Demonology Warlock leveling guide
A sturdy Warlock with a strong demon. Pick this if you want the Voidwalker to hold everything. How the Demonology talents play from level 10 to 60.
On this page7 sections
At a glanceOur pickOpinion, not confirmed by BlizzardOur reading of the Demonology talent text, not a tested rotation.
- Build at level 60
- 17/34/0 (17 Affliction, 34 Demonology)
- 16-point milestone
- Fel Domination, level 25
- Last Demonology talent
- Demonic Pact, level 40
- In a group
- Damage
- Our first choice for leveling a Warlock
- Affliction
How Demonology plays
- Demonology makes you and the demon one unit. Demonic Embrace adds 15% to your Stamina, and Fel Vitality adds 15% to the demon's health and Mana and to your own Mana.
- Our pick for leveling is the Voidwalker, so Improved Voidwalker is the first pet talent: 30% more from its Torment, Consume Shadows, Sacrifice and Suffering.
- Soul Link sends 30% of the damage you take to the demon, and you both inflict 3% more damage while it is active.
- Master Demonologist gives a bonus that depends on the demon. At five points: 10% Fire damage with the Imp, 10% less Physical damage taken with the Voidwalker, 10% Shadow damage with the Succubus or Incubus, 10% less Magic damage taken with the Felhunter.
- Demonic Sacrifice is the other way to play: give up the demon for an effect that lasts 2 hrs. Demonic Pact, the last talent, lets you summon a different demon without losing it.
What to press first
Most important first. Not a rotation.
- 1
Fight with a demon out
Demonic Knowledge only raises your spell damage and healing while a summoned demon is active, and Soul Link lasts only as long as the demon does.
- 2
Keep the demon alive with Health Funnel
Improved Health Funnel increases the health it transfers.
- 3
Bring a dead demon straight back with Fel Domination
Fel Domination takes 5.5 sec off your next summon and 50% off its Mana cost.
- 4
Choose the demon for the job
Master Demonologist gives you and the demon a different effect for each one.
- 5
With Demonic Pact, sacrifice one demon and summon another
Demonic Pact keeps the Demonic Sacrifice effect when you summon a different demon. Summoning the same one again still cancels it.
Talents that change how you play · 11
From Demonic Embrace at level 10 to Demonic Energies at 41.
The level is when our build first takes the talent.
- Levels 10–14
More Stamina, and so more health.
- Levels 15–17
The Voidwalker does its job better.
- Levels 20–21
Summoning is quicker and cheaper.
- Level 22
A choice appears: keep the demon, or trade it for a long effect.
- Level 25
Fel Domination16-point milestone
A dead demon is back in moments.
- Levels 26–30
The demon deals 10% more damage at five points.
- Level 31
The demon starts taking part of every hit meant for you.
- Levels 32–34
Your own spells gain from having a demon out.
- Levels 35–39
Which demon you have out now changes what you are good at.
- Level 40
A sacrificed demon's effect and a living demon at once.
- Levels 41–42
Your spell damage heals the demon, 16% at two points.
Gear to look for
What the talents reward on items, and items that carry it.
- Stamina. Demonic Embrace raises it by 15%, and with Soul Link your health and the demon's are spent together.
- No Demonology talent in the build names a weapon type.
Opinion, not confirmed by BlizzardItems that carry what these talents name.
Levels 10-20
The Hall of Thanes, levels 13-18 Alliance
Back · 3 Stamina, 6 Attack Power, 4 Attack Power against Humanoids
Quest: An Ancient Grudge, choose 1 of 2
Cloth hands · 6 Intellect, 3 Stamina
Quest: Important Heirlooms, choose 1 of 2
Cloaks are listed for every class, following the Classic rule.
Groups and dungeons
In a group: damage. New group talents before 3 dungeons.
In a group these talents support damage.
- Master Demonologist is the group talent: the Imp, the Succubus or Incubus and the Felhunter each give a different effect, so pick by what the dungeon throws at you.
- Improved Felhunter, which shortens the cooldown of its Spell Lock, is not in this build. Against casters it is worth a look.
New group talents by the time each dungeon opens
Strengths and trade-offs
2 strengths, 2 trade-offs.
Strengths
- Sturdy: more Stamina, and a demon that takes 30% of the damage aimed at you.
- Flexible. Four demons, each with its own Master Demonologist effect.
Trade-offs
- If the demon dies you lose Soul Link, Demonic Knowledge and Master Demonologist until it is back.
- Your own spells get little from the tree. The first talent for one is Improved Corruption, from Affliction, at level 44.
Compare this build
Keep reading
Sources and what isn't confirmed
Unconfirmed: reported, not confirmed by Blizzard
- Cloaks being open to every class, as in Classic
- The Hall of Thanes being open to the Alliance only
- The items under Gear to look for, and their stats, as public coverage reports them
Not announced
- Stat weights
- A leveling talent order from Blizzard
Sources
- Beta 1.60.1 talent data: every sentence about how the tree plays is read from the Demonology talent text. Nothing here is a published guide or a tested rotation
- Warcraft Tavern, 19 Sep 2026: the items under Gear to look for, and where each comes from
- Warcraft Tavern's Forever Warlock guide: which armor and weapons a Warlock can use, and from what level
Updated . Talent data: beta 1.60.1. Details can change in any later build or patch.