Warlocks are a cross combination of elements from other classes in the game. In essence, warlocks are a caster class with pets that can curse, DoT, do direct damage, fear enemies, and use a number of interesting, if odd, skills to do things other classes can't.

As with all WoW classes, there are three specialized branches that a warlock can use to tailor their character to a certain style of play.

Affliction: Curses and Damage over Time are the name of the game here. Who do Voodoo? You Do! It's a time honored tradition to watch your opponents flee and die at the same time.

Demonology: Pets, pets, pets. And oh yeah, pet bonuses up the ying-yang. Sure you don't do as much damage, but you can take on a lot more opposition.

Destruction: Pure power shooting. A destruction lock can reduce a target to ashes. However, bright lights tend to attract a lot of monsters.

Why is a warlock useful in a group?
1. Pet Buffs
2. Summoning
3. Soul Stones
4. Health Stones
5. Indirect Damage
6. Added Pet Damage

Oddball Skills?
1. You can breath underwater for eternity if you're paying attention.
2. You see dead people. No really, check out Raven Hill.
3. With two other people, you can summon any other player in the same instanced area or across the world.

Your main fuel for all of this? Souls.

That's right, you too can gobble up the souls of your foul enemies at the simple click of a button and the right timing. Very handy for those wistful days when shiny things are fun to play with.

And that ladies and gentleman, is what it's like to be a Warlock. Kind of.

The Dreadsteed. Ahh yes, that epic mount for the warlock. Keep in mind that thought they say this one is free, you will still have to pony up 700+ gold to get the materials for it and find a group willing to do Dire Maul North.

But in the end, it is so worth it to have this mount as it is easily still one of the best looking epic mounts in the Game.

Affliction is all about doing damage over time and screwing up your opponent using a variety of debilitating curses and fear.

Beyond that, Affliction is almost all shadow damage based. That means that you'll want to mix in the occasional fire spell, but for the most part, if it's not immune to shadow spells, it's going to die.

The upside to the affliction spec is that it's lightweight, doesn't take long to cast things, DoT on the fly, move on. Great for groups and raids.

The downside to affliction is that you will lose your life if anyone finds you. In PvP, just get off what you can and run. Grinding? Have a soul stone and some potions ready. In a group? Try not to die too often.

Just remember, affliction locks are the most dangerous people in the room until they are discovered.

Demonology is all about your pet. You have control over the spawn of the underworld and you want everyone else to know it. So, as long as that pet is out, you have a chance at survival. Lose the pet, lose your life in combat.

The points put into demonology do a considerable amount of good to your pet, and when that happens, at later levels in the game, this will come full circle.

Demonology locks are extremely hard to kill. Stacked hit points, damage diffusion with your pet, more durable pets, the only thing missing is a lot of damage. Pretty much, you rely on your pet for that too.

In grinding or PvP, demonology locks have a pretty good advantage. They can survive quite a bit, have a great pet, do a little damage, things work out.

However, if you like to do groups and raids, the demonology lock has trouble finding a niche and is usually relegated either to the back, or as an off-tank in certain instances.

You're only as good as your pet with this one, but look at the bright side, the pets are free, they're tough, and you can survive just about anyone who comes at you.

Burning your enemies into piles of cinders and ashes is a time honored tradition in magic. Destruction locks epitomize this better than any other class in the game.

Essentially, a destruction lock specializes in direct damage shadow and fire spells, usually using several combinations that add damage to each other as they are cast. Conflagration is probably the best spell to illustrate that. Cast it after immolation and watch your opponent wither.

The trick to playing a destruction lock is this:

1.) You burn through mana fast and you won't have Dark Pact to save you.

2.) Your threat level will be greater than most mages. Thus almost ensuring your imminent death in various situations.

That being said, if you do your homework and know how to get advantage out of this class, it's decent for grinding, good for small groups, and great for PvP.

As long as you have mana, limitless flames are at your disposal.

All Things Warcraft Group