Personally I find Arcane a lot more fun than the other two specs, spend less time worrying about my rotation and more time focusing on everything else in a raid, unless its a random heroic then its just: All cooldowns + AB spam non stop, every boss.
Yeah, I don't have a mage, but if I did, I'd probably be arcane, not because it's easier, because all DPS specs in this game are easy. It's just hitting buttons in a priority/order. I'd play it because I love DPS specs where I get cooldowns to determine when I do the most damage, and I love how you can kind of use an arcane mage's mana pool as a knob to crank up DPS with AB Spam when you know you don't need to conserve.
I'm so glad I'm back playing fire more often. Jumping around flinging hotstreaked pyros is ridiculous fun. Anyone that says arcane is more fun is just jealous of the hotness that is fire.
TheTish on
-- Gnome mage enchantress and inscriptionologist... er scribbler --
Meh, I just don't like fire spells. If Frost was fun and raidworthy, I'd play that on a mage. As it is, I find Arcane the most fun with the cooldowns and better control over DPS.
Yeah, just AB spam is more damage even with a missile barrage proc. the only downside is you will run OOM unless the boss is almost dead or a heroic boss or what have you.
Yeah, just AB spam is more damage even with a missile barrage proc. the only downside is you will run OOM unless the boss is almost dead or a heroic boss or what have you.
This is just plain wrong. Throwing a missile barrage proc'd AM off when you have AB stacked to 4 is more dps... even more dps if you have 2 pieces of T10.
The key thing people seem to not understand is that you need to build up the AB stack before using the missile barrage proc. Don't just use the missile barrage as soon as you get it... make sure you stack it to 4 before casting AM. Feel free to spam AB to keep fishing for a missile barrage proc if you havent gotten one after 4, but then use it when you get it.
TheTish on
-- Gnome mage enchantress and inscriptionologist... er scribbler --
Please see the post directly above yours where I said listen to the mage who actually knows what they're talking about. My knowledge of all things mage is purely through observation and hearing people talk about it, and I mistakenly thought AB spam was better but more mana costly.
Huh, something must've changed then, because for a while straight AB spam *was* maximum DPS, it was just horrifically mana inefficient. A 4-stack AB is pretty damn expensive.
I tried if here and there, but I much preferred hitting a second button from time to time.
Also, *god* I hate fishing for MB procs because my rotation slows *way* down. Instead of trying to clip my spells, I stop after each one to see if MB procced or not. Ugh. It's much better when MB procs in one of those first 4 casts, definitely.
Your average Arcane caster has better gear then they did when AB spam was the best, better gear means more mana, spell power, haste, crit, all the good stuff, good stuff means more dps...
I really want to have a mage, but man, levelling sucks.
Leveling a mage is damn fun.
I suggest pvping as a means of mage leveling.
Yeah, I think mage would be fun to level, it's just right now I'm not in the mood to level a character at all. That's a good point about pvp levelling though. I might actually have some fun doing that, since it's a change of pace from pve levelling. I'm afraid it'll go ultra slow, though I guess I can supplement it by questing while i'm queued up.
I do have a question that is somewhat related, is there pvp gear for every level bracket that can be bought with honor? I have a lot of shards on my warrior so I could send a lowbie mage some honor tokens from WG if it would help with getting some gear.
You can get some nice epic WSG bracers at 40, 50 and 60. The usefulness of the blue belts, boots, rings, necks and trinkets vary depending on your luck in dungeons.
As I've done a *lot* of dungeon running, I've accumulated probably over 10k Stone Keeper Shards across all my characters. Twice I've cashed in about 5k at once for Wintergrasp Commendations (2k honor each, they cost 30 tokens).
First I geared up my Paladin with a full set of ret PvP gear for prot. And just the other day I nearly completely geared up my Rogue for PvP.
I love those things. Hell, even as I was leveling my druid most recently, I sent over a couple commendations... even just one or two are enough to get like the WSG epic bracers for level 40 and 50 easily.
My server loses WG on average of twice a week. I think some guild must run VoA that night.
I love random groups on my mage.
I've had over 4k tokens and I've only been doing this for about a month. I've already bought all the pvp heirlooms and the mounts. Plus an inscription for a pvp character I'm going to level...and I still have 4k.
Yeah, just AB spam is more damage even with a missile barrage proc. the only downside is you will run OOM unless the boss is almost dead or a heroic boss or what have you.
This is just plain wrong. Throwing a missile barrage proc'd AM off when you have AB stacked to 4 is more dps... even more dps if you have 2 pieces of T10.
The key thing people seem to not understand is that you need to build up the AB stack before using the missile barrage proc. Don't just use the missile barrage as soon as you get it... make sure you stack it to 4 before casting AM. Feel free to spam AB to keep fishing for a missile barrage proc if you havent gotten one after 4, but then use it when you get it.
With the tier 10 two set bonus (Which I haven't actually got yet, considering I just started raiding on my Mage last week) that may be true, but otherwise I am pretty sure AB spam > Normal rotation. Could be entirely wrong though, and I won't be able to compare numbers myself till Saturday.
