Midnight S1
Ranged DPS

Warlock — Demonology

Demonology builds Soul Shards, spends them on Call Dreadstalkers and Hand of Gul'dan, then turns Summon Demonic Tyrant into a 25-second Dominion of Argus spending window. Diabolist is the current raid and Mythic+ default; Implosion converts six Wild Imps into stacked-target burst.

World of Warcraft: Midnight · Season 1

Guide contents
Spec briefing

How Demonology Warlock wins

Demonology builds Soul Shards, spends them on Call Dreadstalkers and Hand of Gul'dan, then turns Summon Demonic Tyrant into a 25-second Dominion of Argus spending window. Diabolist is the current raid and Mythic+ default; Implosion converts six Wild Imps into stacked-target burst.

Role
Ranged DPS
Stat lead
Item Level / Intellect then Critical Strike
Single target
Diabolist
Cleave / AoE
Diabolist
Patch 12.0.7Updated Aug 2, 2026

Strong when

  • Strong burst and cleave through demons
  • Good sustained damage
  • Utility and self-healing

Plan around

  • Damage needs durable targets because the Tyrant profile continues for 35 to 40 seconds
  • Spread targets reduce demon and Implosion cleave value
  • Forced movement during Dominion of Argus can delay Hand of Gul'dan casts
Character setup

Stat priority and consumables

Item level and effect strength still matter. Use this ordering to break close choices, then re-check it after major gear swaps.

  1. 1.Item Level / Intellect
  2. 2.Critical Strike
  3. 3.Haste / Mastery
  4. 4.Versatility

Use Intellect and item level first, then Critical Strike, with Haste and Mastery close behind. Crit scales the whole kit and gains extra value from Demonic Brutality; Haste speeds both casts and demon attacks; Mastery increases demon and Implosion damage. Versatility is the weakest damage stat, though extra Versatility can still be useful for survival. There are no fixed secondary-stat caps, so sim close upgrades.

Racials

Race choices that change a real decision

Throughput differences are small; utility can win the pull.
Orcthroughput
Blood Fury

Best raw throughput default for Demonology. Blood Fury fits planned burst, while Orc's pet-oriented racials naturally suit the spec.

Trollthroughput
Berserking

A clean Haste cooldown alternative that can be planned with Tyrant. The total race spread is small enough that execution matters more.

Dwarfutility
Stoneform

Stoneform removes dangerous debuffs and adds physical mitigation. It can be worth more than a tiny sim lead on progression and high keys.

Dark Iron Dwarfutility
Fireblood

Fireblood combines a broad self-dispel with a temporary primary-stat gain, especially valuable on encounters with removable effects.

Goblinutility
Rocket Jump

Rocket Jump patches Demonology's hardest weakness: crossing distance quickly when Demonic Circle was not pre-positioned.

Void Elfutility
Spatial Rift

Spatial Rift adds planned relocation, and Preternatural Calm prevents damage from delaying casts during hectic movement.

Consumables

Flasks, food, potions, weapon oils, and runes for this build.

6 rows
FoodSpellfire FiletCurrent personal Intellect food.FlaskFlask of the Shattered SunDefault damage flask for the Crit-led setup.Combat potionPotion of RecklessnessUse during a Tyrant and Dominion of Argus damage window, not after the portal has expired.Health potionSilvermoon Health PotionCarry alongside Demonic Healthstone; the two are separate survival resources.Weapon oilThalassian Phoenix OilDefault caster weapon consumable.Augment runeVoid-Touched Augment RuneUse for progression pulls and high keys.
Combat

Opener and priority

Use these as decision priorities, not a rigid cast sequence. Re-evaluate whenever targets, resources, procs, or mechanics change.

Core principles

  • Spend before you cap: Soul Shards stop at five and Demonic Core stops at four. Generator casts that overflow either resource are direct damage losses.
  • Call Dreadstalkers is the first recurring priority. A short hold is justified only when Reign of Tyranny will extend them inside an imminent Tyrant setup.
  • Summon Demonic Tyrant starts a 25-second Dominion of Argus portal. The important sequence is repeated Hand of Gul'dan casts after Tyrant, using Demonbolt and Shadow Bolt only to refill below three shards.
  • Diabolist is the default for raid and keys. Soul Harvester uses the same shard economy but handles the Tyrant entry differently because Shadow of Death can generate shards.
DiabolistDefault 12.0.7 setup for raid and Mythic+: predictable Ritual demons, strong Tyrant amplification, and the best stacked AoE scaling.

Single-target priority

  1. 1.Call Dreadstalkers - on cooldown, or hold only a few seconds for a Reign of Tyranny setup
  2. 2.Power Siphon - if below three Demonic Core charges and Dreadstalkers are not about to expire
  3. 3.Summon Doomguard - before Tyrant when talented
  4. 4.Grimoire: Imp Lord / Grimoire: Fel Ravager - before Tyrant when selected
  5. 5.Summon Demonic Tyrant - with Dreadstalkers active and five shards ready
  6. 6.Hand of Gul'dan / Ruination - at three or more shards, especially throughout Dominion of Argus
  7. 7.Demonbolt - with Demonic Core below three shards; spend near the four-charge cap first
  8. 8.Shadow Bolt / Infernal Bolt - when below three shards and no higher-priority instant is ready

AoE priority

  1. 1.Demonbolt - mouseover long-lived targets without Doom when Doom is talented
  2. 2.Call Dreadstalkers - on cooldown or just before Tyrant
  3. 3.Summon Doomguard - into a five-target pull that will live through the summon
  4. 4.Grimoire: Imp Lord / Grimoire: Fel Ravager - before Tyrant and on a durable pack
  5. 5.Summon Demonic Tyrant - only when the pull can absorb the extended 35 to 40 second damage profile
  6. 6.Implosion - with six or more active Wild Imps
  7. 7.Hand of Gul'dan / Ruination - at three or more shards
  8. 8.Demonbolt - with Demonic Core and without overcapping shards
  9. 9.Shadow Bolt / Infernal Bolt - filler below three shards

Opener

  1. 1.About five seconds before the pull, use Power Siphon if Inner Demons has produced imps. Without that setup, pre-cast two Shadow Bolts or one Demonbolt so the first shard lands on pull.
  2. 2.Cast Call Dreadstalkers, then build to five Soul Shards.
  3. 3.Cast Summon Doomguard and your selected Grimoire demon if those talents are in the loadout.
  4. 4.Rebuild to five shards, then cast Summon Demonic Tyrant. Use Potion of Recklessness and a compatible on-use effect for this window.
  5. 5.During Dominion of Argus, cast Hand of Gul'dan at three or more shards; use Demonic Core Demonbolt or Shadow Bolt only when below three, then return to Hand of Gul'dan.
Soul HarvesterSustained alternative with more passive damage, faster shard access, and stronger defensive hero talents.

