My comprehensive review of 3.1 changes

[Ofmanv]

One of the mistakes I often see people reading the 3.1 patch notes is they often read the change to the tooltip and they think that's all they need to know.

Many probably read "Molten core has been moved to tier 6 of demo" and thought "Well, that's good for demo I guess." But is it really good for demo? To fully understand patch changes you have to know where all the talents are relative to one another. I'm here to tell you that maybe it's bad for both destruction and demo.

I'll start with what I think of affliction changes.

The most controversial change warlocks got this patch was the removal of siphon life as a spell. Considering siphon life did about 11,000 damage for one GCD, this a pretty big hit to affliction's dps, around 8% (that's a lot for one change people). Many argue that this is fine because it's "More time to shadowbolt now" which to me is kind of silly. First, siphon life only had to be reapplied once every 30 seconds which wasn't asking much. Second, we're talking about an instant cast that does 11,000 damage vs. a 2.5 second cast that does 3-4k on average. That's hardly comparable.

Suppression is now a 3% chance to hit bonus for ALL spells. No more need to pick up both suppression and cataclysm but this does actually hurt FG/emberstorm which can't afford to put points into affliction.

Affliction's damage will also go down a little due to changes to eradication (no longer a haste buff) and shadow embrace (no longer effects direct shadow damage as well haunt (no longer effect fire damage dots like immolate). Though not a change to affliction the move of molten core no longer allows affliction locks to get it either so immolate will take huge a hit to its damage overall. Still worth keeping in the rotation, just not very impressive for a dot anymore.

Pandemic is now 1 talent spend for the ability to make corruption and UA crit. This is a little different from the old pandemic because now the crit bonus damage is 50% compared to 100%. While this makes the single talent spend a better budget, the talent is less potent overall and much less preferable for pvp now.

Now demonology

Fel synergy's move to the first tier but loss of the stat increases may read as a nerf but its actually good news for levelling and pvp'ing affliction/destruction locks to be able to pick up the talent in the first tier.

Demonic sacrifice has been been removed and mana feed truncated to 1 talent point in its place. I think this is a good though mostly unnoticable change. Long gone are the days of 0/21/40, DS really had no place.

Now molten core is the most elusive change. Considering demo locks already put at least 15 points into destruction this really accomplishes nothing at all but hurt destruction. Most interestingly, it also only allows FG/emberstorm to get 1 point of molten core if you want the more important talents. Demo's own best spec actually hurts from the molten core move to demo, kind of ironic eh?

Though additions of nemesis and decimation look good for demo, I don't see specs past 41 into demo as being able to compete with the damage boost of mutually exclusive emberstorm.

Destruction

Improved shadowbolt now simply increases the damage of SB by 5% and gives an inferior improved scorch (thanks lillia), 5% crit. This gives affliction some utility, otherwise, not a very noticable change.

Destruction's dps made some tradeoffs. Improved immolate and conflag on the way up, loss of molten core on the way down. Overall about the same.

Destruction pvp also has its tradeoffs. Molten skin and aftermatch make things a little better but no more stuns from pyroclasm.

Overall

It looks like Blizzard wanted to make the specs more equal which is what happened here. While affliction was beating out destruction and demo for dps, when compared to other classes like hunters, mages and warriors, affliction really wasn't too strong so much as destruction and demo needing to be brought up to par. It's a shame that affliction had to be nerfed to be put on equal footing with demo and destro.

I'm most surprised that warlock pvp didn't get touched much. Molten skin and glyph of soulllink are minor positive changes but overall the removal of siphon life leaves warlocks much worse off in pvp which I think is unfortunate.

[Lillia]

Just a minor thing, but the Improved Shadowbolt talent is actually inferior to the mage ability. Improved Scorch is 2% crit chance, stacks up to five times (so total of 10% crit) for three talent points, while Imp. SB gives 5% crit and 5% damage for five points and doesn't stack at all (so total of 5% crit). In terms of utility, it isn't really an increase at all because mages are still irreplaceable.

I haven't had a chance to test the Eradication change but I suspect it might actually be a buff. Currently about 30% of my damage comes from shadow bolts, so the bonus crit chance may wind up being more beneficial than the current haste bonus from Eradication. Of course, that may also depend on gear level, as I am in Naxx 10/Naxx 25 mixed gear and have over 400 haste rating already.

