Ten Ton Hammer's Class Guides - Warlock

Destruction Talent Guide

This Destruction talent guide will let you know which of the Destruction talents you should go for, and which you should pass up unless you're going full into this tree, which is never really recommended since having points into Demonology or Affliction really help you out in the long run. We will go over each talent, analyze what it does, and why you would or wouldn't want it.

Return to the new Warlock Talent Guide. The Warlock Talent Guide will link you to all 3 different Talent builds and explain how they work, and why you would ever need or use them, including important talents to pick up as well as often ignored ones.

Tier 1

Tier 1 is available at level ten, when your first talents open up.

Improved Shadowbolt

Max 5 Points, Your Shadow Bolt critical strikes increase the next 4 sources of Shadow damage dealt to the target by 4%/8%/12%/16%/20%. Effect lasts a maximum of 12 seconds.

This talent is essential if you're going to be raiding or grouping a lot, while Cataclysm may seem like a good option, a 20% increase (including DoTs, and these won't consume a charge!) in damage is never a bad thing and will only improve your DPS on your targets

  • Must Have

Cataclysm

Max 5 points. Reduces the Mana cost of your Destruction spells by 1%/2%/3%/4%/5%

This talent looks good on paper, but seeing that as a warlock you employ DoTs too among other spells, this really doesn't make that big of a difference either raiding or PvPing.

  • Situational

Tier 2

Bane

Max 5 points, Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt and Immolate spells by 0.1/0.2/0.3/0.4/0.5 seconds and your Soul Fire spell by 0.4/0.8/1.2/1.6/2.0 seconds.

A favorite for many warlocks, getting off your spells faster is always a plus and timing could be vital both for your DPS in raids and the final blows in PvP!

  • Recommended

Aftermath

Max 5 points, Gives your Destruction spells a 2%/4%/6%/8%/10% chance to daze the target for 5 seconds.

PvP only talent; this is recommended for people who want to daze and continue nuking their targets. This talent has little to no use in PvE encounters.

  • PvP Recommendation!

Tier 3

Improved Firebolt

2 point talent, Reduces the casting time of your Imp's Firebolt spell by 0.25/0.5 seconds

As useful as it sounds, try to avoid this one as imp firebolts were nerfed during BC testing and now they're just not worth the valuable 2 talent points.

  • Not recommended.

Improved Lash of Pain

2 point, Reduces the cooldown of your Succubus's Lash of Pain spell by 3/6 seconds.

Same as the Imp's firebolt, this talent will serve little to no purpose as the Succubus is a specialty pet, she will either be Seducing or Soothing Kissing, Lash of Pain is really not that useful high-end.

  • Not recommended.

Devastation

Max 5 points, Increases the critical strike chance of your Destruction spells by 1%/2%/3%/4%/5%.

Perfect talent for those climbing this tree higher, critical chance means more improved shadowbolt procs and double your damage once you get Ruin! Get this if you're going to spec deep into Destruction

  • Highly recommended!

Shadowburn

1 point, Instantly blasts the target with Shadow damage. If the target dies from Shadowburn, and yields experience or honor, the caster gains a Soul Shard.

Must have talent in the Destruction tree regardless of your spec, this gives you an instant attack to finish off your opponents if they're low on health, or at the very least, a double attack so you can spike your damage in both damage meters and within PvP!

  • Must Have

Tier 4

Intensity

Max 2 points, Gives you a 35%/70% chance to resist interruption caused by damage while channeling any Destruction spell.

Another favorite for Warlocks overall, resisting being interrumpted by damage such as small smites or enemy pulses is always a plus, for mere 2 talent points, this one is a keeper.

  • Highly Recommended!

Destructive Reach

Max 2 points, Increases the range of your Destruction spells by 10%/20% and reduces threat caused by Destruction spells by 5%/10%.

This talent along with Grim Reach is a favorite between all warlocks since it gives us more range to begin casting our spells and hence more opportunities to get our spells off before they're interrupted!

