Trolls can be Warlocks in Forever, curses gain Banes, and all three Warlock trees end in new 31-point talents: Wrack, Demonic Pact and Incinerate.
Official changes come from Blizzard's Deep Dive, What's Next and Found Photos panels; talent facts come from the same talent data as our calculator (where it comes from); hands-on reports are marked. Last reviewed: .
A Warlock kills with damage over time and a demon at its side, trades Health for Mana with Life Tap, and heals itself back with Drain Life, which in Classic made it one of the most self-sufficient levelers. Forever changes the class more in its talents than anywhere else: more Warlock talents are replaced than for any other class, all three trees end in new 31-point talents, and Curse of Agony and Curse of Doom become Banes, a second slot beside your curse. Trolls can be Warlocks for the first time.
You’ll enjoy it if
You like stacking damage over time on several enemies and moving on while they die.
You want a pet for every job: the Voidwalker tanks, the Sayaad (Succubus or Incubus) seduces, the Felhunter stops casters.
You want more room on the target: a Bane and a curse can both be on it, such as Bane of Agony and Curse of the Elements.
You like being useful outside combat: Healthstones, Soulstones and summoning, now with a Portal of Summoning at 60 in the beta client.
Think twice if
You mind Soul Shards. Icy Veins’ Crix, after about ten hours in the demo, said they still don’t stack.
You want burst. A Warlock’s damage builds over the fight, and Chaos Bolt wasn’t shown in the demo.
You want your talents to stay put: the Affliction 31-point talent was Drain Hope in the demo and is Wrack in the beta client and in Blizzard’s October 7 deep dive, which adds that talents can still change during the beta.
What groups want from you
Curse of the Elements or Curse of Recklessness on the boss, with your Bane on top.
Banish or Fear on the extra enemy the tank can’t hold, since tanks hold only three or four.
Healthstones for everyone and a Soulstone on the healer.
Summons to the dungeon door; the demo had no meeting stones that summon the party.
Solo play and gold
Solo, a Warlock sends the Voidwalker in, stacks Corruption, Bane of Agony and Immolate, and finishes with Shadow Bolt or Drain Soul for a Soul Shard; Life Tap and Drain Life keep the cycle going without eating. With kills taking 10–15 seconds from about level 10–15, DoTs that tick while you pull the next enemy are an advantage. Demons scale with your stats, and Icy Veins’ overview of the 38-level demo reports a Move To command.
Tailoring for cloth and bags is the Classic Warlock pairing. In the beta client, Spellstone and Firestone are weapon enchants rather than items in the wand or off-hand slot, so you keep your wand.
02 Three ways to play a Warlock
All three Warlock trees end in new 31-point talents, and more of them are replaced than for any other class. The icons show the talents in the Warlock Talent Calculator; hover or tap one for its full tooltip.
Affliction
Damage over time · drains
Wrack is the 31-point talent in the beta client: a short channel that deals Shadow damage every second and raises your other Shadow damage over time on the target. Pandemic doubles the critical damage of Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, your drains, Siphon Life and Wrack, which matters because damage over time can crit in Forever: Blizzard’s deep dive says Affliction is now fully viable through critical strikes. Soul Siphon makes your drains and Wrack stronger for each of your Affliction effects on the target.
Blizzard describes Wrack as what Affliction casts when it isn’t refreshing damage over time or firing an instant Shadow Bolt from Nightfall, which Drain Soul and Wrack now trigger as well. Soul Harvest, the renamed Improved Drain Soul, restores mana after an enemy dies under Drain Soul, Malevolence adds Shadow crit, and Shadow Mastery now adds 10% Shadow damage at 5 ranks. Curse of Exhaustion is the 16-point talent (level 25) and slows by 30% on its own. Grim Reach is back for range since the October 15 beta build, which removed Malediction; Dark Pact and the old Improved Curse talents are gone.
Forever talents to know
Wrack
Affliction · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Tears the target apart from within, inflicting 36 Shadow damage every 1 sec and increasing the damage they take from your other Shadow damage over time effects by 10% for 6 sec. level 60 reference
Wrack
Pandemic
Affliction · tier 3 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 33%.
Rank 3: Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 100%.
Pandemic
Soul Siphon
Affliction · tier 5 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 4% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 12%.
Rank 3: Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 12% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 36%.
Soul Siphon
Soul Harvest
Affliction · tier 2 · max rank 2
Killing a non-trivial target afflicted by your Drain Soul increases your Mana regeneration by 50% for 10 sec and allows 50% of normal Mana regeneration to continue while casting.
Rank 2: Killing a non-trivial target afflicted by your Drain Soul increases your Mana regeneration by 100% for 10 sec and allows 100% of normal Mana regeneration to continue while casting.
Soul Harvest
Malevolence
Affliction · tier 4 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 1%.
Rank 5: Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 5%.
