Destruction Warlock DPS Guide - The War Within 11.1

The Destruction Warlock in The War Within is a powerhouse DPS, delivering the highest burst damage on priority targets compared to all other Warlock specs. In addition to their impressive damage output, they also offer utility through combat resurrection, Healthstones, summoning, and more. Our WoW: The War Within Destruction Warlock guide provides all the essential information to help you master this specialization.

Destruction Warlock Overview

The Destruction Warlock is a highly versatile specialization, capable of excelling in various situations. It can deliver powerful burst damage to a single target while also being highly effective at cleaving and dealing AoE damage to multiple enemies.

Destruction is often a top choice for progression fights due to its minimal ramp-up time compared to other Warlock specs. It can quickly apply pressure to priority targets and boasts strong cleave potential through Havoc. As with all Warlock specializations, Destruction also provides the Demonic Gateway, a valuable raid cooldown that allows your entire group to teleport 40 yards instantly.

Destruction Warlock Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• Low ramp-up time
• Amazing AoE potential
• Good burst on-demand
• Efficient cleave
• Good funnel and priority damage
• Flexible gameplay

Weaknesses

• Low AoE burst
• AoE setup can require some ramp-up time to get going
• Single target damage on the lower end of the spectrum
• Low mobility can significantly penalise damage output

Destruction Warlock Basic Gameplay

To master the Destruction Warlock, it's essential to understand its abilities and talents, learn the optimal rotation, and equip the best gear. These factors are crucial for maximizing your damage output and overall performance.

The key strategy is to prioritize your most powerful abilities, using Chaos Bolt or Rain of Fire to unleash devastating damage on your enemies. In this section of our detailed guide, you'll find top-notch advice to elevate your gameplay

Destruction Warlock 11.1 Changes

• Drain Life: Now deals 4 times the previous damage while still healing for 5 times the damage dealt.

Destruction has received the most significant updates, including new or redesigned talents and baseline spell adjustments:

• Rain of Fire: Now a choice talent with two options:
  • Traditional ground-targeted effect.
  • Centered around a specific target (but does not follow the target).
• Demonfire Infusion: A new choice talent with Channel Demonfire, offering a passive proc-based alternative for players who prefer fewer active abilities.
• Dimension Ripper: Now triggers from Immolate and Wither ticks. It is now a choice node with Dimensional Rift.
• Havoc: Duration increased from 12 to 15 seconds.
• Mayhem: Chance to trigger increased from 25% to 35%.

Destruction Warlock Leveling Guide for The War Within

Destruction Warlock Leveling Playstyle

Destruction Warlocks excel at bursting down individual targets before they can retaliate. As such, the optimal strategy is to quickly eliminate enemies one by one and move on to the next.

• Tagging Capabilities: Limited to Conflagrate and Shadowburn early on. Wither becomes available later as a Hellcaller.
• Shadowburn: The primary tool for rapidly finishing off weaker enemies in succession. Its reset mechanic should be exploited whenever possible.
• AoE Challenges: Destruction's AoE spells generate high threat, making them difficult to use effectively. Rain of Fire requires enemies to stay within its area, which can be unreliable.
• Defensive Play:
  • Curses, crowd control, and pet off-tanking can significantly reduce incoming damage.
  • Personal defensive cooldowns allow for a more aggressive playstyle, even when over-pulling.
• Fighting Elites & Rares: Destruction struggles with big enemies due to the Voidwalker pet's weak aggro. This can lead to:
  • A slow attrition battle relying on Health Funnel.
  • Pulling aggro after just a few Chaos Bolts.

Gear Options

• While leveling, always prioritize gear with the highest item level.
• If two items have the same item level, choose the one with better stats for your specialization.
• Heirloom gear should not be replaced, as it scales with your level.

Pet Choice for Destruction Warlock Leveling

Summon Imp is your first available demon and is most effective in raid environments. While not particularly useful for leveling, it's your only option during the early levels.

If you're leveling solo, Summon Voidwalker can be a great choice, as it alleviates a lot of the pressure on you. Avoiding casting pushback can also help speed up your leveling process.

Summon Felhunter is a solid option if you're leveling in a group or tackling dungeons. The extra interrupt it provides is valuable for handling troublesome caster mobs.

Destruction Warlock DPS Spec, Builds, and Talents

© Wowhead

Copy the Destruction Warlock talents, paste them into the game.

