Warlock • Affliction • PVE
Affliction Warlock (PVE)
A damage-over-time focused spec that excels at sustained pressure, utility, and PvP control.
Gear & Stats
Affliction gearing prioritizes reaching spell hit cap first, then stacking haste and spell power to scale your DoTs and filler casts. Because TBC uses rating instead of % stats, you’ll make upgrades by comparing hit/haste/spell power values rather than relying on Classic-style percentage bonuses.
Affliction Pre-Raid BiS
Affliction Phase 1 BiS
Stat Priority
Priority Order
Spell Hit (until capped) > Spell Haste > Spell Power > Intellect > Stamina > Spirit
TBC Uses Rating (Not %)
TBC removes % based effects on gear for Hit and Crit and replaces them with rating. Any older % bonuses are converted into rating values (based on level 60), so gearing becomes more about reaching caps and comparing ratings efficiently.
Hit Still Comes First
Reaching hit cap is the most efficient DPS increase until capped. After that, hit loses nearly all value, so it’s normal to keep flexible pieces you can swap depending on group buffs and encounter type.
Spell Power Equivalions (T4/T5)
Why Equivalency Values Matter
Once you understand hit caps, the next step is comparing upgrades using Spell Power equivalency values. These values vary by spec and gear level, but they help you make consistent upgrade decisions when stats don’t line up cleanly.
Affliction Note
Affliction values typically weight hit very highly until capped, then haste becomes the strongest scaling stat. Spell power remains a core stat once you’re stable on hit.