[6.0] Brusalk's Destruction Warlock Guide

[FurtyIRL]

Well having done a good few raids now, definitly dont feel the power I had during SOO which I guess is expected, but somewhat frustrating.

There is a perception among my raid that I should be doing more, even topping meters. I don't believe this is the case, and starting to feel some pressure in terms of performance. Granted I still have NO raid gear ( joys of Roll RNG) but I've been operating in the top 3 or 4 DPSers in our raid, in most cases 10 ilvl behind. Which I think is good.

I've been playing Destruction exclusively, just because I havn't seen any data to indicate I shouldn't.

Seems to be a real mixed view on Warlocks, some places the feeling is they are a middle of the pack class struggling, other quarters feeling they are strong, and issues most likely with the player.

Doing a normal clear tonight to try get some gear, my god I hope I get gear so I can silence my critics

You're not going to top meters as destruction, certainly not on every fight. I only play Destro on Brackenspore, personally, because that's one of the better fights for it. On Mythic I'm usually top 5, hovering anywhere between 32-36k, and that's basically shadowburn/ember heaven. On other fights where we're not so ember saturated you're going to struggle to bring the pain as destro especially, although it's by no means a weak spec/class. Just don't expect to be the champion of the DPS; Blizzard did a good job this tier and most everyone is fairly even.

[Kromus]

You're not going to top meters as destruction, certainly not on every fight. I only play Destro on Brackenspore, personally, because that's one of the better fights for it. On Mythic I'm usually top 5, hovering anywhere between 32-36k, and that's basically shadowburn/ember heaven. On other fights where we're not so ember saturated you're going to struggle to bring the pain as destro especially, although it's by no means a weak spec/class. Just don't expect to be the champion of the DPS; Blizzard did a good job this tier and most everyone is fairly even.

Yeah thats been my mindset going into the tier. I'm not going to blow up meters, but just hone my game to ensure I'm getting the most I can from what I have available to me.

Can I ask what your using on the other encounters? Do you feel Demo is maybe a better "general" spec to be using through Highmaul?

I'm raiding in a casual sense( we used to be pushing server progression in wotlk) and have really taken a step back since Cataclysm. So gold and stuff isn't at a premium for me. So I for example had to sell my crafted boe's to make gold, and I don't have the funds to really buy up savage bloods. To be honest I made an early decision to not use crafted boe's since the ilvl wasnt overly appealing.

I always worry about blowing gold on boe's early tier cause stat prios can change and even spec can change, and I'll have spunked gold on something that might not be right for me shortly after.

As Destro, there is boe gloves and belt on my Ah for 20k and 15k respectively. Look to be a really big upgrade for Destro, but not sure if I change spec if they will be relevant. Absolutely sweating bullets here hovering over them

Gloves - Meatmonger's Gory Grips
Belt - Cord of Winsome Sorrows

[DeadmanWalking]

Yeah thats been my mindset going into the tier. I'm not going to blow up meters, but just hone my game to ensure I'm getting the most I can from what I have available to me.

Can I ask what your using on the other encounters? Do you feel Demo is maybe a better "general" spec to be using through Highmaul?

I'm raiding in a casual sense( we used to be pushing server progression in wotlk) and have really taken a step back since Cataclysm. So gold and stuff isn't at a premium for me. So I for example had to sell my crafted boe's to make gold, and I don't have the funds to really buy up savage bloods. To be honest I made an early decision to not use crafted boe's since the ilvl wasnt overly appealing.

I always worry about blowing gold on boe's early tier cause stat prios can change and even spec can change, and I'll have spunked gold on something that might not be right for me shortly after.

