Warlock specialization

Destruction Warlock in WoW Forever

Direct Fire and Shadow spells.

  • Your role: Ranged spell damage
  • Advice for every level to 60
  • Class notes checked

Your character

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Choose the level you are playing now. The playbook and gear rankings update to match.

Level 45 · Damage in a group

How to play dungeons at level 45

Your combat loop

Press the first one that is ready.

Destruction’s own loop, from level 16. Before that every Warlock plays the same loop.

Own loop from: Demonology level 15Affliction level 16Destruction level 16

Use Incinerate. It does 6% more than Shadow Bolt.

  1. Life Tap Rank 4 When mana runs low

    Use it when your mana runs low.

  2. Curse of the Elements Rank 3 Keep up · 5 min

    Keep it up; it lasts 300 sec.

  3. Immolate Rank 5 Keep on target · 15 sec

    Keep it on the target; it lasts 15 sec.

    14% of your damage
  4. Conflagrate Rank 3 Every 10 sec

    Use it whenever it is ready, every 10 sec.

    16% of your damage
  5. Shadowburn Rank 4 Every 15 sec

    Use it whenever it is ready, every 15 sec.

    8% of your damage
  6. Corruption Rank 5 Keep on target · 18 sec

    Keep it on the target; it lasts 18 sec.

    11% of your damage
  7. Bane of Agony Rank 4 Keep on target · 24 sec

    Keep it on the target; it lasts 24 sec.

    10% of your damage
  8. Incinerate Rank 1 Filler

    Cast it whenever nothing above is ready.

    41% of your damage
  9. Wand Wand

    When your mana runs out.

    1% of your damage

The first 30 seconds

When to press each one from the pull. The blue line under a press is the global cooldown (1.5 sec) or cast it holds: nothing else on the global cooldown can go until it ends, so of two that are ready together the higher one goes first.

In the gaps
Life TapIncinerateWand

How MaxDPS works this out

Talents at level 45

36 points at level 45: the first at level 10, then one every level.

The MaxDPS build at this level, in the game’s talent frame. Click a talent to learn it and right click to unlearn it, as in the game.

Talents
Unspent Talents
Point order: when each point goes in
  1. Bane 5/5 · levels 10–14 +6.3% damage
  2. Improved Shadow Bolt 5/5 · levels 15–19 not counted here
  3. Ruin 5/5 · levels 20–24 +3.4% damage
  4. Conflagrate 1/1 · level 25 +6.6% damage
  5. Agonizing Flames 3/3 · levels 26–28 +6.4% damage
  6. Intensity 1/3 · level 29 not counted here
  7. Fire and Brimstone 3/3 · levels 30–32 +2.8% damage
  8. Bane of Havoc 1/1 · level 33 not counted here
  9. Shadowburn 1/1 · level 34 +12.2% damage
  10. Shadow and Flame 5/5 · levels 35–39 +18.3% damage
  11. Incinerate 1/1 · level 40 +9.9% damage
  12. Suppression 5/5 · levels 41–45 +5.5% damage

Every Warlock talent

Preliminary item rankings · Dungeons

Destruction Warlock gear rankings

Direct Fire and Shadow damage · Level 45 · Calculated defaults

Hunt list
Show gear for

Head 108 items · Updating…

Where it comes from
Auction prices from

Materials: . Each reagent counts at the lower of a vendor’s price and its lowest buyout.

Key stats show the stats behind the three largest score contributions, as the game tooltip states them; open an item’s details for every value and source.

Head items with imported stats, weighted scores and acquisition sources.
Rank Item Score (pts) Where to get it Actions
1 in this filtered list
Red Mageweave Headband Cloth · iLvl 48 · Req. 43 · Crafted Key stats: 19 Spell power20 Intellect51 Armor
27.12
TailoringCrafted
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house Materials about

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 19 × 1 = 19.00 pts
  • Intellect: 20 × 0.3998 = 8.00 pts
  • Armor: 51 × 0.0025 = 0.13 pts

Uncommon

Source

TailoringCrafted
2 in this filtered list
Dreamweave Circlet Cloth · iLvl 50 · Req. 45 · Crafted Key stats: 21 Spell power10 Intellect12 Spirit
26.47
TailoringCrafted
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house Materials about

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 21 × 1 = 21.00 pts
  • Intellect: 10 × 0.3998 = 4.00 pts
  • Spirit: 12 × 0.1107 = 1.33 pts
  • Armor: 58 × 0.0025 = 0.15 pts

Rare

Source

TailoringCrafted
3 in this filtered list
Spellpower Goggles Xtreme Cloth · iLvl 43 · Req. 38* · Crafted · Profession required Key stats: 21 Spell power46 Armor
21.12
EngineeringCrafted
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house Materials about

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 21 × 1 = 21.00 pts
  • Armor: 46 × 0.0025 = 0.12 pts