Single Target Talents

AoE Diabolist Talents

AoE Hellcaller Talents

Raiding

The recommended builds do not account for specific encounters in the current raid tier. Boss mechanics may require adjustments to talents and strategies for optimal performance.

Mythic+

Mythic+ requires a versatile build capable of handling both single-target and AoE situations. Factors such as affixes, party composition, and pull layout can influence talent choices and gameplay strategies.

How To Use Destruction Warlock Talents

Several talent choices impact gameplay, requiring adjustments to your rotation and priority list. Understanding how each talent interacts with your abilities is crucial for maximizing performance.

Picking Warlock Class Talents

Beyond a few key DPS nodes, the Warlock talent tree offers flexibility, allowing players to tailor their build based on utility needs. Choosing the right path depends on the encounter and group composition.

Hero Tree Talents

The Hero Talent Tree system enhances specialization with unique mechanics that affect both visuals and playstyle.

Destruction Warlocks can choose between Diabolist and Hellcaller, each offering different benefits depending on playstyle and content focus.

PvP Talents (War Mode)

Enabling War Mode grants several benefits:

• PvP talents become active in outdoor content.
• World Quest rewards increase by 10% at maximum level.
• Experience gain is increased by 10% while leveling.
• Earn Conquest Points, which can be exchanged for gear.

Activating War Mode is generally recommended for leveling and PvE content, as the benefits outweigh the risks. However, engaging in open-world PvP may lead to encounters with enemy players.

Best Hero Talents for Destruction Warlock in The War Within

Raiding Hero Talents for Destruction Warlock

The recommended Hero Talent for raiding is Diabolist.

Diabolist provides strong burst potential around Ruination, along with increased passive shard generation during the Infernal window, thanks to Abyssal Dominion. However, its overall sustained output is slightly lower compared to alternatives.

Hellcaller should only be considered when multiple targets are consistently present.

Mythic+ Hero Talents for Destruction Warlock

The recommended Hero Talent for Mythic+ is Hellcaller.

After recent hotfixes in patch 11.0.5, Hellcaller has improved its performance at lower target counts while maintaining superior AoE potential.

Diabolist remains a strong choice for situations with one to three targets, offering substantial burst potential with both Overlord and Ruination.

Hero Talents Rotation for Destruction Warlock

Hellcaller

Hellcaller focuses on maximizing Wither uptime, making Cataclysm and Soulfire with Decimation valuable for maintaining it efficiently. The primary goal, especially in multitarget scenarios, is to have as many active Wither instances as possible before activating Malevolence.

Soul Harvester

Diabolist revolves around rapidly cycling demons through Diabolic Ritual, using high-damage spells as a payoff. This makes downtime particularly punishing, as it can lead to missed activation of empowered spells. However, aside from this mechanic, the Hero tree does not significantly alter Destruction's core gameplay.

Destruction Warlock DPS Stat Priority

The Basics of Stats for Destruction Warlock

The stat priority for a Destruction Warlock is as follows:

• Haste ≅ Critical Strike
• Intellect
• Mastery
• Versatility

This priority was determined using a SimulationCraft profile with standard BiS gear and normalized stats. It is intended to represent an "average" gear set, but individual results may vary. It is strongly recommended to simulate your own character to determine the most beneficial stat distribution, as priorities can shift depending on your current gear ratios.

Most players will notice their stat priority changes as they acquire higher item levels due to scaling differences.

These statistics have been derived through a combination of in-game testing, common sense, and simulations using SimulationCraft.

Diminishing Returns on Secondary Stats

With the release of Shadowlands, a diminishing return system was introduced for secondary stats. As players accumulate higher amounts of secondary stats, a penalty is applied at specific thresholds:

• 0% to 30% — No penalty.
• 30% to 39% — 10% penalty.
• 39% to 47% — 20% penalty.
• 47% to 54% — 30% penalty.
• 54% to 66% — 40% penalty.
• 66% to 126% — 50% penalty.
• 126%+ — Stat cap; no further benefit.

In practice, this system should not significantly impact players using SimulationCraft or Raidbots, as these tools already account for diminishing returns when generating stat weight recommendations.

Statistics Explanations for Destruction Warlock

Intellect is your primary stat, found on all your gear upgrades. It increases Spell Power, boosting the damage of your spells.