As Destro, there is boe gloves and belt on my Ah for 20k and 15k respectively. Look to be a really big upgrade for Destro, but not sure if I change spec if they will be relevant. Absolutely sweating bullets here hovering over them

Gloves - Meatmonger's Gory Grips
Belt - Cord of Winsome Sorrows

I have 3 characters with cloth crafting, my main being warlock. I got the other 2 to thier garrisons and one of them is 98 for the extra garden mats. I have a 4th that is working on jewelry. One of my cloth crafting alts makes enchants. So long as I keep feeding them mats they very efficiently gave me 2 cloth items which I upgraded twice to 660 gear. The DMF trinket I bought cards for and got a full set of cards for 6k, the trinket was selling for 96k so I got a big value there. Once I have my 3 crafted items on I spend all of my alt resources creating items to upgrade them to 655 and then 665 ilevel.

You don't need to buy crafted gear, it takes between 6 and 12 days to make your own items and the higher your skill level you have the faster you make them. I don't buy anything I can make, unless of course time is an issue and money is not. If you have no time and lots of money then buy, if you have time and no money then don't. I have money but I refuse to expend it on something I can make.

I also tried to aim around future 4 piece sets, that being I didnt make gear for chest/shoulder/legs/gloves/head. I went with boots/belt/cuffs/cloak.

[Kromus]

I have 3 characters with cloth crafting, my main being warlock. I got the other 2 to thier garrisons and one of them is 98 for the extra garden mats. I have a 4th that is working on jewelry. One of my cloth crafting alts makes enchants. So long as I keep feeding them mats they very efficiently gave me 2 cloth items which I upgraded twice to 660 gear. The DMF trinket I bought cards for and got a full set of cards for 6k, the trinket was selling for 96k so I got a big value there. Once I have my 3 crafted items on I spend all of my alt resources creating items to upgrade them to 655 and then 665 ilevel.

You don't need to buy crafted gear, it takes between 6 and 12 days to make your own items and the higher your skill level you have the faster you make them. I don't buy anything I can make, unless of course time is an issue and money is not. If you have no time and lots of money then buy, if you have time and no money then don't. I have money but I refuse to expend it on something I can make.

I also tried to aim around future 4 piece sets, that being I didnt make gear for chest/shoulder/legs/gloves/head. I went with boots/belt/cuffs/cloak.

Yeah I can make my own stuff alright, guess I've been turned off by the pretty poor ilvl and the lack of funding to buy savage bloods, or time to farm them.

I'm raiding normal highmaul and doing heroics with guild, so in reality I'm kinda banking on getting drops. So I've been selling all my crafted gear although kept a neckpiece that proc'd what I thought were bis stats.

Although TBH I'm still not clear on Destro stat prio, there is conflicting information all over the kip

[DeadmanWalking]

Yeah I can make my own stuff alright, guess I've been turned off by the pretty poor ilvl and the lack of funding to buy savage bloods, or time to farm them.

I'm raiding normal highmaul and doing heroics with guild, so in reality I'm kinda banking on getting drops. So I've been selling all my crafted gear although kept a neckpiece that proc'd what I thought were bis stats.

Although TBH I'm still not clear on Destro stat prio, there is conflicting information all over the kip

With alts you can collect enough primal spirits from mining shaft and herbs to offset the price of savage blood.

The two prime stats are pretty much crit and mastery, I like crit but I don't switch specs often (my current gear has a lot of crit and very little haste, luck of the drops really and my muscle memory is destruction), I would guess that since mastery is good for both demo and destro that if you intend to switch specs often then go with mastery.

[Deleted]

Are we using gift of crit or mastery?

[Kromus]

With alts you can collect enough primal spirits from mining shaft and herbs to offset the price of savage blood.

The two prime stats are pretty much crit and mastery, I like crit but I don't switch specs often (my current gear has a lot of crit and very little haste, luck of the drops really and my muscle memory is destruction), I would guess that since mastery is good for both demo and destro that if you intend to switch specs often then go with mastery.

Havn't felt this confused in a raiding tier in donkeys.

I'm playing Destro at the moment with int>crit>multistrike being the prio.

Kinda toying with the idea of running Demo this week, see how I get on. I've absolutely ZERO raid gear, and with no purchased boes, guess can kinda flutter around and see whats what.

