Affliction Warlock guide

Rotation and opener

Send your demon in first. Apply the assigned group curse, then establish Bane of Agony and Corruption on a target that will survive their duration.

Combat priority

1. 
   Bane of Agony

   Apply to a target that will live long enough for its periodic damage. Keep the assigned Curse separate: Forever Bane of Agony does not replace the group curse.

2. 
   Corruption

   Keep Corruption active on your main target. Refresh for continued uptime, rather than repeatedly replacing a healthy duration while another useful cast is available.

3. 
   Siphon Life

   Apply when the target survives long enough to repay the cast. The additional damage and healing support a sustained pull better than an enemy already about to die.

4. 
   Shadow Bolt

   Use an instant Shadow Bolt when Nightfall triggers. Between refreshes, Shadow Bolt is the supported beta filler; do not add an unrepresented endgame talent to the displayed build.

5. 
   Life Tap

   Recover Mana when movement already prevents a normal cast, while retaining enough Health for the next incoming hit. Warn the healer before tapping aggressively in a damage-heavy phase.

Multiple targets and dungeon pulls

Spread Corruption and Bane of Agony across a small durable pack, starting with enemies that will stay alive. On rapidly dying trash, direct damage can beat a long setup.

Use Rain of Fire for a gathered group only after the tank has threat and you can channel safely. Avoid damaging a Seduction or other controlled target.

Fear can save a solo pull but can also send a dungeon enemy into another pack. In tight rooms, use positioning and your demon instead of an uncontrolled Fear.

Resources and cooldowns

Drain Hope is the talent name in the calculator’s supplied tree; newer beta references use Wrack for an Affliction filler. Do not assume those spell records are interchangeable. Maintain shards and health, and stop spending mana when existing effects will finish the target.

• Amplify Curse should accompany the intended damage window and its supported spell interaction. Keep your assigned curse responsibility intact when chasing personal damage.
• Use a Healthstone before Life Tap makes an unavoidable attack lethal. Health recovery is part of your resource plan, not an excuse to drain the healer continually.
• Keep Soulstone arrangements and party Healthstones ready before a boss. Doing the preparation after the pull starts spends time that should be used for damage or survival.

Specialization mechanics and group play

Affliction pays an upfront cast cost for damage over time. A target that dies before most ticks occur is a poor place to invest the complete cycle; choose the next durable target instead.

Pandemic in this dataset improves critical damage for specified periodic spells. Do not import the Retail thirty-percent duration refresh rule merely because the talent has the same name.

Nightfall changes one Shadow Bolt into an instant cast. Spend it promptly when useful, but do not ignore a nearly expired main-target DoT indefinitely.

In PvP, keep your damage-over-time spells active on the kill target while saving Fear and your demon’s control ability for a heal, escape or dangerous attack. Spreading DoTs indiscriminately can make a target impossible to control, so agree on the target you intend to leave untouched.

