Cataclysm Affliction Warlock Guide (BiS, Talents, Rotation) (2024)

Affliction Warlock Talents & Glyphs in Cataclysm

Choose the following talents and glyphs as an Affliction Warlock at level 85 to DPS in dungeons and raids in Cataclysm Classic:

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Affliction Warlock Rotation in Cata Classic

The rotation for an Affliction Warlock in Cataclysm Classic is better described as the following priority list:

1. Keep Curse of the Elements active.
2. Keep Shadow and Flame active by casting Shadow Bolt before it falls off.
3. Keep Corruption active.
4. Keep Unstable Affliction active.
5. Keep Bane of Doom active.
6. Cast Haunt whenever it’s available.
7. Cast Shadowflame whenever it’s available, you’re in melee range, and the target is above 25% health.
8. Cast Drain Soul if the target is below 25% health, otherwise Shadow Bolt.

Use Fel Armor and a Felhunter. Use your Demon Soul as often as possible to increase your DPS. Try to use it while Bloodlust or similar raid-wide buffs are active.

Generally, you can use Summon Doomguard once per single-target fight. Use Summon Infernal instead, if you’re fighting multiple enemies.

Affliction Warlock Pre-Raid BiS List for Cata

The Affliction Warlock pre-raid best-in-slot list contains the best items you can get in Cataclysm Classic before entering any raids at level 85:

• Head (Arcanum of Hyjal)
  Lightweight Bio-Optic Killshades (Engineering)
  Cowl of Pleasant Gloom (2,200 Justice Points)
  Crown of Enfeebled Bodies (Grim Batol – Heroic)
  Blinders of the Follower (Shadowfang Keep – Heroic)
• Neck
  Dorian's Lost Necklace (World Drop)
  Yellow Smoke Pendant ( Twilight Highlands – Exalted)
  Lightning Flash Pendant ( Twilight Highlands – Exalted)
  Tauntka's Necklace (Lost City of the Tol'vir – Heroic)
  String of Beaded Bubbles (1,250 Justice Points)
• Shoulders (Greater Inscription of Charged Lodestone)
  Mantle of Master Cho (Lost City of the Tol'vir – Heroic)
  Mantle of the Eastern Lords (Shadowfang Keep – Heroic)
• Cloak (Enchant Cloak - Greater Intellect)
  Ritssyn's Ruminous Drape (World Drop)
  Cloak of Ancient Wisdom (Earthen Ring – Revered)
  Shadow of Perfect Bliss (The Vortex Pinnacle – Heroic)
• Chest (Enchant Chest - Peerless Stats)
  Dizze's Whirling Robe (World Drop)
  Robes of Orsis (Uldum – Revered)
  Robes of Rampant Growth (Halls of Origination – Heroic)
  Inquisition Robes (Blackrock Caverns – Heroic)
• Wrists (Enchant Bracer - Mighty Intellect)
  Sand Silk Wristband (Lost City of the Tol'vir – Heroic)
• Hands (Enchant Gloves - Haste)
  Grips of the Failed Immortal (World Drop)
  Flamebloom Gloves (Earthen Ring – Exalted)
  Mnemiopsis Gloves (Throne of the Tides – Heroic)
  Gloves of Aetherial Rumors ( Twilight Highlands – Honored)
  Bone Fever Gloves ( Twilight Highlands – Honored)
• Waist
  Dreamless Belt (Tailoring)
  Beauty's Silken Ribbon (Blackrock Caverns – Heroic)
  Stratosphere Belt (The Vortex Pinnacle – Heroic)
• Legs (Powerful Ghostly Spellthread)
  Breeches of Mended Nightmares (Tailoring)
  Pensive Legwraps (2,200 Justice Points)
  Legwraps of Astral Rain (Halls of Origination – Heroic)
• Feet (Enchant Boots - Precision)
  Desert Walker Sandals (Uldum – Exalted)
  Slippers of the Twilight Prophet (The Stonecore – Heroic)
• Rings
  Ring of the Boy Emperor (Archaeology)
  Signet of High Arcanist Savor (World Drop)
  Lavishly Jeweled Ring (The Deadmines – Heroic)
  Band of Singing Grass ( Twilight Highlands – Revered)
  Band of Lamentation ( Twilight Highlands – Revered)
• Trinkets
  Darkmoon Card: Volcano (Darkmoon Faire)
  Stump of Time (Tol Barad – Exalted)
  Vibrant Alchemist Stone (Alchemy)
  Witching Hourglass (Blackrock Caverns – Heroic)
  Anhuur's Hymnal (Halls of Origination – Heroic)
• Weapons (Enchant Weapon - Power Torrent)
  Staff of Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan (Archaeology)
  Cerith Spire Staff (Throne of the Tides – Heroic)
  Insidious Staff (Tol Barad – Revered)
• Wand
  Corla's Baton (Blackrock Caverns – Heroic)