Malevolence
Demonology
Demons · the pet spec
Demonic Pact keeps your Demonic Sacrifice buff when you summon a different demon, so you can sacrifice one and still fight with another; resummoning the sacrificed one still ends it. Blizzard points out that a Warlock can now hold a Demonic Sacrifice effect and a Master Demonologist effect together: sacrifice an Imp for 15% Shadow damage, then summon a Succubus for up to 10% more. Demonic Knowledge raises your spell damage and your demon’s while one is out, and Demonic Brand makes Searing Pain mark a target for your pet’s next attacks, which lets a Voidwalker hold it; Blizzard says a pet that doesn’t tank, such as the Imp, gets no extra threat from it.
Decimation nearly removes Soul Fire’s cooldown and makes it fast and free of Soul Shards after Shadow Bolt or Searing Pain on a target below 35% health: a real execute. Demonic Energies heals your pet from your spell damage and shares Life Tap mana with it. Fel Stamina and Fel Intellect are gone as separate talents; Fel Vitality covers both. For leveling, Demonic Sacrifice comes at 11 points (level 20), Fel Domination at 16 and Soul Link at 21 (level 30).
Forever talents to know
Demonic Pact
Demonology · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Your Demonic Sacrifice effect is no longer cancelled by summoning a different Demon pet. Resummoning the sacrificed pet will still cancel the effect.
Demonic Pact
Demonic Knowledge
Demonology · tier 5 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases your spell damage and your Demon pet's spell damage by up to 33% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.
Rank 3: Increases your spell damage and your Demon pet's spell damage by up to 100% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.
Demonic Knowledge
Decimation
Demonology · tier 4 · max rank 2
★ New in Forever
Reduces the cooldown of your Soul Fire spell by 45%. When you cast Shadow Bolt or Searing Pain on an enemy below 35% health, they deal 3% increased damage, and for the next 10 sec your Soul Fire spell has its cast time reduced by 20% and costs no Soul Shards.
Rank 2: Reduces the cooldown of your Soul Fire spell by 90%. When you cast Shadow Bolt or Searing Pain on an enemy below 35% health, they deal 6% increased damage, and for the next 10 sec your Soul Fire spell has its cast time reduced by 40% and costs no Soul Shards.
Decimation
Demonic Brand
Demonology · tier 4 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Your Searing Pain generates 17% less threat and brands the target for 10 sec. Your pet's next 2 attacks against the target deal 65 to 68 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet. If Shadow damage is dealt, it has high threat. level 60 reference
Rank 3: Your Searing Pain generates 50% less threat and brands the target for 10 sec. Your pet's next 6 attacks against the target deal 65 to 68 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet. If Shadow damage is dealt, it has high threat. level 60 reference
Demonic Brand
Fel Vitality
Demonology · tier 2 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 5%, and increases your maximum Mana by 5%.
Rank 3: Increases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 15%, and increases your maximum Mana by 15%.
Fel Vitality
Destruction
Fire damage · Incinerate
Incinerate replaces Conflagrate at 31 points and deals more damage to a target burning with your Immolate, so Destruction becomes Immolate, then Incinerate. Conflagrate is still in the tree, at 16 points (level 25): Fire and Brimstone raises its critical chance, and Shadow and Flame means it no longer consumes Immolate and links your Shadow and Fire damage.
Bane of Havoc copies part of your damage on other targets onto the one it afflicts, for fights with more than one enemy. Molten Skin cuts all damage you take, and Agonizing Flames adds Destruction damage and Searing Pain crit. Destructive Reach, now in the first tier, lengthens every damaging spell, and Ruin sits at tier 3 with five ranks: Blizzard moved both so that Affliction, Demonology and hybrid builds can reach them.
Forever talents to know
Incinerate
Destruction · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Deals 99 to 115 Fire damage to your target and an additional 25% damage if the target is afflicted by Immolate. level 60 reference
Incinerate
Bane of Havoc
Destruction · tier 5 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Afflicts the target for 5 min, causing 15% of all damage done by the Warlock to other targets to also be dealt to the cursed target. Bane of Havoc is limited to 1 target, and only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Bane of Havoc
Shadow and Flame
Destruction · tier 6 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Hitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 2% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 20% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 20% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.
Rank 5: Hitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 100% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 100% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.
Shadow and Flame
Molten Skin
Destruction · tier 2 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Reduces all damage taken by 2%.
Rank 5: Reduces all damage taken by 10%.
Molten Skin
Agonizing Flames
Destruction · tier 4 · max rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 3% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 3%.
Rank 3: Increases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 10% and the damage done by all your Destruction spells by 10%.
Agonizing Flames
Dual Specialization opens at level 40, Blizzard’s class deep dives say; you change talents at a class trainer in a major city.
Warlock talent trees at a glance
Each tree’s 31-point talent and how many talents changed. The full list, with every rank, is in the talent calculator.
Affliction New
Wrack
Affliction · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Tears the target apart from within, inflicting 36 Shadow damage every 1 sec and increasing the damage they take from your other Shadow damage over time effects by 10% for 6 sec. level 60 reference
Wrack
Replaces Dark Pact
5 new
2 renamed or reworked
5 removed
4 moved
Improved Drains
Affliction · tier 2 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases health drained or damage done by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 7%.
Rank 3: Increases health drained or damage done by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 20%.
Pandemic
Affliction · tier 3 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 33%.
