Thinking back; Warlocks in Cataclysm

[Schirmy]

Posts like this warm my heart and remind me that all of the effort the wow team put into overhauling Warlocks was worth it.

This thread was the best Christmas present ever, thanks guys.

We miss you!

[Nerraw]

Cataclysm had some decent ideas, but unfortunately reality turned out quite differently. Pretty much everything regarding warlocks are miles ahead of Cata in Mists. I haven't had this much fun with my class since I started playing the game.

[Count Zero]

I like what they've done for the most part, but I just wish Destro had maybe one more button to push. Thing is, I understand that with the three specs basically being completely rebooted, they had to leave room for growth for later patches/xpacs.

They are at a good baseline for further growth, I think.

[Rayaleith]

I really like what they have done with the warlock. Diversity, different resources etc. I might be biased but I think it is the best and most enjoyable class.

[razkah]

I think Affliction is the perfect spec right now. The basics are very simple - simple dot uptime and filler spam - but as you learn more about it, it becomes more and more complex: managing shards around intellect procs, refreshing dots at the start and end of dots, the beautiful - in my opinion - AoE routine, switching talents from encounter to encounter to maximize. You can really say "easy to learn, hard to master" about Affliction right now. All that while it still feels like a spec built entirely around dots. I love it. This applies only to PvE however - the spec is REALLY flawed in PvP as it's completely reliant on a hard cast to do any damage at all (dots on their own don't do anything) and the new dispel mechanic shuts down an Affliction warlock for 6 seconds (or 3 seconds + 2 shards).

I've never been a fan of Demonology, but I did play it extensively for PvP and dailies and I kinda enjoyed it. It felt really weird at first to play with just Corruption and having pets do such a large portion of my damage, but I got used to that and it even added flavor to the spec overall. The only thing I could never get used to with Demo is how Corruption and Doom work, I hate how it's the same button/hotkey (binding it twice is just a workaround) and it feels awkward jumping in/out of meta form just to apply it all the time. I don't think Corruption and Doom even have enough in common to work like that, not nearly enough like all the other converted spells.

I've also had Destruction as my PvP/daily spec after the nerf to Demo (it's still good in arena, but not for RBG) and I think that spec is also quite well designed. You have to actually set up burst, not just get the Ember and hit CB - need to hold back on Conflags for the haste and need to use Havoc properly. That's cool, another easy to learn hard to master sorta thing. What I don't really like about Destro is that Rain of Fire is just too good, it's really not a fun spell to use, making it regen so much Ember (especially in RBG) was a terrible idea.

The only thing I miss from Cataclysm and the other expansions is Soul Link. We're supposed to be the tankiest caster, and have been that for the entire game, but we are now the only caster without a passive damage reduction.

[checking facts]

i agree, tho PVE speaking a little bit of nerf to affli 2%, a little buff to demo 3% a little buff to destro 2% (i don't take simcraft as the only reference), then the warlock class would be near perfection

bring back melee demo, and we'll talk about perfection

[deviantcultist]

Why would anyone miss the old Warlock? Seriously...

[Tya]

Why would anyone miss the old Warlock? Seriously...

Perhaps they enjoyed affliction being viable in PvP. I certainly did. For years. Having that taken away is not fun and if I could change warlocks, I'd remove Malefic Grasp and Dark Soul; distributing the damage lost back into dots.

[Jessicka]

Completely agreed. Mana just feels burdensome at this point.

Perhaps, but then Blizzard needed to start with making the spec count as melee for all encounter purposes. i.e. wind bomb won't hit you, rain of arrows won't hit you, etc.

Destro is very fun. I thoroughly enjoy the redesigned destro.

Demo really just lacks quality-of-life stuff. Talking PvP here. I find that managing my pet, my mana, my health and my fury bar to be very irritating. Pets re-issuing orders if their target is CC'd is another giant annoyance.

Ever played an RTS where units over-right your orders mid-fight to do something completely different? Yeah, me neither.

I think demo should lose mana as a resource and have all spells just cost nothing. It's all about building fury anyway, having to manage mana ontop of that seems overkill. Especially when combined with Life Tap and demo's total lack of self-heals.

Aff is ruined in PvP. The spec just doesn't work anymore unless you can find a good warrior to babysit you.

Can't help but smirk at the contradiction between these posts above, and the one below.

They were all dumbed down pretty hard, especially demo. Had to get rid of like half my keybinds and my lock's bars are half empty while playing the spec.

Shadowflame aside, I enjoyed old Demo; but it's fair to say the new model is an improvement. We have lost a couple of buttons but not actions on the priority list and certainly no complexity. In regard to heals/Life Tap, you can glyph and talent to counter it. I don't think PvP is really a fair place to lay judgement because it is an aspect of the game I don't think anyone can argue is in a good place; even Warriors and Mages accept that.

Destruction is interesting now, and not a complete clusterfuck as was in Cata. I think only a masochist or troll could claim to want it back. And Affliction, I have mixed feelings about; I think I just hate being railroaded into Sacrifice.

[Hellfury]

bring back melee demo, and we'll talk about perfection

Nothing stops you to go to melee range and shoot from there if that what floats your boat... seriously

[checking facts]

Nothing stops you to go to melee range and shoot from there if that what floats your boat... seriously

I do. but I miss the time when that would make a difference.

[n0n3]

I dont miss at all the cata lock specs, all of them are better now.
To all of you that want to be in melee roll a melee class, warlocks are RANGED.

