Professions and Trinkets

How do you tell which Professions and Trinkets are best for you? 

To get really accurate results. 

1.) Simulate it using Simcraft 
2.) Get the profession/trinket and test it out in a real world setting. Ultimately, real-world data >>> simulated theoretical data


For the average player though, there really isn't a need to use Simcraft. If you are having problems with a raid boss, it is probably not a issue with your professions as long as you have two professions that provide a dps bonus. If you don't have any professions at all, then that might be a problem. 

The rule of thumb is to pick professions and trinkets that:
Have a HIGH bonus over a SHORT period of time (most important!) 
Have procs that are triggered by you (not so important) 

As far as possible, avoid those which give a LOW bonus over a LONG period of time. 

There are many reasons for this choice: 

• We are a dot-based class. We can extend these procs/buff for a longer period of time through our dots. We have Soul Swap (Soul Burn) which allows to reapply all our dots instantly. For example, even though a proc lasts for 4 seconds (Lei Shen Trinket), we can make it last for 40 seconds. 
• A lot of our damage is done through bursts. Destruction's Chaos Bolts are a good example. I can fit Three Chaos Bolts in a 10 second window. I want to have three HIGHLY buffed Chaos Bolts instead of three LOW buffed Chaos Bolts. 
• Some profession procs can be stacked with our cooldowns for massive damage. For example, Haste Buff from Herbalism can be paired up and used together with our Dark Soul cooldown all the time. 

The recommended list of  professions are 
Tailoring: 2000 Intellect over 15 second proc
Engineering: 1920 Intellect for 10 seconds every minute
Herbalism: 2880 Haste for 20 seconds every 2 minutes. 

For Trinkets, we apply a similar reasoning. HIGH bonuses over a short period of TIME. Almost all trinkets are good for warlocks this tier.  Even the valor trinket is very decent. 

The recommended trinkets for the various specs 
Demonology: Unerring Vision of Lei Shen (Absolute MUST!)  and Volatile Talisman of the Shado Pan 
Affliction: Breath of the Hydra and Wushuulay's Final Choice
Destruction: Wushuulay's Final Choice, Pick any 2nd Trinket


For Demonlogy, the 100% Crit proc from Unerring Vision is super important compared to the rest of the other trinkets. For example, even if you have a proc from Breath of the Hydra, you will not refresh it over a 100% Crit Doom.