The Warlocks Den - WoW Warlock Discussions

1. Introduction

I present here an introductory guide consisting of tactics - with macros - a warlock may use when he confronts two opponents (pvp mainly). I strongly believe warlocks are the best class made to crowd control (CC) and apply damage at the same time. Macros help to make things easier within the shortest of time. The guide presupposes one has some knowledge on using (and/or creating) macros, though.

About the pets

I assume as basic pet the Felguard, with its Interception as another CC asset. Succubus would be a candidate too, but Succubus is too fragile (nerfed too) to be considered in a serious exposition. Horde locks, though, may possibly consider Succubus in following tactics more successively (no need to care about Will of the Forsaken). Felhunter may be used too. The basic (general) macro line concerning the use of Felguard is

/cast [pet:Felguard, target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Intercept; Intercept

This line may be substituted by the following, depending on pet choice:

/cast [pet:Succubus, target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Seduce; Seduce

for Succubus and

/cast [pet:Felhunter, target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Spell Lock; Spell Lock

for Felhunter.

I have to explain (in case one is not familiar with macros) that the basic structure of this macro line permits one to apply the spell (here, pet’s spell) either on target or on focus (pressing: alt). It’s possible to put all these 3 lines in the macro, since the macro proceeds accordingly to the summoned pet. But one usually put at most two of the previous lines in, because of the limited number of words a macro may contain (max = 255 characters).

About frames

I assume one is able to see his focus in a frame (possibly besides one’s target frame) and this is fundamental since we are talking about CC. One may download “focusframe” add-on for this purpose.

About the structure of this guide

On Notation:
T denotes target, F denotes focus, P denotes player, LT denotes last target.
T = A (or B) denotes your target is already enemy A (or B)
F = A (or B) denotes your focus is already enemy A (or B)
F = 0 denotes your focus is dead or does not exist.

I shall present in what follows a list of macros accompanied with a “symbolic table” and a Description. The symbolic table is necessary in order for the macro to be recalled easily and to have its executable structure easily revealed.

The form of this table is as follows:




Its meaning: You have already as your target and focus the enemies A and B correspondingly. By pressing the macro-key, “Spell” is applied on T. By pressing it together with “alt”, “Spell” is applied on F. Another form is the following:




Its meaning: You have two enemies A and B (with none of them selected as target). By pressing the macro-key, A becomes your target and B your focus. Furthermore, Spell 1 is applied on A and Spell 2 on B.

About a shift in the mentality of game-playing

One may understand that the use of macros – keyboard possibly – in the game demands continuing exercise and adaptation. One should be able to use a sequence of macros with the same freedom as one does with the usual sequence of spells. For example, as we will see in what follows, it is possible to have as target an enemy and by the use of a macro your target changes and your focus becomes your previous target. You must be ready to expect this to happen! Not taking you by surprise. This demands exercise.


2. List of macros

2.1 iSPELL

I assume all of your spells on keyboard have been substituted by the following form of macro for each of them. Here spell means, for example, Curse of Agony, Corruption, CoW, Death Coil, Shadowbolt etc. Give them the names iCoA, iCorruption, iCoW etc, the “i” for “improved”.

/focus [target=focus, dead]; [target=focus, noexists]
/stopcasting
/cast [target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] spell; spell

Table:



Or





Description: I give an explicit description, since it is the first macro. It makes your target as your focus, in case your focus is dead or does not exist (F = 0) – this is expressed by the second table – and applies Spell on target or on focus (with alt) if the latter exists – this is expressed by the first table.


2.2 ATTACK

/focus [target=focus, dead]; [target=focus, noexists]
/cast [pet: Felguard, modifier:alt, target=focus, exists, harm] Intercept; Intercept
/cast [target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Corruption; Corruption




Or




Description: This is a basic opening macro against an opponent, applying Intercept and Corruption. The 3 sec stunning gives you the opportunity to cast Immolate or Searing Pain too.

2.3 TLT

/targetlasttarget
/petfollow
/cast [pet:Felguard] Intercept
/cast [modifier:alt] Fel Armor




Description: It changes your target to your last target applying Intercept on him. Fel Armor on you too. The usage of this simple macro is beyond any wild imagination of the clever (not only) hunter. By that, you just destroy his trick about pretending to be dead. Not only your target resumes its initial position (on him) but your pet stops attacking its pet (as it does by default) and returns onto him. Of course, this presumes your last target was the hunter and not the pet. How ‘s that possible, becomes obvious by the use of the following macro concerning hunter’s pet (and not only that, of course):


2.4 ANIMAL

/targetenemy
/petpassive
/petfollow
/cast Curse of Weakness
/cleartarget




Description: It applies CoW on enemy A (pet possibly), without selecting him with mouse or TAB. Important, there is no visual effect on screen that A was just selected as target, because of the line /cleartarget. While you see hunter’s pet attacking you, you just press this macro-key and then, select the hunter and attack.



2.5 CC-Cow

This is the first real CC-macro, which in fact generalizes the previous one, in case you have to just passing by an enemy immobilizing or weaken him and attack another one!

/targetenemy
/clearfocus
/focus target
/cast [pet:felguard, target= focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Intercept
/petpassive
/petfollow
/cast [target=focus, exists, harm] Curse of Weakness; Curse of Weakness
/cleartarget




Description: It applies CoW on enemy A, as exactly does the previous 2.4, without making it target but making it focus. With alt applies Intercept on A too. Your pet becomes passive and it follows you immediately not bothering with A anymore.


