Now that Wrath of the Lich King is done virtually. We have made a decision to talk about the drain soul and soul shard, which make shards more interesting. Now let us get down to them.
   Since drain soul got buffed, it can actually damage pretty much when targets are below 25%. I don't remember how much it is it damage, but I think its something like 4 times the normal damage, which for my warlock would be 700-800 times 4, something between 2800-3200 every 3rd seconds. That is okay damage I think, and affliction locks maybe even don't need bane and stuff in the demo tree, but can focus some more points in affliction, and then drain soul instead.
   Drain soul works in that while you can both quest/kill and at the same time farm as while you are at it. If you have to kill the NPC after combat, it may be a bit less convenient, in the sense while others are taking a 5 sec breather from that last attack you are busy draining soul? What if a party member kills it before you do, thinking it's an attack or something? Might wana make the mob be visible to only you? Also, if you have to stop after every few fights to kill the souls and replenish, after a while it may get somewhat annoying no?
   It is just as an good ideas, drain soul implies your sucking it out of a body, what if they just add say another spell to the Warlocks repertoire called imprison soul. If the mob dies without having drain soul active on it which leaves behind its "soul" in the form of a ghost, and with see invisibility you can see them, and then you can use imprison soul, which say has a 3 second cast time, generates a shard when used, and gives you say 7% of your mana and health back. So not only does it give warlocks 2 ways of getting shards, so in instances they can drain soul so they don't have to spend time casting and what not and making it generally smoother, or using imprison soul when soloing or when people have to actually eat/drink, it also gives them a way to replenish health and mana, which isn't so much of a problem.
   But how we can revamp the soul shard issue? Let us take a first look at its system, see below:
   The Warlock or party member will kill a NPC or player. After the NPC/player dies the Warlock can buff himself with detect invisibility. Buffed Warlocks and party members can see the ghost of the NPC/player. Then the Warlock can cast drain soul on the ghost. After channeling drain soul for 3 seconds the ghost will die and the Warlock will gain a shard. While the Warlock is draining soul he/she will gain a small amount of health and mana back. Drain soul would not put the Warlock or party members in combat. Warlocks can't drain soul while in combat.
   This new system won't slow down Warlocks DPS in PVE or PVP. The drain soul happens after combat. While Mages and Priest are drinking Warlocks are healing health and mana with drain soul. Heal from drain soul should be equally powerful to drinking and eating. Improved Drain Soul talent should improve the amount healed by drain soul, making it ideal for PVE.
Drain soul will no longer be a DPS spell. Many people like this idea but we do not think soul shards need a balance, but a buff. So it would be fair to make the idea, and still keep the damage. Just like other abilities, like blind, that used to cost reagents you had to get, but they changed it so either it wouldn't cost anything or you were able to buy wow gold from a shady dealer.