Refresh the DoTs as necessary and wait until he dies. When you get to around 50% and the warrior is at more than 50%, shield immediately. If you wait until you're almost dead to shield, the warrior will just execute you to the graveyard.

   2. Rogues - The rogue will probably start with either an ambush or a stun lock. If he ambushes you, insta fear him and fight him like he's a warrior. Except this time you don't need to worry about being within 25 yards of him, just don't get in melee range. If you get stun locked, sacrifice your void when you're almost dead and immediately insta fear when you get out of the stun lock. You probably didn't die from the stun lock because of the voidwalker shield.

   3. Mages - Put DoTs, the mage will probably run. If he doesn't run and ice blocks, either switch to another target and DoT that person up, or wait for the ice block to run out and then reDoT him. The easiest way to kill a mage is DoT + kite. If he frost novas you, cast fear while the mage is charging up a fireball or a frostbolt.

   4. Hunters - If you know the hunter is your level, shield IMMEDIATELY. Hopefully arcane shot doesn't dispell it for a while. If you have death coil, death coil the hunter and fear him while you're in a shield. If you get out of the shield, you can insta Howl of Terror to get the pet off you while you charge up a Shadow Bolt of no return. If the hunter uses TBW, GL. Make sure you keep all the DoTs on him, shield, drain life. If the shield runs out, keep draining life. Just drain life + Night fall procs + reDoT until either YOU are dead and the hunter dies of DoTs or the hunter dies.

   5. Shamans - Most shamans at lower levels are enhance shammies. If you see a shaman charging at you, immediately instant fear and stack DoTs and run. Use death coil if he is about to get you in melee range. Don't shield unless you're just about to die. Shamans will purge it anyways. If a shaman gets one lucky windfury proc you will probably die. If the shaman is elemental, try not to let it get chain lightning off. Death coil, whatever.

   6. Shadow Priest - Just go with the flo. Use shadow ward and all your DoTs, the priest will probably dispell your Corruption + Siphon Life, but while he's doing that you can be draining life.

   7. Holy Priest - Insta howl of terror, DoTs, shadow ward, drain life. 1v1ing a holy priest shouldn't be hard at all.

   8. Paladins - Use only Curse of Agony or Curse of Tongues. If you try to put Corruption on him or something, he will probably cleanse them. If he's banging on you, use fear and then either charge up a Shadow Bolt of no return or drain life. These guys should be easier than Priests unless he's twink.
10. NOTE: If you have Unstable Affliction, go ahead and cast that on Priests and Paladins, they won't dispel anything. Unless they're stupid. Besides, if they do dispel anything, they will get owned

Helpful/Hidden/Funny Tips

1. Free mount at level 40! (well..1g) Just visit your local warlock trainer!

2. DoTs last through death in PvP. When you die, try and make sure that the person killing you has a big stack of DoTs on him!

3. Seriously, in groups, use soulstone on a person who can rez.

4. In most BG situations, you will be facing more than one opponent at once with a lot of helpers. Use fear a lot..

5. Macros
   
   1. /petattack
      /cast "whatever"

6. Epic Tip: If you are felguard specced in the 50-59 bracket. Before a game starts, summon an imp. Demonic sacrifice it. Repeat. Repeat. Hopefully, you will have 5k damage done before the game starts! Good for laughs
   1. 
      /cast Demonic Sacrifice
      /cast Summon Imp

Thanks for reading, and I hope this helped Please leave comments on how this guide can be improved as it is still a 'Work in progress.'