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Aff Warlock Overview & Changes - WoW Forever Guide

Affliction Warlock in WoW Forever builds damage through DoTs, then uses drains while those effects keep ticking. Wrack rewards a prepared target, Soul Siphon turns your active Affliction effects into stronger drains, and Nightfall gives you an instant Shadow Bolt for movement or a quick finish. Shorten your setup on enemies that will die before the DoTs can run.

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Aff Warlock overview

Aff is a good fit when you can keep effects running on durable enemies and find safe windows to channel. Use shorter setup on fast kills, choose Drain Life when recovery matters, and stack useful effects when you plan to spend a long channel. Leave room in your damage plan for movement, taps and control; loading every DoT onto every target is not automatically better.

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The biggest changes from Classic

Prepare durable targets

Wrack increases the damage its target takes from your other Shadow damage over time effects by 10% during its six-second channel. Apply worthwhile DoTs first, then channel while they still have time left.

Flat bonus or stacked bonus

Improved Drains adds a flat 7% at rank 1 to Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack. Soul Siphon instead adds 4% per each of your other Affliction effects on the target, up to 12%, so it favors a target that already carries your setup.

Wrack joins the drain talent lists

Fel Concentration now protects Wrack along with Drain Life, Drain Mana and Drain Soul from damage pushback, and Nightfall can trigger from Wrack damage as well as Corruption, Drain Soul and Drain Life.

Affliction Warlock

Ranged DPS

Aff pairs periodic damage with channel choices. Banes keep your damage running without costing you your utility curse, and periodic crits plus Pandemic make crit matter beyond Shadow Bolt. Target lifetime, remaining DoT duration and your own health decide what to cast next.

Build your talents

Match setup to the target's remaining life

On a boss or durable add, establish your assigned utility curse and useful damage effects before committing to a long channel. Corruption, Bane of Agony and Siphon Life are worth considering, not a mandatory opener on every enemy. If the group will kill an add before much of a new DoT can tick, use damage that lands sooner instead. A ready Nightfall bolt is especially useful here.

On multiple targets, start with enemies the group actually intends to kill and that will survive the setup. Kill the priority target before spreading low-value DoTs across the pack. Stop spreading damage when it would break control or pull enemies away from the tank.

Before refreshing, check the next immunity, target swap or forced movement. A fresh effect on an enemy about to become immune wastes mana and a cast without delivering its full damage. Let existing DoTs work while you finish a low-health target; do not rebuild a full setup simply because one icon disappeared.

Keep banes separate from your curse assignment

Bane of Agony and Bane of Doom use the bane restriction rather than occupying your utility curse. You can maintain your damage bane and still do your assigned curse job. Only one of your banes can be active on a given target, so they are alternatives there, not extra layers of setup.

Agony deals its damage over 24 seconds, starting slowly and building toward the end. Let it finish when possible: an early refresh gives up the stronger late ticks. It is a poor investment on cleanup enemies that are already close to death. Improved Bane of Agony helps when Agony regularly gets time to work, not when most of its duration is wasted.

Amplify Curse improves your next Bane of Agony or Curse of Weakness by 50%, or your next Curse of Exhaustion by 20%. With a three-minute cooldown, the choice matters. Use it for Agony on a durable damage target, or hold it for the utility effect the group needs; do not waste it on a throwaway application just because it is ready.

Choose between flat and stacked drain bonuses

Improved Drains adds a flat bonus to Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack: 7% at rank 1 and 20% at rank 3. It needs no setup, so it fits short channels and targets that will not carry many of your effects.

Soul Siphon scales instead: 4% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target at rank 1, up to 12%; rank 3 reaches 12% per effect up to 36%. Three qualifying effects reach the cap at every rank. Another Warlock's effects do not count for you, and the talent does not reward every debuff the raid applies.

Once the cap is reached, stop adding setup purely to chase stacks. On a nearly dead add, the cast spent applying another effect can cost more damage than the stronger drain returns. Keep useful effects running into a long channel and let the bonus work while they tick.

Drain Life remains a recovery choice when your own health is the immediate problem. Neither talent shortens or extends your channels; the increased damage arrives through the normal six-second Wrack channel and your Drain Life or Drain Soul casts.

Channel Wrack while your DoTs are working

Wrack channels for six seconds, dealing Shadow damage every second and increasing the damage its target takes from your other Shadow damage over time effects by 10%. Prepare damage effects that will keep ticking during that window. Starting Wrack on a bare target, or just before your effects expire, throws away much of the point of the talent.