Haste reduces spell cast times, increases the tick rate of Immolate, and lowers the cooldown of Conflagrate, leading to higher Soul Shard generation. Your demons also scale with Haste.

Critical Strike increases your chance to land a critical hit. Chaos Bolt always critically strikes, with its damage increasing by 1% per 1% Critical Strike. Immolate critical hits have a doubled chance to generate a Soul Shard, while Incinerate criticals produce an extra Shard bit. Decimation allows critical hits from direct damage spells to potentially reset Soul Fire. Your demons also benefit from Critical Strike scaling.

Mastery, through Mastery: Chaotic Energies, increases the damage you deal by a random percentage within a specific range. This does not affect pet damage.

Versatility provides a direct increase to all damage dealt and a reduction in damage taken. Your demons also scale with Versatility.

Destruction Warlock DPS Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities

Diabolist Single Target Rotation

1. Maintain Immolate at all times.
2. Cast Chaos Bolt if you are about to cap Soul Shards.
3. Cast Soul Fire during Roaring Blaze debuff on the target, when available, if below 4 shards.
4. Cast Shadowburn when at 2 charges, and if movement is a necessity.
5. Cast Chaos Bolt if you have more than 4 Soul Shards and Mother of Chaos triggered Infernal Bolt.
6. Cast Cataclysm when available.
7. Cast Conflagrate if you have 2 charges, possibly to hasten a long cast such as Chaos Bolt.
8. Cast Chaos Bolt to keep the Eradication debuff applied.
9. Cast Conflagrate to generate Soul Shards.
10. Cast Incinerate to generate Soul Shards.

Diabolist Single Target Opener

1. Pre-cast Soul Fire.
2. Cast Summon Infernal.
3. Use your trinkets and racials.
4. Cast Conflagrate.
5. Cast Shadowburn.
6. Cast Conflagrate.
7. Cast Cataclysm.
8. Cast Chaos Bolt.

Diabolist AoE Rotation

1. Maintain Immolate on the main target.
2. Apply Immolate on any secondary target that will last a minimum of 10 seconds.
3. Cast Soul Fire on cooldown.
4. Cast Rain of Fire if there are 5+ targets with Havoc up, or 3+ if on cooldown.
5. Cast Chaos Bolt if you have 5 Soul Shards.
6. Make sure to be at 2 or fewer Soul Shards before spending Infernal Bolt.
7. Apply Havoc if a secondary target is present.
8. Cast Chaos Bolt to spend Soul Shards.
9. Cast Conflagrate to generate Soul Shards and Backdraft stacks.
10. Cast Incinerate to generate Soul Shards.

Hellcaller AoE Rotation

1. Maintain Wither on as many targets as possible.
2. Cast Malevolence with as many targets affected by Wither as possible.
3. Cast Soul Fire on cooldown.
4. Cast Cataclysm on cooldown unless it can be delayed a few seconds to hit additional targets.
5. Cast Rain of Fire if there are 5+ targets with Havoc up, or 3+ if on cooldown.
6. Cast Chaos Bolt if you have 5 Soul Shards.
7. Cast Cataclysm.
8. Apply Havoc if a secondary target is present.
9. Cast Channel Demonfire when available.
10. Cast Chaos Bolt to spend Soul Shards.
11. Cast Conflagrate to generate Soul Shards and Backdraft stacks.
12. Cast Incinerate to generate Soul Shards.

Cooldown Usage for Destruction Warlock

Infernal

Destruction's main cooldown, Summon Infernal, has a straightforward usage. When summoned, the Infernal stuns and damages enemies in the area. Throughout its duration, it deals both melee and pulsing AoE damage, while also passively generating Shards. It is generally best used on cooldown, given its relatively high uptime, particularly if running Diabolist with Abyssal Dominion. While the Infernal may not seem particularly strong on its own, especially in single target, the ability to empower spenders with Crashing Chaos or generate Shards with Rain of Chaos makes the cooldown deceptively powerful.

Cataclysm

In its current iteration and tuning, Cataclysm should be viewed primarily as a tool for applying the maximum amount of Immolate to the target area in a single cast, rather than an AoE burst ability. It pairs especially well with Channel Demonfire, and together they significantly aid in Wither management for Hellcaller in multitarget situations.

While it should generally be used on cooldown in multitarget (and potentially delayed by a few seconds if it can hit more targets), in single target, its relatively weaker spell power coefficient makes it more of a spell to use to refresh Immolate or Wither when they are about to expire.

Destruction Warlock Mechanics

Pandemic and Learning to Efficiently Refresh DoTs

Pandemic is a hidden mechanic that allows you to refresh certain timed effects early without penalty. You can refresh your DoT effects when they have less than 30% of their maximum duration remaining. This will add the new DoT's full duration to the remaining duration of the current DoT.

For Immolate, the baseline value for a safe refresh is 5.4 seconds, and 6.3 seconds when talenting Scalding Flames.

Havoc Usage

Havoc is one of your most important spells. It copies any of your direct spells, but it does affect the Soul Shard generation of your Soul Shard-generating abilities (i.e., you generate double Soul Shards). The Soul Shard-consuming abilities still cost the same amount, however, and only 60% of the total damage done will be copied.

It is best to use Havoc to duplicate spells that are limited by Soul Shards due to the efficiency of expenditure. If possible, try to lead into your Havoc casts with several Soul Shards at the ready. Follow up by dumping Chaos Bolt casts to debuff each target with Eradication (if talented) and double your Shard efficiency.

Havoc has a range of 60 yards after you apply the debuff on a target and is unaffected by line of sight requirements. Over time, you will develop the knowledge and instinct to take full advantage of this ability. A good way to gain this experience is by paying close attention to your boss's timers. If you know an ad will be spawning in the next 10 seconds, hold on to your Soul Shards and Conflagrate charges for Havoc. If you have 4 Soul Shards ready, you can immediately cast Havoc as soon as the add spawns. Cast Immolate, then Conflagrate, dump 2 Chaos Bolt casts, Conflagrate again to generate a Soul Shard. When in doubt, use Havoc on cooldown when a second target is present.

Remember to cast Havoc on the secondary target since it will only duplicate single-target spells at 60% of their original value.

Note that Mayhem applies the Havoc effect at a reduced duration (currently 6 seconds).

Important Notes for Destruction Warlock

Soul Shard Generation and Consumption

You start every fight with 3 Soul Shards/30 Soul Shard Fragments. During combat, Soul Shards are generated through the use of your core abilities.

• Dimensional Rift generates 3 Soul Shard Fragments on cast.
• Conflagrate generates 5 Soul Shard Fragments on cast.
• Immolate generates 1 Soul Shard Fragment on normal ticks and has a 50% chance for an additional 1 Soul Shard Fragment on critical ticks.
• Soul Fire generates 10 Soul Shard Fragments on cast.
• Shadowburn (if talented) returns its Soul Shard cost if the target dies within 5 seconds.
• Incinerate generates 2 Soul Shard Fragments on normal casts and an additional 1 Soul Shard Fragment on critical hits.
• Fire and Brimstone generates 1 Soul Shard Fragment on critical hits only when talenting Diabolic Embers.

Soul Shards will mostly be consumed with the following abilities:

• Shadowburn consumes 1 Soul Shard/10 Soul Shard Fragments.
• Chaos Bolt consumes 2 Soul Shards/20 Soul Shard Fragments.
• Rain of Fire consumes 3 Soul Shards/30 Soul Shard Fragments.
• Inferno reduces Rain of Fire shard cost to 2 Soul Shards/20 Soul Shard Fragments.
• Summon Imp, Summon Voidwalker, Summon Succubus, and Summon Felhunter consume 1 Soul Shard/10 Soul Shard Fragments per cast.

Chaos Bolt

Chaos Bolt costs 2 Soul Shards/20 Soul Shard Fragments to cast. Since we can only have a maximum of 5 Soul Shards/50 Fragments, the maximum number of Chaos Bolt casts we can reliably perform in a short window of time is:

• Chaos Bolt → Conflagrate → Chaos Bolt → Conflagrate → Chaos Bolt.

For this reason, casting Chaos Bolt during beneficial procs is less of a priority now, as we cannot fit anywhere near the same number of casts into a small window of time.

Chaos Bolt should now primarily be used to maintain as high an uptime as possible on the Eradication debuff (if talented). This will significantly increase your Immolate damage and enhance the damage of your next Chaos Bolt. However, you should still look for good windows to cast multiple Chaos Bolt spells. It remains your best ability for quickly bursting down high-priority targets.

