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fastman · 2006-12-24 11:54 pm

I realized the other day that I have met very few arcane spec mages since I've been playing. Curious, I took a look at the tree. It's a potentially deadly tree. So, have any of you seen arcane mages/been arcane mages? What do you think the pros and cons are? Right now, I am deep frost (2/0/49), I've played with an elementalist build, which got old, and I am really interested in trying something like this on the way to 70.

Questions, comments, concerns?

EDIT: Use this link.

Last edited by fastman (2006-12-25 12:09 am)

Odin · 2006-12-25 1:17 pm

Deep arcane mages have always been popular for PvP. Trinket + AP is crazy damage every few minutes. They aren't that popular for PvE because sustained damage is usually better than 15 seconds of burst, and thats the primary advantage of 31+ arcane.

Regarding the build you posted, why would you spend 21 points in frost and *not* take Ice Block? eek

Drop Improved Nova if you're not taking shatter, and drop Improved Blizzard unless you're planning on AOE grinding. If you're putting 21 points in your off-tree and not taking Ice Block + Cold Snap you might as well put those 21 points in fire to pick up Pyroblast to use with PoM, Impact procs, 70% cast interruption resist, and Blast Wave is another instant with nice damage and the 50% aoe slow makes it another useful escape spell.

Last edited by Odin (2006-12-25 1:22 pm)

fastman · 2006-12-25 7:16 pm

I've considered the fire route, actually.

I like to use AOE a lot, and when I do, I prefer to have as much control over the situation as possible, which is why I chose imp nova and blizzard. I've never used Ice Block before, really. I tend to do a good job getting out of trouble when I get into it, so I have rarely had the need to.

What I would really be missing is Ice Barrier. Anyone who has played with me knows that I keep that up all the time, but aside from that, there isn't much more there. I can also see where I would run into problems in PVE, which is why I chose some of the frost talents I did. I think a particular problem I would run into would be drawing aggro off tanks with all the burst damage I'd be doing.

Odin · 2006-12-25 8:27 pm

Ice Block is seriously one of the best talents a mage can get. It has a lot of uses that aren't immediately apparent, but it is an amazing spell.

NAG · 2006-12-26 2:14 am

Yes, it synergizes well with the conjured water on those hot days.

christophillis · 2006-12-26 5:39 pm

Odin wrote:
Ice Block is seriously one of the best talents a mage can get. It has a lot of uses that aren't immediately apparent, but it is an amazing spell.

Unfortunately most mages only use it to prolong death, waiting for a blink CD to be up only to die shortly after ice block wears off. It's the mages that use it+ cold snap proactively to remove dots, or gain the advantage in combat that are the real good mages.

Odin · 2006-12-26 6:16 pm

christophillis wrote:
Odin wrote:
Ice Block is seriously one of the best talents a mage can get. It has a lot of uses that aren't immediately apparent, but it is an amazing spell.
Unfortunately most mages only use it to prolong death, waiting for a blink CD to be up only to die shortly after ice block wears off. It's the mages that use it+ cold snap proactively to remove dots, or gain the advantage in combat that are the real good mages.

Absolutely. Used intelligently, Ice Block is amazing. If the only time you use it is when you're about to die, you're using it wrong..

NAG · 2006-12-26 6:57 pm

Yeah, I'm really confused by the mages that jump into a group of people, realize they're dead before aoeing, and hit iceblock.

fastman · 2006-12-28 11:56 am

Okay, so I thought about Ice Block, particularly when it saved my life yesterday in Strat. Here is an alternative build (39/0/22).

Odin · 2006-12-28 2:27 pm

Mind Mastery and Spell Power are much better than some of the filler talents you took like Arcane Fortitude and Improved Mana Shield. Think about moving some of those lower tier talents up to them.

ColPanic · 2007-01-07 4:52 pm

I have tried arcane out on PTRs (along with basically all other combinations of specs) with just a little in fire/frost for reduced cast times, and i found it an ok build but i highly prefer fire on my mage. Arcane is the best when you crit due to the talents to increase your spell crit dmg, but the funny thing is the tree lacks +Crit talents with only 3% crit from one talent, while fire gives 9%. Tried it both with and without slow and was both times unimpressed with it compared to fire, i leveled my mage form 1-60 as arcane too, not knowing how much better fire was blush .

Here is my mages current spec.

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/cla … 0000000000

And the arcane spec i liked most while playing around with it.

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/cla … 0000000000

Hope that helps.

Forums | MacLife

#1 2006-12-24 11:54 pm

Mage Builds

#2 2006-12-25 1:17 pm

Re: Mage Builds

#3 2006-12-25 7:16 pm

Re: Mage Builds

#4 2006-12-25 8:27 pm

Re: Mage Builds

#5 2006-12-26 2:14 am

Re: Mage Builds

#6 2006-12-26 5:39 pm

Re: Mage Builds

Odin wrote:

#7 2006-12-26 6:16 pm

Re: Mage Builds

christophillis wrote:

Odin wrote:

#8 2006-12-26 6:57 pm

Re: Mage Builds

#9 2006-12-28 11:56 am

Re: Mage Builds

#10 2006-12-28 2:27 pm

Re: Mage Builds

#11 2007-01-07 4:52 pm

Re: Mage Builds

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