World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Demonology Warlock: PvP
How Demonology Warlock fights other players in the open world: where it ranks on the PvP tier lists, and why.
Forecast. Rated from the client data and our research, before anyone has played it at this level on this build. Where the data stops, the write-up says what it assumed. Rated as of , build 1.60.1.70450.
Battlegrounds are not rated yet; builds, matchups and battleground roles are being written for this spec. Honor, ranks, gear and the battlegrounds themselves are on PvP in World of Warcraft: Forever.
Verdict
- At 60
- Ranked 7 of 28 on Open-World PvP
A pet spec with
Fear, Seduction, Spell Lock and 
Death Coil for a long chain of control, but it leans on its pet staying alive. - While leveling
- Ranked 6 of 28 on Open-World PvP Leveling
The pet spec arrives in steps, Voidwalker at 10, Succubus at 20 and Felhunter at 30, and recovers mana without drinking.
- Battlegrounds
- Not rated yet.
Profile
The rubric the lists score on, 1 to 5 on each line, with the weight each line carries. The class’s other specs are shown at 60 for comparison.
| Criterion | Weight | At 60 | While leveling | Affliction | Destruction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burst and kill pressure | 25 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Survival and escapes | 20 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Control | 15 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Fighting outnumbered | 15 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Choosing the fight | 10 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Sustain between fights | 10 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Group fights | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Weighted score | 3.40 | 3.15 | 3.60 | 3.30 |
Strengths and weaknesses
At 60
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Fear, Howl, Death Coil, Seduction and Spell Lock chain | Defenses fail if the pet dies |
| Felhunter Spell Lock silence | Cannot hold two pets |
 Demonic Sacrifice trades pet for damage | No speed or stealth |
Felhunter Sacrifice,  Life Tap and  Demonic Energies | Moderate burst |
 Ritual of Summoning and Soulstone | Resummoning costs time |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP
Damage comes from a Felhunter or Succubus plus 
Shadow Bolt. Demonic Sacrifice turns the Warlock into a pure caster at the cost of the pet, with Shadow +15% for an Imp or Fire +15% for a Succubus or Incubus. Control is at least Affliction's chain: Fear, Howl and Death Coil, plus Seduction (longer with 
Improved Sayaad) and the Felhunter's Spell Lock, a 3 s silence learned at 36, past the beta cap.
Soul Link sends 30% of the damage taken to the demon, and Demonic Embrace, 
Master Demonologist and Healthstone help, but it is weak once the pet dies. Against two it cannot hold two pets, so Seduction, Fear and Howl buy time. The pet opens the fight and Lesser Invisibility lets it scout, but the Warlock has no speed or stealth. Felhunter Sacrifice restores 3% health every 4 s, Life Tap restores mana and Demonic Energies moves its mana to the demon, and Ritual of Summoning, Soulstone and 
Banish serve a group.
It is not A because survival is 3, since its defenses depend on a pet that can be killed, and its burst, outnumbered and engage all score 3. Its control chain matches Affliction's, but it has less healing behind it. 3.40 is 0.35 short of A.
While leveling
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Voidwalker tank from 10 | Pet dies and defenses fall |
| Fear at 8 and Seduction at 20 | Pet can hold only one attacker |
Life Tap and  Drain Life restore it | No speed or stealth |
| Pet damage rises with Master Demonologist | Soul Link waits until 30 |
| Soulstone at 18 |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP Leveling
The Imp is there at 1, the Voidwalker at 10, the Succubus at 20 and the Felhunter at 30, and pet damage rises with Master Demonologist. Fear at 8 and Seduction at 20 (30 with the talent) give it more control than the other Warlocks. Demonic Sacrifice comes at 20.
The Voidwalker tanks one attacker, and Soul Link comes at 30, after Demonic Sacrifice. It cannot hold two, and it starts fights with a pet pull. Life Tap, Drain Life and Demonic Energies restore it without drinking, and Soulstone at 18 is its group tool.
It is not A because burst, survival, outnumbered and engage all score 3, and its pet is a point of failure. 3.15 is 0.10 short of B.
Leveling timeline
The level each of Demonology’s PvP tools arrives. A talent shows at the earliest level a point can reach it; the Talented Legacy perk brings talents 5 levels sooner.
- Level 8 Fear
- Level 14
Curse of Recklessness - Level 20 Demonic Sacrifice (talent)
- Level 24
Drain Mana - Level 25
Fel Domination (talent) - Level 26
Curse of Tongues - Level 30 Soul Link (talent)
- Level 32
Shadow Ward - Level 40
Howl of Terror - Level 42 Death Coil
Races
The Warlock’s races as Races PvP ranks them, best first.
Alliance
Human: 
Will to Survive is the only full stun break in the game, and 
Ruthless and 
Perception add steady crit and stealth detection.
Gnome: 
Escape Artist breaks roots and slows and its burst racial adds +10% damage, but Gnome lacks defense, mobility and class choice.
Horde
Undead: 
Will of the Forsaken breaks fear and charm and 
Touch of the Grave drains in combat, but it has the weakest burst and no mobility.
Orc: 
Blood Fury is the strongest burst cooldown of any race, and 
Hardiness and Shatter Curse give some breaks and defense, but no mobility.
Troll: 
Berserking is a burst for seven classes, but Troll has no control break or mobility and 
Rapid Regeneration works out of combat.
What we don’t know yet
At 60
Rated on assumptions:
- Everything at level 60 is projected from client data and the spec's own talent tree; nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Demonic Sacrifice and Soul Link values come from client data and the own tree, not play.
- Seduction's length with Improved Sayaad is client data.
- Diminishing returns on stuns, fears and silences are not documented for Forever.
What would move it: Level-60 play showing how often the pet dies in open-world fights, or Soul Link and Demonic Sacrifice values measured against Affliction's healing.
While leveling
Rated on assumptions:
- Levels past the beta cap of 30 are projected from client data and the spec's own talent tree; nobody has played past 30.
- Felhunter and Soul Link at 30 are at the cap and not played beyond it; Demonic Sacrifice is a level-20 talent.
- Spell Lock is learned at 36, past the beta cap.
What would move it: Beta play at 20 to 30 showing how often the pet dies in a fight, or Seduction's talent version arriving earlier than 30.