Hi, I just started a new warlock a couple weeks ago, I am now level 40. My only other toon is a level 70 rogue, so I do have experience in the game in general but not as much with casters. However I have read alot online about soloing and I used a drain hunting strategy until I just got dark pact, now I am using a drain tanking strategy, with my imp out.
However, I admit, that I really do not have much experience with instances with my lock. I have only entered a few thus far, as I am trying to max out my xp rate, and out of the few I have done, my high level guildees have helped me out with them. Of course I realize that they can't help me forever, so I have to learn at some point :P
SO, I am looking for a strategy with my lock. On my rogue I often see locks just nuking enemies like a mage, but I dont know if this is a destruction-build only strategy. I'm assuming that the way to do it is not just DoTing mobs, since they go down too quick.
So can someone give me a standard play style for an affliction warlock? Thanks
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You have the right idea. Most trash mobs will die way before any dots finish their duration. That being said, what you do depends on your spec. Since you are affliction as I am, here's what I usually do. As soon as the tank has 1 sunder on the main target I Curse of shadows, corruption, siphon life. If there are any other mobs beinf off tanked, kited, feared, etc I will dot them enough not to pull agro. After that it is just shadow bolt nuking, hoping for the occasional nightfall proc and watching agro.
The only difference for bosses really is that I'll throw immolation in there and be more careful to keep all my dots up at all times.
Sometimes when theres not a lot of CC in a group I will curse of exhaustion a free mob then corruption, siphon, then immolate / shadowmolt until you pull the mob. Then run backwards until your a safe distance and fear it. Immolate and keep dots up as much as possible and keep the guy chain feared while your dots eat away at it. Just make sure you pull back so your group doesn't get mad when you pull 4 more mobs :)
The only difference for bosses really is that I'll throw immolation in there and be more careful to keep all my dots up at all times.
Sometimes when theres not a lot of CC in a group I will curse of exhaustion a free mob then corruption, siphon, then immolate / shadowmolt until you pull the mob. Then run backwards until your a safe distance and fear it. Immolate and keep dots up as much as possible and keep the guy chain feared while your dots eat away at it. Just make sure you pull back so your group doesn't get mad when you pull 4 more mobs :)
Some Instance lockie tips
A: stop runners, using the amazing CoR. There is rarely a reason to pickup up a add via a runner when a lock is in the party.
B: Healthstones, make sure folks have them, and that they use them.
C: Keep the SS UP at all times(on the rezer)
D:Keep to short run DoT's. Spells like syphon life and CoA will just be wasted mana on the trash mobs.
E: do not forget that some aspecs of PvE gameplay still work, like applying a few DoT's then taping and using Drain life(this helps get NF procs too).
A: stop runners, using the amazing CoR. There is rarely a reason to pickup up a add via a runner when a lock is in the party.
B: Healthstones, make sure folks have them, and that they use them.
C: Keep the SS UP at all times(on the rezer)
D:Keep to short run DoT's. Spells like syphon life and CoA will just be wasted mana on the trash mobs.
E: do not forget that some aspecs of PvE gameplay still work, like applying a few DoT's then taping and using Drain life(this helps get NF procs too).
My routine for trash mobs:
Unstable Affliction > Corruption
If I feel like the mob will live long enough then I'll continue with a CoA and Immolate. I do that on every mob as long as they aren't CC'd and someone has aggro on them.
After that, I do one of two things:
Spam shadowbolt
OR
Life tap > Drain Life
The drain life part gives lower DPS, but more nightfall procs and more efficiency. Usually when I run with groups that don't have alot of mana users, like a Warrior/rogue/enhancement shaman/healer/ME, I'll use the Tap>Drain routine so we can keep moving instead of waiting for me to drink.
On Bosses:
Trinket>Amplify Curse>Curse of Doom>Corruption>Unstable Affliction>CoA>Immolate>Siphon Life
Then spam shadowbolt, or if I'm feeling lazy, the Tap>Drain routine.
Edited, May 10th 2007 11:27am by FieryCougar
Unstable Affliction > Corruption
If I feel like the mob will live long enough then I'll continue with a CoA and Immolate. I do that on every mob as long as they aren't CC'd and someone has aggro on them.
After that, I do one of two things:
Spam shadowbolt
OR
Life tap > Drain Life
The drain life part gives lower DPS, but more nightfall procs and more efficiency. Usually when I run with groups that don't have alot of mana users, like a Warrior/rogue/enhancement shaman/healer/ME, I'll use the Tap>Drain routine so we can keep moving instead of waiting for me to drink.
