Wizard vs. Warlock

[Dread Quixadhal]

Ok, at the risk of starting a flame war... what do you guys think is a better choice for a player who is mostly going to solo?  The warlock with their AOE's of despair, or the wizard with their nukes of destruction? I played a mage back in 2004, when they were an archetype, but since I only got to level 17, I didn't have to make that decision yet.  I realize the game is totally different now (I have a shiny new level 32 necromancer), but would enjoy picking up a staff again. So, opinions?  Preferences?  Suggestions for staying alive solo?  Flames and ridicule?  Fire away! PS:  This is cross-posted to the Warlock forum too... since I want to hear from both sides of the fence. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[iceriven2]

my experience is from having a 80 wizard and 71 warlock...Wizard has a much easier time soloing.  Even grp encounters.  What do i mean by this? well for starters wizards get a lot more secondary effects on the roots/nukes that favor soloing.  Kockback, and snares.  For aoe's velium gift and the aoe root have a snare effect( i know once the Wind line of aoes had a snare but i have noticed it recently).   theres more but what i am getting about aoe specificaly is we have an easier time to keep all the mobs from getting to us and since we have the big nukes, its easier to take them down one by one.  Which i believe is safer.For warlocks, they can solo well, just takes a little bit more time and effort compared to a wizard.  the can aoe solo very well if u manage a good spell rotation, i not much of an expert on aoe soloing but i have seen warlocks destroy mobs before they are killed (mostly pre ROK stuff)So basically...  Wizards have it easier then warlocks but they are both good root/nuke soloers

[Trilarian-2]

My original character was a warlock, though I now play a wizard main (two chars, no betraying).  Honestly, until RoK both can solo extremely well, with wizards having a slight advantage on secondary effects (as Iceriven2 mentioned).  However, I haven't really relied on these secondary effects until I hit RoK.  Up until 50, both are almost identical in that many spells are cloned between the two and given a different color graphic.  At 50, wizard gets Ice Comet and warlock gets Devastation.  Both drastically change what you can do.  As a wizard, you focus on one mob at a time while trying to keep the encounter rooted (if more than one).  Ice Comet, if crits, can usually take down a solo mob in one hit (so the STR line comes useful for the guarenteed crit).  Devastation is a massive DoT that will yield more damage than Ice Comet if used on an encounter.  The basic routine is to group root, fire off deva, then start picking one mob off at a time.  Usually by the time you get to the last one his hp is already in the red.The only part in your career where you will see a imbalance is once you hit RoK(usually 70+), and that is mainly because the majority of mobs are non-encoutner.  So you loose the main benefit of being a warlock - being able to AoE nuke.  If you get into raiding, it seems the loot is better used by wizard (at least the epic is clearly better).At any rate, warlock is not a useless, dead class by any means - so play what you prefer.  I can tell you that wizard is the more popular of the two, so you will have the advantage of a lesser played class if you go the warlock route.  When played right and in a zone that is full of encounters, a warlock will outparse a wizard anyday.  Single target, wizard will beat the warlock.  Good luck.

[Sleap]

I have played both classes. I have a 70 Warlock and i do not have any issues soloing. I do carry around potions to heal myself to help soloing nameds. I even solo'd Stein of Moggok at lvl 41 <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. Root and Nuke ftw, however i didnt get too far playing as a Wizard. Sure they do have strong single target nukes, but i guess you just have to have a taste for each class and I didnt have a taste for the Wizard.