WoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gifWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comen-usCopyright 2015 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/WoW Insider ShowEvery week, the WoW Insider Show brings you news and views from the World of Warcraft and the site that covers it all, WoW Insider. We introduce a panel of rotating guests, including bloggers from WoW Insider and other WoW blogs, and many popular personalities from around the WoW community. From the live listener chat and polls during the show, to the emails direct from listeners (reach us at theshow@wow.com), right on to the "meat" of the show -- in-depth discussion of the most popular news and posts on WoW Insider -- the WoW Insider Show is a terrific source of news and entertainment about what's going on with Blizzard and their World of Warcraft. Listen live every Saturday at 3:30 pm Eastern on our Ustream page (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wow-insider-show) or subscribe to the feed and let us know what you think by reviewing the show right here in iTunes.Patch 6.0.3 Hotfixes for January 12http://wow.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/patch-6-0-3-hotfixes-for-january-12/http://wow.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/patch-6-0-3-hotfixes-for-january-12/http://wow.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/patch-6-0-3-hotfixes-for-january-12/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yes, more hotfixes. What do they entail, you ask? Well, I'm glad you did. Here's just a few highlights from this latest round of hotfixes. There are quite a few class changes, some of which I highly approve of (the ones that buff warriors) and other changes as well.
  • Death Knights see Blood Boil's damage reduced by 33.3%
  • Sacred Duty, formerly granting 5% additional haste from all sources, is heavily buffed and now grants 30% haste from all sources.
  • For you enhancement shaman, Stormstrike sees an 11.1% damage buff.
  • Gladiator Stance now only increases damage by 5%, down from 20%, but just about all damaging abilities for protection warriors see buffs - Thunder Clap, Deep Wounds and Revenge were buffed by 40%, while Devastate and Shield Slam both got 20% buffs.
There's a lot more, so head on over to the official site and take a look for yourself. Just about every class but monks saw some adjustment.

WoW InsiderPatch 6.0.3 Hotfixes for January 12 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>hotfixhotfixespatch-6.0.3patch-6.0.3-HotfixesMatthew RossiMon, 12 Jan 2015 22:30:00 ESTClass tuning hotfixeshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2014/10/30/class-tuning-hotfixes/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/10/30/class-tuning-hotfixes/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/10/30/class-tuning-hotfixes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Yes, turns out they're still at work adjusting class tuning before we go into Warlords of Draenor. Some classes saw buffs, other classes saw another round of savage nerfs. Death knights and balance druids saw some buffs, as did elemental shamans, while mages saw a 20% nerf to frostbolt's damage (rolling back a buff from October 17th) and warriors got pummeled.

A complete list of the class changes will be posted after the jump.

Continue reading Class tuning hotfixes

WoW InsiderClass tuning hotfixes originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 30 Oct 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>buffsclass-balanceclass-changesnerfstuningMatthew RossiThu, 30 Oct 2014 15:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: Three Mages of Azerothhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2014/06/25/know-your-lore-three-mages-of-azeroth/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/06/25/know-your-lore-three-mages-of-azeroth/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/06/25/know-your-lore-three-mages-of-azeroth/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

Last week, we talked about mages. This week, we talk about specific mages. Because for better or worse, mages have changed the very face of Azeroth and much of its history has been in reaction to them and their eternal quest for knowledge and power. And certainly, not always for the better.

After all, it was the Highborne, specifically the cadre of Highborne mages under Xavius who served Queen Azshara who tapped into the power of the Well of Eternity in a mad effort to bring forth Sargeras into Azeroth. They weren't warlocks or priests or druids - they were mages, the rulers of a mage-ruled society (Azshara herself was terrifyingly adept with the art of the mage) and their desire to understand had warped into an obsession with control. They wanted total mastery over the Well of Eternity and the potent arcane power it loosed into Azeroth -- understanding it was no longer enough when dominance seemed within their reach, and it drove them mad.

The path of the mage is, in its way, the most demanding of any because it requires the discipline of a skilled warrior and the flexibility of mind of the greatest sage. You must dominate the self, control your own inherent desires rather than be controlled by them. Even mages as great and powerful as Aegwynn failed because they lost the battle between the personal and the universal.

