Affliction Warlock Patch 9.1 Changes Analysis

Affliction was untouched by Patch 9.1.5 changes, at least directly. The AoE target cap being lifted for other specialisation just reduces the edge Affliction, among other specs, had in those scenarios. It is worth remembering that regardless of diminishing return applied at 5 or 8 targets for specific spells, the softcap for the vast majority of abilities remains at 20 targets at which point increasing the number of targets will not increase the total damage, but rather redistribute the value even across all targets.

For the list of changes to the entire Warlock class, and an overview of the content coming in Patch 9.1.5 please refer to our dedicated pages below.

The Malefic Rapture nerf combined with the Agony and Corruption buffs and the introduction of a new Withering Bolt Potency Conduit seem to promote a different usage of Malefic Rapture by reducing its burst potential in favor of a higher sustained output.

When paired with Malefic Wrath, Affliction's damage profile changes to a Shadow Bolt/ Drain Soul-centric rotation by using Malefic Rapture as a buffer to amplify the damage of your filler spells to extreme values.

As a result, this playstyle sacrifices mobility and requires a higher degree of uptime on the target to get the most out of it whereas previously Affliction Warlock enjoyed fairly high mobility outside burst windows while not suffering drastic damage losses from unpredictable movements.

Haunt and Shadow Embrace damage amplification now affect main pet and Summon Darkglare too.

Shadow Embrace being positioned in the Haunt row offers some meaningful choices in terms of what to pick, with both options being extremely close in terms of output.

Haunt favors situations where single-target or quick-swapping is needed, but on the other hand, Shadow Embrace allows for multiple applications of the debuff resulting in a higher potential damage in situations where additional targets will last a non-trivial amount of time. Shadow Embrace also does not require extra GCDs for the upkeep meaning it could be the default choice with Malefic Wrath and eventually the Necrolord Covenant.

Seed of Corruption's buff also means Sow the Seeds is much more valuable and will probably result in Vile Taint being eclipsed from the choices in that row unless extremely specific situations arise.

The cumulative changes seem to consolidate Malefic Wrath as the top choice for single-target.

Night Fae Decaying Soul Satchel is a very strong multitarget choice for the spec, dethroning both Relic of Demonic Synergy and Perpetual Agony of Azj'Aqir when 3 or more targets can be cleaved with the Covenant ability Soul Rot

The Sacrolash's Dark Strike nerf practically removes its relevance as the mass AoE slow with unlimited duration niche it had in the past (when coupled with Absolute Corruption).

Night Fae cement their position as the best covenant choice for Affliction by a decent margin, offering unmatched performance and a flexibility in terms of Soulbinds and multi-specialisation capability. Number-wise Kyrian come second but at the expense of having only 1 appealing Soulbind option in Pelagos.