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Affliction Warlock guide

Affliction Warlock Best in Slot (BiS) List - TBC Classic

Updated
Warlock
Affliction
Phase 3
Hood of the Malefic Glyph of Power
Translucent Spellthread Necklace
Mantle of the Malefic Greater Inscription of Discipline
Shroud of the Highborne Enchant Cloak — Subtlety
Vestments of the Sea-Witch Enchant Chest — Exceptional Stats
Bracers of Nimble Thought Enchant Bracer — Spellpower
Gloves of the Malefic Enchant Gloves — Major Spellpower
Anetheron's Noose
Leggings of the Malefic Runic Spellthread
Slippers of the Seacaller Enchant Boots — Boar's Speed
Ring of Ancient Knowledge
Ring of Ancient Knowledge
The Skull of Gul'dan
Icon of the Silver Crescent
Zhar'doom, Greatstaff of the Devourer Enchant Weapon — Soulfrost
Wand of the Forgotten Star

Gear Set Breakdown

Int 334 Stam 517 SP 1,159 Crit 306 Hit 163 Haste 177

This BiS list reaches the 164-rating hit cap with Totem of Wrath. Without Totem of Wrath, cover the difference from gear.

Alliance only: Inspiring Presence adds 1% spell hit in the Draenei party (~13 rating). It is never baked into these sets.

Stat totals are unbuffed — gear, gems, and enchants only. No consumables, talents, racials, or group buffs.