Overall a useful review of changes, thank you.

[Shamb]

You are forgetting the glyphs, which are awesome for both pvp and pve.

Also, for Destruction (heavy destro, not 31/40) they lose molten core, but they gain pyroclasm, which is better then molten core.

So to resume, destruction got buffed conflagrate + immolate.
Lose molten core to gain a better talent in pyroclasm.
Gain awesome glyphs.

For PVP, we gained 11% dmg reduction... 5% through soul link glyph+6% through molten armor.

What I see this patch being is a return to destruction and demon/destro being real good for raiding. (imo probably better then nerfed affliction now...)

On top of it they buffed our survivability.

[Tariosus]

You are forgetting the glyphs, which are awesome for both pvp and pve.

Also, for Destruction (heavy destro, not 31/40) they lose molten core, but they gain pyroclasm, which is better then molten core.

So to resume, destruction got muffed conflagrate + immolate.
Lose molten core to gain a better talent in pyroclasm.
Gain awesome glyphs.

For PVP, we gained 11% dmg reduction... 5% through soul link glyph+6% through molten armor.

What I see this patch being is a return to destruction and demon/destro being real good for raiding. (imo probably better then nerfed affliction now...)

On top of it they buffed our survivability.

Your statement shows your lack of knowledge.

[Shamb]

Your statement shows your lack of knowledge.

How ?

Your statement shows... nothing. Develop plz or don't post.

EDIT: I really don't mind getting corrected and learning's the main reason why I spend time on any kinda forums.

[Ofmanv]

You are forgetting the glyphs, which are awesome for both pvp and pve.

Also, for Destruction (heavy destro, not 31/40) they lose molten core, but they gain pyroclasm, which is better then molten core.

So to resume, destruction got buffed conflagrate + immolate.
Lose molten core to gain a better talent in pyroclasm.
Gain awesome glyphs.

For PVP, we gained 11% dmg reduction... 5% through soul link glyph+6% through molten armor.

What I see this patch being is a return to destruction and demon/destro being real good for raiding. (imo probably better then nerfed affliction now...)

On top of it they buffed our survivability.

I can't say I agree that pyroclasm is better than molten core. With corruption and CoA molten core is pretty much perpepetual from my experience. Pyroclasm only procs off conflag and searing pain crits, the ladder spell isn't worth being in a rotation.

Several problems with "getting 11% damage reduction"

1. Percents don't add (I usually ignore this because in terms of damage gain from percents, it would be an understatement to add percents, but for damage reduction adding percents would be an overstatement)
2. Soul link isn't damage reduction
3. Pets are killed off very easily, negating soul link
4. Glyph of SL is a trade off
5. Warlock's only feasable pvp spec (54/17/0) can't get molten skin

[valcrist]

LOCKS ALREADY SUCK, they are terrible in PVP and lack heavily in survivability and Burst.. They are probably 1 of the most under power classes right now and blizzard promised locks are getting heavily looked into and fixed... HOW IS THIS FIXED??? looks more like god damn nerfs.. Just delete the lock blizzard you guys obviously don't care in fixing the class.. First of all you NERF AFFLIC? when Afflic already suffered HEAVILY in burst dmg, lets nerf the already terrible scaled dot dmg more?? uuh ok "morons".. Demo had some okay changes but didn't add what needed to be added to make the lower tiers worth getting, still pointless to go passed Fel-guard therefor Blizzard Failed in the Demo tree, I like some of Destro changes, conflag + immolate seemed to get a boost ect but over all blizzzard has failed terribly, i think locks will suck even more in 3.1 then they do now...

[zuxia]

I can't say I agree that pyroclasm is better than molten core. With corruption and CoA molten core is pretty much perpepetual from my experience. Pyroclasm only procs off conflag and searing pain crits, the ladder spell isn't worth being in a rotation.