PvE talent choices

Level 30 (Beta) 21 points · 21 / 0 / 0

Affliction

0/2Improved Life Tap0/2 · PassiveIncreases the amount of Mana awarded by your Life Tap spell by 10%.3/5Suppression3/5 · PassiveIncreases your chance to hit with all spells and attacks by 1% and reduces all threat you generate by 4%.5/5Improved Corruption5/5 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.4 sec and increases the damage it deals by 2%.5/5Malediction5/5 · PassiveIncreases all periodic damage done by your Warlock spells by 1%.0/2Soul Harvesting0/2 · PassiveYou gain Soul Harvest for 10 sec if a victim is killed while afflicted with your Drain Soul. Soul Harvest allows your Mana to regenerate at 50% of normal speed while you are casting spells, and grants a 50% increase to your Mana regeneration.0/3Improved Drains0/3 · PassiveIncreases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life and Drain Soul spells by 2% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 6%. When your Drain Soul damages targets below 20% health, this bonus is tripled. Additionally, your Drain Life range is extended by 3 yards.2/2Improved Bane of Agony2/2 · PassiveIncreases the damage done by your Bane of Agony by 5%.0/3Fel Concentration0/3 · PassiveGives you a 23% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling or casting your Drain Life, Drain Mana, or Drain Soul spells.0/1Amplify Curse0/1 · ActiveIncreases the effect of your next Curse of Weakness or Bane of Agony by 50%, or your next Curse of Exhaustion by 20%. Lasts 30 sec.0/3Pandemic0/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Drain Hope spells by 33%.3/5Malevolence3/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 1%.2/2Nightfall2/2 · PassiveGives your Corruption, Drain Soul, and Drain Life spells a 2% chance to cause you to enter a Shadow Trance after damaging the opponent. The Shadow Trance reduces the casting time of your next Shadow Bolt spell by 100%.0/1Curse of Exhaustion0/1 · ActiveReduces the target's movement speed by 30% for 12 sec. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.Requires Amplify Curse1/1Siphon Life1/1 · ActiveTransfers 15 health from the target to the caster every 3 sec. Lasts 30 sec.0/3Soul Siphon0/3 · PassiveIncreases the rate at which your Drain Life and Drain Soul deal damage by 17%, but reduces your healing from Drain Life by 10%.0/5Shadow Mastery0/5 · PassiveIncreases the damage dealt or life drained by your Shadow spells by 1%.0/1Drain Hope0/1 · ActiveDrains all hope from the target, dealing 52 Shadow damage every 1 sec and increasing all other Shadow damage over time you deal to that target by 10%. Lasts 6 sec.Requires Siphon Life

Suppression 3/5Improved Corruption 5/5Malediction 5/5Improved Bane of Agony 2/2Malevolence 3/5Nightfall 2/2Siphon Life 1/1

Demonology

0/2Improved Health Funnel0/2 · PassiveIncreases the amount of health transferred by your Health Funnel spell by 20%, reduces its health cost by 15%, and reduces all threat your Health Funnel generates by 50%. Allows Health Funnel to be used regardless of your demon's health.0/3Improved Imp0/3 · PassiveIncreases the damage of your Imp's Firebolt spell by 10% and the effect of its Fire Shield spell by 10%.0/5Demonic Embrace0/5 · PassiveIncreases your total Stamina by 3%.0/5Unholy Power0/5 · PassiveIncreases all damage done by your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter pets by 2%.0/2Demonic Aegis0/2 · PassiveIncreases the effectiveness of your Demon Skin and Demon Armor spells by 15%.0/3Improved Voidwalker0/3 · PassiveIncreases the effectiveness of your Voidwalker's Torment, Consume Shadows, Sacrifice and Suffering spells by 10%.0/3Fel Vitality0/3 · PassiveIncreases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 5%, and increases your maximum Mana by 5%.0/2Demonic Energies0/2 · PassiveYou heal your pet for 8% of all spell damage you deal. When you gain Mana from Life Tap, your summoned demon gains 50% of the Mana you gain.0/3Improved Sayaad0/3 · PassiveIncreases the effect of your Succubus' and Incubus' Lash of Pain and Soothing Kiss spells by 10%, and increases the duration of your Succubus' and Incubus' Seduction and Lesser Invisibility spells by 10%.0/1Demonic Sacrifice0/1 · ActiveWhen activated, sacrifices your summoned Demon to enhance the opposing aspect of your power, granting you an effect that lasts 2 hrs. The effect is canceled if any Demon is summoned. Imp: Increases your Shadow damage by 15%. Voidwalker: Restores 2% of your total Mana every 4 sec. Succubus/Incubus: Increases your Fire damage by 15%. Felhunter: Restores 3% of your total Health every 4 sec.0/2Master Summoner0/2 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter Summoning spells by 2 sec and the Mana cost by 20%.0/2Decimation0/2 · PassiveReduces the cooldown of your Soul Fire spell by 45%. When you cast Shadow Bolt or Searing Pain on an enemy below 35% health, they deal 3% increased damage, and for the next 10 sec your Soul Fire spell has its cast time reduced by 20% and costs no Soul Shards.0/1Fel Domination0/1 · ActiveYour next Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, or Felhunter Summon spell has its casting time reduced by 5.5 sec and its Mana cost reduced by 50%.Requires Master Summoner0/3Demonic Brand0/3 · PassiveYour Searing Pain generates 17% less threat and brands the target for 10 sec. Your pet's next 2 attacks against the target generate high threat and deal 39 to 42 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet.0/3Improved Felhunter0/3 · PassiveIncreases the Attack Power reduction of your Felhunter's Tainted Blood, the healing of its Devour Magic, and the detection level of its Paranoia by 10%, and reduces the cooldown of its Spell Lock by 2 sec.0/1Soul Link0/1 · ActiveWhen active, 30% of all damage taken by the caster is taken by your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, or Felhunter Demon instead. In addition, both the Demon and the master will inflict 3% more damage. Lasts as long as the Demon is active.Requires Demonic Sacrifice0/3Demonic Knowledge0/3 · PassiveIncreases your spell damage and healing by up to 33% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.0/5Master Demonologist0/5 · PassiveGrants both the Warlock and the summoned demon an effect as long as that demon is active. Imp - Increases Fire damage done by 2%. Voidwalker - Reduces Physical damage taken by 2%. Succubus/Incubus - Increases Shadow damage done by 2%. Felhunter - Reduces Magic damage taken by 2%.0/1Demonic Pact0/1 · PassiveYour Demonic Sacrifice effect is no longer cancelled by summoning a different Demon pet. Resummoning the sacrificed pet will still cancel the effect.Requires Soul Link

