Warlock in 7.1.5 questions

[Konvictz]

Happy new year,

I currently play boomkin and well that spec just doesn't cut it in the performance for me. I am a very hardcore casual player meaning. I want to be the top dps but I don't want to play 55 hours a week. So let's say 24 hours a week. I used to be in top guilds etc... but with being 30 now and more responsibility I just can't raid hardcore!

So my questions from a hardcore perspective, is I want to reroll to another class. I played warlock in mop and in previous expansions.

Questions:

1. What spec post 7.1.5 will most likely be the best for mythic 10+.

2. What spec post 7.1.5 will most likely be the best for mythic nighthold.

3. How well does each warlock spec scale?

4. If you could maintain two specs at max AT which specs would you pick. I was leaning to main spec affliction off spec destro.

5. Which specs have trouble with movement? I do not want to play another turret spec/boomkin/arcane Mage.

6. Which specs are most reliant on good legendaries?

7. Do the stat weights change post 7.1.5? From what I can find in research for affliction every stat scales pretty well where it goes mastery > crit/haste > int > vers. Where the other two specs have mastery last and haste top.

8. Which specs will gain the most from t19 bonuses?

Thank you in advance for your answers! Keep in mind I don't want answers such as we don't know cause 7.1.5 isn't out yet or play the most fun spec. I understand those answers. I am asking based on current ptr and the warlocks community gut feeling to decide whether to Join the cause. I am tired of having to play non damage roles in dungeons to get invited and tired of not being too 3 dps on every single raid fight.

Assume the player could perform at a 95+ percentile meaning top 5% player.

Does it look positive for warlocks in 7.1.5?

Thanks!

[Deleted]

Those are a lot of questions and sadly we can't properly answer every single one of them.
The Brusalk Destro Guide has been updated to reflect the 7.1.5 changes. So its a place to start.

I can try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge, but without actually having played 7.1.5 my input is pure theoretically and people are free to correct/disagree with me :

1. I expect all 3 speccs to be okay. Destro should be amazing with the Magistrike Legendary bracers. I would guess that Destro is the easiest to play and has shadowfury. Affliction should achieve the highest dps in mythic+ due to SoC being stronger than RoF and affliction strengths in general. However I would say that Destro could be stronger on mythics+ lower than 10 because trash dies too fast.

2. Well nobody has even been to mythic NH. All 3 speccs are going to be okay. I would rank them Affliction > Destro > Demo for NH.

3. Affliction does scale the best. Demo is extremely reliant on Haste

4. Affliction + Destruction.

5. Demo does have the biggest problems with movement by far.

6. Demo does have very good options with 7.1.5 and having 2 good legendaries compared to no damage legendaries are going to be night and day difference. The belt and shoulders for Demo are not getting nerfed. So I would say Demo relies the most on good legendaries to compete on a very high level.

7. We are not sure yet, but I would expect them to roughly stay the same. They are not static though. Basically you would need to sim them yourself to get the optimal out of it because each char is unique and everything is relative. A Destro Warlock with 90% and no vers/crit/mastery would do less damage than a Destro with 30% haste 20% crit 20% vers 20% mastery (just for the sake of the argument I used those numbers. I know that base mastery is higher than 20% and I know that it is pretty damn hard to get 20% vers)

8. Based on intuition I'd say Destro. The affliction was better but has been nerfed.

I say it again. This is more or less just my opinion. Other people are going to see it differently. I would actually say that it is the best to take the specc where you have the best legendaries for.
I will probably play Affliction + Destro and once I get T19 I will swap completely to destro. It's hard to say yet. I have to see NH in person, see the legendaries and trinkets and tier set bonus in action and so on

[Konvictz]

Excellent information! So for a fresh warlock affliction destro would be the best but unfortunately the gear is different. I don't think I want to touch demo because of the movement restriction . Mobility is great! Thanks for response.

Does anyone else have anything to add?

Also what is the fastest levelling these days from 100-110

Also do you think warlock dps in general can beat mages in dps on let's say 30-50% of night hold fights? As in are we competitive in 7.1.5 with other ranges dps or behind?

[Dominus89]

Excellent information! So for a fresh warlock affliction destro would be the best but unfortunately the gear is different. I don't think I want to touch demo because of the movement restriction . Mobility is great! Thanks for response.

Does anyone else have anything to add?

Also what is the fastest levelling these days from 100-110

Also do you think warlock dps in general can beat mages in dps on let's say 30-50% of night hold fights? As in are we competitive in 7.1.5 with other ranges dps or behind?

Doing all the story quests in each zone.

[Konvictz]

I meant to say spec. Destro or affliction? Not going to play demo.

[wulfnuts]

Demo is super cheese to lvl as. just keep pullin stuff till you are 110

[Deleted]

The affli has been nerfed? I saw the legendaries got 50% nerf for affl, but any other talent / spell also got?

[Deleted]

I meant to say spec. Destro or affliction? Not going to play demo.

Affliction is fast and easy. You get a quest, you dot everything, and since pretty much everything is instant you only stop when you have enough mobs to complete the quest, and then you go deliver quest. It also has very good self sustain and can pretty much solo any situation you will be while levelling.

[Scathbais]

Excellent information! So for a fresh warlock affliction destro would be the best but unfortunately the gear is different. I don't think I want to touch demo because of the movement restriction . Mobility is great! Thanks for response.

Does anyone else have anything to add?

Also what is the fastest levelling these days from 100-110

Also do you think warlock dps in general can beat mages in dps on let's say 30-50% of night hold fights? As in are we competitive in 7.1.5 with other ranges dps or behind?

I leveled from 100 to 108 as Demo. I got so burned out on casting Demonic Empowerment that I switched to Destro and haven't really looked back. All three are great to level/solo hard quests with our pocket tanks (Voidlord/Infernal/Felguard).

No idea if we will beat those damn dirty mages in NH. I play Warlock because I enjoy it

[Deleted]

The affli has been nerfed? I saw the legendaries got 50% nerf for affl, but any other talent / spell also got?

affliction set bonus has been nerfed quite heavily. From 20% more UA to 10% more UA and from 25% more generation to 15% more generation

[Konvictz]

What race is best on alliance for warlock?

[Fabinas]

Gnome. Only fitting race for warlocks in Alliance.

[ComputerNerd]

What race is best on alliance for warlock?

"best" in such a vague context, IE none is not helpful.
I would assume you mean from a PvE context given your other questions favouring that.
Gnome thematically is a good fit, I would agree with Fabinas.
Especially given that is what mine is.

[Deleted]

What race is best on alliance for warlock?

Thats is so much love

[Deleted]

I meant to say spec. Destro or affliction? Not going to play demo.

destruction with supremacy shadowburn levels the fastest by far. Use infernal as your tank and havoc cleave everything that crosses your path=win