What spells/rotation should I use for AoE?

[Caelin]

As a destro lock, what should I be doing to maximize my dps on AoE packs? I assumed just spamming RoF with the occasional life tap to keep the buff up, but more recently (especially in ICC), I have seen people using Seed of Corruption. So, which is best?

[Greyarea]

keep your life tap buff up, spell stone (for dedicated AoE trash like ICC 25 Rep farming), Fel armor and just spam teh HELL out of Seed of Corruption

It does much more damage than RoF any day of the week now that it got a nice buff. Unsure if when your imp crits the SoC will all auto crit, if so...BIG numbers.

As affliction i can get to 20k DPS on trash in ICC 25 quite frequently using the above 'rotation', i get a little less as Demo (still getting used to running in with immo aura and meta). Destro seems to be teh 'weakest' AoE spec atm, but that could just be from my experiance. YMMV

EDIT:

Also forgot, i like to tab target cycle through the mobs casting my seeds, not dedicated casting on one mob. This means each seed cast is going to go boom and none are going to 'refresh' a previously cast one. Some people like to just stay on one mob for their nuking but i just prefer to tab way way around the place. Just pay attention to what you have targetted, don't want you pulling extra stuff.

[harky]

Seed is higher DPS than RoF now. Destro is horrible for AOE damage and if you use RoF you'll be even worse off. Seed helps make up the gap, but no you won't compete with Demo, or Afflic on AOE.

[Bigslick]

i like to tab target cycle through the mobs casting my seeds, not dedicated casting on one mob. This means each seed cast is going to go boom and none are going to 'refresh' a previously cast one. Some people like to just stay on one mob for their nuking but i just prefer to tab way way around the place. Just pay attention to what you have targetted, don't want you pulling extra stuff.

If you keep up enemy nameplates, just toggle between 2 mobs near the core of the aoe. If there's any other AOE damage at all going on it will trigger them in plenty of time. If you just randomly tab through, you risk not only targeting a non-aggro'd mob but also casting seed on a low-health mob that might die before your seed lands.

[Masamichi]

I'm still levelling my lock, so take this from someone with a little less experience (don't disregard it though), but as the other's have said, SoC is absolutely tops when it comes to AoE. Even as level 75, i'll see RoF doing 600-800 damage, but SoC hitting for 1.5k+ non-crit, with crits of around 2.2-2.6k. The tick damage isn't great, but in a raid where you're AoEing multiple packs down at once, SoC will proc almost as soon as it lands, so you can keep spamming it whilever the mob is alive, and if it's not, well, yeah, you'd switch target obviously

This matches my experience in raiding. Sadly, even specced destruction, Seed does more damage than RoF for me.

[DreamOfTheRood]

Soc tab soc tab soc tab soc tab tab omgdidIjustaughIdon'tknowscrewit soc tab soc tab soc ...

[Caelin]

Alright, thanks! That's really helpful, and should bring my dps up a bit ;D

[Wingwraith]

Soc tab soc tab soc tab soc tab tab omgdidIjustaughIdon'tknowscrewit soc tab soc tab soc ...

lol spot on.

[harky]

Destro with ~4k SP raid buffed will hit RoF crits for around 4.5k, or Seed crits for around 6k. They go off at the same rate. The only time you'd want to RoF is say P3 Anub to save mana. Keep in mind that in the same gear Afflic will be critting for over 8k and Demo will be critting around 7k and both will be doing it at a faster rate. Seed will help, but it won't let you compete.

[Modez]

If you like destro [like I do], make your offspec affliction for trash only. SoC till you get to the bosses room. Swap specs then back to Destro.

[Struggle]

Rain of Fire, imo. That way during the channel you have time to QQ in raid chat about how horrible our aoe is

[outzaidur]

fun:

1. fire mage specc (with Ice Shards)
2. living bomb on 3-4 mobs
3. flamestrike
4. blizzard
5. ???
6. Profit!

Downside is that no tanking-class can keep up with the aoe threat you make with this so prepare to piss the tank off.

[kassy]

fun:

1. fire mage specc (with Ice Shards)
2. living bomb on 3-4 mobs
3. flamestrike
4. blizzard
5. ???
6. Profit!

Downside is that no tanking-class can keep up with the aoe threat you make with this so prepare to piss the tank off.

yes this is how warlocks aoe.

http://www.mmo-champion.com/class-warlock/what-spellsrotation-should-i-use-for-aoe/?action=post;quote=1957840;num_replies=12;sesc=acc35cbf7fd278b079840888efd2b055

[gherkin]

fun:

1. fire mage specc (with Ice Shards)
2. living bomb on 3-4 mobs
3. flamestrike
4. blizzard
5. ???
6. Profit!

Downside is that no tanking-class can keep up with the aoe threat you make with this so prepare to piss the tank off.

Funny, this is how our 11k dps mages aoe on Anub 25, and our Paladin tank picks up all of them with no problems. Maybe your tanks need training?

[harky]

Our Warrior keeps up with Immolation Aura + Seed spam. If they can handle 0% threat reduction spikes to 32k DPS they can handle Mage AOE. :P

[Baaadum]

SoC spam. If you want an aoe spec, don't go afflic. Go demo for meta and immolation aura.

[sharkee]

I do more damage spamming SoC with Affliction than I do having an Immo auro for 10 seconds every 2.1 minutes. Not to mention that singletarget DPS is a lot higher.

Remember that Affliction has a trashload of shadow damagebuffs.

[harky]

On many fights Demo actually is higher. The main one people care about it for Anub and Demo is superior due to having Immolation up for every other trash pull. Same for trash in general as you can save Meta for large AOE. Demo also has substantially higher SP and you're doing +20% damage for the duration of Meta. Afflic is good, but Demo has an edge functionally. You can't go wrong either way. Destro is the odd man out on AOE.