Destruction

0/2Destructive Reach0/2 · PassiveIncreases the range of your damaging spells by 10%.0/5Improved Shadow Bolt0/5 · PassiveYour Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 4% for 12 sec.0/5Bane0/5 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.1 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 0.4 sec.0/5Molten Skin0/5 · PassiveReduces all damage taken by 2%.0/3Cataclysm0/3 · PassiveReduces the Mana cost of your Destruction spells by 3%.0/5Aftermath0/5 · PassiveIncreases the initial damage of your Immolate spell by 10% and your Conflagrate spell has a 20% chance to Daze the target, reducing the target's movement speed by 50% for 5 sec.0/5Ruin0/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 20%.0/1Shadowburn0/1 · ActiveInstantly blasts the target for 102 to 111 Shadow damage. If a non-trivial target dies within 8 sec of being hit with Shadowburn, the caster gains a Soul Shard.0/3Intensity0/3 · PassiveGives you a 23% chance to resist interruption caused by damage while casting or channeling any Destruction spell.0/3Agonizing Flames0/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 3% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 3%.0/1Conflagrate0/1 · ActiveIgnites a target that is already afflicted by your Immolate spell, dealing 109 to 132 Fire damage and consuming your Immolate effect.Requires Shadowburn0/2Pyroclasm0/2 · PassiveGives your Soul Fire spell a 13% chance to Stun the target for 3 sec, and your Rain of Fire and Hellfire spells a 13% chance over their duration to Stun targets they damage for 3 sec.Requires Intensity0/1Bane of Havoc0/1 · ActiveAfflicts the target for 5 min, causing 15% of all damage done by the Warlock to other targets to also be dealt to the cursed target. Bane of Havoc is limited to 1 target, and only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.0/3Fire and Brimstone0/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 8%.Requires Conflagrate0/5Shadow and Flame0/5 · PassiveHitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 2% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 20% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 20% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.0/1Incinerate0/1 · ActiveDeals 125 to 140 Fire damage to your target and an additional 25% damage if the target is afflicted by Immolate.Requires Bane of Havoc

Open this exact build in the calculator

Build reference · Level-60 allocations are beta plans, not final launch performance rankings.

Important talent effects

Improved Corruption

Reduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.4 sec and increases the damage it deals by 2%.

5 ranks

Suppression

Increases your chance to hit with all spells and attacks by 1% and reduces all threat you generate by 4%.

5 ranks

Improved Bane of Agony

Increases the damage done by your Bane of Agony by 5%.

2 ranks

Pandemic

Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Drain Hope spells by 33%.

3 ranks

Nightfall

Gives your Corruption, Drain Soul, and Drain Life spells a 2% chance to cause you to enter a Shadow Trance after damaging the opponent. The Shadow Trance reduces the casting time of your next Shadow Bolt spell by 100%.

