WoW Forever DB

World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide

Affliction Warlock: Leveling

Client build 1.60.1.70425 · updated

Level as Affliction: it is the best levelling spec in the beta, and Warlock the best levelling class.

How this works

DoTs can crit, the Voidwalker holds questing mobs from level 10, and Life Tap plus Drain Life keep you moving with little drinking. The XP curve is Classic's, but dungeon quests still pay about 2.2 times Classic's XP, so the dungeons on your quest list are worth grouping for. The spells and ranks in each band below come straight from the client's trainer data.

How Affliction fights is on its rotation page.

Level by level

Your race

Other bands: Classic routing on Forever zone levels

1–10Voidwalker at 10

Survive to the Voidwalker

Shadow Bolt, Immolate and the Imp from the start, Corruption and Curse of Weakness at 4, Life Tap at 6, Bane of Agony and Fear at 8. Levels 6–10 are the hardest of the whole climb: you live on the wand and your DoTs and drink most pulls. At 10 the Voidwalker quest, Drain Soul and Create Healthstone change everything.

Where
Human: Northshire Abbey (trainer Drusilla La Salle; The Stolen Tome teaches the Imp), then Elwynn Forest (5–10). The Voidwalker quest is Gakin the Darkbinder's in Stormwind.
Gnome: Coldridge Valley (Alamar Grimm in Anvilmar; Beginnings for the Imp), then Dun Morogh (4–12). The Voidwalker quest is Gakin the Darkbinder's in Stormwind.
Orc: Valley of Trials (Nartok; Vile Familiars from Ruzan for the Imp), then Durotar (5–10). The Voidwalker quest is Gan'rul Bloodeye's in Orgrimmar.
Undead: Deathknell (Maximillion; Piercing the Veil from Venya Marthand), then Tirisfal Glades (5–12). The Voidwalker quest is Carendin Halgar's in Undercity.
Troll: New for Trolls: you start in the Valley of Trials, and the new quest Tainted Tablet sends you to Nartok, the Orc Warlock trainer. Then Durotar (5–10), and Gan'rul Bloodeye in Orgrimmar for the Voidwalker.
New spells
Demon Skin 1 Summon Imp 1 Immolate 1 Shadow Bolt 1 Corruption 4 Curse of Weakness 4 Life Tap 6 Bane of Agony 8 Fear 8 Drain Soul 10 Create Healthstone 10 Summon Voidwalker 10
New ranks
Shadow Bolt 2 6Demon Skin 2 10Immolate 2 10
Talents
Improved Corruption 5/5 10–14
Tips
  • Corruption and Bane of Agony on the target, then wand. Life Tap only when your health is high; rank 1 is a small base plus your Spirit.
  • Before the Voidwalker your DoTs and wand pull threat off the Imp. Kill one mob at a time.
11–20Sayaad at 20

Voidwalker questing, then the Succubus or Incubus

The Voidwalker tanks while your DoTs work. Drain Life and Curse of Recklessness at 14, Soulstone at 18, Searing Pain at 18. At 20: Curse of the Elements, Demon Armor, Rain of Fire, Ritual of Summoning, Shadowburn for Destruction, and the Succubus or Incubus quest, whose reward is the 14-slot Small Soul Pouch. Talents start at 10: Improved Corruption first for an instant Corruption.

Where
Human: Westfall (9–18) or Loch Modan (10–18); Redridge from about 15.
Gnome: Loch Modan (10–18), then Westfall (9–18) or Darkshore (11–19).
Orc: The Barrens (10–25) from the Crossroads; Silverpine (10–20) is the alternative.
Undead: Silverpine Forest (10–20), then the Barrens (10–25).
Troll: The Barrens (10–25) from the Crossroads; Silverpine (10–20) is the alternative.
Dungeons

Alliance: Hall of Thanes 13–18 (new, under Ironforge) · Wailing Caverns 17–24 · Deadmines 17–26

Horde: Ruins of Lordaeron 15–20 (new, in Undercity) · Ragefire Chasm 13–18 (Horde) · Wailing Caverns 17–24 · Deadmines 17–26