Today we'll look at mages throughout Azeroth's history and discuss their role in events.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: Three Mages of Azeroth

WoW InsiderKnow Your Lore: Three Mages of Azeroth originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 25 Jun 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>AegwynnAzsharafeaturedguideguide-to-loreJaina-Proudmoorelorelore-guideMagesrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingMatthew RossiWed, 25 Jun 2014 11:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: Mageshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2014/06/19/know-your-lore-mages/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/06/19/know-your-lore-mages/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/06/19/know-your-lore-mages/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

Mages are the purest spellcasters, in a way. They do not entreat or bargain with elemental spirits (yet they can summon elemental power, after a fashion), they do not invoke the Holy Light or the Shadow that opposes it, and the fel magic that drives warlocks does not interest them. Mages seek the purity of absolute arcane knowledge - knowledge untainted by dark pacts or the promise of a glory gained if one follows the precepts of an unknown and unknowable philosophical force. Mages don't bargain, they don't plead, and they don't even compel - mages understand.


Magic is a tool, some would even say a gift. But you should never forget its fundamental nature. Arcane magic twists the boundaries of our world. It weakens the laws of this realm to allow the impossible to happen, if only for a moment. That single moment is all a demon needs to wreak havoc. The Burning Legion has watched us for millenia, always waiting for the smallest rift to slip through, the smallest stirring to whisper from. Remember this, young ones. Every spell you cast, no matter how minor, cuts both ways. This is why sorcery must never be used frivolously.
- Vestia Moonspear


Now, this obsession with arcane power and knowledge isn't always for the good - many lore figures like Archimonde and Kil'jaeden began as mages before turning to the dark and corrupt path of the warlock. Azshara, queen of the Kaldorei, was (and likely still is) a mage of enormous power, and we need look no further than the recent Nexus war to understand that mages and the magic they seek to understand can have devastating consequences for all. Azeroth, for better and for worse, has been shaped and defined by arcane magic.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: Mages

WoW InsiderKnow Your Lore: Mages originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredguideguide-to-lorelorelore-guiderole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingMatthew RossiThu, 19 Jun 2014 15:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Taking your mage transmog beyond tier setshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/27/arcane-brilliance-taking-your-mage-transmog-beyond-tier-sets/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/27/arcane-brilliance-taking-your-mage-transmog-beyond-tier-sets/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/27/arcane-brilliance-taking-your-mage-transmog-beyond-tier-sets/#commentsFiled under: ,

The same draenei mage wearing arcane, fire, and frost gear
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire. She also maintains the mage blog, Manalicious.

I haven't written about transmog here yet, which is really a terrible oversight. It was always in the works, though, there's just been so many other things to talk about. But I find myself at liberty to do something a little more light-hearted this week and so let's talk about fashion!

Many potential transmog enthusiasts might find themselves getting a bit overwhelmed when it comes to choosing what to wear. You don't need an article that tells you "tier sets look good," because it's kind of a given. They were designed to match each other, so yes, an entire tier set isn't necessarily a wrong choice. At the very least it'll look cohesive, and mages have some great tier sets.

But it isn't necessarily an original choice, either, and it won't set you apart in a sea of cloth-wearers or even mages wearing the entirety of Tirisfal Regalia. So what we're going to talk about, for anyone who might be less confident in their transmogging, is how you can take your transmog to the next level and what you should consider as you do. We'll look at color and contrast, how to build a set around a unique piece, or take a potential theme and make it your own.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Taking your mage transmog beyond tier sets

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Taking your mage transmog beyond tier sets originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 27 Feb 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>magemage-infomage-transmogmage-transmogrificationtier-setstransmogtransmogrificationtransmogrification-guidetransmogrification-suggestionsStacey LandryThu, 27 Feb 2014 20:00:00 ESTWarlords of Draenor: Mages have 12 new talentshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/26/celestalon-on-class-design-mages-have-12-new-talents/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/26/celestalon-on-class-design-mages-have-12-new-talents/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/26/celestalon-on-class-design-mages-have-12-new-talents/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The twitter account of Chadd Nervig (better known as Celestalon) has become one of my favorites due to his willingness to talk about the various aspects of class design. One that he brought up recently was the difficulty of naming new abilities. His point about spell names needing to fill many different needs is pretty interesting, I think. While discussing this, a specific example popped up that seemed very worth mentioning here.

