Warlock spec guide

Affliction Warlock

Everything for Affliction Warlock on one page: role, talent order by level, Affliction abilities and recommended gear for each level range. Talent and gear picks are calculated from the tooltip values in official game data plus the assumptions Forever Tool states below.

All Warlock abilities Open the level 60 build in the calculator

Gear focus: Spell DPS
Talent calculation: Affliction
Level 60 build: 31/11/9
Estimated DPS: +85.5%

Affliction Warlock at a glance

Summarized from Blizzard's class deep-dive articles. They were published during the beta, so live numbers and talents may differ.

Warlock as the developers describe it

Warlocks get new ways to command Shadow, Fire and demonic power. Damaging Curses split off as Banes, pets scale with their master's stats, and talents support damage over time and drains, deeper demon synergies, and Shadow and Fire combinations.[1]

Warlocks are still physically weak and depend on their demons for protection, but all three specializations now deal damage that can compete with any other spellcaster.

Affliction talents in Forever

Curse of Exhaustion is now the 16-point gold medal and reduces movement speed by 30%.
Wrack (31-point gold medal): deals Shadow damage every second and increases the damage the target takes from your other Shadow damage-over-time effects by 10% for 6 seconds.
Pandemic (new row 3 talent): increases the critical strike damage bonus of Corruption, Drain Soul and other Affliction spells by up to 100%.
New talents Improved Drains and Soul Siphon strengthen Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack.

Affliction talent build

One point per level from level 10, 51 points at level 60. The Affliction tree is filled to 31 points first, and the remaining points go where they raise estimated DPS the most in the other trees.

The level 60 build uses the same method as the calculator's "Recommended build" (estimated DPS from tooltip values + judgment weights for talents the math can't capture, such as rage, energy and mana talents), with the extra rule "Affliction tree to 31 points first". The order picks, one point at a time, the talent that raises the score the most on the way to that build. Estimated DPS is a rough "compared with no talents" figure and leaves out the damage of newly learned abilities. Talent point rules (starting at level 10) follow classic, since nothing has been announced officially.

Builds by level

Level	Points	Tree split	Est. DPS	Calculator
Level 20	11 points	11/0/0	+12.5%	Open
Level 30	21 points	21/0/0	+19.5%	Open
Level 40	31 points	31/0/0	+45.8%	Open
Level 50	41 points	31/1/9	+61.3%	Open
Level 60	51 points	31/11/9	+85.5%	Open

Talent order by level

Consecutive levels spent on the same talent are grouped on one line.

Levels 10–14Suppression1→5/5
Levels 15–17Improved Drains1→3/3
Levels 18–19Improved Life Tap1→2/2
Level 20Amplify Curse1/1
Levels 21–23Pandemic1→3/3
Level 24Improved Bane of Agony1/2
Levels 25–26Nightfall1→2/2
Levels 27–29Malevolence1→3/5
Level 30Siphon Life1/1
Levels 31–33Soul Siphon1→3/3
Level 34Malevolence4/5
Levels 35–39Shadow Mastery1→5/5
Level 40Wrack1/1
Levels 41–45Improved Shadow BoltDestruction1→5/5
Levels 46–49BaneDestruction1→4/5
Levels 50–54Demonic EmbraceDemonology1→5/5
Levels 55–57Fel VitalityDemonology1→3/3
Levels 58–59Demonic EnergiesDemonology1→2/2
Level 60Demonic SacrificeDemonology1/1

Key talents of the level 60 build

Talents with a large share of estimated DPS, plus talents that grant abilities or handle resources. Descriptions are the tooltip at the rank taken.

Suppression5/5 · Affliction
Est. DPS +6.0%
Improves your chance to hit by 5% and reduces all threat you generate by 20%.
Improved Drains3/3 · Affliction
Est. DPS +4.7%
Increases Health drained, damage done, or Mana drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Drain Mana spells by 20%.
Amplify Curse1/1 · Affliction
Ability
Increases the effect of your next Curse of Weakness or Bane of Agony by 50%, or your next Curse of Exhaustion by 20%. Lasts 30 sec.
Pandemic3/3 · Affliction
Est. DPS +4.9%
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 100%.
Nightfall2/2 · Affliction
Resource / utility
Gives your Corruption, Drain Soul, Drain Life, and Wrack spells a 4% chance to cause you to enter a Shadow Trance after damaging the opponent. The Shadow Trance reduces the casting time of your next Shadow Bolt spell by 100%.
Siphon Life1/1 · Affliction
Ability
Transfers 27 health from the target to the caster every 3 sec. Lasts 30 sec.
Soul Siphon3/3 · Affliction
Est. DPS +10.2%
Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 12% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 36%.
Shadow Mastery5/5 · Affliction
Est. DPS +10.0%
Increases the damage dealt or life drained by your Shadow spells by 10%.
Wrack1/1 · Affliction
Ability
Tears the target apart from within, inflicting 177 Shadow damage every 1 sec and increasing the damage they take from your other Shadow damage over time effects by 10% for 6 sec.
Demonic Sacrifice1/1 · Demonology
Est. DPS +15.0%Ability
When activated, sacrifices your summoned Demon to enhance the opposing aspect of your power, granting you an effect that lasts 2 hrs. The effect is canceled if any Demon is summoned. Imp: Increases your Shadow damage by 15%. Voidwalker: Restores 2% of your total Mana every 4 sec. Succubus/Incubus: Increases your Fire damage by 15%. Felhunter: Restores 3% of your total Health every 4 sec.
Improved Shadow Bolt5/5 · Destruction
Est. DPS +7.0%
Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase Shadow damage taken by the target from your attacks by 20% for 12 sec.
Bane4/5 · Destruction
Est. DPS +3.4%
Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Immolate, and Incinerate spells by 0.4 sec and your Soul Fire spell by 1.6 sec.