New spells
Health Funnel 12 Curse of Recklessness 14 Drain Life 14 Unending Breath 16 Create Soulstone 18 Searing Pain 18 Curse of the Elements 20 Demon Armor 20 Ritual of Summoning 20 Summon Incubus 20 Summon Succubus 20 Rain of Fire 20
New ranks
Curse of Weakness 2 12Shadow Bolt 3 12Corruption 2 14Life Tap 2 16Bane of Agony 2 18Health Funnel 2 20Immolate 3 20Shadow Bolt 4 20
Talents
Improved Corruption 5/5 10–14 Suppression 5/5 15–19 Pandemic 3/3 20–22
Tips
  • Finish mobs with Drain Soul: a kill during the channel always gives a shard, and damage ticks sometimes do. Don't start another cast mid-channel; that ends it.
  • Until the soul pouch at 20, shards take normal bag slots and don't stack. Keep about five.
  • Suppression from 15 cuts your threat by up to 20%, so the Voidwalker keeps mobs.
21–30Beta cap

Pandemic, the Felhunter and the beta cap

Pandemic at 20–22 is the big damage jump. Banish and Firestone at 28; at 30 Hellfire, Subjugate Demon, Curse of the Elements rank 2, Siphon Life with your 21st talent point, and the Felhunter, probably still through the Classic class quest. Levels 20–30 cost 331,800 XP, twice all of 1–20.

Where
Human: Redridge (20–22) → Wetlands from Menethil (22–24) → Duskwood (24–28) → Ashenvale from Astranaar (28–30).
Gnome: Redridge (20–22) → Wetlands from Menethil (22–24) → Duskwood (24–28) → Ashenvale from Astranaar (28–30).
Orc: The Barrens from Camp Taurajo (20–22) → Hillsbrad from Tarren Mill (22–24) → Ashenvale from Splintertree (24–27) → Thousand Needles from Freewind (27–30).
Undead: The Barrens from Camp Taurajo (20–22) → Hillsbrad from Tarren Mill (22–24) → Ashenvale from Splintertree (24–27) → Thousand Needles from Freewind (27–30).
Troll: The Barrens from Camp Taurajo (20–22) → Hillsbrad from Tarren Mill (22–24) → Ashenvale from Splintertree (24–27) → Thousand Needles from Freewind (27–30).
Dungeons

Alliance: Shadowfang Keep · Blackfathom Deeps · Stockade (Alliance) · Excavation Site: Wetlands 26–31 (new) · Razorfen Kraul · Gnomeregan · Scarlet Monastery Graveyard · Razorfen Downs (25+) · Uldaman (30+)

Horde: Shadowfang Keep · Blackfathom Deeps · Excavation Site: Wetlands 26–31 (new) · Razorfen Kraul · Gnomeregan · Scarlet Monastery Graveyard · Razorfen Downs (25+) · Uldaman (30+)

New spells
Eye of Kilrogg 22 Drain Mana 24 Sense Demons 24 Curse of Tongues 26 Detect Invisibility 26 Banish 28 Create Firestone 28 Subjugate Demon 30 Summon Felhunter 30 Hellfire 30
New ranks
Curse of Weakness 3 22Drain Life 2 22Create Healthstone 2 22Corruption 3 24Drain Soul 2 24Life Tap 3 26Searing Pain 2 26Bane of Agony 3 28Curse of Recklessness 2 28Health Funnel 3 28Shadow Bolt 5 28Drain Life 3 30Curse of the Elements 2 30Create Soulstone 2 30Demon Armor 2 30Immolate 4 30
Talents
Pandemic 3/3 20–22 Soul Harvest 2/2 23–24 Nightfall 2/2 25–26 Improved Bane of Agony 2/2 27–28 Grim Reach 1/2 29 Siphon Life 1/1 30
Tips
  • The Orb of Soran'ruk chain from 20 gives the Orb or the Staff of Soran'ruk, both on the level-30 best-in-slot list.
  • Respawns are raised in Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, Wetlands, Duskwood and Thousand Needles, so crowded quest mobs come back faster.
  • Summon your group to dungeons: no meeting stone summons in Forever.
31–40Wrack at 40

Thirties: Wrack and the Felsteed

Shadow Ward and Fear rank 2 at 32, Spellstone at 36, and at 40 Howl of Terror, the Felsteed and Wrack with your 31st Affliction point. Wrack is a 6-second channel, so it takes the place of a drain, not a quick instant.

