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[WoW] Mages: Spreadsheets and macros are for warlocks.

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Posts

  • The Muffin ManThe Muffin Man Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    With the new pushback changes, Arcane Stability is really lackluster (since it's no longer possible to completely cripple a Mage just by hitting them), so I'd switch that out for Arcane subtlety, max Netherwind Presence and use the 1 spare point in Arcane Impact for range, and you'll be set for 64.

    The Muffin Man on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Your build looks about right, for leveling purposes. Plenty of people are going to tell you to drop Slow, but honestly on the leveling course it provides you time to cast and your own buff toward Torment the Weak. Just be sure to drop it when you hit 80. :P

    What makes arcane great at 64 isn't talent access necessarily, it's spell access. You get Arcane Blast, and with it you're ready to go put some whoop-ass on mobs.

    I really need to add that bit to the FAQ on the OP.

    Edit - TMM is correct about Arcane Stability.

    Henroid on
  • BobbleBobble Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Cool, yeah I wasn't sure on the first tier, because really if I'm getting hit a lot, then I'm doin' it wrong, mirite? Anyway, I'll be running around a lot with a shadow priest, so MF + totw = good things as well. Thanks for the swift responses, time to go blow shit up 8-)

    Bobble on
  • BobbleBobble Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Cool, yeah I wasn't sure on the first tier, because really if I'm getting hit a lot, then I'm doin' it wrong, mirite? Anyway, I'll be running around a lot with a shadow priest, so MF + totw = good things as well. Thanks for the swift responses, time to go blow shit up

    .... HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT... THEY DIE SO FAST.
    Ledneh wrote: »
    Duki wrote: »
    Do mages usually feel really weak and vulnerable while leveling? Levels 14-20 were a real pain in the ass. :(

    It doesn't get any better until 27 and having 3/3 Shatter and 3/3 Frostbite. And even then it's still kinda balls.

    It improves somewhat at 40 and Ice Barrier, and again at 48 with 2/2 Fingers of Frost and Empowered Frostbolt. Takes another running leap at 53 or so with Water Elemental and Brain Freeze, at 58 and Outlands gear you start doing a proper job, and then at 64 you switch to Arcane and become Death, Destroyer of Worlds










    The whole 'fragile as a wet, starving little kitten' thing never really changes though :|
    BUCKETS OF LIME.

    This is why I rolled a mage.

    Bobble on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Hey Mikey! He likes it!

    Edit - Before DKs came around, mages were my favorite class to roll on servers with for the first time. Little demand on gear, no demand on buying your own food / drinks, and great killing power in a solo-leveling environment.

    Henroid on
  • BobbleBobble Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    My youthful and innocent enthusiasm will overwhelm the gloom and doom of this thread! YES WE CAN!
    OK not really, but I can try! I love this class and I haven't even POM Pyro'd or Hot Streak'd anything yet

    Bobble on
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Yes, Mages do have incredible utility for soloing. Until the hearthstone changes and Shaman being added to the Alliance, Mages were one of the most practical classes to start with on a new server.

    It's one of the main reasons why it takes me a year to get any of my alts up to level, because I like being able to teleport at will. Not being able to sucks.

    Jasconius on
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  • OatsOats Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Thread title is fantastic.

    Oats on
  • The Muffin ManThe Muffin Man Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Henroid wrote: »
    Your build looks about right, for leveling purposes. Plenty of people are going to tell you to drop Slow, but honestly on the leveling course it provides you time to cast and your own buff toward Torment the Weak. Just be sure to drop it when you hit 80. :P

    What makes arcane great at 64 isn't talent access necessarily, it's spell access. You get Arcane Blast, and with it you're ready to go put some whoop-ass on mobs.

    I really need to add that bit to the FAQ on the OP.

    Edit - TMM is correct about Arcane Stability.
    I always just use Frostbolt rank 1, for speed purposes. It'll snare the mob, slow them down, and boost your damage. And once you get to Northrend, if you're a tailor, it's another chance to proc Lightweave Bolt, and it's always nice to deliver a 1200+ damage Frostbolt.