If you have enough Valor Points to buy gear with an item level of 359 you can do so. These items are always an upgrade over item level 346 pieces. But be aware, that you might want to save your Valor Points for your tier sets later.

The pre-BiS list is continuously being worked on. Please use the feedback button below to send us your thoughts and suggestions.

Affliction Warlock Phase 1 BiS List for Cata (Tier 11)

The following Affliction Warlock best-in-slot list contains the best items you can get in Phase 1 of Cataclysm Classic:

• Head (Arcanum of Hyjal)
  Crown of the Twilight Queen (The Bastion of Twilight)
• Neck
  Planetary Amulet of the Wildfire (Throne of the Four Winds)
• Shoulders (Greater Inscription of Charged Lodestone)
  Shadowflame Mantle (The Bastion of Twilight / Throne of the Four Winds)
• Cloak (Enchant Cloak - Greater Intellect)
  Shroud of Endless Grief (The Bastion of Twilight)
• Chest (Enchant Chest - Peerless Stats)
  Shadowflame Robes (The Bastion of Twilight)
• Wrists (Enchant Bracer - Mighty Intellect)
  Bracers of the Bronze Flight (The Bastion of Twilight)
• Hands (Enchant Gloves - Haste)
  Hands of the Twilight Council (The Bastion of Twilight)
• Waist
  Soul Breath Belt of the Fireflash (Throne of the Four Winds)
• Legs (Powerful Ghostly Spellthread)
  Shadowflame Leggings (Blackwing Descent)
• Feet (Enchant Boots - Precision)
  Einhorn's Galoshes (Blackwing Descent)
• Rings
  Signet of the Fifth Circle (The Bastion of Twilight)
  Planetary Band of the Wildfire (Throne of the Four Winds)
• Trinkets
  Bell of Enraging Resonance (Blackwing Descent)
  Darkmoon Card: Volcano (Darkmoon Faire)
• Weapons (Enchant Weapon - Power Torrent)
  Incineratus (Blackwing Descent)
• Off-Hand (Enchant Off-Hand - Superior Intellect)
  Book of Binding Will (The Bastion of Twilight)
• Wand
  Theresa's Booklight (Blackwing Descent)

If you raid on normal difficulty, you can get the same items with an item level of 359 instead of item level 372.

Affliction Warlock Stat Priority in Cataclysm Classic

As an Affliction Warlock you want to prioritize gear with the following stats:

1. Intellect
2. 1742 Hit Rating, which equals a Hit Chance of 17%. More Hit Rating has no value.
3. Haste Rating
4. Critical Strike Rating
5. Mastery Rating

Affliction Warlock Gems in Cataclysm Classic

The gems you want to put into your gear as an Affliction Warlock in Cata Classic are the following:

• Meta: Burning Shadowspirit Diamond
• Red: 3 Brilliant Chimera's Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter. Otherwise Brilliant Inferno Ruby.
• Yellow: Reckless Ember Topaz
• Blue: Veiled Demonseye

Use red gems in your prismatic gem sockets.

Warlock Builds in Cataclysm Classic

Here you’ll find more builds for a Warlock in Cataclysm Classic: