Updated for 4.3
Multi-Target DPS
Single Target DPS
Note: Some aspects of this guide may not apply to your Warlock until you reach higher level. If you need to get your character to max level quickly, take a look at this leveling guide, now.
Glyphs come in three varieties, Prime, Major and Minor. Prime glyphs enhance core aspects of your class and generally provide the greatest benefit of the three types.
Major Glyphs, while not quite as powerful as Prime Glyphs, are still useful and continue to provide a myriad of benefits.
Minor Glyphs often times provide small quality of life improvements or visual changes, such as the Glyph of Shadow Form for priests which makes the character more visible through Shadow Form. However, a few are known to provide more significant benefits such as the warrior glyph of Berserker Rage.
Prime Glyphs:
Major Glyphs:
Here are your combat abilities, listed in order of priority.
You’ll want to begin encounter with your Felguard out, using Felstorm and Demon soul. Once Felstorm ends use Soulburn and summon a Felhunter unless the fight is against a multitude of targets.
Metamorphosis should be used on Cooldown along with Demon Soul. When the target reaches 25% heath Decimation will make Soul Fire your primary filler spell.
AoE Rotation
In AoE situations summon your infernal and use your AoE abilities such as Shadowflame, Immolation Aura and Hellfire as much as possible. Make certain to only use Hellfire if you feel safe in doing so, if you die your DPS is zero and it might strain your healers in some fights.
Cooldowns
The most important aspect of managing your cooldowns as a damage dealer is making certain to use them whenever they’re avaliable. Don’t be afraid to use them during any fight, even against trash mobs, as the higher the uptime you have with them, the greater your overall damage will be so long as you aren’t using them when a fight is about to end.
The only time to hold off on using your cooldowns is when you’ll be unable to attack the boss due to fight mechanics, such as during Morchok’s Black Blood of the Earth ability or when Hagara is about to cast Water Shield and become immune to all damage.
Melee DPS will have to watch out for this more than ranged, as they are far more vulnerable to situations where an encounter requires constant movement or the boss is utilizing some form of AoE attack that makes fighting in melee range impossible.
Intellect > 17% Spell Hit Cap > Haste > Mastery > Critical
Intellect:
Intellect is your primary stat as a Demonology Warlock, increasing your maximum mana and the damage of your spells
(17%) Spell Hit:
Hit rating decreases the chance for your spells to miss, and once you reach 17% your spells will no longer miss on bosses, avoiding unnecessary loss of DPS and wasted casting time/mana.
Mastery – Master Demonologist:
Demonology Warlock Mastery increases all damage dealt by summoned demons as well as the Warlock when in Demon Form.
Haste:
Haste Rating decreases cast time, lowers the Global Cooldown, and increases the speed at which DoTs deal damage.
Critical Strike:
Critical Rating increases the chance for your spells to critically hit on targets.
Reforging
When reforging gear, it’s important that you look to reforge from your least effective stat into the most effective for whatever gear goal you are currently aiming for. See our stat priority list for more information.
17% Spell Hit Cap > Mastery
Your first priority when reforging is to reach the spell hit cap of 17%. Once that goal is achieved you will then want to maximize the amount of Mastery on your gear.
Gems
- Red – Brilliant Inferno Ruby
- Blue – Veiled Demonseye
- Yellow – Artful Ember Topaz
- Meta – Burning Shadowspirit Diamond
Unless a socket bonus offers intellect, it’s more effective to gem for pure intellect and ignore the bonus.
Enchantments
- Main Hand/Two-Handed: Power Torrent
- Off-Hand: Superior Intellect
- Helm: Arcanum of Hyjal
- Shoulders: Greater Inscription of Charged lodestone
- Cloak: Enchant Cloak – Greater Intellect
- Chest: Enchant Chest – Peerless Stats
- Bracers: Enchant Bracer – Mighty Intellect
- Gloves: Enchant Gloves – Greater Mastery – Enchant Gloves – Haste
- Belt: Ebonsteel Belt Buckle
- Leggings: Powerful Enchanted Spellthread
- Boots: Enchant Boots – Lavawalker
Our class guides for whichever class you’re playing:
Death Knights – Druid – Hunter – Mage – Paladin
Priest – Rogue – Shaman – Warlock – Warrior
The GotWarcraft Gold Guide
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