2 ranks

Siphon Life

Transfers 15 health from the target to the caster every 3 sec. Lasts 30 sec.

1 rank

PvP talent choices and play

Curse of Exhaustion and Fel Concentration support keeping distance while damage continues. Coordinate Fear with the demon’s attacks and nearby packs; a fleeing enemy can turn a controlled fight into an accidental pull.

Recommended gear & upgrades

Forever beta equipment options. Compare level requirements and sources; these are not final launch rankings.

Head

Source / location

Embalmed Shroudcloth · Level 30

Fallen ChampionScarlet Monastery

Enchanter's Cowlcloth · Level 28

TailoringCrafted

Filigreed Pristine Circletcloth · Level 25

TailoringCrafted

Filigreed Shadow Circletcloth · Level 25

TailoringCrafted

Holy Shroudcloth · Level 27

World drop

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Chest

Source / location

Beguiler Robescloth · Level 29

Trash dropScarlet Monastery

Bristle Hills Mystic Robecloth

Ceremonial Gowncloth

Dro'zem's Tuniccloth · Level 20

Green Silk Armorcloth · Level 28

TailoringCrafted

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Main Hand

Source / location

Clever Expeditionary's Spellbladedagger · Level 28

Theramore Expeditionary Force - ReveredReputation

Darkspear Insurgent's Spellbladedagger · Level 28

Darkspear Raiders - ReveredReputation

Fallen Dragon's Scepterstaff

Stopping the CycleQuest (Alliance)

Glimmering Staffstaff · Level 25

EnchantingCrafted

Mindslicerdagger

Call to ArmsQuest (Horde)

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Off Hand

Source / location

A Lesson in Destruction

Cursed Eye of PalethLevel 26

Insurgent's ManifestoLevel 28

Theramore Expeditionary Force - ReveredReputation

Omega Orb

Compendium of the FallenQuest (Horde)

Orb of MistmantleLevel 23

World drop

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View equipment for every slot

Stats and equipment decisions

Enchanting equipment

For inexpensive leveling preparation, Enchant Bracer - Inferior Stamina and Enchant Chest - Inferior Stamina add survival to equipment you expect to keep. Prioritize an important weapon or role-specific item upgrade before spending heavily on temporary armor.

Consumables and preparation

Lesser Arcane Elixir

Use this sustained Spell Power buff for a dungeon run; short trash pulls rarely justify an expensive burst potion.

Lesser Spellblasting Potion

Save the temporary Spell Power increase for a boss damage window when you can stand still and cast.

Minor Wizard Oil

Apply the temporary weapon enhancement before the run. It supplies Spell Power without requiring a different weapon.

Healing Potion

Reserve for damage that would otherwise kill you. A dead caster loses every remaining cast in the fight.

Lesser Mageblood Elixir

Use for passive Mana recovery on sustained encounters, especially when frequent Life Taps would put pressure on your healer.

Healthstone

Create one before the pull and replace it after use. It gives you an emergency recovery option when Life Tap has left you vulnerable.

Useful profession pairings

Tailoring is useful for cloth caster equipment, including Shadow-oriented leveling pieces; pair it with Enchanting if you want to use surplus equipment as materials and improve your own gear.

Engineering provides explosives and emergency utility for solo and group content. It is a tool choice, not a replacement for keeping your demon controlled.

Alchemy and Herbalism support a supply of elixirs and recovery items. Cooking and First Aid remain useful secondary skills when you want recovery without consuming another Life Tap or asking for another heal.

Tailoring · Enchanting · Herbalism · Alchemy · Recipe database · Camping buffs

Races and racial abilities

Orc is a natural option for a demon-focused player because Command supports pet damage. Keep the demon active for that benefit to matter instead of judging the race while the pet is idle.

Gnome brings Escape Artist for roots and slows; Undead brings Will of the Forsaken against fear, charm and sleep. These are useful control responses, not a promise of a universal damage winner.

Choose the faction and available Forever race first, then compare utility for your normal content. Do not copy Blood Elf or Draenei recommendations from a TBC guide into these class pages.