    The Muffin Man on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Oats wrote: »
    Thread title is fantastic.

    Really? I thought I was phoning it in.

    TMM - Does the cast time for low rank spells (in this case, frost bolt) stay lower than the later ranks despite level? I guess that's alright. I don't plan ahead for such things like the tailoring stuff or what not. A talent respec is inevitable, and the one talent spent along the way isn't much. Different strokes for different folks, etc. Efficiency while leveling only goes so far, afterall.

    Henroid on
  • OatsOats Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    It works well enough with the current fuckmuppetry that Blizzard is pulling.

    Oats on
  • Super NamicchiSuper Namicchi Orange County, CARegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    heh he said fuckmuppetry

    and his avatar is beaker

    heh

    (i don't think the spirit changes are hitting us as hard as everyone thinks they are)

    Super Namicchi on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    heh he said fuckmuppetry

    and his avatar is beaker

    heh

    (i don't think the spirit changes are hitting us as hard as everyone thinks they are)

    It isn't so much as them hitting us hard as them not hitting us enough in the right places. In fact, they're not hitting us in any good places. Again, bravo for putting it to use on an armor spell. Now make it more significant, not a terrible amount but enough, and do something for the other spells. And we'll be gold.

    The people that are actually in the field of this hurting us greatly are taking it into consideration in the big picture. Now, we do lose crit from Molten Armor in the long run, and it's a couple percent, whatever. But all the changes going around the board all at once, and you start to realize every little bit counts. Less crit bonus from Scorch and Winter's Chill, less mana returned from spirit for everyone, certain things not stacking anymore or new things jumping in on that... altogether, it's a damn mess.

    But you're right. Molten Armor alone isn't enough to go rabblerabble about.

    Henroid on
  • AldarezAldarez Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I noticed a bit of an oddity while playing my frost mage last night - my Fingers of Frost and Frostbite were proccing together every single time. It was handy, but didn't seem quite right. Anyone else seen this happening?

    Aldarez on
    2188939-1.png
  • AsharaxxAsharaxx Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    It's supposed to do that. Coded specifically that way.

    Still not sure how it works if they have different talent points.

    Asharaxx on
  • AldarezAldarez Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Hrmmm, I could've sworn they were proccing independently before, and my last 2 points went into Shattered Barrier, so the relative talents have been the same for a couple of levels.

    Perhaps I'm mistaken though, will keep an eye on it.

    Aldarez on
    2188939-1.png
  • TheBlackWindTheBlackWind Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    TheBlackWind on
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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    What the heck is with the random one point in Magic Attunement? Everything else looks squaresies to me. As long as other people agree without the whole "MAGES SUK IN TEH PVP" stuff. Which we just had a page of. <.<

    Henroid on
  • The Muffin ManThe Muffin Man Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    heh he said fuckmuppetry

    and his avatar is beaker

    heh

    (i don't think the spirit changes are hitting us as hard as everyone thinks they are)
    It's not one giant nerf.
    It's a series of minor nerfs.

    If I stick a finger in your cake aw man that's disgusting but you can just cut that piece and give it to me.
    If I stick my finger in 20 times, sure I didn't smash it with my hand but it's still pretty ruined.


    I'M HUNGRY SHUT UP.

    The Muffin Man on
  • HallowedFaithHallowedFaith Call me Cloud. Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    lol cake.

    I just came back from 6 months of being away from a computer in general, and seeing all these changes I am like "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?"

    I realize there would have been a lot of shit changed in WoW, what with the expansion and all but it seems that Blizzard went all nutsy on shit. My Frost spec is like... what the shit now. I dabbled in the Arcane tree for a bit, and the DPS difference is fucking NUTS but I still would rather level Frost because I LIKE ICE.

    Also, LOLWUT Death Knight? Was Blizzard high?

    So yeah.. uhm Mages. We should be used to this shit by now.