Check your position before starting. If you need to move out of danger in two seconds, move first rather than commit to a six-second channel you cannot safely finish. Once established, your DoTs continue while you reposition; the channel does not move with you.

The bonus applies to your other Shadow damage over time effects, not another player's damage or direct Shadow Bolts. You also cannot channel Wrack and Drain Soul or Drain Life at the same time. Choose between the Wrack window, a Drain Soul channel and Drain Life's recovery according to the target's health, your active effects and your own health.

Soul Siphon rewards a fully afflicted target

Soul Siphon adds 4% damage or health drained at rank 1 for each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to 12%; rank 3 reaches 12% per effect up to 36%. It applies to Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack, and it no longer trades away Drain Life healing. The bonus measures your own effects on that target, not the raid's debuffs.

A long-lived target that already carries your DoTs gives the talent its full value. On a target you cannot keep afflicted, Improved Drains supplies a smaller bonus with no setup at all. Decide which shape of fight you are building for rather than assuming one always beats the other.

Fel Concentration protects Drain Life, Drain Mana, Drain Soul and Wrack from interruption caused by damage. It does not remove the need to create space from melee attackers, and it is not protection against every silence or interrupt.

Plan movement around DoTs and Nightfall

Nightfall can trigger after Corruption, Drain Soul, Drain Life or Wrack deals damage. Rank 1 gives a 2% chance to enter Shadow Trance, making your next Shadow Bolt instant. These triggers do not require critical hits. Agony and Siphon Life are not listed triggers.

Use a ready instant bolt when repositioning or when damage must land before a target dies. Do not stand in danger waiting for a proc, and do not immediately clip every useful channel simply because Shadow Trance appeared. Consider whether movement or a target switch is about to give you a better place to spend it.

If an instant bane or Siphon Life application is actually due, movement is a useful time to apply it. Otherwise let existing effects tick and get to the next safe casting position. Improved Corruption reduces Corruption's casting time and adds damage; check your selected rank's cast time rather than treating every Corruption as an instant movement spell.

Warlock talent trees

Hover, focus or tap a talent to read its effects. Each badge shows the talent's maximum rank; this is the full tree, not a suggested build.

Affliction

 17 talents
2 5 5 5 2 3 2 3 1 3 5 2 1 1 3 5 1

Demonology

 19 talents
2 3 5 5 2 3 3 2 3 1 2 2 1 3 3 1 3 5 1

Destruction

 16 talents
2 5 5 5 3 5 5 1 3 3 1 2 1 3 5 1

Spend your 51 points, try different paths and share your build in the talent calculator.

Build your talents
Read all talent descriptions

Affliction

Improved Life Tap Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the amount of Mana awarded by your Life Tap spell by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the amount of Mana awarded by your Life Tap spell by 20%.

Passive

Suppression Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Improves your chance to hit by 1% and reduces all threat you generate by 4%.

Rank 2
Improves your chance to hit by 2% and reduces all threat you generate by 8%.

Rank 3
Improves your chance to hit by 3% and reduces all threat you generate by 12%.

Rank 4
Improves your chance to hit by 4% and reduces all threat you generate by 16%.

Rank 5
Improves your chance to hit by 5% and reduces all threat you generate by 20%.

Passive

Improved Corruption Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.4 sec and increases the damage it deals by 2%.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 0.8 sec and increases the damage it deals by 4%.

Rank 3
Reduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 1.2 sec and increases the damage it deals by 6%.

Rank 4
Reduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 1.6 sec and increases the damage it deals by 8%.

Rank 5
Reduces the casting time of your Corruption spell by 2 sec and increases the damage it deals by 10%.

Passive

Malediction Maximum rank 5

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

Rank 2
Increases all periodic damage done by your Warlock spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases all periodic damage done by your Warlock spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases all periodic damage done by your Warlock spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases all periodic damage done by your Warlock spells by 5%.

Passive

Soul Harvesting Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
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.

Rank 2
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 100% of normal speed while you are casting spells, and grants a 100% increase to your Mana regeneration.

Passive

Improved Drains Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases health drained or damage done by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 7%.

Rank 2
Increases health drained or damage done by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 13%.

Rank 3
Increases health drained or damage done by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 20%.

Passive

Improved Bane of Agony Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Bane of Agony by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Bane of Agony by 10%.

