Destruction Warlock DPS Artifact Talents/Traits and Relics (Legion 7.2.5)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2 Changes
  • 4. Strengths
  • 5. Weaknesses
  • 6. Viability in the Current Patch
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Talent Choice
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Rotation
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resources
  • 3. Basic Abilities
    • 3.1. Demonic Summons
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheets
    • 2.1. Raid Encounters
      • 2.1.1. Single Target
      • 2.1.2. 2-3 Targets
      • 2.1.3. Heavy Cleave/AOE
    • 2.2. For General Use
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 10. ChangeLog
• ×Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression — First 35 Points
    • 1.1. Early Point Investment
    • 1.2. Second Golden Trait
    • 1.3. Final Point Investment
  • 2. Patch 7.2: 35+ Trait Path
  • 3. Relic Choice
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Ability Priority List
  • 2. Important Notes
    • 2.1. Roaring Blaze
    • 2.2. Chaos Bolt
    • 2.3. Dimensional Rift
    • 2.4. Soul Shard Generation and Consumption
    • 2.5. Wreak Havoc!
    • 2.6. Doomguard and Infernal
    • 2.7. Unending Resolve
    • 2.8. Pet Choice
    • 2.9. Cataclysm
  • 3. Core Concepts
    • 3.1. Soul Shard Management
    • 3.2. Havoc Usage
    • 3.3. Movement Management
      • 3.3.1. Quiet Movement
  • 4. Opening Sequence
    • 4.1. With Roaring Blaze
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Boss by Boss Strategies
  • 1. The Nighthold
    • 1.1. Skorpyron
      • 1.1.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.2. Chronomatic Anomaly
      • 1.2.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.3. Trilliax
      • 1.3.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.4. Spellblade Aluriel
      • 1.4.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.5. Tichondrius
      • 1.5.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.6. Star Augur Etraeus
      • 1.6.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.7. Krosus
      • 1.7.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.8. High Botanist Tel'arn
      • 1.8.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.9. Grand Magistrix Elisande
      • 1.9.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.10. Gul'dan
      • 1.10.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
  • 2. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
    • 1.1. Without Tier 20 4-piece bonus
    • 1.2. With Tier 20 4-piece bonus
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
    • 2.1. Statistics Explanations
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
  • 2. Enchants
  • 3. Consumables
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Addons
    • 1.1. ElvUI
    • 1.2. Weak Auras
    • 1.3. Boss Mods
      • 1.3.1. BigWigs Bossmods
      • 1.3.2. Deadly Boss Mods
    • 1.4. Name Plates
      • 1.4.1. KUI Nameplates
      • 1.4.2. TidyPlates
    • 1.5. Damage Meters
      • 1.5.1. Skada
      • 1.5.2. Details
    • 1.6. Extra AddOns
      • 1.6.1. AffDots
      • 1.6.2. Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 1.6.3. DeathNote
      • 1.6.4. Doom CooldownPulse
      • 1.6.5. Angry Assignments
  • 2. Macros
    • 2.1. Warlock Macros
      • 2.1.1. Pet Macros
      • 2.1.2. Soulstone Mouseover
      • 2.1.3. Demonic Circle
    • 2.2. Destruction Macros
      • 2.2.1. Havoc
      • 2.2.2. Cursor Rain of Fire
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Tier 20 Set Bonuses
  • 2. Trinket Discussion
  • 3. Best in Slot List
    • 3.1. Trinket List
  • 4. Evaluating Upgrades Using Stat Weights
  • 5. Legendaries
    • 5.1. Single Target
    • 5.2. Two Targets
    • 5.3. Three Targets
    • 5.4. Descriptions
  • 6. Loot Competition
  • 7. ChangeLog

General Information

This page shows you how to level up the Artifact and how to choose the right Relics for your Destruction Warlocks. It is updated for World of Warcraft Legion 7.2.5.

The other pages of our Destruction Warlock guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About Our Author and Reviewer

This guide has been written by Furty, who has an illustrious history in the World of Warcraft raiding scene and race for World First. He has been a member of guilds such as Serenity, Midwinter, and many more, and is currently raiding in Future. He plays most classes at the highest level. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him play on Twitch.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Bangerz, a top raider who plays in Method; you can his stream on Twitch and follow him on Twitter.

1. Artifact Progression — First 35 Points

1.1. Early Point Investment

After acquiring the initial starting point, Flames of the Pit, take the bottom right path into Eternal Struggle. Though this trait is largely worthless, it spans the centre of two high value traits. Snag Impish Incineration, an exceptional single point trait for single target. Next talent into Burning Hunger for the Immolate Critical Strike chance, which is good for both damage and Soul Shard generation. Backtrack to the start of the tree and take the upper path into Devourer of Life, which is largely ineffectual as you will not be casting much Drain Life. Residual Flames is a great trait, even after the Roaring Blaze nerfs. Grab your first Golden Trait, Conflagration of Chaos, which is great for priority add damage and the strongest trait for single target and cleave.

1.2. Second Golden Trait

On the right side of the tree, grab Lord of Flames, your second Golden Trait. This point is pretty mediocre but since we already have the nearby nodes it is worth grabbing earlier rather than later. Lord of Flames is useful for pushing damage checks, as it is considerably stronger than Summon Doomguard on single target when it is off cooldown. It is also useful for sustained AoE or cleave though such scenarios are rare.

1.3. Final Point Investment

From the starting node, head left through Master of Disaster and Demonic Durability into Soulsnatcher, which is a great single target trait. Chaotic Instability is a very high value trait for both single target and cleave, and leads into our final Golden Trait, Dimension Ripper. Though this trait is solid overall, it is a little too far out to be acquired any earlier.

Fire and the Flames should be your next acquisition, before heading right into Fire From the Sky. Finalize your Scepter of Sargeras with the single point in Planeswalker.

2. Patch 7.2: 35+ Trait Path

Patch 7.2 has replaced the 35-54 Paragon system with several additional new traits becoming available upon acquisition of the 35th point. All of the previous Relic traits will also unlock a 4th rank, along with a new Paragon system becoming available after all traits have been filled (via Concordance of the Legionfall) which all additional Artifact Power will be spent on.

Detailed below is our suggested maxing order after 35 traits:

1. Flames of the Black Harvest
2. Flames of Sargeras
3. Cry Havoc
4. Flame Rift
5. Fourth rank of Burning Hunger
6. Fourth rank of Residual Flames
7. Fourth rank of Chaotic Instability
8. Fourth rank of Fire and the Flames
9. Fourth rank of Master of Disaster
10. Fourth rank of Soulsnatcher
11. Fourth rank of Fire From the Sky
12. Fourth rank of Eternal Struggle
13. Fourth rank of Devourer of Life
14. Concordance of the Legionfall

3. Relic Choice

You should prioritize item level over preferable Relics if the disparity is greater than 2 item levels.

1. Burning Hunger for Immolate criticals and shard generation
2. Residual Flames for Immolate damage
3. Chaotic Instability for Chaos Bolt damage
4. Fire and the Flames for Incinerate cast speed
5. Incinerate damage from Master of Disaster
6. Soulsnatcher for shard refunds
7. Any other damage Relic
8. Any defensive Relic

4. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 12 Jun. 2017: Page reviewed and deemed updated for 7.2.5.
• 27 Mar. 2017: Added path for Patch 7.2 traits.
• 12 Jan. 2017: Quick update to Relic priority (Immo>CB>Incin>SS refund)
• 09 Jan. 2017: Checked and confirmed for Patch 7.1.5.
• 10 Dec. 2016: Swapped Fire From the Sky and Master of Disaster.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Added.