Several problems with "getting 11% damage reduction"

1. Percents don't add (I usually ignore this because in terms of damage gain from percents, it would be an understatement to add percents, but for damage reduction adding percents would be an overstatement)
2. Soul link isn't damage reduction
3. Pets are killed off very easily, negating soul link
4. Glyph of SL is a trade off
5. Warlock's only feasable pvp spec (54/17/0) can't get molten skin

Pets are not as easily killed as you believe and with changes in demonology tree this will make it more so.

If you are using soul link with succy or imp...ya pet will die quickly, however with VW or FG this is not the case.

54/17 is not the only feasable pvp spec...fg/ember is still there...used properly does really well.

fg/ember: with preliminary numbers and current trees is on top of dps meters in PTR.

See elitistjerks.com

[valcrist]

fg/ember: with preliminary numbers and current trees is on top of dps meters in PTR


FG/Ember is such a freaking boring build.. waste of the Demo tree imo..

[zuxia]

One of the mistakes I often see people reading the 3.1 patch notes is they often read the change to the tooltip and they think that's all they need to know.

Many probably read "Molten core has been moved to tier 6 of demo" and thought "Well, that's good for demo I guess." But is it really good for demo? To fully understand patch changes you have to know where all the talents are relative to one another. I'm here to tell you that maybe it's bad for both destruction and demo.

I'll start with what I think of affliction changes.

The most controversial change warlocks got this patch was the removal of siphon life as a spell. Considering siphon life did about 11,000 damage for one GCD, this a pretty big hit to affliction's dps, around 8% (that's a lot for one change people). Many argue that this is fine because it's "More time to shadowbolt now" which to me is kind of silly. First, siphon life only had to be reapplied once every 30 seconds which wasn't asking much. Second, we're talking about an instant cast that does 11,000 damage vs. a 2.5 second cast that does 3-4k on average. That's hardly comparable.

Suppression is now a 3% chance to hit bonus for ALL spells. No more need to pick up both suppression and cataclysm but this does actually hurt FG/emberstorm which can't afford to put points into affliction.

Affliction's damage will also go down a little due to changes to eradication (no longer a haste buff) and shadow embrace (no longer effects direct shadow damage as well haunt (no longer effect fire damage dots like immolate). Though not a change to affliction the move of molten core no longer allows affliction locks to get it either so immolate will take huge a hit to its damage overall. Still worth keeping in the rotation, just not very impressive for a dot anymore.

Pandemic is now 1 talent spend for the ability to make corruption and UA crit. This is a little different from the old pandemic because now the crit bonus damage is 50% compared to 100%. While this makes the single talent spend a better budget, the talent is less potent overall and much less preferable for pvp now.

Now demonology

Fel synergy's move to the first tier but loss of the stat increases may read as a nerf but its actually good news for levelling and pvp'ing affliction/destruction locks to be able to pick up the talent in the first tier.

Demonic sacrifice has been been removed and mana feed truncated to 1 talent point in its place. I think this is a good though mostly unnoticable change. Long gone are the days of 0/21/40, DS really had no place.

Now molten core is the most elusive change. Considering demo locks already put at least 15 points into destruction this really accomplishes nothing at all but hurt destruction. Most interestingly, it also only allows FG/emberstorm to get 1 point of molten core if you want the more important talents. Demo's own best spec actually hurts from the molten core move to demo, kind of ironic eh?

Though additions of nemesis and decimation look good for demo, I don't see specs past 41 into demo as being able to compete with the damage boost of mutually exclusive emberstorm.

Destruction

Improved shadowbolt now simply increases the damage of SB by 5% and gives an inferior improved scorch (thanks lillia), 5% crit. This gives affliction some utility, otherwise, not a very noticable change.

Destruction's dps made some tradeoffs. Improved immolate and conflag on the way up, loss of molten core on the way down. Overall about the same.

Destruction pvp also has its tradeoffs. Molten skin and aftermatch make things a little better but no more stuns from pyroclasm.

Overall

It looks like Blizzard wanted to make the specs more equal which is what happened here. While affliction was beating out destruction and demo for dps, when compared to other classes like hunters, mages and warriors, affliction really wasn't too strong so much as destruction and demo needing to be brought up to par. It's a shame that affliction had to be nerfed to be put on equal footing with demo and destro.

I'm most surprised that warlock pvp didn't get touched much. Molten skin and glyph of soulllink are minor positive changes but overall the removal of siphon life leaves warlocks much worse off in pvp which I think is unfortunate.

