Is affliciton a lost cause for M+ and arenas this expansion?

[meekus]

Yo.

The purpose of this thread is not to complain. I just want to hear you guys' thoughts on affliction this expansion.

I've always played warlock for the affliction playstyle. Demo was great back in WoD and destruction has been quite alright from time to time as well, but affliction has always been my favourite. That is why I am starting to get a bit frustrated with how horrible and unwanted we are for competetive M+ keys and arenas at the moment.

For M+ everyone wants rogue/DH/X, where X is usually something like a fmage, boomkin or elemental shaman. Demo can also take that spot, although I have my doubts after damage nerfs in combination with some seriously lacking utility.

Arenas are quite unplayable as affliction currently since the one trait that was carrying got hit hard with 8.1. 2s is for the most part a definitive loss unless you're playing a few hundred rating below where you'd normally be, and I doubt the demon armor nerf helped. In 3s we are likely one of the worst specs to bring as well.

I'm aware all three specs are great in raids, which is great. But raiding is not really something I do since they took 10 man raiding away.

So what do you think? Is affliction a lost cause for M+ and arenas for the remainder of this expansion, or is there hope? To unsub, or not to unsub?

[Raia]

Affliction is underpowered for m+ compared to demo since they removed Soul Flame.

[Micronetic]

To unsub, or not to unsub?

I was playing Affliction since the release of Cata and it was always MY specc to go since I don't like the other (demo was cool back then with Meta) so when BfA hit I rerolled after like 1 or 2 weeks to my alt Rogue, made me pretty sad what was/is going on with Affliction.

[Foolicious]

My advice is to wait on the 8.2 ptr to see what changes. They promised us new(or returning) spells and maybe we get some basic class changes as well. Soulflame would make us competetive for now, as long as reaping is a thing, but thats going away with the next raid and who knows what will replace it. At this point its really hard to say what will happen. The basic class design won't change during bfa, but you never know when blizzard decides to buff some azerite traits by 200%
Its even harder to predict what happens in pvp settings. We could see a nerf to destro which would kill warlock completely in pvp, or they attempt to make the other speccs viable again.
For now, unrelated to affliction, if you can't have fun with what you are playing there is no point in playing. keep an eye out for ptr updates though

[Shandalar]

Expecting new spells on a patch, lol.

Keep dreaming.

[hellhamster]

Affliction is OK, it's just that reaping consolidates it into complete and utter garbage.

This tier is fucked anyway, double rogue with either dh or ww or maybe ele is absolutely insane to the point everything else is considered obsolete.

[nToxik]

All 3 specs are fine if you're just looking at +10 keys however, Demo is the best Warlock spec for M+. It still doesn't compare to Rogue, DH, Mage in top M+ keys though.

[Kaver]

"The purpose of this thread is not to complain".. and then complains.

Warlocks are a special Breed. It's amazing how, even when 3 out of 3 specs are more than viable in the game in general, you will still find something to complain about. Affliction is amazing in raiding (as always) and it might not be a great spec in M+, but for that you have Demonology. You can't expect to have 3 specs which are amazing for every part of the game. It's the same for other classes. Frost mage is amazing for M+, but Fire and Arcane is shit. As long as Warlocks have one great spec for M+, you should not demand Blizzard using extra time on all the Warlock specs when other classes don't even have one good spec for M+. Like Warriors and DKs for example.

Warlock is currently overall the best class in the game. 3 good specs for raiding and 1 good spec for M+. Other classes can only dream of that scenario. Stop being so selfish. There are other classes in the game too.

[xblubbx]

you will still find something to complain about.

Ofc Aff players complain for having been top raid and top m+ spec in Legion and gotten taken away half of it. Why would they not complain?! How justified it is, is a TOTALLY different question, but as long as your spec is made worse you will not clap your hands to applaud.

[valky94]

Ofc Aff players complain for having been top raid and top m+ spec in Legion and gotten taken away half of it. Why would they not complain?! How justified it is, is a TOTALLY different question, but as long as your spec is made worse you will not clap your hands to applaud.

true, but as a warlock player myself, playing a pure dps class, you need to be rdy to play what spec is suited for the content you do, i personaly hated aff in legion, yet i still played it in m+ and some raid bosses because it was just better than the rest

[FelPlague]

Yo.

The purpose of this thread is not to complain. I just want to hear you guys' thoughts on affliction this expansion.

I've always played warlock for the affliction playstyle. Demo was great back in WoD and destruction has been quite alright from time to time as well, but affliction has always been my favourite. That is why I am starting to get a bit frustrated with how horrible and unwanted we are for competetive M+ keys and arenas at the moment.

For M+ everyone wants rogue/DH/X, where X is usually something like a fmage, boomkin or elemental shaman. Demo can also take that spot, although I have my doubts after damage nerfs in combination with some seriously lacking utility.

Arenas are quite unplayable as affliction currently since the one trait that was carrying got hit hard with 8.1. 2s is for the most part a definitive loss unless you're playing a few hundred rating below where you'd normally be, and I doubt the demon armor nerf helped. In 3s we are likely one of the worst specs to bring as well.

I'm aware all three specs are great in raids, which is great. But raiding is not really something I do since they took 10 man raiding away.

So what do you think? Is affliction a lost cause for M+ and arenas for the remainder of this expansion, or is there hope? To unsub, or not to unsub?

you should not play the game for ONE SPEC and then get mad when it is not insanely overpowered in EVERY ASPECT OF THE GAME
Affliction was the best for everythign for pretty much all of legion, i feel like really that spoiled you and now you are mad it is not the best at everything, it is still very good in Arean and RBG's for its constant damage, and possibility to burst with drain life and a max darkglare.

