I have an old question I've never seen answered...

[JacobusRex]

As I see it, Warlocks use and channel shadow and flame. Warlocks are not Gul'dan. Warlocks use fire magic and dabble in shadow magic because they want to use soul-powered magic to combat demons, undead and other threats.

But... it begs this question my friends... Why then, if Warlocks have the option to summon demons, use fel magic, and basically act like Gul'dan, aren't they bound to Sargeras, Kil'jaeden, Archimonde, or some other leader of the Burning Legion?

In relation to that question...

Why is it that the player character Warlocks, like Demon Hunters, can use fel magic freely while Gul'dan gets threatened with abandonment every time he speaks up? Is he not actually a magic user and just plays the puppet role with fel magic?

Furthermore, am I correct in these assumptions?

• Affliction is basically not even a "Warlock" but a "Necrolyte" from Icecrown, harvesting souls from hapless victims and using them to power shadow magic spells.
• Destruction is the "Gul'dan fantasy" in that it's basically a grumpy Fire Mage, using arcane or fel magic to call down storms of death and burn people... like Fire spec O_o ...
• Demonology is now an actually unique fantasy, a dark overseer summoning meek servant demons and empowering them with shadow magic to overrun enemies.

[Venziir]

Warlocks are not bound to the Legion or Demon Lords. Gul'dan bound himself willingly to the Legion; to gain even more power. It's classic Mephistopheles really.

[JacobusRex]

Warlocks are not bound to the Legion or Demon Lords. Gul'dan bound himself willingly to the Legion; to gain even more power. It's classic Mephistopheles really.

Then how do they use fel magic?

[Arcrin]

cause player warlocks dont have any pacts they take their own power when they summon it, where as guldan is given his by kil'jaeden. this is also why guldan is so much stronger than a player warlock.

atleast thats what i think happens.

also the player warlock drains their fel magic from kanrethad or whatever his name is by force. no pact no nothing. the legion doesnt have patent on magic.

[Venziir]

Then how do they use fel magic?

Same way a mage uses arcane magic really; they study and practice OR they bind themselves to a Demon Lord, or of course, a master warlock teaches them how to. It's all here really; http://wow.gamepedia.com/Warlock

[derpkitteh]

the burning legion doesn't control all fel, it's just a source of energy that exists. it's there for the taking, it requires no self sacrifice or faith, you just reach out and grab it.

when it is channeled into you by a significantly more powerful being, it's going to be stronger because you aren't having to reach out and grab it yourself. the player warlock's fire is fel fire, whether red or green. fel is used in combination with arcane to enhance the destructive capabilities of it. so the player warlock can be similar to a fire mage that enhanced their power with fel.

[animeprime]

Player warlocks are supposedly "fighting fire with fire". They never let themselves become servants of the burning legion or offer their services to them like Gul'Dan did. There is the constant threat of them falling over to the dark side, so supposedly their own covens and councils have hit teams that will take them out if they fall, so it doesn't make them look bad as a whole or cause a lot of damage. Most of the old vanilla class quests and trainer dialogue made it clear how you had to always be on guard that you don't delve too deep. Actual burning legion warlocks have no such compunction and only crave more and more power.

[JacobusRex]

Player warlocks are supposedly "fighting fire with fire". They never let themselves become servants of the burning legion or offer their services to them like Gul'Dan did. There is the constant threat of them falling over to the dark side, so supposedly their own covens and councils have hit teams that will take them out if they fall, so it doesn't make them look bad as a whole or cause a lot of damage. Most of the old vanilla class quests and trainer dialogue made it clear how you had to always be on guard that you don't delve too deep. Actual burning legion warlocks have no such compunction and only crave more and more power.

That makes sense for the player character warlocks, but I do wish we could join the dark side. The idea of serving Sargeras has it's appeal.