Destruction Warlock guide

Rotation and opener

Prepare your weapon enhancement and assigned curse. Establish Immolate on a durable target before using its follow-up attacks.

Combat priority

1. 
   Immolate

   Establish Immolate before the Fire build's follow-up damage. Refresh when needed so Conflagrate and the intended fire interactions have their setup.

2. 
   Conflagrate

   Use when its conditions are satisfied. Plan the next cast around Backdraft if allocated instead of treating the cooldown as an isolated button.

3. 
   Incinerate

   Use as the endgame Fire filler. The level-30 source build instead uses Shadow Bolt; do not instruct the beta player to cast an unavailable spell.

4. 
   Shadowburn

   Use for the supported Shadow and Flame interaction and for useful finishing damage. Keep the required shard supply rather than discovering mid-fight that the button cannot be used.

5. 
   Soul Fire

   Below the supported Decimation health threshold, use the proc-enabled Soul Fire window. Searing Pain can establish the interaction when required by the Fire setup.

6. 
   Life Tap

   Recover during movement where possible, with a Health margin for the next unavoidable hit. Burst damage does not justify tapping to lethal Health.

Multiple targets and dungeon pulls

Use Rain of Fire on a settled group when you have a safe channel. Start after tank threat is established; opening a fresh pack with large damage can force the healer to rescue you.

On a small pack, focus the dangerous enemy and keep Immolate only where the target will live long enough. Spreading setup across enemies that die immediately reduces useful damage.

The Shadowbolt alternate build is a single-target alternative, not an AoE checklist. Its curse, stone and filler choices must stay paired with that build.

Resources and cooldowns

Life Tap creates mana by spending health, so leave a survival buffer. Bane of Doom belongs on targets that will outlive its delay. Check whether your build is Fire- or Shadow-oriented before choosing a weapon enhancement or filler spell.

• Align on-use damage effects with a period when you can remain in range and cast. Holding them forever is wasteful, but using them before forced movement is equally poor.
• Keep your assigned Curse active. The Fire build usually uses Curse of the Elements when no other curse is assigned; a raid assignment takes priority over duplicating an existing debuff.
• Create the appropriate Firestone or Spellstone for the selected variant before combat. Preparation should not consume the beginning of a damage window.

Specialization mechanics and group play

Backdraft changes the casts following Conflagrate. Watch the buff and use its benefit on the actual follow-up sequence instead of moving away immediately after generating it.

The Incinerate and Shadowbolt presets differ materially. Switching filler spells without switching the supporting allocations and spell-school setup does not reproduce the alternate build.

Decimation is an execute interaction with a health condition. Use it once eligible; do not spend the entire early encounter attempting an execute sequence.

In PvP, separate control from damage: Fear gives room, Shadowburn supplies an instant finishing option, and pet utility can disrupt the opponent. Avoid damaging the very target your group needs controlled.

PvE talent choices

Incinerate 51 points · 3 / 17 / 31

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%.0/5Improved Corruption0/5 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.4 sec and increases the damage it deals by 2%.0/5Malediction0/5 · 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.0/2Improved Bane of Agony0/2 · 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%.0/5Malevolence0/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 1%.0/2Nightfall0/2 · 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 Curse0/1Siphon Life0/1 · 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 3/5

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%.5/5Demonic Embrace5/5 · 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%.2/2Demonic Aegis2/2 · 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%.3/3Fel Vitality3/3 · PassiveIncreases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 5%, and increases your maximum Mana by 5%.2/2Demonic Energies2/2 · 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%.1/1Demonic Sacrifice1/1 · 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.2/2Master Summoner2/2 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter Summoning spells by 4 sec and the Mana cost by 40%.2/2Decimation2/2 · 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

Demonic Embrace 5/5Demonic Aegis 2/2Fel Vitality 3/3Demonic Energies 2/2Demonic Sacrifice 1/1Master Summoner 2/2Decimation 2/2

