Arcane Brilliance: A slice of win cake with extra frosting
by Amanda Rivera 
Jul 21st 2007 at 10:24PM
The last time we spoke, Arcane was the name of the game. Dealing with each of the types of mages is a challenge for me, seeing as how I play a blended spec myself. But more than simply talking about how one might considering speccing your mage (we'll get to that later) this series of posts is a discussion of the nature of the three types of mages themselves.
For a long while I was a Frost Mage, and I capitalize the term because it seemed like such a stiff, formal affair whenever I talked about my talents. All my damage was built into the frost spells on my bar, and I barely touched any of the others. While not the most imaginative when it comes to instance groups, the Frost Mage was definitely strong in the PvE realm of the game. Many of the talents available in the Frost tree include chill effects, those effects designed to slow your enemy. This makes this particular spec excellent for soloing, since you are able to freeze your enemies in place for longer periods of time with Improved Frost Nova, slow vast armies with Improved Blizzard, and Crit your way to victory with Shatter.
The first instance where I really saw the power of the Frost spec was Scholomance, that evil school for necromancers north of the Hinterlands. There is a zombie pull in that instance that is tough at the proper level, and even more difficult if you don't have Improved Blizzard. With this handy little skill I was able to Frost Nova the exploding zombies in place, hop down to the bottom floor and burn them down with my lovely AoE spell.
When they added the water elemental into the mix, I was totally in love. Squishy was by my side whenever the countdown was available. I loved having the added DPS, and a second long-distance Frost Nova came quite in handy, especially in instances. Control is the name of the game with the Frost spec, control of your resources, control of your enemies, control of your aggro. Adding a second player for a little while into the fight adds an additional level of control other mages simply don't have. Rest in Peace, Squishy, wherever you are.
In the history of the class, Frost was traditionally the PvE spec, being that so much of the talent tree was about holding off enemies while you drowned them into oblivion. However, with the addition of the arenas into the game, PvP mages swear by the Frost talents, with one in particular: Ice Block. Extending your life even for a little while in an arena fight is essential, and with Cold Snap as your instant reset button (a little nerfed recently with the addition of the Hypothermia debuff, but still viable for the longer arena showdowns) a Frost mage is a formidable opponent in PvP. For me this takes a little rearranging of my magey belief system, since I played so long in an Azeroth where Frost was exclusively a PvE spec. But times change, as so must our perceptions. PvPers out there, which are your favorite Frost spells for the slaughter of the opposing faction? I'd love to hear which pieces of the spec you find most useful.
Filed under: (Mage) Arcane Brilliance, Mage
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Toman Jul 22nd 2007 12:25AM
I stand by my faith in frost as a viable endgame PVE spec. Yes, that's right, PVE not PVP. Although it won't push out the damage as consistently as the "cookie cutter 2.0" 10/48/3 build (undisputedly proven by theorycrafters), with the liberal use of cold snap to keep your Water Elemental (*the* reason to go deep frost) up as often as possible will out-dps arcane based builds in 10 and 25-man raids.
While there are many good PVP talents in the frost tree, talents such as Shatter and Frostbite are almost useless in PVE since with everyone hitting your targets they don't stay frozen for long. Therefore for a strong PVE frost spec, you should forgo these talents in favour of those that will benefit the raid.
I personally use a 10/0/51 build, which gives me the invaluable mana saving tool that is clearcasting in the arcane tree, as well as some nice little treats in the frost tree.
Essential PVE frost talents:
Summon Water Elemental - With my gear it's like adding an extra 700-1100 damage to each of my frostbolts, lasting 3 times longer than arcane power and on a shorter cooldown when used in conjunction with cold snap. Not to mention the extra ranged frost nova it adds for "ohcrap" situations. I have this baby out as often as possible and wouldn't live without it.
Winter's Chill - Fully maxed, this will add a 10% crit chance to all frost spells. Not just my own but any other mage, and notably my Water Elemental's also.
Elemental Precision: This reduces the mana cost of your frost (and fire) spells, which is nice, but the main point of this talent is to reduce the chance that an enemy will resist your spells by 3%. Meaning that you have a lower hit cap (164 with EP instead of 202 base), this should be taken by every raiding mage and hence is a mainstay even in the deep fire equivalent (10/48/3).
There are some other great talents in the frost tree, but the above are the most important in my view. Other talents such as Permafrost and Improved Blizzard can be lifesavers (Neffy, I'm pointing at you), but you can live without them. Overall though, if it increases your damage output then go for it.
Also:
"able to freeze your enemies in place for longer periods of time with Improved Frost Nova"
Doesn't Improved Frost Nova reduce the cooldown, and not the length of the effect? Although I guess a shorter cooldown means you can use it more regularly and that in turn means they're frozen longer. It's not really applicable to single targets though, as the cooldown is pretty long anyway and my frost mage usually kills most things before the spell is available again. But hey, I'm just nitpicking. Good article.
Toman Jul 22nd 2007 12:41AM
I don't really think I did the Water Elemental justice, so I'm sorry about that. It completely slipped my mind to mention that unlike Arcane Power, all this extra damage is threat-less (and hence you're not going to overaggro), doesn't cost 30% extra mana and is essentially "fire and forget". It is simply a spec-making talent and is utterly fantastic.