    HallowedFaith on
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  • Super NamicchiSuper Namicchi Orange County, CARegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    i mean, maybe it's just me being self-centered but

    as an arcane mage, the scorch/chill nerfs don't really mean that much to me since i don't have either of them

    yeah sure it's going to come up in raids, but it's not like arcane feeds off crits like fireball/frostfire

    i guess if i were frostfire/fireball i'd be pretty upset that i'm losing 5% off my RNG hax table, but c'est la vie :P

    Super Namicchi on
  • TheBlackWindTheBlackWind Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Henroid wrote: »
    What the heck is with the random one point in Magic Attunement? Everything else looks squaresies to me. As long as other people agree without the whole "MAGES SUK IN TEH PVP" stuff. Which we just had a page of. <.<

    Well, it's that or Arcane Fortitude. You have to spend 1 additional point to get deeper in the tree, and I felt like the range on Poly (and to a lesser extent, the buff on dampen) was better than the point in AF.

    Edit: I guess Clearcasting is usable too but meh to that.

    TheBlackWind on
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  • HallowedFaithHallowedFaith Call me Cloud. Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Did they change the patch notes, because I don't see anything about Molten Armor in there anymore...
    Now it is talking about Mage Armor giving 50% mana regen while casting.

    HallowedFaith on
    I'm making video games. DesignBy.Cloud
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Hallowed, the bottom of the OP has all patch notes and updates throughout this PTR process. The official PTR notes are fucked.

    Henroid on
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Bobble wrote: »
    So I hear Arcane is great for leveling once you hit 64? Problem is I know jack-all about the arcane tree. So yeah, go ahead n tear apart this potential build if you could, gracias: http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=ocxVcz0IzxGuMttd How much am I gonna miss ice barrier?

    I've been leveling as Arcane since ... lvl 10. I'm in the 50s now. It's a pretty good leveling spec actually.

    For pre-Arcane Blast specs, Arcane Stability is a MUST. In fact, it's one of the best perks of the tree. The ability to stand toe-to-toe with the enemy and blast them in the face without losing cast time is surprisingly useful.

    With Torment The Weak, you just Forstbolt -> Arcane Missiles -> Fire Blast and most shit that's not the same or higher level then you will die. (tip - try to fight lower level targets ESPECIALLY as a mage. Resists are a bitch and are annoyingly frequent when leveling)

    shryke on
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Bobble wrote: »
    So I hear Arcane is great for leveling once you hit 64? Problem is I know jack-all about the arcane tree. So yeah, go ahead n tear apart this potential build if you could, gracias: http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=ocxVcz0IzxGuMttd How much am I gonna miss ice barrier?

    I've been leveling as Arcane since ... lvl 10. I'm in the 50s now. It's a pretty good leveling spec actually.

    For pre-Arcane Blast specs, Arcane Stability is a MUST. In fact, it's one of the best perks of the tree. The ability to stand toe-to-toe with the enemy and blast them in the face without losing cast time is surprisingly useful.

    With Torment The Weak, you just Forstbolt -> Arcane Missiles -> Fire Blast and most shit that's not the same or higher level then you will die. (tip - try to fight lower level targets ESPECIALLY as a mage. Resists are a bitch and are annoyingly frequent when leveling)

    shryke on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    A new PTR build went up tonight, wow. That was quick. So, what do we get?
    Fire

    * Frostfire Bolt will now deal damage based on the resistance of the target: This spell will be checked against the lower of the target's Frost and Fire resists.
    * Improved Scorch now also Increases your chance to critically hit with Scorch by an additional 3/6/9%.
    Glyph of Improved Scorch -- The Improved Scorch talent now generates 5 (up from 3) applications of the Improved Scorch effect each time Scorch is cast.

    Henroid on
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Meh. I'd like to see Scorch substantially improved in damage. I think it would help Fire PVP a lot.

    Jasconius on
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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I can't help but think about Sear for warlocks when I think of Scorch at the moment.

    Henroid on
  • TheBlackWindTheBlackWind Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Henroid wrote: »
    What the heck is with the random one point in Magic Attunement? Everything else looks squaresies to me. As long as other people agree without the whole "MAGES SUK IN TEH PVP" stuff. Which we just had a page of. <.<

    Someone else sign off on it then. It makes me sad that there is no PVP spec in the opening post. We aren't that bad.

