[5.4] Demonology Warlock Guide

[pagepro]

Simcraft was not working for me so I tried Ask Mr Robot. While you can manually put new gear into the slots( I got a head from Ordos and the Cloak) in AMR, it still says that with UVLS that haste>mastery>crit for demo, and that seems to not be what I am hearing on this forum. My lock was already geared that way for 5.3 but I would like to know what to do in 5.4, as everyone else is as well.

I was thinking that the 9778 haste breakpoint for affliction was enough for demo as well. I ran a few sims and going this build gave me around 1200 dps increase, which isn't much, but it allows me to go affliction. If we are really shooting for a 50% haste breakpoint as demo, It will take me a few more item levels, so i think for progression anything above 8100 haste rest mastery is good for demo.

[leaderavia]

So we've overshot our expectations for affliction and on live UVLS demo is still supreme?

I tried aff on Immerseus flex and UVLS demo for normal and did loads better as demo. Like Werst said, the adds have too little health. I figured any fight with adds that don't stay alive that long (Horridon, Will of the Emperor) would be where aff shines, but I even did better as demo on Galakras because my shard generation was terrible. I ended up staying demo all the way through Malkorok and doing very well.

[Werst]

I can't get 540-1 SimC to work with my 2x new pieces from last night (shoulders and belt). I was able to put back on my T15 stuff and run some sims with that gearset (only 2 ilvl down...) for both aff and demo.

I am seeing about a 1K gain for chanye (on 250K+ between chanye/hydra w' UVLS when all are 543ilvl) so safe to say a wash/within the "noise" of RNG. Scaling is suggesting 8100 haste > mast > crit = haste or crit very slightly ahead using AD/svc grimoire. Based on the my personal experience and the sim using the largely shadowbolt'less rotation right now I think we are okay not going for haste above the 9778 haste point we would use in an aff offspec versus trying to haste cap shadowbolt. By the time we are heroic geared a higher haste setup would favor both a more shadowbolt centric demo or aff period. At the very least we don't have to mind crit rating we pick up if the ilvl is better for now. Once we have 4xT16 things may change since the set bonus favors shadowbolt but that may not happen till well into heroics since most people will probably try to roll T15 heroic x2 + T16x2. Until 4xT16 though there is little reason to use shadowbolt outside of high haste situations which are more favorable to soulfire use anyhow.

IE haste procs = soulfire becomes better, int procs ToC becomes stronger, both = soulfire wins, neither = fel flame to have fury to afford it when I do have a proc of either or both kinds. I'm sure someone like Zinn could do a better job with a logic statement for demo filler use both in and out of meta based on the different procs but just what I'm rolling with informally for now.

[Brusalk]

I can't get 540-1 SimC to work with my 2x new pieces from last night (shoulders and belt). I was able to put back on my T15 stuff and run some sims with that gearset (only 2 ilvl down...) for both aff and demo.

I am seeing about a 1K gain for chanye (on 250K+ between chanye/hydra w' UVLS when all are 543ilvl) so safe to say a wash/within the "noise" of RNG. Scaling is suggesting 8100 haste > mast > crit = haste or crit very slightly ahead using AD/svc grimoire. Based on the my personal experience and the sim using the largely shadowbolt'less rotation right now I think we are okay not going for haste above the 9778 haste point we would use in an aff offspec versus trying to haste cap shadowbolt. By the time we are heroic geared a higher haste setup would favor both a more shadowbolt centric demo or aff period. At the very least we don't have to mind crit rating we pick up if the ilvl is better for now. Once we have 4xT16 things may change since the set bonus favors shadowbolt but that may not happen till well into heroics since most people will probably try to roll T15 heroic x2 + T16x2. Until 4xT16 though there is little reason to use shadowbolt outside of high haste situations which are more favorable to soulfire use anyhow.

