I just started a warlock as my 2nd toon to get to 95, and I have been reading that warlock DPS is so bad that longtime players are giving up on the class. I have no desire to be the 'Best' DPS in a raid, nor do I care about bragging rights with the highest parse. My only concern is whether or not warlocks can at least function in a raid and do enough DPS to be invited to raids. My guild doesn't have a warlock for their raids, which is why I decided to play one (I prefer to play DPS roles in raids). Since my main concern is playing DPS in raids, and I also love utility / support, should I go mage or scout? It sounds like the warlock is a broken class atm that cannot be functional in raids at 95.
It isn't that a warlock dps is that bad. It is bad compared to other mages, in my opinion. Unless you are talking about a trash fight like the nether-wings in UD most of the time we will be out dps'd by summoners or wizards. I love my warlock and am trying anything I can to stop from betraying, but the dev's didn't give us any love this xpac.
Having spent the day yesterday (the few hours I get between shifts hehe) I got my warlock from 3-25. Id hate to roll a new toon and abandon this one after putting in that hard work. My goal is this: I want to play DPS in raid, that's the role I wish to fill. I chose warlock because I figured encounter + PBAOE dmg, and the ability to attack from ranged and stay (hopefully) out of AE range of the mobs. If I can get into raids (shouldn't be a problem in my guild) with my warlock and contribute positively, then I am happy staying with my lock. If, however, that warlocks are so broken that I cant even contribute to a raid positively (or even heroics for that matter) then I will have to reroll. Thanks for your input!
At the moment I'm topping parses or coming 2nd or 3rd by a small margin (assuming nothing stupid like my troub going ld or staying dead for 20s). The main issue is that you ideally will want to swap your aa and prestige spec practically every boss assuming you're not in a guild that can first pull every mob and kill it very quickly (in which case a pre-charged toxic assault will give the advantage to right). Also we take away UT from necros who with it can be quite the force to be reckoned with (assuming equal gear and skill with warlock). Ultimately you have to end up better at playing the warlock then the other dps class you'd play for it to be worth staying warlock.
If its simply a matter of learning the skills and learning to play the class, then I will stay with warlock. I like a challenge. I was just concerned that it wasn't a matter of skill and knowing the class, that even if you did know that you still parsed low because the class was that broken. Secondly, how can you switch your AA spec in a dungeon? I just came back to eq2 after a two year break (I missed so much, just learned about the spell weapon attack thing, which means half the gear on my 95 mystic is wrong since I didn't know any better while lvling him the past couple weeks).
Call back to guild hall, take port to house, use aa mirror, exit house to re-mount, CoV back to dungeon. And you can (likely will) still parse below somebody who plays another class to the same or worse ability, how warlock is at the moment.