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.5/5Bane5/5 · 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%.1/3Cataclysm1/3 · PassiveReduces the Mana cost of your Destruction spells by 3%.5/5Aftermath5/5 · 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.5/5Ruin5/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 20%.1/1Shadowburn1/1 · 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.3/3Agonizing Flames3/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 3% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 3%.1/1Conflagrate1/1 · 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 Intensity1/1Bane of Havoc1/1 · 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.3/3Fire and Brimstone3/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 8%.Requires Conflagrate5/5Shadow and Flame5/5 · PassiveHitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 100% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 100% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.1/1Incinerate1/1 · 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

Bane 5/5Cataclysm 1/3Aftermath 5/5Ruin 5/5Shadowburn 1/1Agonizing Flames 3/3Conflagrate 1/1Bane of Havoc 1/1Fire and Brimstone 3/3Shadow and Flame 5/5Incinerate 1/1

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

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

Affliction

0/2Improved Life Tap0/2 · PassiveIncreases the amount of Mana awarded by your Life Tap spell by 10%.0/5Suppression0/5 · PassiveIncreases your chance to hit with all spells and attacks by 1% and reduces all threat you generate by 4%.0/5Improved Corruption0/5 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.4 sec and increases the damage it deals by 2%.0/5Malediction0/5 · 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.0/2Improved Bane of Agony0/2 · 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%.0/5Malevolence0/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 1%.0/2Nightfall0/2 · 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 Curse0/1Siphon Life0/1 · 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

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%.5/5Improved Shadow Bolt5/5 · PassiveYour Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 4% for 12 sec.5/5Bane5/5 · 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.5/5Ruin5/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 20%.1/1Shadowburn1/1 · 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.3/3Agonizing Flames3/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 3% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 3%.1/1Conflagrate1/1 · 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 Intensity1/1Bane of Havoc1/1 · 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

Improved Shadow Bolt 5/5Bane 5/5Ruin 5/5Shadowburn 1/1Agonizing Flames 3/3Conflagrate 1/1Bane of Havoc 1/1

Open this exact build in the calculator

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

Shadowbolt 51 points · 4 / 17 / 30

Affliction

0/2Improved Life Tap0/2 · PassiveIncreases the amount of Mana awarded by your Life Tap spell by 10%.4/5Suppression4/5 · PassiveIncreases your chance to hit with all spells and attacks by 1% and reduces all threat you generate by 4%.0/5Improved Corruption0/5 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.4 sec and increases the damage it deals by 2%.0/5Malediction0/5 · 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.0/2Improved Bane of Agony0/2 · 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%.0/5Malevolence0/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 1%.0/2Nightfall0/2 · 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 Curse0/1Siphon Life0/1 · 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 4/5

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%.5/5Demonic Embrace5/5 · 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%.2/2Demonic Aegis2/2 · 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%.3/3Fel Vitality3/3 · PassiveIncreases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 5%, and increases your maximum Mana by 5%.2/2Demonic Energies2/2 · 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%.1/1Demonic Sacrifice1/1 · 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.2/2Master Summoner2/2 · PassiveReduces the casting time of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter Summoning spells by 4 sec and the Mana cost by 40%.2/2Decimation2/2 · 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

Demonic Embrace 5/5Demonic Aegis 2/2Fel Vitality 3/3Demonic Energies 2/2Demonic Sacrifice 1/1Master Summoner 2/2Decimation 2/2

Destruction

0/2Destructive Reach0/2 · PassiveIncreases the range of your damaging spells by 10%.5/5Improved Shadow Bolt5/5 · PassiveYour Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 4% for 12 sec.5/5Bane5/5 · 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%.3/3Cataclysm3/3 · 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.5/5Ruin5/5 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 20%.1/1Shadowburn1/1 · 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.3/3Agonizing Flames3/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 3% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 3%.1/1Conflagrate1/1 · 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 Intensity1/1Bane of Havoc1/1 · 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.1/3Fire and Brimstone1/3 · PassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 8%.Requires Conflagrate5/5Shadow and Flame5/5 · PassiveHitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 100% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 100% 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

Improved Shadow Bolt 5/5Bane 5/5Cataclysm 3/3Ruin 5/5Shadowburn 1/1Agonizing Flames 3/3Conflagrate 1/1Bane of Havoc 1/1Fire and Brimstone 1/3Shadow and Flame 5/5

Open this exact build in the calculator

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

Important talent effects

Bane

Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.1 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 0.4 sec.