  • Highly Recommended

Improved Searing Pain

Max 3 points, Increases the critical strike chance of your Searing Pain spell by 4%/7%/10%.

Great for 'Firelocks', increasing your critical strike chance with Searing Pain may be good in PvP, but do remember, Searing Pain will generate a lot of threat in PvE and hence not fully recommended.

  • Situational

Tier 5

Pyroclasm

Max 2 points, Gives your Soul Fire, Rain of Fire and Hellfire spells a 13%/26% chance to stun the target for 3 seconds.

PvP talent, this might not be that great an idea even for PvP since this talent will only proc once during the whole duration of your AoE if at all, so while it sounds good in paper it really doesn't in practice.

  • Situational

Improved Immolate

5 point skill, Increases the initial damage of your Immolate spell by 5%/10%/15%/20%/25%.

Great talent for both Firelocks and Shadow locks wanting to increase their direct damage or who just want to spend a few talents to unlock

  • Recommended

Ruin

1 Point Talent, Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Destruction spells by 100%.

Great talent, this is a must if you have 21 points into Destruction. Double your critical damage? perfect if you have improved shadowbolt and other damage-boosting talents, you will see high crits with this!

  • Must Have

Tier 6

Nether Protection

3 point talent, After being hit with a Shadow or Fire spell, you have a 10%/20%/30% chance to become immune to Shadow and Fire spells for 4 sec.

Great talent for PvP, this will allow you to reduce spike damage from both Fire and Shadow casters enabling you to outlast them and spike them down with your own spells! It may be a problem in some PvE encounters, so some caution is recommended!

  • Recommended

Emberstorm

5 Point talent - Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10%.

This talent is a must-have for Firelocks - increasing your fire damage means more incinerate, more searing pain, more immolate damage so you'll be wanting this if you're working with a fire mage in PvP! Fire is a natural high threat element in PvE, so as always, caution should be had if you make this your specialty in PvE encounters.

  • Must Have for Firelocks, Situational for everyone else

Tier 7

Soul Leech

3 point talent, Gives your Shadow Bolt, Shadowburn, Soul Fire, Incinerate, Searing Pain, and Conflagrate spells a 10%/20%/30% chance to return health equal to 20% of the damage caused.

This talent will help you out in PvP situations when small health is needed and you score successive hits on your enemy, it won't do as well in PvE since you already have Drain Health and others to cover for you.

  • Recommended for PvP

Backlash

3 point talent, Increases your critical strike chance with spells by an additional 1% and gives you an 8% chance when hit by a physical attack to reduce the cast time of your next Shadow Bolt or Incinerate spell by 100%. This effect lasts 8 seconds and will not occur more often than once every 8 seconds.

Perfect talent if you're this far into the destruction tree, added critical strike damage and a proc to blast people or monsters who attack you with incinerate or shadow bolt. It procs quite often so it's optimal for PvP!

  • Highly Recommended

Conflagrate

1 point skill, Ignites a target that is already afflicted by Immolate, dealing Fire damage and consuming the Immolate spell.

Major skill for firelocks and destruction locks, if you're able to time it right you will substancially increase your damage since this is instant!

  • Recommended

Tier 8

Shadow and Flame

5 point talent, Your Shadow Bolt and Incinerate spells gain an additional 4%/8%/12%/16%/20% of your bonus spell damage effects.

Great overall talent to max if you're on your way to Shadowfury, all nuke spells will benefit greatly from 20% more bonus spell damage, so this is a no brainer if you've come this far!

  • Must Have

Tier 9

Shadowfury

1 point skill. Shadowfury is unleashed, causing Shadow damage and stunning all enemies within 8yds for 2 sec.

The final talent for Destruction Warlocks, this is considered the second best 41-point talent by most since you will AoE stun and damage enemies in your radius! This spell has a low cast time and will prove helpful if you're either mobbing, fighting tons of enemies, or fighting 'packs' of enemies within dungeons.

Damage-wise it won't be too impressive one on one, but it's unrivaled AoE for time and damage dealt to all targets involved.

  • Highly Recommended!

 


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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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