2.6 CC I

/clearfocus
/focus target
/targetenemy
/cast [pet: Felguard, target=focus, exists, harm] Intercept
/stopcasting
/cast [target=focus, exists, harm] Fear
/petfollow
/petattack




Description : Confronting 2 opponents A and B and assuming your target is A, it applies Intercept and Fear on A while your pet attacks B. Your target becomes B too. Useful in case you are against a melee and a healer (and not only). In bold lines, you fear the healer, you attack the melee. It’s an offensive macro, though. You must attack first.


2.7 CC II

/clearfocus
/focus [target=focus, dead]; [target=focus, noexists]
/stopcasting
/cast [target=focus, exists, harm] Death Coil
/targetenemy
/cast [pet: Felguard] Intercept




Description : Confronting 2 opponents A and B and assuming your target is A, it applies Death coil on A and Intercept on B. Your focus is now A and your target is B. You must be careful here. You must be careful generally with crowd control macros. Let me explain: You have to be sure that by pressing the macro-key your target changes (here) to B. This to be happened, it is necessary to have enemy B within your cone of targeting him (think about like targeting him with “TAB”). For example, as you run you target enemy A, you pass him by to ensure enemy B is inside your targeting cone and you press the macro-key. What a surprise to them! One death coiled, the other one intercepted by Felguard (or seduced, or Spell locked, anyway…). And then?

2.8 CC III

CC-III is a macro that usually follows (as a tactic) macro CC-II.

/cast [pet:Felguard, target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Intercept; Intercept
/petfollow
/stopcasting
/cast [modifier:alt] Fear; [target=focus, nomodifier, exists, harm] Fear





Description: Confronting 2 opponents A and B, with A your target and B your focus, it applies Intercept on A and Fear on B. Pressing alt applies the spells the other way. It may be considered as a completion of 2.7. With 2.7 you have your focus Death coiled and your target intercepted. Pressing CC-III, you fear the focus and your pet is attacking the target. Of course, its utility outruns 2.7.
Macro 2.8 is very useful in arena, having already one focus and target and you want to neutralize them both at the same time, without – of course – to be obliged to change your target, to apply fear, then to change it again etc, etc. Macro 2.8 may be continued with your simple iFear spell (see 2.1), should you have decided who must be feared, target or focus.
Now, I have to say this: Consider this macro (CC-III) with

/cast [pet:Succubus, target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Seduce; Seduce

to substitute for

/cast [pet:Felguard, target=focus, modifier:alt, exists, harm] Intercept; Intercept.

(or having both lines in the macro and Succubus out). Without any cool-down, now, you can apply fear and seduce alternatively to target and focus, immobilizing them for some seconds… Some seconds? Not enough? You re-apply…then…J . This could be considered as a defensive macro.


2.9 FEL

/cast [pet:Voidwalker] Sacrifice
/cast Fel Domination
/stopcasting
/cast [modifier: alt] Summon Felhunter
/cast [modfier:shift] Summon Succubus
/cast [nomodifier] Summon Felguard

Description: Sacrifices the voidwalker if out, and summons the Felguard. Pressing alt summons the Felhunter. Pressing shift, the Succubus. This is a well known macro, I put it here for obvious reasons. You cast quickly the desired pet.



2.10 ESCAPE

/use [target=player] Medallion of the Alliance
/focus target
/petpassive
/petstay
/cast [target=focus, exists, harm] Curse of Weakness
/petfollow [modifier:alt]
/use [target=focus, modifier:alt] Netherweave Net

Description: Tactic against rogues, assuming you‘ve kidney shotted and you seek an escape. The macro applies Medallion on yourself and CoW on target. Your pet becomes passive and as you run away it remains at the same place. This is a nice tactic, rogue runs after you and then, you simply press Macro 2.2 intercepting him. (As we know your Felguard must be away to have the ability to Intercept).
Pressing alt and turning on the air to face the enemy, gives you a different tactic: You immobilize him with netherweave net (tailoring assumed here) and your pet is following you now. Think, you are away, with your pet besides you, ready to intercept…


2.11 PERCEPTION

/cast Perception
/targetenemy
/petaggressive
/cast [Pet:Felguard] Intercept

Description: This is an offensive macro. You have perception on and Felguard Intercepts any nearby (semi-visible) enemy, in case of course he is inside your cone of perception.


2.12 LOCK

/clearfocus
/focus target
/cast [pet:Felguard, target=focus] Intercept
/cast [pet:Felhunter, target=focus] Spell Lock
/stopcasting
/targetenemy
/cast Banish
/target focus





Description : Intercept (or Spell lock) the warlock and banish his pet. Your focus is now the warlock, so you have to apply your spells on him by pressing alt (see 2.1).


2.13 DC

/targetenemy
/petstay
/petpassive
/cast Death Coil
/petattack

Description: This looks very simple and it is. Its utility though concerns a situation where your enemy chasing you and he is not targeted. How is it possible to turn on the air, target him and death coil him? By this macro.


3.Final remarks

1. Even if the macros and tactics described above are of my own, I cannot claim any paternity of them, since many warlocks may use them and confront enemies by the same mentality as above.

2. Moreover, I would say that these tactics and macros concern rather specific situations, some possibly at the beginning of a fight. I believe it s not possible to describe a combat procedure – with or without macros – but only few steps of it. This is the beauty of pvp, anyway. To have an advantage in the beginning, however, is great.

3. Modifications are possible and should be done by everyone on the above macros according to one needs and tactics. Creativity is the word here and this is what keeps many players still interested on that nice game.

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Deus Misericors