Destruction Warlock DPS Gems and Consumables

This section covers your character's optimal gems, food, and flasks.

Best Gems for Destruction Warlock in The War Within

The War Within introduced epic meta gems that scale based on the number of different gem types socketed. This incentivizes players to use their first four gem slots strategically to maximize the effect.

The two preferred meta gems are Culminating Blasphemite (for damage) and Elusive Blasphemite (for utility). Generally, Elusive Blasphemite provides more practical benefits, as the damage boost from Culminating Blasphemite is minimal—approximately 0.3% in a Best-in-Slot setup.

Due to the relatively low stat contributions from gems, the best approach is to use them to balance secondary stats. This often means prioritizing Versatility alongside another secondary stat.

The most commonly used gems in BiS setups include:

• Emerald: Masterful Emerald and Versatile Emerald
• Ruby: Versatile Ruby and Quick Ruby
• Onyx: Deadly Onyx
• Sapphire: Masterful Sapphire
• Amber: Masterful Amber or Versatile Amber

It is highly recommended to use Raidbots to simulate your character’s ideal gem and enchant setup, as optimal choices may vary depending on your gear and stat distribution.

Best Flask for Destruction Warlock in The War Within

You should be drinking the Flask of Alchemical Chaos at all times.

Best Potion for Destruction Warlock in The War Within

Your primary stat-boosting potion should be the Tempered Potion. Use these during high-damage windows, such as when your cooldowns are active or during Bloodlust/Heroism. Alternatively, you can obtain a Fleeting Tempered Potion from Alchemist-spawned Cauldrons.

For survivability, keep a supply of Algari Healing Potions to use when at low health. If there is a Warlock in your group, be sure to grab their Healthstones as well. These should not be macroed together, as they are best used separately. Additionally, Fleeting Algari Healing Potions can be obtained from Alchemist-spawned Cauldrons.

Best Food for Destruction Warlock in The War Within

For optimal performance, you should always eat from a Feast when available. The best options include:

• Feast of the Divine Day
• Feast of the Midnight Masquerade
• Hearty Feast of the Midnight Masquerade

If Feasts are unavailable, consider eating one of the following:

• Outsider's Provisions
• Beledar's Bounty
• Jester's Board
• Empress' Farewell

Additionally, if affordable, use Crystallized Augment Runes to boost your primary stat. However, keep in mind that these are expensive and disappear upon death, so use them strategically.

Weapon Runes for Destruction

Algari Mana Oil is the best temporary oil in any situation.

Best Enchants for Destruction Warlock

Slot	Enchantment
Necklace	Magnificent Jeweler's Setting (adds up to 2 sockets to a Ring or Neck)
Weapon	Enchant Weapon - Authority of the Depths (Pure Single Target) Enchant Weapon - Authority of Radiant Power (All around)
Chest	Enchant Chest - Crystalline Radiance
Bracers	Enchant Bracer - Chant of Armored Avoidance Enchant Bracer - Chant of Armored Leech
Legs	Sunset Spellthread
Boots	Enchant Boots - Scout's March (Mobility) Enchant Boots - Defender's March (Small Defensive)
Rings	Enchant Ring - Radiant Haste Enchant Ring - Radiant Critical Strike
Cloak	Enchant Cloak - Chant of Winged Grace Enchant Cloak - Chant of Leeching Fangs

Destruction Warlock DPS Gear and Best in Slot

This section will cover everything you need to know about equipping your character correctly.

