Post by Kthxbb
Here's the original SL/SL spec before all the variations.
23/38
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=Iq0rVRbkoZbxczIizzesWith this spec, its pretty much a starter spec. It was affective for me when I didn't have much resilience gear (pretty much FSW set) but it kept me alive in arena which is a good thing. The spec functions around living longer than your opponents and with demonic resilience you get 3% reduce being critically hit and your pet takes 15% less damage, which is good as most people that play 2s, know to kill your pet first then move on to you. The 1 point in mana feed gives back mana to your pet as you drain mana from the other team's healer or when you life tap. Usually, these games will go on for at least 5 minutes or more so putting mana back into the pet is not a bad idea. Of course, some say it is just a filler point.
27/34 SL/SL variation:
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=Iq0rrRfkRZbxczIiz0xsThis is the spec I'm running right now as I have 449 resilience I have more choices as to where points should go. I don't really need demonic resilience anymore since I rarely get critted, no points in mana feed as I'm trying to hurt more whereas to live longer now. This is more of the offensive SL/SL spec. The only bad thing I have experienced is that, my pet dies quicker as I do not have demonic resilience, I get interrupted more often than 23/38 as I only have 2 points in fel concentration. But I do more damage compared to 23/38.
I would have to say though, I probably will respec back to 23/38 as that was the spec that got me to 1900+, whereas now I'm just hovering over 1600s-1700s. I noticed that my pet just dies so fast that my healer can't keep it up.
Post by Kerminator
I'd like to add my talent tree to the list if I may. It's a little unorthadox compared to the cookie-cutter talents that I've seen others use. But compared to a similarly geared warlock whom I raid Kara with. I always out dps her w/o pulling aggro. She has the UA build.
Affliction - Instant Corruption just a must have, Improved Lifetap for more efficiant mana conversion
Demo - 1 pt in Healthstone cuz it's nice to have multiple HS in your inventory for the longer fights. Most locks choose 0 or 2 points. 3 pts in your Imp, whom I'll keep out b/c I'll be in the MT group. Most of the Demo points are for Master Demonology/SLink/Demo Knowledge. Passive buffs are great.
Destro - I mostly spam shadowbolts and Corruption. Big crits and Improved SB
With Master Demo and Destructive Reach will passively give you 30% aggro reduction. Plus BoSalvation you'll get 60% aggro reduction. No worries on pulling any aggro.
Cast Sequence - Curse of Shadows, Corruption, SB, SB, SB
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=IV0oZsxczIVz0xsZxx0tr0z
Post by Rofocale
For PVP, specifically BG's.: I am going to repost a previous response I made to a sl/sl spec variation. This below is still my general opinion, although i respec alot and now use a hybrid imp spec 19/21/21 for pvp.
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=IA0MVMbZcxczhqZxxbtb0z I changed to this because im greedy, and i want everything. The imp spec although open to criticism gives nice subliminal damage, and the imps low pvp 'threat' (for lack of a better term) means more unaltered dps, like a dot, even when im incapacitated. ntm I still get most the benefits from the survivability of the affliction tree, w/o the throwaway 'siphon life' tier. I get ruin, and I actually get a shadow bolt or even 2 off after a fear, and my imp could probably solo a lvl 50 player!
Here is the previous post, endorsing a sl/r spec to address resillience:
Ive found the drain life sl/sl spec has some need of faster dps in BG combat at least. Fact is we are targets, and cant just sit back behind warriors and drain: survivability is essential; but depending on your style really need faster paced damage for pvp. Ive been using this spec:
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=IhZ0gczIiz0xsZVV0trhzto address the following pvp facts:
#1 need your fears and seed's of corruption to hit. I have heard you only need 2 in suppression but based on statistics 5% or more is considered significant so i bump it to 3. In BG's SOC is way more effective, and does far, far more damage to all enemies than the standard single target corruption spell: and you;ll find yourself spamming that more that corrupt in most BG situations.
#2 resillience means nerfs to crit chances, periodic damage (dot's), and crit damage. with the current emphasis on resil, you really need to go up in the destru tree: up to ruin to counter this (lvl 70). It's all a matter of preference, but i'd rather preserve my crit chances and burst damage than my dot's for pvp. This implies that a sl/r (soul link/ruin) spec is the best type of spec to counter resillience.
#3 Daze is a nice thing from aftermath: i do miss bane but i figure im spamming searing pain which crits at 10% higher rate (+5) and damage is about the same as a non crit shadow bolt: with a 1.5 s cast time. the chance to daze gives 5s and a possible extra cast where SB's 2.5 s cast time is almost unrealistic in pvp. and if your not spamming SB's might as well save 5% per searing pain cast. Nightfall procs @ 4% where the searing pain stun procs a 5s stun at 10% (in theory, equivalent to double the rate of one instant cast shadow bolt from nightfall).
#4 demonology: felguard is overated for pvp. you do need the spell power buff with Demonic Knowledge and would be nice to have demonic resillience, but figure your permanent demon out will be the fel puppy: 9000+hp/mana give a VERY nice spell power buff, and your resistances are at base 70+++. Not to mention that the fel puppy will outlive you in most pvp encounters.
btw im aware that specing imp health funnel instead of imp health stone may not be optimum because you may want to give healthstones out.
My conclusion is: ill stay 19/21/21 for now; until i decide to change: i like the stamina buff and more active, untargeted dps pet.