Apologies for missing lots of other key talents also - they are all important in their own way, but it's 05:41 and quite frankly I'd like some sleep!
Toman, Class Leader of 'Learn to Play' on EU Anachronos (A)
Charlie Jul 22nd 2007 2:08AM
"I stand by my faith in frost as a viable endgame PVE spec. Although it won't push out the damage as consistently as the "cookie cutter 2.0" 10/48/3 build"
Viable yes, but even you admit, its not the best.
I will always out DPS frost mages with equal gear in the raid.
10/48/3 is the best Pre 2/5 T5. After that, full Arcane becomes the best. [2 peice set bonus increases arcane blast damage by 20%, but also mana by 20%]
But, i find for alot of mages who like to have a mix of PvP and PvE, go frost. Full frost is, without a doubt, the best PvP spec in the game for mages. The shatter combo of the Frost Elemental just annihilates people.
And w/ frost you don't die. Iceblock can save you on alot of bosses. Illhoof is a great example, Moroes as well as Nightbane are good examples.
itsthemechanic Jul 22nd 2007 4:57AM
Fire mages and Arcane is a toss-up at this point. I'm an Arcane mages (with 11 points in Fire for PoM + Pyro + WTF OMG Pew Pew) and I usually come out on top of the meters in most of situations.
Arcane Blast spam is insanely high DPS (while eating mana like crazy), on long drawn out fights I switch to fire and I usually beat fire mages, or break even with them.
With Arcane you also have to adapt to the situation (mana, mobility, etc) whereas in fire all you do is mash Scorch and Fireball all night.. how fun is that?
One thing I agree on: Frost is far behind both Fire and Arcane in serious PvE endgame.
Fizzi Jul 22nd 2007 10:30AM
Ah, the days when Frost was the PvE raiding king due to MC and BWL =)
I find the Frost is far more suited to PvP than PvE these days due to the large amount of burst damage potential. Sup with "ZOMG ICELANCE LAWL" even with the nerf to it. Not to mention you can hit off quick winter's chill with that baby.
It's been said to death, but just to drive the point home deep fire really is the most efficient raid spec pre t5. Even if you are spamming scorches and fireballs all night you should be tossing in FB and AB to really maximize your DPS. And it still beats the old days of mashing Frostbolt for a living =P Molten armor happens to be my mainstay raiding armor, but I do like to switch mage armor for longer, mana-intensive fights (Curator, Prince).
Knottop Jul 22nd 2007 11:52AM
"Viable yes, but even you admit, its not the best.
I will always out DPS frost mages with equal gear in the raid."
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Frost isnt about being the best at DPS though thats the thing. Its about controlling fights, its an extended form of CC in the worst of situations.
No mage spec is "the best", just some are better than the others depending on the situation at hand or the playstyle of your group.
Holding off a potential wipe with a few nova's is a nice feeling. Buying that extra few seconds for recovery is a large pay off for losing DPS.
Rolarian Jul 22nd 2007 9:43PM
Frost Nova + Invisibility has kept me out of the party wipe many times. ^_^
Provided the mobs don't resist FN. Then I'm screwed. :P
Distmage Jul 30th 2007 3:55PM
Frost isnt about being the best at DPS though thats the thing. Its about controlling fights, its an extended form of CC in the worst of situations.
No mage spec is "the best", just some are better than the others depending on the situation at hand or the playstyle of your group.
Holding off a potential wipe with a few nova's is a nice feeling. Buying that extra few seconds for recovery is a large pay off for losing DPS.
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I aggree that there is no "the best" mage spec cause each spec can be easily justified depending on the situation that a particular spec is most suited for.
That been said:)
The reason why I think 10/48/3 is regarded as "the best PVE spec" is because its has the best dps (pre 2/T5) and DPS is always needed in PVE raiding. Its always usefull.
Extra CC, extra control etc is usefull yes but its is not always usefull in every situation. DPS is usefull in every situation:). That is the main reason after all you are in the raid is it not :)
Party baby Jul 23rd 2007 5:22AM
Fire > Frost, some would argue single target dps and an arcane/frost build will beat 10/48/3? I am not drawing any conclusion, but check these movies out. Especially Reliquary of Souls. We are talking about about unbuffed 1200 dmg and 30% crit. Of course this is fully raidbuffed.
http://www.lootftw.com/movies.php
Steve Jul 23rd 2007 10:09AM
Only have a lvl 40 mage so obviously not well versed but I found Fire to be much more efficient in soloing than frost. The amount of damage you could do was amazing and made for faster leveling.
poilbrun Jul 24th 2007 11:34AM
@9: You don't know what fast-levelling is with a mage until you've tried fast AoE levelling. I played a miner/skinner mage (for gold, obviously), and I used to loved the quests where you need to gather loots on beasts. You gather 5 or 6 mobs, AoE, you skin them, and you are full mana for the next pull.
What I miss most now, compared to my first mage who was fire-specced, was the combustion-blast wave combo back when combustion was a guaranteed crit on the next spell. Combustion is still nice now, but nowhere near as useful in pve (it's great in BG pvp though!).
cap Jul 24th 2007 4:16PM
I also discovered that the Water Elemental is immune to Gruul's aoe silence and stun. That comes in VERY handy. If all the mages had their elemental up all the time, Gruul is a cakewalk.