I don't know what the more important talents you are referring to but if you are including suppression in new fg/ember build take it out. You can actually increase your damage better through talents than the little you lose from gemming or enchanting for hit.

[zuxia]

fg/ember: with preliminary numbers and current trees is on top of dps meters in PTR


FG/Ember is such a freaking boring build.. waste of the Demo tree imo..

It is a waste to you because you do not like it, however many do like it...so I guess it is not a waste just your opinion, which you are entitled to.

[zuxia]

LOCKS ALREADY SUCK, they are terrible in PVP and lack heavily in survivability and Burst.. They are probably 1 of the most under power classes right now and blizzard promised locks are getting heavily looked into and fixed... HOW IS THIS FIXED??? looks more like god damn nerfs.. Just delete the lock blizzard you guys obviously don't care in fixing the class.. First of all you NERF AFFLIC? when Afflic already suffered HEAVILY in burst dmg, lets nerf the already terrible scaled dot dmg more?? uuh ok "morons".. Demo had some okay changes but didn't add what needed to be added to make the lower tiers worth getting, still pointless to go passed Fel-guard therefor Blizzard Failed in the Demo tree, I like some of Destro changes, conflag + immolate seemed to get a boost ect but over all blizzzard has failed terribly, i think locks will suck even more in 3.1 then they do now...

Im sorry the afflic tree has had a reduction in dps output. The reason this was done has been stated in blue posts.

Warlocks in pvp are yes hard to play now, however pve we do wonderful dps. They have to try to balance pvp and pve damage/utility and I imagine that is not easy to do.

[Risu]

I'm happy that our demo friends have received a buff. I think destro needs to be buffed more to equal out the playing field. I'm sad that affliction received a nerf, but in the end, I hope it's all balanced.

I don't recall if it was a blue post or just player speculation, but I thought Demonology was supposed to be the least powerful of our three trees due to having higher survivability within the tree? While looking at the current simulation 3.1 testing that is going on, it looks like that 0/41/30 is pulling ahead as the top contender in the dps race for warlocks (http://elitistjerks.com/f80/t48311-s...ost_3_1_specs/).

I know 3.1 isn't out yet, but it seems a bit off to me that Blizzard would give such an advantage in PvE to a spec that does not utilize any of the 51 pt talents and resides in mostly in demonology. Seems to me that it's broken logic. I have nothing against the spec and I encouraged one of my guild mates to go that way because of his playstyle and gear. This is me just speculating on the changes. What do you guys think?

[Baever]

Just a minor thing, but the Improved Shadowbolt talent is actually inferior to the mage ability. Improved Scorch is 2% crit chance, stacks up to five times (so total of 10% crit) for three talent points, while Imp. SB gives 5% crit and 5% damage for five points and doesn't stack at all (so total of 5% crit). In terms of utility, it isn't really an increase at all because mages are still irreplaceable.

I haven't had a chance to test the Eradication change but I suspect it might actually be a buff. Currently about 30% of my damage comes from shadow bolts, so the bonus crit chance may wind up being more beneficial than the current haste bonus from Eradication. Of course, that may also depend on gear level, as I am in Naxx 10/Naxx 25 mixed gear and have over 400 haste rating already.

Overall a useful review of changes, thank you.

Actually, it is believed to be an error, in which case it is meant to be 10% total, or a foreshadow to an inevitable nerf of scorch and winter's chill.

[Ofmanv]

Pets are not as easily killed as you believe and with changes in demonology tree this will make it more so.

If you are using soul link with succy or imp...ya pet will die quickly, however with VW or FG this is not the case.

54/17 is not the only feasable pvp spec...fg/ember is still there...used properly does really well.

fg/ember: with preliminary numbers and current trees is on top of dps meters in PTR.

See elitistjerks.com

Pvp'ing with a voidwalker out is like like a ret paladin pvp'ing with a shield.

FG/emberstorm isn't a pvp spec.


Class breakdown
http://www.realmhistory.net/arena-st...breakdown.html

Spec breakdown
http://www.realmhistory.net/arena-st...specs/3v3.html

The 18% of warlocks not spec'd 54/17/0 are respec'd for raiding. It's more like 99%.

