Affliction Warlock DPS Gems, Enchants, and Consumables (Legion 7.3.5)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.3 Changes for Affliction Warlock
  • 3. Patch 7.2.5 Changes for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. Affliction Warlock Strengths
  • 5. Affliction Warlock Weaknesses
  • 6. Affliction Warlock Viability in the Current Patch
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics for Affliction Warlock
  • 2. Talent Choice for Affliction Warlock
  • 3. Stat Priority for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. Basic Rotation for Affliction Warlock
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Affliction Warlock Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resources for Affliction Warlock
  • 3. Basic Abilities for Affliction Warlock
    • 3.1. Damage Over Time Spells (DoTs)
    • 3.2. Direct Damage Spells
    • 3.3. Demonic Summons
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheets for Affliction Warlock
    • 2.1. Raid Encounters
      • 2.1.1. Single Target
      • 2.1.2. 2 Targets
      • 2.1.3. 3 Targets
    • 2.2. Mythic+
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents for Affliction Warlock
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents for Affliction Warlock
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents for Affliction Warlock
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents for Affliction Warlock
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents for Affliction Warlock
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents for Affliction Warlock
  • 10. ChangeLog
• +Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression for Affliction Warlock — First 35 Points
    • 1.1. Early Point Investment
    • 1.2. Second Golden Trait
    • 1.3. Third Golden Trait
    • 1.4. Final Point Investment
  • 2. Patch 7.2: 35+ Trait Path for Affliction Warlock
  • 3. Relic Priority for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Netherlight Crucible Relic Paths
  • 1. General Optimization Advice for Affliction Warlock
  • 2. Tier 2 Upgrade Priority for Affliction Warlock
  • 3. Tier 3 Upgrade Priority for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Playstyle for Affliction Warlock
    • 1.1. Single Target Rotation
    • 1.2. 2-Target Priority List
      • 1.2.1. 3-Target Priority List
    • 1.3. Mythic+
  • 2. Important Notes for Affliction Warlock
    • 2.1. DoT Usage (7.2.5)
    • 2.2. Reap Usage
    • 2.3. Unstable Affliction Usage
      • 2.3.1. 2-3 Targets
    • 2.4. Soul Shard Sniping
    • 2.5. Pet Choice
    • 2.6. Agony
    • 2.7. "Nightfall" — Shard Generation Explained
    • 2.8. "Pandemic" — Learning to Efficiently Refresh DoTs
    • 2.9. Defensive Utility
    • 2.10. Doomguard and Infernal
  • 3. Core Concepts for Affliction Warlock
    • 3.1. DoT Uptimes & Shard Expenditure
    • 3.2. Movement Management
      • 3.2.1. Quiet Movement
  • 4. Opening Sequence for Affliction Warlock
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Mythic+ Tips
  • 1. Mythic+ Introduction for Affliction Warlock
  • 2. Affix List
  • 3. Mythic+ Talents for Affliction Warlock
    • 3.1. Standard Build — Low Level Keystones
    • 3.2. Standard Build — High Level Keystones
    • 3.3. Tyrannical Build — High Level Keystones
    • 3.4. Talent Explanations
      • 3.4.1. Tier 1/Level 15
      • 3.4.2. Tier 2/Level 30
      • 3.4.3. Tier 3/Level 45
      • 3.4.4. Tier 4/Level 60
      • 3.4.5. Tier 5/Level 75
      • 3.4.6. Tier 6/Level 90
      • 3.4.7. Tier 7/Level 100
  • 4. Stat Priority for Affliction Warlock
  • 5. Legendary Items for Affliction Warlock
    • 5.1. Mandatory Tier
    • 5.2. Top Tier
    • 5.3. Situational/Niche Choices
  • 6. Mythic+ Relics, Set Bonuses, and Trinkets for Affliction Warlock
  • 7. Pet Choice for Affliction Warlock
  • 8. Mythic+ Rotation for Affliction Warlock
    • 8.1. Trash Packs
      • 8.1.1. Sow the Seeds
      • 8.1.2. Phantom Singularity/Soul Harvest
    • 8.2. Single Target/Bosses
  • 9. Instance Advice for Affliction Warlock
    • 9.1. Black Rook Hold
    • 9.2. Cathedral of Eternal Night
    • 9.3. Court of Stars
    • 9.4. Darkheart Thicket
    • 9.5. Eye of Azshara
    • 9.6. Halls of Valor
    • 9.7. Maw of Souls
    • 9.8. Neltharion's Lair
    • 9.9. Return to Karazhan
      • 9.9.1. Lower Return to Karazhan
      • 9.9.2. Upper Return to Karazhan
    • 9.10. Seat of the Triumvirate
    • 9.11. The Arcway
    • 9.12. Vault of the Wardens
  • 10. ChangeLog
• +Boss by Boss Strategies
  • 1. Affliction Warlock Boss Advice: Antorus, the Burning Throne
    • 1.1. Garothi Worldbreaker
      • 1.1.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.2. Felhounds of Sargeras
      • 1.2.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.3. Antoran High Command
      • 1.3.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.4. Eonar the Life-Binder
      • 1.4.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.5. Portal Keeper Hasabel
      • 1.5.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.6. Imonar the Soulhunter
      • 1.6.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.7. Kin'garoth
      • 1.7.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.8. Varimathras
      • 1.8.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.9. The Coven of Shivarra
      • 1.9.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.10. Aggramar
      • 1.10.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.11. Argus the Unmaker
  • 2. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Stat Priority for Affliction Warlock
  • 2. Stat Weights for Affliction Warlock
    • 2.1. Why is Mastery Good?
  • 3. Statistics Explanations for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. ChangeLog
• ×Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems for Affliction Warlock
  • 2. Enchants for Affliction Warlock
  • 3. Consumables for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Addons for Affliction Warlock
    • 1.1. Generic Addons for Warlocks
    • 1.2. ElvUI
    • 1.3. Weak Auras
    • 1.4. Boss Mods
      • 1.4.1. BigWigs Bossmods
      • 1.4.2. Deadly Boss Mods
    • 1.5. Name Plates
      • 1.5.1. KUI Nameplates
      • 1.5.2. TidyPlates
    • 1.6. Damage Meters
      • 1.6.1. Skada
      • 1.6.2. Details
    • 1.7. Extra AddOns
      • 1.7.1. Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 1.7.2. DeathNote
      • 1.7.3. Doom CooldownPulse
      • 1.7.4. Angry Assignments
  • 2. Macros for Affliction Warlock
    • 2.1. Pet Macros
      • 2.1.1. Soulstone Mouseover
      • 2.1.2. Demonic Circle
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Tier 21 Set Bonuses for Affliction Warlock
  • 2. Legendary Recommendations for Affliction Warlocks in Antorus Gear
  • 3. Tier 20 Set Bonuses for Affliction Warlock
  • 4. Trinket Priority for Affliction Warlock
  • 5. Best in Slot List for Affliction Warlock
  • 6. Evaluating Upgrades Using Stat Weights for Affliction Warlock
  • 7. Legendary Items for Affliction Warlock
    • 7.1. Legendary Quick Reference
  • 8. Loot Competition
  • 9. ChangeLog