Uncommon · Profession required — check item requirements

Source

EngineeringCrafted
4 in this filtered list
Magister Cowl Cloth · iLvl 49 · Req. 44* · Quest Key stats: 18 Spell power8 Mana per 5 sec57 Armor
20.94

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 18 × 1 = 18.00 pts
  • Mana per 5 sec: 8 × 0.3494 = 2.80 pts
  • Armor: 57 × 0.0025 = 0.14 pts

Rare

Source

5 in this filtered list
Miner's Hat of the Deep Cloth · iLvl 44 · Req. 39 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 12 Spell power17 Intellect7 Stamina
20.88
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 12 × 1 = 12.00 pts
  • Intellect: 17 × 0.3998 = 6.80 pts
  • Stamina: 7 × 0.2648 = 1.85 pts
  • Armor: 52 × 0.0025 = 0.13 pts
  • Bonus armor: 40 × 0.0025 = 0.10 pts

Rare

Source

6 in this filtered list
Cassandra's Grace Cloth · iLvl 47 · Req. 42 · Other drop Key stats: 15 Spell damage7 Stamina9 Spirit
17.99
Emerald Encrusted ChestContainer loot · 2.8%
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 15 × 1 = 15.00 pts
  • Stamina: 7 × 0.2648 = 1.85 pts
  • Spirit: 9 × 0.1107 = 1.00 pts
  • Armor: 55 × 0.0025 = 0.14 pts

Rare

57 sources

Emerald Encrusted ChestContainer loot · 2.8%
Scalebane CaptainNPC drop · <0.1% · Swamp of Sorrows
Spirit of VengNPC drop · <0.1% · Maraudon
Solid ChestObject loot · <0.1%
Nethergarde MinerNPC drop · <0.1% · Blasted Lands
Noxious SlimeNPC drop · <0.1% · Maraudon
Creeping SludgeNPC drop · <0.1% · Maraudon
Atal'ai SlaveNPC drop · <0.1% · Sunken Temple
Slave WorkerNPC drop · <0.1% · Searing Gorge
All 57 sources
7 in this filtered list
Black Mageweave Headband Cloth · iLvl 46 · Req. 41 · Crafted Key stats: 13 Spell power12 Intellect49 Armor
17.92
TailoringCrafted
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house Materials about

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 13 × 1 = 13.00 pts
  • Intellect: 12 × 0.3998 = 4.80 pts
  • Armor: 49 × 0.0025 = 0.12 pts

Uncommon

Source

TailoringCrafted
8 in this filtered list
Strongly Scented Hood Cloth · iLvl 47 · Req. 42 · Other drop Key stats: 15 Spell power21 Spirit55 Armor
17.46
Overlord MuggNPC drop · 9.1%

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 15 × 1 = 15.00 pts
  • Spirit: 21 × 0.1107 = 2.32 pts
  • Armor: 55 × 0.0025 = 0.14 pts

Rare

Source

Overlord MuggNPC drop · 9.1%
9 in this filtered list
Augural Shroud Cloth · iLvl 39 · Req. 34 · Other drop Key stats: 11 Spell power10 Intellect5 Stamina
16.43
Nether SorceressNPC drop · 1.4% · Desolace
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 11 × 1 = 11.00 pts
  • Intellect: 10 × 0.3998 = 4.00 pts
  • Stamina: 5 × 0.2648 = 1.32 pts
  • Armor: 42 × 0.0025 = 0.11 pts

Uncommon

Source

Nether SorceressNPC drop · 1.4% · Desolace
10 in this filtered list
Twilight Mine Light Cloth · iLvl 45 · Req. 40* · Quest · Alliance only Key stats: 13 Spell power12 Stamina48 Armor
16.30

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 13 × 1 = 13.00 pts
  • Stamina: 12 × 0.2648 = 3.18 pts
  • Armor: 48 × 0.0025 = 0.12 pts

Uncommon

Source

11 in this filtered list
Living Cowl Cloth · iLvl 44 · Req. 39 · Other drop Key stats: 13 Spell power12 Stamina47 Armor
16.30
Tangled HorrorNPC drop · 3.2% · Swamp of Sorrows · also from 1 other creature
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 13 × 1 = 13.00 pts
  • Stamina: 12 × 0.2648 = 3.18 pts
  • Armor: 47 × 0.0025 = 0.12 pts

Uncommon

2 sources

Tangled HorrorNPC drop · 3.2% · Swamp of Sorrows · also from 1 other creature
Molt ThornNPC drop · 0.8% · Swamp of Sorrows
12 in this filtered list
Papal Fez Cloth · iLvl 43 · Req. 38 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 8 Spell damage17 Intellect9 Spirit
15.92
Stonevault BrawlerNPC drop · <0.1% · Uldaman
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 8 × 1 = 8.00 pts
  • Intellect: 17 × 0.3998 = 6.80 pts
  • Spirit: 9 × 0.1107 = 1.00 pts
  • Armor: 51 × 0.0025 = 0.13 pts

