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Demonology Warlock DPS Starter Guide - Shadowlands 9.2.5
By NotWarlock
Last Updated:
2022/11/28
Changelog
Patch: 10.1.7
Table of Contents
Rating: 4.5/5
(
8
Votes)
Guide Navigation
Rating: 4.5/5
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8
Votes)
Welcome to our Demonology Warlock starter guide, which covers everything you need to start playing a new character in Shadowlands. While our other guide pages go into more individual detail, this simple starter guide covers all the basics in one place, whether you're a new Demonology Warlock, a returning player to Shadowlands, hardcore, or casual alike, it's the best place to get a beginners overview on the class. Included are basic talent builds, simplified rotations, stats, legendary recommendations, and more to get you started as quickly as possible.
Please keep in mind that this page is meant to get players started quickly as an introduction, and does not contain much in the way of detailed explanations, mechanics, competitive options, gearing, simulation comparisons, or nuance. For more in-depth information, including all those optimizations and more, check out the complete Demonology Warlock Guide pages linked in the navigation on the left-hand side of the page, and if you're leveling up in Shadowlands, you can take a look at our
leveling tips
.
10.1.7 Season 2
10.1.7 Cheat Sheet
10.1.7 Primordial Stones
10.1.7 Mythic+
10.1.7 Raid Tips
10.1.7 Talent Builds
10.1.7 Rotation
10.1.7 Support Buffs
10.1.7 Gear
10.1.7 Tier Set Bonus
Overview
Abilities & Talents
Advanced Concepts
Stats
Consumables
Macros & Addons
WeakAuras
Common Terms
Mythic+
Common Questions
Leveling
Simulations
Hotfixes
PvP Overview
PvP Builds
Mage Tower
About the Author
I am known around these parts of the internet by my in-game name of
Not
. I have been playing a Warlock since the start of Cataclysm and have not really deviated from it since. I was the founder/creator of
Lock One Stop Shop
, a website that was made for Warlocks, by Warlocks.
You can catch me online on
Twitter
,
Twitch
, and
Youtube
.
Best Demonology Warlocks Covenant in Shadowlands
Unlike some other classes/specs Demonology Warlock is between a rock and hard place; if you are only going to play Demonology you have some flexibility and choice between playing Necrolord or Night Fae. However, if you plan on playing the other specs you should just embrace the Night Fae life entirely. The specific covenant pages will give you a more in depth look at the options you have and why each one is good.....or not.
Best Demonology Warlock Covenants and Soulbinds for Raid
Single Legendary
Double Legendary
Night Fae
Dreamweaver
Night Fae
Dreamweaver
Necrolord
Plague Deviser Marileth
Necrolord
Plague Deviser Marileth
Best Demonology Warlock Covenants and Soulbinds for Mythic+
Single Legendary
Double Legendary
Night Fae
Dreamweaver
Night Fae
Dreamweaver
Necrolord
Plague Deviser Marileth
Necrolord
Plague Deviser Marileth
Single Target - Night Fae = Necrolord* >> Kyrian >> Venthyr
Multi Target - Night Fae >> Necrolord > Kyrian > Venthyr
*Necrolord is better in pure single target scenarios but if there is any opportunity for multi-target Night Fae will be ahead and allows for specialization flexibility
Best Demonology Warlock Covenant
Kyrian Demonology Warlock Guide
Necrolord Demonology WarlockGuide
Night Fae Demonology Warlock Guide
Venthyr Demonology Warlock Guide
Legendaries for Demonology Warlocks in Shadowlands
Just like with Covenants, we have some choices to make especially when starting out and with the introduction of double legendaries these would be the paths to take.
Best Single Legendaries
Raid Legendary
:
Wilfred's Sigil of Superior Summoning
Mythic+ Legendary
:
Wilfred's Sigil of Superior Summoning
/
Grim Inquisitor's Dread Calling
Best Double Legendaries
Raid Legendaries
:
Wilfred's Sigil of Superior Summoning
and
Decaying Soul Satchel
Mythic+ Legendaries
:
Wilfred's Sigil of Superior Summoning
/
Grim Inquisitor's Dread Calling
depending on player preference/talent choices and
Decaying Soul Satchel
Demonology Warlock Legendaries Guide
Talents for Demonology Warlocks in Shadowlands
This Demonology Warlock build is well rounded and suited for all types of content, without focusing on any one thing in particular. I'll include talent choices here depending if you have no tier, two-piece or four-piece.
For any stacked target cleave you will take
Dreadlash
and for predominately single target you will take
Demonic Strength
. The difference between either talent is very small however.
Demonology Warlock Talents Guide
Stat Priority for Demonology Warlocks in Shadowlands
Demonology Warlocks prioritize Intellect through Item Level, followed by Haste. Find out more about how stats work, including sample stat weights and scaling plots in the Stats Guide, or get an overview of gear to look for from dungeons and raids in the Demo Warlock Gear Guide.
Intellect
Haste
Critical Strike = Mastery
Versatility
Demonology Warlock Stats Guide
Enhancements for Demonology Warlocks in Shadowlands
Rings:
Bargain of Haste
/
Tenet of Haste
Weapon:
Celestial Guidance
Chest:
Sacred Stats
/
Eternal Stats
Cloak:
Soul Vitality
or
Fortified Speed
Bracer:
Illuminated Soul
/
Eternal Intellect
Gloves: N/A
Boots:
Soul Treads
Demonology Warlock Enhancements Guide
Rotation for Demonology Warlocks in Shadowlands
This is a typical Demonology Warlock DPS rotation, using the talents recommended above. More optimized rotations and notes on on cooldown use can be found in the Demo Warlock Rotation Guide.
Cast
Summon Demonic Tyrant
on cooldown with 6 or more Wild Imps and one set of Dreadstalkers active. Try to use in conjunction with
Grimoire: Felguard
and
Summon Vilefiend
as much as possible.
Cast
Demonic Strength
on cooldown as often as possible.
Cast
Hand of Gul'dan
and
Call Dreadstalkers
to dump
Soul Shards
.
Cast
Shadow Bolt
as your filler spell to generate Soul Shards. Alternately cast
Demonbolt
as needed.
For AoE, only cast
Implosion
when there are 2 or more enemies grouped together. It's best to wait until you have 2 sets of 3 Wild Imps out at once before using it.
Demonology Warlock Rotation Guide
Back to Top
Our Demonology Warlock guides are always updated with the latest information from in-game experience, simulations, and logs; make sure to check our changelog to this page, by clicking on
View Changelog
at the top of the page. If you are interested in more in-depth Demonology Warlock guides for , make sure to browse the
Navigation Bar
below, and our list of
Related Guides
just beneath the
Table of Contents
.
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