Demonology Warlock: First Impression of the New Warlock Talent Trees in Dragonflight

Posted 2022/08/29 at 2:00 PM by NotWarlock

To learn about the best PvE talent builds in Dragonflight for this class, and export these builds into the game, please check out our Affliction, Demonology, and Destruction Warlock class guides:
Affliction Warlock Talent BuildsDemonology Warlock Talent BuildsDestruction Warlock Talent BuildsWarlock Dragonflight Class TreeWarlock Dragonflight Talents - What's New?Soul ConduitSoulburnAmplify CurseSoul LinkGrimoire of SynergyGuillotineInfernal CommandGul'dan's AmbitionNer'zhul's VolitionNether PortalWarlock Dragonflight Talent Tree - First impressionsSoul LinkSoul ConduitGrimoire of SynergyAbyss WalkerDemonic FortitudeSweet SoulsProfane BargainDemonic EmbraceView in Dragonflight Talent CalculatorDemonic InspirationWrathful MinionGrimoire of SynergySoul ConduitSummon SoulkeeperInquisitor's GazeResolute BarrierDemonic ResilienceFiendish StrideAmplify CurseTeachings of the SatyrCurse of TonguesDemonic CircleDemonic GatewayBurning RushSoulburnFiendish StrideDemonology Warlock Spec TreeDemonology Dragonflight Talents - What's New?

Fel and Steel - A nice passive buff to Felstorm and Dreadbite. Considering there is a high likelihood of you taking Wicked Maw, Dreadlash and Carnivorous Stalkers in your base build increasing the damage of an ability that is likely to hit multiple times per Dreadstalker is not bad. Felstorm is also something you're consistently hitting and especially in AoE scenarios does significant damage (this talent also increases the damage from the Felstorm of Demonic Strength as well).

Fel Might - Similar to the previous talent making Felstorm more available is a good thing.

Fel Sunder - If you are persuing the more Felguard oriented build you can have very high uptime of this debuff between your pets regular Felstorm (35s cooldown) and Demonic Strength since both apply the debuff if you stagger them properly this debuff will be active for a generous amount of time.

Hounds of War - Having the ability to reset your Dreadstalkers and reapply Wicked Maw will be good, mostly prelevant if you are in a more AoE centric environment where having high uptime of From the Shadows to build damage off of through your Shadowflame abilities (Demonbolt, Implosion, Hand of Gul'dan) will be strong.

Kazaak's Final Curse - The return of an old legendary effect comes at a weird time for Demonology as we have no way of easily applying Doom en masse this talent feels awkward and out of place with our toolkit.

Imp Gang Boss - The Imp Gang Boss is essentially like our Sepulcher 4 piece tier bonus of Malicious Imp with some extra added flair if used in an AoE centered build.

Bloodbound Imps - Giving us more Demonic Cores is never something anyone is going to have issues with, this talent basicaly makes your Implosion a Soul Shard generator to an extent since each Demonic Core gives us two Soul Shards.

Antoran Armaments - Further solidifies the right side of the talent tree as your Felguard's playground giving it more cleave with Soul Strike if taken earlier and just more overall damage.

Infernal Command - Passive damage increase to your other more common demon summons giving even more power to your Felguard's presence.

Guillotine - Another big source of AoE Shadowflame damage that would be buffed by Wicked Maw and empowers your Felguard's attacks to AoE even faster. Currently your Felguard does full damage without its weapon and attacks 50% faster though this may not be working fully as intended, or at least you'd think so if you started attacking without your weapon there would be some kind of damage loss.

The Expendables - One of the more underlook talents we are getting back from the Legion Artifact - given how many Wild Imps we go through during an encounter your Felguard should have this buff up all the time and all your other demons getting some benefit from it throughout the encounter is very strong.

- The rework of Demonic Consumption that everyone was hoping for in effect should be a much easier talent to manage while outputting similar (or better) strength. Since Demonic Consumption relied on having as much health on your demons as possible there were definitely opportunities where you couldn't rely on having all the externals available or where you would need to manage those externals around your cooldown. The rework allows you to simply look at your total demon count and hit Summon Demonic Tyrant for the best bang for your buck. It's a major quality of life improvement and shifts the power all to your own decision making instead of others deciding (or your raid leader moving things around to accomodate you).

Stolen Power - I'm not sure the application of this talent will be what Blizzard is hoping it to be since Demonbolt/Shadow Bolt, overall, are not a major/significant source of damage making it hit two times as hard every 100 Firebolt casts (roughly every 6 casts of Hand of Gul'dan) is extremely underwhelming. One of the Legion Artifact talents that should have remained an artifact.

Ner'zhul's Volition - This talent is kind of just a bandaid fix for Nether Portal but instead of it reliably summoning extra demons per Soul Shard spent it is just down to RNG. Of course this talent will help justify not altering to a build one Soul Shard, spend one Soul Shard rotation since it activates per Soul Shard spent the proc chance (4% at max rank) is very low and may not change the build/spend phase during Nether Portal at all. I think there needs to be further iteration on this talent, even if it completely alters Nether Portal from "Every time you spend Soul Shard" to just be "Per Soul Shard Spent you summon an extra demon".