Leveling and solo play

1. Use a demon to hold attention while you establish damage-over-time effects. Begin with one enemy, then add a second only when your Health and Mana comfortably support it.
2. At early levels, a wand can finish a weakened target without another spell cost. Drain Life is an alternative when Health recovery is useful and the target will survive the channel.
3. The displayed 21-point allocation is the complete level-30 beta build. Start with its damage-over-time core, then add Nightfall and Pandemic as its point order allows; keep your early casts useful before the deeper talents arrive.
4. Learn your class summons and prepare shards before a dungeon. Pet control, Healthstones and a safe Life Tap habit have immediate value before every late-tree talent becomes available.

Leveling routes and preparation · Dungeon entrances and level ranges

Useful macros

#showtooltip Shadow Bolt
/petattack
/cast Shadow Bolt

/petfollow

Strengths and weaknesses

Common mistakes

• Refreshing every effect before it needs replacing
• Life Tapping at dangerously low health
• Applying damage to the group’s controlled target

Full Affliction talent reference

Exact rank text and prerequisites from the calculator’s existing talent data. Use the interactive tooltip for additional ranks.

View every Affliction talent

Improved Life Tap

Passive · Tier 1 · 2 ranks

Increases the amount of Mana awarded by your Life Tap spell by 10%.

Suppression

Passive · Tier 1 · 5 ranks

Increases your chance to hit with all spells and attacks by 1% and reduces all threat you generate by 4%.

Improved Corruption

Passive · Tier 1 · 5 ranks

Reduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.4 sec and increases the damage it deals by 2%.

Malediction

Passive · Tier 2 · 5 ranks

Increases all periodic damage done by your Warlock spells by 1%.

Soul Harvesting

Passive · Tier 2 · 2 ranks

You gain Soul Harvest for 10 sec if a victim is killed while afflicted with your Drain Soul. Soul Harvest allows your Mana to regenerate at 50% of normal speed while you are casting spells, and grants a 50% increase to your Mana regeneration.

Improved Drains

Passive · Tier 2 · 3 ranks

Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life and Drain Soul spells by 2% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 6%. When your Drain Soul damages targets below 20% health, this bonus is tripled. Additionally, your Drain Life range is extended by 3 yards.

Improved Bane of Agony

Passive · Tier 3 · 2 ranks

Increases the damage done by your Bane of Agony by 5%.

Fel Concentration

Passive · Tier 3 · 3 ranks

Gives you a 23% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling or casting your Drain Life, Drain Mana, or Drain Soul spells.

Amplify Curse

Active · Tier 3 · 1 ranks

Instant; 3 min cooldown

Increases the effect of your next Curse of Weakness or Bane of Agony by 50%, or your next Curse of Exhaustion by 20%. Lasts 30 sec.

Pandemic

Passive · Tier 3 · 3 ranks

Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Drain Hope spells by 33%.

Malevolence

Passive · Tier 4 · 5 ranks

Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 1%.

Nightfall

Passive · Tier 4 · 2 ranks

Gives your Corruption, Drain Soul, and Drain Life spells a 2% chance to cause you to enter a Shadow Trance after damaging the opponent. The Shadow Trance reduces the casting time of your next Shadow Bolt spell by 100%.

Curse of Exhaustion

Active · Tier 4 · 1 ranks

69 Mana; 30 yd range; Instant

Reduces the target's movement speed by 30% for 12 sec. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.

Requires Amplify Curse

Siphon Life

Active · Tier 5 · 1 ranks

150 Mana; 30 yd range; Instant

Transfers 15 health from the target to the caster every 3 sec. Lasts 30 sec.

Soul Siphon

Passive · Tier 5 · 3 ranks

Increases the rate at which your Drain Life and Drain Soul deal damage by 17%, but reduces your healing from Drain Life by 10%.

Shadow Mastery

Passive · Tier 6 · 5 ranks

Increases the damage dealt or life drained by your Shadow spells by 1%.

Drain Hope

Active · Tier 7 · 1 ranks

200 Mana; 30 yd range; Channeled

Drains all hope from the target, dealing 52 Shadow damage every 1 sec and increasing all other Shadow damage over time you deal to that target by 10%. Lasts 6 sec.

Requires Siphon Life

Changes from Classic