Hello, this topic will be about the current stand of locks in BFA. Yes I am aware of the fact that there are so many posts and comments about how bad it is to play lock in BFA. If I am to sum it up, it is easy to understand. Locks are not welcomed in mythics and here is why.
Again many mentioned the underlying problems, however, I want to write my own opinions why it is the case. I am mainly gonna talk about high mythic level keys (10+). The problem and failure in the high keys is basically the adds who slow you down. I already assume that everyone is doing well on the bosses, yet it is not enough if you are having trouble clearing the trashes quickly.
Back in TBC, it was impossible to deal with the trashes without CC, sheep sap etc. In BFA it is more and more about the cleave damage and affixes - I like it as it is a dynamic system and sometimes punishes hard unless you are experienced with it .
Since the main focus is to cleave down to mobs quickly, every groups prefers something that does that. I am sincerely asking Blizzard. Why would anyone invite a lock instead of a DH or a rogue who does immense damage via cleaving down everything. Unless lock damage mechanism is re-worked, or melees are punishes so hard for jumping around on the adds till they die, they wouldn’t.
It is not about learning mechanics or applying the right rotation as lock to apply AoE push. It is the design and the lack of damage. I am already skipping affliction, no need to mention its awful stand in mythics. Destro is good at bosses but again it is more about getting to the boss rather than the fight during the boss most of the time. Demonology does well AoE damage I agree but nothing comparable to DHs or melee cleaves, even when I use major CDs before the boss fights. Hand of Gul’dan and implosions are not enough, you get out of fuel easily. For destro, cataclym and rain of fire or you can even get the demonfire talent but it comes with a cost that you wouldn’t want as instability is your main source of damage during the boss encounters.
There are some abilities that might attract people yet are still not sufficient to get an invite.
Skipdeath
SS healer run after you get 100% trash. Well, it is risky because you can get a wipe and ss will be on cd. Besides shroud does it better or they can get a shammy for ankh.
Demonic gateway
Again rogues with good cleaves are more preferable for skips.
Healthstones
Still are not enough.
Soulstone
Most healers are druids and can CR, besides dying is not the major issue in mythics, again it is more about the faster push.
Summoning portal
Irrelavent in mythic plus keys
When it comes to other classes I can at least link something that the group might need, if it is a healer or tank it might work anyway though most want resto druids. Shammy hunter mage for BL. Rogue DK warrior for cleave. I see many for seeking boomkins. Retry paladins can also do immense AoE and has certain nice abilities to keep the group up.
So I mentioned the problems in locks but then what could be done about it ?
Whether warlocks were good back in Legion is irrelevant. Back in vanilla, warriors were virtually the only class that could tank and yet they still can do a decent job.
I do not want warlocks to be the top tier or the most attractive class to play, all I want is something unique or a decent damage so that they can be invite to the mythics when you have the exp and gear.
I have some preferences and will talk about each spec.
Affliction
The main issue is the AoE damage. It is extremely low and if you are doing the top damage as affliction in trash clearing, there is something wrong with your group setup.
Affliction needs a spell that could target an enemy that spreads all of the dots on the target to the nearby enemies.
Affliction rotation unlike in destro or demo, has almost no punishment and it is just clicking the dots spamming UA haunt and shadowbolt. Given the only source of shards are the random ticking of your curse of agony. You are unlikely to cap soulshards and be punished for it. The spec requires a whole new design or if Blizzard insist of keeping it that way, at least like the others suggest, give channeling spells as a filler (or maybe two for both AoE or single target) and choosing the wrong spell, i.e. casting a spell or channel a spell should punish you depends on the procs and the situation. (Please do not mention the azerite life drain thing, shadowbolt still does better, tested.)
The thing that made DPSs more enjoyable is the procs. And affliction has none besides the nightfall and I don’t see its impact since when you have a high haste you can already easily spam shadowbolt, no need to be instant.
TL:DR = Affliciton needs good AoE rotation and procs.
Demonology
Good idea but not enough. There is surely punishments while you are playing demonology such as casting hand of gul’dan with very low soul shards or cap it, and I like that. Depends on your soul fuel, you decide what to do. The AoE is not as awful as it is thought, but again still not enough to compete with instant cleaves - even if you use tyrant, which is a single target damage anyway.
The damage needs to be increased as spamming HoG which does AoE damage is again no comparable - even considering you do constant imp explosions.
The idea of demonology is unleashing your demons and spread horror. Make ‘Call Fel Lord’ a pve spell and for instant each time imps die, decrease its cd. It is an awesome game design in terms of look and mechanism, yet we do not see it. It is a waste. Another idea would be demonology locks would call giant demons that share CDs with one another and the choice should depend on the strategy you want to apply. If you need AoE call fel lord, if you want single target, call tyrant.
Decreasing CDs of the demons by some other mechnanisms would be extremely good and fun. (Also nether portal could be re-worked and some RNGs or mechanisms with giant demons coming out of portal, would be so charming.)
Destruction
Nice to see some 100-150k chaosbolts if you do the right rotation but… boring. The only thing that you do is to call infernal when you cap soulshard and spam chaosbolt as much as you can with instability. That’s it. One thing should change destro is the procs. So depends on what procs you would go for it to reward yourself or be punished for it by spamming incinerate. There are usually two types of punishment: capping shards or wasting flashover without using chaosbolt.
The only thing that I liked in destruction is the vision of perfection procs which are really good because I used to have 3 infernals at a time and the fragments you get is insane by it.
So overall suggestion for destruction is give some procs such as making cataclysm instant and remove CD when proced or similar ideas that helps more for pushing.
Single target damage should re-worked only to get rid of the easy and boring rotation of spells, no need to increase the damage.
Conclusion
Either make locks unique in the sense that the mythic plus groups would be glad to welcome them, or make them compatable for push so whenever a range dps is needed, locks can be considered.
I just wanted to share my opinions and many indeed overlap with the others’. However, unless we talk about it or provide a solid feedback for what is really going awful, we can’t hope for a change. I shouldn’t be forced to play another class just because what I have been playing since the down of time, is no longer legit.
The reasoning behind the deathbolt nerf is even more insulting than the nerf itself. ‘We want players to choose something else over deathbolt’. Well isn’t this the case for virtually all the class talents when the choice is not about ‘survival’ ‘escape’ ‘CC’ ? By that standard nerf demonic consumption too because I never saw a nether portal.
I hope you liked it, cheers.