This sounds like a lot of new talents, not just to name, but in general. Twelve are entirely new, and another seven are either existing spells or old spells changed into talents or major revamps of talents. Frankly, I'm a little envious -- I wish Warriors were getting this kind of change.

Edited to add: Celestalon mentioned in a tweet that there are 28 mage talents in all, not 21, because some are spec specific, so the number of 12 above ends up being not quite half.

WoW InsiderWarlords of Draenor: Mages have 12 new talents originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Celestalonclass-designmagestwitterMatthew RossiWed, 26 Feb 2014 13:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Next steps for playing a fire mage at level 90http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/21/arcane-brilliance-next-steps-for-playing-a-fire-mage-at-level-9/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/21/arcane-brilliance-next-steps-for-playing-a-fire-mage-at-level-9/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/02/21/arcane-brilliance-next-steps-for-playing-a-fire-mage-at-level-9/#commentsFiled under: ,

A draenei mage holds a fireball while surrounded by a field of fire.
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire.

Congratulations! You've always wanted to play a mage alt but somehow never find the time, or perhaps you're considering a new main for Warlords of Draenor. Either way, you've decided to boost a mage to level 90 or re-spec your mage and you are faced with a decision. What spec would you like to play? We're going to talk eventually about all three excellent specs, but for now we're going to start with fire.

Being a fire mage has always represented the somewhat reckless side of wizardry. Fire mages used to take talents that would increase their damage done in exchange for damage taken. (Nothing ventured, nothing gained!) Modern fire maging is a little less risky than that and comes with many advantages. You might enjoy playing a fire mage if you want:

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Next steps for playing a fire mage at level 90

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Next steps for playing a fire mage at level 90 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 21 Feb 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>boostcombustionfirelevel-90level-90-boostlevel-90-now-whatmagemage-fire-arcane-brilliancemage-guidemage-infomage-specsmage-spellspyroblastspellsStacey LandryFri, 21 Feb 2014 20:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: A timely discussionhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/31/arcane-brilliance-a-timely-discussion/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/31/arcane-brilliance-a-timely-discussion/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/31/arcane-brilliance-a-timely-discussion/#commentsFiled under: ,

A photograph of antique timepieces and watches
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire.

I'm interrupting my planned final installment in the Challenge Mode tips series to talk about a more pressing topic. Things have really been heating up in the mage community over the past few days. (I'm sorry, I couldn't help it).

It all started when Celestalon made his fateful tweet about button bloat, asking what ability we worried about losing that might potentially be cut. Discussions about button bloat have happened in the recent past, but this sparked the discussion anew. A few mages suggested Alter Time might be a suitable candidate for a variety of reasons. More mages began to speak up that were vehemently opposed to its removal. Both sides became more vocal and some heated forum posts were created.

I don't mention this all to sow any more discord. At the end of the day, we're all robe-wearing, spell-flinging casters of magic. I'd like to see things kept civil. But it's a worthwhile discussion to have, if a "cut" is coming (and all evidence suggests that it is), what could we stand to lose and why?

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: A timely discussion

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: A timely discussion originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 31 Jan 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>button-bloatcelestalonmagemage-arcane-arcane-brilliancemage-columnmage-fire-arcane-brilliancemage-frost-arcane-brilliancemage-infomage-spellsmageswarlords-of-draenorStacey LandryFri, 31 Jan 2014 13:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Challenge mode tips for mages part 2http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/17/arcane-brilliance-challenge-mode-tips-for-mages-part-2/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/17/arcane-brilliance-challenge-mode-tips-for-mages-part-2/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/17/arcane-brilliance-challenge-mode-tips-for-mages-part-2/#commentsFiled under: ,


Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire.

This is part two of three challenge mode tips for mages articles. Click here to go back and read part one.

This week we're going to look at getting your gear ready to dive into challenge modes! First, a few loose ends. I neglected to mention another reward for finishing gold CMs: Challenger's Path. This is a teleport on an 8 hour cooldown that will take you straight to the entrance of a CM you achieved a gold rating in! Once you complete any CM, the teleport cooldown resets. They're very handy for getting around Pandaria.