Single-target priority

  1. 1.Call Dreadstalkers - on cooldown; do not force every cast into Tyrant
  2. 2.Power Siphon - below three Demonic Core charges and before Dreadstalkers expire
  3. 3.Summon Doomguard - before Tyrant when talented
  4. 4.Grimoire: Imp Lord / Grimoire: Fel Ravager - before Tyrant when selected
  5. 5.Summon Demonic Tyrant - enter at two shards when Shadow of Death will grant three, avoiding a shard overcap
  6. 6.Hand of Gul'dan - at three or more shards throughout Dominion of Argus
  7. 7.Demonbolt - with Demonic Core below three shards
  8. 8.Shadow Bolt - filler below three shards

AoE priority

  1. 1.Demonbolt - spread Doom to long-lived targets when talented
  2. 2.Call Dreadstalkers
  3. 3.Summon Doomguard - for a durable pull, up to its five-target cap
  4. 4.Implosion - with six or more active Wild Imps
  5. 5.Summon Demonic Tyrant - at two shards with Shadow of Death
  6. 6.Hand of Gul'dan - at three or more shards
  7. 7.Demonbolt - with Demonic Core and no shard overcap
  8. 8.Shadow Bolt

Opener

  1. 1.Use Power Siphon about five seconds before the pull when Inner Demons has produced imps; otherwise pre-cast two Shadow Bolts or one Demonbolt.
  2. 2.Cast Call Dreadstalkers, then prepare any selected Doomguard or Grimoire summon.
  3. 3.Reduce to two Soul Shards before Summon Demonic Tyrant when Shadow of Death will grant three shards, so the cast does not overflow the cap.
  4. 4.Spend Hand of Gul'dan at three or more shards through Dominion of Argus, refilling with instant Demonbolt first and Shadow Bolt second.

Pre-combat checks

  • Summon Felguard and verify Command Demon resolves to the pet utility you expect.
  • Create a Soulwell, apply Spellfire Filet, Flask of the Shattered Sun, and Thalassian Phoenix Oil, and use a Void-Touched Augment Rune for progression.
  • Place Demonic Circle where the next forced movement ends, not where the pull begins. Place Demonic Gateway for the group when the encounter calls for it.
  • Confirm the encounter talent import, four-piece tier, gem colors, and the correct on-use trinket before the ready check.

Major cooldowns

Summon Demonic Tyrant and Dominion of Argus

  • Tyrant is a one-minute setup trigger, not the end of the window. Dreadstalkers and selected major demons should be active first, then the 25-second portal rewards repeated Hand of Gul'dan casts.
  • In Mythic+, do not spend it on a pack that dies in under roughly 20 seconds unless that use is required to preserve the next cooldown timing. The full damage profile can last 35 to 40 seconds.

Call Dreadstalkers

  • Use on cooldown by default. With Reign of Tyranny, hold only the few seconds needed to place Dreadstalkers inside an imminent Tyrant extension.
  • The four-piece tier extends and strengthens Dreadstalkers, but the priority remains the same.

Grimoire: Imp Lord / Grimoire: Fel Ravager

  • Choose the summon for the encounter utility as well as damage. Fel Ravager supports interrupt coverage; Imp Lord supports dispel utility.
  • Cast the selected summon before Tyrant so the demon and its associated effect contribute to the planned window.

Summon Doomguard

  • Use before Tyrant when talented and when the targets will live. Its damage is capped at five enemies, so extra targets do not increase its output beyond that cap.

Implosion

  • Implosion has a 15-second cooldown and consumes at most six Wild Imps. Use it with six or more active imps on a stacked pack rather than tying it to a generic target-count rule.

Advanced tips

Demonic Core economy

  • Demonic Core caps at four charges. Spend near the cap before another Dreadstalker or Implosion event can generate more.
  • Keep one instant Demonbolt for movement when the encounter demands it, but never preserve that charge by wasting new procs.
  • In Doom builds, use instant Demonbolts on different long-lived targets; the mouseover macro avoids losing your priority target.

Movement plan

  • Bank a Demonic Core charge, pre-place Demonic Circle, and identify the 10 to 15 second stationary stretch needed for the most important Dominion casts.
  • Use Burning Rush for distance, Demonic Circle: Teleport for scripted displacement, and Demonic Gateway for a route the whole group must cross.

Defensive order

  • Dark Pact is proactive: press it before the hit. Soulburn Healthstone is the one-minute recovery button, and Unending Resolve is the larger emergency reduction.
  • When a race provides a debuff removal, plan it as a separate encounter tool rather than replacing a defensive that must cover raw damage.
Build

Talents and hero trees

Use Diabolist for the single-target profile below and Diabolist when cleave or adds make its toolkit more valuable.

Recommended starting profiles

Single-target: Diabolist

Diabolist is the current 12.0.7 single-target default, built around deterministic Tyrant, Diabolic Ritual, and Dominion of Argus windows. Soul Harvester remains a valid sim alternative.

  • Diabolist hero tree
  • Stat priority: Item Level / Intellect > Critical Strike
  • Interrupt: Spell Lock

Multi-target: Diabolist

Diabolist is the current Mythic+ default because it keeps strong boss damage while scaling better into stacked AoE. Soul Harvester is a lower-ramp alternative for short or solo content.

  • Diabolist hero tree
  • Prioritize AoE and add-swap talents
  • Interrupt: Spell Lock

Verified import strings

Start with the profile matching your content. Boss and dungeon tabs in the gear section show the exact loadout used for each ranked result.

Open talent calculator

Diabolist - Raid Single Target

The recommended 12.0.7 raid default. It concentrates damage into predictable Tyrant, Diabolic Ritual, and Dominion of Argus windows.

