Warlock Speccing

[NiX]

I decided to start a Warlock after seeing a couple PvP videos of warlocks doing some crazy damage. Not only did I make this decision off one video that WASN'T a warlock, I also neglected to look further and find out what the guy was using to do the damage. I know he had a succubus, but that really doesn't help me with speccing my talents.

Any suggestions? I'm totally lost.

[Hoax]

Look at the warlock spell list.

Remove every spell with a greater then 2second cast time.

Look at the warlock spell list again.

Look at what talents improve what you have left.

Enjoy.

Seriously, I've got some stuff on my home comp saved, perhaps I'll dig it up if nobody here can help start you in the right direction.  But I'm behind on any changes made in the last two months to warlocks, lemme call my buddy who had a 60 lock by month two on a pvp server see what he thinks is effective.

[Rodent]

30/0/21 is pretty popular. Most warlocks will agree that the demonology tree isn't worth dipping into.

[Zetor]

If you're alliance, forget any strategy that has fear or seduce in it. 75% of the horde are either undead or shamans (tremor totem spam ftw), so both spells are useless. Same with soul link, Purge > you.

I'm using 30/21 (SM/Ruin) right now, and while it's not so hot soloing due to lack of Dark Pact and extra HP from Demonic Embrace, it's pretty darn good in groups, pve or pvp.
Other common specs are: anything with conflagrate in it (decent chance vs warriors but lose vs healers), anything with dark pact in it (good vs druids and priests, you can just outlast them, but you lose vs warriors and rogues) and anything with soul link in it (win vs warriors and bad rogues and most other classes *1v1*, lose vs priests and shaman). Most pvp specs have Shadowburn, so that's 11 pts in Destruction for ya. Other "must have" talents are Demonic Embrace 5 and Improved Imp 3 from demonology. 11/8/31 (Des/Dem/Aff) is perhaps the most 'efficient' build if you intend on soloing much.

I can elaborate if need be (I tried all of these specs with varying success -- l60 gnome warlock on Crushridge).


-- Z.