Some mages left comments about doing gold CMs as arcane. That's great! If you have any CM-specific arcane questions, I'm sure they'd be happy to share some of their strategy in the comments this week. I'll still be assuming you are probably frost. Frost is the most accessible and easiest option for the average mage, but I didn't say it couldn't be done by another spec. The reason for this is that frost scales better than the other two specs at lower item levels. It will perform well for you and can put out some serious AoE damage. Most mages doing CMs use it.

Finally, Adam Koebel posted an introductory challenge mode guide this week. It also includes links to recommended strat videos. HamletEJ's were the ones I used.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Challenge mode tips for mages part 2

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Challenge mode tips for mages part 2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Arcane-Brilliancechallenge-modechallenge-modesgeargemsJoystiqmagemage-frost-arcane-brilliancemage-guidemage-infomagesStacey LandryFri, 17 Jan 2014 13:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Challenge mode tips for mages part 1http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/03/arcane-brilliance-challenge-mode-tips-for-mages-part-1/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/03/arcane-brilliance-challenge-mode-tips-for-mages-part-1/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/01/03/arcane-brilliance-challenge-mode-tips-for-mages-part-1/#commentsFiled under: ,

A group of characters wearing challenge mode gear, from left to right: draenei shaman, human paladin, draenei mage, pandaren shaman, draenei death knight
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire.

Happy new year! Welcome to 2014. This week I'm going to talk about something we haven't looked at yet: challenge modes. Every column I've posted, someone has asked about or remarked on my current transmog. (Thank you for that. It warms my heart that you're also fashion-conscious). I'll admit, I haven't been able to change my transmog since I got the CM one. It's such a perfect combination of unique, exclusive, and also it's a credential. It says, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing here."

But the best thing about it is that you don't need a raid group to get it. Why would you want to do challenge modes as a mage? Read on to find out.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Challenge mode tips for mages part 1

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Challenge mode tips for mages part 1 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 03 Jan 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Blinkchallenge-modechallenge-modesCreative CommonsJoystiqmagemage-frost-arcane-brilliancemage-guidemage-infomagesSciTechStacey LandryFri, 03 Jan 2014 17:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Fun and frivolity for mageshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/20/arcane-brilliance-fun-and-frivolity-for-mages/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/20/arcane-brilliance-fun-and-frivolity-for-mages/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/20/arcane-brilliance-fun-and-frivolity-for-mages/#commentsFiled under: ,

A female draenei mage casts many portal spells in one location.
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire.

I know that some of you who read this column may not be full-time mages. Some of you may have mage alts. Some of you are warlocks - actually an alarming number of you are warlocks, I think that you secretly like us. That's okay, you could always make a mage and be eight billion times more awesome. We'll wait.

That's not what I'm here to talk about today, though. I know that sometimes as a DPS player it can become easy to get caught up in numbers. Best in slot gear, logs, damage done - all of that. I'm not saying that doing damage isn't fun. It is ridiculous, enemy annihilating fun. But there's more to life as a mage than that. In the spirit of the holidays, I'd like to discuss some of those more lighthearted things. They should apply to long time mages and dabblers alike, unless otherwise noted.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Fun and frivolity for mages

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Fun and frivolity for mages originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 20 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredfunmagemage-arcane-arcane-brilliancemage-columnmage-fire-arcane-brilliancemage-frost-arcane-brilliancemage-glyphsmage-glyphs-mopmage-guidemage-infomage-talentspolymorphportalteleportwow-magewow-magesStacey LandryFri, 20 Dec 2013 14:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Putting the brilliance back in arcanehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/06/arcane-brilliance-putting-the-brilliance-back-in-arcane/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/06/arcane-brilliance-putting-the-brilliance-back-in-arcane/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/06/arcane-brilliance-putting-the-brilliance-back-in-arcane/#commentsFiled under: ,

A draenei mage wearing a purple robe floats in midair above the city of Dalaran
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire.

I haven't forgotten the arcane among us. When it comes to flavor, arcane mages have it in spades. All of the now definitive mage abilities - Alter Time, Time Warp, Arcane Explosion - these all stem from the power of the arcane. These mages are not elementalists, but delvers into the arcane secrets, the essence of magic itself. Arcane mages embody everything you think of when you think "wizard," mysterious and powerful, and with sparkly spell effects.