DiabolistDiabolic RitualSummon Demonic TyrantReign of TyrannyDominion of ArgusCall DreadstalkersHand of Gul'dan
In-game import string
CoQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYmxMzoZjZ2mZGzyAAAAAAAAGzYYBGYb0CNsYMGLzyMzMmBAmZMzMzMDgZGzAAAYMzMjhhlZMgB
Open in talent calculator →Raid BiS equipment ↓

Diabolist - Mythic+ and AoE

The recommended key build. It keeps strong boss damage while front-loading Overlord, Pit Lord, Implosion, Doom, and Doomguard damage into stacked pulls.

DiabolistImplosionDoomSummon DoomguardDreadlashTo Hell and BackDominion of Argus
In-game import string
CoQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwMjZGNLmxmZGzyAAAAAAAAGzYYBGYb0CNsYMzYZ2mZmxMAwMjZGzMDwYmxMbAAgxMzMzww2MGwA
Open in talent calculator →Live Mythic+ gear →

Soul Harvester - Raid Alternative

A valid sustained alternative built around Demonic Core generation, shard spending, and Soul Harvester procs. Use it when your own character sim or encounter plan favors it.

Soul HarvesterShadow of DeathSummon Demonic TyrantDominion of ArgusDemonic CoreHand of Gul'dan
In-game import string
CoQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYmZmZGNbMMzMmlBAAAAAAYstMwAGwMsFyYzYM2mlZmZMDAYmZmZGgZGzMmZAAAGzMzYMDLDAD
Open in talent calculator →Raid BiS equipment ↓

Soul Harvester - Delves and Fast Ramp

A lower-ramp option with stronger defensive hero talents. It is comfortable for solo content and short-lived enemies, but it is not the default high-key build.

Soul HarvesterShadow of DeathFriends in Dark PlacesDemonic CoreCall DreadstalkersDominion of Argus
In-game import string
CoQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwMjZGNLmxiZGzyAAAAAAAMWWGYADYG2CM2MmZsMmxMzMAwMzMGDwMzYmxMbAAgxMzMzYw2MDwA
Open in talent calculator →Raid BiS equipment ↓

Complete talent reference

Every class, specialization, and hero-tree talent from Blizzard game data. Active and choice talents stay open; passive nodes remain searchable and expand on demand.

Build a custom loadout
Talent type

Warlock class tree

Shared class talents, including throughput, control, defensives, and movement.

47 of 47 shown

Active and choice talents

Fel DominationActiveYour next Imp, Voidwalker, Incubus, Succubus, Felhunter, or Felguard Summon spell is free and has its casting time reduced by 90%. Burning RushActiveIncreases your movement speed by 50%, but also damages you for 4% of your maximum health every 1 sec. Movement impairing effects may not reduce you below 100% of normal movement speed. Lasts until canceled.NightmareChoiceIncreases the amount of damage required to break your fear effects by 60%.HorrifyChoiceYour Fear causes the target to tremble in place instead of fleeing in fear.BanishActiveBanishes an enemy Demon, Aberration, or Elemental, preventing any action for 30 sec. Limit 1. Casting Banish again on the target will cancel the effect.Curse of ExhaustionActiveReduces the target's movement speed by 50% for 12 sec. Curses: A warlock can only have one Curse active per target.Curse of TonguesActiveForces the target to speak in Demonic, increasing the casting time of all spells by 30% for 1 min. Curses: A warlock can only have one Curse active per target.Mortal CoilActiveHorrifies an enemy target into fleeing, incapacitating for 3 sec and healing you for 20% of maximum health.Demonic CircleActiveSummons a Demonic Circle for 15 min. Cast Demonic Circle: Teleport to teleport to its location and remove all movement slowing effects. You also learn: Demonic Circle: Teleport Teleports you to your Demonic Circle and removes all movement slowing effects.Dark PactActiveSacrifices 20% of your current health to shield you for 200% of the sacrificed health plus an additional 950 for 20 sec. Usable while suffering from control impairing effects.Ichor of DevilsChoiceDark Pact sacrifices only 5% of your current health for the same shield value.Frequent DonorChoiceReduces the cooldown of Dark Pact by 15 sec.Strength of WillChoiceUnending Resolve reduces damage taken by an additional 15%.Dark AccordChoiceReduces the cooldown of Unending Resolve by 45 sec.Demonic GatewayActiveCreates a demonic gateway between two locations. Activating the gateway transports the user to the other gateway. Each player can use a Demonic Gateway only once per 90 sec.Howl of TerrorChoiceLet loose a terrifying howl, causing 5 enemies within 10 yds to flee in fear, disorienting them for 20 sec. Damage may cancel the effect.ShadowfuryChoiceStuns all enemies within 8 yds for 3 sec.SoulburnActiveConsumes a Soul Shard, unlocking the hidden power of your spells. Demonic Circle: Teleport: Increases your movement speed by 50% and makes you immune to snares and roots for 6 sec. Demonic Gateway: Can be cast instantly. Drain Life: Gain an absorb shield equal to the amount of healing done for 30 sec. This shield cannot exceed 30% of your maximum health. Healthstone: Increases the healing of your Healthstone by 30% and increases your maximum health by 20% for 12 sec.Blight of WeaknessChoiceCall forth a cloud of cloying shadow mist that envelopes the target and all enemies within 10 yds, increasing the time between their attacks by 100% and reducing their critical strike chance by 10% for 12 sec. Curses: A warlock can only have one Curse or Blight active per target.Blight of TonguesChoiceCall forth a cloud of cloying shadow mist that envelopes the target and all enemies within 10 yds, increasing their casting time of all spells by 100% for 12 sec. Curses: A warlock can only have one Curse or Blight active per target.