BiS Gear for Destruction Warlock

Slot	Item	Source
Helm	Spliced Fiendtrader's Transcendence (678)	One-Armed Bandit in Liberation of Undermine/Matrix Catalyst/Great Vault
Neck	Semi-Charmed Amulet (678)	Rik Reverb in Liberation of Undermine
Shoulder	Spliced Fiendtrader's Loyal Servants (678)	Rik Reverb in Liberation of Undermine/Matrix Catalyst/Great Vault
Cloak	Electrician's Siphoning Filter (678)	Operation: Floodgate
Chest	Spliced Fiendtrader's Surgical Gown (678)	Sprocketmonger Lockenstock in Liberation of Undermine/Matrix Catalyst/Great Vault
Bracers	Consecrated Cuffs (675) with Writhing Armor Banding and Critical Strike + Mastery	Crafted — Tailoring
Gloves	Mine Rat's Handwarmers (678)	Darkflame Cleft
Belt	Excavator's Safety Belt (678)	The MOTHERLODE!!
Legs	Spliced Fiendtrader's Skin Tights (678)	Stix Bunkjunker in Liberation of Undermine/Matrix Catalyst/Great Vault
Boots	Deranged Alchemist's Slippers (678)	The MOTHERLODE!!
Ring #1	The Jastor Diamond (678)	Chrome King Gallywix in Liberation of Undermine
Ring #2	Hoop of the Blighted	The Rookery
Trinket #1	Eye of Kezan (678)	Chrome King Gallywix in Liberation of Undermine
Trinket #2	Mug's Moxie Jug (678)	Mug'Zee in Liberation of Undermine
Weapon	Scalding Queenmaker's Shiv (678)	Cinderbrew Meadery
Off-Hand	Vagabond's Torch (675) with Darkmoon Sigil: Ascension and Critical Strike + Versatility	Crafted — Inscription

Raiding Trinket Tier List for Destruction Warlock

This Trinket Tier List is focused primarily on single-target performance, as this is the most relevant aspect of raiding. If two trinkets perform similarly in single-target scenarios, the one with better AoE or multitarget scaling is ranked higher.

Each tier represents approximately a 0.5% DPS difference, meaning S-Tier trinkets are about 0.5% stronger than A-Tier trinkets, and so forth.

Any trinket not listed here is generally considered inferior to those included.

S-Tier

• Eye of Kezan — The best trinket for all situations.

A-Tier

• Mug's Moxie Jug — A solid passive trinket.
• Synergistic Brewterializer — High overall damage, but requires single-target direct damage to trigger.

B-Tier

• Signet of the Priory — The best dungeon on-use trinket in a tier with lackluster alternatives.
• House of Cards — The strongest raid on-use option in a tier with mediocre on-use trinkets
• Suspicious Energy Drink — Noteworthy option that comes from Delves and punches well above its weight.

C-Tier

• Mister Lock-N-Stalk — Passive spell proc damage trinket that requires switching between single-target and AoE modes for optimal use.
• Geargrinder's Spare Keys
• Flarendo's Pilot Light
• Reverb Radio
• Soulletting Ruby
• Entropic Skardyn Core
• Carved Blazikon Wax

Mythic+ Trinket Tier List for Destruction Warlock

This Trinket Tier List focuses on AoE damage, as a significant portion of Mythic+ revolves around dealing with multiple targets.

Each tier represents approximately a 0.5% DPS difference, meaning S-Tier trinkets provide around 0.5% more damage than A-Tier trinkets, and so on.

Any trinket not listed here is generally considered weaker than those included.

S-Tier

• Eye of Kezan — undisputed best Trinket for all situations.

A-Tier

• Mug's Moxie Jug good passive trinket.
• Synergistic Brewterializer. High overall damage choice that requires single target direct damage to trigger.

B-Tier

• Carved Blazikon Wax
• Entropic Skardyn Core
• Signet of the Priory — strongest dungeon on use option in a tier with mediocre on use.
• House of Cards — strongest raid on use option in a tier with mediocre on use.

C-Tier

• Mister Lock-N-Stalk  — A passive spell proc trinket that requires alternating between single-target and AoE for optimal use.
• Suspicious Energy Drink — Noteworthy option that comes from Delves and punches well above its weight.
• Geargrinder's Spare Keys
• Flarendo's Pilot Light
• Reverb Radio
• Soulletting Ruby

Crafted Gear & Embellishments

Spark of Omens and Crafting Strategy

Spark of Omens will continue to be the primary limiting factor when crafting high-end gear. It can be obtained once every two weeks by combining two Fractured Spark of Omens and 250 Valorstones.

At the start of a tier, players can craft two pieces of gear: one from the initial quest and another from the first bi-weekly reward.

Crafting Strategy Guidelines

Your crafting strategy will depend on several factors, including progression speed, available drops, and early loot acquisition. There is no single best crafting path, but here are some general recommendations:

• The best overall combination is Darkmoon Sigil: Ascension (offhand weapon) and Writhing Armor Banding. This setup scales well into multi-target encounters, unlike Elemental Focusing Lens.
• For long-term optimization, the ideal approach is to craft both at the highest item level possible using Sparks. However, this assumes acquiring a Mythic-level main-hand weapon from Mythic+ before entering Mythic Raiding in the second week.
• An alternative approach is crafting both a main-hand and offhand weapon using Sparks while keeping the wrist piece at a lower item level. This provides a greater immediate power spike but requires an extra Spark in the long run. Note that crafted main-hand weapons will eventually need to be replaced by Mythic raid drops due to item level differences.

