Need Demonology AoE tips!

[Sevyvia]

I recently got my Warlock to 90. Last I played her was way back in the middle of Cataclysm, and things have obviously changed. I have a pretty good grasp of single-target, but AoE on short-lived packs I can't figure out, at least yet. I obviously read the stickied Demo guide, but its suggestion of dotting up mobs really isn't a tactic for heroics or short-lived raid packs. So, what should I do in these situations?

So far, my tactics has pretty much just been Meta -> Immolation Aura -> 2x Chaos Wave -> Random spamming of ToC until Fury runs out, then dot up stuff or Hellfire if there's a lot of mobs. While the initial Immolation Aura + CW offers nice burst, the damage rather quickly peters out after that and becomes embarassingly low. wat do?

[Sayier]

First never use chaos wave, there is no situation where it is better then hand of gul'dan. Pretty much get corruption up on everything, go into meta start immolation aura, keep corruption up with void ray, spread doom, carrion swarm on cooldown, void ray as filler.

[Zargul]

Try this one- I think I was doing the meta part on accident sometimes until I read about it from other players who have dubbed it "shadow weaving" or something.

Wait until you have (or nearly have) two charges of Hand of Gul'dan. Cast a Hand of Gul'dan, then use 1 or 2 filler spells (or not if the enemies won't live that long) so your HoG can tick a bit (but not finish). For the filler, I tend to use MC Soulfires, or tab-target two corruptions or something, or use a shadowfury in the middle if the mobs are susceptible to stuns. Then, cast your second Hand of Gul'dan and immediately go into Metamorphosis (there is no GCD on Meta, so you can actually click both together, or macro them even- if necessary). Now you can activate Immolation Aura and spam (glyphed preferably) carrion swarm and void ray.

This gives you a "rolled" stack of 2 HoG dots for about 10 seconds or more, with one of the stacks benefiting from your Metamorphosis damage bonus. This should be better than Chaos Wave for damage over time, although not as much instant burst AoE. It also generates fury instead of costing it. If necessary, you can toss out a third chaos wave in metamorphosis to finish mobs off. Getting AoE killing blows is very beneficial because it generates 100 fury per death on most mobs. This allows you to fuel a cycle where you can use immolation aura and void ray/chaos wave indiscriminately until everything is dead (on numerous weak and/or rapidly spawning mobs).

On a "cleave" style fight with a few (3-5) tougher mobs, I will do the "shadow weaving" HoG trick and then spam a void ray or two, tab-Doom mobs, and drop meta to ensure corruption is up on everything and maybe fire off a soulfire or two, then repeat the HoGs. If I have a lot of fury, I will extend the Metamorphed part of the cycle. If I'm low on fury, I will just hop into meta for the HoG damage and maybe a carrion swarm, then back out of meta for tab-dotting or cast time nukes.

The HoG trick is also part of my single target tactics, but I replace void ray with Touch of Chaos, and don't use carrion swarm for damage.

P.S.: I really like the minor glyph of Hand of Gul'dan. It makes single target a little less convenient, but allows me to place HoG exactly where I want it, maybe centered in an empty space but where it will clip more mobs. I especially like it when combined with shadowfury- I have gotten pretty good at dropping the 3 stacked targeting circles for HoGs + shadowfury in rapid succession.

[Deleted]

If u want insane aoe burst then just pop hog, goserv, hog, meta+dark soul, felstorm, immo aura and spam void rays. Silly numbers.

[Zargul]

If u want insane aoe burst then just pop hog, goserv, hog, meta+dark soul, felstorm, immo aura and spam void rays. Silly numbers.

Oh yeah, I forgot that- use your felstorms!

[britishbubba]

First never use chaos wave, there is no situation where it is better then hand of gul'dan. Pretty much get corruption up on everything, go into meta start immolation aura, keep corruption up with void ray, spread doom, carrion swarm on cooldown, void ray as filler.

Last I checked, carrion swarm does less damage per fury than Void ray.

[Brusalk]

Last I checked, carrion swarm does less damage per fury than Void ray.

Carrion Swarm has a super-short GCD, just like Havoc or Curses for destro.

[britishbubba]

Carrion Swarm has a super-short GCD, just like Havoc or Curses for destro.

Ah, didn't consider that.

[darkminaz]

and the fact that it kicks away mobs and you get flamed like hell (i'm usualy one of the flamers) is a great little bonus
i go with hog,summon 2nd felguard,hog,meta,felstorm,immo,voidray till i'm out and then just hellfire till my bar is full for next trash pack weee bomb dpz

then again i usualy play destru currently for tot since if fucking love green fire

[Zargul]

I use carrion swarm for AoE because 1) it's fun 2) it has higher dps than a void ray, even if it does cost more fury per damage. I didn't check the math on this part myself, I just like clicking carrion swarm.

and the fact that it kicks away mobs and you get flamed like hell (i'm usualy one of the flamers) is a great little bonus

I like carrion swarm but the knockback on the baseline version of the spell also has some strange interactions with the interrupt portion.

In my experience, the knockback will interrupt a spell before the 'interrupt' part can, causing any mob that can be knocked back to treat carrion swarm like a displace/stun, not like an interrupt. For example, Pandaren rare elites who are carrion swarmed (without the glyph) while attemping to heal will just immediately begin re-casting their heal spell, instead of moving on with their actions.

This, and the fact that knockback can be really disruptive for AoE or tanking means that I keep my carrion swarm glyphed. I used to yell at so many druids and shamans for Typhoons and Thunderstorms, it only seems consistent to not become 'that guy' now.

[MrHappy]

I use carrion swarm for AoE because 1) it's fun 2) it has higher dps than a void ray, even if it does cost more fury per damage. I didn't check the math on this part myself, I just like clicking carrion swarm.



I like carrion swarm but the knockback on the baseline version of the spell also has some strange interactions with the interrupt portion.

In my experience, the knockback will interrupt a spell before the 'interrupt' part can, causing any mob that can be knocked back to treat carrion swarm like a displace/stun, not like an interrupt. For example, Pandaren rare elites who are carrion swarmed (without the glyph) while attemping to heal will just immediately begin re-casting their heal spell, instead of moving on with their actions.

This, and the fact that knockback can be really disruptive for AoE or tanking means that I keep my carrion swarm glyphed. I used to yell at so many druids and shamans for Typhoons and Thunderstorms, it only seems consistent to not become 'that guy' now.

no real demo warlock would go into a raid and/or dungeon without Glyph of Carrion Swarm