I've played arcane over the years at various times, usually when it was too good to ignore as a top-performing spec. Mists introduced some major changes to arcane, even from patch to patch. The charges of Arcane Power went from six to four. The cooldown on Rune of Power was removed. The range of Rune of Power's effect was increased. Scorch went baseline for fire - not a bad result for fire, but tough if you were an arcane mage. Ice Floes is not a panacea when it comes to movement and casting, though the cool down and charges on it were also adjusted for the better.

To be completely clear: Arcane mages aren't having a hard time in terms of damage output. Currently arcane is very high performing. If you look at some of the numbers from various sources, arcane is not just high, it's the highest. That hasn't necessarily made it popular, though, for a number of reasons. Arcane is facing a few challenges.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Putting the brilliance back in arcane

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Putting the brilliance back in arcane originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 06 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>arcanearcane-barragearcane-blastArcane-Brilliancearcane-magearcane-mage-arcane-brilliancearcane-missilesfeaturedguide-to-magesmage-guidemage-infomage-talentswow-magewow-mage-infowow-magesStacey LandryFri, 06 Dec 2013 09:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: A glimpse of the futurehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/11/22/arcane-brilliance-a-glimpse-of-the-future-fri/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/11/22/arcane-brilliance-a-glimpse-of-the-future-fri/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/11/22/arcane-brilliance-a-glimpse-of-the-future-fri/#commentsFiled under: ,


Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire.

The dust has settled from BlizzCon and everyone is buzzing with excitement about Warlords of Draenor! A few items of note came out of the reveals shared at the convention, and we're going to take a look at some of them today.

Gear and Stat Changes
Just after expertise had been changed to allow us to use it in addition to or in place of hit rating, both of these stats are going away in WoD. If your mage is a race that grants an expertise or hit increase as a racial bonus (i.e. draenei, gnome, etc.) you can expect a revamped racial with the expansion.

With the removal of hit and expertise we also say goodbye to reforging and meta gems. Honestly, I think this is mostly good news. Hit was never a very interesting stat, and constantly having to juggle it on your gear to a set cap and then ignoring it doesn't add much to game play. Expertise was just another way for mages to chase hit if they needed it. Meta gems were another road bump on the way to outfitting your character. There's always been one gem that's best for us, period, and so this wasn't presenting us with interesting options either.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: A glimpse of the future

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: A glimpse of the future originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 22 Nov 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>combustionfeaturedguide-to-magesmage-guidemage-infomage-talentswarlords-of-draenor-level-100-talentswow-magewow-mage-infowow-magesStacey LandryFri, 22 Nov 2013 14:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Talent Showhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/11/06/arcane-brilliance-talent-show/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/11/06/arcane-brilliance-talent-show/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/11/06/arcane-brilliance-talent-show/#commentsFiled under: ,

draenei mage
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. This week we're holding our breath to see what news will be revealed at Blizzcon!

If I could have absolutely anything from Blizzcon this year specifically pertaining to mages, it'd be this: I'd like to know what the future of our tier 6 talents is going to be. It's already been acknowledged that they'd like to make changes to these talents. The devs know that the talents are an ongoing concern and really a major thorn in our side.

It became clear to me just how I felt about the tier 6 talents as I was leveling my troll mage to 90 a few months ago. I went to do a dungeon as a fire mage and I evocated, and imagine my surprise when -- it triggered a long cooldown. I got some mana back. Nothing else happened. My invocation buff tracker remained at nothing. I happily did the rest of the dungeon without ever using evocate at all unless I needed mana. Then I realized that it was more fun to be level 88 than it was to be level 90.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Talent Show

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Talent Show originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 06 Nov 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>evocationfeaturedguide-to-magesincanters-wardinvocationmage-arcane-arcane-brilliancemage-fire-arcane-brilliancemage-frost-arcane-brilliancemage-guidemage-infomage-talentsrune-of-powertalent-treestalentswow-magewow-mage-infowow-magesStacey LandryWed, 06 Nov 2013 19:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: Critical pointshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/10/25/arcane-brilliance-critical-points/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/10/25/arcane-brilliance-critical-points/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/10/25/arcane-brilliance-critical-points/#commentsFiled under: ,

Arcane Brilliance Critical Points
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. This week, we talk about things that are flammable (hint: Cloth is especially flammable. Warlocks are also especially flammable because of their fel centers).

