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Beta, level cap 30 · data read 13 Oct

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Demonology Warlock guide

Ranged DPS · our guide of 13 Oct 2026 Recommendation

Talent trees, every tier list's rating and the sim: the Demonology tab.

In short

  • A ranged caster with a demon fighting beside you, and the safest of the three Warlock specs for leveling.
  • Number 3 of 20 damage specs in our newest sim run, at 830 DPS. Sourced: Sim · 11 Oct run
  • The payoff is Demonic Pact: you keep a Demonic Sacrifice buff even with another demon out. Sourced: Talent database
  • Weak spot: Demonic Pact sits at the bottom of the tree, behind Demonic Sacrifice and Soul Link, so it's a level-60 talent.

How it plays

Up to level 30. The Voidwalker holds enemies from level 10 while you keep Bane of Agony and Corruption up; from level 20 the Succubus does much more damage. Shadow Bolt is the filler. Demonic Embrace (more Stamina) and Unholy Power (more damage for your demon) come first, then Fel Vitality, Demonic Sacrifice and Master Summoner. Fel Domination makes your next summon 5.5 sec faster and half the mana, for when your demon dies mid-fight. Rain of Fire and Hellfire on packs; Hellfire can crit since 1 Oct.

Sourced: Guide · 2 Oct, Talent database, Dev notes · 1 Oct

At level 60. Theory Sacrifice a demon for its buff, then summon another: Demonic Pact keeps the buff. Soul Link makes your demon take 30% of the damage aimed at you, and you both deal 3% more. Corruption, Bane of Agony or Doom, Shadow Bolt as filler, and Life Tap for mana.

Sourced: Talent database

Talents at a glance

  • Level 20: Demonic Embrace 5, Unholy Power 5, Improved Voidwalker 1

    Demonic Embrace (Stamina) and Unholy Power (pet damage) — the Voidwalker tanks, you Shadow Bolt; one Improved Voidwalker.

    Recommendation · See the trees · Open in the calculator

  • Level 30: Demonic Embrace 5, Unholy Power 5, Improved Voidwalker 3, Fel Vitality 3, Demonic Sacrifice 1, Master Summoner 2, Fel Domination 1, Demonic Energies 1

    Improved Voidwalker 3/3 and Fel Vitality (row 2), Demonic Sacrifice + Master Summoner 2/2 (row 3 at 10), Fel Domination (row 4 at 15, requires Master Summoner) for the instant re-summon, one Demonic Energies.

    Recommendation · See the trees · Open in the calculator

  • Level 60: Demonic Embrace 5, Unholy Power 5, Fel Vitality 3, Demonic Energies 2, Demonic Sacrifice 1, Master Summoner 2, Fel Domination 1, Demonic Brand 3, Decimation 2, Soul Link 1, Demonic Knowledge 3, Master Demonologist 5, Demonic Pact 1, Improved Corruption 5, Suppression 3, Malediction 5, Amplify Curse 1, Pandemic 3

    The prerequisite chain of Demonic Sacrifice, Soul Link and Demonic Pact is paid; Fel Domination requires Master Summoner 2/2. Affliction: Improved Corruption, Suppression, Malediction, Amplify Curse, Pandemic 3/3.

    Theory · See the trees · Open in the calculator

Rotation at level 30

Recommendation

Single target

Open with Pet in, Bane of Agony, Corruption.

  1. Voidwalker or Succubus in
  2. Bane of Agony
  3. Corruption
  4. Immolate
  5. Shadow Bolt filler (Unholy Power buffs the pet, not you)
  6. Health Funnel when the pet is low

Groups

  • Rain of Fire
  • Hellfire

Tip

Fel Domination (row 4) for an instant re-summon if the pet dies.

Stats

Each guide's stat order as it gives it, the sim's stat weights, then ours. Guides dated before the last big tuning are shown but not counted.

Guides differSpell power first on every guide; the order after it differs.

WhereStat order
Guide · 2 Oct PvE, level 30 · read 12 OctSpell power › Hit › Intellect › Crit › Spirit › Haste › Stamina
Guide · 1 Oct PvE, level 20 · read 12 OctSpell power › Hit › Intellect › Spirit › Crit › Stamina › Haste
Guide · 10 Oct PvE, level 30 · read 12 OctSpell power › Hit › Intellect › Crit › Spirit › Stamina › Haste
Sim · stat weights level 60 · run 12 Oct, 5,000 iterations

Per 1%: Spell crit 7.79 tied with Spell hit 7.47 › Spell casting speed 2.88

Per point: Spell damage 0.58 › Shadow spell damage 0.503 › Intellect 0.367 tied with Mana every 5 sec 0.298 › Fire spell damage 0.061

No DPS change in this run: Stamina, Spell penetration.

The DPS each stat adds, for a level-60 character on the engine's preset gear in a 2-minute fight on a beta engine: a direction, not a verdict. = marks a tie: stats within each other's margin. Not counted toward "Guides agree".

Where they differ: the sim measured no DPS change from Stamina.

Ours RecommendationSpell power › Hit › Spell crit › Stamina › Intellect

Where ours differs: ours puts Intellect after Spell crit and Stamina, which all 3 guides rank lower.

Race

Each guide's race picks for Demonology, then our pick for the Warlock.

Alliance

Guides agreeGnome and Human on 3 guides; Gnome first where a guide ranks them.

Horde

Guides agreeUndead and Orc on 3 guides; Undead first where a guide ranks them.

Professions

Guides differThe guides name different professions.

  • Guide · 2 Oct PvE, level 30 · read 12 OctTailoring, Enchanting
  • Guide · 1 Oct PvE, level 20 · read 12 OctTailoring, Enchanting
  • Guide · 10 Oct PvE, level 30 · read 12 OctTailoring, Enchanting, First Aid
  • Ours, for the Warlock RecommendationTailoring + Enchanting; or Herbalism + Alchemy

What changed for Demonology

  • 8 Oct: Shadow Bolt ranks 1–4 retuned so each new rank is an upgrade; your current pet is stunned while you summon another; Demonology's Demonic Brand pet damage causes high threat only when it is Shadow damage.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 8 Oct

  • 1 Oct: Soul Harvesting renamed Soul Harvest — now +50/100% mana regeneration; Hellfire can crit; Drain Soul interrupts properly when you cast something else; pet Aggressive mode restored.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 1 Oct

  • Life Tap tooltip corrected (scales with Spirit); Voidwalker Sacrifice correctly scales with 10% of spell healing.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

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