Rotations for 3.3 Raiding Warlocks

[ZaneBusby]

Hey, I was just wondering what rotations are best for each spec in a raid...

I know destro would be along the lines of...

Life tap, Curse of <doom/elements>, Corruption, Immolate, Chaos Bolt, Conflagerate, Incinerate, Incinerate, Incinerate, Incinerate, Conflagerate, Chaos Bolt, Corruption, Immolate, Incinerate, Incinerate...

(or a similar variation)

But I was wondering what kind of rotations a Demo lock would use, and an Afflic lock would use?

I have only ever rolled destro, and can pull about 5.5-6k DPS on Koralon 10man, No bloodlust, But am thinking of rerolling affliction or demo, (whichever spec will give me the most DPS), but am not sure of a rotation for either spec, as I have never used either of them.

I am also wondering which spec of the 3 all of you think will give me the best DPS in raids (Icecrown Citadel content, if that makes a difference)

Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

[Undertaker]

Hey, I was just wondering what rotations are best for each spec in a raid...

I know destro would be along the lines of...

Life tap, Curse of <doom/elements>, Corruption, Immolate, Chaos Bolt, Conflagerate, Incinerate, Incinerate, Incinerate, Incinerate, Conflagerate, Chaos Bolt, Corruption, Immolate, Incinerate, Incinerate...

(or a similar variation)

But I was wondering what kind of rotations a Demo lock would use, and an Afflic lock would use?

I have only ever rolled destro, and can pull about 5.5-6k DPS on Koralon 10man, No bloodlust, But am thinking of rerolling affliction or demo, (whichever spec will give me the most DPS), but am not sure of a rotation for either spec, as I have never used either of them.

I am also wondering which spec of the 3 all of you think will give me the best DPS in raids (Icecrown Citadel content, if that makes a difference)

Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

From my own experience using corruption as destruction lowers my dps. Also, there is no rotation, although there is a priority list. If you want it simplified it's

Rank 1 Lifetap (Start of pull) -> Immolate -> Conflagrate -> Chaos bolt -> Incinerate until Immolate is about to run out -> Immolate -> Conflagrate -> Chaos bolt

A demo lock would make sure to keep Corruption, Curse of Doom \ CoE, Life tap if you have the glyph and immolate up. When molten core procs cast 3x Incinerate and keep spamming shadow bolt as a filler.

Also I use this macro to make things easier.
/use [pet:felguard][pet:imp]Demonic Empowerment
/use Shadow Bolt

It will cast shadow bolt if Demonic empowerment is on CD.

I haven't played affliction in quite a while so feel free to correct me. Life tap (if glyphed) -> Shadow bolt -> Haunt -> Corruption -> UA -> Shadow bolt. I'm not sure if affliction locks use Curse of Agony these days but if they do it goes after Corruption. Also, Shadow bolt if the target is above 25% health and drain soul below 25%

[Geomatician]

As destro if you have to move eratically i.e. more than popping a LT then I would pop corr on the boss, if there is nothing else you can cast. This does increase dps.

Also personally as affliction I start with, LT>haunt>SB>UA>CoA>Corr

This suits me fine in the long run and my dots are affected by the 20% dot inc by haunt instantly. Haunt is considered higher than SB in DPCT so I consider casting it before SB is important.

[Aaralyn]

From my own experience using corruption as destruction lowers my dps. Also, there is no rotation, although there is a priority list. If you want it simplified it's

Rank 1 Lifetap (Start of pull) -> Immolate -> Conflagrate -> Chaos bolt -> Incinerate until Immolate is about to run out -> Immolate -> Conflagrate -> Chaos bolt

A demo lock would make sure to keep Corruption, Curse of Doom \ CoE, Life tap if you have the glyph and immolate up. When molten core procs cast 3x Incinerate and keep spamming shadow bolt as a filler.

Also I use this macro to make things easier.
/use [pet:felguard][pet:imp]Demonic Empowerment
/use Shadow Bolt

It will cast shadow bolt if Demonic empowerment is on CD.

I haven't played affliction in quite a while so feel free to correct me. Life tap (if glyphed) -> Shadow bolt -> Haunt -> Corruption -> UA -> Shadow bolt. I'm not sure if affliction locks use Curse of Agony these days but if they do it goes after Corruption. Also, Shadow bolt if the target is above 25% health and drain soul below 25%

You cant immolate immediately after an immolate at the start of a boss encounter, and you should be keeping up COD as destro.

[shippior]

Guys he is asking for Demo and Afflic rotations, not Destro.

Too bad I can't help you yet. going to try out Afflic today!

[Verazh]

Bolded is starter sequence
Affliction rotation: LT, SB, Haunt, Corr, UA, CoA, SB SB SB Haunt, UA etc refresh stuff when needed.

