What are the Positives of Warlock?

[EbullientPrism]

Everywhere I have read there is much despair about the current state of warlocks (PvE-wise). I want to know what are some of the positives of warlocks in PvE. What would you tell a player to convince them to play warlock?

What is their damage output in Legion Beta? I have heard mixed reports of "really bad" and "really good". So far, what seems to be the best spec? What spec will likely strive post-launch?

I am torn between an ele shaman and a warlock. I am interested in both (more so warlock), but every time I read the forums I get discouraged from warlocks. Convince me that warlocks are the best!

[Spunt]

I did like leveling as affliction. With Agony, Corruption and Siphon Life, I found I could just run around and dot everything and collect loot and stay at 100%. Especially once you get the artifact trait Harvest of Souls, which lets corruption heal as well, leveling as affliction is just like in BC. Tab dot everything, loot and move on.

But, to be honest, leveling is a different beast than doing damage in dungeons. Healing yourself isn't as important in dungeons as solo. Especially if you accidental tag an elite without realizing it. Some of the rares in the broken isles hit freaking hard and really emphasize how important self healing is.

[Gum]

Warlock will at some point be buffed to usefulness. Elemental will never be preferred. So pick warlock

[Lisa Frank Succubus]

Warlock will at some point be buffed to usefulness. Elemental will never be preferred. So pick warlock

This. If you have to pick between the two and want to be ranged dps warlock is far safer. There's a lot of controversy and doom going on but honestly I remember launch of WoD being very miserable for warlocks, people saying they were garbage and then once they started getting raid gear they were good. I can't remember if it was as bad as it is now because it is VERY negative right now with about a week before expansion launch.

On the other hand if you want to heal or do melee I'd go shaman, I think enhance is pretty good right now and people are enjoying it. I think I'll be taking my cyanide pill and stick to my warlock even though I occasionally work on my mage some.

[Wondercrab]

Numbers-wise they'll probably be just fine. The major issues with Warlocks are largely related to the playstyle and overall theme of the class.

[evertonbelmontt]

We're the coolest class.

We have fire. GREEN fire.

[EbullientPrism]

What's the spec recommendations? I heard Destro is the best bet for raiding and Affliction is good for leveling. Where is demo at? I was thinking of just maining Destro, but don't know if I should do affliction instead cause of soloing and possible good raiding potential?

[Lisa Frank Succubus]

What's the spec recommendations? I heard Destro is the best bet for raiding and Affliction is good for leveling. Where is demo at? I was thinking of just maining Destro, but don't know if I should do affliction instead cause of soloing and possible good raiding potential?

Destro is probably the best since you're going to be stuck in your spec when artifact weapons come and destro always has the biggest toolkit for progression. Affliction sounds really good for a lot of stuff though but demo seems to have a big ramp up time which sucks since they worked so hard to revamp the spec.

[Mehrunes]

The part where Blizzard in their infinite benevolence still allows you to reroll after maining a Warlock. And making Mages look even better when you compare them to a Warlock is also a nice boon. In Legion also extended to Shadow Priests!

[Rakaji]

While we're suffering pretty major changes to all 3 specs and how they work, some unfavorable numbers is pretty expected. We were facing the same issue after our Pandaria rework until we got a round of buffs in tier 14. That being said, we should look more at the mechanics we're capable of handling with each spec right now, and not the numbers we put out. Numbers will be ironed out to better match the dev team's ideals in the future. Remember that technically it's STILL BETA! Granted we do only have 1 week til launch day, but we also have 1 month til Emerald Nightmare, and several months before The Nighthold. Things WILL change between now and then.

So again, pay closer attention to how our specs work in different situations, and less to the numbers we currently bring.

[Lisa Frank Succubus]

While we're suffering pretty major changes to all 3 specs and how they work, some unfavorable numbers is pretty expected. We were facing the same issue after our Pandaria rework until we got a round of buffs in tier 14. That being said, we should look more at the mechanics we're capable of handling with each spec right now, and not the numbers we put out. Numbers will be ironed out to better match the dev team's ideals in the future. Remember that technically it's STILL BETA! Granted we do only have 1 week til launch day, but we also have 1 month til Emerald Nightmare, and several months before The Nighthold. Things WILL change between now and then.

