Build embers on trash and use them against the boss for high burst and self-heal. Kiljaeden’s Cunning (level 90 talent) allows you to move and nuke at the same time, in some cases all I literally need to do is back up, move forward in a straight line (or strafe if that works better) while casting to keep a boss from targeting me with anything. The old lock standbys of Fear (glyphed for dungeons) and Banish (against demons) are fun to play with as a soloist since these days group dungeon runs don’t usually involve much CC. With your Shivarra or other female demon out, you can Fear one target, Seduce a second, while you nuke targets 3,4, and 5. I love destro’s two target abilities in old dungeons — being able to Chaos Bolt, Shadowburn, or incinerate two targets at once multiplies your damage.

Destro’s basic rotation is easy to grasp, so if you solo a raid without much prior research you are able to learn as you go and respond quickly. But destro also has subtleties that are fun to play with once you are comfortable with the basics. I find the AoE ok a bit lacking in LFR and MoP heroics, but for old content more than adequate. One piece of advice: If you find yourself suddenly dying on a boss where previous fights in that raid have been easy, you may be facing a mechanic that one or two-shots anything more than one player — first boss of Black Temple is the classic example of that — dismiss demon in these cases, tank it alone, and you will be fine.

That said all these affliction posts are making me want to play Affliction again! Long live warlocks!

I was thinking about this more, and what I think I really like about Affliction is it feels almost like you’re dancing, nay, waltzing around as you’re killing things. There’s a definite rhythm to applying the buffs, and then layering on Haunts and Malefic Grasps. Take, for example, the AoE “rotation” above: 1, 2, 3; Seed, Agony, Tab. For single target, there’s the reapplication of DoTs, especially when Misery comes off cooldown and you want to reaapply to maximize output (along with any trinkets you can add in): 1, 2, 3; Unstable affliction, Corruption, Agony. That’s the rhythm, and then Haunt and MG are the “harmonies.” That you can do this all while moving constantly with the movement talent makes it feel even more like dancing.

I know, I’m a big geek. Still, that’s the appeal to me, how the spec is more fun, less kludgy than the others. I don’t know that there’s another DPS class that feels as graceful. Maybe the WW monk?

Unless they changed it, the seed only explodes from your damage or when the timer goes off (around 12 seconds).

Destro AoE is a blast! Fire & Brimstone then immolate everything, then pop down a RoF. That should generate at least one more ember for you. Use that to F&B again and hit conflag. Rinse and repeat with Immolate, RoF as needed and hit off a F&B as much as possible.

I usually end trash packs with full embers. :D

It was fun, and I got it a little more, but juggling the big big groups of adds with multiple dots kinda blows.

And then I found this new spell in my spell book that Icy Veins didn’t say much about, called Seed of Corruption. It at least let me feel like I was doing something. Longer cast time than I expected from remembering Seed in the old Karazhan days when having a Warlock along meant ‘ask the warlock to spam Seed and wait for the blowing up’.

Destro lacks some oomph on the meters right now, but you get to be on fire, so there’s a bonus right there. If you use havoc well, you’ll be fine.

Affliction is my personal preference, but the spell effects for destro are quite nice.

Destro = Destruction (I’m sure you knew that though)
RoF = Rain of Fire
Embers = Your secondary resource as Destro. You get 3 as default (until 5.2) but should glyph for 4
Immolate = Your primary (and only) DoT
Conflagrate = You hit this spell every time it is off cooldown, it gives you 3 charges each time you use it. These can be used to speed up your Incinerates or a full 3 will give you an instant CB
Incinerate = Your primary filler spell
CB = Chaos Bolt, your primary nuke spell. It costs one ember to use. You should use it each time it is available

Hopefully that helps! :D

That’s not a joke, I have no idea what that meant. Looks like I’kk have to spec and find out what the spells you get are, and then come back and re-read, lol.

Warlocks talk in secret codes, how appropriate! I even learned my second spec at the Slaughtered Lamb.

Your mana regen is INSANE as Destro so use it to your advantage. Since you don’t have to channel RoF as Destro I cast it every time I can, it helps to build embers if you have immolate on the target. Big thing, remember to not use up your three conflagrate charges with a CB during a boss fight. It makes more sense to use them to speed up your incinerates and get more of those off.

Other than that, keep immolate up on all targets and pop off a CB every time you have an ember.

If you want Aff info let me know and I will help you with some starter basics as well. I know that Fulguralis posted something on it. I can’t remember when, although it was in the last few months.

I’ve run LFR as Affliction, and it didn’t take long to pick up the basics, and get into the flow. I can see how it must be pretty cool, but I would like to try Destro too. I haven’t done LFR this week yet, so I think I’ll respec again, reforge and try that out.

WTH, so far it’s been nothing but good times.