WoW ForeverMechanics

Warlock Downranking in WoW Forever

Warlock spell ranks in WoW Forever, with the rank that does the most per mana at each spell power. These numbers are not yet tested in play.

Warlock downranking, in short

The short answer · at level 60

If the fight ends firstTop rankMost damage per second on all 6 Warlock spells, at every spell power.

If mana runs out firstRank 1Wins per mana past a spell power between 7 SP (Immolate) and 218 SP (Rain of Fire), spell by spell.

What Rank 1 gives up0.32× to 0.95×of the top rank per second, at 500 SP.

Which one matters depends on whether your mana or the fight runs out first.

Some figures carry a tag: Measured in playOriginal game rule

Words on this page

Per second: Damage for each second a cast takes. Instant spells count as 1.5 seconds.
Per mana: Damage for each point of mana a cast costs.
SP: Spell power: bonus damage from your gear.
Top rank: The strongest rank, and the costliest.
Rank: One spell, several strengths. Higher ranks cost more mana.
Downranking: Casting a lower rank to save mana.
Takes over: The SP where Rank 1 starts to lead per mana.
Classic Era: Classic Era is the live Classic server ruleset. WoW Forever is the new client.
Classic Era rule: In Classic Era, ranks learned below level 20 lose part of their share. Forever has not confirmed this.

Warlock spells, rank by rank

Bar: the rank with the most per mana at each SP. Chart: per mana as SP grows. How to read a card

Top rankMiddle rankRank 1Your SPFaint line: a rank that never leadsSorted by takeover SP

Immolate

Rank 1 leads per mana from 7 SP8 ranks, 6 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 8, at 500 SP7.99× per mana0.53× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 2

Every rank of Immolate

Immolate, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	1	26	0.850	25	451	225.4	18.0	7 SP and up	Never
Rank 2	10	51	0.850	45	476	238.0	10.6	Up to 7 SP	Throughout
Rank 3	20	98	0.850	90	523	261.5	5.8	Never	Never
Rank 4	30	159	0.850	155	584	291.8	3.8	Never	Never
Rank 5	40	205	0.850	220	630	315.0	2.9	Never	Never
Rank 6	50	306	0.850	295	731	365.3	2.5	Never	Never
Rank 7	60	406	0.850	370	831	415.5	2.2	Never	Never
Rank 8	60	433	0.850	380	858	429.0	2.3	Never	Never

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Searing Pain

Rank 1 leads per mana from 15 SP6 ranks, 4 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 6, at 500 SP2.72× per mana0.73× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 6

Every rank of Searing Pain

Searing Pain, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	18	27	0.429	45	241	160.7	5.4	15 SP and up	16 SP and up
Rank 2	26	37	0.429	68	252	167.8	3.7	Never	Never
Rank 3	34	49	0.429	91	263	175.5	2.9	Never	Never
Rank 4	42	67	0.429	118	282	187.9	2.4	Never	Never
Rank 5	50	91	0.429	141	306	203.7	2.2	Never	Never
Rank 6	58	116	0.429	168	331	220.6	2.0	Up to 15 SP	Up to 16 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Shadow Bolt

Rank 1 leads per mana from 16 SP10 ranks, 7 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 10, at 500 SP5.60× per mana0.65× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 2Rank 10

Every rank of Shadow Bolt

Shadow Bolt, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	1	14	0.486	25	257	151.1	10.3	16 SP and up	Never
Rank 2	6	25	0.629	40	339	154.1	8.5	7 to 16 SP	Never
Rank 3	12	43	0.800	70	443	158.2	6.3	Never	16 SP and up
Rank 4	20	62	0.857	110	491	163.5	4.5	Never	Never
Rank 5	28	84	0.857	160	513	170.8	3.2	Never	Never
Rank 6	36	107	0.857	210	536	178.5	2.6	Never	Never
Rank 7	44	148	0.857	265	577	192.2	2.2	Never	Never
Rank 8	52	199	0.857	315	628	209.2	2.0	Never	Never
Rank 9	60	251	0.857	370	680	226.5	1.8	Never	Never
Rank 10	60	268	0.857	380	697	232.2	1.8	Up to 7 SP	Up to 16 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Corruption

Rank 1 leads per mana from 16 SP7 ranks, 5 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 7, at 500 SP4.12× per mana0.42× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 3

Every rank of Corruption

Corruption, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	4	40	0.800	35	440	220.0	12.6	16 SP and up	Never
Rank 2	14	65	1.000	55	565	282.5	10.3	Never	66 SP and up
Rank 3	24	132	1.200	100	732	366.0	7.3	Up to 16 SP	Up to 66 SP
Rank 4	34	168	1.200	160	768	384.0	4.8	Never	Never
Rank 5	44	240	1.200	225	840	420.0	3.7	Never	Never
Rank 6	54	342	1.200	290	942	471.0	3.2	Never	Never
Rank 7	60	438	1.200	340	1,038	519.0	3.1	Never	Never

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Soul Fire

Rank 1 leads per mana from 135 SP2 ranks, each leads at some SP

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 2, at 500 SP1.04× per mana0.95× per second

Rank 1Rank 2

Every rank of Soul Fire

Soul Fire, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana
Rank 1	48	387	1.000	305	887	147.9	2.9	135 SP and up
Rank 2	56	439	1.000	335	939	156.4	2.8	Up to 135 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Rain of Fire

Rank 1 leads per mana from 218 SP4 ranks, 2 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 4, at 500 SP1.27× per mana0.32× per second

Rank 1Rank 4

Every rank of Rain of Fire

Rain of Fire, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana
Rank 1	20	166	0.332	295	332	41.5	1.1	218 SP and up
Rank 2	34	372	0.332	605	538	67.3	0.9	Never
Rank 3	46	606	0.332	885	772	96.5	0.9	Never
Rank 4	58	885	0.332	1,185	1,051	131.4	0.9	Up to 218 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Spells not charted here

Learn level not knownConflagrateIncinerateShadowburn

Ranks not numberedShadowflame

Rank growth cap not knownBane of AgonyDrain Soul

A shield or a drain, not plain damage or healingDeath CoilDrain LifeSiphon Life

Its damage hits the caster tooHellfire

Fewer than two ranksShadow Cleave

No spell power share listedFearBanishand 15 more

What these numbers assume

Show the assumptions

Counted

One cast on one target at level 60, with no talents.
Each rank's base value, level growth and spell power share.
The mana cost of each rank at level 60.

Not counted

Talents, crits, misses and resists.
Cooldowns, procs and extra targets.

Original game ruleIn Classic Era, casts sit at least 1.5 seconds apart. Forever has not confirmed this, so shorter casts count as 1.5 seconds.

Original game ruleIn Classic Era, ranks learned below level 20 lose part of their share. Forever has not confirmed this. The muted bar shows that case.

Measured in playPlayers found that low ranks stay castable from the spellbook.

Per cast: base value + share × spell power
Per mana: per cast ÷ mana cost
Per second: per cast ÷ cast time, at least 1.5 s
Takeover: the spell power where two per mana lines cross
Classic Era rule: share × (1 − (20 − learn level) × 0.0375), below level 20 only

Each damage roll counts at its average.
On the listed numbers, no rank takes the lead past the end of the bar.
A talent that cuts a flat amount of mana can move where Rank 1 takes over. So can a proc that makes the next cast free. Percentage talents cannot.
Spell power marks are points on a scale, not gear levels.
A rank that leads for less than two points of spell power folds into the next one.

Sources: the WoW Forever beta, build 1.60.1, and the original game, build 1.15.9.

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