The War Within Season 2 Tier Set for Destruction Warlock

Wearing 2-piece and 4-piece bonuses from the Rites of the Spliced Fiendtrader's Influence set grants the following effects:

• Warlock Destruction 11.1 Class Set 2pc: Your damaging spells have a chance to trigger Jackpot!, increasing your Haste by 12% for 12 seconds. Casting Summon Infernal always triggers Jackpot!
• Warlock Destruction 11.1 Class Set 4pc: Hitting a Jackpot! Icon Jackpot! increases your Mastery by 3% and your spells gain maximum benefit from Mastery: Chaotic Energies for 10 seconds.

Both bonuses provide a passive damage increase, meaning they do not require changes to talent choices or playstyle.

Prioritizing the Warlock Destruction 11.1 Class Set 4pc is more beneficial than ensuring the set pieces are in ideal slots. However, the best setup leaves the Hands slot as the off-set piece due to its more favorable stat distribution.

Addons for Destruction Warlock

Generic Addons for Warlocks

• ElvUI
• Weak Auras
• Boss Mods
  • BigWigs Bossmods
  • Deadly Boss Mods

Name Plates

• KUI Nameplates
• TidyPlates
• Plater

Damage Meters

• Skada
• Details!

Extra AddOns

• Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
• xCT+ Combat Text
• DeathNote
• Doom CooldownPulse
• Angry Assignments
• Exorsus Raid Tools

Macros for Destruction Warlock

Pet Macros

These macros allow you to manage your demon, as playing with your Pet Stance on Assist is the preferred way to play.

• /petattack

This orders your demon to attack your target.

• /petfollow

This orders your demon to follow you.

• /petmoveto

This orders your demon to move to a location specified by you. This macro is especially useful for situations where you need your pet in a predetermined position in order to accomplish a given task — such as an interrupt on a otherwise out of range target — but can also be used to maximize Felguard cleave/Felstorm damage, just be aware that any imparted commands will also make your Dreadstalkers, Vilefiend (if talented) and Tyrant move, resulting in a much bigger loss when used improperly.

Dot Mouseover

• #showtooltip Corruption
• /use [@mouseover,harm] [harm] Corruption

Casts Corruption on current mouseover target if hostile and alive, else cast it on your current target.

Banish Focus

• #showtooltip Banish
• /use [mod:shift,@focus] [] Banish

Cast Banish on focus target by holding also shift, else cast it on your current target.

Soulstone Mouseover

• #showtooltip Soulstone
• /target [@mouseover] Soulstone
• /use Soulstone
• /targetlasttarget

Workaround macro for the current bug related to mouseover dead allies. The Macro itself will target the mouseover in order to cast Soulstone then target the previous target.

Demonic Circle

• #showtooltip
• /stopcasting
• /use [mod:shift] Demonic Circle(Summon); [nomod] Demonic Circle: Teleport(Teleport)

Place the Demonic Circle while holding shift, or teleport to the circle without any modifiers, while cancelling any ongoing casts. This saves you the trouble (and the time!) of interrupting your spell cast manually.

Mortal Coil/Howl of Terror

• #showtooltip
• /use [known:Mortal Coil,@mouseover,exists] Mortal Coil; [known:Mortal Coil] Mortal Coil; [known:Howl of Terror] Howl of Terror

Depending on the talent selected Mortal Coil will be casted on mouseover if available, otherwise on current target. If Howl of Terror is talented, it will be cast instead.

Havoc

• #showtooltip
• /cast [@mouseover,harm] Havoc; [harm] Havoc

This macro casts Havoc on your mouseover target if you have any, otherwise it casts it on your target (provided it is an enemy). Mouseover macros are not recommended for this ability, as it can easily lead to applying Havoc to the wrong target. Only use this if mouseovers are your preference.

Cursor Rain of Fire

• #showtooltip
• /cast [@cursor] Rain of Fire

Some people might find this macro very useful. It places the Rain of Fire where your cursor is, instead of having to constantly place the green circle where you want it. It can be a much quicker way to put Rain of Fire down.

