8.1 Warlock Class Changes! Affliction, Demonology and Destruction! Azerite and Talent Buffs/Nerfs!

[@Kalamazii]

Also Baleful Invocation id replacing FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE and not Deathbloom! That's what I get for recording so late into the night...

[@esbernofsi1910]

4:08-Destruction 6:30-Affliction

[@JK-bw8of]

Please dont stop making those Videos. I dont have the time to play ptr and therefore they help me a lot to get into a new patch!

[@Kalamazii]

I am happy to hear they help! I have a lot planned over the course of the next few weeks as well!

[@robertvries1]

Great video mate. Me and my guild are taking a break untill 8.1 and its amazing to see the changes without having to research it myself. Thanks mate, hope you have a great day.

[@Kalamazii]

Thanks and I am happy to help! You too!

[@Kalamazii]

Since I forgot to mention it in the video I certainly feel that Affliction is the front runner once again for the best spec in 8.1 and BFD overall. There is still plenty of time for changes and tuning on PTR however so things could easily change!

[@soulistll]

But the difference between aff and demo won't be as big as it is now hopefully

[@befahren9981]

BFD's Bosses are like made for Aff so if ur minmaxing there's no way around aff it's just too good.Demo's high dmg falloff on movement and poor spreadcleave hurts the specc pretty bad.

[@befahren9981]

@Attila I personally like aff but i have to agree with you on that one.I actually enjoy demonology quite a bit und would love to play it more without feeling like im holding myself back,not that it's bad it's actually quite good imo :)

[@Adamantian9]

I sincerely hope they buff destructions haste. They are really slow compared to mop and legion. I see myself relying a lot on aoe for consistent damage like: channel demon fire, cataclysm, summon infernal and in some occasions fire and brimstone. I HATE having to be forced to play the other specs cause destro has been my spec since Vanilla and I'm really not feeling the haste deficits in BFA. Makes destro really clunky and slow.

[@LostInTheTransition]

Subbed! Glad to have finally found an articulate and competent warlock main to teach my monkey ass how to git gud at this class again. Much love and please keep making vids like this (and maybe some per-fight protips?)

[@Kalamazii]

Thanks! Glad I could help! I have a lot planned for 8.1 and the raids release.

[@MobobLarry]

first of all great vid my man! and im really hyped about the changes because it looks like with the new Azerite traits and changes Demonology can finally compete with Affliction in Single Target

[@Kalamazii]

Thanks! Demonology is certainly looking like a blast to play in 8.1!

[@poziks]

Hey Kalmazi, great video! In the future though, would it be possible to mute or lower your ingame sound while recording? For me it's kinda hard to hear you over the sound of spell efects and addon notifications.

[@Kalamazii]

I'll keep it in mind, thanks!

[@Lueko111]

0:50 So is Baleful Invocation rly replacing Deathbloom? A Demo trait for Affli trait? Or am I missing something? This doesnt seem right

[@Kalamazii]

Sorry I meant to say Pandemic Invocation! All these invocations throwing me for a loop...

[@Sikfuk]

Been playing Demonology since launch and will continue to do so. So much fun, and really good in M+ (i dont raid much).

[@Kalamazii]

Demonology is a blast to play! I really wish it had a baseline interrupt though:(. That would make it much stronger in Mythic +.

[@qamarqammar7629]

@@Kalamazii People say Demo is fun but Demo still feels very casty and turrety to me (subjective feeling ofc). I'd like to enjoy it again. What am I missing?

[@Kalamazii]

It still is close to what you just described. I like it a great bit in Mythic + on large AOE pulls with Implosion personally.

[@qamarqammar7629]

@@Kalamazii thanks! Worth trying again in M+ then.

[@saluuuuum]

Ty alot mate for helpful video .. waiting for more

[@Kalamazii]

Welcome and glad to help! Certainly have a lot coming in the next few weeks!

[@saluuuuum]

@@Kalamazii , ty .. and keep up the good work mate

[@Lukescomment]

Thanks for you're efforts

[@Kalamazii]

Welcome!

[@christophermccutcheon2143]

I came here for the destro warlock changes, specifically regarding Backdraft. I've seen 2 different changes for this and I can't find out which one is true: 1) Conflagrate generates 1 charge of Backdraft (unchanged) and the Flashover talent provides 2 charges (unchanged). Max charges obtainable may only stack to 2 (previously 4). 2) Conflagrate generates 2 charges of Backdraft (previously 1) and the Flashover talent provides 4 charges (previously 2). Max charges obtainable may stack to 4 (unchanged). Which one is true? Also I don't think the Chaos Shards trait is any good. 5% is too low and stacking multiple instances of this would be a waste of other Azerite traits which I think on their own would bring more than Chaos Shards at 15% could. 5 procs of Chaotic Inferno (chance to instant cast Incinerate after casting Chaos Bolt) would provide more damage with the same amount of soul shard generation more frequently than chaos shards. Fire and Brimstone will not replace Cataclysm in any situation; Cataclysm remains the best talent in that tier. Cataclysm provides both AoE and single target damage and massive shard generation if there are enough mobs. Fire and Brimstone has no effect on single target.