Passive

Fel Concentration Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives you a 23% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling or casting your Drain Life, Drain Mana, Drain Soul, or Wrack spells.

Rank 2
Gives you a 47% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling or casting your Drain Life, Drain Mana, Drain Soul, or Wrack spells.

Rank 3
Gives you a 70% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling or casting your Drain Life, Drain Mana, Drain Soul, or Wrack spells.

Passive

Amplify Curse Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
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.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Pandemic Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 33%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 67%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 100%.

Passive

Malevolence Maximum rank 5

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

Rank 2
Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 5%.

Passive

Nightfall Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Gives your Corruption, Drain Soul, Drain Life, and Wrack 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%.

Rank 2
Gives your Corruption, Drain Soul, Drain Life, and Wrack spells a 4% 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%.

Passive

Curse of Exhaustion Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Reduces the target's movement speed by 30% for 12 sec. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.

8% of base mana | 30 yd range | Instant

Siphon Life Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Transfers 11 health from the target to the caster every 3 sec. Lasts 30 sec.

150 Mana | 30 yd range | Instant

Soul Siphon Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 4% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 12%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 8% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 24%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 12% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 36%.

Passive

Shadow Mastery Maximum rank 5

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

Rank 2
Increases the damage dealt or life drained by your Shadow spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage dealt or life drained by your Shadow spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases the damage dealt or life drained by your Shadow spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases the damage dealt or life drained by your Shadow spells by 5%.

Passive

Wrack Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Tears the target apart from within, dealing 36 Shadow damage every 1 sec and increasing the damage they take from your other Shadow damage over time effects by 10%. Lasts 6 sec.

200 Mana | 30 yd range | Channeled

Demonology

Improved Health Funnel Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases 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.

Rank 2
Increases the amount of health transferred by your Health Funnel spell by 40%, reduces its health cost by 30%, and reduces all threat your Health Funnel generates by 100%. Allows Health Funnel to be used regardless of your demon's health.

Passive

Improved Imp Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage of your Imp's Firebolt spell by 10% and the effect of its Fire Shield spell by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage of your Imp's Firebolt spell by 20% and the effect of its Fire Shield spell by 20%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage of your Imp's Firebolt spell by 30% and the effect of its Fire Shield spell by 30%.

Passive

Demonic Embrace Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your total Stamina by 3%.

Rank 2
Increases your total Stamina by 6%.

Rank 3
Increases your total Stamina by 9%.

Rank 4
Increases your total Stamina by 12%.

Rank 5
Increases your total Stamina by 15%.

Passive

Unholy Power Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases all damage done by your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter pets by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases all damage done by your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter pets by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases all damage done by your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter pets by 6%.

Rank 4
Increases all damage done by your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter pets by 8%.

Rank 5
Increases all damage done by your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter pets by 10%.

Passive

Demonic Aegis Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the effectiveness of your Demon Skin and Demon Armor spells by 15%.

Rank 2
Increases the effectiveness of your Demon Skin and Demon Armor spells by 30%.

Passive

Improved Voidwalker Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the effectiveness of your Voidwalker's Torment, Consume Shadows, Sacrifice, and Suffering spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the effectiveness of your Voidwalker's Torment, Consume Shadows, Sacrifice, and Suffering spells by 20%.

Rank 3
Increases the effectiveness of your Voidwalker's Torment, Consume Shadows, Sacrifice, and Suffering spells by 30%.

Passive

Fel Vitality Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 5%, and increases your maximum Mana by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 10%, and increases your maximum Mana by 10%.

Rank 3
Increases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 15%, and increases your maximum Mana by 15%.

Passive

Demonic Energies Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
You 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.

Rank 2
You heal your pet for 15% of all spell damage you deal. When you gain Mana from Life Tap, your summoned demon gains 100% of the Mana you gain.

Passive

Improved Sayaad Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases 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%.

Rank 2
Increases the effect of your Succubus' and Incubus' Lash of Pain and Soothing Kiss spells by 20%, and increases the duration of your Succubus' and Incubus' Seduction and Lesser Invisibility spells by 20%.

Rank 3
Increases the effect of your Succubus' and Incubus' Lash of Pain and Soothing Kiss spells by 30%, and increases the duration of your Succubus' and Incubus' Seduction and Lesser Invisibility spells by 30%.

Passive

Demonic Sacrifice Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When 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.

100 yd range | Instant

Master Summoner Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the casting time of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter Summoning spells by 2 sec and the Mana cost by 20%.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter Summoning spells by 4 sec and the Mana cost by 40%.

