Demonology Warlock: 6.2.3

At least I think we're in 6.2.3?

I've found that a post I made almost FIVE years ago is still getting views. Why? What information are you looking for? The good old days? I read over my post and wow, there's been so many changes to our spec that I've completely forgotten of the old spells and rotations but I bet if they changed it back it'd be like riding a bike. A very convoluted five wheel bike that sometimes changes to four, then three, then five, then is a bus, then is a bike again.

*Please correct me if I have timings off, its been too long!*

Truny's Recollection of Demonology
In Wrath

I played very casually, usually alone on my hunter during wrath. The friends who introduced me to WoW slowly left and I was on the brink of quitting since I had only played for about half a year, took a year off and came back.

What prevented me from leaving this world was the discovery of alts: specifically Truny the Warlock and Turny the Tree. They played so differently than my hunter, and the "fantasy" of a demonology warlock totally spell-bound me.

I could turn into a different form to augment my strength and soulfire back then hit like a truck, rather than the meh smart-car it is now. And our "rotation" was still fairly simple as at Wrath.

In Cataclysm

Things started to get ...weird in Cataclysm and demonology ended up being a hybrid of Destruction and Affliction. I remember juggling BOTH Immolate and Corruption, AND shadowbolt, AND Soulfire?? I didn't play my warlock much since my Hunter and later Druid became a raid hero, obtaining my most proudful mount, the Lifebinder's Handmaiden.

In MoP

MoP finally "fixed" warlocks in that we were playable. Very playable. My hunter took a backseat this time and Truny completely wrecked face. Mainly as destruction. This was the class resource revamp expansion where we saw burning embers and Demonology inheriting its totally weird demon form with "vamped" up spells equivalent to normal spells.

This would set the precedent for the Demonology rotation we have today.

Now to clear things up I am totally fine with the current Demonology rotation given that its semi transplanted into my muscle memory but I do see how very very weird it is to someone JUST starting.

Remember the old demonology? Where we used soul fire procs, then they made it so soul fire was exclusively an execute? That's easy to deal with.

Remember managing corruption and immolate? Well, Hand of Gul'dan is KIND OF like immolate, but now if you have the class trinket off Archimonde it makes HoG kind of like what Legion is supposed to do, blast out imps.

So they kept adding and adding to our rotation. Now there was curse of doom and touch of chaos, you were supposed to use Demo form as a CD and spam touch to maintain your corruption, but also manage your demonic fury via chaos wave on multiple targets, or *HERE IT IS* pop out of demon form to use Hand of Gul'dan, and while you're out you might as well spam some shadow bolts and then re-cast corruption if its falling off.

Now most fights have adds, and adds = AOE = dps whore mode. And this is where you want maximum dps, so you pop back into demo form to chaos wave them.

In WoD

So here we are in WoD and nothing much has changed from this "old" but semi convoluted rotation. We can now even make use of the Cataclysm spell for some absolutely massive AOE burst. For those who are used to the rotation will find raids exceedingly fun and dyanmic, popping in and out to maximize. But for new players....

For New Players

I think a lot of classes make where their source of damage come from quite obvious:

Melee: Their weapons. Through hitting.
Paladins: Through holy shit. Such bright.
Warriors: So rage.
Rogues: Wow, such stealth. Much hide.
DKs: Wow easy mode.
Monks: My fist to your FAISE.
Druid: Claws.

Hunter: Self, or pet, or just self. Via shots.

Mage: Magical shit.
Priests: Shadow shit.
Boomkins: Lasers mofo.
Shamans: Nature shit..

Affliction Warlocks: Dots and drains and shit.
Dstruction Warlocks: Fire and Brimstone. And shit.

Demonology Warlocks: Our demons?...wait no, our nukes..well no we have dots, our...demon form? No...well its like a combination of all of it and none of it feels especially fantastic/satisfying OTHER than nailing down the rotation it otherwise doesn't fit the fantasy.

Closing

Now I do hope the new Demonology isn't excessively one-dimensional. To be honest when I don't feel like using my brain OR when its just single target I prefer to go Destruction.

But if I feel like attempting the dance, the payoff is totally worth the multi-facted waltz that is Demonology.

Truny the Demon

OH wait did you come here for info? I mean our class is going away in three quarters? Uh well here's the tl;dr of Demonology as at today 01/18/2016 (Thanks for myself for putting this since in a years time I will look back at this post to see how weird demo was or how good it used to be depending and pending).

1. Keep corruption up.
1b. Get Curse of Doom up early and watch it.
2. Refresh hand of guldan buff, OR save it for Chaos Wave on multiple AOE, otherwise try to keep 1 up and save 2, and possibly line up to Cataclysm and other CDs.
3. Spam shadowbolt.
4. Save soulfire procs, use some if it hits 10 and you're not in execute mode.
5. Depending on mobs, pop into demon mode and touch. Touch their bum. Mainly to refresh curse of doom and make sure corruption isn't going to fall off cause touch also refreshes corruption.
6. Never hit demonic fury cap
7. Execute with soul fire, but keep your dots up.
8. Feed your imps.
9. Please please find a good transmog for your Wrathguard, he deserves it.
Bonus. You are a MOBILE CASTER in demonology form take advantage of the fact that you can spam touch of chaos ON THE MOVE as well as cast Chaos Wave on the move.
Bonus 2. Use demonic leap to move instead of with your feet like the peasants. Who needs to run around a pool when you can jump over it?
Bonus 3. Don't expect to have insane l337 burst, your damage builds up as your dance improves.

Truny the Demon