I hear you pyromancers out there clamoring for me to talk about you. Frost had the more pressing need! It's the only spec to majorly change in patch 5.4. The only change to fire was a 50% nerf to Combustion because - let's face it - it was just too good. Even after the nerf, fire is still really, really good.

But I'm new here, and we haven't talked about mages in quite awhile, so let's take a long view of fire. Prior to Mists, fire saw a lovely and elegant redesign. Fire has always been my spec of choice. Maybe it's the visceral WHOOSH-BOOM that accompanies a Pyroblast! proc, or the satisfying crackle of flame at your fingertips. Whatever it is, you have to admit - fire is the sexiest mage spec.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: Critical points

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: Critical points originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 25 Oct 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>combustionfeaturedfirefire-magefire-mage-arcane-brillianceguide-to-magesmagemage-guidemage-infomage-talentswow-magewow-mage-infowow-magesStacey LandryFri, 25 Oct 2013 09:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: The Big Freezehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/10/11/arcane-brilliance-the-big-freeze/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/10/11/arcane-brilliance-the-big-freeze/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/10/11/arcane-brilliance-the-big-freeze/#commentsFiled under: ,

Arcane Brilliance The Big Freeze
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. This week, we wish we had four-piece T16 so we could drop an icy boulder on someone, preferably lots of someones.

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome last week. I appreciated all of the comments, and everyone was positive and friendly. Except, of course, Ms. Felface over there. She called us muffinmakers, something only a warlock would say. We don't make muffins, we conjure delicious confections with toothsome frosting. A muffin is just a sad cupcake, yearning to be something better - pretty much like warlocks, really.

I told you I would be checking out your questions, and reading through the comments highlighted for me that there is still some confusion about frost and its mysterious new mastery. I'm hoping we can unfog that for you this week.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: The Big Freeze

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: The Big Freeze originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredfrostfrost-mage-arcane-brilliancefrostboltguide-to-magesIciclesmage-guidemage-infomage-talentsMasterywow-magewow-mage-infowow-magesStacey LandryFri, 11 Oct 2013 13:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: State of the mage in 5.4http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/09/27/arcane-brilliance-state-of-the-mage-in-5-4/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/09/27/arcane-brilliance-state-of-the-mage-in-5-4/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/09/27/arcane-brilliance-state-of-the-mage-in-5-4/#commentsFiled under: ,

Arcane Brilliance State of the mage in 54 Fri 2709
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. This week, the torch is passed to a new mage who fully intends to light as many things on fire with it as possible.

Almost a year ago when the esteemed Christian Belt had to stop writing Arcane Brilliance, first I was sad. Then I said to my husband, "Wow, I don't envy the person that has to fill THOSE shoes." The irony of writing that here is not lost on me! But it would be wrong not to acknowledge that my predecessor, Archmage Pants, was a great mage and I used to look forward to reading what he had to say.

I've been in the business of using magic to rearrange enemy faces since 2008. I started playing WoW by rolling a priest, and somewhere around level 30 our small leveling group realized that two holy priests, two protection warriors and a protection paladin wasn't really a good composition. I rerolled as a mage and never looked back. It was love at first fireball.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: State of the mage in 5.4

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: State of the mage in 5.4 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 27 Sep 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>5.4Arcane-Brilliancearcane-magearcane-mage-arcane-brilliancefeaturedfire-mage-arcane-brilliancefrostfrost-mage-arcane-brillianceguide-to-magesmage-guidemage-infomage-talentswow-magewow-mage-infowow-magesStacey LandryFri, 27 Sep 2013 09:00:00 ESTWoW Insider is looking for hunter and mage columnistshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/08/08/wow-insider-is-looking-for-a-hunter-and-mage-columnists/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/08/08/wow-insider-is-looking-for-a-hunter-and-mage-columnists/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/08/08/wow-insider-is-looking-for-a-hunter-and-mage-columnists/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Like World of Warcraft? Like writing about World of Warcraft? Then you're who we want! We're looking to hire not only a new hunter columnist, but a new mage columnist, too. Your primary duties will be the production of your column on a weekly basis, but opportunities for additional work as a news blogger may arise over time should you desire them.