[@Kalamazii]

Conflagrate is functioning on PTR exactly the same as it is on live currently, both with and without Flashover. The only difference between the two is that the backdraft talent now specifically states maximum of 4 charges. Both versions are still granting a max stack count of 4.

[@christophermccutcheon2143]

@@Kalamazii ahhhh thank you. I'm disappointed it's not the 4 charges per Conflagrate but that sounded too strong anyway

[@Toffetoffe85]

Very Good informativ video. But how does lock scale to the racial traits in 8.1 now. What is the best race to play to min max the dps for locks? Is it orc? Goblin? Nightborne etc

[@Kalamazii]

Orc for Demo and Troll for the other two specs but they are all MUCH closer now!

[@potatochoco5032]

hello for me im in love with destruction but also i have loyal for all warlocks spec , for the black harvest!!!

[@michaeldavis8160]

Hi 1st time viewer but would like to know what addons you are using because I really like your layout

[@Kalamazii]

Hey there! All of my Weak Auras and Add-ons are actually listed in my discord and Twitch Channel! There is a link to it in the video description and they are in the addons-weak auras section. Hope it helps!

[@risseer23]

Been playing Demo and i love it's current build.

[@Kalamazii]

I love it as well!

[@risseer23]

@@Kalamazii Getting some great damage and the rotation is fun.

[@jacexiong]

Got back into wow, boosted lock to try range as i was a warrior before. Running demo, but thinking of trying affliction. How is it in PVP & PVE compared to demo? Thanks!

[@Kalamazii]

Affliction is overall the strongest of the three specs currently! It has a lot to offer in many departments and is a strong choice for Mythic +!

[@HoLyG6]

Warlock is complete garbage in arenas, very strong in bgs.

[@macp988]

oh great! now I wont die in 5 seconds from ANY other class, it will take them 10 seconds

[@Gig3ntz_58]

Subscribed!!!

[@Kalamazii]

Thanks! Appreciate it!

[@mongobaracuda]

Do you think the nerf to the troll racial will matter enough so that orc/goblin will overtake it?

[@Kalamazii]

I don't think so personally.

[@FEETLOCK]

good shit kalamazoo

[@Kalamazii]

Thanks!

[@ryan6881]

I’m torn on having a balance Druid or warlock as my new main come 8.1. What spec do you recommend? What’s your current ilevel? Thanks again!

[@Kalamazii]

On live servers I am 385! I think both are solid choices in 8.1 but I would personally (a bit biased) stick with Warlock!

[@ryan6881]

Thanks man!!

[@Kalamazii]

Welcome!

[@blackblade99009]

i would think inevitable demise getting shortened and each stack doing slightly more would be a buff seeing as a full stack could be used more often

[@Kalamazii]

It is a buff in a sense. The main issue in mythic + is that it becomes a good bit harder to apply Agony to all your targets individually instead of just casting Seed. It won't be the worst trait in plus, but it certainly will lose some value.

[@vampicky]

Who is the best warlock spec for raid in 8.1?

[@Kalamazii]

Currently Affliction if it stays in the same state.

[@schattenseele66]

i look forward to 8.1 as a warlock. the change of the caster circle pvp talent is perhaps good, we will see

[@PickleJarr]

schattenseele66 it’s just an Unending Resolve without the damage reduction, reduced cooldown but comes with a cast time and a leash. It’s such a redundant talent. Blizzard is so obsessed giving us something but taking 2 things back. It’s terrible.

[@schattenseele66]

@@PickleJarr but i cant be interrupted or silenced. With 0.5s cast it could be good but we will see

[@blackblade99009]

i looked at some recent meters and a lot of them have affliction warlock at middle of the pack and so far the only viable aff build revolves around deathbolt which gets moost of its damage from how much damage all of your curses do as well as their time with ua getting nerfed a little it is going to lower our burst quite a bit because that means that big burst cor agony 5 ua into observer deathbolt isn't going to do nearly as much

[@Kalamazii]

It is about a 2% overall single target DPS nerf, so pretty minor. The thing in 8.1 is that a lot of the fights are multi-target encounters which really favor Affliction.