Rank 3: Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Corruption, Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom, Drain Soul, Drain Life, Siphon Life, and Wrack spells by 100%.
Malevolence
Affliction · tier 4 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 1%.
Rank 5: Increases the critical effect chance of your Shadow spells by 5%.
Soul Siphon
Affliction · tier 5 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 4% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 12%.
Rank 3: Increases the damage done or health drained by your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Wrack spells by 12% per each of your other Affliction effects active on the target, up to a maximum increase of 36%.
Wrack
Affliction · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Tears the target apart from within, inflicting 36 Shadow damage every 1 sec and increasing the damage they take from your other Shadow damage over time effects by 10% for 6 sec. level 60 reference
Demonology New
Demonic Pact
Demonology · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Your Demonic Sacrifice effect is no longer cancelled by summoning a different Demon pet. Resummoning the sacrificed pet will still cancel the effect.
Demonic Pact
Replaces Improved Spellstone / Soul Link
8 new
6 removed
6 moved
Demonic Aegis
Demonology · tier 2 · max rank 2
★ New in Forever
Increases the effectiveness of your Demon Skin and Demon Armor spells by 15%.
Rank 2: Increases the effectiveness of your Demon Skin and Demon Armor spells by 30%.
Fel Vitality
Demonology · tier 2 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 5%, and increases your maximum Mana by 5%.
Rank 3: Increases the maximum health and Mana of your Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, Incubus, and Felhunter by 15%, and increases your maximum Mana by 15%.
Demonic Energies
Demonology · tier 2 · max rank 2
★ New in Forever
You heal your pet for 8% of all spell damage you deal. When you gain Mana from Life Tap, your summoned demon gains 50% of the Mana you gain.
Rank 2: You heal your pet for 15% of all spell damage you deal. When you gain Mana from Life Tap, your summoned demon gains 100% of the Mana you gain.
Decimation
Demonology · tier 4 · max rank 2
★ New in Forever
Reduces the cooldown of your Soul Fire spell by 45%. When you cast Shadow Bolt or Searing Pain on an enemy below 35% health, they deal 3% increased damage, and for the next 10 sec your Soul Fire spell has its cast time reduced by 20% and costs no Soul Shards.
Rank 2: Reduces the cooldown of your Soul Fire spell by 90%. When you cast Shadow Bolt or Searing Pain on an enemy below 35% health, they deal 6% increased damage, and for the next 10 sec your Soul Fire spell has its cast time reduced by 40% and costs no Soul Shards.
Demonic Brand
Demonology · tier 4 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Your Searing Pain generates 17% less threat and brands the target for 10 sec. Your pet's next 2 attacks against the target deal 65 to 68 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet. If Shadow damage is dealt, it has high threat. level 60 reference
Rank 3: Your Searing Pain generates 50% less threat and brands the target for 10 sec. Your pet's next 6 attacks against the target deal 65 to 68 Fire or Shadow damage based on the pet. If Shadow damage is dealt, it has high threat. level 60 reference
Improved Felhunter
Demonology · tier 5 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the Attack Power reduction of your Felhunter's Tainted Blood, the healing of its Devour Magic, and the detection level of its Paranoia by 10%, and reduces the cooldown of its Spell Lock by 2 sec.
Rank 3: Increases the Attack Power reduction of your Felhunter's Tainted Blood, the healing of its Devour Magic, and the detection level of its Paranoia by 30%, and reduces the cooldown of its Spell Lock by 6 sec.
Demonic Knowledge
Demonology · tier 5 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases your spell damage and your Demon pet's spell damage by up to 33% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.
Rank 3: Increases your spell damage and your Demon pet's spell damage by up to 100% of your level while you have a summoned Demon pet active.
Demonic Pact
Demonology · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Your Demonic Sacrifice effect is no longer cancelled by summoning a different Demon pet. Resummoning the sacrificed pet will still cancel the effect.
Destruction New
Incinerate
Destruction · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Deals 99 to 115 Fire damage to your target and an additional 25% damage if the target is afflicted by Immolate. level 60 reference
Incinerate
Replaces Conflagrate
5 new
1 renamed or reworked
5 removed
6 moved
Molten Skin
Destruction · tier 2 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Reduces all damage taken by 2%.
Rank 5: Reduces all damage taken by 10%.
Bane of Havoc
Destruction · tier 5 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Afflicts the target for 5 min, causing 15% of all damage done by the Warlock to other targets to also be dealt to the cursed target. Bane of Havoc is limited to 1 target, and only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Fire and Brimstone
Destruction · tier 5 · max rank 3
★ New in Forever
Increases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 8%.
Rank 3: Increases the critical strike chance of your Conflagrate spell by 25%.
Shadow and Flame
Destruction · tier 6 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Hitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 2% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 20% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 20% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.
Rank 5: Hitting an enemy with Conflagrate increases all Shadow damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec, and hitting an enemy with Shadowburn increases all Fire damage you deal by 10% for 20 sec. In addition, Conflagrate has a 100% chance not to consume Immolate, and Shadowburn has a 100% chance to instantly refund a Soul Shard.