You can find the full instructions on how to apply on our applications page. If you have prior blogging experience, make sure you mention that in your application along with a link to your prior work. The deadline for your application is end-of-day on Friday, August 23, so work quickly.

WoW InsiderWoW Insider is looking for hunter and mage columnists originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 08 Aug 2013 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>hunterlfmmagewow-insider-is-hiringAlex ZiebartThu, 08 Aug 2013 16:20:00 ESTShould you play a mage in WoW?http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/08/01/should-you-play-a-mage-in-wow/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/08/01/should-you-play-a-mage-in-wow/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/08/01/should-you-play-a-mage-in-wow/#commentsFiled under: ,

World of Warcraft has been around for so long that it can be a bit daunting to get started. What server do you roll on? What faction should you pick? What class should you choose -- and how will you know if the choice you make, on a whim, during character creation will result in something you'll want to play at level 90? While server and faction are mostly a matter of where your friends are playing, class is a question we can help you figure out.

Experienced WoW players, this guide is probably not for you -- but for newbies, we'll try to help point you towards the class that's the best fit for your playstyle by giving you a detailed overview of what classes are like. Today, we're talking about mages, who unleash elemental and arcane magics on their foes. These powerful abilities come at a cost: mages can only wear light cloth armor, which can leave them vulnerable to physical attack. But if you're interested in wielding the powers of magic to devastate your enemies -- from a safe distance -- the mage may be just the class for you.

Continue reading Should you play a mage in WoW?

WoW InsiderShould you play a mage in WoW? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredguidehow-to-play-wowmagemage-newbienew-to-world-of-warcraftnewbie-magenoob-guiderookie-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-helpworld-of-warcraft-noobsworld-of-warcraft-rookieswow-guidewow-helpwow-magewow-mage-getting-startedwow-mage-newbiewow-noob-guidewow-noobswow-to-play-world-of-warcraftElizabeth HarperThu, 01 Aug 2013 15:00:00 ESTGhostcrawler and Daxxarri talk classes in patch 5.2http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/ghostcrawler-and-daxxarri-talk-classes-in-patch-5-2/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/ghostcrawler-and-daxxarri-talk-classes-in-patch-5-2/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/ghostcrawler-and-daxxarri-talk-classes-in-patch-5-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

mage talents screenshot
With the advent of patch 5.2, World of Warcraft Lead Systems Designer Greg Street "Ghostcrawler" and Community Manager Daxxarri have been posting a series of class overviews and changes. Part one went up on Tuesday, covering death knights, druids, and hunters. Part two was posted Wednesday evening and covers mages, paladins, and priests. Part three, on rogues, shaman, and warlocks, went up yesterday evening, and part four, covering warriors and monks, was posted earlier today. For many classes, most of the changes involve PvP balancing as well as trying to improve a number of talents in some way to make them more useful and thus more attractive to players, at least situationally. If you're curious about either the philosophy of class balance design or just want to know what happened to your class this patch, make sure to check it out.

What I love about these posts is that little glimpse of insight they provide into the thought process that goes into balancing the class mechanics in a game like World of Warcraft. I'll be honest, I'm glad I'm not one of the people involved in that job. To me it seems like an endless headache to try and make sure all classes are different enough to feel unique, but similar enough such that a raid or dungeon group isn't punished for lacking one indispensable class, and I wouldn't have the patience for it. But I certainly admire and respect those who do!

WoW InsiderGhostcrawler and Daxxarri talk classes in patch 5.2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>class-balanceclass-changeClass-changesdaxxarrideath-knight-infodeath-knight-talentsdruid-infodruid-talentsGhostcrawlerhunter-infohunter-talentsmage-infomage-talentsmonk-infomonk-talentspaladin-infopaladin-talentspriest-infopriest-talentsrogue-inforogue-talentsshaman-infoshaman-talentswarlock-infowarlock-talentswarrior-infoWarrior-talentsSarah PineFri, 08 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST