Demonology Warlock Guide for WoW Forever: Talents, Rotation and Raids

Demonology has a new capstone in Forever: Demonic Pact lets you keep the Demonic Sacrifice bonus while another demon fights. You sacrifice one and fight with the second. Demonology is rated A for raids, and it comes in two builds, one Fire and one Shadow. Since 10 November your demons have about 15% more base health.

Talents and builds

The links open the talent calculator with the finished build, including why the points go where they go.

• Leveling: Demonology leveling (points 20/31/0). Every early point goes into your demon, with the big steps at Demonic Brand (25–27) and Demonic Pact (40).
• Raid: Demonology PvE (Fire) (points 2/31/18). The 'Fire' variant is slightly ahead in long fights and with Fire or general spell-power gear, and it is the safer pick with adds or in dungeons, since Rain of Fire and Hellfire benefit.
• PvP: Demonology PvP (points 20/31/0). Demonic Pact lets you keep the sacrifice bonus while you pick the demon that counters your opponent: the Voidwalker against melee, the Felhunter against casters.

Where it ranks

• PvE DPS (raid): Top eight in both simulations; most lists say A, three say S. Strong cleave and AoE through Rain of Fire and Hellfire; only one list sees B.
• PvP (battleground/open world): Soul Link shares 30% of the damage with the demon. Three lists say S, two A; only one older list sees B.
• Leveling: Both lists that rate every spec say A: the Voidwalker tanks, and the Demonology tree makes it sturdier.

The tiers combine several tier lists and level-60 simulations. Raid logs only exist from 9 December, so treat this as a snapshot. Every spec side by side: rankings.

Fire or Shadow

• Fire (the linked raid build): sacrifice the Sayaad for 15% more Fire damage and keep the Imp out, which adds another 10% Fire damage through Master Demonologist. Searing Pain is the filler, with Soul Fire during Decimation.
• Shadow: sacrifice the Imp for 15% more Shadow damage and keep the Sayaad out for 10% Shadow damage. Shadow Bolt is the filler, Searing Pain only to renew the Brand.

Shadow comes out ahead in short fights, Fire in long ones. For dungeons and fights with adds, Fire is the safe pick, since Hellfire and Rain of Fire are Fire spells.

Rotation

1. Searing Pain when Demonic Brand is missing. At 3/3 it lasts 10 seconds or six of your demon's attacks. Don't refresh an active Brand, and keep it on the target your demon actually attacks.
2. Bane and Curse.
3. Keep Immolate and Corruption up.
4. Soul Fire during Decimation: below 35% health, each Searing Pain or Shadow Bolt hit gives 10 seconds in which Soul Fire casts 40% faster and costs no Soul Shard. Skip this in the Shadow build.
5. Life Tap in gaps.
6. Filler: Searing Pain (Fire) or Shadow Bolt (Shadow).

Demonic Energies heals your demon for 15% of your spell damage, and the mana from Life Tap goes to it as well. In the Fire build, your Imp lives off your Life Taps.

Stats

Hit rating matters a lot for Demonology, because your demon uses your hit chance. The raid build has just one point in Suppression, so nearly all of the 17% comes from gear. After that, spell power or damage of your build's school, then crit. Demonic Knowledge at 3/3 gives you and your demon spell damage equal to your level, so 60 at level 60.

Common mistakes

• Summoning the sacrificed demon type, which cancels the bonus at once.
• Letting the Imp run out of mana in the Fire build.
• Refreshing the Brand while it is still up, or putting it on a target your demon isn't hitting.
• Soul Fire in the Shadow build or outside Decimation.

Leveling

Demonology is comfortable solo. Early points go into your demon, especially the Voidwalker. The big steps are Demonic Brand at 25 to 27 and Demonic Pact at 40; the rest goes into Affliction. Note that demons in Forever only get 2 health per point of your Stamina. The Voidwalker received about 40 extra health in a hotfix, and Blizzard announced it would make it more durable as a tank.

In groups

Besides Healthstone, Soulstone, Ritual of Summoning and your curse, the Imp brings Blood Pact for more Stamina when it fights. Your damage depends heavily on your demon: if it dies, a big part of it goes with it. Sacrificing the Voidwalker for its shield is your emergency button against spell pushback.

Further reading

• Warlock class guide: races, new abilities and every build of the class
• The other specs: Affliction Warlock, Destruction Warlock
• Raid comp planner: put your raid together and see which buffs are still missing
• Warlock talent calculator: plan your own build and share it as a link