wotlk, demonology questions

[ferfy]

Just wondering what dps abilities do demo warlocks use in wotlk? Would appreciate some insight, preferably someone whos high rated as demo :)

[Grimlic]

The basic rotation is; keep curse, corruption and immolate on the target. Spam shadow bolts. Cast x3 incinerates on molten core procs. Spam soul fire when the target has less than 35% health.

[ferfy]

The basic rotation is; keep curse, corruption and immolate on the target. Spam shadow bolts. Cast x3 incinerates on molten core procs. Spam soul fire when the target has less than 35% health.

thanks! what about while in metamorphisis?

[Methane]

It's the same, you just use Immolation Aura as well. Use Power Auras to track 'Decimation' and 'Molten Core' proc.

[taralej]

The basic rotation is; keep curse, corruption and immolate on the target. Spam shadow bolts. Cast x3 incinerates on molten core procs. Spam soul fire when the target has less than 35% health.

Just to clarify this one, you should keep using Corruption and Immolate below 35% because they proc Molten Core and your set bonus. Of course, also keep the curse. The difference is that you replace Shadow Bolts and Incinerates with only Soul Fire. I'm saying this because I have seen Demo Locks completely dropping Corr and Immo when <35%, which is hilarious...

[smashya]

Without starting a new thread is demo the way to go once 80 for pve then? I heard its bugged so soulfire casts fast or somthing? Im currently leveling as affliction.

[taralej]

No. It depends on where you currently stand gear- and guild-wise. As a fresh 80, you should pick either Destruction (least gear-dependent) or Demo/Destro hybrid (overall balanced spec in early- and mid-tier gear). As you get more gear (ToC and above), you should switch to Affli, which is the strongest DPS spec for Warlocks. You can pick a Demo offspec if your guild doesn't have a Demo Warlock for its 25-mans. This will also get you that raid spot if there are more warlocks competing for it - a wise raid leader will always pick a Demo Warlock over other specs if they don't have one in the raid already.

[Jijipls]

It's the same, you just use Immolation Aura as well. Use Power Auras to track 'Decimation' and 'Molten Core' proc.

Depending on encounter you should also Shadow Cleave (macro it on your spells, it costs no gcd - damage on melee swing).

Also, learn to get Decimation procs off of anything below 35% hp with rank 1 shadow bolts - usually adds or low-hp bosses on BPC. Use it to refresh shadow bolt debuff on the boss after 35% after every 30s as this is when you stop spamming sbolts for Soul fire.

[Audioholic]

As you get more gear (ToC and above), you should switch to Affli, which is the strongest DPS spec for Warlocks.

This was the case on retail 3.3.5 but on molten it's always been a tier below what it should be, drain soul damage goes up or down 4-5k dmg with the same amount of DoTs on the target at same % of hp, ontop of that Nightfall stopped working same patch the mage 2pc T10 got broken.
As of then it's clear to see that Hybrid spec is the way to go if you already have a Demo lock in your raid, the way it works is that you trade Metamorphosis and the raid buffer for the selfish talents (fire damage amplifiers) from the destruction tree while still picking up the juicy combo (decimation+molten core) and free stats from demo (Demonic Knowledge, Master Conjuror).
Here's the two very viable Hybrid specs that you should be playing if you strive for top dps in ICC and RS;
1st one scales best with gear (recommended for BiS locks, and 2nd one is better if you can't rely on your Conflagrate to crit

Spoiler: Show