Passive talents

Soul LeechPassiveAll single-target damage done by you and your minions grants you and your pet shadowy shields that absorb 3% of the damage dealt for 15 sec, up to 5% of maximum health.Fel PactPassiveReduces the cooldown of Fel Domination by 60 sec.Demon SkinPassive2 ranksYour Soul Leech absorption now passively recharges at a rate of 0.2% of maximum health every 1 sec, and may now absorb an additional 10% of maximum health. Increases your armor by 90%.Fel ArmorPassive2 ranksWhen Soul Leech absorbs damage, 10% of damage taken is absorbed and spread out over 5 sec. Reduces damage taken by 3.0%.Fiendish StridePassiveReduces the damage dealt by Burning Rush by 10%. Burning Rush increases your movement speed by an additional 20%.Demonic EmbracePassiveStamina increased by 10%.Demonic FortitudePassiveIncreases you and your pets' maximum health by 5%.Infernal BeneficiaryPassiveHealing done by Drain Life also heals your primary demon at 400% effectiveness.Pact of the AnnihilanPassiveIncreases your critical strike chance by 2%.Pact of the SatyrPassiveIncreases your haste by 2%.Improved Mortal CoilPassiveIncreases the range of Mortal Coil by 10 yds and Mortal Coil now heals for an additional 5% of maximum health.Foul MouthPassiveCasting Curse of Exhaustion, Curse of Tongues, or Curse of Weakness now curses all enemies within 10 yds of the target.Empowered HealthstonePassiveHealthstones heal you for an additional 5% additional health.Abyss WalkerPassiveUsing Demonic Circle: Teleport or your Demonic Gateway reduces all damage you take by 4% for 10 sec.Fortified SoulPassiveSoul Leech may now absorb an additional 5% of your maximum health.Teachings of the Black HarvestPassiveYour primary pets gain a bonus effect. Imp: Successful Singe Magic casts grant the target 4% damage reduction for 5 sec. Voidwalker: Reduces the cooldown of Shadow Bulwark by 30 sec. Felhunter: Reduces the cooldown of Devour Magic by 5 sec. Sayaad: Reduces the cooldown of Seduction by 10 sec and causes the target to walk faster towards the demon.Gorefiend's AvaricePassiveDrain Life now channels 100% faster and restores health 100% faster.Pact of the EredarPassiveIncreases your Intellect by 3%.Pact of the NathrezimPassiveIncreases your Leech by 2%.Demonic ResiliencePassiveReduces the chance you will be critically struck by 2%. All damage your primary demon takes is reduced by 8%.Empowered Drain LifePassiveDrain Life heals for an additional 200% of damage dealt and grants Soul Leech equal to 10% of damage dealt.Swift ArtificePassiveReduces the cast time of Soulstone and Create Healthstone by 50%.Soul LinkPassive2 ranks10% of all damage you take is taken by your demon pet instead. While Grimoire of Sacrifice is active, your Stamina is increased by 6%.Frequent TravelerPassiveReduces the cast time of Demonic Gateway by 0.5 sec and you can now use Demonic Gateways twice before triggering a cooldown.Fel SynergyPassive2 ranksSoul Leech also heals you for 15% and your pet for 50% of the absorption it grants.Oppressive DarknessPassiveReduces the cooldown of Shadowfury by 15 sec and increases its radius by 2 yds. Reduces the cooldown of Howl of Terror by 5 sec and it now fears 5 additional enemies.Pact of GluttonyPassiveHealthstones you conjure for yourself are now Demonic Healthstones and can be used multiple times in combat. Demonic Healthstones cannot be traded. Demonic Healthstone Instantly restores 25% health. 60 sec cooldown.

Demonology specialization tree

Every Demonology talent currently exposed by Blizzard game data.

42 of 42 shown

Active and choice talents

Hand of Gul'danActiveCalls down a demonic meteor full of Wild Imps which burst forth to attack the target. Deals up to 577 Shadowflame damage on impact to all enemies within 8 yds of the target and summons 3 Wild Imps.DemoniacActiveGrants access to the following abilities: Demonbolt Send the fiery soul of a fallen demon at the enemy, causing 1,510 Shadowflame damage. Demonic Core When your Wild Imps fade or are imploded, you have a 10% chance to absorb their life essence, granting you a stack of Demonic Core. When your summoned Dreadstalkers fade away, you have a 100% chance to absorb their life essence, granting you a stack of Demonic Core. Demonic Core reduces the cast time of Demonbolt by 100%. Maximum 4 stacks.Call DreadstalkersActiveSummons 2 ferocious Dreadstalkers to attack the target for 12 sec.ImplosionChoiceDemonic forces suck 6 of your Wild Imps toward the target, and then cause them to violently explode, dealing 512 Shadowflame damage to all enemies within 8 yards.Power SiphonChoiceInstantly sacrifice up to 2 Wild Imps, generating 2 charges of Demonic Core that cause Demonbolt to deal 30% additional damage.Summon FelguardActiveSummons a Felguard under your command as a powerful melee combatant.Summon Demonic TyrantActiveSummon a Demonic Tyrant that damages your target for 15 sec. Damage dealt by Demonic Tyrant is increased by 10% for each Wild Imp and Dreadstalker active.Grimoire: Imp LordChoiceSummons an Imp Lord to assist you in combat for 20 sec and will remove 1 harmful effect from you when summoned. Transforms into Singe Magic while on cooldown.Grimoire: Fel RavagerChoiceSummons a Fel Ravager to assist you in combat for 20 sec and will purge 1 beneficial magic effect from an enemy. Turns into Devour Magic while on cooldown. Summon DoomguardActiveSummons a Doomguard to assist you in combat for 12 sec. Consuming a Demonic Core reduces the cooldown of Summon Doomguard by 3 sec. Doom Bolt Volley Sends a volley of malefic bolts at 5 enemies within 40 yds, inflicting 1,582 Shadow damage to each target.Mark of ShatugChoiceYour Summon Vilefiend becomes Summon Gloomhound and learns the following ability: Gloom Slash Tooth and claw are drenched in malignant shadow magic, causing the Gloomhound's melee attacks to deal an additional 120 Shadow damage.Mark of F'hargChoiceYour Summon Vilefiend becomes Summon Charhound and learns the following ability: Infernal Presence Cloaked in the ever-burning flames of the abyss, dealing 60 Fire damage to enemies within 10 yards every 0.9 sec.Dominion of ArgusActiveSummoning your Demonic Tyrant leaves open a portal to Argus for 15 sec, causing every 2 casts of Hand of Gul'dan to summon a subjugated demon that serves you for 10 sec.