2,467 Simmed DPS ±2.1

Full Gear List — BiS and Alternatives

Item Source Wear when
Head
Hood of the Malefic BiS Hyjal Summit — Archimonde (tier token)
Cowl of the Illidari High Lord Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 5 more hit rating before gems than Hood of the Malefic. Preserve your tier bonus elsewhere.
Hood of the Corruptor Serpentshrine Cavern — Lady Vashj (tier token) Keep if it preserves your Corruptor Raiment bonus while you assemble the next set; replace tier pieces together.
Destruction Holo-gogs Crafted — Engineering Use if you meet its Engineering requirement and need a crafted spell-power/crit helm; it provides no spell hit. Requires Engineering (350).
Neck
Translucent Spellthread Necklace BiS Black Temple — Essence of Anger
The Sun King's Talisman Quest — Kael'thas and the Verdant Sphere (Tempest Keep) Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Ritssyn's Lost Pendant Karazhan — trash drop Use for Shadow damage when the rest of your gear covers hit; it does not support Fire spells equally.
Brooch of Heightened Potential Shadow Labyrinth — Blackheart the Inciter Keep as a spell-power and hit option while you rebalance hit across the complete set.
Shoulders
Mantle of the Malefic BiS Black Temple — Mother Shahraz (tier token)
Mantle of Nimble Thought Crafted — Tailoring Use for haste when the rest of your set covers the spell-hit target.
Mantle of the Corruptor Tempest Keep — Void Reaver (tier token) Keep if it preserves your Corruptor Raiment bonus while you assemble the next set; replace tier pieces together.
Hatefury Mantle Hyjal Summit — Anetheron Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered. Keep the tier bonus active in other slots.
Back
Shroud of the Highborne BiS Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage
Nethervoid Cloak Hyjal Summit — trash drop Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 18 more hit rating before gems than Shroud of the Highborne.
Cloak of the Illidari Council Black Temple — High Nethermancer Zerevor Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Royal Cloak of the Sunstriders Tempest Keep — Kael'thas Sunstrider Use for spell power and intellect when hit is covered.
Ruby Drape of the Mysticant Karazhan — Prince Malchezaar Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 18 more hit rating before gems than Shroud of the Highborne.
Chest
Vestments of the Sea-Witch BiS Serpentshrine Cavern — Lady Vashj
Robe of the Malefic Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage (tier token) Use to move the four-piece Malefic Raiment bonus into this slot and free another tier slot for an offpiece.
Robes of Rhonin Hyjal Summit — Archimonde Keep as a spell-power and hit option while you rebalance hit across the complete set.
Robe of the Corruptor Tempest Keep — Kael'thas Sunstrider (tier token) Keep if it preserves your Corruptor Raiment bonus while you assemble the next set; replace tier pieces together.
Frozen Shadoweave Robe Crafted — Tailoring Keep if it preserves your Shadow's Embrace bonus while you assemble the next set; replace tier pieces together.
Wrists
Bracers of Nimble Thought BiS Crafted — Tailoring
Cuffs of Devastation Hyjal Summit — Rage Winterchill Use for spell power and crit when you do not need hit from the wrist slot.
Mindstorm Wristbands Tempest Keep — Al'ar Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Vindicator's Dreadweave Cuffs Season 3 honor reward — available September 1 Season 3 option, available September 1. Use if you also need PvP gear; preserve your PvE hit target and tier bonuses when swapping it in.
Hands
Gloves of the Malefic BiS Hyjal Summit — Azgalor (tier token)
Gloves of the Corruptor Serpentshrine Cavern — Leotheras the Blind (tier token) Keep if it preserves your Corruptor Raiment bonus while you assemble the next set; replace tier pieces together.
Waist
Anetheron's Noose BiS Hyjal Summit — Anetheron
Waistwrap of Infinity Black Temple — Supremus Use for haste when the rest of your set covers the spell-hit target.
Belt of Blasting Crafted — Tailoring Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 23 more hit rating before gems than Anetheron's Noose.
Cord of Screaming Terrors Serpentshrine Cavern — The Lurker Below Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 24 more hit rating before gems than Anetheron's Noose.
Girdle of Ruination Crafted — Tailoring Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Legs
Leggings of the Malefic BiS Black Temple — The Illidari Council (tier token)
Leggings of Channeled Elements Hyjal Summit — Kaz'rogal Keep as a spell-power and hit option while you rebalance hit across the complete set.
Leggings of Devastation Black Temple — Mother Shahraz Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 7 more hit rating before gems than Leggings of the Malefic. Preserve your tier bonus elsewhere.
Leggings of the Corruptor Serpentshrine Cavern — Fathom-Lord Karathress (tier token) Keep if it preserves your Corruptor Raiment bonus while you assemble the next set; replace tier pieces together.
Spellstrike Pants Crafted — Tailoring Keep if it preserves your Spellstrike Infusion bonus while you assemble the next set; replace tier pieces together.
Feet
Slippers of the Seacaller BiS Black Temple — High Warlord Naj'entus
Slippers of the High Priestess Quest — Deathblow to the Legion (Shadowmoon Valley) Use for spell power and intellect when hit is covered.
Boots of Blasting Crafted — Tailoring Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 18 more hit rating before gems than Slippers of the Seacaller.
Boots of the Shifting Nightmare Serpentshrine Cavern — Hydross the Unstable Use to recover hit from this slot; it has 18 more hit rating before gems than Slippers of the Seacaller.
Ring 1
Ring of Ancient Knowledge BiS Black Temple — trash drop
Band of the Eternal Sage Reputation — The Scale of the Sands (Exalted) Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Ring of Endless Coils Serpentshrine Cavern — Lady Vashj Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Band of Al'ar Tempest Keep — Al'ar Use for spell power and intellect when hit is covered.
Ring 2
Ring of Ancient Knowledge BiS Black Temple — trash drop
Ring of Endless Coils Serpentshrine Cavern — Lady Vashj Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Band of Al'ar Tempest Keep — Al'ar Use for spell power and intellect when hit is covered.
Violet Signet of the Archmage Reputation — The Violet Eye (Exalted) Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
Trinket 1
The Skull of Gul'dan BiS Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage
Icon of the Silver Crescent Badge of Justice — G'eras, Shattrath Use when you want a reliable spell-power cooldown for burn phases rather than a random proc. Change the other slot too if it already holds this item; only one copy can be equipped.
Quagmirran's Eye The Slave Pens — Quagmirran A haste-proc option for sustained offensive casting; you cannot choose when the proc arrives.
Trinket 2
Icon of the Silver Crescent BiS Badge of Justice — G'eras, Shattrath
Quagmirran's Eye The Slave Pens — Quagmirran A haste-proc option for sustained offensive casting; you cannot choose when the proc arrives.
Mark of the Champion Quest — The Fall of Kel'Thuzad (Naxxramas) Equip against demons or undead. Its spell-damage bonus does nothing against other creature types.
Sextant of Unstable Currents Serpentshrine Cavern — Fathom-Lord Karathress A crit-triggered spell-power option for sustained casting; it offers less control than an on-use trinket.
Darkmoon Card: Crusade Quest — Darkmoon Blessings Deck turn-in Use on sustained fights where you can build and maintain the damage stacks; downtime reduces its value.
Main hand
Zhar'doom, Greatstaff of the Devourer BiS Black Temple — Illidan Stormrage
Tempest of Chaos Hyjal Summit — Archimonde Use with a caster off-hand. Compare the pair’s total hit and spell power before replacing a two-handed staff.
Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian Legendary — Splinters of Atiesh (Naxxramas) Use as a complete two-handed setup when its total stats beat your available main-hand and off-hand pairing.
Vengeful Gladiator's Spellblade Season 3 arena reward — available September 1 Season 3 option, available September 1. A weapon option if you already earn arena points; compare the full weapon pairing before buying.
The Nexus Key Tempest Keep — Kael'thas Sunstrider Use as a complete two-handed setup when its total stats beat your available main-hand and off-hand pairing.
Ranged
Wand of the Forgotten Star BiS Tempest Keep — High Astromancer Solarian
Wand of Prismatic Focus Black Temple — Gurtogg Bloodboil Use the wand slot to close a small spell-hit gap before replacing a larger piece of gear.
Eredar Wand of Obliteration Magtheridon's Lair — Magtheridon Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.
The Black Stalk The Underbog — The Black Stalker Use for spell power and crit when hit is covered.

Where this number comes from

It's the damage per second this exact gear set puts out in WoWSims: 10,000 simulated fights, each a 3-minute stand-and-hit fight against a single raid boss, with normal raid buffs and debuffs, Phase 3 gear only, no profession perks, and pet damage counted.

Use it to compare gear for this spec. It won't predict your logs, and it isn't for ranking specs against each other — real fights (movement, boss type, fight length, your raid) swing DPS far more than the small ± margin under the number.