Incinerate
Destruction · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Deals 99 to 115 Fire damage to your target and an additional 25% damage if the target is afflicted by Immolate. level 60 reference
The first levels are Shadow Bolt, Immolate and the Imp, then Corruption and Curse of Weakness at 4, Life Tap at 6 and Bane of Agony at 8. The Voidwalker at 10 is where Warlock leveling starts in earnest, as in Classic. The Sayaad at 20 comes as a Succubus or an Incubus, and the Felhunter at 30.
Dungeon enemies give much less experience in Forever and dungeon quests much more, so run each dungeon once with its quests (the WoW Forever dungeons guide lists all 9). The experience needed to reach 60 is the same as in Classic: Wowhead retracted its datamine of a lower curve after Blizzard explained the file isn’t used by the game (see the WoW Forever leveling guide).
Warlock key levels
The levels where the abilities in the table below arrive. Hover, focus or tap a level to see everything a Warlock trainer teaches that is new at it; every icon has its tooltip.
Immolate
Immolate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Burns the enemy for 8 Fire damage and then an additional 15 Fire damage over 15 sec.
Shadow Bolt
Shadow Bolt
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 1.7 sec
Sends a shadowy bolt at the enemy, causing 11 to 15 Shadow damage.
New at level 1: 4
Demon Skin
Demon Skin
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 50 Mana
Cast time instant
Protects the caster, increasing armor by 40 and increases health regeneration by 3 health per 5 sec. for 30 min.
Immolate
Immolate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Burns the enemy for 8 Fire damage and then an additional 15 Fire damage over 15 sec.
Shadow Bolt
Shadow Bolt
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 1.7 sec
Sends a shadowy bolt at the enemy, causing 11 to 15 Shadow damage.
Summon Imp
Summon Imp
Corruption
Corruption
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 35 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Corrupts the target, causing 40 Shadow damage over 12 sec.
New at level 4: 2
Corruption
Corruption
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 35 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Corrupts the target, causing 40 Shadow damage over 12 sec.
Curse of Weakness
Curse of Weakness
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 20 Mana
Cast time instant
Physical damage caused by the target is reduced by 4 for 2 min. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Life Tap
Life Tap
Rank 1 · level 6
Cast time instant
New at level 6: 1
Life Tap
Life Tap
Rank 1 · level 6
Cast time instant
Bane of Agony
Bane of Agony
Rank 1 · level 8
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time instant
Afflicts the target with agony, causing 72 Shadow damage over 24 sec. This damage is dealt slowly at first, and builds up as the Bane reaches its full duration. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Fear
Fear
New at level 8: 2
Bane of Agony
Bane of Agony
Rank 1 · level 8
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time instant
Afflicts the target with agony, causing 72 Shadow damage over 24 sec. This damage is dealt slowly at first, and builds up as the Bane reaches its full duration. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Fear
Fear
Drain Soul
Drain Soul
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Drains the soul of the target, causing 85 Shadow damage over 15 sec. Non-trivial targets damaged by Drain Soul have a chance to grant you a Soul Shard. Non-trivial targets killed by Drain Soul will always grant you a Soul shard. Soul Shards are required for other spells.
Summon Voidwalker
Summon Voidwalker
New at level 10: 3
Create Healthstone
Create Healthstone
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 95 Mana
Cast time 3 sec
Creates a Minor Healthstone that can be used to instantly restore 120 health. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
Drain Soul
Drain Soul
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Drains the soul of the target, causing 85 Shadow damage over 15 sec. Non-trivial targets damaged by Drain Soul have a chance to grant you a Soul Shard. Non-trivial targets killed by Drain Soul will always grant you a Soul shard. Soul Shards are required for other spells.
Summon Voidwalker
Summon Voidwalker
Drain Life
Drain Life
Rank 1 · level 14
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Transfers 10 health every 1 second from the target to the caster. Lasts 5 sec.
New at level 14: 2
Curse of Recklessness
Curse of Recklessness
Rank 1 · level 14
Cost 35 Mana
Cast time instant
Curses the target with recklessness, reducing the target's armor by 175 for 2 min. Cursed enemies will not flee and will ignore Fear and Horror effects. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Drain Life
Drain Life
Rank 1 · level 14
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Transfers 10 health every 1 second from the target to the caster. Lasts 5 sec.
Curse of the Elements
Curse of the Elements
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 50 Mana
Cast time instant
Curses the target for 5 min, reducing Magic resistances by 30 and increases Magic damage taken by 4%. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Summon Succubus
Summon Succubus
New at level 20: 6
Curse of the Elements
Curse of the Elements
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 50 Mana
Cast time instant
Curses the target for 5 min, reducing Magic resistances by 30 and increases Magic damage taken by 4%. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Demon Armor
Demon Armor
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 275 Mana
Cast time instant
Protects the caster, increasing armor by 210, Shadow resistance by 3 and increases health regeneration by 7 health per 5 sec. for 30 min.
Rain of Fire
Rain of Fire
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 295 Mana
Cast time instant
Calls down a fiery rain to burn enemies in the area of effect for 160 Fire damage over 8 sec.