Passive talents

Dominant HandPassiveIncreases damage dealt by Hand of Gul'dan to its main target by 20%.Fel IntellectPassiveIncreases your Intellect by 2%.Practiced RitualsPassiveIncreases your Mastery by 2%.DreadlashPassiveWhen your Dreadstalkers charge into battle, their Dreadbite attack now hits all targets within 8 yards and deals 10% more damage.Imp-eratorPassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your Wild Imp's Fel Firebolt by 15%.Infernal RapidityPassiveWhen your Wild Imps cast Fel Firebolt, they have 10% chance to instantly cast another Fel Firebolt at 200% effectiveness.Rune of ShadowsPassive2 ranksReduces the cast time of Shadow Bolt by 20% and increases its damage by 30%.Carnivorous StalkersPassive2 ranksYour Dreadstalkers' attacks have a 20% chance to trigger an additional Dreadbite.Fel ArmamentsPassiveThe cooldown of your Felguard's Felstorm is reduced by 10 sec and damage dealt to your primary demon is reduced by 10%.Imp Gang BossPassiveHand of Gul'dan now empowers 1 of the Wild Imps it summons, increasing its damage dealt by 100%.Demonic BrutalityPassiveDamaging critical strikes dealt by you and your demons deal 230% damage instead of the usual 200%.Inner DemonsPassiveYou passively summon a Wild Imp to fight for you every 12 sec.Blighted MawPassiveThe fangs of your Dreadstalkers are coated in corrosive bile, causing Dreadbite to deal additional damage equal to 50% of damage dealt as Plague damage.Improved Demonic TacticsPassiveIncreases the critical strike chance of your primary demon by 50% of your critical strike chance.Empowered FelstormPassiveIncreases the damage of your Felguard's Felstorm by 20% and its duration by 4.0 sec.Spiteful ReconstitutionPassiveIncreases Demonbolt damage by 10% and consuming a Demonic Core has a chance to summon a Wild Imp.Tyrant's OblationPassiveYour Demonic Tyrant also empowers you while active, increasing your haste by 8%.Antoran ArmamentsPassiveYour Demonic Tyrant is equipped with armor forged within Antorus, increasing their armor by 10%. While summoned, your Demonic Tyrant now assaults enemies with powerful melee attacks. Burning Cleave Cleaves all enemies in a cone in front of the caster, inflicting 366 Shadowflame damage. Damage reduced beyond 8 targets.FlametouchedPassiveIncreases the attack speed of your Dreadstalkers by 10% and their critical strike chance by 15%.Demonic KnowledgePassive2 ranksHand of Gul'dan has a 15% chance to generate a charge of Demonic Core.Sacrificed SoulsPassiveShadow Bolt and Demonbolt deal 2% additional damage per demon you have summoned.Reign of TyrannyPassiveYour Demonic Tyrant lasts an additional 5 sec and extends the duration of your Dreadstalkers by 15 sec when summoned.Master SummonerPassiveIncreases Mastery by 3% and reduces the cast time of your Summon Demonic Tyrant and Summon Felguard by 0.5 sec.Demonic CallingPassive2 ranksCall Dreadstalkers costs 2 less Soul Shards and its cast time is reduced by 100%.DoomPassiveWhen Demonbolt consumes a Demonic Core it inflicts impending doom upon the target, dealing 1,531 Shadow damage to enemies within 10 yds of its target after 20 sec or when removed. Damage is reduced beyond 8 targets. Hand of Gul'dan reduces the duration of Doom by 3 sec.Hellbent CommanderPassiveYour demons deal 1.0% increased damage for each demon you control.Summon VilefiendPassiveCall Dreadstalkers also summons a Vilefiend that assists you in combat for 15 sec.To Hell and BackPassivePower Siphon and Implosion summon 1 Imp Gang Boss for every 2 Wild Imps sacrificed. Wild Imps summoned this way gain Unstable Soul. Unstable Soul Increases damage done by 50% and Fel Firebolt now jumps to 4 additional targets.Stabilized PortalsPassiveIncreases the duration of your Summon Vilefiend, Grimoire: Imp Lord, and Grimoire: Fel Ravager by 3 sec.

Soul Harvester

Soul Harvester hero talents, including every active, choice, and passive node exposed by Blizzard.

17 of 17 shown

Active and choice talents

Shared FateChoiceWhen you kill a target, its tortured soul is flung into a nearby enemy for 3 sec. This effect inflicts 195 Shadow damage to enemies within 10 yds every 0.9 sec. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets.Feast of SoulsChoiceWhen you kill a target, you have a chance to generate a Soul Shard that is guaranteed to be a Succulent Soul.Eternal ServitudeChoiceFel Domination cooldown is reduced by 90 sec.Gorefiend's ResolveChoiceTargets resurrected with Soulstone resurrect with 40% additional health and 80% additional mana.Gorebound FortitudeChoiceYou always gain the benefit of Soulburn when consuming a Healthstone, increasing its healing by 30% and increasing your maximum health by 20% for 12 sec.Friends In Dark PlacesChoiceDark Pact now shields you for an additional 50% of the sacrificed health.

Passive talents

Wicked ReapingPassiveDamage dealt by your demonic soul is increased by 10%. Consuming Demonic Core feeds the demonic entity within you, causing it to appear and deal 914 Shadow damage to your target.Necrolyte TeachingsPassiveShadow Bolt damage increased by 20%. Power Siphon increases the damage of Demonbolt by an additional 20%.Demoniac's FervorPassiveYour demonic soul deals 100% increased damage to the main target of Hand of Gul'dan.Sataiel's VolitionPassiveWild Imp damage increased by 35% and Wild Imps that are imploded have an additional 5% chance to grant a Demonic Core.QuietusPassiveSoul Anathema damage increased by 25% and is dealt 20% faster. Consuming Demonic Core activates Shared Fate or Feast of Souls.Soul AnathemaPassiveUnleashing your demonic soul bestows a fiendish entity unto the soul of its targets, dealing 488 Shadow damage over 10 sec. If this effect is reapplied, any remaining damage will be added to the new Soul Anathema.Demonic SoulPassiveA demonic entity now inhabits your soul, allowing you to detect if a Soul Shard has a Succulent Soul when it's generated. Consuming a Succulent Soul unleashes your demonic soul, dealing 1,342 Shadow damage to all enemies within 10 yds of the target. Damage reduced beyond 8 targets.Shadow of DeathPassiveYour Summon Demonic Tyrant spell is empowered by the demonic entity within you, causing it to grant 3 Soul Shards that each contain a Succulent Soul.Eternal HungerPassiveIncreases the duration of Manifested Avarice by 5 sec and increases the damage of Soul Swipe by 10%.Shared VesselPassiveIncreases your Mastery by 2%. This effect is doubled while the demonic entity is aiding you in combat.Manifested AvaricePassiveEach Succulent Soul consumed has an increasing chance to unleash the Demonic Soul within you, enabling it to assault your enemies for 9 sec. Soul Swipe Strikes nearby enemies with a malevolent claw, dealing 742 Shadow damage to its target and 495 Shadow damage to other enemies in 10 yds.

