This is the 1-85 Affliction leveling build guide for Warlocks in WoW Cataclysm as of patch4.0.6.  Warlocks are pretty versatile levelers and can really level with any tree.  This talent build guide deals with the Affliction tree.  I have included glyphs, spell rotation, a link to the talent tree and each talent from level 1 through level 85.

Some useful information that you should know about Warlocks in Cataclysm.

- Hit cap is 17% now
- Shadow bolt rotation– Int >> Haste > Spellpower >> Mastery >> Crit
- Drain life rotation — Int > Mastery > Haste > Spellpower >>> Crit
- Shadowbolt filler is better then drain life because of shadow embrace.
- Spirit is worthless no gain from it whatsoever HEALER STAT!
- Use succy now
- You can summon guardians to help fight along side you during fight they don’t take away summoned demons so you can have Succy and doomguard up at same time.
- You won’t really need soul burn besides to re-summon pet unless you do drain life rotation
First off you might as well replace all of your 10int+10 spirit gems with 10 int +10 hit since spirit is completely Useless. Other then that it’s same basic rule with gemming that 20 int is better then a 5 sp socket bonus.

Spell Rotation

Here are two different sets of rotations. Use the one that fits your playstyle and character better.  You will get a feel as to which one works better for you.

Rotation 1:

• Corruption > Bane of Agony > Unstable Affliction > Haunt > Shadowbolt x2
• Drain Soul WHen Target is Below 25%
• Shadowbolt is your filler spell.

Rotation 2:

• Corruption
• Haunt
• Unstable Affliction
• Bane of Agony(wait for it to drop off before reapplying)
• Shadow Embrace (IE: Shadow bolt if its not at 3 stacks)
• Drain Soul when mob is below 25% health.
• Shadow Bolt or Drain Life

Cataclysm Affliction Warlock Leveling Build

Level 85 Warlock (32/3/6) (Link)

Affliction (32 Points)

Doom and Gloom – Rank 2/2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Bane of Agony and Bane of Doom by 8%.

Improved Life Tap – Rank 2/2
Increases the amount of Mana awarded by your Life Tap spell by 20%.

Improved Corruption – Rank 3/3
Increases the damage done by your Corruption by 12%.

Jinx – Rank 2/2
Your Curse of the Elements also effects up to 15 nearby enemy targets within 40 yards of the cursed target.

Also, your Curse of Weakness reduces the targets energy, rage, focus or runic power generation by 10% while active.

Soul Siphon – Rank 2/2
Increases the amount drained by your Drain Life and Drain Soul spells by an additional 6% for each of your Affliction effects on the target, up to a maximum of 18% additional effect.

Siphon Life – Rank 2/2
When you deal damage with your Corruption spell, you have a 50% chance to be healed for 2% of your total health.

Eradication – Rank 3/3
When you deal damage with Corruption, you have 6% chance to increase your spell casting speed by 20% for 10 sec.

Soul Swap – Rank 1/1
You instantly deal 0 damage, and remove your shadow damage-over-time effects from the target.

For 20 sec afterwards, the next target you cast Soul Swap: Exhale on will be afflicted by the shadow damage-over-time effects and suffer 0 damage.

You cannot Soul Swap to the same target.

Shadow Embrace – Rank 3/3
Your Shadow Bolt and Haunt spells apply the Shadow Embrace effect, increasing all shadow periodic damage dealt to the target by you by 5%. Stacks up to 3 times.

Death’s Embrace – Rank 3/3
While at or below 25% health, your Drain Life heals an additional 3% of your total health.

Increases the damage done by your Shadow Spells by 12% when your target is at or below 25% health.

Nightfall – Rank 2/2
Gives your Corruption and Drain Life spells a 4% chance to cause you to enter a Shadow Trance state after damaging the opponent. The Shadow Trance state reduces the casting time of your next Shadow Bolt spell by 100%.

Soulburn: Seed of Corruption – Rank 1/1
Grants the Soulburn empowerment to your Seed of Corruption spell.

Your Seed of Corruption detonation effect will afflict Corruption on all enemy targets. The Soul Shard will be refunded if the detonation is successful.

Everlasting Affliction – Rank 3/3
Increases the critical effect chance of your Corruption, Seed of Corruption and Unstable Affliction by 15%.

And your Drain Life, Drain Soul, and Haunt spells have a 100% chance to reset the duration of your Corruption spell on the target.

Pandemic – Rank 2/2
Reduces the global cooldown of your Bane and Curse spells by .5 sec.

Your Drain Soul has a 100% chance to refresh the duration of your Unstable Affliction spell when dealing damage on targets below 25% health.

Haunt – Rank 1/1
You send a ghostly soul into the target, dealing ((($SP * 0.429) * 1.25) + 709) Shadow damage and increasing all damage done by your Shadow damage-over-time effects on the target by 20% for 12 sec. When the Haunt spell ends or is dispelled, the soul returns to you, healing you for 100% of the damage it did to the target

Demonology (3 Points)

Demonic Embrace – Rank 3/3
Increases your total Stamina by 10%.

Destruction (6 Points)

Bane – Rank 3/3
Reduces the casting time of your Shadow Bolt, Chaos Bolt and Immolate spells by 0.5 sec.

Shadow and Flame – Rank 3/3
Increases the damage done by your Shadow Bolt and Incinerate spells by 12%, and your Shadow Bolt has a 100% chance to cause the Improved Shadow Bolt effect to the target.

The Improved Shadow Bolt effect causes the target to be vulnerable to spell damage, increasing spell critical strike chance against that target by 5% for lasts 30 sec.

Glyphs

Glyph of Haunt (Prime Glyph)
The bonus damage granted by your Haunt spell is increased by an additional 3%.

Glyph of Corruption (Prime Glyph)
Your Corruption spell has a 4% chance to cause you to enter a Shadow Trance state after damaging the opponent. The Shadow Trance state reduces the casting time of your next Shadow Bolt spell by 100%.

Glyph of Bane of Agony (Prime Glyph)
Increases the duration of your Bane of Agony by 4 sec.

Glyph of Life Tap (Major Glyph)
Reduces the global cooldown of your Life Tap by .5 sec.

Glyph of Soul Swap (Major Glyph)
Your Soul Swap leaves your damage-over-time spells behind on the target you Soul Swapped from, but gives Soul Swap a 10 sec cooldown.

Glyph of Shadow Bolt (Major Glyph)
Reduces the mana cost of your Shadow Bolt by 15%.

Glyph of Drain Soul (Minor Glyph)
Your Drain Soul restores 10% of your total mana after you kill a target that yields experience or honor.

Glyph of Unending Breath (Minor Glyph)
Increases the swim speed of targets affected by your Unending Breath spell by 20%.

Glyph of Ritual of Souls (Minor Glyph)
Reduces the mana cost of your Ritual of Souls spell by 70%.

Do You Want To Level Faster Like The Pros?

If you are having trouble leveling or need to level faster in WoW Cataclysm I highly suggest you check out Zygor’s Leveling Guide. It has the perfect leveling path that gets you to 85 faster and easier than any other way. No matter what level you are, you load the guide and it points with an arrow to the direction of each monster, quest giver, trainer etc. Its pretty crazy. It also has an in game box that tells you exactly what to do, like kill 5 boars, run west 10 miles, etc. If you dont have this in game add on guide, honestly, you are missing out. You can find out more here or check out the Zygor Cataclysm Leveling Guide Review.