On Bosses:
Trinket>Amplify Curse>Curse of Doom>Corruption>Unstable Affliction>CoA>Immolate>Siphon Life
Then spam shadowbolt, or if I'm feeling lazy, the Tap>Drain routine.
Edited, May 10th 2007 11:27am by FieryCougar
8 posts
As affiction on trash mobs jsut toss corruption since it is instant. Then SB spam. this is basically depending on your group. If your groups dps sucks then toss more dots. If the dps is pro then just do the corruption SB Spam. Also why would you do Curse of doom? CoA will do more damage over the time of 1 min then CoD. But anyway, as an affliction lock to be instance worth ya really got to spam SB. Your dps on trash will suck really bad if you jsut life tap drain all the time. Also don't be affraid to waste you mana on pulls. Healers/Mages have to rest after words so might as well pump out the dps and worry about mana later.
Quote:
Trinket>Amplify Curse>Curse of Doom>Corruption>Unstable Affliction>CoA>Immolate>Siphon Life
Then spam shadowbolt, or if I'm feeling lazy, the Tap>Drain routine.
Then spam shadowbolt, or if I'm feeling lazy, the Tap>Drain routine.
im sorry but... WooooT?.... if u use CoA after CoDoom.. u are wasting the initial doom since u cant have 2 curses on the same target from the same lock...
*(^_^)* sry again
#7REDACTED,
Posted: May 11 2007 at 3:44 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) Heres whats ya do mate, Cast DoT's on EVERY mob you see fighting your group. Usually just cast Corruption and CoA since those are insta-cast. Then you nuke or Hellfire. Yes, Hellfire seems like a bad idea, ask your healer first, because its his *** you have to rely on. Hellfire does incredible AoE damage. If you want to be a bit on the safer side, use Rain of Fire.
BronxGenocide wrote:
Heres whats ya do mate, Cast DoT's on EVERY mob you see fighting your group. Usually just cast Corruption and CoA since those are insta-cast. Then you nuke or Hellfire. Yes, Hellfire seems like a bad idea, ask your healer first, because its his *** you have to rely on. Hellfire does incredible AoE damage. If you want to be a bit on the safer side, use Rain of Fire.
But make sure Corruption is on everything, so Nightfall procs.
But make sure Corruption is on everything, so Nightfall procs.
Rain of fire? Against elite trash mobs, you have aggroed everything that you tank hasn't hit. Use AoE against non-elites, like the scorpion mobs in Ulda or the whelps in Scholo, but not against elites. You aren't a tank and you can't take many hits. You aren't a mage and you don't do hellacious (killing) damage with your AoEs. If you want to AoE on a regular basis, roll a mage.
If you want to use Hellfire, sac a VW first. This will suck if you are the one on imp duty. If you ask the healer to help you, his proper response should be to /point and /laugh at you. The healer's job is keeping the tank running. He shouldn't even be helping you get life back during a battle after you life tap. After a battle is the time for your healer to help you, not during.
double
Edited, May 11th 2007 10:14am by givingitatry
Edited, May 11th 2007 10:14am by givingitatry
Agreed with Mike. Don't use AoE's unless its non-elite trash that die quickly. Also, I don't recommend DoT'ing everything you see. I use to do that when I first started playing my lock. I did more damage but drew a whole lot of aggro also. Best way is simply assist the MT, the run is much smoother that way.
I'm aflic also, and unless there's a shadow priest in the run, I usually just spam shadowbolt from a distance while keeping the runners in place. When I feel like I need mana I just throw on SL and corruption and just tap/drain life. However, this doesnt happen often due to running with the imp most the time, in which case DP is used. For the bosses I throw on all DoT's I have after the tank establishes some hate and then DL. Shadowbolt when NF procs.
I'm aflic also, and unless there's a shadow priest in the run, I usually just spam shadowbolt from a distance while keeping the runners in place. When I feel like I need mana I just throw on SL and corruption and just tap/drain life. However, this doesnt happen often due to running with the imp most the time, in which case DP is used. For the bosses I throw on all DoT's I have after the tank establishes some hate and then DL. Shadowbolt when NF procs.
ohmikeghod the Venerable wrote:
Rain of fire? Against elite trash mobs, you have aggroed everything that you tank hasn't hit. Use AoE against non-elites, like the scorpion mobs in Ulda or the whelps in Scholo, but not against elites. You aren't a tank and you can't take many hits. You aren't a mage and you don't do hellacious (killing) damage with your AoEs. If you want to AoE on a regular basis, roll a mage.