So again, pay closer attention to how our specs work in different situations, and less to the numbers we currently bring.

Its kind of late to say its still beta but past two expansions we've ended up in very good places after a lot of doom saying and negativity. I barely remember Cataclysm, just that it was such a bad time I actually did switch to mage but holy shit that was back when you had to switch gear on pull and pet spin, mechanics I'm sure some people here miss but I don't.

I'm still worried, especially about our viability early on in mythic+ dungeons but I'm fighting my pessimism. Its also more problematic since we can't really spec switch as effectively due to being effectively "spec locked" due to artifacts which worries me as well..but again I'm going to try not to worry.

[Rakaji]

Its kind of late to say its still beta but past two expansions we've ended up in very good places after a lot of doom saying and negativity. I barely remember Cataclysm, just that it was such a bad time I actually did switch to mage but holy shit that was back when you had to switch gear on pull and pet spin, mechanics I'm sure some people here miss but I don't.

I'm still worried, especially about our viability early on in mythic+ dungeons but I'm fighting my pessimism. Its also more problematic since we can't really spec switch as effectively due to being effectively "spec locked" due to artifacts which worries me as well..but again I'm going to try not to worry.

Oh yeah, stacking Mastery with gear-swaps for a huge early Metamorphosis on the pull as well as "pet-twisting" was kind of a nightmare. I don't miss those days at all.

Anyways, I have absolute faith that we'll be perfectly fine. We're already in a good place despite what the doomsayers on the forums claim, but we definitely need some tuning changes here and there to make us shine as bright as we should when compared with other specs, and I'm sure that'll happen.

As far as artifacts limiting spec swapping, that's not necessarily an issue. It doesn't take much effort to be at 16 with every artifact early on.

[chunx0r]

It seems almost all specs have a really hard time answering the question "why wouldn't the raid leader just bring a mage?"

[Gaidax]

Destruction has the best cleave in Legion, excellent frontloaded on-pull damage, good target switching, basically it has everything it had in WoD minus AoE which was tamed.

Affliction has strong multitarget cleave and very strong AoE.

Demo has very good single target and best AoE burst for casters in Legion.

All three easily have the best survivability of all damage dealers.

[Snes]

Sticking with Affliction. As long as raid leaders don't mind if I'm not burst AoEing, it's all good lol.

[Gaidax]

Sticking with Affliction. As long as raid leaders don't mind if I'm not burst AoEing, it's all good lol.

Mages are going to feel the loving touch of Blizzard very soon.

Watcher pretty much implied that in the interview on the front page.

[bledgor]

Destruction has the best cleave in Legion, excellent frontloaded on-pull damage, good target switching, basically it has everything it had in WoD minus AoE which was tamed.

Affliction has strong multitarget cleave and very strong AoE.

Demo has very good single target and best AoE burst for casters in Legion.

All three easily have the best survivability of all damage dealers.

Ehhhh

Destros burst is okay, target switching is good and best cleave with very middle of the pack ST and shit AoE.

Aff has one of the lowest STs in the game, cleave is okay, and only shines in AoE.

Demo has great ST and great burst but not best. It also suffers from target swapping, slow ramp, and big movement issues.

Not saying warlocks are awful but you seem to only say the good and neglect the fairly large bads.

Also while they may have the best survivability in the game its not cheat death mechanics like mages or rogues, so mix bag.

[Gaidax]

The thread name was what are the positives of warlock. I would wish you people would stop poisoning every thread with your whine, feel free to do so in 500 other "sky is falling" threads.

[benjaminandjen]

What's good about locks? Wreak havoc. That's really what it comes down to. Focus target boss. Use Havoc macro every 20 seconds while burning ads.

If the ad gets burst down by everyone else though, hmmmm

[Demonidze]

people keep saying warlocks are dead since forever, we will be fine.

the Demo changes are exciting. cant wait to raid as demo.