Destruction Warlock
Ranged DPS
Was our PvE pick until the 3 Oct sim; the 3 Oct sim had it last of the three (511) and Demonology took the recommendation; the 11 Oct sim still has it last (690). Still the easiest Warlock to level (Shadow Bolt + Voidwalker) and the burstier PvP alternative. Builds kept for all three levels.
Recommendation
What the tier lists say
One ratingA on 1 list
| Rating | List | Page date | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | damage dealers | page 3 Oct · read 6 Oct | 6 Oct |
Ratings of the whole class are on the overview.
Talent build
Hover a talent for its text. Click or tap to pin it, with each source's numbers.Tap a talent for its text and each source's numbers.
Cataclysm 3/3 for mana, Ruin 5/5 (row 3 at 10), Shadowburn, Conflagrate (row 4 at 15), one Agonizing Flames.
21 / 0 / 0 of 21 points
Open in the calculatorDestruction PvE build at level 30 for a Warlock: Destruction 21, Affliction 0, Demonology 0.
Destruction
21 pointsRotation at level 30
RecommendationSingle target
Open with Immolate, Conflagrate.
- Immolate
- Conflagrate (talent) on Immolate
- Shadow Bolt filler (Improved Shadow Bolt + Ruin)
- Shadowburn in execute
- Corruption
Groups
- Rain of Fire
- Hellfire
Tip
Bane spreads damage at row 1 already.
Stat priority
- Shadow / Fire Spell Power
- Hit
- Spell Crit (Ruin)
- Intellect
- Spirit
No explicit priority; guide favors Spell Power / Shadow damage, Intellect and Spirit gear.
Recommendation
Level 20: best and second best per slot
| Slot | Best | Second best |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Filigreed Shadow Circlet Crafted: Tailoring (Shadow damage set) | Bright-Eye Goggles Crafted: Engineering |
| Neck | Ephemeral Choker Hall of Thanes — Faldrim Anvilmar | Sorcerer Collar Shadowfang Keep — Rethilgore |
| Shoulders | Feline Mantle Shadowfang Keep — Wolf Master Nandos | Talbar Mantle quest The Glowing Shard — Wailing Caverns |
| Back | Feyscale Cloak Wailing Caverns — Deviate Faerie Dragon | Sporid Cape Wailing Caverns — Verdan the Everliving |
| Chest | Filigreed Shadow Gown Crafted: Tailoring (Shadow damage set) | Robes of Arugal Shadowfang Keep — Archmage Arugal |
| Wrist | Aetherwisp Bracers Hall of Thanes — Faldrim Anvilmar | Crystalline Cuffs Ragefire Chasm — Taragaman the Hungerer |
| Hands | Shadow Gloves Crafted: Tailoring (Shadow damage set) | Tomb Robber's Gloves quest Important Heirlooms — Hall of Thanes |
| Waist | Belt of Arugal Shadowfang Keep — Archmage Arugal | Slither Cord Wailing Caverns — Lord Pythas |
| Legs | Rotmender's Leggings Ruins of Lordaeron — The Abandoned | Ghastly Trousers quest The Power to Destroy — Ragefire Chasm |
| Feet | Shadow Boots Crafted: Tailoring (Shadow damage set) | Slime-encrusted Pads Wailing Caverns — Mutanus the Devourer |
| Ring | Deep Fathom Ring Wailing Caverns — Mutanus the Devourer | Seal of Sylvanas quest Arugal Must Die — Shadowfang Keep |
| Trinket | Blindwatcher's Sight Shadowfang Keep — Odo the Blindwatcher | Snake Eye Kaleidoscope Wailing Caverns — Lady Anacondra |
| Main Hand | Blade of Silverlaine Shadowfang Keep — Baron Silverlaine | Searing Dagger Ragefire Chasm — Bazzalan |
| Off Hand / Shield | Dwarven Tome quest Important Heirlooms — Hall of Thanes | — |
| Two-Hand | Odo's Ley Staff Shadowfang Keep — Odo the Blindwatcher | Emberstone Staff The Deadmines — Captain Greenskin |
| Ranged / Relic | Cookie's Stirring Rod The Deadmines — Cookie | Greater Magic Wand Crafted: Enchanting |
Sourced: Guide · 27 Sep
Level 60: where gear will come from
- Pre-raid: Alcaz Prison, Shaper's Terrace, the Drowned City, Krol'dok Stronghold and Hyjal quests; hit and crit are merged, so 'spell hit' and 'spell crit' items are the same stat budget as melee ones.
- Crafted: Tailoring school-specific sets ('Flame', 'Shadow', 'Pearly' at L20 — expect the same lines at 60), Enchanting ring Spell Power, Alchemy trinket.
- Wands lost spell-damage scaling on 24 Sep — treat the ranged slot as stats only.
- Raids open 9 December; no level-60 BiS exists yet.
Theory