5 ranks

Ruin

Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 20%.

5 ranks

Conflagrate

Ignites a target that is already afflicted by your Immolate spell, dealing 109 to 132 Fire damage and consuming your Immolate effect.

1 rank · Requires Shadowburn

Bane of Havoc

Afflicts 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.

1 rank

Shadow and Flame

Hitting 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.

5 ranks

Incinerate

Deals 125 to 140 Fire damage to your target and an additional 25% damage if the target is afflicted by Immolate.

1 rank · Requires Bane of Havoc

PvP talent choices and play

Shadowburn offers an instant pressure tool and Aftermath/Pyroclasm add control possibilities. Create a safe cast window before committing a long spell, and keep an escape path when opponents close into melee.

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. At the beta cap, maintain Immolate, use Conflagrate when available, and fill with Shadow Bolt. Shadowburn finishes targets when its damage and shard cost are justified.
2. A demon can hold an enemy while you cast. Let it engage before starting a large burst, particularly when the enemy has dangerous melee attacks.
3. Use the validated beta allocation rather than borrowing a Retail or TBC Destruction tree. Later Incinerate and Decimation gameplay belongs to the 51-point planning presets.
4. Carry a Healthstone and replace it between pulls. Save emergency recovery for a real threat instead of treating every small Health deficit as a reason to consume it.

Leveling routes and preparation · Dungeon entrances and level ranges

Useful macros

#showtooltip Shadow Bolt
/petattack
/cast Shadow Bolt

/petfollow

Strengths and weaknesses

Common mistakes

• Using a filler that does not match the build
• Life Tapping into lethal damage
• Casting delayed damage on an enemy about to die

Full Destruction talent reference

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

View every Destruction talent

Destructive Reach

Passive · Tier 1 · 2 ranks

Increases the range of your damaging spells by 10%.

Improved Shadow Bolt

Passive · Tier 1 · 5 ranks

Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 4% for 12 sec.

Bane

Passive · Tier 1 · 5 ranks

Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.1 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 0.4 sec.

Molten Skin

Passive · Tier 2 · 5 ranks

Reduces all damage taken by 2%.

Cataclysm

Passive · Tier 2 · 3 ranks

Reduces the Mana cost of your Destruction spells by 3%.

Aftermath

Passive · Tier 2 · 5 ranks

Increases 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.

Ruin

Passive · Tier 3 · 5 ranks

Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 20%.

Shadowburn

Active · Tier 3 · 1 ranks

105 Mana; 30 yd range; Instant; 15 sec cooldown; Reagents: Soul Shard

Instantly 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.

Intensity

Passive · Tier 4 · 3 ranks

Gives you a 23% chance to resist interruption caused by damage while casting or channeling any Destruction spell.

Agonizing Flames

Passive · Tier 4 · 3 ranks

Increases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 3% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 3%.

Conflagrate

Active · Tier 4 · 1 ranks

100 Mana; 30 yd range; Instant; 10 sec cooldown

Ignites a target that is already afflicted by your Immolate spell, dealing 109 to 132 Fire damage and consuming your Immolate effect.

Requires Shadowburn

Pyroclasm

Passive · Tier 5 · 2 ranks

Gives 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 Intensity

Bane of Havoc

Active · Tier 5 · 1 ranks

43 Mana; 30 yd range; Instant

Afflicts 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.

Fire and Brimstone

Passive · Tier 5 · 3 ranks

Increases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 8%.

Requires Conflagrate

Shadow and Flame

Passive · Tier 6 · 5 ranks

Hitting 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.

Incinerate

Active · Tier 7 · 1 ranks

205 Mana; 30 yd range; 2.5 sec cast

Deals 125 to 140 Fire damage to your target and an additional 25% damage if the target is afflicted by Immolate.

Requires Bane of Havoc

Changes from Classic