This is just not true at all. If you think you're automatically going to pull hate with aoe, they you haven't partied with a good pally, and if you think that mages are the only ones that can do aoe damage, then I say learn to play your lock.
Nothing says a smooth group like dot'ing up a group of three or four elites and then immediately switching to rof while the paladin maintains aoe hate. The entire bunch should drop in less than 30 seconds, and since I'm a lock and not a mage I can DP/LT to be back to full mana and ready for another group while a mage would usually have to sit and drink after heavy aoe'ing.
givingitatry wrote:
Also, I don't recommend DoT'ing everything you see. I use to do that when I first started playing my lock. I did more damage but drew a whole lot of aggro also.
I guess this all depends on if you know how to manage your aggro. I DOT all the mobs we face in instances with CoA, Corr, Siphon Life, UA. If its more than 3 mobs, I put Immolate on the last one and spam incinerate, and 99% of the time, I still dont pull aggro. Having Imp. Drain Soul gives a threat reduction, and that helps. I am always on Imp Duty, since I have Imp. Imp, with Dark Pact, and Life Tap, the only time I sit to drink is after boss fights. But its all about how good your tank is, and if you can manage your aggro.
I agree Cyko. You need a very good tank and a very good DPS group in general to DoT everything up like that. The problem is that if you DoT up everything and the group is killing slow, then more than likely youre gonna pull aggro. Same thing if the tank is concentrating on one mob while the rest are being CC'd. I always recommend just assisting the tank for locks just starting to run instances, it makes for a smoother run IMO. Of course we will be lower in DPS, but remember, good smooth run > your DPS.
Yes, Absolutly a smooth run is better then me being top in DPS. I guess im really picky when it comes to groups though. I like runs to go smooth, while at the same time, pumping out the DPS. I hope it didnt sound like I was trying to flame you, it does take time to learn when you can go full out in a group, and which groups you have to fall behind alittle. So as for the OP, you have to start somewhere with grouping, and the more times you do instances, the more you will learn what to do in what kind of groups and in what kind of situations. Start out slow at first, let the tank get 1 or 2 sunders on the mob before you start DOTing up, or spamming SB (whatever you like to do). The more groups you get into, you will start getting a feel for how people play thier class, and when you can DPS alot, or you have to stick to a few DOT's and draining. A good tank is the start of a good group for me, and most of the time I try to group with people who I know, or if someone tells me saying they want me to come to the group because they have played with me before.
All in all, having the right group makes it so much easier.
Edited, May 11th 2007 2:47pm by cykoman
All in all, having the right group makes it so much easier.
Edited, May 11th 2007 2:47pm by cykoman
Depending on how quickly your group can take out mobs, I would agree that you should only drop corruption (IC) and possibly coa/siph life (if your party is weak). I personally advise staying away from nuking things or placing unnecessary dots - you should save your mana (just wand) and avoid drawing unneeded aggro.
Locks really shine against the bosses: with a full set of dots, you should easily make it back up to the tops of the damage charts (I'm either first or second ~ depending on number of bosses). I would suggest that you don't nuke a boss, instead, keep distance (grim reach>wand range) and just keep your dots running. The problem with nuking is that you'll have to spend time to drain mana from your pet (which may or may not be around at this point) while you've just caught the bosses attention with aggro, which can easily kill you. This can be avoided by using a threat meter, but since your party is relying on you to do the work, you'll want to do as much dps as possible. For this reason, it is generally good to keep the rezzer ssed until you get up to the boss ~ since you're likely going to die.
Locks really shine against the bosses: with a full set of dots, you should easily make it back up to the tops of the damage charts (I'm either first or second ~ depending on number of bosses). I would suggest that you don't nuke a boss, instead, keep distance (grim reach>wand range) and just keep your dots running. The problem with nuking is that you'll have to spend time to drain mana from your pet (which may or may not be around at this point) while you've just caught the bosses attention with aggro, which can easily kill you. This can be avoided by using a threat meter, but since your party is relying on you to do the work, you'll want to do as much dps as possible. For this reason, it is generally good to keep the rezzer ssed until you get up to the boss ~ since you're likely going to die.
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