Legolastom on
0
HenroidMexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered Userregular
edited July 2010
As a heads up, I added to links to the OP regarding Cataclysm info (since the NDA has now been lifted). One link is to WoWTal, MMO Champion's Cata beta talent calculator site, and the other is to MMO Champion's Cata info page for mages, which compiles all info for the class including the April preview and any blurbs about mages.
Keep an eye on them for updates in the next few months!
Henroid on
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HenroidMexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered Userregular
edited July 2010
So I'm taking a peak at the Cataclysm beta talents thus far implemented and tier 1 of the arcane line is in chaos from as we know it.
Improved Polymorph When a target you've polymorphed is damaged, that damage is delayed for 1.5 / 3 secs.
Arcane Focus When a spell you cast is resisted, 25 / 50 / 75% of the mana cost of that spell is refunded.
Arcane Stability Reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Arcane Missiles and Arcane Blast by 50 / 100%.
Improved Arcane Missiles Increases the damage caused by your Arcane Missiles spell by 3/ 6 / 9%.
But screw it, let's see what else they have for us.
Arcane Repulsion Your Frost Armor, Mage Armor and Molten Armor spells cause a successful melee attack to knock the attack back 4 / 8 / 12 yds and be slowed by 50% for 2 / 4 / 6 sec. This cannot occur more than once every minute.
Arcane Meditation (slightly changed!) You regenerace 1 / 2 / 3% of your maximum mana every 5 sec.
Arcane Instability When your spells are pushed back or interrupted, your next damaging spell cast within 12 seconds causes 20 / 40 / 60% more damage. (holy fuck)
Arcane Power When activated, your spells deal 20% more damage while costing 20% more mana to cast. This effect lasts None. (NONE I TELLS YA)
Arcane Empowerment Increases the damage of your Arcane Missiles spell by an amount equal to 25 / 50 / 45% of your spell power and the damage of your Arcane Blast by 5 / 10 / 9% of your spell power. (typo I guess?)
Improved Mana Gem Mana gained from your Mana Gem also increases your spell power by 1 / 2 / 3% of your maximum mana for 10 seconds.
Arcane Tactics Increases the damage of all party and raid members within 100 yds by 1 / 2/ 3%.
Missile Barrage Gives your Arcane Barrage a 20 / 40 / 60 / 80 / 100% chance, your Arcane Blast a 8 / 16 / 24 / 32 / 40% chance, and your Fireball, Frostbolt, and Frostfire Bolt spells a 8 / 12 / 16 / 20 / 20% chance to reduce the channeled duration of the next Arcane Missiles spell by 1.5 secs and missiles will fire every .5 secs.
I just hope they change the frost tree so we don't have to put points into improved frostbolt in order to get icy veins.
juice for jesus on
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HenroidMexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered Userregular
edited July 2010
Oh there's more.
Playing with Fire Reduces the remaining cooldown on your Blast Wave spell by 2 / 4 / 6 sec when you are struck by a melee attack. This effect cannot occur more than once every 1.5 secs.
Burning Determination You regenerate 1 / 2 / 3% of your maximum mana every 5 sec.
Critical Mass Increases the damage done by your Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, and Pyroblast by 1 / 2 / 3% per Fire damage over time effect on the target, up to a maximum of 3 / 6 / 9%.
Pyromaniac (this is my fucking favorite) Increases spell haste by 5 / 10 / 15% if 3 or more targets are taking Fire damage over time from your spells.
Hot Streak Your Fire spells no longer trigger Arcane Missiles. Instead, any time you score 2 non-periodic spell criticals within 4 sec of each other using Fireball, Fire Blast, Scorch, Living Bomb, or Frostfire Bolt, you have a 33 / 66 / 100% chance the next Pyroblast spell cast within 10 sec will be instant cast. (weird balancing mechanism at play)
Burnout Increases the range of your Fire Blast spell by 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 yds and causes your Flame Orb to explode at the end of its duration causing 1000 Fire damage to enemies within 10 yards.
Posts
-- Gnome mage enchantress and inscriptionologist... er scribbler --
I prefer fire because there's just something satisfying about living bomb and ignite.
You're doing it wrong.
How so?
I'm talking about when all of those align. I'm not popping Berserking and Icy Veins when it procs.
Well I never bother with Arcane missiles during a nuke phase unless I am on very low mana.
You are doing less damage by ignoring missile barrage procs... especially if you are in T10.
-- Gnome mage enchantress and inscriptionologist... er scribbler --
This is just plain wrong. Throwing a missile barrage proc'd AM off when you have AB stacked to 4 is more dps... even more dps if you have 2 pieces of T10.
The key thing people seem to not understand is that you need to build up the AB stack before using the missile barrage proc. Don't just use the missile barrage as soon as you get it... make sure you stack it to 4 before casting AM. Feel free to spam AB to keep fishing for a missile barrage proc if you havent gotten one after 4, but then use it when you get it.
-- Gnome mage enchantress and inscriptionologist... er scribbler --
-- Gnome mage enchantress and inscriptionologist... er scribbler --
I tried if here and there, but I much preferred hitting a second button from time to time.
