I was always under the impression that the opposite was true, that lowering resistances was similar to spell penetration, more important when fighting other players and less so when fighting bosses. Spell hit, on the other hand is a flat increase to chance to hit, rather than a lowered chance to be resisted. I've been wrong before though.

What say you, Mage community at large?

While it's worded differently, Arcane Focus on live grants 10% spell hit at max rank. After the patch it will only give 3%.

While this is a nerf, it does bring the talent in line with other hit-increase talents like Elemental Precision.

The phrasing of the tier one arcane talents on live causes no end of problems. The best way to keep them straight is to compare the wording to that of precision (which we all know gives hit).

Elemental Precision: Reduces the [...] chance targets resist...

Arcane Focus: Reduces the chance that the opponent can resist...

Same language. The spell penetration talent is [ahem] subtly different.

Arcane Subtlety: Reduces the target's resistance to...


To change topics, "This talent [brain freeze] provides a substantial DPS increase, and is actually better than Clearcasting, and at three talent points no less" is half true. It's not a big DPS increase (those fireballs won't be talented with so many in points in frost; it can end up being a slight DPS loss) but it sure as heck is better than clearcasting in most cases.

Focus Magic was at one time a raid wide buff, now it isn't and nothing has replaced it.