Destro rotation: LT, Immo, CB, Conflag, CoD, Inci, Inci, Inci etc

[ZaneBusby]

Thanks for the tips so far, just throwing it out there that it's not so much the destro rotation that i'm worried about, seeing as i play destro (but thanks for the tips on that anyway), it's that I'm unsure of what the other 2 rotations would be, and whether or not they would pull more DPS in ICC10/25 content, or whether I should stay destro.

Also, thanks Undertaker, the priorities do help, now all i need is a full, or close to full rotation, (as in, when to use haunt, or shadowbolt, or whatever) for example (taking a wild swing here)

LT, SB, haunt, UA, Corr, CoA, UA, SB, SB, SB, haunt, UA, Corr, CoA, SB, SB, haunt ?

(or along those lines, editting to actually meet CDs lol)

Or would i not need to refresh corr, with the auto-refreshing with every SB or w/e it is.

Also personally as affliction I start with, LT>haunt>SB>UA>CoA>Corr

This suits me fine in the long run and my dots are affected by the 20% dot inc by haunt instantly. Haunt is considered higher than SB in DPCT so I consider casting it before SB is important.

So would a rotation of LT, Haunt, SB, UA, CoA, Corr, UA, SB, SB, SB, haunt be better? (basically the same rotation, with a little bit SB and haunt reversed?)

[ZaneBusby]

Bolded is starter sequence
Affliction rotation: LT, SB, Haunt, Corr, UA, CoA, SB SB SB Haunt, UA etc refresh stuff when needed.

Destro rotation: LT, Immo, CB, Conflag, CoD, Inci, Inci, Inci etc

Ahh, thanks, this confirms my theory of the rotation then. I guess now I'll just have to wait til realms are back online, mess around with the spec, and try out the rotation.


If anyone else has any input about the rotation, or which spec of the 3 would be best for ICC content, I'm still taking in all your ideas to experiment.

[Geomatician]

Bolded is starter sequence
Affliction rotation: LT, SB, Haunt, Corr, UA, CoA, SB SB SB Haunt, UA etc refresh stuff when needed.

Destro rotation: LT, Immo, CB, Conflag, CoD, Inci, Inci, Inci etc

As I stated already Haunt has a higher DPCT than SB, it should be applied before SB with SB being after to obv stack shadow embrace. Explain to me why SB would be better to apply first.

[marmion]

As I stated already Haunt has a higher DPCT than SB.

Actually sb has a higher dpct, you are only casting haunt because of the debuff on the boss.
From 3 hours worth of raiding last night:
avg sb hit: 6055, 2.5sec cast -> 2442dpct
avg haunt: 3196, 1.5sec cast -> 2130dpct
The difference is pretty small though.

Builds for bosses in ICC:
Marrowgar: Destruction is better because of the needed burst dmg on bone spikes.
Lady: Affliction is better because of multi-target dotting (boss + adds)
Gunship: Doesn't really matter.
Saurfang: Destruction is better because of the neede burst dmg on the blood beasts + shadow fury is really helpful here

[Geomatician]

Well it does not. From 3 hours worth of raiding last night:
avg sb hit: 6055, 2.5sec cast -> 2442dpct
avg haunt: 3196, 1.5sec cast -> 2130dpct
The difference is pretty small though.

Builds for bosses in ICC:
Marrowgar: Destruction is better because of the needed burst dmg on bone spikes.
Lady: Affliction is better because of multi-target dotting (boss + adds)
Gunship: Doesn't really matter.
Saurfang: Destruction is better because of the neede burst dmg on the blood beasts + shadow fury is really helpful here

you stipulate the 20% buff from haunt to the 3 other dots? remember haunts travel time at max range + SB cast time + UA cast time before CoA/Corr. I was hoping you would point this out but ill have to prove myself wrong. If using haunt before SB it will land on the target before SB is fnished casting, then I will cast UA, during that cast time I will lose almost a second of the haunt effect on my dots. Whereas if I start with SB, haunt will land just after UA is cast, and two GCD's later CoA + Corr will be applied, thus increasing the length of time haunt affects my 3 dots by almost a second more? Was just hoping you would prove it to me

[marmion]

you stipulate the 20% buff from haunt to the 3 other dots? remember haunts travel time at max range + SB cast time + UA cast time before CoA/Corr. I was hoping you would point this out but ill have to prove myself wrong. If using haunt before SB it will land on the target before SB is fnished casting, then I will cast UA, during that cast time I will lose almost a second of the haunt effect on my dots. Whereas if I start with SB, haunt will land just after UA is cast, and two GCD's later CoA + Corr will be applied, thus increasing the length of time haunt affects my 3 dots by almost a second more? Was just hoping you would prove it to me

I really don't understand what you are trying to say here. My starting rotation: sb then haunt then dots. The difference is minimal so you can also use haunt then sb.

Minimal difference:
sb then haunt: This way the 5% crit debuff is up 1.5sec earlier, in the worst case 1 dot tick might not get the 20% bonus from haunt, ~500dmg.

But it really doesn't matter as long as you start with some combination of haunt and sb.