What's the defacto warlock top tier raiding spec?

For a while I thought it was 21/40, which is cool, because it's like a big fuck you to the pet so you can dish out tons of damage. But then I saw someone mention it was 40/21 since you can get MORE damage from soul link and pals, etc.

So which is it and why?

My warlock is level 26 for reference.

0/0/0 locks would still destroy everything

i refuse to use talent points because i feel overpowered as it is

0/0/0 still topping dmg meters

So would the be considered a hybrid spec?

t4 and early t5 raiding locks have two choices, affliction w/unstable affliction or affliction w/ ruin. This is because getting your crit to a reasonable level while hitting 201 hit is really hard and affliction can put out some nice damage.

Once you get a few pieces of t5 and then into t6 you are almost always going to spec 0/21/40 because your crit and hit will be high enough from gear at that level

Ya, but I want to be destruction right now. So I am. It's the best.

at level 26 i don't think it really matters, demo is the best leveling spec anyways

at level 26 i don't think it really matters, demo is the best leveling spec anyways

Affliction rapes face for leveling, the ability to constantly kill (including multiple mobs at once) with 0 downtime is amazing.

so does having your own personal tank with demo

Typically one UA lock for the Malediction and uh... mob -5% damage debuff whose name escapes me.

Every other lock should be 0/21/40, no questions asked.

so does having your own personal tank with demo

The FG? That thing is a joke for holding threat and if you want to kill multiple mobs you end up health funneling the pet rather than doing damage.

:lol: @ demo vs aff for leveling

This is a debate that will go on forever kids(or until a patch?), it boils down to personal preference. Whatever suits your play style and you have the most fun with will be the "best." I chose demo, but that was pre TBC so I dont know if it is that different now.

All good raiding warlocks I see are destro.

I wasn't really arguing, either works for leveling. I wouldn't really think you'd level as destruction though. Also when you first hit 70 and until you get full kara gear plus some badge/t5 stuff you'll do more damage as affliction. You aren't going to be hit capped for shadow bolts and have anywhere close to enough crit in dungeon blues and/or pvp gear

I'm levelling an aff lock because I see no reason to have another hunter.

How do imp dps builds work out while leveling? I heard they nerfed the imp sometime, but was he nerfed to nothing?

0/40/21 used to be slightly more dps than 0/21/40, but after they nerfed demonic knowledge, there is really no difference anymore. Keeping a dps pet alive is not possible on a lot of fights, so there is no reason to go 40/21 right now unless you just want to spread your threat between yourself and your pet.

shadow for max imp sb uptime. our third lock is fire and he does pretty well too but that doesn't provide any raid buffs unless we want reck. affliction isn't worth the debuff slots in endgame raids.

fire locks work with the imp sac and at least one fire mage keeping the scorch debuff up

Fire locks should be shot on site :/

it's definatly not the standard lock spec but for certain fights and with certain group make-ups they probably work.

ie. 4 fire mages and no shadow priests