Rare

3 sources

Stonevault BrawlerNPC drop · <0.1% · Uldaman
Stonevault GeomancerNPC drop · <0.1% · Uldaman
Stonevault MaulerNPC drop · <0.1% · Uldaman
13 in this filtered list
Whitemane's Chapeau Cloth · iLvl 44 · Req. 39 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 7 Spell damage10 Intellect9 Stamina
14.84

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 7 × 1 = 7.00 pts
  • Intellect: 10 × 0.3998 = 4.00 pts
  • Stamina: 9 × 0.2648 = 2.38 pts
  • Spirit: 12 × 0.1107 = 1.33 pts
  • Armor: 52 × 0.0025 = 0.13 pts

Rare

Source

14 in this filtered list
Corpseshroud Cloth · iLvl 40 · Req. 35 · Other drop Key stats: 19 Intellect7 Spell power47 Armor
14.71
Razorfen DownsZone loot
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Intellect: 19 × 0.3998 = 7.60 pts
  • Spell power: 7 × 1 = 7.00 pts
  • Armor: 47 × 0.0025 = 0.12 pts

Rare

Source

Razorfen DownsZone loot
15 in this filtered list
Bad Mojo Mask Cloth · iLvl 49 · Req. 44 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 21 Intellect20 Shadow spell power57 Armor
14.48
Shadowpriest Sezz'zizBoss drop · 23% · Zul'Farrak

Score breakdown

  • Intellect: 21 × 0.3998 = 8.40 pts
  • Shadow spell power: 20 × 0.2969 = 5.94 pts
  • Armor: 57 × 0.0025 = 0.14 pts

Rare

Source

Shadowpriest Sezz'zizBoss drop · 23% · Zul'Farrak
16 in this filtered list
Stormcloth Headband Cloth · iLvl 48 · Req. 43 · Crafted Key stats: 8 Spell damage10 Intellect10 Spirit
13.23
TailoringCrafted
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house Materials about

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 8 × 1 = 8.00 pts
  • Intellect: 10 × 0.3998 = 4.00 pts
  • Spirit: 10 × 0.1107 = 1.11 pts
  • Armor: 51 × 0.0025 = 0.13 pts

Uncommon

Source

TailoringCrafted
17 in this filtered list
Filigreed Flame Circlet Cloth · iLvl 30 · Req. 25 · Crafted Key stats: 14 Fire spell power12 Stamina38 Armor
13.12
TailoringCrafted
Materials about

Score breakdown

  • Fire spell power: 14 × 0.7031 = 9.84 pts
  • Stamina: 12 × 0.2648 = 3.18 pts
  • Armor: 38 × 0.0025 = 0.10 pts

Rare

Source

TailoringCrafted
18 in this filtered list
Blackwater Cap Cloth · iLvl 45 · Req. 40* · Quest Key stats: 17 Intellect6 Spell power48 Armor
12.92

Score breakdown

  • Intellect: 17 × 0.3998 = 6.80 pts
  • Spell power: 6 × 1 = 6.00 pts
  • Armor: 48 × 0.0025 = 0.12 pts

Uncommon

19 in this filtered list
Electromagnetic Gigaflux Reactivator Cloth · iLvl 36 · Req. 31 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 8 Spell power8 Intellect9 Spirit
12.30
Mekgineer ThermapluggBoss drop · 10% · Gnomeregan

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 8 × 1 = 8.00 pts
  • Intellect: 8 × 0.3998 = 3.20 pts
  • Spirit: 9 × 0.1107 = 1.00 pts
  • Armor: 43 × 0.0025 = 0.11 pts

Rare

Source

Mekgineer ThermapluggBoss drop · 10% · Gnomeregan
20 in this filtered list
Holy Shroud Cloth · iLvl 32 · Req. 27 · Other drop Key stats: 11 Spell damage6 Spirit40 Armor
11.76
Large Solid ChestObject loot · 0.1%
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 11 × 1 = 11.00 pts
  • Spirit: 6 × 0.1107 = 0.66 pts
  • Armor: 40 × 0.0025 = 0.10 pts

Rare

35 sources

Large Solid ChestObject loot · 0.1%
Solid ChestObject loot · <0.1%
Forsaken InfiltratorNPC drop · <0.1% · Ashenvale
Xavian FelswornNPC drop · <0.1% · Ashenvale
Silithid SearcherNPC drop · <0.1% · Thousand Needles
Nightbane Dark RunnerNPC drop · <0.1% · Duskwood
Kolkar DestroyerNPC drop · <0.1% · Desolace
Scarlet ScryerNPC drop · <0.1% · Scarlet Monastery
All 35 sources

Item stats from the WoW Forever game files; sources from data collected from the live game. Auction prices are the lowest buyout on the Americas · Normal auction houses, read from Blizzard every hour; pick another region or ruleset under Filters. Which house is which ruleset is matched by size and still being confirmed in game.

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