Mage vs Warlock - help me please

[Boojanglez]

Hey people of Nostalrius,

I know, questions like these are dumb. And without a doubt I agree to this statement.
But I really (!!!) struggle to choose between those two and I hope you can help me, I played both a mage and warlock in Wotlk on another fully scripted private server, so I "know" both classes, I am used to them in PvE raiding and pvp alike. Thing is, I have no idea how things go in classic.
My main is a warrior (currently level 33 though), but I thoroughly enjoy leveling two classes, it has always been like that, and it has always been a caster and a melee. At one point I may freeze one char and do some bracket specified PvP and level forth the other character.

I have both a mage and a warlock at 20 and I enjoyed both with light preference for the warlock (I think this is due to the level range though, I think a mage is more enjoyable later on).

I guess mage and wl don't differentiate too much from each other at 60 raiding, you stay behind and spam Shadow bolt/Frost bolt/Fire bolt with your spec of choice and I am fine with that, but I don't know how they feel in pvp. I like the idea of burst damage, which propably favors a mage over a warlock. Then again, a conflagrate spec with soul fire and stuff sounds/looks fun, too. But a mage is more about controlling the fight plus a lot of instant nukes, which I also enjoy, in blast wave, fire blast, cone of cold etc - Having said this, a wl offers the same thing in conflagrate, shadowburn and those things. I usually struggle when I have to decide which class I should play, but this time it's a true nightmare. I seek advice among you people here because I have no idea how this game develops at 60 and I'd be really disappointed when my class doesnt turn out the way I wanted.

What I like about warlock is:
free mount at 60, easy leveling with dots and multiple mobs killing at once and possibilty to burst down targets.
dislikes: running around with pet (I dont hat it with fiery passion, but its not enjoyable either), Im an alli lock so WotF and undeads in general

What I like about mage is:
lots of burst with Pom Pyro or Pom frost spec oder frost spec or elemental spec, good movement and nice defence in nova, ice barrier and stuff
dislikes: I'd prefer wl stylie-wise, I like the idea of playing a class not that omnipresent where warlock is far rarer opposed to mages, really fast out of mana

Sorry for the wall of text, I enjoy any thougt on this and thanks in advance!

=)

[Crom]

Hey, until someone more experienced comes along I will give you my limited input (what I remember from vanilla).
First of all you haven't specified what your main focus is going to be so maybe that will make your decision somewhat easier.

Now both of these classes are relatively easy to level. Lock with the VW is probably more laid-back but the aoe grind possibility of the mage is a very strong option. You get perks on both sides. Teleport/Portal, free waters as mage, free mount as lock etc. so it's a matter of preference I guess in the end.

In PvE mage is definitely a top tier dps class but uber boring since you just spam 1 button the whole fight. If you are ok with doing that mage seems like the better option here. One thing to note about lock is that there are only 8 debuff slots atm, so you don't get the full potential of your dots in fights (as affli) which can be frustrating.

In PvP again is a matter of preference. Mage is all about control and good damage but squishy as fuck. Your only defense is mana shield which isn't that great to begin with. But if you are well coordinated you can do amazingly as a mage. Lock (depending on spec) is fairly different. You either cancer/fear all the enemy team and laugh while they slowly rot (fear here is much more broken than later versions of the game, doesn't break nearly as easy) or you get your succi to cc stuff while you take your time to nuke them. You are definitely more tanky than a mage (again depending on spec) but then again you lack the avoidance that a mage has so you have to tank the damage anyway. Also if you decide to go lock better go horde because half the server is rolling a ud rogue

[Sham]

If you dont like playing with pet, your choice is obvious. Since warlock heavily relies on pet

[Skeptical]

Warlock 60 mount is NOT free. Multiple quest chains and aroudnd 600g in items.

Play whichever class you understand better, if you want to live on this server Mage has slight more use in pve/pvp but warlock is dirty.

[varth]

I pvped a fair amount on a mage in vanilla. By far the most fun class I played in pvp (played shaman, thunderfury warrior, mage)

You are basically a gigantic glasscannon that has a shitload of control when played well. Poly, counterspell, frost nova, iceblock, blink, cone of cold, frostbolt are incredible for controlling a fight with 1 or two or even 3 people. If you get gear mage is beyond terrifying for every class because arcane power + ZG trinket + TOEP + POM allows you 1-2 shot every single class in the game that isn't a raid tank or a bubbled paly without even critting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLEhudSh51U here's a video example of the power of mage damage. Not the best example for the mobility and control though, most of the best examples of mage pvp that I knew are no longer on youtube

[Sham]

Classic mage movies are there. Like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BP90t0ehfk

If you get gear mage is beyond terrifying for every class because arcane power + ZG trinket + TOEP + POM allows you 1-2 shot every single class in the game that isn't a raid tank or a bubbled paly without even critting.

Good luck one shotting geared SL warlock with more then 10,000 effective health, 60 resists to magic and if needed, instant void sac.

[Xaeminos]

locks eat other classes for breakfast in PvP.

[varth]

Classic mage movies are there. Like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BP90t0ehfk

If you get gear mage is beyond terrifying for every class because arcane power + ZG trinket + TOEP + POM allows you 1-2 shot every single class in the game that isn't a raid tank or a bubbled paly without even critting.

Good luck one shotting geared SL warlock with more then 10,000 effective health, 60 resists to magic and if needed, instant void sac.

Yea sure, in the .1% of the time that you are up against a very very geared warlock that also has that spec you will be in trouble.

[Boojanglez]

Thanks a lot everyone for your input, a special note at this point goes out to Crom for writing such a detailed answer, relying on personal experience and not theory, which I prefer anyway, as every class is useful on paper, but if ypu despise the style of one class it can be as broken as it wants to be - you will never ever enjoy it.

I will propably level both to 30 and decide then, really tough choice, then again, this is also kind of appealing concerning vanilla.

One last question: Is Will of the Forsaken a HUUUUGE issue for an alliance lock? I mean sure, it is fucked up, but is it really that fucked up? Because I need to play alliance as all my friends chose alli. Also, warlocks are kinda rare on alliance side, which is also a big plus for me.

And thanks again, really helpful =)

[Sham]

Not an issue at all. Till 40s you can kite rogues with coex, when you get deathcoil you can use it right after they activate their racial and fear again after deathcoil.

If specced SL you can just drain tank them till they die without using fear at all