Passive

Decimation Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces 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.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Soul Fire spell by 90%. When you cast Shadow Bolt or Searing Pain on an enemy below 35% health, they deal 6% increased damage, and for the next 10 sec your Soul Fire spell has its cast time reduced by 40% and costs no Soul Shards.

Passive

Fel Domination Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Your 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%.

Instant | 5 min cooldown

Demonic Brand Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Your 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 65 to 68 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet.

Rank 2
Your Searing Pain generates 33% less threat and brands the target for 10 sec. Your pet's next 4 attacks against the target generate high threat and deal 65 to 68 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet.

Rank 3
Your Searing Pain generates 50% less threat and brands the target for 10 sec. Your pet's next 6 attacks against the target generate high threat and deal 65 to 68 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet.

Passive

Improved Felhunter Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases 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.

Rank 2
Increases the Attack Power reduction of your Felhunter's Tainted Blood, the healing of its Devour Magic, and the detection level of its Paranoia by 20%, and reduces the cooldown of its Spell Lock by 4 sec.

Rank 3
Increases the Attack Power reduction of your Felhunter's Tainted Blood, the healing of its Devour Magic, and the detection level of its Paranoia by 30%, and reduces the cooldown of its Spell Lock by 6 sec.

Passive

Soul Link Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When 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.

20% of base mana | 100 yd range | Instant

Demonic Knowledge Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases your spell damage and your Demon pet's spell damage by up to 33% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.

Rank 2
Increases your spell damage and your Demon pet's spell damage by up to 67% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.

Rank 3
Increases your spell damage and your Demon pet's spell damage by up to 100% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.

Passive

Master Demonologist Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Grants 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%.

Rank 2
Grants both the Warlock and the summoned demon an effect as long as that demon is active. Imp - Increases Fire damage done by 4%. Voidwalker - Reduces Physical damage taken by 4%. Succubus/Incubus - Increases Shadow damage done by 4%. Felhunter - Reduces Magic damage taken by 4%.

Rank 3
Grants both the Warlock and the summoned demon an effect as long as that demon is active. Imp - Increases Fire damage done by 6%. Voidwalker - Reduces Physical damage taken by 6%. Succubus/Incubus - Increases Shadow damage done by 6%. Felhunter - Reduces Magic damage taken by 6%.

Rank 4
Grants both the Warlock and the summoned demon an effect as long as that demon is active. Imp - Increases Fire damage done by 8%. Voidwalker - Reduces Physical damage taken by 8%. Succubus/Incubus - Increases Shadow damage done by 8%. Felhunter - Reduces Magic damage taken by 8%.

Rank 5
Grants both the Warlock and the summoned demon an effect as long as that demon is active. Imp - Increases Fire damage done by 10%. Voidwalker - Reduces Physical damage taken by 10%. Succubus/Incubus - Increases Shadow damage done by 10%. Felhunter - Reduces Magic damage taken by 10%.

Passive

Demonic Pact Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Your Demonic Sacrifice effect is no longer cancelled by summoning a different Demon pet. Resummoning the sacrificed pet will still cancel the effect.

Passive

Destruction

Destructive Reach Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the range of your damaging spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the range of your damaging spells by 20%.

Passive

Improved Shadow Bolt Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 4% for 12 sec.

Rank 2
Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 8% for 12 sec.

Rank 3
Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 12% for 12 sec.

Rank 4
Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 16% for 12 sec.

Rank 5
Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 20% for 12 sec.

Passive

Bane Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
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.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.2 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 0.8 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.3 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 1.2 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.4 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 1.6 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.5 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 2 sec.

Passive

Molten Skin Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces all damage taken by 2%.

Rank 2
Reduces all damage taken by 4%.

Rank 3
Reduces all damage taken by 6%.

Rank 4
Reduces all damage taken by 8%.

Rank 5
Reduces all damage taken by 10%.

Passive

Cataclysm Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the Mana cost of your Destruction spells by 3%.

Rank 2
Reduces the Mana cost of your Destruction spells by 6%.

Rank 3
Reduces the Mana cost of your Destruction spells by 10%.

Passive

Aftermath Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
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.

Rank 2
Increases the initial damage of your Immolate spell by 20% and your Conflagrate spell has a 40% chance to Daze the target, reducing the target's movement speed by 50% for 5 sec.

Rank 3
Increases the initial damage of your Immolate spell by 30% and your Conflagrate spell has a 60% chance to Daze the target, reducing the target's movement speed by 50% for 5 sec.