Also, *god* I hate fishing for MB procs because my rotation slows *way* down. Instead of trying to clip my spells, I stop after each one to see if MB procced or not. Ugh. It's much better when MB procs in one of those first 4 casts, definitely.
Leveling a mage is damn fun.
I suggest pvping as a means of mage leveling.
Yeah, I think mage would be fun to level, it's just right now I'm not in the mood to level a character at all. That's a good point about pvp levelling though. I might actually have some fun doing that, since it's a change of pace from pve levelling. I'm afraid it'll go ultra slow, though I guess I can supplement it by questing while i'm queued up.
I do have a question that is somewhat related, is there pvp gear for every level bracket that can be bought with honor? I have a lot of shards on my warrior so I could send a lowbie mage some honor tokens from WG if it would help with getting some gear.
Good greens/blues and some enchants will really help you out. Also just playing smart.
What does this mean
Where do I get honor tokens
Is this how you finish that "For Great Honor" quest?
Do Wintergrasp/Dungeons while you own Wintergrasp/VoA
Get Stonekeeper Shards
Trade in for Honor tokens (Bind on Account)
???
Profit
that changes everything for my alts
First I geared up my Paladin with a full set of ret PvP gear for prot. And just the other day I nearly completely geared up my Rogue for PvP.
I love those things. Hell, even as I was leveling my druid most recently, I sent over a couple commendations... even just one or two are enough to get like the WSG epic bracers for level 40 and 50 easily.
I love random groups on my mage.
I've had over 4k tokens and I've only been doing this for about a month. I've already bought all the pvp heirlooms and the mounts. Plus an inscription for a pvp character I'm going to level...and I still have 4k.
With the tier 10 two set bonus (Which I haven't actually got yet, considering I just started raiding on my Mage last week) that may be true, but otherwise I am pretty sure AB spam > Normal rotation. Could be entirely wrong though, and I won't be able to compare numbers myself till Saturday.
Keep an eye on them for updates in the next few months!
Improved Polymorph
When a target you've polymorphed is damaged, that damage is delayed for 1.5 / 3 secs.
Arcane Focus
When a spell you cast is resisted, 25 / 50 / 75% of the mana cost of that spell is refunded.
Arcane Stability
Reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Arcane Missiles and Arcane Blast by 50 / 100%.
Improved Arcane Missiles
Increases the damage caused by your Arcane Missiles spell by 3/ 6 / 9%.
But screw it, let's see what else they have for us.
Arcane Repulsion
Your Frost Armor, Mage Armor and Molten Armor spells cause a successful melee attack to knock the attack back 4 / 8 / 12 yds and be slowed by 50% for 2 / 4 / 6 sec. This cannot occur more than once every minute.
Arcane Meditation (slightly changed!)
You regenerace 1 / 2 / 3% of your maximum mana every 5 sec.
Arcane Instability
When your spells are pushed back or interrupted, your next damaging spell cast within 12 seconds causes 20 / 40 / 60% more damage. (holy fuck)
Arcane Power
When activated, your spells deal 20% more damage while costing 20% more mana to cast. This effect lasts None. (NONE I TELLS YA)
Arcane Empowerment
Increases the damage of your Arcane Missiles spell by an amount equal to 25 / 50 / 45% of your spell power and the damage of your Arcane Blast by 5 / 10 / 9% of your spell power. (typo I guess?)
Improved Mana Gem
Mana gained from your Mana Gem also increases your spell power by 1 / 2 / 3% of your maximum mana for 10 seconds.
Arcane Tactics
Increases the damage of all party and raid members within 100 yds by 1 / 2/ 3%.
Missile Barrage
Gives your Arcane Barrage a 20 / 40 / 60 / 80 / 100% chance, your Arcane Blast a 8 / 16 / 24 / 32 / 40% chance, and your Fireball, Frostbolt, and Frostfire Bolt spells a 8 / 12 / 16 / 20 / 20% chance to reduce the channeled duration of the next Arcane Missiles spell by 1.5 secs and missiles will fire every .5 secs.
Playing with Fire
Reduces the remaining cooldown on your Blast Wave spell by 2 / 4 / 6 sec when you are struck by a melee attack. This effect cannot occur more than once every 1.5 secs.
Burning Determination
You regenerate 1 / 2 / 3% of your maximum mana every 5 sec.
Critical Mass
Increases the damage done by your Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, and Pyroblast by 1 / 2 / 3% per Fire damage over time effect on the target, up to a maximum of 3 / 6 / 9%.
Pyromaniac (this is my fucking favorite)
Increases spell haste by 5 / 10 / 15% if 3 or more targets are taking Fire damage over time from your spells.
Hot Streak
Your Fire spells no longer trigger Arcane Missiles. Instead, any time you score 2 non-periodic spell criticals within 4 sec of each other using Fireball, Fire Blast, Scorch, Living Bomb, or Frostfire Bolt, you have a 33 / 66 / 100% chance the next Pyroblast spell cast within 10 sec will be instant cast. (weird balancing mechanism at play)
Burnout
Increases the range of your Fire Blast spell by 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 yds and causes your Flame Orb to explode at the end of its duration causing 1000 Fire damage to enemies within 10 yards.