Shadowburn

• #showtooltip
• /cast [known:Shadowburn,@mouseover,harm] Shadowburn; [known:Shadowburn,harm] Shadowburn

This is a mouseover macro for Shadowburn as it helps sniping dying targets from nameplates quicker than targeting them individually. If no targets are available on mouse location it will cast on your current target instead.

WeakAuras for Destruction Warlock

WeakAuras is an essential tool for Destruction Warlock and DPS players, offering unparalleled customization to enhance your gameplay. Rather than focusing on specific examples, we recommend exploring Wago.io, where you’ll find an extensive library of WeakAuras to suit your needs.

If you are unfamiliar with WeakAuras, it is an incredibly powerful and widely-used AddOn that allows you to create custom displays for nearly everything in the game. This includes tracking buffs, debuffs, cooldowns, Focus, resources, and much more.

To import a WeakAura, visit Wago.io and select one that fits your preferences. Click the "Copy WeakAura Import String" button to copy it to your clipboard. Next, log into the game and type /wa in the chat box to open the WeakAuras interface. Navigate to the "Import" section, press Ctrl+V to paste the copied string, and click "Import". You’re ready to go!

Mastering WeakAuras and customizing it to your playstyle is highly recommended for any serious raider. With countless options available on Wago.io, you can tailor your interface to optimize your performance and focus on what truly matters in combat.

Destruction Warlock Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Havoc Work?

Havoc duplicates your single-target spells onto the marked target, meaning you must switch back to a new target after applying the debuff. Many players find using a mouseover macro helpful for quickly applying Havoc.

The ability also duplicates Soul Shard generation from the spells it copies, allowing for faster resource gain. To maximize this, save your Conflagrate charges for use while Havoc is active.

What Pets or Demons Should I Use?

In Dungeons and Mythic+, the Felhunter is highly recommended due to its valuable interrupt, which can prevent dangerous abilities from being cast. This becomes even more critical in higher-level Mythic+ keys where a missed interrupt could lead to a wipe.

For Raids, the Imp is a strong choice if the encounter requires frequent dispels with Singe Magic or has multiple target swaps.

The Voidwalker is ideal for leveling or when using Grimoire of Sacrifice in situations where the Felhunter’s interrupt isn’t necessary. Sacrificing the Voidwalker grants you Shadow Bulwark, a defensive cooldown that enhances survivability.

The Succubus can be an option if you prefer its aesthetic or need a consistent 50% slow on a single target. It also slightly outpaces the Imp and Felhunter in terms of raw damage.

What Piece is Better, X or Y?

To determine which piece of gear is better, simulations are your best tool. Gear upgrades are highly individual and depend on your current stats, traits, and setup. A piece that’s an upgrade for one player might not be for another, even if the items are identical. This rule applies to gear, trinkets, Azerite Traits, and talents.

Certain encounters may favor specific setups or talents, and resources like Warcraft Logs can help you see what top players are using in similar situations.

How Does Channel Demonfire Work?

Channel Demonfire launches 15 missiles at random targets affected by Immolate. You can manipulate its targeting by limiting the number of active Immolates. For maximum AoE splash damage, it’s effective to maintain only one Immolate on a central target.

In council-style encounters or fights with two main targets, applying individual Immolates is generally preferred for better ember generation and overall damage.

Should I Aim for 100% Eradication Uptime?

Maintaining a 100% uptime on the Eradication debuff is typically unrealistic. Instead, focus on using your Soul Shards effectively to keep the debuff active during critical windows. Prioritize having enough shards to cast Chaos Bolt consecutively while Eradication is active. Stretching the debuff’s uptime is optimal, but avoid letting it fall off entirely during key moments.

How Much of a Specific Stat, Like Haste, is Required?

The priority for secondary stats like Haste varies significantly from character to character based on their current gear, item levels, and Azerite Traits. Generic stat priorities are often derived from simulations using equal stat values, but individual results may differ.

For the most accurate answer, it’s best to use a simulation tool tailored to your character’s specific gear and stats.

Which Race is Best for Destruction Warlock?

Racial traits generally have a minimal impact on overall DPS, so the choice of race often comes down to personal preference. However, if you’re focused on maximizing your performance, simulation charts for your current gear and setup can help you identify the best option.