[checking facts]

I dont miss at all the cata lock specs, all of them are better now.
To all of you that want to be in melee roll a melee class, warlocks are RANGED.

give me a melee class that turns into a purple demon and I'll reroll right away.

aesthetics > gameplay. but gameplay is mildly important as well. so if possible, I'd like to have melee demo back.

[wanax]

Am I the only one who misses the old Warlock? I was absolutely in love with the number of buttons Destruction had, and the things to keep track of etc. - even the abomination that was Improved Soul Fire. The spec felt challenging then, and I hate the way they've taken it and made it faceroll. And for Affliction, I loved Shadow Bolt. Malefic Grasp doesn't even compare, it feels so clunky and boring somehow. As a matter of fact, the entire spec does. Channeling the same spell (yes, I consider Malefic Grasp/DS the same spell as you merely swap one with the other once and that's it) 75% of the time just gets really boring.

I wish they would have avoided revamping the class for Mists.

Anyone feeling the same?

/end of random rant

I miss decimation weaving from early Wrath. People found it too challenging so it got changed. Its the nature of the beast.

[Cirque]

I like the new Affliction, it's simple yet has a depth to it I'm approving. They managed to make the new demo even more tedious than it already was, now if you wanna talk clunky, talk demo...! Aside from the terrible long casts, the stance-dancing, and the mana issues, about the only fun thing is its high mobility. The new destruction is terrible compared to the old one - very straightforward, nothing much to do. I loved the old destro. Ah well, times change, we adapt, and we learn to enjoy the novelties!

edit: must admit the removal of shadowflame in its cata incarnation is a big + in mop.

[n0n3]

give me a melee class that turns into a purple demon and I'll reroll right away.

aesthetics > gameplay. but gameplay is mildly important as well. so if possible, I'd like to have melee demo back.

I dont care about aesthetics , all that matters to me is the numbers and being in melee means u'll have to dodge more stuff, thus u'll have to interrupt your casts alot of times wich its a dps loss, thats what i remember from cata, having to interrupt my shadow bolts to avoid fire on the ground while the ranged grp was just fine in the back. We do have KJC now but this will make it mandatory wich isnt blizz intention, also u'll move 30% slower compared to other melees.

[checking facts]

I dont care about aesthetics , all that matters to me is the numbers and being in melee means u'll have to dodge more stuff, thus u'll have to interrupt your casts alot of times wich its a dps loss, thats what i remember from cata, having to interrupt my shadow bolts to avoid fire on the ground while the ranged grp was just fine in the back. We do have KJC now but this will make it mandatory wich isnt blizz intention, also u'll move 30% slower compared to other melees.

melee demo had issues. but that could be fixed. especially now with the new talent system. but for some reason blizz decided to go backwards on their design. which is a damn shame.

I guess I'm stuck with a ranged class

[Lockrocker75]

Am I the only one who misses the old Warlock? I was absolutely in love with the number of buttons Destruction had, and the things to keep track of etc. - even the abomination that was Improved Soul Fire. The spec felt challenging then, and I hate the way they've taken it and made it faceroll. And for Affliction, I loved Shadow Bolt. Malefic Grasp doesn't even compare, it feels so clunky and boring somehow. As a matter of fact, the entire spec does. Channeling the same spell (yes, I consider Malefic Grasp/DS the same spell as you merely swap one with the other once and that's it) 75% of the time just gets really boring.

I wish they would have avoided revamping the class for Mists.

Anyone feeling the same?

/end of random rant

I can't say that I love the Destro spec. It does feel like it's missing something imo. But Demo and Aff. I absolutely enjoy. The point was to make you pay attention in this expansion. So for you to complain about having more to pay attention to, then you obviously have never played a rogue, monk or even a DK in order to keep track of your dots with them. As well as their energy/combo points/chi/death runes etc. Cata locks were a shell of what they were from BC and LK. Blizz got them back on track in MoP if anything.

[n0n3]

Imo they should have went full melee with demo spec, just make it so u're all the time in demon form and give abilities that work the same way it does for melee, only instants, as resource demonic fury could have been rage from warriors under a dif name.

[villie]

I'm coming back to wow for the first time in a few years. My lock was my first char since vanilla and by far my favourite. At the beginning of cata i thought i'd mix things by trying the other classes, resulting in 8 85 alts. they just didn't feel "right" tho like my lock did. So I ended back on old faithful, but the net result of all that levelling and regearing of all those chars was burnout, turbo burnout!!! So I decided to give wow a break as work commitments also prevented me from raiding on a regular basis.

The reason I'm coming back..?.......one reason.

Xelnath and his team.

The job they did revamping the class and bringing it back to its grass roots of the dark wizard who lusts after power by inflicting pain and misery on others at the cost of his mortal and others mortal/demonic essence, made me wants to play my warlock again, I cannot wait to hit 90 so I can experience the full power but so far I am in awe at the depth and sheer difference experience each spec provides, what dps class can boast total and unequivocal difference style of play and feel!!

So no I say warlocks are not just in a good place, they are in the best place they have ever been since this games inception and we have one person to thank for that!!

So Xel, thank you for allowing me to rekindle the love for my favourite class, deeply sorry for what happened with regards to your position at Blizzard, however the legacy of how amazing the warlock class is now you left behind is a fitting tribute to your time there.

Looking forward to raiding and having fun again!! Just wish I had triple talent specialisation lol!

Jay B.