Where
Arathi Highlands (30–40), Stranglethorn Vale (30–44), Desolace (30–39), then Dustwallow Marsh (36–43) and the Badlands (36–45). Riverglades (36–44) is a new contested zone with over 150 quests (announced).
Dungeons
Scarlet Monastery wings · City of Dalaran 28–33 (later beta update) · The Drowned City 35–40 (new) · Razorfen Downs · Uldaman
New spells
Shadow Ward 32 Create Spellstone 36 Howl of Terror 40 Summon Felsteed 40
New ranks
Curse of Weakness 4 32Fear 2 32Corruption 4 34Drain Mana 2 34Create Healthstone 3 34Searing Pain 3 34Rain of Fire 2 34Life Tap 4 36Health Funnel 4 36Create Firestone 2 36Shadow Bolt 6 36Bane of Agony 4 38Drain Soul 3 38Drain Life 4 38Detect Invisibility 2 38Curse of the Elements 3 40Create Soulstone 3 40Demon Armor 3 40Immolate 5 40
Talents
Soul Siphon 3/3 31–33 Malevolence 1/5 34 Shadow Mastery 5/5 35–39 Wrack 1/1 40
Tips
  • Curse of the Elements is free to keep up now that Agony is a Bane; in a group with other casters it is worth more than a damage curse.
41–50Inferno at 50

Forties: Death Coil and the Infernal

Death Coil at 42, Soul Fire at 48, Inferno and Curse of the Elements rank 4 at 50. Affliction spends these levels finishing Malevolence, Improved Drains and Improved Life Tap.

Where
Tanaris (40–50), Feralas (41–60), the Hinterlands (41–49), Azshara (42–55) and the Swamp of Sorrows.
Dungeons
Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45 (new, Riverglades) · Uldaman · Zul'Farrak · Maraudon · Alcaz Prison 48–53 (new)
New spells
Death Coil 42 Soul Fire 48 Inferno 50
New ranks
Curse of Weakness 5 42Curse of Recklessness 3 42Shadow Ward 2 42Searing Pain 4 42Hellfire 2 42Corruption 5 44Drain Mana 3 44Health Funnel 5 44Subjugate Demon 2 44Shadow Bolt 7 44Life Tap 5 46Drain Life 5 46Create Healthstone 4 46Create Firestone 3 46Rain of Fire 3 46Bane of Agony 5 48Banish 2 48Create Spellstone 2 48Curse of the Elements 4 50Curse of Tongues 2 50Death Coil 2 50Create Soulstone 4 50Demon Armor 4 50Detect Invisibility 3 50Immolate 6 50Searing Pain 5 50
Talents
Malevolence 5/5 41–44 Improved Drains 3/3 45–47 Improved Life Tap 2/2 48–49 Grim Reach 2/2 50
51–60Dreadsteed at 60

Fifties: Bane of Doom, the portal and the Dreadsteed

Last ranks of everything at 52–60. At 60: Bane of Doom, Portal of Summoning (new), Ritual of Doom, and the Dreadsteed, still the Dreadsteed of Xoroth chain, which needs level 60.

Where
Un'Goro Crater (48–55), Felwood, Burning Steppes, Western and Eastern Plaguelands (54–59), Winterspring (55–60) and Silithus.
Dungeons
Sunken Temple · Blackrock Depths · Dire Maul · Blackmaw Hold 55–60 (new) · Lower Blackrock Spire · Scholomance · Stratholme · Shaper's Terrace 58–60 (new)
New spells
Bane of Doom 60 Portal of Summoning 60 Ritual of Doom 60 Summon Dreadsteed 60
New ranks
Curse of Weakness 6 52Drain Soul 4 52Health Funnel 6 52Shadow Ward 3 52Shadow Bolt 8 52Corruption 6 54Drain Life 6 54Drain Mana 4 54Howl of Terror 2 54Hellfire 3 54Life Tap 6 56Fear 3 56Curse of Recklessness 4 56Create Firestone 4 56Soul Fire 2 56Bane of Agony 6 58Death Coil 3 58Create Healthstone 5 58Subjugate Demon 3 58Searing Pain 6 58Rain of Fire 4 58Corruption 7 60Health Funnel 7 60Create Soulstone 5 60Demon Armor 5 60Shadow Ward 4 60Create Spellstone 3 60Immolate 7 60Immolate 8 60Shadow Bolt 9 60Shadow Bolt 10 60
Talents
Amplify Curse 1/1 51 Demonic Embrace 5/5 52–56 Demonic Energies 2/2 57–58 Improved Voidwalker 2/3 59–60

Talents above follow the Affliction leveling order. Malediction (levels 23 to 27 here) no longer exists; Grim Reach (Affliction range +10/20%) took its place, so its five points were re-spent: Soul Harvest 2 (levels 23 to 24), Improved Bane of Agony 2 (27 to 28) and Grim Reach 1 (29), with Nightfall moved to 25 to 26 so every tier opens on time; Grim Reach 2, Amplify Curse and the earlier Improved Life Tap and Soul Harvest slots absorb the rest. It is the duo order beside a Priest, with the one extra Affliction point it needs before Shadow Mastery placed in Malevolence. Its first 21 points differ from the usual level-30 build (no Amplify Curse, and Soul Harvest, Grim Reach in place of Malediction) and take Suppression 5 instead of 3. Solo, take Soul Harvest earlier; if the Voidwalker keeps losing mobs or dying, move Demonic Energies and Improved Voidwalker into the 20s. With the Talented legacy perk every step comes up to five levels sooner. Step through it in the talent trees.