    Edit: In further defense of why I don't go deeper into clearcasting and instead put the point into Magic Attunement, I PVP in 2 pc Deadly (Chest, Gloves), 2 Pc Valorous (Shoulders, Legs), and the Titan-Forged Haste helm, so I get the bonus mana and burst from my mana gem.

    TheBlackWind on
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  • AlectharAlecthar Alan Shore We're not territorial about that sort of thing, are we?Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I'm not sure I care if Scorch has 9% more crit strapped to it. I'll be casting scorch even less with the change to the Glyph. Hell, many times I'm using it right before I Hot Streak a Pyro to get a tick on the Ignite.

    Alecthar on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    In terms of fire PvP, the short cast time might become a big friend of mages. It can proc Hotstreak, so it, Dragon's Breath, Blast Wave, and Fire Blast are going to be it now. Don't forget Scorch is one of the non-fireball/FFB spells that gets the 6% crit from Incineration too. So through fire talnets alone, scorch's crit chance would be 24%.

    Not much help in the PvE way, as you said (since we only have to cast it once now). But it's PvP buff I feel like I can live with.

    Henroid on
  • TheTishTheTish Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Yeah... the 9% extra crit on scorch isnt really gonna do much, and I dont consider it giving me much incentive to cast scorch more often. I'm really thankful that they changed the glyph so that improved scorch applies 5 stacks, as it will allow me to cast it even less. Scorch is the biggest offender of munching ignites. So unless they fix the ignite munching bug, I would actually rather not crit on a scorch.

    TheTish on
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  • EriosErios Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Could you explain "munching ignites?" I haven't really followed the mechanics surrounding Ignite since they rolled and Loatheb's damage meters were hilarious.

    Erios on
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  • Tim is on the InternetTim is on the Internet On the Internet Edmonton, ABRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I kinda wish they added some sort of equivalent selfish effect to Winter's Chill. Almost any Frost spell can proc it, so I'll forgive it only ever adding one application at a time, but it also lasts half as long as Improved Scorch.

    But then I realize it's moot because no one is Frost.

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  • TheTishTheTish Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Erios wrote: »
    Could you explain "munching ignites?" I haven't really followed the mechanics surrounding Ignite since they rolled and Loatheb's damage meters were hilarious.

    It happens when you crit with 2 fire spells at the same time, and instead of adding the 2 ignites together, it only applies one of them. It really becomes a problem when you crit with fireball and scorch at the same time, and ends up only giving you the ignite from the scorch.

    TheTish on
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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    TheTish wrote: »
    Erios wrote: »
    Could you explain "munching ignites?" I haven't really followed the mechanics surrounding Ignite since they rolled and Loatheb's damage meters were hilarious.

    It happens when you crit with 2 fire spells at the same time, and instead of adding the 2 ignites together, it only applies one of them. It really becomes a problem when you crit with fireball and scorch at the same time, and ends up only giving you the ignite from the scorch.

    This is something that has needed fixing for a while. I don't recall it always being present. Didn't they fuck it up along the line in TBC somewhere, like 2.2 or something?

    Henroid on
  • Tim is on the InternetTim is on the Internet On the Internet Edmonton, ABRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Thereabouts.

    Tim is on the Internet on
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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    It was when they changed the duration from 8 seconds or whatever to the current 4 second duration. I'd look it up, but fuck it, we know it is present and that's the point.

    Henroid on
  • frylockedfrylocked Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    So we are having a huge amount of edrama in the guild concerning a mage who is passing on a sorts of ilevel 213 gear with spirit on it. He is claiming that the Naxx25 epics with spirit are not even as good as Naxx10 / Heroic without spirit.

    I am usually defeneding the guy, as he is pumping out serious dps, but a lot of other people are bitching at him for 'dkp hording' or something. Funny thing is he already has pretty much all the desirable high level gear (kt loot, turning tide, etc).

    What are your thoughts?

    frylocked on
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