On 10 November Blizzard reworked Wrack so Affliction Warlocks keep their DoTs up again. Wrack is now a 6-second channel that deals 30% less damage and no longer raises periodic damage, but while you channel it, Siphon Life, Corruption and Bane of Agony tick 100% faster. Soul Siphon was changed to match. All from Blizzard's hotfix notes.
What changed
| Before | After | |
|---|---|---|
| Wrack damage | Full | 30% lower |
| Wrack and periodic damage | Raised it | No longer does |
| Wrack channel | Not listed | 6 seconds, Shadow damage every second |
| Your DoTs while channelling | Normal speed | Siphon Life, Corruption and Bane of Agony tick 100% faster |
| Soul Siphon | Boosted by any Affliction spell | Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack get 4/8/12% per DoT on the target, up to 36% |
Why
Blizzard said on 6 November that channelling Wrack nonstop beat casting the other DoTs. The goal was to make them worth casting again without changing Affliction's total damage. See class tuning on 10 November.
The new rotation
- Put up Corruption, Siphon Life and Bane of Agony.
- Channel Wrack for the full 6 seconds so the DoTs tick twice as fast.
- Refresh DoTs as they drop, then channel Wrack again.
- Use Drain Soul at low health. Soul Siphon now rewards having all three DoTs up.
Did Affliction get weaker?
Blizzard's aim was the same total damage with a different rotation, and we kept Affliction where it was in our PvE tier list. Demons also got about 15% more health on the same day, which helps leveling. See Warlock pet health and the Affliction guide.