Frost Mage vs Aff Warlock (Ally)

cathy

Veteran
I am considering making a lvl 39 twink and have narrowed down my choice to either a Frost Mage or Aff Warlock; I would like to hear some of y'alls experience with these classes. At 39's are Frost Mages completely countered by FAPs? Warlocks by ultra-flash shadow reflectors? Are you having fun on either? This is slightly open ended thread.
Thanks :)
 
@Druiddroid

"In classic, according to my 10 year old memory (so someone can correct me if I’m wrong):

Afflication Warlock does mad dot dps. Very useful at mid. Powerful.

Mage has a lot of utility. Frost has super utility, especially against melee classes, and Fire has mad burst damage.

Both classes are fun to play in their own way. Warlock is fun because of the ridiculous amount of damage they can put on the charts. Mage is fun because it feels satisfying to make outplays and out-skill others.

Warlock is a class where pet control is important. Mage generally takes a lot of skill to play. Both are classes where it’s important to know where to position yourself.

Either class can be played solo or in premades."
 
Not going to lie, 39 warlocks will kill you with a single DOT rotation.
Their pressure:mobility ratio is probably the greatest in the bracket, with hunters being on-par.

Frost mages on the other hand, offer so much more utility through blizzard, frostbolt and roots. Also, they do have a decent burst window, but it's nothing compared to fire mages, whom happen to have one of the largest bursts in the bracket.
Frost isnt countered by FAPs either; a good mage knows they can just polymorph the FAP duration and/or stall for a dispel.

The biggest problem with warlocks is that not positioning yourself properly, or being aware of all the gap closers can really put you in trouble. Whereas as a mage, you can generally escape a lot easier with all of the control you have & blink. However, if you do know the jumps this really shouldn't be a problem, unless you're being hit with hamstrings or wingclips.

Personally, I'd suggest a warlock. Being able to rot an entire team down with instant cast spells is just broken. You're constantly on the move and able to get to point A from point B in no time.
 
I am considering making a lvl 39 twink and have narrowed down my choice to either a Frost Mage or Aff Warlock; I would like to hear some of y'alls experience with these classes. At 39's are Frost Mages completely countered by FAPs? Warlocks by ultra-flash shadow reflectors? Are you having fun on either? This is slightly open ended thread.
Thanks :)


JWL's analysis seems sound, if comparing Frost Mage to Affliction Lock I would take the Lock. Unless you want to be a dedicated Mage FC, which is I think the main reason to roll Frost - otherwise Mages should roll Fire imo. I don't honestly understand all these Frost Mages I see who have stacked SP and even Frost damage; you pretty much want Eagle all the way down and then you become the most hated player in the BG.

I will say objective wise, the Mage is going to have the biggest impact, either spec. Lock wins through brute force mid dominance and pushing people away from objectives, which can be a slow bloody process.
 
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Good points said.

There is no shadow reflector and FAPs are not a problem.

I personally think an eagle frost mage in a 1 on 1 is one of the deadliest classes. They provide excellent utility to a team - offense, defense or FC. Their burst is extremely underrated. They are one of the best at taking on multiple targets and making it out alive.

I play full eagle frost and it is a blast, be prepared to learn though.

Locks provide sustained damage that if not prepared for can swing games and decimate teams, even past death. Haven't played much lock so I won't speak to it as much. Good warlocks are also some of the best 1v1 classes and with support are powerhouses.

Mastering any class is challenging. Lock is daunting because while it seems simple, dot dot dot, there is so much micromanaging at play and controlling your pet is huge.

When it comes down to it, pick what you want to play. You know which one you want to play more than any of us do. Both classes are good and if you play a class that you want to play, you will get better and learning it becomes more exciting.

I look forward to fighting or playing together in battlegrounds. Run with it.
 
Not going to lie, 39 warlocks will kill you with a single DOT rotation.
Their pressure:mobility ratio is probably the greatest in the bracket, with hunters being on-par.

Frost mages on the other hand, offer so much more utility through blizzard, frostbolt and roots. Also, they do have a decent burst window, but it's nothing compared to fire mages, whom happen to have one of the largest bursts in the bracket.
Frost isnt countered by FAPs either; a good mage knows they can just polymorph the FAP duration and/or stall for a dispel.

The biggest problem with warlocks is that not positioning yourself properly, or being aware of all the gap closers can really put you in trouble. Whereas as a mage, you can generally escape a lot easier with all of the control you have & blink. However, if you do know the jumps this really shouldn't be a problem, unless you're being hit with hamstrings or wingclips.

Personally, I'd suggest a warlock. Being able to rot an entire team down with instant cast spells is just broken. You're constantly on the move and able to get to point A from point B in no time.

what does fap stand for? :p
 
I have both a frost mage and an aff lock, and enjoy both of them a lot. My lock is maxed out, and the mage is still 38 and needs a couple pieces and the arcanum enchants. If you like dotting people up and getting a lot of kills while causing huge pressure on the opponents, go lock. My mage excels in control, can handle 2-3 melee at a time, and does some nasty damage too. A nova and a Frostbolt and fireblast hits for 1k every time. Rogues and warriors have little chance. You'll get charged or cheap shotted and you blink. They are often frozen in place from hitting you. Then cast away.

Meanwhile my lock can't do that, but with her dots will either kill or slow em down a ton. Very different play style for both. The mage doesn't usually get a ton of kills, but can change the course of a game, sheep, rank1 Frostbolt slows and novas. Fire mages can top the score boards, saw that today. My mage is Blizzard spec at the moment. Nothing more awesome that having 3-4 horde frozen in a blizzard for 5 or more casts while my team beats em down.

And ya I'd say a lock is a lot more complicated to play well. Mages are pretty simple, but the style is quick quick quick.
 

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