Hellcaller

Hellcaller hero talents, including every active, choice, and passive node exposed by Blizzard.

17 of 17 shown

Active and choice talents

Curse of the SatyrChoiceCurse of Weakness is empowered and transforms into Curse of the Satyr. Curse of the Satyr Increases the time between an enemy's attacks by 20% and the casting time of all spells by 30% for 2 min. Curses: A warlock can only have one Curse active per target.Aura of EnfeeblementChoiceWhile Unending Resolve is active, enemies within 30 yds are affected by Curse of Tongues and Curse of Weakness at 100% effectiveness.Zevrim's ResilienceChoiceDark Pact heals you for 625 every 1 sec while active.Illhoof's DesignChoiceSacrifice 10% of your maximum health. Soul Leech now absorbs an additional 15% of your maximum health.WitherActiveBestows a vile malediction upon the target, burning the sinew and muscle of its host, dealing 75 Shadowflame damage immediately and an additional 1,265 Shadowflame damage over 18 sec. Replaces Corruption.MalevolenceActiveDark magic erupts from you and corrupts your soul for 20 sec, causing enemies suffering from your Wither to take 4,808 Shadowflame damage and increase its stack count by 6. While corrupted your Haste is increased by 8% and spending Soul Shards on damaging spells grants 1 additional stack of Wither.Hatefury RitualsChoiceWither deals 30% increased periodic damage but its duration is 15% shorter.Bleakheart TacticsChoiceWither damage increased 20%. When Wither gains a stack from Blackened Soul, it has a chance to gain an additional stack.

Passive talents

Seeds of Their DemisePassiveAfter Wither reaches 8 stacks or when its host reaches 20% health, Wither deals 378 Shadowflame damage to its host every 1 sec until 1 stack remains. When Blackened Soul deals damage, you have a chance to gain Shard Instability.Mark of XaviusPassiveWither damage increased by 25%. Blackened Soul deals 2% increased damage per stack of Wither.Blackened SoulPassiveSpending Soul Shards on damaging spells will further corrupt enemies affected by your Wither, increasing its stack count by 1. Each time Wither gains a stack it has a chance to collapse, consuming a stack every 1 sec to deal 378 Shadowflame damage to its host until 1 stack remains.Mark of Peroth'arnPassiveCritical strike damage dealt by Wither is increased by 10%. Wither has a chance to gain a stack when it critically strikes. Stacks gained this way do not activate Blackened Soul.Xalan's CrueltyPassiveShadow damage dealt by your spells and abilities is increased by 6% and your Shadow spells gain 10% more critical strike chance from all sources.Xalan's FerocityPassiveFire damage dealt by your spells and abilities is increased by 6% and your Fire spells gain 10% more critical strike chance from all sources.Alzzin's IniquityPassiveMalevolence grants an additional 4% Haste and when cast increases the stack count of active Withers by an additional 2 stacks. Devil FruitPassivePeriodic damage dealt by Wither has a chance to grant Malevolence for 8 sec.Through the FelvinePassiveIncreases the damage of Chaos Bolt by 35% and Rain of Fire by 6%. This effect is doubled while Malevolence is active.

Diabolist

Diabolist hero talents, including every active, choice, and passive node exposed by Blizzard.

17 of 17 shown

Active and choice talents

Soul-Etched CirclesChoiceYou always gain the benefit of Soulburn when casting Demonic Circle: Teleport, increasing your movement speed by 50% and making you immune to snares and roots for 6 sec.Annihilan's BellowChoiceHowl of Terror cooldown is reduced by 10 sec and range is increased by 5 yds.Cruelty of KerxanChoiceSummon Infernal grants Diabolic Ritual and reduces its duration by 3 sec.Infernal MachineChoiceSpending Soul Shards on damaging spells while your Infernal is active decreases the duration of Diabolic Ritual by 1 additional sec.Infernal VitalityChoiceUnending Resolve heals you for 30% of your maximum health over 10 sec.Infernal BulwarkChoiceUnending Resolve grants Soul Leech equal to 10% of your maximum health and increases the maximum amount Soul Leech can absorb by 10% for 8 sec.

Passive talents

Secrets of the CovenPassiveMother of Chaos empowers your next Incinerate to become Infernal Bolt. Infernal Bolt Hurl a bolt enveloped in the infernal flames of the abyss, dealing 5,119 Fire damage to your enemy target and generating 3 Soul Shards.RuinationPassiveSummoning a Pit Lord causes your next Chaos Bolt to become Ruination. Ruination Call down a demon-infested meteor from the depths of the Twisting Nether, dealing 9,644 Chaos damage on impact to all enemies within 8 yds of the target and summoning 3 Wild Imps. Damage is reduced beyond 8 targets.Abyssal DominionPassiveSummon Infernal becomes empowered, dealing 40% increased damage. When your Summon Infernal ends, it fragments into two smaller Infernals at 50% effectiveness that lasts 10 sec.Flames of XorothPassiveFire damage increased by 4% and damage dealt by your demons is increased by 4%.Gloom of NathrezaPassiveEnemies marked by your Havoc take 7% increased damage from your single target spells.Cloven SoulsPassiveEnemies damaged by your Overlord have their souls cloven, increasing damage taken by you and your pets by 5% for 15 sec.Diabolic RitualPassiveCasting Chaos Bolt, Rain of Fire, or Shadowburn grants Diabolic Ritual for 20 sec. If Diabolic Ritual is already active, its duration is reduced by 1 sec instead. When Diabolic Ritual expires you gain Demonic Art, causing your next Chaos Bolt, Rain of Fire, or Shadowburn to summon an Overlord, Mother of Chaos, or Pit Lord that unleashes a devastating attack against your enemies.Touch of RancoraPassiveDemonic Art increases the damage of your next Chaos Bolt, Rain of Fire, or Shadowburn by 20% and reduces its cast time by 50%. Casting Chaos Bolt reduces the duration of Diabolic Ritual by 1 additional sec.Mind's EyesPassiveYour Diabolic Oculi observe the battlefield and collect information that is imparted to you upon being exploded, each Diabolic Oculi increasing your Intellect by 2% for 10 sec.Looks That KillPassiveYour Diabolic Oculi now cast Diabolic Gaze at your primary demon's target every 1 sec while active. Diabolic Gaze Fire a beam of destructive chaos magic at the target, dealing 304 Chaos damage. Damage is increased by 100% per Demonic Oculus active.Diabolic OculiPassiveYou summon a Diabolic Oculus, up to 3, each time the duration of Diabolic Ritual is reduced by one of your spells. Diabolic Oculi explode when consuming Demonic Art, dealing 891 Fire damage to all enemies within 10 yds of the target. Damage reduced beyond 8 targets.
Gear

Boss and dungeon loadouts

Switch between raid and Mythic+ to inspect the top player for every available encounter: exact talents, source link, item level, enchant and socket counts, and the player's gear.