[@freddychico3621]

sounds like demonology is going to be the fun class with all those demons you can summon

[@Kalamazii]

I really do love the current play style of Demonology.

[@freddychico3621]

@@Kalamazii I started on demon but switched to affliction when I look at demon it just seems so complicated to play … maybe I just played affliction too much .. not sure

[@SH-cl7cc]

They need to fix the affli aoe. It doesnt make fun to be always last in dmg compared to warrior and dh. Make 2 seeds of corruption per cast standart ability baseline!

[@Kalamazii]

I think reverting Sow the Seeds to the way it was in legion and buffing its damage would really help!

[@benjaminjames4506]

Have you a link to your WA?

[@Kalamazii]

All of my Weak Auras and Add-ons are actually listed in my discord and Twitch Channel! There is a link to it in the video description and they are in the addons-weak auras section. Hope it helps!

[@vitora95]

Great video man! I really hope that affliction isn't the best spec for all the encounters in the new raid, need some variety pls Also, do you think the nerf to Troll racial will make the racials more even or it will mostly stay the same? Im getting tired of troll and wanted to race change, maybe Nightborne (they look awesome but racials kinda suck)

[@Kalamazii]

I am certainly hoping for some variety as well in BFD! The Troll racial does hurt a bit but bring them all closer to one another. Unless you are truly trying to optimize I would just say play whatever you prefer!

[@qamarqammar7629]

@@Kalamazii There may not be that much dps difference but I miss the troll racial when playing other races. It just feels better to play.

[@Sikorinko]

So, Demonology will be better than Affliction in M+??

[@Kalamazii]

Affliction will certainly be better fir high keys if it remains in its current form. I believe it will receive some changes though.

[@Requzz]

which bossframes do u use?

[@Kalamazii]

Shadowed Unit Frames!

[@chris4720]

@kalamazi how can I download your UI?

[@Kalamazii]

All of my Weak Auras and Add-ons are actually listed in my discord and Twitch Channel! There is a link to it in the video description and they are in the addons-weak auras section. Hope it helps!

[@chris4720]

@@Kalamazii I was looking at your twitch channel before I came here but I'll look again. Thanks!

[@Kalamazii]

​@@chris4720 Here is the actual pastebin! pastebin.com/u/Kalamazi Hope it helps!

[@mendacz6753]

Do you thing that demo will be a viable spec in 8.1? Nice vid btw 😘❤️❤️

[@Kalamazii]

Thanks! I certainly think it will be!

[@Sammysapphira]

Demo has always been viable

[@ZivineYT]

warlocks have been left in the dust this patch, and probably many more coming

[@peterbielecki1004]

is there a way to copy your ElvUI layout?

[@Kalamazii]

I don't actually use ElvUi. I do have a link posted to my SUF profile in the addons section of my discord/twitch.

[@peterbielecki5585]

Kalamazi can u link it?

[@Kalamazii]

@@peterbielecki5585 pastebin.com/u/Kalamazi

[@lihisluikku]

Imo aff is better for pvp in 8.1 compared to what it has been for years. Aff has 2 major counters, dispels and pillar hump LoS. ID stacked drain is the answer for that crippling and way too strong counterplay. Pump out a few UAs, and as soon as the target begins the retreat to safety, stamp a 50+ stacked drain on him. Now if either the healer dispels and gets silenced, or the target LoSses you, the drain will still deal massive damage while the healer has to sit a silence.

[@Kalamazii]

I feel a 50 stack is still plenty to be honest. I certainly want to get back into PVP and hopefully Affliction allows that!

[@lihisluikku]

Kalamazi in 8.1 50 stacks will deal the dmg of 60 current stacks. Also you can buff the dmg with Haunt 10%, UA 10%, curse of shadows 20%. Totals up to around 45% bonus dmg. And with over 370 gear that's still way over 25-35k ticks. More than enough to kill with other dots on the target.

[@lihisluikku]

On ptr I could kill a target with equal gear from 100 to 0, during the one channel that took around 2 seconds with dark soul. That was through the target druid trying to heal through it with hots and swiftmends as a test.

[@Kalamazii]

This is great to hear honestly! Gives some hope for Aff PVP. Thank you!

[@lihisluikku]

Kalamazi Also aff will be decent defensively with the new 10%+10%=21% max hp, and +125% armor. Not only that, but the curse of weakness was buffed to reduce attack power by 30%... which is just insane against all melee, it is so versatile since it is now affecting almost *all* melee and hunter dmg. Basically if you use agi/str, it drops your dps by a massive chunk for 10s on a 20s cd. And you can run a felhunter to fight off casters and to steal key buffs with the dispel that the doggo has.

