Warlocks, spell interrupts, and PvP

[Coldfire]

So my 'Lock is up to 21 now and I haven't really gotten into it with PvP yet, and I'm wondering what I have to look forward to, having never PvPed as a caster in this game before.

I'm told 'Locks are supposed to be great anti-casters (and with Drain Mana and Curse of Tongues on the horizon, I can see why that would be said). How do they fare vs Melee? In my experiences as a Rogue I usually dropped 'Locks pretty quick, but I don't know if it's because I'm good, or the Warlocks I fought were bad, or Rogues are a tough opponent for a Warlock.

So how bad is the spell interrupt when it comes to fighting Melees? I'm following Nisstyr's build, so I'll have Fel Concentration and Bane to offset the possibility, but I still wonder.

I guess the major question on my mind is: If I can't fear my opponent or sac my VW, am I going to get shut down?

I also noticed that Nisstyr took Improved Life Tap. Is Life Tap really that useful? I mean, I know you're gaining mana from it (20% more with the talent), but won't the fact that you're losing life to do so kind of put you at a disadvantage?

Thanks a lot guys :)

[Krissam]

i can't tell you how spell interuption is like as a warlock, although as a priest it doesn't happen a lot. (exept this one shaman who interupted everything)

[hellion]

rogues rock our socks and that's that.

[srez]

Warlock can hardly be a dmg dealer with melee on him. Cause of 100000 stuns on rogue, and 100000 interrupt styles. Tho in 1v1 vs. melee its usually a kiting throw CCs. Or you can put 3-4 dots and try lifedraining if enemy allows it to you.
Other side that free warlock doing dps a bit higher than mages do. If you ll add pet dps together warlock will do alot more dmg than mage can at the same time. But as i said before it's pretty ease to lock warlock. cause no uninterruptable 200 dps Arcane Missiles, only 70% non-interruptable 85dps lifedrain available. Also pet can be countered pretty ease usually. imp/succub are pretty weak and can be killed easily or banished or cc'ed.
But free warlock dmg is pretty evil compared to mage dps :)

Pre CC nerf warlock was probably alot better than mage, but now it looks pretty gimpy imo. Avg duration on succub sleep is 7seconds. ~5secs on fear. Anyway warlock can keep ~5-6ppl busy on inc.
sleep one with succub
pbae fear second
fear third
CoT 1-2 priests/mages
use rocket helmet or net'-o-matic projector on 5-6th

[PooFieDooFIe]

So my 'Lock is up to 21 now and I haven't really gotten into it with PvP yet, and I'm wondering what I have to look forward to, having never PvPed as a caster in this game before.

I'm told 'Locks are supposed to be great anti-casters (and with Drain Mana and Curse of Tongues on the horizon, I can see why that would be said). How do they fare vs Melee? In my experiences as a Rogue I usually dropped 'Locks pretty quick, but I don't know if it's because I'm good, or the Warlocks I fought were bad, or Rogues are a tough opponent for a Warlock.

So how bad is the spell interrupt when it comes to fighting Melees? I'm following Nisstyr's build, so I'll have Fel Concentration and Bane to offset the possibility, but I still wonder.

I guess the major question on my mind is: If I can't fear my opponent or sac my VW, am I going to get shut down?

I also noticed that Nisstyr took Improved Life Tap. Is Life Tap really that useful? I mean, I know you're gaining mana from it (20% more with the talent), but won't the fact that you're losing life to do so kind of put you at a disadvantage?

Thanks a lot guys :)

going against a rogue that i know is around my vicinity is a lot easier than going against a rogue that ambushes me. still there are things a warlock can do vs a rogue that is trying to gank you. You can sacrifice, if you don't have that you can charm, if you don't have that your best bet is to try to CoE then get some distance and fear. Usually good rogues will b able to put you in constant stun so the latter 80% of the time won't work. Or of course you could just dot the rogue and lifedrain/melee him.

Yes life tap is needed. I use it constantly and with good management of lifetap+bandaids, your resting time will be considerably lower.

[Coldfire]

Update: I love my Warlock. He's 26 now, and all the doubts I had about him at the creation of this post are now gone. I'm loving the Life Tap + Bandage combo, it cuts my downtime so much.

Took down a 32 Rogue solo the other night, even though she got the drop on me. Didn't get a single fear off and only had my imp out as pet. It was epic.

[Murdock]

Most retarded rogue of the month IMO.

[Coldfire]

Inclined to agree, Murdock. Got jumped by a 29 Rogue when I was 26 the other night and he took me down pretty hard =(

[KungFoo]

if (jumpedbyRogue == 1)
__if (hasSuccubus == 1)
____useSkill("Lull");
__else
____userEvent("Die")

[srez]

bs. you dont need succub to pwn rogue gimps. Forgot last time i lost to a rogue my level....
<E-Penis + 1 mode>
Was farming shards recently. Undead 60 rogue jump me. Rocket helmet, 3 dots, fear (wotf), kite.... rogue died.
Next time he is back with 59 shaman. Grenade with 5 sec disorient. fear shaman, net on rogue. Killed rogue and ran from shammy.
PS Rvery time i had dog as pet. And 1-2 mobs on it.
</E-Penis + 1 mode>

[Coldfire]

Nice job.
I take it that Engineering is a good profession for a Warlock then? I've been debating back and forth between it and Alchemy and I have yet to decide on a finality. There are great benefits from both professions and I can't figure out which ones I want to give up =(

[srez]

Engineering/Blacksmith for pvp warlock. I am engineer/skinning for farm purposes.

[KungFoo]

Ok, yeah, you don't need a succubus necessarily, but you DO need something to get the rogue off of you before you get stunlocked, or you're omgwtfpwned. Engineers just have a few more options available to them with their bombs/hats/rays.

[Coldfire]

Yeah, I've found my hugest problem is how to get a melee off me long enough to cast and so they don't rip through my cloth armor. Normally I would keep a VW handy (since it keeps mobs off me so much better than my succubus) and just throw out Sacrifice + Fear when I needed some breathing room. Problem is that only works once in a fight, and once I use it I've got nothing but running around for my life and hoping my 2 DoTs and Shadowburn are enough to waste him before he wastes me.

[Edit: Hugest problem besides classes that heal. God I hate them. Paladins especially just walk right through me half the time, and Priests with that never-ending PWS make me ever so angry. Do I need to just throw DoTs on them and then drain their mana dry before I pound? That might work OK on a priest, but Paladins and Druids will be meleeing my pants off at the same time, interrupting my Drain and killing me before they even need to heal. Suggestions?]

[srez]

Ok, yeah, you don't need a succubus necessarily, but you DO need something to get the rogue off of you before you get stunlocked, or you're omgwtfpwned. Engineers just have a few more options available to them with their bombs/hats/rays.
Free Action Potion + Amplified CoE is enough usually.