Destruction Warlock PvP Guide (The War Within Pre-Patch)
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to play Destruction Warlock in a PvP environment. The guide will cover everything from talent choices, PvP talents, gameplay and rotation, and useful racial bonuses. It is most applicable to Arena content, but most talents and racial bonuses will work in Rated Battlegrounds and skirmishes.
If you were looking for TBC Classic content, please refer to our TBC Warlock PvP guide.
Destruction Warlocks in The War Within Prepatch PvP
Destruction Warlocks bring a mix of strong single-target damage and control
and are very threatening when left alone. Chaos Bolt is one of the most
feared spells in the game. If you give a Destruction Warlock the chance to chain
together multiple Chaos Bolts, the game will surely be over.
Notable Changes in War Within Prepatch
The War Within brings a complete rework to the talent trees, with several
talents such as Ruin and
Devastation that increases your
Critical Strike rate. Additionally, you can use multiple
Healthstones
if you take
Pact of Gluttony.
Destruction Warlock Strengths and Weaknesses
Extremely disruptive
Strong, casted burst damage
Great on-demand instant damage
Struggle to stay alive against melee teams
Hard to cast against teams with multiple interrupts
Difficult to close games out before Dampening
Changelog
- 23 Jul. 2024 (macros): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 23 Jul. 2024 (this page): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 23 Jul. 2024 (talents): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 23 Jul. 2024 (races): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 23 Jul. 2024 (gear): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 23 Jul. 2024 (comps): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 23 Jul. 2024 (this page): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 23 Jul. 2024 (playstyle): Updated for The War Within Prepatch 11.0.
- 07 May 2024 (this page): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 07 May 2024 (playstyle): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 07 May 2024 (gear): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 07 May 2024 (talents): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 07 May 2024 (macros): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 07 May 2024 (races): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 07 May 2024 (this page): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 07 May 2024 (comps): Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 4.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 19 Mar. 2024 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.6.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.5.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5.
- 09 May 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (talents): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflgiht Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflgiht Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.0.7.
- 16 Mar. 2023 (gear): Updated for DRagonflgiht Patch 10.0.7.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (races): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (races): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (macros): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 30 Jul. 2022 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 31 May 2022 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (races): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (macros): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (races): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 02 Mar. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Shadowlands 9.2.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (this page): Guide updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (playstyle): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (races): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (this page): Guide updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (macros): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.5.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (races): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (this page): Guide updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (playstyle): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (this page): Guide updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (macros): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 10 Aug. 2021 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands Patch 9.1.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (talents): No updates needed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (gear): No updates needed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (races): No updates needed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (playstyle): No updates needed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (comps): No updates needed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (macros): No updates needed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 06 Dec. 2020 (gear): Added BiS gear list for Shadowlands.
- 05 Dec. 2020 (playstyle): Updated Damage Rotations to include Covenant Ability.
- 05 Dec. 2020 (talents): Updated Talent Table.
- Updated Tier 6 Regular Talent.
- 01 Dec. 2020 (this page): Added Covenant page.
- 01 Dec. 2020 (this page): Added Covenant page.
- 29 Nov. 2020 (this page): Guide updated for Shadowlands. Still missing Covenants page.
- 29 Nov. 2020 (talents): Removed outdated Traits and Essences.
- 29 Nov. 2020 (this page): Guide updated for Shadowlands. Still missing Covenants page.
- 29 Nov. 2020 (gear): Removed outdated Traits and Essences.
- Removed outdated gear.
- Added gems section.
- 27 Nov. 2020 (playstyle): Removed outdated Traits and Essences.
- 30 Oct. 2020 (playstyle): Updated all Damage rotations.
- Updated Defensives section.
- Add Curses section.
- 20 Oct. 2020 (comps): This page was checked for patch 9.0.1 and no updates were necessary.
- 20 Oct. 2020 (macros): This page was checked for patch 9.0.1 and no updates were necessary.
- 20 Oct. 2020 (talents): Updated Talent Table.
- Updated Tiers 6 and 7 Regular talents.
- Updated PvP talents.
- 20 Oct. 2020 (races): This page was checked for patch 9.0.1 and no updates were necessary.
- 20 Oct. 2020 (gear): Removed Corruption sections.
- 03 Jul. 2020 (gear): Updated Corruptions.
- Added Recommended Corruptions section.
- 19 May 2020 (gear): Updated Corruptions section.
- 08 Apr. 2020 (gear): Updated Recommended Items.
- 14 Feb. 2020 (gear): Added Corruption Gear section. Updated Recommended Gear section.
- 20 Jan. 2020 (races): This page was checked for Patch 8.3 and no update was deemed necessary.
- 20 Jan. 2020 (playstyle): This page was checked for Patch 8.3 and no update was deemed necessary.
- 20 Jan. 2020 (comps): This page was checked for Patch 8.3 and no update was deemed necessary.
- 20 Jan. 2020 (gear): Updated PvP gear to be Season 4 Corrupted gear.
- 20 Jan. 2020 (talents): This page was checked for Patch 8.3 and no update was deemed necessary.
- 20 Jan. 2020 (macros): This page was checked for Patch 8.3 and no update was deemed necessary.
- 09 Dec. 2019 (gear): Page added.
- 09 Dec. 2019 (comps): Page added.
- 09 Dec. 2019 (playstyle): Page added.
- 09 Dec. 2019 (macros): Page added.
- 09 Dec. 2019 (races): Page added.
- 09 Dec. 2019 (talents): Page added.
Other PvP Guides
This guide is written and maintained by Chanimal, BlizzCon Champion Warlock with Rank 1 titles since 2011, competing in AWC. He streams Warlock PvP daily on Twitch, with highlights on YouTube.
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