Arcane MagevsDestruction Warlock
Debating whether to play a Destruction Warlock or Arcane Mage? Knowing which currently performs better DPS in PvE might help make a decision.
This page analyzes multiple simulations for both Destruction Warlocks and Arcane Mages using profiles and settings intended to achieve their maximum DPS. Multiple sim environments are used to test how they perform in various conditions. Is one the AoE king? Does one scale better with gear upgrades? Is one more bursty, and more reliant on big cooldowns? Below analyzes the data to find the strengths of each.
Simulation results were created with SimulationCraft
Using game data from Patch 10.2.7 • WoW Dragonflight •
- Arcane Mage
Best AoE DPS (in perfect settings)
Arcane Mage achieved 15.12% more AoE DPS than Destruction Warlock when there was no movement or lag.
DPS less dependant on big cooldowns
Arcane Mage’s DPS is less bursty, meaning it had more consistent damage. With 0.61% less difference in lowest and peak DPS during a fight when compared to Destruction Warlocks.
- Destruction Warlock
Best boss DPS (in perfect settings)
Destruction Warlock achieved 2.6% more maximum boss DPS than Arcane Mage when there was no movement or lag.
Best boss DPS (in realistic settings)
Destruction Warlock achieved 26.2% more maximum boss DPS than Arcane Mage when dealing with occasional movement, lag and crowd-control.
Least affected by movement (single-target)
Destruction Warlock’s single-target DPS was -81.04% less affected by increased movement compared to Arcane Mages.
Best gear scaling
Destruction Warlock scaled better with increased item-levels, single-target DPS benefited 4.58% more from 446 ilvl to 488 compared to Arcane Mages.
Simplest Gameplay
Destruction Warlock has fewer damaging abilities which could indicate a simpler rotation.
While the above highlights the DPS advantages between Arcane Mage and Destruction Warlocks, the DPS potential should not be the only factor in your decision. Ultimately, you should also consider the playstyle that you enjoy most while crushing it in Mythics+ and Raids!
Resources
- Destruction Warlock
- DPS Rankings
- Destruction Warlock Class Guide
- Destruction Warlock Sim Details
More Spec Comparisons