This follow-up to our Warlock starter guide and the Affliction leveling post covers Demonology, which builds around your demon and Soul Link. It's based on Icy Veins' Demonology guide (updated Oct 17), WoW Forever DB and Blizzard's beta development notes through the October 15 build. Forever launches Nov 4, 2026. The beta is capped at level 30, so anything deeper in the tree hasn't been tested in play.
Icy Veins' level 30 build (21 points)
| Talent | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Unholy Power | 5 | More demon damage |
| Demonic Energies | 2 | Your spell damage heals the demon for 15%, and Life Tap also gives it mana |
| Fel Vitality | 3 | |
| Improved Sayaad | 3 | Lash of Pain +30% |
| Master Summoner | 2 | Faster demon summons |
| Demonic Brand | 3 | |
| Demonic Sacrifice | 1 | |
| Fel Domination | 1 | Emergency fast summon |
| Soul Link | 1 | Moves 30% of the damage you take to your demon, +3% damage |
If you have Talented points from the Legacy system, Icy Veins puts them into Demonic Knowledge (3), then Suppression or Improved Life Tap. WoW Forever DB's leveling build is also 0/21/0, with a new tier opening every 5 levels.
Rotation (Icy Veins)
- Send in your demon.
- Cast your curse.
- Immolate (pre-cast it before the demon arrives).
- Bane of Agony and Corruption.
- Drain Life while the demon tanks, then wand.
- Drain Soul at low health if you need a shard.
- Life Tap to refill mana. With Demonic Energies, it also gives your demon mana.
Demons: Icy Veins says the Succubus does the most damage at these levels, and the Felhunter arrives at 30.
Pet care
- Your demon is stunned while you summon a new one (Oct 8, Blizzard). Summon a replacement before the pull, not during it.
- Fel Domination speeds up an emergency resummon.
- Demonic Brand's bonus damage only creates high threat when it's Shadow damage (Oct 8, Blizzard). Your demon can lose threat on mixed damage.
- Soul Link couldn't be cast at all until the Oct 15 build fixed it (Blizzard). Older reports of it not working are out of date.
Stats and gear (Icy Veins)
Stats: Spell Power > Hit > Intellect > Crit > Spirit (Life Tap scales with Spirit) > Haste > Stamina.
Gear: Shadow Circlet, Scorn's Icy Choker, Fairywing Mantle, Belt of Arugal, Gaze Dreamer Pants, Dark Horde Band, Hydrocane, Staff of Soran'ruk.
Wands: since Oct 15, you have to stand still for 0.5 seconds before a wand fires (Blizzard).
What changed in recent builds
- Oct 15: Fixed Soul Link not being castable. Voidwalker Sacrifice now scales with 10% of spell healing.
- Oct 8: Your demon is stunned while you summon a new one. Demonic Brand's bonus damage only creates high threat when it's Shadow damage.
Still unclear
- Soul Link's real damage reduction after the Oct 15 fix. Nobody has posted tests yet.
- Racial advice. Icy Veins' racial notes predate Blizzard's Oct 15 racial changes.
- The 31-point talent and level 60 Demonology plans are past the level 30 cap.
Sources
- Icy Veins: WoW Forever Demonology Warlock Guide (updated Oct 17)
- WoW Forever DB: Demonology Warlock leveling
- Blizzard forums: WoW Forever Beta Development Notes – Updated October 15
Images: header and talent card by Systematic, using the Systematic wallpaper and brand colours. Ability icons on the card © Blizzard Entertainment via Wowhead (Classic-era icons used as stand-ins; Forever's may differ).
Fan community guide by Systematic. World of Warcraft © Blizzard Entertainment; we're not affiliated with Blizzard. Playing Demonology on the beta? Share your Soul Link results below!
