(I searched for something similar and browsed a few pages without luck, so I'm terribly sorry if a similar discussion has already been started.)

Inspired by some guy's post on the first page of "Sustained DPS on Loatheb" concerning how warlock DPS is largely dependant on effort (farming, knowledge of consumables, etc.), I'd very much like to delve into the matter of warlock DPS. If we aren't the cannonfodder we're thinking ourselves to be, then we should definitely do something about it.

My gear is as follows (there's the 2% crit trinket instead of ZHC in there, CTProfiles is a bitch, and sprinkle the gear with enchants that I'm too lazy to add): http://ctprofiles.net/3791876

My guild is currently on Gluth and we have 8 bosses down (slow start). I have been on Patchwerk only once since we have but two warlocks in for each kill and have therefore set up a "loot rotation". On Patchwerk I clocked in at 16th place with something along the lines of 400 (give or take 10) DPS, meaning I came in ahead of three hunters. As we were only two warlocks, one had Curse of Elements and the other Recklessness, and we were both imping for the tanks so we were SM/Ruin and not DS/Ruin.

My question is, how can I improve? Granted, my gear is at the receiving end of much ass, but that is somewhat due to the fact that I'm incurably stricken by a sort of utilitarian goodwill towards the mages since, obviously, they are better than I am on fights like Loatheb and Patchwerk. But even with this gear I am #5-7 on Noth and I managed to come in at #3 on Grobbulus the other day. How can I improve myself in sustained DPS fights like Patchwerk and Loatheb?

Consumables are obviously a big factor. I have somewhere along the lines of +857 damage to undead when fully flasked and pimped out. My resist rate is rather high, so one thing would be to get more +hit% gear, which I am working on (next Tear will go to me, next Wraith Blade, I have Doomcaller's Circlet in my inventory but not using it due to 3 set Nemesis bonus). How do you guys (the supposed wildly DPS'ing warlocks) go about managing your mana on, say, Patchwerk?

I'll give an example of how my "rotations" look. I start off with a Curse of the Elements, then a Corruption (no Siphon Life since my raidleader is zealously convinced that it knocks off the Nightfall proc more often than not), then fire Rank 7 shadowbolt until I am at around 50% mana. Then I lifetap twice, repeat my Corruption, and nuke until 60% where I Shadow Ward and use a Demonic Rune. I'll repeat Corruption when it runs out and so on and keep nuking, this time down till 20% mana, at which point I will lifetap as much as I can and continue nuking until I go oom. Then I will promptly chug a Greater Dreamless Sleep Potion, lifetap once and start blasting again, and when I reach 30% mana I will use a bandage. Rinse repeat, sort of.

What else is there to do? I am honestly stumped since I thought I had my stuff sorted out on this encounter, but I obviously err in my observation when some other guild's warlocks can get in the top 10 with, assumably, gear that is equal to or slightly better than mine.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.