Loading verified raid results

Pulling the top Warcraft Logs result, exact talents, and equipment for each boss.

Editorial acquisition targets

Use these slot targets when planning drops and crafted pieces. The encounter explorer above remains the source for the exact gear worn by each ranked player.

Raid acquisition targets

15 slots
Abyssal Immolator's Smoldering Flames
Head
298
TierEmpowered Rune of Avoidance
Lightblinded Vanguard / Catalyst
Rotmire's Sporeheart
Neck
298
Socketed neckPowerful Eversong DiamondFlawless Masterful GarnetFlawless Deadly AmethystFlawless Deadly LapisFlawless Deadly Peridot
Sporefall - Rotmire
Abyssal Immolator's Fury
Shoulder
298
Tier
Fallen-King Salhadaar / Catalyst
Adherent's Silken Shroud
Back
285
Crafted low-budget slotArcanoweave LiningTailoring
Tailoring
Abyssal Immolator's Dreadrobe
Chest
298
TierMark of the Worldsoul
Catalyst / Great Vault
Martyr's Bindings
Wrist
285
Crafted low-budget slotArcanoweave LiningTailoring
Tailoring
Abyssal Immolator's Grasps
Hands
298
Tier
Vorasius / Catalyst
Whisper-Inscribed Sash
Waist
298
Crit-focused raid belt
Belo'ren, Child of Al'ar
Abyssal Immolator's Pillars
Legs
298
TierSunfire Silk Spellthread
Vaelgor & Ezzorak / Catalyst
Luxurious Loamstriders
Feet
298
Crit / MasteryLynx's Dexterity
Sporefall - Rotmire
Eye of Midnight
Finger
298
Crit / HasteNature's Fury
Midnight Falls
Sporecaller's Blooming Loop
Finger
298
Crit / HasteNature's Fury
Sporefall - Rotmire
Emberwing Feather
Trinket
298
Two-minute on-use; align with a Tyrant window
Windrunner Spire
Gaze of the Alnseer
Trinket
298
Top passive raid option
Chimaerus
Umbral Spire of Zuraal
Weapon
298
High-value caster weaponJan'alai's Precision
Seat of the Triumvirate

Mythic+ acquisition targets

12 slots
Abyssal Immolator's Smoldering Flames
Head
298
TierEmpowered Rune of Avoidance
Great Vault / Catalyst
Abyssal Immolator's Fury
Shoulder
298
Tier
Great Vault / Catalyst
Abyssal Immolator's Dreadrobe
Chest
298
TierMark of the Worldsoul
Great Vault / Catalyst
Abyssal Immolator's Grasps
Hands
298
Tier
Great Vault / Catalyst
Abyssal Immolator's Pillars
Legs
298
TierSunfire Silk Spellthread
Great Vault / Catalyst
Adherent's Silken Shroud
Back
285
CraftedArcanoweave LiningTailoring
Tailoring
Martyr's Bindings
Wrist
285
CraftedArcanoweave LiningTailoring
Tailoring
Emberwing Feather
Trinket
298
On-use burst for planned Tyrant packs
Windrunner Spire
Heart of Wind
Trinket
298
Passive dungeon alternative
Windrunner Spire
Locus-Walker's Ribbon
Trinket
298
Strong passive alternative
Crown of the Cosmos
Umbral Spire of Zuraal
Weapon
298
Priority Myth-track weaponJan'alai's Precision
Seat of the Triumvirate
Corespark Multitool
Weapon
298
Dungeon weapon alternativeJan'alai's Precision
Nexus-Point Xenas
Enhancements

Enchants

Choose enhancements after your equipment is settled. Secondary-stat enchant choices move with your current stat mix and the content you are preparing for.

Recommended enchants
7 recommendations
Empowered Rune of Avoidance+30 Avoidance - Outdoor kills in Midnight zones grant a burst of movement speedHelm - The current recommended helm enhancement.Mark of the Worldsoul+50 Primary StatChest - The standard Midnight chest enchant for this setup.Sunfire Silk Spellthread+41 Intellect - +115 StaminaLegs - The Intellect cloth leg enhancement.TailoringLynx's Dexterity+19 Avoidance - +232 StaminaBoots - Movement and boot throughput enchant.Nature's Fury+29 Critical StrikeRings - Apply to both rings.Acuity of the Ren'doreiWeapon enchant - +53 Primary Stat for 15 sec when Might of the Void triggersWeapon alternative - Sim against Jan'alai's Precision when your secondary distribution changes.Jan'alai's PrecisionWeapon enchant - Precision of the Dragonhawk grants +124 Critical Strike for 15 secWeapon - Default weapon enchant for the Crit-led setup.
Enhancements

Gems

Socket into the current stat priority, then re-check after major equipment swaps rather than treating a gem choice as permanent.

Recommended gems
5 recommendations
Powerful Eversong Diamond+23 Primary Stat - +0.15% critical strike effectiveness per unique Midnight gem colorUnique primary-stat diamond. Its Critical Strike effectiveness scales with unique Midnight gem colors.JewelcraftingFlawless Deadly Peridot+16 Haste - +7 Critical StrikeGreen-family Crit gem; contributes one unique color.JewelcraftingFlawless Deadly Amethyst+16 Mastery - +7 Critical StrikePurple-family Crit gem; contributes one unique color.JewelcraftingFlawless Masterful Garnet+16 Critical Strike - +7 MasteryRed-family activation gem; contributes one unique color.JewelcraftingFlawless Deadly Lapis+16 Versatility - +7 Critical StrikeBlue-family Crit gem; contributes one unique color.Jewelcrafting
Crafting

Embellishments

Crafted effects are capped at two equipped embellishments. Lock these in only after deciding which crafted slots survive your next raid or Mythic+ upgrades.