Ritual of Summoning
Ritual of Summoning
Summon Incubus
Summon Incubus
Summon Succubus
Summon Succubus
Summon Felhunter
Summon Felhunter
New at level 30: 3
Hellfire
Hellfire
Rank 1 · level 30
Cost 645 Mana
Cast time instant
Ignites the area surrounding the caster, causing 82 Fire damage to himself and 82 Fire damage to all nearby enemies every 1 sec. Lasts 15 sec.
Subjugate Demon
Subjugate Demon
Summon Felhunter
Summon Felhunter
Create Spellstone
Create Spellstone
Rank 1 · level 36
Cost 500 Mana
Cast time 5 sec
Creates a Spellstone which can be used to enchant your weapon with Shadow, increasing your spell haste by 1% and the damage done by your Shadow spells by up to 14. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
New at level 36: 1
Create Spellstone
Create Spellstone
Rank 1 · level 36
Cost 500 Mana
Cast time 5 sec
Creates a Spellstone which can be used to enchant your weapon with Shadow, increasing your spell haste by 1% and the damage done by your Shadow spells by up to 14. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
Death Coil
Death Coil
Rank 1 · level 42
Cost 435 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 2 min
Causes the enemy target to run in horror for 3 sec and causes 272 Shadow damage. The caster gains 100% of the damage caused in health.
New at level 42: 1
Death Coil
Death Coil
Rank 1 · level 42
Cost 435 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 2 min
Causes the enemy target to run in horror for 3 sec and causes 272 Shadow damage. The caster gains 100% of the damage caused in health.
Bane of Doom
Bane of Doom
Level 60
Cost 300 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 1 min
Afflicts the target with impending doom, causing 1742 Shadow damage after 1 min. If the target dies from this damage, there is a chance that a Doomguard will be summoned. Cannot be cast on players. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
New at level 60: 3
Bane of Doom
Bane of Doom
Level 60
Cost 300 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 1 min
Afflicts the target with impending doom, causing 1742 Shadow damage after 1 min. If the target dies from this damage, there is a chance that a Doomguard will be summoned. Cannot be cast on players. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Portal of Summoning
Portal of Summoning
Level 60
Cost 100% of base mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 1 hr
Begins a ritual that creates a summoning portal. The summoning portal can be used by 2 party or raid members to summon a targeted party or raid member. The ritual portal requires the caster and 2 additional party or raid members to complete. In order to participate, all players must be out of combat and right-click the portal and not move until the ritual is complete.
Ritual of Doom
Ritual of Doom
New trainer abilities per level band
Each ability counted once, at the level its first rank is trained in the Forever beta client; abilities the beta removed are left out. Pick a bar to list them.
Every raceSome races only
New at levels 1–9: 9
Demon Skin
Demon Skin
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 50 Mana
Cast time instant
Protects the caster, increasing armor by 40 and increases health regeneration by 3 health per 5 sec. for 30 min.
Immolate
Immolate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Burns the enemy for 8 Fire damage and then an additional 15 Fire damage over 15 sec.
Shadow Bolt
Shadow Bolt
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 1.7 sec
Sends a shadowy bolt at the enemy, causing 11 to 15 Shadow damage.
Summon Imp
Summon Imp
Corruption
Corruption
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 35 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Corrupts the target, causing 40 Shadow damage over 12 sec.
Curse of Weakness
Curse of Weakness
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 20 Mana
Cast time instant
Physical damage caused by the target is reduced by 4 for 2 min. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Life Tap
Life Tap
Rank 1 · level 6
Cast time instant
Bane of Agony
Bane of Agony
Rank 1 · level 8
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time instant
Afflicts the target with agony, causing 72 Shadow damage over 24 sec. This damage is dealt slowly at first, and builds up as the Bane reaches its full duration. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Fear
Fear
New at levels 10–19: 9
Create Healthstone
Create Healthstone
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 95 Mana
Cast time 3 sec
Creates a Minor Healthstone that can be used to instantly restore 120 health. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
Drain Soul
Drain Soul
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Drains the soul of the target, causing 85 Shadow damage over 15 sec. Non-trivial targets damaged by Drain Soul have a chance to grant you a Soul Shard. Non-trivial targets killed by Drain Soul will always grant you a Soul shard. Soul Shards are required for other spells.
Summon Voidwalker
Summon Voidwalker
Health Funnel
Health Funnel
Rank 1 · level 12
Cost 11 Health
Cast time instant
Gives 12 health to the caster's pet every second for 10 sec as long as the caster channels. Generates reduced threat.
Curse of Recklessness
Curse of Recklessness
Rank 1 · level 14
Cost 35 Mana
Cast time instant
Curses the target with recklessness, reducing the target's armor by 175 for 2 min. Cursed enemies will not flee and will ignore Fear and Horror effects. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Drain Life
Drain Life
Rank 1 · level 14
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Transfers 10 health every 1 second from the target to the caster. Lasts 5 sec.
Unending Breath
Unending Breath
Create Soulstone
Create Soulstone
Rank 1 · level 18
Cost 85% of base mana
Cast time 3 sec
Creates a Minor Soulstone. The Soulstone can be used to store one target's soul. If the target dies while their soul is stored, they will be able to resurrect with 400 health and 700 mana. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
Searing Pain
Searing Pain
Rank 1 · level 18
Cost 45 Mana
Cast time 1.5 sec
Inflict searing pain on the enemy target, causing 21 to 25 Fire damage. Causes a high amount of threat.
New at levels 20–29: 13
Curse of the Elements
Curse of the Elements
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 50 Mana
Cast time instant
Curses the target for 5 min, reducing Magic resistances by 30 and increases Magic damage taken by 4%. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Demon Armor
Demon Armor
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 275 Mana
Cast time instant
Protects the caster, increasing armor by 210, Shadow resistance by 3 and increases health regeneration by 7 health per 5 sec. for 30 min.
Rain of Fire
Rain of Fire
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 295 Mana
Cast time instant
Calls down a fiery rain to burn enemies in the area of effect for 160 Fire damage over 8 sec.
Ritual of Summoning
Ritual of Summoning
Summon Incubus
Summon Incubus
Summon Succubus
Summon Succubus
Eye of Kilrogg
Eye of Kilrogg
Drain Mana
Drain Mana
Sense Demons
Sense Demons
Curse of Tongues
Curse of Tongues
Rank 1 · level 26
Cost 80 Mana
Cast time instant
Forces the target to speak in Demonic, increasing the casting time of all spells by 50%. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target. Lasts 30 sec.
Detect Invisibility
Detect Invisibility
Rank 1 · level 26
Cost 50 Mana
Cast time instant
Allows the friendly target to detect lesser invisibility for 10 min.
Banish
Banish
Create Firestone
Create Firestone
Rank 1 · level 28
Cost 500 Mana
Cast time 3 sec
Creates a Lesser Firestone which can be used to enchant your weapon with Fire, increasing your spell critical strike chance by 1% and the damage done by your Fire spells by up to 10. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
New at levels 30–39: 5
Hellfire
Hellfire
Rank 1 · level 30
Cost 645 Mana
Cast time instant
Ignites the area surrounding the caster, causing 82 Fire damage to himself and 82 Fire damage to all nearby enemies every 1 sec. Lasts 15 sec.
Subjugate Demon
Subjugate Demon
Summon Felhunter
Summon Felhunter
Shadow Ward
Shadow Ward
Create Spellstone
Create Spellstone
Rank 1 · level 36
Cost 500 Mana
Cast time 5 sec
Creates a Spellstone which can be used to enchant your weapon with Shadow, increasing your spell haste by 1% and the damage done by your Shadow spells by up to 14. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
New at levels 40–49: 3
Howl of Terror
Howl of Terror
Death Coil
Death Coil
Rank 1 · level 42
Cost 435 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 2 min
Causes the enemy target to run in horror for 3 sec and causes 272 Shadow damage. The caster gains 100% of the damage caused in health.
Soul Fire
Soul Fire
Rank 1 · level 48
Cost 305 Mana
Cast time 6 sec
Cooldown 1 min
Burn the enemy's soul, causing 334 to 420 Fire damage.
New at levels 50–60: 4
Inferno
Inferno
Level 50
Cost 100% of base mana
Cast time 2 sec
Cooldown 1 hr
Summons a meteor from the Twisting Nether, causing 200 Fire damage and stunning all enemy targets in the area for 2 sec. An Infernal rises from the crater, under the command of the caster for 5 min. Once control is lost, the Infernal must be Subjugated to maintain control. Can only be used outdoors.
Bane of Doom
Bane of Doom
Level 60
Cost 300 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 1 min
Afflicts the target with impending doom, causing 1742 Shadow damage after 1 min. If the target dies from this damage, there is a chance that a Doomguard will be summoned. Cannot be cast on players. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Portal of Summoning
Portal of Summoning
Level 60
Cost 100% of base mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 1 hr
Begins a ritual that creates a summoning portal. The summoning portal can be used by 2 party or raid members to summon a targeted party or raid member. The ritual portal requires the caster and 2 additional party or raid members to complete. In order to participate, all players must be out of combat and right-click the portal and not move until the ritual is complete.
Ritual of Doom
Ritual of Doom
Warlock abilities by level
The trainer abilities that shape a Warlock’s leveling, in the order you learn them. The middle column is read from the Forever beta client against Classic Era, so it can still change.
Ability
Learned
In the Forever beta
Why it matters
Shadow Bolt
Shadow Bolt
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 1.7 sec
Sends a shadowy bolt at the enemy, causing 11 to 15 Shadow damage.
Level 110 ranks, levels 1–60
Growth per level: changed on 10 ranks
Tooltip numbers changed (10 ranks)
Your main nuke; its per-level growth is a little lower than in Classic.
Immolate
Immolate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Burns the enemy for 8 Fire damage and then an additional 15 Fire damage over 15 sec.
Level 18 ranks, levels 1–60
Growth per level: changed on 8 ranks
Tooltip numbers changed (8 ranks)
Fire damage over time, and what Incinerate (Destruction) needs on the target.
Corruption
Corruption
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 35 Mana
Cast time 2 sec
Corrupts the target, causing 40 Shadow damage over 12 sec.
