Warlock PvP Spec Guide
TBC arena strengths, tradeoffs and practical decisions
Siphon Life / Soul Link — attrition and pet control
Arena optionComplete level-70 talent trees
Every build totals 61 points. Pick a build, then open it in the interactive calculator to copy it talent by talent.
Affliction
25 pts- Suppression 3/5
- Improved Corruption 5/5
- Improved Life Tap 2/2
- Soul Siphon 2/2
- Improved Curse of Agony 2/2
- Amplify Curse 1/1
- Grim Reach 2/2
- Nightfall 2/2
- Empowered Corruption 3/3
- Shadow Embrace 1/5
- Siphon Life 1/1
- Curse of Exhaustion 1/1
Demonology
36 pts- Improved Healthstone 2/2
- Demonic Embrace 5/5
- Improved Health Funnel 2/2
- Fel Intellect 1/3
- Fel Domination 1/1
- Fel Stamina 3/3
- Demonic Aegis 3/3
- Master Summoner 2/2
- Unholy Power 5/5
- Demonic Sacrifice 1/1
- Mana Feed 1/3
- Master Demonologist 4/5
- Demonic Resilience 2/3
- Soul Link 1/1
- Demonic Knowledge 3/3
Destruction
0 ptsNo points in this tree.
SL/SL combines Siphon Life in Affliction with Soul Link in Demonology. Soul Link redirects 20% of damage to an active demon. Your pet is part of your defensive plan, so keeping it alive is as important as maintaining pressure.
Strengths
- Damage-over-time pressure continues while you reposition.
- Felhunter control and Soul Link combine disruption with durability while the demon remains active.
Weaknesses
- Pet deaths remove important defense and utility.
- Interrupts and melee pressure can deny drains and Fear casts.
Key Talents Explained
Adds damage and self-healing; this is the Affliction half of SL/SL.
Reduces Corruption cast time; it does not make Corruption critically hit.
Increases mana gained from Life Tap; it does not grant a temporary spell-damage buff.
Transfers 20% of incoming damage to your active demon.
Combine for a much faster, cheaper demon summon. The summon is not inherently free or an uninterruptible instant.
How to read the matchup
Opportunities
- Spread pressure when it forces healing without breaking your partner control.
- A healer forced to cast in the open gives your Felhunter a valuable Spell Lock opportunity.
Threats to plan around
- Pet deaths remove important defense and utility.
- Interrupts and melee pressure can deny drains and Fear casts.
What changes the outcome
- Check pet health and position before treating yourself as safe; recovery costs both your health and healer mana.
Alternative Specs
Deep Affliction uses Unstable Affliction to punish dispels and improve sustained pressure. It gives up Soul Link in a level-70 build, so your partner and positioning must cover the loss of durability.
When to use: Use this variant after agreeing how your team covers the tools you give up.
Decisions to practice
Before the setup
Keep the Felhunter in range for Spell Lock and Devour Magic without leaving it exposed to cleave.
During pressure
Apply damage to pressure targets while keeping your intended Fear or partner-CC target clear of effects that would break control.
When the plan changes
Life Tap when your healer can repair the health cost. Recall and heal a threatened pet before it dies; reserve a fast resummon for a real emergency.
Review one game
After each loss, check whether you or your pet ran out of defensive options first.
Master This Spec
Compare Warlock build priorities, gearing principles and the decisions to practice with your team.
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