Destruction Warlock leveling guide

Destruction trades safety for damage. Bane makes Shadow Bolt faster, Devastation and Ruin make its critical strikes frequent and huge, and Shadowburn finishes an enemy at once. Enemies die quickly, but you spend more mana and take more risk than with Affliction or Demonology.

Strengths and weaknesses

• The highest burst of the three Warlock specs.
• Shadowburn finishes an enemy instantly.
• Cataclysm lowers the mana cost of your Destruction spells.
• More mana use and more risk: an enemy that reaches you hits a player in cloth.

Talents by level

Level 10 to 30

• Cataclysm 5/5 and Bane 5/5.
• Devastation 5/5 and Shadowburn.
• Intensity 2/2, Destructive Reach 2/2 and Ruin at level 30.

Level 31 to 40

• Improved Shadow Bolt 5/5.
• Improved Immolate 5/5, for 31 points in Destruction.

Level 41 to 60

• In Affliction: Improved Corruption 5/5, Improved Life Tap 2/2 and Improved Drain Life 5/5.
• Improved Curse of Agony 3/3, Amplify Curse, Nightfall 2/2 and Grim Reach 2/2.

Rotation

One enemy

• Send the Voidwalker, or the Imp for its Firebolt and Blood Pact.
• Immolate and Curse of Agony, then Shadow Bolt until the enemy is low.
• Finish with Shadowburn or your wand. Shadowburn costs a Soul Shard.

Two enemies

• Let the Voidwalker hold one enemy, or use Seduction from the Succubus on a humanoid.
• Fear the second enemy and kill the first with Shadow Bolt.
• From level 41, an instant Shadow Bolt whenever Nightfall gives you Shadow Trance.

Staying alive

• Sacrifice from the Voidwalker, a Healthstone, and Death Coil from level 42.
• Searing Pain is fast but draws a lot of threat, so use it to finish an enemy, not to open.
• Life Tap only while your health is high, and eat when it is not.

Leveling route

Level	Alliance	Horde
1-12	Elwynn Forest, Dun Morogh	Durotar, Tirisfal Glades
12-20	Westfall, Loch Modan, Darkshore	The Barrens, Silverpine Forest
20-30	Redridge Mountains, Duskwood, Wetlands	The Barrens, Hillsbrad Foothills, Thousand Needles
30-40	Stranglethorn Vale, Arathi Highlands, Desolace	Stranglethorn Vale, Arathi Highlands, Desolace
40-50	Tanaris, Feralas, The Hinterlands	Tanaris, Feralas, The Hinterlands
50-60	Un’Goro Crater, Felwood, Western Plaguelands, Winterspring	Un’Goro Crater, Felwood, Western Plaguelands, Winterspring

Dungeons worth the detour: Scarlet Monastery from level 30 to 40, Zul’Farrak around 45 and Blackrock Depths from 52.

Stats, weapons and tradeskills

• Intellect and Stamina, then Crit for Ruin. Shadow Damage matters more at level 60.
• The wand finishes enemies and saves mana, so upgrade it often.
• Enchants: Mana or Stats on the chest, Intellect on the bracers, and Spell Power on the weapon at level 60.
• Tradeskills: Tailoring for cloth armor and bags, with Enchanting to craft your own wands.