[Ofmanv]

I don't know what the more important talents you are referring to but if you are including suppression in new fg/ember build take it out. You can actually increase your damage better through talents than the little you lose from gemming or enchanting for hit.

No, not suppression, you can't even get suppression without giving up felguard or 3/5 emberstorm. You can't get more than 1/3 molten core without giving up points in master demo, demonic empowerment, demonic knowledge or demonic tactics. See:

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?warl...0&version=9626

Molten core was better for FG/emberstorm when it was in destro

[zuxia]

Pvp'ing with a voidwalker out is like like a ret paladin pvp'ing with a shield.

FG/emberstorm isn't a pvp spec.


Class breakdown
http://www.realmhistory.net/arena-st...breakdown.html

Spec breakdown
http://www.realmhistory.net/arena-st...specs/3v3.html

The 18% of warlocks not spec'd 54/17/0 are respec'd for raiding. It's more like 99%.

However you cannot actually say 99% for one, that is only a matter of your opinion. Ok...now you are breaking it down to just arena. Arena is not the only type of pvp. You cannot make generalizations to entire pvp activity by only showing it only in arena...the inference does not make the jump when using statistical analysis.

So again FG/ember is a pvp spec as can any spec be.

Edit: Also you need to put a disclaimer that your links only include 2000+ arena teams, thus again you cannot say it is the only pvp spec, in addition other specs are used including fg/ember in 2000+arena teams so how is fg/ember not used in arena also.

Now if you said, the vast majority of locks used 54/17/0 in arena teams 2000+ rating you would be entirely correct. However you cannot make the assumptions that all use that spec, as I am sure that is not the case, nor even 99% of locks (no data to back that up).

[einstein]

I agree with the OP, GC did a terrible job.

Many people wanted demonic circle to be ranged cast, others wanted health funnel to be a Hot on the pet, why on earth was none of it added to the class?

Full destruction dps on raids is still as bad as ever, this is because this guy thinks that making conflag crit for 10k will somehow make up for the lack of dmg from chaos bolt, incin and shadow bolt.

The destro tree spends too much time casting, the least they can do is up the dmg of the casting to make up for the "down" time.

Where are the shadowflame changes?, new spell and utterly useless in dmg and cone radius.

The critical rate needed for destruction was added to demon?, wtf?.

What is so hard about making devastation give 10% or 15% instead of 5%?.

3 bloody months for this... Heh, I knew it.

Edit: LOL where is my plus hit on destruction?, Given the class has a billion % crit, i am sure replacing more crit gear for plus hit will make up for the hit loss on talent, stay tuned as Ruin becomes more and more useless

[zuxia]

I agree with the OP, GC did a terrible job.

Many people wanted demonic circle to be ranged cast, others wanted health funnel to be a Hot on the pet, why on earth was none of it added to the class?

Full destruction dps on raids is still as bad as ever, this is because this guy thinks that making conflag crit for 10k will somehow make up for the lack of dmg from chaos bolt, incin and shadow bolt.

The destro tree spends too much time casting, the least they can do is up the dmg of the casting to make up for the "down" time.

Where are the shadowflame changes?, new spell and utterly useless in dmg and cone radius.

The critical rate needed for destruction was added to demon?, wtf?.

What is so hard about making devastation give 10% or 15% instead of 5%?.

3 bloody months for this... Heh, I knew it.

Edit: LOL where is my plus hit on destruction?, Given the class has a billion % crit, i am sure replacing more crit gear for plus hit will make up for the hit loss on talent, stay tuned as Ruin becomes more and more useless

if you have tons of crit...playing odds and probability mind you, using a little less hit will actually increase your dps/damage output, most of the time, not always.

[einstein]

if you have tons of crit...playing odds and probability mind you, using a little less hit will actually increase your dps/damage output, most of the time, not always.

losing Hit means null dmg, for it misses and throws rotations off (conflag misses = no backdraft).

Destruction cannot afford the hit loss, the lack of crit on the specs simply makes Ruin mediocre at the very best.

That may not affect pvp much, but the specs are still useless for both pvp and pve, so far is demon or affi or go home.