Rank 4
Increases the initial damage of your Immolate spell by 40% and your Conflagrate spell has a 80% chance to Daze the target, reducing the target's movement speed by 50% for 5 sec.

Rank 5
Increases the initial damage of your Immolate spell by 50% and your Conflagrate spell has a 100% chance to Daze the target, reducing the target's movement speed by 50% for 5 sec.

Passive

Ruin Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 20%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 40%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 60%.

Rank 4
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 80%.

Rank 5
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 100%.

Passive

Shadowburn Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Instantly blasts the target for 65 to 73 Shadow damage. If a non-trivial target dies within 8 sec of being hit with Shadowburn, the caster gains a Soul Shard.

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

Intensity Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives you a 23% chance to resist interruption caused by damage while casting or channeling any Destruction spell.

Rank 2
Gives you a 47% chance to resist interruption caused by damage while casting or channeling any Destruction spell.

Rank 3
Gives you a 70% chance to resist interruption caused by damage while casting or channeling any Destruction spell.

Passive

Agonizing Flames Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 3% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 3%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 7% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 7%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 10% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 10%.

Passive

Conflagrate Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Ignites a target that is already afflicted by your Immolate spell, dealing 88 to 110 Fire damage and consuming your Immolate effect.

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

Pyroclasm Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
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.

Rank 2
Gives your Soul Fire spell a 26% chance to Stun the target for 3 sec, and your Rain of Fire and Hellfire spells a 26% chance over their duration to Stun targets they damage for 3 sec.

Passive

Bane of Havoc Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
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.

5% of base mana | 30 yd range | Instant

Fire and Brimstone Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 8%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 17%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 25%.

Passive

Shadow and Flame Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
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.

Rank 2
Hitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 4% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 4% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 40% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 40% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.

Rank 3
Hitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 6% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 6% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 60% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 60% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.

Rank 4
Hitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 8% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 8% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 80% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 80% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.

Rank 5
Hitting 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.

Passive

Incinerate Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Deals 99 to 113 Fire damage to your target and an additional 25% damage if the target is afflicted by Immolate.

205 Mana | 30 yd range | 2.5 sec cast

Life Tap and Soul Harvesting between kills

Tap before a safe damage window rather than discovering you are empty halfway through it. Improved Life Tap increases the mana awarded by 10% at rank 1 and 20% at rank 2. That helps you recover mana in fewer casts, but the health you spend still matters. Avoid tapping into a predictable heavy hit or while your healer is already catching up.

Soul Harvesting grants Soul Harvest when a victim dies while afflicted by your Drain Soul. At rank 1, the buff lasts ten seconds, allows mana regeneration during casting at 50% of normal speed and increases mana regeneration by 50%. The target must die with the drain active; channeling on a boss that stays alive does not keep the regeneration rolling.

A dying dungeon enemy or raid add can give you a useful recovery window for the next target. Start the drain before it dies, not once its health is nearly gone, but do not abandon an urgent priority kill or control assignment to collect the buff. Between pulls, compare your health and mana with the healer's resources before tapping straight into another fight.

Choose deep Affliction or cross-tree support

Choose talents around the casts and problems you repeatedly face. Improved Corruption, Malediction and Improved Bane of Agony support damage that gets time to tick. Improved Drains and Soul Siphon matter when you actually channel their named spells. Fel Concentration is more valuable when damage regularly cuts those channels short; Curse of Exhaustion earns its place when slowing an enemy prevents lost casts or protects a teammate.

Wrack sits in row seven, requires Siphon Life and takes at least 31 Affliction points. With Forever's 51-point budget, that leaves at most 20 outside Affliction. Demonic Sacrifice is now a row-three talent costing at least 11 Demonology points, so it fits alongside Wrack. Sacrificing an Imp grants 15% Shadow damage, but summoning a demon cancels the sacrifice unless you have Demonic Pact.

Pact is itself a 31-point Demonology choice, so you cannot combine it with Wrack. Choosing the sacrifice route in deep Aff therefore gives up an active demon while the benefit lasts. Compare that damage with the pet utility you need; the Demo guide covers retaining a sacrifice with a different active demon.

Ruin is also in row three, this time in Destruction, with five available ranks. It does not require abandoning Wrack just to reach it. Its bonus applies to Destruction spells, so judge the investment by your actual Shadow Bolt and other Destruction casts, not your total Shadow damage. See the Destro guide if you prefer building around direct casts instead of sustained drains.