Affliction abilities

Affliction abilities in the order you first learn them. The numbers are the levels at which each rank is learned; the description is rank 1 without gear or stats.

Affliction Warlock gear by level

The 3 highest-scoring items for each slot in every level range. Only items whose required level falls inside the range are compared.

How were these picked?

The score is the sum of the item's tooltip lines from official game data (Strength, Stamina, Spell Power, damage per second and so on) multiplied by the weights below. There is no official formula, so the weights are Forever Tool's rough estimates (assumptions). Compare scores only within the same slot.
Equip, use and chance-on-hit effects, set bonuses and resistances are not scored. Items without fixed stats (only armor in the tooltip) are left out.
Only Uncommon and Rare items, plus craftable Epic items, of item level 65 or lower are included (no raid loot). Items that require a profession to use and crafts that need raid materials are left out.
Items without a required level count as item level minus 5. Only armor types a Warlock wears are included, with mail and plate counted from level 40 (classic rules, since nothing has been announced).
Sources list only crafting (professions) and quest rewards. Dungeon drops are being collected from player reports; check the item page.

Affliction weights (assumed)

Stat	Score per point
Wand damage per second	2
Spell Power	1
Spell Damage	1
Shadow Damage	0.9
Hit	0.8
Critical Strike	0.6
Haste	0.5
Mana Regeneration per 5 sec	0.5
Intellect	0.4
Stamina	0.2
Spell Piercing	0.2
Spirit	0.1

Levels 1–20

Hall of Thanes 13–18 Ruins of Lordaeron 15–20 Level 1–10 quest zones Level 11–20 quest zones

Head

Shadow CircletScore 11.9
Req. 20 · Shadow Damage +11 · Stamina +10
Crafted: Tailoring
Pristine CircletScore 8.0
Req. 20 · Spell Damage +6 · Stamina +10
Crafted: Tailoring
Silky CircletScore 2.0
Req. 20 · Stamina +10
Crafted: Tailoring

Neck

Scholarly PendantScore 0.8
Item level 23 · Stamina +3 · Spirit +2
Erudite's AmuletScore 0.6
Item level 23 · Stamina +3
Scout's MedallionScore 0.4
Req. 18 · Stamina +2
Same stats: Sentinel's Medallion

Shoulder

Reinforced Woolen ShouldersScore 6.6
Req. 19 · Spell Power +5 · Intellect +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Double-Stitched Woolen ShouldersScore 4.8
Req. 17 · Spell Power +4 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring

Back

Heavy Woolen CloakScore 4.4
Req. 16 · Spell Power +4 · Spirit +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Battle Healer's CloakScore 4.0
Req. 18 · Spell Damage +3 · Stamina +4 · Spirit +2
Same stats: Caretaker's Cape
Pearl-clasped CloakScore 3.2
Req. 14 · Spell Power +2 · Intellect +3
Crafted: Tailoring

Chest

Filigreed Shadow GownScore 11.2
Req. 15 · Shadow Damage +9 · Intellect +5 · Stamina +4 · Spirit +3
Crafted: Tailoring
High Robe of the AdjudicatorScore 8.8
Item level 24 · Spell Power +8 · Intellect +2
Quest: Assault on Fenris Isle (Silverpine Forest)
Filigreed Pristine GownScore 8.1
Req. 15 · Spell Damage +5 · Intellect +5 · Stamina +4 · Spirit +3
Crafted: Tailoring

Wrist

Tabitha's CuffsScore 3.8
Item level 24 · Spell Power +3 · Stamina +4
Quest: A Frightened Request (Ruins of Lordaeron)
Owlbeard BracersScore 2.0
Item level 20 · Spell Power +1 · Intellect +2 · Stamina +1
Quest: Earthen Arise (Stonetalon Mountains)
Windsong BanglesScore 1.0
Item level 13 · Spell Power +1
Quest: Breaking the Breaker (Zephras Isle)