[@xxtardelixxable]

A piece if me died when i saw ID nerf :( no more oneshotting ppl in rbgs

[@Kalamazii]

No king rules forever :)

[@Jon-vt3fr]

Oh wow! Thanks for giving us our abilities back! Meh... Too little to late.

[@Hoibz]

Not the changes I was hoping for. I still cant believe that destro is getting nerfed, its in desperate need of help to make it viable on higher m+ keys.

[@Kalamazii]

I think Aff will be as well before the raid goes live. Might put Destruction in a better spot but after a nerf that would feel bad

[@EtherPump]

ID trait got a 45% dmg nerf. It's heading off to garbo town in 8.1

[@Kalamazii]

Its damage was actually buffed when it received the stack nerf. While you cap out at 50 stacks in 8.1, 2 full 50 stack drains is more damage than a 100 stack drain currently.

[@EtherPump]

@@Kalamazii Don't know about you. But you used the trait for the hugmoungus dmg it did once you got 90+ stacks and the ease of the corruption part of it. Now when it does less. Why bother, why not use something that stacks raw Agony/UA dmg instead.

[@klklo888]

don't think that demon armor will help us to survive melee cleaves, missing instant shadowfury so much

[@Kalamazii]

Would love to have it back at instant speed!

[@KomLit]

1st! And nice video! watching now

[@Kalamazii]

Haha! Thanks a lot! Appreciate it!

[@Tzeeensh]

I'm really hesistating between Affliction and the duo Demono/Destro Affliction is still pretty damn strong, but so boring and with so little versatility.

[@Kalamazii]

Affliction is certainly very strong in PTR at the moment. Demo/Destro are still viable though, but will not do as much overall.

[@profitfever]

Im disappointed because im really enjoying using innevitible demise and building up high stacks on Ghun and other Aoe heavy bosses.

[@Kalamazii]

Yeah sadly I think Blizzard wanted to get away from that style of play. It is still quite doable with Agony in certain scenarios but not as easy in others.

[@profitfever]

@@Kalamazii yea i guess it'll probably be alightly stronger in say 3 target senarios but much harder on a higher number if targets. I wonder if contagion buffs it more with 2 -3 targets. Faster dots more procs.

[@jere9915]

How is ghuun aoe heavy fight ?!?!? after phase 1 there is only 1 target besides ghuun... that aint aoe heavy and inevitable demise change wont do anything to ur drain life dmg... if u are able to maintain corruption on 8 targets u can do same to agony aswell... never been fan of absolute corruption cause u can refresh corruption with seed in aoe situations.

[@Kalamazii]

I think the biggest issue is that it will not as viable in Mythic + on large pulls. Seed was easy to spread Corruption with, but Agony won't be :(.

[@profitfever]

@@jere9915 well Zul then. Zuls a better example. Yea in Mythic plus it'll be less viable. I just feel its one of the more interesting Azerite traits. Lets hope it doesnt become worthless. Thanks for the great content Kalamazi.

[@rexleonidas69]

just subed

[@Kalamazii]

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate it!

[@paake3134]

Bfa is so meh. Thankful for Vanilla, hope they don't screw it up.

[@Kalamazii]

Really looking forward to Classic as well!

[@paake3134]

@@Kalamazii Will you be playing Warlock in there or? I've never played any other class outside trying out, so i'm sticking with good old wl.

[@kataklismoe]

Is it me or ALL warlock specs clucky af now

[@Kalamazii]

Eh I think most specs in the game feel clunky right now with low Haste/Secondary Stats.

[@bb.bizlopbizcock5354]

need more focus on destro/demo ... tierd of this affliction bullshit spec

[@JuanEsquitin]

Bro I liked your video but the warlock at the moment makes me sick. Blizzard makes me wanna puke with their dumb balance changes and pruning. Tell me when will they return Kil’jaeden’s cunning so warlocks become truly Brocken again... those Mop days... or deep freeze for frost mages with their shatter mastery and their evocation is long gone. When will they give subtlety and combat rouges their poisons back? Arms warriors miss their recklessness. I can go on and on when they fiinished their master piece legión it was such a great piece of trash that they did a copy and paste of it for BfA. I want my classes whole again. I’ve been playing classic on private servers and guess what I’m having a blast my classes are whole and there is a means to an end be it pvp or pve. Both involve raiding...

[@Kalamazii]

Yeah that might something that requires an actual expansion overhaul :(

[@xerotoninz]

doesnt give any useful aoe. gets upset theyre not being used as aoe