Compare spell power, hit and periodic crit

Spell power, hit and crit all deserve a look. A missed application delays setup; Suppression supports all spells and attacks while reducing all threat you generate. Its rank-1 effect is 1% hit and 4% threat reduction. Count your talent's contribution when comparing items instead of carrying over the Classic Affliction-only hit assumption.

Pandemic increases the critical strike damage bonus of Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life and Wrack. Rank 1 increases that bonus by 33%. It does not increase the whole critical hit by 33%, and it does not preserve DoT duration when you refresh. Malevolence supplies Shadow critical effect chance, while Malediction increases periodic damage.

Crit now helps your periodic damage, but that alone does not make every crit item better than spell power or the hit you need. Compare what an item adds to your real damage mix against the survival or mana you give up. Stamina gives you breathing room for incoming damage and taps; a larger mana pool helps when there is little safe time to tap.

Forever combines spell, melee and ranged hit, and likewise combines crit. Healing bonuses also grant one-third as much bonus damage, which can make a leveling healing item useful without making its full healing value count as spell power. Caster weapons gain spell damage and healing; their weapon DPS does not strengthen your drains. For the racial choices behind a gear comparison, use the Warlock race breakdown.

Dungeon and PvP control without wasting setup

Agree on controlled targets before spreading DoTs in a dungeon. Keep your DoTs and your pet off those targets, concentrate damage where the tank has control, and Banish an appropriate Demon or Elemental instead of trying to burn everything at once. Fear needs room: sending an enemy into the next pack can undo the control you gained.

Curse of Exhaustion slows its target by 30% for 12 seconds and requires Amplify Curse. In PvP, use the space it creates to reach cover or set up a safe cast, not to stand still while an enemy closes the gap again. It still follows the one-curse restriction, so applying it replaces your other curse on that target, not your bane.

Pressure only the targets you can afford to keep dotted. If your team wants to control an opponent, adding a fresh DoT can spoil that plan. Against interrupt pressure, move and use available instant casts until you have a safer channel window. Drain Life is recovery over time, not a substitute for escaping an immediate lethal hit.

Keep an active demon when its control is worth more than a sacrifice bonus. Coordinate its actions with your own casts rather than leaving it chasing an unreachable or controlled target. The parent guide's group-play section covers the shared pet and crowd-control choices.

Common Affliction mistakes

  • Spending the whole life of a short-lived add applying effects instead of dealing timely damage.
  • Refreshing Bane of Agony early and repeatedly losing its strongest late ticks.
  • Starting Wrack before worthwhile DoTs, or just before you have to move.
  • Counting every raid debuff toward Soul Siphon: only your own other Affliction effects on that target raise the bonus, up to its cap.
  • Treating Improved Drains as a setup payoff: it is a flat bonus, while Soul Siphon is the talent that wants a fully afflicted target.
  • Depending on Soul Harvesting during a boss phase with no dying targets.
  • Sacrificing an Imp, then summoning another demon in a deep-Aff build and losing the sacrifice bonus.

Aff Warlock questions

Does Affliction need to apply every DoT before draining?

No. Apply effects that will deliver useful damage before the target dies or becomes unavailable. Soul Siphon has a cap, while Wrack benefits from other Shadow DoTs ticking during its channel. Neither makes a full setup worthwhile on every dying add.

How does Soul Siphon scale with my other effects?

Soul Siphon adds 4% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target at rank 1, up to 12%; rank 3 reaches 12% per effect up to 36%. Three qualifying effects reach the cap. It applies to Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack, and another Warlock's effects do not count for you.

Can Wrack and Demonic Sacrifice fit in the same build?

Yes. Wrack requires at least 31 Affliction points and Demonic Sacrifice at least 11 Demonology points. Demonic Pact does not fit alongside Wrack because it also requires 31 points in its own tree. Without Pact, summoning a demon cancels your sacrifice benefit.

Does Pandemic let me refresh Agony early without losing damage?

No. Pandemic changes the critical strike damage bonus of its listed spells, not refresh timing. Bane of Agony builds damage toward the end of its 24-second duration, so replacing it early gives up the remaining late ticks.

Does Nightfall need a critical tick to trigger?

No. Nightfall lists damage from Corruption, Drain Soul, Drain Life and Wrack as its triggers. Original Classic already allowed Corruption and Drain Life damage to trigger it; Forever adds Drain Soul and Wrack to that list.