1. #1

    "Best" Warlock spec in PVP 5.4

    Hey,

    im playing a lock (besides some other classes) and i wonder if its time to try something new before i start acquire gear in the new season.

    I have levled as affliction like 1 year ago and liked it. Then for some unknown reason when i started to arena at lvl 90 i went destro, but dropped that spec quickly cause it was boring...so much relying on 1 spell (CB).

    So then i tried Demo. Ive played demo all season long around 1900 mmr and liked it a lot. Still besides the burst phase when all know that you need to be locked down my spell repertoir feels a little limited. Also the dots outside of burstphase are kinda just to generate Demonic Fury then to do serious dmg.

    I didnt play on my lock in the new season yet (only SP) and now i wanted to start on the weekend.

    I cant decide between Affliction and Demonology. So here my 3 questions:

    1.How strong are those 2 specs in the new season?

    2.Is one of those specs favourizing 2s or 3s?

    3.How is the survivability of an Affliction lock compared to Demo? (with self cds etc)


    Looking forward to see some answers, thx

  2. #2
    Brewmaster Nemah's Avatar
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    This is amateur advice at best. I only dabble in PvP when the mood hits, and that mostly takes the form of world PvP when available or regular BG's, but so far I'm having decent "luck" with affliction. Dot damage was buffed, which is nice, but MG can still be problematic if you're not careful. I tend to be more strategic about when I channel it....common sense, of course. Fel flame doesn't quite hit like a wet noodle anymore...maybe more like a soggy loaf of bread, but it's better than it was.

    Survivability with the Unending Resolve Glyph and drain life boosts (with soulburn) is pretty decent, but still dependent on channeling. That being said, you'll be surprised how fast your health will return with DL now. I have yet to try out the redone Harvest Life talents, Dark Regen is too good to give up imo.

    For demo - and this is limited experience - in single combat I seem to have some issues generating sufficient fury in the short window of time PvP takes. What this means is that through the initial exchange of lockdowns, stuns, counterspells, whatever I'm not quite as high on fury as I'd like to be. By the time I'm on to the next opponent I have plenty, but in the initial stages it's a bit annoying. In BGs I have no fury issues whatsoever.

    Not sure how useful that is, I suppose it's still early yet - but there are some (very) amateur insights. Didn't see anyone else answering the post, so I thought I'd put in my .02.
    Last edited by Nemah; 2013-09-19 at 06:19 PM.

  3. #3
    Affliction lock is currently one of the best PvP specs in the game. There are numerous 3v3 comps that involve an affliction lock that are viable for glad and beyond this patch.(RLS, RLD, LSD, WLD, Shadowplay) Affliction's dot damage and haunt were both buffed with Malefic Grasp and Drain Soul seeing some slight nerfs. Affliction is extremely viable this patch. If you insist on playing 2s Demo lock is probably your best bet, however as I don't participate in 2s I cannot speak much on that bracket.

  4. #4
    Deleted
    As Solidsteel said, considering 3v3 affliction is one of the best specs you can play. 2v2 is a whole other story and I'd just encourage you to not try it. Basically nothing dies now.

    Affliction survivability is decent. As though it may not have the stuns and roots of demonology, but it's strength is that affliction does not really need to stay on target all the time. Drain Life with the Harvest Life talent is a beast and only a minor dps loss tp MG compared to the healing you get.

  5. #5
    Both are good. Depending on your partners, either one could be better, as they offer different things. Demo offers a little more control with felguards axe toss having a 5s stun, and demo form having a knockback, as well as more burst. Aff brings great strong spread pressure, and dot protection.

    -Both specs are strong. Locks one of strongest casters overall, with 3 viable alternative specs.
    -Affliction best in 3's, but I would argue demo in 2's (only played 3's on aff so far, but have played both this xpac).
    -Affliction has less survivability compared to demo. Demo's soul link is good because wrathguard is more durable than observer (or sac.pact is better for same reason). Demo form offers stun reduction and massive armor boost, as well as leap and knockback. That being said, all locks are highly durable (shield wall, t2 defensives, increased healing taken, portal etc), and survivabilty shouldnt be a reason to not play afflication.

  6. #6
    Where are you getting this, that dot damage has been increased? Dot damage is exactly the same (on dummies), and lower (in PvP, because of the buff to resilience) compared to last patch. What you saw in the notes, the buffs to dots were merely to compensate the loss of the PvP set bonus, the 10% dot damaged increased. Affliction dots were not buffed nor nerfed... Just Haunt got a buff, and MG got nerfed, that's all.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Bogdan View Post
    Where are you getting this, that dot damage has been increased? Dot damage is exactly the same (on dummies), and lower (in PvP, because of the buff to resilience) compared to last patch. What you saw in the notes, the buffs to dots were merely to compensate the loss of the PvP set bonus, the 10% dot damaged increased. Affliction dots were not buffed nor nerfed... Just Haunt got a buff, and MG got nerfed, that's all.
    Well healing got nerfed, so in a sense. Dmg got buffed.

    In regards to topic, Yeah aff is probably best for 3v3.
    Dk's is probably the best pvp class atm.

  8. #8
    -We lost set bonus, -10% to all dots.
    -Agony damage increased by 16%
    -UA damage increased by 21%
    -Corruption damage increased by 10% (wash)
    -Soul swap buff (dot buff)
    -Haunt increases dot dmg by 40% (dot buff)

    Dots were buffed. Resilience was buffed. If they are doing the same damage as before patch, when overall damage went down, they got buffed.

  9. #9
    Warchief Lulbalance's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Solidsteel View Post
    Affliction lock is currently one of the best PvP specs in the game. There are numerous 3v3 comps that involve an affliction lock that are viable for glad and beyond this patch.(RLS, RLD, LSD, WLD, Shadowplay) Affliction's dot damage and haunt were both buffed with Malefic Grasp and Drain Soul seeing some slight nerfs. Affliction is extremely viable this patch. If you insist on playing 2s Demo lock is probably your best bet, however as I don't participate in 2s I cannot speak much on that bracket.
    RLS RLD WLD and Shadowplay are not T1 comps.. most of those are not even T2 comps.

    that said.. aff is in a good place, but if you're asking this question then you should probably just play demo and call it day.

  10. #10
    Fluffy Kitten Yvaelle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lulbalance View Post
    RLS RLD WLD and Shadowplay are not T1 comps.. most of those are not even T2 comps.

    that said.. aff is in a good place, but if you're asking this question then you should probably just play demo and call it day.
    ^ This.

    Initially Affliction will be at a strong advantage this tier, but it will wane a bit once everyone is in 522 gear - they will still dish out a colossal amount of damage and be very hard to kill though.

    I think I want to play MLS with my lock - that comp is going to be pretty strong (MLD is a comparable choice, but S's need less babysitting than D's, even though D's are better: and I'm reluctant to babysit a D I don't know).

    With that said, I think Destro is going to rock RBGs - like.... 2-4 Destro lock RBGs will be the norm.

    Demo if you are playing a weak/unconventional comp (more surviviability / ease of play).
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  11. #11
    Deleted
    did some 2's as destro lock today.. never felt so useless fighting this sv hunter/resto shammy team in dalaran arena... i got lossed 24/7.. i was just raging, every single chaos bolt was dodged

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