Warlock pvp builds

[Binamin]

This is my current spec:
http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#IV0bZbxmzgxotZxx0d

I am not that geared yet, so SL is nice.

When I get some better gear I'm thinking about going:
http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#Iy0bARboVZZxg0tM0z

What are your specs?

[metagame]

Fel Intellect is completely worthless, get Improved Voidwalker instead.

Also I would go with grim reach over shadowburn for a utility (SL) build.

The build shouldn't depend much on gear, rather, it should depend on what kind of role you want to fill in your BG group.

[diogenes]

Fel Intellect is completely worthless, get Improved Voidwalker instead.

I mostly agree. I wouldn't say fel intellect is "completely" worthless, but imp vw is really good. Leave 1 point in fel intellect; however.

Also I would go with grim reach over shadowburn for a utility (SL) build.

I completely disagree. Shadowburn is much stronger than a nightfall/soul link build.

The build shouldn't depend much on gear, rather, it should depend on what kind of role you want to fill in your BG group.

Eh, the spec is going to determine how you gear. If you're speccing soul link, going for stamina (and even armor) is going to significantly increase your survivability because soul link increases your effective health drastically. However, if you're going for an sm/ruin spec, nf/conflag, or a full destruction spec, then your strength is going to be your damage output and you ought to focus more on increasing that. Of course, once you get r10 gear, most of that is almost certainly better no matter your spec, but some of the off pieces (wrist, belt, ect) you will make different choices. For example I'll argue felheart braces are far superior to warsong bracers for a soul link spec, while for an sm/ruin spec (or any other damage oriented spec) the warsong bracers are much better than felheart.

[metagame]

Well yea, you have to put that 1 point somewhere, and it isn't going into Improved Imp haha.

Resisted Fear or out of range Fear might cause you to lose a game, default Fear range is really short. Plus it's nice to be able to cast Curse of Tongues/Agony/Corruption/drains from much further away (example: stopping Warrior charge, Druid/Rogue running to go into stealth).

The DPS difference between Nightfall + Curse of Agony + Amplify Curse vs. Shadowburn is such a small difference, I have a hard time justifying that. The only thing I'd miss from the destro tree would be Bane, but 0.5 sec on Immolate / Shadow Bolt isn't worth giving up the extra yardage on all affliction spells, imo. If you want to see big crits just go SM/Ruin.

[diogenes]

Resisted Fear or out of range Fear might cause you to lose a game, default Fear range is really short. Plus it's nice to be able to cast Curse of Tongues/Agony/Corruption/drains from much further away (example: stopping Warrior charge, Druid/Rogue running to go into stealth).

I 100% agree, but the strength of the soul link spec is that you're able to get close enough to do those things because you have the survivability to do so. But Grim reach is a great talent, I don't deny it.

The DPS difference between Nightfall + Curse of Agony + Amplify Curse vs. Shadowburn is such a small difference, I have a hard time justifying that.

It's not really that the dps difference is small, but instead that shadowburn is available when you WANT to use it. When you get a nightfall proc its "use it or lose it." You might get a nightfall proc and help take down the fc, but you might not. Additionally, nightfall is completely contingent upon your corruption not getting dispelled, which isn't the easiest thing not to happen in not a few situations.

Honestly, if you're going for the burst dps of nightfall and grim reach, I think you should just go sm/ruin, and sacrifice the survivability. I don't think nightfall / soul link is bad really, but it is quite a gimmick, especially considering you get no bane in addition to shadowburn, which you mention:

The only thing I'd miss from the destro tree would be Bane, but 0.5 sec on Immolate / Shadow Bolt isn't worth giving up the extra yardage on all affliction spells,

Sure its more "dps" to spam searing pain that to use immolate, but you can't always stand there and spam searing pain. You can easily defend ramp as soul link, get CoA, Corr, and immolate on 1-2 people who are riding by depending on the distance between them, where if you're without a spec that uses bane, I don't think that's possible.

imo. If you want to see big crits just go SM/Ruin.

Yea of course. But going shadowburn isn't going to give you big crits. Its going to give you a spell that you can consistently rely on to get a little more damage output on an important target.

[Binamin]

Can you fill in the talent calculator? I'm curious.

[diogenes]

Can you fill in the talent calculator? I'm curious.

For soul link, I would spec http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#IV0bZbxuzgxotZxx0z (with 2 points left over that don't really go any where nice, but i recommend supression aftermath doesn't really proc reliably and doesn't usually proc at a time where it would help, although a lucky proc on an efc would be marvelous, so the only other place that makes sense is maybe devastation but how often do you cast destruction spells compared to fear and deathcoil?).

For an SM/Ruin spec, I recommend: http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#IA0bVRbkNZZxx0tr0z

since we're talking pvp I've linked a pvp sm/ruin spec, therefore I need to explain the difference. pvp does not benefit as much from cataclysm, and also requires shadowburn where pve sm/ruin does not. Its also relatively important to get intensity in a pvp sm/ruin spec opposed to in pve where its not usually helpful except on a fight like vael. In any case, I'm honestly not sure if 5/5 shadow mastery and 3/4 imp CoX is better than 4/5 sm and 4/4 imp cox. It's a tough call, but I'd probably lean towards 5/5 sm over 4/4 imp CoX.

[Binamin]

I think I'm gonna do 1 of the following 2:
http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#IV0bZbxuzgxotZxx0d

http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#IA0dARboVZZxg0tM0z

[diogenes]

I think I'm gonna do 1 of the following 2:
http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#IV0bZbxuzgxotZxx0d

http://db.vanillagaming.org/?talent#IA0dARboVZZxg0tM0z

The soul link build, i don't disagree with. However, the points in imp CoA and imp drain life are not nearly as strong as getting CoX and imp CoX, but its your call.

[knotic]

if u get that rogue with his sprint on CD or the pally/shaman/warrior without any consumables to avoid being slowed every second he isn't able to land attacks on u will eat his life away. Tho I would only go up to 3/4 on the imp cox. movement is so vital to melee classes. and also can save u alot of the time to be able for u to run away/catch up to ur targets. absolutely love the ability.