IE haste procs = soulfire becomes better, int procs ToC becomes stronger, neither = fel flame to have fury to afford it when I do have a proc of either or both kinds. I'm sure someone like Zinn could do a better job with a logic statement for demo filler use both in and out of meta based on the different procs but just what I'm rolling with informally for now.

Did you try changing the item source order to Wowhead PTR as first prio?

[Bloodfire]

I have T16 Token from bonus roll, and I'm thinking is it worthy to leave 4PT15 for this one?

[Xorn]

I have T16 Token from bonus roll, and I'm thinking is it worthy to leave 4PT15 for this one?

As Demo? Probably. It was worth it IN T15 to break the 4set for better optimized HTF gear.

[Vathral2]

So we've overshot our expectations for affliction and on live UVLS demo is still supreme? Also, I was lucky enough to coin a normal KTT last night. Is it better to use than my my 543 wush, 543 breath, or 543 cha when matched with uvls (also 543)?

I have a 549 UVLS and it was still performing pretty well for me, enough for me to warrant continue using it as demonology for this first week. I'm interested in seeing if it's going to get better/worse as I get a bigger sample size. But despite the doom and gloom from PTR coming into 5.4, it's still holding strong at the H TF level thankfully. I'm not sure how much worse 543 is or how others feel about it.

[Deleted]

I have to say that after today I am quite confident Demo will do well, much better than what I forsaw yesterday. Might be that at higher ilvl Affli will shine big time but that's fair enough. That said I suspect the current SS mechanic might get a kick in the balls at some point, but that's offtopic.

On todays Ordos with my 539 gear (8100 haste>mastery) I managed a 210-220k dps sustained. Didn't pay much attention at burst peaks though. I got very regular procs of UVLS (normal TF) which allowed me to keep 100% crit Doom up for most of the fight. Used FF as filler, and I didn't cast SB on heavy haste procs...that just due to me not paying attention though. It felt 'uncommon' to sit there and use FF when nothing else is up, but that was just me.

It probably was one of those fights where I won the proc lottery but still UVLS seemed pretty solid. Looking forward to tomorrow's normal modes and compare to our other lock who will run Affli.

[maelcrum]

I don't want to change my spam key bind so I'm looking for a 1 button macro that would cast fel flame in caster form while casting sb(toc) in meta? Any thoughts?

[Deleted]

Played demo on sha of fear normal today (afflic on the rest). Normal UVLS was proccing pretty consistently, never really went more than 10-15 seconds without having a crit doom up.

Getting used to corruption having such a low duration is weird, but not a big issue (was saving HoG charges for reflection adds, and they wouldnt always spawn when the timer said so wasnt using meta form efficiently to ToC).

Affliction on protectors was amazing, opening burst is disgusting with the new soul swap, and even playing like absolute crap nobody touched me. Feels OP, but then I'm not in a cutting edge guild so not everyone plays perfectly to really compare.

[Sifonology]

Something like /cast [stance:0] Fel Flame; [stance:1] Shadow Bolt should work or you can replace[stance:0] with [nostance]

[Deleted]

Played demo on sha of fear normal today (afflic on the rest). Normal UVLS was proccing pretty consistently, never really went more than 10-15 seconds without having a crit doom up.

Getting used to corruption having such a low duration is weird, but not a big issue (was saving HoG charges for reflection adds, and they wouldnt always spawn when the timer said so wasnt using meta form efficiently to ToC).

Affliction on protectors was amazing, opening burst is disgusting with the new soul swap, and even playing like absolute crap nobody touched me. Feels OP, but then I'm not in a cutting edge guild so not everyone plays perfectly to really compare.

What is your take on Immerseus as Affli? Definately great dmg on the boss but I guess adds is not match with Demo effectiveness?

I will see on Protectors as Demo. If I am lucky enough to get an UVLS proc soon enough after the pull it's going to be pretty sick too. Affli is definately going to be insane there but as I said I suspect SS is too much out of control and might get changed sooner or later. So hopefully Demo will be able to compete for real in council fight. If not well c'set la vie.