[DeadmanWalking]

Havn't felt this confused in a raiding tier in donkeys.

I'm playing Destro at the moment with int>crit>multistrike being the prio.

Kinda toying with the idea of running Demo this week, see how I get on. I've absolutely ZERO raid gear, and with no purchased boes, guess can kinda flutter around and see whats what.

At that level of gearing you have a few options for gear;
1. Do molten core, 640 helm drops gauranteed off final boss.
2. Have you been keeping up with your apexis crystal dailies? If you have a bunch you can buy 630 gear for most slots which may have a stat you are looking for, this gear costs 3000 crystals. Then you can trade that item and 9000 crystals for an upgraded 645 item, and 14,000 more allows you to trade that item for a higher ilevel (655?).
3. Go do LFR, 640 gear is going to fill some holes. LFR is too easy now and practically hands you gear, compare the dungeon journal drops to your own gear and see what gear you need, aim for that boss.
4. Do challenge modes.
5. If crafted gear doesnt have the stats you want you can reroll them with certain items from that craft like Hexweave essence->cloth. Its random though, may need a few to get the stats you want.
6. I've pulled down 3 pieces of raid epics from followers in my garrison but you have to build your garrison correctly to have a chance at that.

[Atroxe]

Are we using gift of crit or mastery?

if you plan on doing nothing but destro, it would be more optimal to go gift of crit. if you intend to play all 3 of your specs i'd recommend mastery as its a better stat when it comes down to value for each of our specs compared to crit.

[Kromus]

At that level of gearing you have a few options for gear;
1. Do molten core, 640 helm drops gauranteed off final boss.

Yeah have this

2. Have you been keeping up with your apexis crystal dailies? If you have a bunch you can buy 630 gear for most slots which may have a stat you are looking for, this gear costs 3000 crystals. Then you can trade that item and 9000 crystals for an upgraded 645 item, and 14,000 more allows you to trade that item for a higher ilevel (655?).

Gear looked shit and tbh seemed WAY too much effort. Unfortunately I'm a bit time constrained. LFR and Normal Highmaul gear looked instantly better.

3. Go do LFR, 640 gear is going to fill some holes. LFR is too easy now and practically hands you gear, compare the dungeon journal drops to your own gear and see what gear you need, aim for that boss.

Yeah I did LFR last week and will again tonight

4. Do challenge modes.

Don't have time for 2-3 hour dungeon clears :'(

5. If crafted gear doesnt have the stats you want you can reroll them with certain items from that craft like Hexweave essence->cloth. Its random though, may need a few to get the stats you want.

Expensive for a "chance" at better stats. Don't like that Diablo style stuff tbh

6. I've pulled down 3 pieces of raid epics from followers in my garrison but you have to build your garrison correctly to have a chance at that.

Yeah my followers only really offering 615 ilvl at the moment

I'll be doing a normal clear this evening, and we are doing heroic progression. From looking at the apex and crafted gear, it very much looked like a way to get "raid" ready and maybe for pushing progression. With the casual approach my guild is taking, and me currently being 636 ilvl, just going to see what bits I can pickup.

Spent most of the day toiling over playing Demo or Destro for tonight's clear, and toiling over statistic priorities so it even puts the above further down my pecking order since it could turn into a big waste of time haha ;'(

[xuros]

At that level of gearing you have a few options for gear;
1. Do molten core, 640 helm drops gauranteed off final boss.
2. Have you been keeping up with your apexis crystal dailies? If you have a bunch you can buy 630 gear for most slots which may have a stat you are looking for, this gear costs 3000 crystals. Then you can trade that item and 9000 crystals for an upgraded 645 item, and 14,000 more allows you to trade that item for a higher ilevel (655?).
3. Go do LFR, 640 gear is going to fill some holes. LFR is too easy now and practically hands you gear, compare the dungeon journal drops to your own gear and see what gear you need, aim for that boss.
4. Do challenge modes.
5. If crafted gear doesnt have the stats you want you can reroll them with certain items from that craft like Hexweave essence->cloth. Its random though, may need a few to get the stats you want.
6. I've pulled down 3 pieces of raid epics from followers in my garrison but you have to build your garrison correctly to have a chance at that.

