Warlock

Warlock is a patient class. You put your damage over time on an enemy, let your demon keep it busy, and finish it with a drain while the timers run out. Most of a fight is decided before it starts: which demon is out, which enemy you Fear, when you Life Tap.

If you like planning a few seconds ahead and almost never sitting down to eat or drink, Warlock is a very comfortable class. If you want every button to hit hard right away, it will feel slow.

Strengths

• Almost no downtime. Life Tap turns health into mana and Drain Life takes the health back from the enemy.
• Several enemies at once. Fear one, let your demon hold another, drain a third.
• A demon for every job: the Voidwalker tanks, the Succubus or Incubus adds damage, the Felhunter handles casters.
• Groups want you for Healthstones, Soulstones and summons.

Weaknesses

• Slow on enemies that die fast. Your damage needs time to tick.
• Fear can backfire. An enemy that runs into another group brings it back with it.
• Soul Shards. Healthstones and Soulstones cost shards, so you collect them as you go.
• You rely on your demon. When it dies mid-fight, you feel it.

Leveling is where Warlock shines. With the right talents you go from pull to pull without stopping: your Voidwalker takes the hits, and Life Tap keeps your mana up. The Warlock Leveling guide has the build level by level, the rotation and how to keep your Voidwalker going.

In a group you bring steady damage and things nobody else does: a Healthstone for everyone, a Soulstone on the healer in case of a wipe, and Ritual of Summoning to bring late players to the group. Your curses help the whole group too: Curse of Recklessness lowers the enemy's armor for your physical damage dealers, and Curse of Tongues slows enemy casters.

Affliction's damage over time is strongest on long fights. Destruction suits dungeons with many packs, where Hellfire and Rain of Fire hit everything around you.

Start with Affliction. It's the smoothest way to level: Corruption becomes instant, Life Tap gives more mana, and your drains hit harder for every effect you have on the target. You can fight while moving and you rarely stop.

Demonology is a good second choice if you like a stronger demon. It starts slowly, then comes together around level 25 with Demonic Brand. Destruction is the slowest tree to level alone; keep it for dungeons.