- - - Updated - - -

true, but as a warlock player myself, playing a pure dps class, you need to be rdy to play what spec is suited for the content you do, i personaly hated aff in legion, yet i still played it in m+ and some raid bosses because it was just better than the rest

i hated aff, wanted to play demo, played demo for abit and then caved to affi... even though whenever i could played demo, even if it was still a slight dps loss...
i have been a demo main my whole life, but sadly with a class like warlock, all "pure dps" you cant play one dps spec, then suspect to be the best at everything... cause thern what do those other specs do?

aff was FUCKING MENTAL for pvp, you just dotted someone up with a tons of your dot then drain lifed and they MELTED and coudl not kill you, because of all the defencives and massive damage.
er sorry soul drain cause you know... same thing then

[asil]

Affliction is underpowered for m+ compared to demo since they removed Soul Flame.

Has literally nothing to do with soul flame. Soul flame was a fairly small percentage of m+ damage for aff. The real nerf was seed of corruption/lower levels of haste/dots in general being weaker.

The issue with affliction is it has no damage if mobs die too fast, which is the case even in higher keys. They just need to buff seed of corruption back to legion levels. I don't even understand why it was nerfed in the first place.

[meekus]

you should not play the game for ONE SPEC and then get mad when it is not insanely overpowered in EVERY ASPECT OF THE GAME
Affliction was the best for everythign for pretty much all of legion, i feel like really that spoiled you and now you are mad it is not the best at everything, it is still very good in Arean and RBG's for its constant damage, and possibility to burst with drain life and a max darkglare.

First of all, I'm not mad, just a bit frustrated. I don't need to be OP, just to be somewhat viable. Affliction is definitely not still very good in arenas. No one would agree with you there. Consensus is that it's among the absolute worst right now. The same goes for mythic plus. And I really don't care about raiding or RBGs, even if we're top tier there.

I don't think affliction was the best at everything in Legion either, but it was certainly viable for everything most of the time. Those were better times.

- - - Updated - - -

"The purpose of this thread is not to complain".. and then complains.

Warlocks are a special Breed. It's amazing how, even when 3 out of 3 specs are more than viable in the game in general, you will still find something to complain about. Affliction is amazing in raiding (as always) and it might not be a great spec in M+, but for that you have Demonology. You can't expect to have 3 specs which are amazing for every part of the game. It's the same for other classes. Frost mage is amazing for M+, but Fire and Arcane is shit. As long as Warlocks have one great spec for M+, you should not demand Blizzard using extra time on all the Warlock specs when other classes don't even have one good spec for M+. Like Warriors and DKs for example.

Warlock is currently overall the best class in the game. 3 good specs for raiding and 1 good spec for M+. Other classes can only dream of that scenario. Stop being so selfish. There are other classes in the game too.

I'm not necessarily looking for amazing. Viable works for me.

Also, unholy does excellent dps in mythics and are being used a lot in the MDI time trials. Utility is somewhat lacking though, but at least they have a kick, unlike a certain other amazing M+ spec.

[valky94]

First of all, I'm not mad, just a bit frustrated. I don't need to be OP, just to be somewhat viable. Affliction is definitely not still very good in arenas. No one would agree with you there. Consensus is that it's among the absolute worst right now. The same goes for mythic plus. And I really don't care about raiding or RBGs, even if we're top tier there.

I don't think affliction was the best at everything in Legion either, but it was certainly viable for everything most of the time. Those were better times.

it was the best lock spec for everything for the majority of legion, except maybe antorus (didnt raid for that tier a lot so cant remember)

EDIT: just checked logs for legion, it was the spec for raiding and m+, except a handful of bosses like elisande, argus, felhounds...

[Malix Farwin]

Affliction is underpowered for m+ compared to demo since they removed Soul Flame.

It wasnt soul flame at all really, the removal of reap souls and the gutting of Sow the Seeds is what did them in.

[VladimirM]

You ruined your entire post with "to unsub or not to unsub"
do what you want, don't ask others about what should you do when it comes to spending money... nobody cares

[meekus]

You ruined your entire post with "to unsub or not to unsub"
do what you want, don't ask others about what should you do when it comes to spending money... nobody cares

I think you're reading too much into those six words. The thread was not about my personal finance.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

You never know. The knee jerk is strong in the balance team. If your bad now they might just blast it in the total opposite direction.

[Shaderson]

Yes. I don't do much M+ or raiding, but I loved affliction in PvP. Until BFA when they turned Affliction into Target Dummy.

Better luck next expansion.

[CuchuCachu]

My advice is to wait on the 8.2 ptr to see what changes. They promised us new(or returning) spells and maybe we get some basic class changes as well. Soulflame would make us competetive for now, as long as reaping is a thing, but thats going away with the next raid and who knows what will replace it. At this point its really hard to say what will happen. The basic class design won't change during bfa, but you never know when blizzard decides to buff some azerite traits by 200%
Its even harder to predict what happens in pvp settings. We could see a nerf to destro which would kill warlock completely in pvp, or they attempt to make the other speccs viable again.
For now, unrelated to affliction, if you can't have fun with what you are playing there is no point in playing. keep an eye out for ptr updates though

Did I miss the new or returning spells? Or did Blizzard?