Not sure how you have 3 so far. Still waiting for my 2nd fucking mission to pop up. Nearly all followers are purple and 100 and between 615-650 ilvls. Have maybe 5 or so at 645. RNG is RNG i guess..........

[Unlockmyhrt]

I was wondering if anyone here has a list of trinket rankings for destro, currently running Copelands and 660 PVP trinket and I wanted to know if going with the static trinket from Imperator heroic is better than the pvp trinket, also if normal version of the Imperator trinket is better than the 660 PVP trinket.

[Forgottenone]

Mastery > Crit > MS for Sac and Crit > MS > Mastery for Servitude

Heyo, was just wondering if you knew what the actual stat weights are? Like

1 Intellect = 4.2
1 Mastery = 1.5
1 Crit = 1.4

Only thing I found was on noxxic http://www.noxxic.com/wow/pve/warloc.../stat-priority and upon clicking on the "View Weights & Pawn" it shows what each stat is worth. Are their numbers just for stat weights somewhat accurate or is there another site or way to find out?

[striderZA]

found was on noxxic

Discard that information. The only way to reliably determine how stats work for you is to use simcraft for your character. Make sure that you enable both stat weights and scaling, and look at single and multi target fights. Scaling is important because it shows how the value of a particular stat changes as you obtain more of it or vice versa.

[Heiligerx]

2. Have you been keeping up with your apexis crystal dailies? If you have a bunch you can buy 630 gear for most slots which may have a stat you are looking for, this gear costs 3000 crystals. Then you can trade that item and 9000 crystals for an upgraded 645 item, and 14,000 more allows you to trade that item for a higher ilevel (655?).

These items would be great if almost every piece did not have versatility on it.

[FurtyIRL]

Heyo, was just wondering if you knew what the actual stat weights are? Like

1 Intellect = 4.2
1 Mastery = 1.5
1 Crit = 1.4

Only thing I found was on noxxic http://www.noxxic.com/wow/pve/warloc.../stat-priority and upon clicking on the "View Weights & Pawn" it shows what each stat is worth. Are their numbers just for stat weights somewhat accurate or is there another site or way to find out?

Like someone mentioned you'd need to sim your personal character to get an exact value. Secondaries typically interact with each other synergetically meaning increasing the value of one can inflate the value of another.

[ZakAtack]

So I'm getting the idea that mastery and crit are about equal, but does that include the +5% crit from all sources? Do the sims take that into account? If not, then wouldn't crit actually be pretty clearly better if they're equal without it?

[Killface1]

The sims take the 5% crit into account.

Single target, crit is better, no question.

Thing is, there are no single targets save butcher really. Dungeons you'll be using havoc/CB/shadowburn pretty constantly (especially with reduced havoc CD), and same deal with raids. Once you're into cleave situations, mastery≥crit.

In addition, mastery is great for demo and affliction, so if you ever plan on doing either of those, mastery is great.

[DeadmanWalking]

These items would be great if almost every piece did not have versatility on it.

You do it to fill gear holes to compensate for rng loot drops, for the higher ilevel, pure intellect boost and the one stat on the gear that you need. Versatility is not useless, it may be our least desired stat but it is not useless. Its not flashy, it doesn't have a big number pop up on your screen, doesnt make your spells finish faster, and doesn't make your spells hit more often but it does help more than running around with 615 dungeon gear. I used it on my cloak to bump my ilevel up significantly because I didn't get any drops for cloak and I was still running around in my legendary. I don't have any other reasons to spend apexis crsytals besides gear anyways.

[Octa]

Is there a simcraft trinket comparison list floating around for Destro? I thought I remembered seeing one here but can't find it now. Might be mixing it up with the Demo list but figured I'd ask.