Something's wrong with my destro dps...

[Grizzengoo]

It's weird to be level 78 and feel like I don't quite understand the warlock class, but that's something I'm running into now that I have dual specs. I have 3 locks altogether, one doing each spec (different realms, one is in a PvP realm, another in a RPPVP realm), but neither of the other 2 have gotten past level 30 yet. My main is a gnome demonology warlock.

On a trash mob, at level 78, I'm pulling between 1.2k and 1.6k dps in 5-man groups. This seems okay because according to my Recount, I'm usually just behind the level 80 that's with us. When there is no 80, yes, I'm at the top of the dps and Overall Damage categories. The closer I get to level 80, though, the more often I'm not at the top. I was out-damaged by a death knight of equal level. So I bought dual specs and for a while did Affliction/Demonology, but changed it recently to Destro/Demonology for PvP.

Following guides I found on elitistjerks, I worked out my DoT rotation, but my dps still fell to about 800, 900+ on bosses. It never broke 1k in Affliction. In Destruction, on bosses I can break 1.2k, but I'm usually standing somewhere between 1k and 1.2k. It worries me because I'm getting closer to that point where every bit of dps counts, and everywhere I read on the internet, demonology is not a viable dps spec (even though I'm having a great deal of luck with it). So here's a direct-link to my character on wow-heroes.

Any help would be great. It's also important to note that all the dps numbers above were without any AoE. My demonology spell rotation is Corruption >> Curse of Agony >> Immolate >> Shadow Bolt >> Shadow Bolt >> Corruption... etc, using Drain Soul when HP < 25%. Also, Drain Life is pretty useful in demonology spec, it's dps is only about 32 lower than Shadowbolt's, so if I'm low on HP, I use it once instead of casting 2 shadowbolts. The point about AoE was that my dps in demonology is the same whether I'm fighting a boss or a mob.

http://www.wow-heroes.com/index.php?...ame=Grizzengoo

[Aerikaya]

For starting out as an 80 before raiding, i found demo/destro hybrid build seems to net your the best dps. Once your gear gets better, going affliction or full destruction is more viable. For the hybrid build, you should cast Corruption>Immolate>Incinnerate>Conflagrate>Incinerate spam and keep Corr and Imo on target, Conflag when off CD. Use Felguard for pet. Get glyphs of Felguard and Conflagrate, Lifetap at 80.

[gunner_recall]

Incinerate instead of shadowbolt.

And try one of these builds

http://www.wowhead.com/?talent#IZcr0...VdcuVsAfct:z0q
0/13/58

http://www.wowhead.com/?talent#IcZcr...VrcuVoAcst:z0T
3/13/55

[Grizzengoo]

Thanks both for the tips. I'll be doing a lot of re-speccing, soon, do you think?

[zuxia]

Incinerate instead of shadowbolt.

And try one of these builds

http://www.wowhead.com/?talent#IZcr0...VdcuVsAfct:z0q
0/13/58

http://www.wowhead.com/?talent#IcZcr...VrcuVoAcst:z0T
3/13/55

This will not get you more dps than fg/ember...until you are in ulduar gear...see elitistjerks.com as reference.

[frester]

demno is prob better for you as it's less gear dependant, and don't use life drain as it can't crit! SB is better for demo with meta, also drop drain soul in favor of soulfire weaving use meta demo empower and get better loot

[Terrab]

Check your spell ranks too. My dps was kind of low on my lock and I noticed I had rank 1 incenerate on my bar.

I think what happened is since I was dual specced leveling when I'd get a new rank of the spell it would update it on my bar but not on the bar of my inactive spec. As a result I was using the improper rank of certain spells. Just a thought.

[Grizzengoo]

Yeah, my gear is kinda lame at this point. I stopped being too concerned about gear at level 75. All my RL friends with 80s kept telling me not to worry about it, I'd get plenty of gear at 80, and my guildies are gonna help me get geared up in heroics. It also got too expensive to be spending 200-300g on gear every level. I'll have to check out the ranks of spells when Thunderhorn finally comes back online today (Instance fix, finally... woot!), but I wouldn't expect my gear to have that much to do with the problem that I forgot to mention in the first place.

I ran UP last night with a pug and switched to destro after the first boss. My dps fell from 1.2k-ish to less than 800.

[gunner_recall]

This will not get you more dps than fg/ember...until you are in ulduar gear...see elitistjerks.com as reference.

You broke my heart...

I was just saying he could try them. It can't hurt to try.

Another problem could be that you have really low hit. I know it's not so OMGCRAZAY important until you start doing raids but if you're running level 80 dungeons you will have issues with mobs a few levels above you.