Affliction Warlock PvE Guide - Cataclysm Classic

Cataclysm Classic Affliction Warlock Rotation

Affliction Warlocks are very similar to how they were in Wrath of the Lich King. All Warlocks gain a new cooldown
Demon Soul
as well as a new buff
Dark Intent
. Their
Pandemic
got changed so you no longer need to manually refresh
Unstable Affliction
on targets below 25% HP, and
Corruption
is still refreshed automatically thanks to
Everlasting Affliction
. Their new spell
Soul Swap
coupled with
Glyph of Soul Swap
also makes them even deadlier for 2 target encounters.

Opener

1. Whenever all or most of your procs align in your opener, cast
   Summon Doomguard
   for single target fights, or
   Summon Infernal
   for aoe fights.
2. Pre-pot
   Volcanic Potion
   .
3. Pre-cast
   Shadow Bolt
   to apply
   Shadow and Flame
   if assigned, otherwise pre-cast
   Haunt
   .
4. Cast
   Curse of the Elements
   if assigned while running at boss.
5. Cast
   Haunt
   if you didn't do it above.
6. Cast
   Demon Soul
   .
7. Cast
   Unstable Affliction
   .
8. Cast
   Corruption
   while running at boss.
9. Cast
   Bane of Doom
   while running at boss.
10. Cast
    Shadowflame
    .
11. Cast
    Shadow Bolt
    .
12. Proceed with single target rotation.

Single Target

1. Use
   Summon Felhunter
   .
2. Maintain
   Shadow and Flame
   debuff if assigned. This means you might need to cast
   Shadow Bolt
   every 30 seconds during your execute phase.
3. Maintain
   Curse of the Elements
   if assigned.
4. Cast
   Summon Doomguard
   (single) or
   Summon Infernal
   (aoe). Try your best to snapshot it with your Spellpower/Intellect trinket procs.
5. Cast
   Demon Soul
   .
6. Maintain
   Haunt
   . Keep in mind this spell has a travel time.
7. Maintain
   Bane of Doom
   . Refresh in between the second to last and last tick.
8. Maintain
   Corruption
   .
   Drain Soul
   and
   Haunt
   will take care of this with
   Everlasting Affliction
   .
9. Maintain
   Unstable Affliction
   . Refresh in between the second to last and last tick.
   Drain Soul
   will take care of this with
   Pandemic
   on targets below 25% HP.
10. Cast
    Drain Soul
    on targets 25% HP or below. You should interrupt
    Drain Soul
    right after one of its ticks to maintain your DoTs if they are about to expire.
11. Cast
    Shadowflame
    if you are in melee range.
12. Cast
    Shadow Bolt
    .
13. Cast
    Soulburn: Soul Fire
    while moving.
14. Cast
    Fel Flame
    while moving.

AoE

For 2 targets:

• Maintain all DoTs on both targets. Cast
  Bane of Agony
  on the second target.
• Cast
  Soul Swap
  to spread your
  Corruption
  and
  Unstable Affliction
  .
• Try to maintain
  Shadow Embrace
  and
  Shadow and Flame
  on both targets with
  Shadow Bolt
  .
• Proceed with single target rotation.

For 3 - 5 targets:

• Maintain all DoTs on each target.
• Use
  Soulburn: Seed of Corruption
  to spread
  Corruption
  if it's off cooldown, otherwise cast it manually.
• Cast
  Shadowflame
  if you are in melee range.
• Cast
  Soul Swap
  to help spread DoTs faster. Use this on the enemy you cast
  Bane of Agony
  on since
  Bane of Doom
  can only effect 1 target at a time.
• Proceed with single target rotation.

6+ targets:

• Cast
  Soulburn: Seed of Corruption
  .
• Cast
  Shadowflame
  if you are in melee range.
• Cast
  Seed of Corruption
  repeatedly on the same target.

Cataclysm Classic Affliction Warlock Talents

Standard Build

Cataclysm Classic Affliction Warlock Glyphs

Prime:
Unstable Affliction
,
Haunt
,
Corruption
Major:
Shadow Bolt
,
Soul Swap
Optional:
Soul Link
,
Life Tap
Minor:
Drain Soul
,
Ritual of Souls
,
Unending Breath

Cataclysm Classic Affliction Warlock Best Consumables

Flasks and Elixirs

Best:
• Flask of the Draconic Mind

Food

Best:
• Seafood Magnifique Feast
  ,
• Severed Sagefish Head
  ,
• Fortune Cookie

Alternatives:
• Broiled Dragon Feast
  ,
• Pickled Guppy

Potions

Best:
• Volcanic Potion

Cataclysm Classic Affliction Warlock Best Races

Alliance

1. Worgen:
   Viciousness
   and
   Darkflight
2. Gnome:
   Expansive Mind

Horde

1. Orc:
   Blood Fury
   and
   Command
2. Goblin:
   Time is Money
   ,
   Rocket Barrage
   , and
   Rocket Jump
3. Troll:
   Berserking
4. Blood Elf:
   Arcane Torrent

Cataclysm Classic Affliction Warlock Best Professions

1. Engineering:
   Synapse Springs
   .
2. The rest of the professions are very close in power, with Blacksmithing becoming better with epic gems in T13.