Class quests and mounts

  • Level 1, the Imp: a letter at level 1 sends you to your trainer: Drusilla La Salle (Northshire), Alamar Grimm (Anvilmar), Nartok (Valley of Trials) or Maximillion (Deathknell). Trolls get a new quest, Tainted Tablet, which sends them to Nartok. Live in beta
  • Level 10, Voidwalker: the Classic chains, ending in The Binding: Gakin the Darkbinder (Stormwind), Gan'rul Bloodeye (Orgrimmar) or Carendin Halgar (Undercity). Live in beta
  • Level 20, Succubus or Incubus: the Classic Succubus quests, plus new Incubus chains on both factions: Alliance What Is Love? (Takar the Seer, the Barrens), Orgrimmar Love Hurts → Wish You Were Here (Ashenvale), Undercity Hearts of the Lovers. Every Binding rewards the Small Soul Pouch (14 slots, Classic 12). Live in beta
  • Level 20, Orb of Soran'ruk: still in the game, with double the Classic XP; rewards the Orb or the Staff of Soran'ruk. Live in beta
  • Level 30, Felhunter: the Classic chain (Seeking Strahad → Tome of the Cabal → The Binding, Strahad Farsan in Ratchet) is in the quest data and its Binding still gives the 16-slot Box of Souls. The quest should unlock the Felhunter; not yet confirmed in play. Unconfirmed
  • Level 40, Felsteed: still a talk-to quest with Strahad Farsan, which is why the client lists Summon Felsteed at 40. Live in beta
  • Level 60, Dreadsteed: Dreadsteed of Xoroth is still a chain from Mor'zul Bloodbringer with dungeon steps, and it needs level 60. Live in beta

Weapons on the way

  • 18+: Gravestone Scepter, a wand from Blackfathom Villainy (both factions). Live in beta
  • 13–20, new dungeons: Fang of Magmatus and the Dwarven Tome (Hall of Thanes, Alliance quest); Gnarled Necromancer's Staff (Horde quest) and Coldspire Staff (Rath'mael) in Ruins of Lordaeron. Live in beta
  • 17–25: Sizzle Stick (Wailing Caverns quest wand), Cookie's Stirring Rod (Deadmines), Searing Dagger (Ragefire Chasm), Buzzer Blade (Deadmines). Live in beta
  • 20–30: Staff of Soran'ruk or Orb of Soran'ruk (class quest), Witching Stave (Shadowfang Keep), Evocator's Blade (Blackfathom Deeps), Dancing Flame (Horde quest wand). Live in beta
  • Tailoring: new bind-on-pickup Shadow cloth pieces that only their maker can wear dominate the level-20 and level-30 lists. Almost all of the best in slot for Warlocks right now come from Tailoring. Live in beta
  • Wands no longer scale with spell damage (Blizzard), so a wand's own damage is all you get. Wands now need you to stand still for 0.5 seconds before shooting, so wanding while moving is gone. Live in beta

How to level well

  • Drain Soul is your finisher: a kill during the channel always gives a shard, and damage ticks sometimes do. Any other cast ends the channel.
  • Life Tap turns health into mana, and Drain Life and Siphon Life give the health back. With a healer beside you, Life Tap is nearly free mana.
  • Let the Voidwalker tank. Open with it, then your DoTs. Suppression and Defensive pet mode keep mobs on it; Aggressive mode pulls anything it sees.
  • Spread DoTs and keep moving: tag the next mob while the last one dies. Fear has 20 yards and no talent extends it, so juggle from closer than old guides assume.
  • Shards: about five covers a resummon, Healthstones, a Soulstone and a summon. Conjured stones vanish if you are logged out for more than 15 minutes.
  • XP extras: the Cozy Sleeping Bag (up to +3% for 2 hours, chain from 14), Smoked Sagefish or Sagefish Delight (+5% kill XP), and the Well Rested and Talented legacy perks once you have legacy points.
  • Professions: Take Tailoring and Enchanting: Tailoring for the Shadow cloth and the 24- and 32-slot soul bags, Enchanting for staves and off-hands, and to use up the cloth you disenchant while levelling Tailoring.