Gul'dan's Ambition - Unfortunately for our last comment on Ner'zhul's Volition this talent basically re-enforces the desire to change our rotation into the build one Soul Shard, spend one Soul Shard style (at least for 10 Soul Shards since we are on a limited window of time with Nether Portal) to get max power out of our new friend. If Ner'zhul's Volition or Nether Portal ends up changing getting maximum value from our Pit Lord will be easily accomplished without any modification to our playstyle and would be a welcome addition to our army of Demons. This talent also currently either does not work and/or the tuning of the Pit Lord is very subpar as it currently stands they deal pitiful damage.

Demonology Dragonflight Talent Tree Builds - First ImpressionsGuillotineImplosionView in Dragonflight Talent Calculatorsiphon health fromSummon Demonic TyrantGrimoire: FelguardSummon VilefiendInner DemonsNether PortalGul'dan's AmbitionInner DemonsNer'zhul's VolitionImp Gang BossWilfred's Sigil of Superior SummoningView in Dragonflight Talent CalculatorImplosionPact of the Imp MotherGuillotineWicked MawDreadlashCarnivorous StalkersSummon Demonic TyrantView in Dragonflight Talent CalculatorSummon Demonic TyrantThe ExpendablesDread CallingImplosionView in Dragonflight Talent CalculatorDoomKazaak's Final CurseFel CovenantImplosionDreadlashView in Dragonflight Talent CalculatorDecimating BoltDemonboltPower SiphonGrimoire: FelguardWilfred's Sigil of Superior SummoningSacrificed SoulsView in Dragonflight Talent CalculatorConclusionImplosionDoomKazaak's Final Curse

Comment by hashtagfredI'm gonna miss Decimating Bolt. Hope they're considering making it available on the demonology tree instead.Comment by PerrycoxI keep seeing people making builds with Grimoire Felguard, and I'm sitting here just feeling like the talent is dead now. Maybe it could be played with Nether Portal since it's an instant, 1 shard cast, but any other build? I just can't see it because of the CD mismatches. Like I'd much rather take a(n additional) point in one of a couple different things (depending on the build) instead of an effectively 3 minute CD.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Reign of Tyranny will be tuned to the point that holding GFG for a minute to line up with every other Tyrant will be worthwhile outside of Portal. But right now I just don't see itComment by Mikhailov"This talent also currently either does not work and/or the tuning of the Pit Lord is very subpar as it currently stands they deal pitiful damage."

I see what you did there ;DComment by JaceRaifelOn the Zoo Portal build, why take Imp Gang Boss? It's not an additonal Imp it says on it it's "Instead" of a Wild Imp. And it's ability to summon a Wild Imp immediately only works when it's Imploded which isn't taken. So that's two points that could be used elsewhere no? I mean, yea the Gang Boss does more damage but it's not an additonal demon in the endComment by Xernathadd explosive potential (bfa version) as talent and bring back Dimensional rifts and Decimating bolt to class talent tree...Comment by AsgoraClasstree

- They should bring back Decimating Bolt and Dimensional rifts.
- Resolute Barrier is bad because it has antisynergy with other defensive talents.
- Demonic Resilience is only relevant for pvp.
- Teachings of the Black Harvest is super undertuned.
- Claw of endereth is probably the most ridiculous Capstonenote.
- Soulburn shouldn't have GCD and also improve Shadowfury and Shadowflame.
- Abyss Walker makes no sense because you dodged most things with the Cicle and therefore no dmg reduction needed afterwards.
- The kick should be on the pet

Demotree

- Nether Portal has an incredibly bad game design.
It's heavily RNG heavy on a 3 minute cooldown and an ineffective way of playing with the 1 shard Hand of Gul dan.
- Ner'zhul's Volition is not really helpful to fix the Nether Portal problems.
- Grimoire: Felguard should have a 1.5 min cooldown and lose 25% dmg.
- Kick Doom out. It's boring and doesn't fit today's demolock. They could bring thal'kiel's consumption back.Comment by NatakutdhYou would think being disarmed would weaken the felguard, but it doesnt. The weapon was for your protection.Comment by PerrycoxOn the Zoo Portal build, why take Imp Gang Boss? It's not an additonal Imp it says on it it's "Instead" of a Wild Imp. And it's ability to summon a Wild Imp immediately only works when it's Imploded which isn't taken. So that's two points that could be used elsewhere no? I mean, yea the Gang Boss does more damage but it's not an additonal demon in the endComment by JaceRaifelOn the Zoo Portal build, why take Imp Gang Boss? It's not an additonal Imp it says on it it's "Instead" of a Wild Imp. And it's ability to summon a Wild Imp immediately only works when it's Imploded which isn't taken. So that's two points that could be used elsewhere no? I mean, yea the Gang Boss does more damage but it's not an additonal demon in the endComment by HulkamusNot to be weird but why isn't Lord Kalamazi writing these guides? He's literally the Warlock dictionary and he streams and can explain everything to you. Anyways, great post either way and I can't wait to give Demo a spin in DF. It's looking good!Comment by Jaquane101Classtree

- The kick should be on the pet
k.Comment by wondra2Classtree

- The kick should be on the pet
k.Comment by warlocktankkick should be on the pet. we dont need to be the same as every other class. if you dont want to run a felhunter who has an interrupt thats a you problem. go play a mage.Comment by codyak1984That "Hold This For Me" build is something I was trying to build myself. I don't really care for packs and packs of tiny imps, but love the demon doggos and felguard. I love it, and Warlock might've just entered my prospective stable of alts for DF.