Warlock or Mage? Mage or Warlock?

[meddlingmage]

Couldn't be more excited about the eventual relaunch, but I don't want to spend countless hours leveling a class only to get to endgame and feel caught off guard of my expectations/what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm pretty new to the whole vanilla thing, and wow in general in terms of reaching any type of "endgame." I'm specifically talking about raids here. I have narrowed it down to a couple of classes, those being mage and warlock (for now right?!).

I have very limited knowledge on how these classes will handle in raids, for example I've heard a lot of warlocks are reduced to "buffing other classes" and "making healthstones" now I'm sure this is an over generalization of what happens (by a possibly jaded former lock). But again, i wouldn't know. What I'm looking for is to do DPS but by no means do I need to top the charts. I want to contribute. But what I'm getting at is I don't want to have a blast leveling through the world, blowing things up, placing DOTs, only to realize at endgame... I can't do this. For instance I've heard a lot about about the limited debuffs on mobs etc so sometimes if a lock were to place a curse it could knock off taunts/sudner armors etc (does this apply to DOTs as well)?

I know this is very broad and can go in many directions (in terms of how you choose to answer) but thats what I want. I say this because I have never experienced vanilla end game, let alone on a lock or mage, and I'm really trying to get a feel (from those experienced players that know) for what I can expect, how will I play, how are the rotations. I don't want to get blindsided if that makes sense, nor will I have the time to reroll countless times. Any and all input you can provide for either class are greatly appreciated.

[varth]

A warlocks rotation in 40 mans is cast your assigned curse, shadow bolt until dead, maybe drain soul to replenish shards. There's some mobs that you want to banish in MC, the standouts being the Garr fight and pain packs. Outside of combat you will want to get the tanks a healthstone, and you will have to summon a decent amount of people, probably 5ish depending on how many locks you have. You should bring minimum 20 shards to each raid.

Mages rotation in 40 mans goes frostbolt spam while hitting arcane power + trinkets. Fire its a bit more involved if your guild is good, with keeping up improved scorch, timing when to combust to keep up the ignite, dropping the ignite to avoid pulling agro. Your job outside of that is making 20 stacks of water and food and handing that out, as well as doing portals.

[Dodgemade]

Both classes are fine for raiding/pvp. Just pick one.

[Rikkisix]

Mages are more common then locks for raiding and pvp

[Lifealert]

Food for thought:
Mages get portals and can set their hearth anywhere, warlocks can summon anyone anywhere with two others present.
Mages spam frostbolts and CoC, warlocks spam shadowbolt and keep corruption up.
Mages make food and water for everyone, warlocks make healthstones for those who ask and use imp to give stam to tank
Mages farm DM East, warlocks farm Mara.
Mages can mass grind mobs for xp and loot, warlocks have pets to help them in leveling/pvp/pve.
Warlocks get a free mount at 40 and a cheaper mount at 60
Warlocks on alliance are not very common. Warlocks and mages are super common on horde thanks to drakedog and vurtne.
Alliance warlocks are gimped in pvp due to every horde being undead.

I have never played mage so I cannot speak on their behalf too much.

You have time to make your decision. I suggest that once you start playing you do not look back. Stick with something.

[Drain]

For raiding... in combat they are almost the same, except Mage is better. This is why more people play it. But outside combat, it has far more busy work with buffing and portals. Warlock doesn't have to do much by comparison, especially if you spec DS and just eat your pet for the buff. But you could get stuck summoning a dozen people if you're in a shitty guild with players that don't want to show up on time. In an ideal world, no summons should be necessary, but usually, a few people are late. When half your raid is late every night though, it's not a good sign for the guild. If you're going the water vendor route... obviously fill your bags up with it in advance, then just dump a few stacks in every box that pops up. But ugh... I can't stomach that myself. I'll stick with Warlock. Almost no one cares about healthstones.

"Alliance warlocks are gimped in pvp due to every horde being undead. "
Alliance Warlocks have it made vs Horde because of Paladins. This is a bigger factor than Undead when you go into BGs with Paladin healers. Alliance literally have it made, as any class, PVE or PVP, vs Horde.

[Blib]

You gotta ask yourself, do you wanna spam frost bolt or shadow bolt?

[Lifealert]

"Alliance warlocks are gimped in pvp due to every horde being undead. "
Alliance Warlocks have it made vs Horde because of Paladins. This is a bigger factor than Undead when you go into BGs with Paladin healers. Alliance literally have it made, as any class, PVE or PVP, vs Horde.

You're really going to start this argument for the 500th time?

Alliance literally have it made, as any class, PVE or PVP, vs Horde.

now i know this is a trol post lol

[xxxxNateDaGreat]

Alliance warlocks are gimped in pvp due to every horde being undead.

This is my big fear. My guild is rolling Alliance and I want to be able to PvP *and* PvE with them and be able to do pretty well. My biggest hangup at the moment with Warlocks is playing against Will of the Forsaken. How much of an issue is this with BGs and WPvP?

[Lifealert]

My biggest hangup at the moment with Warlocks is playing against Will of the Forsaken. How much of an issue is this with BGs and WPvP?

Half the time I don't bother because I know I'm wasting a GCD. When most of the horde are either undead, are warriors, or have shamans nearby with tremor down it's a real pain. Say goodbye to 1v2s if you're not engi. You can manage though.