[My knowledge of this build is limited. Could use a little help from Psy or Graguk]
The affliction build of all affliction builds, made popular by Cyberdemon soon after Demonic Sacrifice was buffed. Google up his PvP video. It’s outdated, and a lot of his opponents are terrible, but it’s rather unique… especially since his gear is so bad (650 dmg Shadow Bolts lololol).
SM/DS is a build that focuses on using DoTs as a primary source of damage. You can either pack the strongest DoTs available to the class with DS Succubus along with SM, or use DS with Voidwalker for survivability. You have all of the DoT options available to you, as well as some of the more powerful survivability options. Use them.
Unfortunately, SM/DS has some problems in PvP. It lacks Bane, Shadowburn, and Ruin. 3.0 Shadow Bolts and a complete lack of an instant DD attack hurts a lot. In PvP, the nature of DoT’s makes them difficult to use as a primary source of damage. First of all, there’s no way you can use Seduce as anything but an interrupt on DR if your opponent is quad DoTed. This means that you will have difficulty getting a Warrior or Rogue out of your face, especially if they Hamstring/Crippling Poison you. Also, DoT’s are dispellable. Gives you a heavy disadvantage when fighting Priests and Paladins.
It’s also not the best MC/BWL build out there, in terms of single target DPS. Your Shadow Bolts will be huge per hit, but remember that they lack Bane, which adds an extreme amount of DPS to your Shadow Bolts. Your DoT’s will be really strong though, which may or may not be good for AQ. DoTing everything tends to pull agro, in my experience.
Where SM/DS does excel, however, is in solo PvE. DoT’s are effective in solo PvE. If there’s any build that you want to use to solo all the soloable mobs in the game, it should be SM/DS. Mobs don’t dispel. They usually don’t have many snaring options besides Daze. DS-Void is very effective in solo PvE, where things aren’t so fast paced. Improved Life Tap combined with DS-Void makes for some very fast regeneration speed in health AND mana.
Oh, it also owns people who don’t dispel (but what doesn’t?). It also has Fel Dom/Master Summoner, which are some of the most powerful world PvP options available to the Warlock. With Succubus sacced, you will have the highest non-crit Nightfall dps in the game.
Despite its weaknesses, SM/DS is a fun build that perhaps shows the original intended direction for the Warlock class: a DoTing machine with tons of health. Some people hate this build, some people swear by it. Either way, it’s worth giving a try. If you can live without Seduce, Soul Link, Ruin, Bane, and Shadowburn, this might be the build for you!
Strategy
[Could use a little help here]
I have little experience with this build, but I found two ways to play it:
a) Use your (weak) Seduce chains, then after 3rd sac Succubus and start DoT kiting
b) Keep DS-Void sac up, DoT your opponents up and try to kite your opponents with tools like CoEx and Fear.
I prefer to go with option B. Option A is too similar to SM/Ruin, and requires more preparation. The main idea of option B is that you’re killing your opponents with DoTs while trying to outlast them. The idea is similar to Soul Link build strategies, except your DoT’s hurt more overall and you can’t take as many hits.
Get lots of stamina for this build. If you’re going to be kiting without Soul Link or Seduce, you’re going to need it. More stamina = more hp regenned from DS-Void. You’re going to want a lot of +dmg as with all builds, but sta is more valuable here than any other Warlock build out there IMO.
SM/DS is one of the most reliant builds on Drain Life with Fel Concentration. You’ll have huge Drain Lifes with DS-Succ, and with DS-VW kiting strategies, it will add a lot to your survivability, given proper use.
Well-known SM/DS Warlocks: Cyberdemon, Graguk, Psy (though he’s not a 100% fan of it)