Affliction Warlock DPS Stat Priority (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 explain what the best statistics are for Affliction Warlocks in World of Warcraft Legion 7.3.5, how the class benefits from each of them.

The statistics priority is important as it influences itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

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. Stat Priority for Affliction Warlock

The stat priority for an Affliction Warlock is:

1. Mastery;
2. Haste;
3. Critical Strike;
4. Versatility;
5. Intellect.

2. Stat Weights for Affliction Warlock

Please consider that stat weights are very approximate and will always vary from player to player. The factors that affect stat weights are:

• Your current item level;
• Your current legendaries;
• What set bonus, if any, you are using;
• Your current distrubtion of stats.

These weights are calculated for players in Tomb of Sargeras Heroic raid gear, and can be used as a rough approximation for your character. For truly accurate stat weights you will have to sim your own character using the correct parameters.

1. Mastery: 1.55
2. Haste: 1.49
3. Critical Strike: 1.35
4. Versatility: 1.06
5. Intellect 1.0

2.1. Why is Mastery Good?

The amount of Shard generation per Haste rating is less efficient than the flat damage received from Mastery. The value of Mastery is even higher on multi target, making it the clear go-to.

These statistics have been obtained by combining common sense, in-game testing, and simulations using Simulation Craft.

3. Statistics Explanations for Affliction Warlock

Intellect is your primary stat. You should look for this stat in all of your upgrades. It provides you with Spell Power, which increases the damage of your spells.

Mastery, through Mastery: Potent Afflictions increases the damage of your DoTs ( Agony, Corruption, and Unstable Affliction). Mastery does not affect your pets or Soul Shard generation at all.

Haste influences the cast speed of your spells and increases the number of ticks from your DoTs. This decreases the ramp up damage from Agony as well. Haste also reduces the global cooldown, and scales with your pets.

Critical Strike increases your chance to critically hit with all spells and abilities. Crit is especially good for Affliction Warlocks due to the effects of Perdition. This is further compounded during the active time of Reap Souls.

Versatility is a flat-out damage done increase and damage taken reduction.

4. ChangeLog

• 28 Aug. 2017: No changes needed for Patch 7.3.
• 17 Jun. 2017: Added stat weights for Patch 7.2.5.
• 13 Jun. 2017: Updated stat priority for Patch 7.2.5.
• 27 Mar. 2017: No changes needed for Patch 7.2.
• 09 Jan. 2017: Removed stat weights for Patch 7.1.5 until more theorycrafting can be done.
• 12 Dec. 2016: Updated stat weights and priority.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Updated for Legion's launch.
• 18 Jul. 2016: Updated for the Legion pre-patch.

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