I admitt that with how Demo felt today I am kinda looking forward to try it out on Norushen too.

[varren]

So we've overshot our expectations for affliction and on live UVLS demo is still supreme? Also, I was lucky enough to coin a normal KTT last night. Is it better to use than my my 543 wush, 543 breath, or 543 cha when matched with uvls (also 543)?

Yeah Affli feels very overhyped on anything except the Council fight. Especially on all the other fights with low HP adds where as Aff you can literally do nothing. I think Demo will be the go to spec on Klaxxi since multi dot is useless there but as Demo you can cheese Doom on the bosses you aren't killing for extra imps and not to mention HoG hitting 2 extra mobs for more Fury/Soulfire charges. Aff lost their multi dot cheese with no more Nightfall procs from multiple Corruptions.

So, how are you guys handling opening burst now? Especially once we drop 2pc T15. Also stuff like when to use Imp Swarm now with the new AD talent (I assume just hit it on CD) and as far as 2 pc T16 goes looking ahead, I assume we would fish for procs in caster form then go in Meta once we get a proc and spam ToC? Feels hard to cast SF now in Meta with lower UVLS uptime and the Imp Swarm nerf.

[Deleted]

What is your take on Immerseus as Affli? Definately great dmg on the boss but I guess adds is not match with Demo effectiveness?

I will see on Protectors as Demo. If I am lucky enough to get an UVLS proc soon enough after the pull it's going to be pretty sick too. Affli is definately going to be insane there but as I said I suspect SS is too much out of control and might get changed sooner or later. So hopefully Demo will be able to compete for real in council fight. If not well c'set la vie.

I admitt that with how Demo felt today I am kinda looking forward to try it out on Norushen too.

Immerseus affliction is "wow sick burst" followed by "afk during p2 cause nothing lives long enough". The fight is boring and nothing does any damage. In the end I beat our demo lock by around 11k and did more boss and add damage (only minor). You spend half the fight afk anyway. Here is the log from the fight just to show. Personally I'd have rather played destro if I had the spec on me just to have something to do in p2, but its not worth dropping demo offspec for IMO.

[Seezer]

So UVLS is still the top trink? Nice! That's one slot taken care of.

[Deleted]

Jeez look at that burst on the pull >.<

Seems that the other lock's UVLS behaved nicely as 32 out of 39 ticks of Doom were crits. Or am I reading it wrong?
I guess that to really compensate for that Affli sick burst, Demo really need to be on the ball with adds. But tomorrow will see it myself.

Also for Council as Demo MF all the way yeah?

[miasmah]

What is the best opening sequence for Demo in 5.4?

Anyone keen to share?

tnx in advance

[Lysakers]

What is the best opening sequence for Demo in 5.4?

Anyone keen to share?

tnx in advance

On almost every single pull last night, i just used the same opening as in ToT.
Had my UVLS proc on almost every pull (as far as i remember).

Overall i felt that UVLS proced really good for me last night, and i only have the normal one.

Also i went with MF all the way. Only killed the first 4 bosses, and only on Immerseus i felt that MF was the "wrong" talent.
With correct planning, i almost used MF on CD to burst adds on all the three subsequent bosses.

[Deleted]

On almost every single pull last night, i just used the same opening as in ToT.
Had my UVLS proc on almost every pull (as far as i remember).

Overall i felt that UVLS proced really good for me last night, and i only have the normal one.

Also i went with MF all the way. Only killed the first 4 bosses, and only on Immerseus i felt that MF was the "wrong" talent.
With correct planning, i almost used MF on CD to burst adds on all the three subsequent bosses.

Yeah on Sha of pride MF was very very nice as demo

My UVLS also procced pretty solid, tho i did feel a bit more fury starved then before

[Bloodfire]

Does anybody have haste breakpoint tablesheet for Demo? I'm having like 12k haste and 10k mastery atm, I just dnk what to reforge and into what stat.