Hands

Shadow GlovesScore 8.3
Req. 15 · Shadow Damage +7 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Pristine GlovesScore 6.0
Req. 15 · Spell Damage +4 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Heavy Woolen GlovesScore 2.8
Req. 12 · Spell Power +2 · Intellect +2
Crafted: Tailoring

Waist

Shadow SashScore 8.9
Req. 17 · Shadow Damage +7 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +5
Crafted: Tailoring
Pristine SashScore 6.6
Req. 17 · Spell Damage +4 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +5
Crafted: Tailoring
Novice Arcanist's SashScore 5.8
Req. 10 · Spell Power +4 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +3
Crafted: Tailoring

Legs

Filigreed Shadow LeggingsScore 13.7
Req. 20 · Shadow Damage +11 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +5 · Spirit +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Filigreed Pristine LeggingsScore 9.8
Req. 20 · Spell Damage +6 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +5 · Spirit +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Rumpled KiltScore 6.4
Req. 20 · Spell Power +5 · Stamina +7
Reputation required

Feet

Spidersilk BootsScore 9.4
Req. 20 · Spell Power +7 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Shadow BootsScore 7.4
Req. 12 · Shadow Damage +6 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Pristine BootsScore 5.0
Req. 12 · Spell Damage +3 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring

Finger

Advisor's RingScore 6.4
Req. 18 · Spell Power +5 · Mana Regeneration per 5 sec +2 · Stamina +2
Same stats: Lorekeeper's Ring
Minor Channeling RingScore 5.8
Item level 24 · Spell Power +5 · Intellect +2
Quest: WANTED: Chok'sul (Loch Modan)
Sacred BandScore 2.4
Item level 25 · Spell Power +2 · Spirit +4
Quest: The Den (Stonetalon Mountains)

Trinket

Rune of PerfectionScore 0.8
Req. 20 · Stamina +4
Same stats: Rune of Duty

Two-hand

Staff of Soran'rukScore 33.4
Item level 25 · Damage per second 15.7 · Shadow Damage +34 · Stamina +14
Quest: The Orb of Soran'ruk
Advisor's Gnarled StaffScore 4.7
Req. 18 · Damage per second 19.7 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +8 · Mana Regeneration per 5 sec +3
Same stats: Lorekeeper's Staff
Polished Walking StaffScore 3.4
Item level 24 · Damage per second 11.7 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +3
Quest: Torek's Assault (Ashenvale)

Main hand

Royal DaggerScore 1.6
Item level 25 · Damage per second 8.5 · Intellect +4
Quest: A Friend of the Family (Stormwind City)
Quilboar ToothpickScore 1.0
Item level 24 · Damage per second 8.1 · Intellect +2 · Spirit +2
Quest: Chol'aruk the Ravener (The Barrens), Quest: Chol'aruk the Ravener (The Barrens)
Night Watch ShortswordScore 0.8
Req. 15 · Damage per second 13.5 · Stamina +4

Held in off-hand

Orb of Soran'rukScore 8.1
Item level 25 · Shadow Damage +9
Quest: The Orb of Soran'ruk
Mathystra Channeling OrbScore 2.6
Item level 21 · Intellect +5 · Stamina +3
Quest: Baron Marinous (Darkshore)
Defective SamophlangeScore 2.5
Req. 20 · Intellect +5 · Spirit +5
Reputation required

Wand

Restored WandScore 89.4
Item level 1 · Damage per second 44.7
Greater Magic WandScore 37.0
Req. 13 · Damage per second 17.5 · Spell Power +2
Crafted: Enchanting
Torchlight WandScore 33.6
Item level 21 · Damage per second 15.8 · Spell Power +2
Quest: The Coastal Menace (Westfall)

Levels 21–40

Excavation Site 24–29 City of Dalaran 28–33 The Drowned City 35–40 Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45 Level 21–30 quest zones Level 31–40 quest zones

Head

Twilight Mine LightScore 15.4
Item level 45 · Spell Power +13 · Stamina +12
Quest: A Miner Problem (Riverglades)
Filigreed Shadow CircletScore 15.0
Req. 25 · Shadow Damage +14 · Stamina +12
Crafted: Tailoring
Blackwater CapScore 12.8
Item level 45 · Intellect +17 · Spell Power +6
Quest: The Bloodsail Buccaneers (Stranglethorn Vale)

Neck

Scorn's Icy ChokerScore 10.4
Req. 30 · Spell Power +7 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +5
Seal of the ExpeditionScore 5.0
Req. 38 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +11
Reputation required
Same stats: Darkspear Warding Pendant
Amulet of ForgivenessScore 4.7
Item level 43 · Spell Damage +4 · Spirit +7
Quest: Forlorn Necklace (Shen'dralas)