General Information

On this page, we present you with the best gems and enchants for an Affliction Warlock in World of Warcraft Legion 7.3.5. We also list the best consumables (food, flasks, and potions) and profession-specific perks.

The other pages of our Affliction Warlock guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About Our Author and Reviewer

This guide has been written by Furty, who has an illustrious history in the World of Warcraft raiding scene and race for World First. He has been a member of guilds such as Serenity, Midwinter, and many more, and is currently raiding in Future. He plays most classes at the highest level. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him play on Twitch.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Deepshades, a top raider who plays in Method; you can watch his stream on Twitch and follow him on Twitter.

1. Gems for Affliction Warlock

You should use Masterful Argulite in all sockets, or the cheaper Masterful Shadowruby.

2. Enchants for Affliction Warlock

Slot	Enchantment
Neck	Enchant Neck - Mark of the Trained Soldier
Back	Enchant Cloak - Binding of Intellect Enchant Cloak - Word of Intellect (cheaper)
Rings	Enchant Ring - Binding of Mastery Enchant Ring - Word of Mastery (cheaper)

3. Consumables for Affliction Warlock

Potion of Prolonged Power is the best choice in all situations for players in current raid gear. Players with lower item levels (<905) will find that Potion of Deadly Grace is slightly better for single target damage while still being inferior for cleave and AoE encounters.

Flask of the Whispered Pact should be always be used as your flask of choice.

The two main options for food buffs are the Nightborne Delicacy Platter (+375 Mastery) and the Lavish Suramar Feast (+500 Intellect). If possible, the Nightborne Delicacy Platter should be eaten. This is due to the relative power of Mastery over Intellect. As demonstrated by our stat weights provided in the Stat Priority page, the weight of Mastery is 1.55 versus the 1.0 of Intellect. If we compare the food buffs when corrected for the relative power of the stats, we discover:

Compared to the Intellect feast:

As shown above, when corrected for stat weights, the Mastery buff is worth slightly more despite being less total stats. Cheaper alternatives to the Nightborne Delicacy Platter and Lavish Suramar Feast are the Barracuda Mrglgagh and Hearty Feast, respectively.

Since Patch 7.3, Healthstones now heal for 25% of the user's maximum health. This means that any player with more than 1.92 million health should always use Healthstones over Ancient Healing Potions whenever available.

If you can afford it, you should also use augment runes (which work in both raids and Mythic+ dungeons). Defiled Augment Rune is the cheap rune with a one-time use. Lightforged Augment Rune costs 40,000 and requires exalted reputation with the Army of the Light faction.

4. ChangeLog

• 29 Aug. 2017: Adjusted recommended gems, redesigned "Consumables" section, and added a note about Healthstones in Patch 7.3.
• 28 Aug. 2017: Added Lightforged Augment Rune and new 7.3 epic gems.
• 13 Jun. 2017: Page reviewed and deemed updated for 7.2.5.
• 29 Mar. 2017: Added Lavish Suramar Feast.
• 13 Jan. 2017: Added trained soldier.
• 09 Jan. 2017: Updated potion section to be more concise.
• 30 Oct. 2016: Added a "Potion Choice" section to illuminate the pros and cons of pots, following the addition of Potion of Prolonged Power.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Updated for Legion's launch.
• 18 Jul. 2016: Updated for the Legion pre-patch.

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