Level 47 ranks, levels 4–60
Tooltip numbers changed (6 ranks)
Shadow damage over time, the core of Affliction.
Life Tap
Life Tap
Rank 1 · level 6
Cast time instant
Level 66 ranks, levels 6–56
Tooltip values changed (the text can’t be rendered from the client) (6 ranks)
Health into Mana, scaling with Spirit; Demonic Energies (Demonology) shares it with your pet.
Bane of Agony
Bane of Agony
Rank 1 · level 8
Cost 25 Mana
Cast time instant
Afflicts the target with agony, causing 72 Shadow damage over 24 sec. This damage is dealt slowly at first, and builds up as the Bane reaches its full duration. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Level 86 ranks, levels 8–58
Renamed; Classic Era: Curse of Agony
Tooltip numbers changed (6 ranks)
Curse of Agony renamed: a Bane now, so it stacks with your curse.
Fear
Fear
Level 83 ranks, levels 8–56
Unchanged
Crowd control for one enemy, and a way to reset a fight while leveling.
Drain Soul
Drain Soul
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Drains the soul of the target, causing 85 Shadow damage over 15 sec. Non-trivial targets damaged by Drain Soul have a chance to grant you a Soul Shard. Non-trivial targets killed by Drain Soul will always grant you a Soul shard. Soul Shards are required for other spells.
Level 104 ranks, levels 10–52
Tooltip numbers changed (4 ranks)
Each tick can grant a Soul Shard and a kill under it always does; Soul Harvest (Affliction) adds mana.
Summon Voidwalker
Summon Voidwalker
Level 10
Unchanged
The leveling tank: send it in, stack your DoTs, move on.
Drain Life
Drain Life
Rank 1 · level 14
Cost 55 Mana
Cast time instant
Transfers 10 health every 1 second from the target to the caster. Lasts 5 sec.
Level 146 ranks, levels 14–54
Tooltip numbers changed (6 ranks)
Heals you while it damages; Improved Drains and Soul Siphon (Affliction) build on it.
Curse of the Elements
Curse of the Elements
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 50 Mana
Cast time instant
Curses the target for 5 min, reducing Magic resistances by 30 and increases Magic damage taken by 4%. Only one Curse per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Level 204 ranks, levels 20–50
4 new ranks at levels 20, 30, 40, and 50
3 Classic ranks gone: levels 32, 46, and 60
Raises Magic damage taken; with Curse of Shadow gone from the beta client, it covers Shadow too.
Summon Succubus
Summon Succubus
Level 20
Unchanged
One of the Sayaad; the Incubus is learned at the same level.
Summon Felhunter
Summon Felhunter
Level 30
Unchanged
Spell Lock and Devour Magic for casters; Improved Felhunter (Demonology) strengthens it.
Create Spellstone
Create Spellstone
Rank 1 · level 36
Cost 500 Mana
Cast time 5 sec
Creates a Spellstone which can be used to enchant your weapon with Shadow, increasing your spell haste by 1% and the damage done by your Shadow spells by up to 14. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
Level 363 ranks, levels 36–60
Renamed; Classic Era: Create Spellstone (Greater) and Create Spellstone (Major)
Tooltip numbers changed (3 ranks)
A weapon enchant now instead of an item you hold: spell Haste and Shadow damage.
Death Coil
Death Coil
Rank 1 · level 42
Cost 435 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 2 min
Causes the enemy target to run in horror for 3 sec and causes 272 Shadow damage. The caster gains 100% of the damage caused in health.
Level 423 ranks, levels 42–58
Cost: changed on 3 ranks
Tooltip numbers changed (3 ranks)
Horror and a heal: your panic button.
Bane of Doom
Bane of Doom
Level 60
Cost 300 Mana
Cast time instant
Cooldown 1 min
Afflicts the target with impending doom, causing 1742 Shadow damage after 1 min. If the target dies from this damage, there is a chance that a Doomguard will be summoned. Cannot be cast on players. Only one Bane per Warlock can be active on any one target.
Level 60
Renamed; Classic Era: Curse of Doom
Tooltip numbers changed
Curse of Doom renamed: a Bane at 60 that bursts after a minute and can summon a Doomguard.
Orcs get the most specific Warlock racials: Blood Fury now adds Spell Power, and Shatter Curse makes you immune to curses and Banes for a few seconds and cuts magic damage, which matters in PvP against other Warlocks. Trolls are new Warlocks, with Berserking for casting speed and Rapid Regeneration to recover Health after a Life Tap-heavy fight. Undead keep Will of the Forsaken against fear.
On the Alliance, Gnome Eureka! makes your next three damaging spells 10% cheaper and 10% stronger (half price before the September 24 beta build) and Expansive Mind raises maximum Mana; Humans have The Human Spirit for Spirit and Will to Survive against stuns. Orcs have Command back: +5% pet damage (the October 26 notes restored it after the October 15 build dropped it).
Races for Warlocks
Every race that can be a Warlock in Forever and what it brings to the class.
Banes are the change a Classic Warlock notices first. Agony and Doom are Banes now, not curses, so you can keep Bane of Agony and Curse of the Elements or Recklessness on the same target; each Warlock keeps one Bane per target. Curse of Shadow isn’t in the beta client, and Curse of the Elements raises all Magic damage taken. Spellstone and Firestone become weapon enchants.