Survival and control

Utility, defensives, and movement

Your Warlock toolkit is part of the rotation whenever it prevents lost uptime, lethal damage, or an enemy cast.

Defensives

Utility & CC

Movement

Raid-wide Healthstones and a combat-rez Soulstone are unique Warlock utility.

Interrupt: Spell Lock - grab a focus-interrupt macro on the Demonology macros page.

Execution

Interface and macros

Use interface changes only when they expose a decision sooner: resources, procs, defensives, dispels, interrupts, and encounter assignments.

Soul Shards and Demonic Core - Put both beside the character or cast bar. Show all five shards and all four Demonic Core charges so no generator is pressed into a cap.
Dreadstalker and Grimoire timers - Show remaining demon duration and cooldown together. This tells you whether a short Dreadstalker hold for Tyrant is safe.
Tyrant and Dominion of Argus - Track Tyrant cooldown, Tyrant duration, and the 25-second Dominion portal separately. The portal is the real post-cooldown Hand of Gul'dan window.
Diabolic Ritual cycle - Show the next Diabolist demon plus Ruination and Infernal Bolt availability. Never discover a Pit Lord or Mother of Chaos proc after spending the shards it needed.
Implosion and Doom - In AoE, show active Wild Imp count up to six and Doom on enemy nameplates. This makes six-imp Implosions and mouseover Doom spreading visible decisions.
Movement and survival - Keep Dark Pact, Unending Resolve, Soulburn Healthstone, Burning Rush, Demonic Circle: Teleport, and Demonic Gateway visible with cooldown text.
Enemy casts and pet utility - Use readable nameplate cast bars and show Command Demon or Axe Toss range. A focus cast bar should stay visible without changing your damage target.

Focus pet control

#showtooltip Command Demon
/cast [@focus,harm,nodead][] Command Demon

Uses the active pet's Command Demon action on focus without dropping your damage target. Verify the resolved pet action before the key starts.

Mouseover Demonbolt for Doom

#showtooltip Demonbolt
/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead][] Demonbolt

Only a rotational gain in Doom builds: spread Doom with instant Demonic Core casts while keeping your main target selected.

Cursor Shadowfury

#showtooltip Shadowfury
/cast [@cursor] Shadowfury

Removes the targeting click so the stun lands at the cursor immediately. Keep a normal reticle version if precision matters more than speed.

Soulburn Healthstone

#showtooltip Demonic Healthstone
/cast Soulburn
/use Demonic Healthstone

Combines the empowered stone sequence on one bind. Keep Dark Pact separate so both defensives remain independently available.

Cancel Burning Rush and Drain

#showtooltip Drain Life
/cancelaura Burning Rush
/cast Drain Life

Prevents Burning Rush from continuing to drain health when you deliberately switch into emergency self-healing.

Full addon guide →Demonology macros →Keybind setups →
Execution review

What improves results

  • Track Soul Shards, Demonic Core, Dreadstalker duration, and the Dominion of Argus portal separately
  • Tyrant no longer extends Wild Imps, so do not delay it for a large imp setup
  • Use Implosion with six or more active Wild Imps, not from a generic target-count rule
  • Bank one Demonic Core for movement when safe, but never overcap the four-charge limit
Self-review

Common mistakes

  • Treating Tyrant as the end of the cooldown instead of the start of Dominion of Argus
  • Holding Tyrant for Wild Imps it no longer extends
  • Using Implosion with fewer than six available imps when the pack timing allows a full cast
  • Overcapping Soul Shards or Demonic Core charges

FAQ

5 quick answers

Which hero tree should I use?

Start with Diabolist for both raid single target and Mythic+. It is the current 12.0.7 recommendation because it keeps strong boss damage and scales better into AoE. Soul Harvester remains a legitimate sustained or fast-ramp alternative, so sim it when your gear or encounter plan differs.

Which race is best?

Orc is the raw-throughput default, but the full race spread is about 2%. Dwarf and Dark Iron can win real encounters through self-dispels, while Goblin and Void Elf add movement. Choose utility unless you are optimizing the last fraction of a percent.

Do I build a huge imp army before Tyrant?

No. Midnight Tyrant no longer extends Wild Imps. Put Dreadstalkers and any selected major demons out first, cast Tyrant cleanly, then maximize Hand of Gul'dan casts during the Dominion of Argus portal.

When should I use Implosion?

In the current AoE build, use it with six or more active Wild Imps so the 15-second cooldown consumes its full six-imp cap. Do not implode merely because there are three targets if the imps or pack timing are wrong.

How should I use the tier set?

Use four pieces. The two-piece increases Hand of Gul'dan damage and the four-piece strengthens and extends Dreadstalkers, but neither changes the core priority enough to justify forcing a lower item-level fifth tier piece.

Guide Updates

  1. Aug 2, 2026Rebuilt the guide for Patch 12.0.7 with Diabolist raid and Mythic+ defaults, four importable talent builds, complete raid targets, explicit gem colors, race utility, spec-specific interface tracking, and current macros.
  2. Aug 2, 2026Corrected the opener and priority around Dominion of Argus: Tyrant no longer extends Wild Imps, and the high-value Hand of Gul'dan sequence happens during the post-Tyrant portal.
  3. Aug 2, 2026Cross-checked the recommendations against current Midnight talent, rotation, gearing, stat, race, enchant, gem, consumable, and interface references rather than inheriting the generic Warlock guide defaults.
Arena Talent Planning

Talents by enemy class

Pick an opponent to see the pressure your PvP build must answer. The baseline comes from this spec's current arena build when one is published.

Open full matchup guide
Their pressure

Grip setups, anti-caster pressure, and sustained melee uptime.

Talent focus

Mobility, anti-slow, and physical or magic mitigation.

Game plan

Keep an answer for grip-based isolation and do not spend movement before the Death Knight commits their control chain.

No reviewed PvP baseline is published for this spec yet. Use the live tree to apply the matchup focus above rather than treating a PvE build as an arena answer.

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