In the talents, Affliction ends in Wrack (Drain Hope in the demo data), Demonology in Demonic Pact and Destruction in Incinerate, and damage over time can crit. Your epic mount spells sit with your other mounts in the beta client. Every changed trainer ability is in WoW Forever Warlock abilities.
What changes for Warlocks
Blizzard
Curse of Agony and Curse of Doom are now Banes, Bane of Agony and Bane of Doom: each Warlock keeps one Bane on a target next to one curse, and every effect that worked with curses also works with Banes (Blizzard’s Warlock deep dive, October 7). Bane of Havoc is a new Destruction talent.
Game data
The Succubus line is now the Sayaad, Succubus and Incubus, with an Improved Sayaad talent.
Game data
Pandemic and Decimation join the trees.
BlizzCon demo
The Orc racial Shatter Curse works on curses and Banes, as shown in the BlizzCon demo.
Blizzard
Hit and critical strike are merged across spells and attacks.
Blizzard
October 1 beta build: Hellfire can critically strike, and Drain Soul stops when you begin another cast.
Blizzard
Pets get Aggressive mode back, under the pet tab of the spellbook.
Blizzard
On the WoW Forever Podcast episode 2, the developers said the affliction range talent leaving out Fear was an oversight, a new talent gives your pet mana when you Life Tap, and the 31-point Demonology talent lets you sacrifice one demon and summon another.
Blizzard
Deep dive, October 7: Curse of the Elements raises all magic damage taken and Curse of Shadow is removed, as in the beta client.
Blizzard
Firestone and Spellstone are weapon imbues that stack with other temporary enchants such as Wizard Oil: Firestone adds Fire damage and critical strike chance, Spellstone Shadow damage and spell haste (2% and up to 21 damage at the top ranks in the beta client).
Blizzard
Demons scale with their master’s stats, Life Tap scales with Spirit, and each tick of Drain Soul has a growing chance to grant a Soul Shard until one is certain.
Blizzard
Where the deep dive and the beta client differed: Blizzard says the pet attacks set up by Demonic Brand are high threat only when they deal Shadow damage (a Voidwalker’s, not an Imp’s); the client’s tooltip said high threat for any pet until the October 8 beta build and now says the same. The deep dive’s 2 attacks for Demonic Brand and 33% of your level for Demonic Knowledge are the client’s rank 1 values; rank 3 gives 6 attacks and 100%.
Blizzard
October 8 beta build: your current pet is stunned while you summon a new one, and the low ranks of Shadow Bolt were retuned so that every new rank is an upgrade.
06 Before you log in
Know what Reagent Economy covers. The Legacy perk removes vendor reagents of class abilities, such as the Infernal Stone for Inferno; Soul Shards come from Drain Soul, not a vendor, so it doesn’t replace them. The WoW Forever Legacy guide has the perk.
Pick a spec for your pet plan. Demonology keeps a demon out, Affliction leans on drains, Destruction on Immolate and Incinerate; compare them in the WoW Forever Talent Calculator.
Hardcore? Fear, Death Coil and a Voidwalker between you and the enemy are a Warlock’s safety net; the WoW Forever Hardcore page has the ruleset.
PvP? Banes free your curse slot for Curse of Tongues or Curse of Weakness; honor ranks and Darkspear Islands are on the WoW Forever PvP page.
WoW Forever Warlock FAQ
Can Trolls be Warlocks in WoW Forever?
Yes. Warlock is one of the six new race and class combinations.
What are Banes in WoW Forever?
Warlock spells that sit beside curses, such as Bane of Agony, Bane of Doom and Bane of Havoc. A Bane is no longer a curse, so each Warlock can keep one Bane and one curse on the same target, and Blizzard’s Warlock deep dive (October 7) says every effect that interacted with curses also interacts with Banes.
Do Warlock pets scale with your stats in WoW Forever?
Yes. Blizzard’s Warlock deep dive says pets now scale from their summoner’s stats; it gives no numbers. Demonology adds to it: Demonic Knowledge raises your spell damage and your demon’s by up to 100% of your level while a demon is out.
Which races can be a Warlock in WoW Forever?
Human, Gnome, Orc, Undead, and Troll. Troll is new to the class in Forever.
What are the Warlock 31-point talents in WoW Forever?
Yes. Bane of Agony and Bane of Doom are no longer curses, so one of them can sit on a target next to your Curse of the Elements or Curse of Recklessness. Each Warlock keeps only one Bane on a target.
What is the Affliction 31-point talent in WoW Forever?
Wrack: a short Shadow channel that raises your other Shadow damage over time on the target. Blizzard’s October 7 deep dive lists it as the new 31-point talent, as the beta client has it; the BlizzCon demo data and Icy Veins’ demo overview had Drain Hope in the same place.
Can Trolls be Warlocks in WoW Forever?
Yes, Troll Warlock is one of the new race and class combinations, with Berserking for casting speed.
Still unconfirmed
Final talent values: they can still change before launch
