OFFENSIVE CONTENTThreat: This hasn’t been an issue for most of WotLK but now some specs are really struggling with single target threat and not just aoe. The main problem is for fire/ttw which only has 10% threat reduction and relies on cooldowns, if invisibility is interrupted then it has to hold back on dps.
Depending on the boss, raid composition and the length you expect the fight to last there are different tactics for aggro management. Most mages use MI at the start of the fight so they can start nuking with cooldowns straight away. This gives the tank a chance to build aggro but after 30 seconds of a high dps cycle (using IV, trinkets, 2T7 mana gem bonus, AP, Combustion etc) the threat returns and the mage might have to pop Invisibility which is a dps loss. The mage might be able to overtake the tank on threat again over the next few minutes before MI or Invis are available, especially on fights like Heigan where we can continue dps while melee cant or Malygos where even an Arcane mage can easily pull while standing in 2 sparks.
Alternatively if the fight will last long enough for all CDs to be stacked twice but not 3 times then you can afford to start by using only normal dps for 15 seconds. Then you use MI, pop all CDs and nuke away. This means you don’t waste the mana gem just for the 2T7 buff and at the end of the 30 seconds your average threat will be lower as it is based over 45-50 seconds. Hopefully the tank is still ahead of you and since you are now using a low dps cycle he will remain there. This saves Invis for survival and gives 2-3 extra seconds of dps time.
This is only an example of how a small change in CD use can have a large effect throughout the whole fight, planning is the best way to maximise dps.
If you do reach the threat cap with no CDs available then play smart. You have to do lower dps or even stop completely, if you continue then switch to mana efficient rotations. DON’T just throw an instant high cost spell every few seconds. ReScorch, keep Winters Chill up, make a new mana gem if needed or even evocate or bandage. Try to leave yourself in a better position to do high dps when you can start again.
Hit: Now that there is a lot more hit available on pre raid gear every mage should be hit capped. Hit is the most valuable stat you can have until capped, anything extra is completely useless. Due to this it is a good idea to keep extra gear with different values of hit depending on your group, spec and fight.
Mob Level: | 80 | 81 | 82 (HC Boss) | 83 (Raid Boss) |
Hit Required: | 4% | 5% | 6% | 17% |
Hit required versus a level 83 raid boss (all specs are cookie cutter):
Spec | Unbuffed | Draenei in group | S.Priest or Boomkin in Raid | Draenei and S.Priest or Boomkin |
Arcane / Frost | 11% | 10% | 8% | 7% |
Fire / TTW | 17% | 16% | 14% | 13% |
FFB | 14% | 13% | 11% | 10% |
Frost | 14% | 13% | 11% | 10% |
With the right group setup you require 4% less hit on a boss, at 26.3 hit rating per 1% you can gear for 105.2 less hit which would mean a huge amount of extra SP, Crit or Haste. Keeping a few extra items with more/less hit means you can easily swap for more damage.
Mana: Not a huge issue right now given that most fights are short, the only spec with active management is arcane. If you don’t need to evocate every 2 minutes then you are doing it wrong, this makes Evocate the most important skill an Arcane mage has.
This isn’t a guide on how to play Arcane but I will talk about timing Evo, if it is interrupted in any way then you will ruin your dps for the whole fight so planning is required. On fights with no raid damage it is easy to use but casting it is still a dps loss. To combat this you can use it in conjunction with Icy Veins, popping Evo on the last tick of IV will provide the haste buff for the whole channelling time without wasting the dps boost. This will not provide pushback protection for the spell though, that only applies while IV is still active.
Using Evo on fights with raid damage, random void zones, damage auras etc can be done if you are careful but no matter what you do it can still be interrupted by RNG. If there is pulsing raid damage like Sapphiron then you can use Mana Shield or IV to stop pushback, this is a dps loss but vital. Try to time it so you start immediately after a tick, this gives you the best chance to not have the first tick hit. Being hit at the start will lose more of the spell than being hit at the end.
If there is an RNG effect that will make you move like the void zones on KT you can try a few things to minimise the odds of being hit. Stay away from anyone else so you don’t get hit by a zone aimed at them. Wait until right after another void has been cast, especially if it was cast on you. Pray, we work on finite resources and can be reduced to wanding if something unexpected happens.
General tips:Frost - on long fights use Cold Snap right after summoning the first elemental so it will be available again before the end.
Living Bomb - any spec with this relies on having 100% uptime or as close as you can get without stopping a cast. Make this top priority on cast sequence.
On trash cast LB on the last mob to die so it has a chance to detonate.
HS Procs – If there are only a couple of mobs it can be worthwhile spamming scorch to get a HS proc, especially if mobs die fast.
On bosses where you need to keep the scorch buff up it is good to time it with a HS. HS right after FB/FFB means they can hit simultaneously and if they both crit then only 1 ignite will be applied.
My personal rule is:
<6 seconds scorch buff remaining + HS Procs
Then
Cast Scorch then HS
Leave scorch until last moment at all other times.
Cast while moving - always strafe or spin jump while moving so you can fire instants. In 3.1 there will be less benefit in not casting as the 5 second regen has been nerfed.
If you run out of mana gems in a fight that will last another 2 minutes then create another, 1 use gives more mana than the cast.
AoE: Blizzard is the best spell for all specs but fire and arc mages can combine it with Flamestrike for higher dps. The dot from different ranks of FS stacks so you can precast the 2nd highest rank on the tank (like consecrate) then cast top rank then Blizzard. PoM + FS helps here
Kiting: Use terrain to your advantage, mobs can’t jump down from ledges so you can easily jump down while they have to run around to get back up. You can use this with Blast Wave to knock them off ledges as well. Becomes easy to solo a lot of pulls with tricks like this.
Obviously we can solo almost every elite that can be snared but frost mages can also solo elites that are immune. This is a method I use although there are plenty of variations, the goal is to have the mob run around while you stay still.
- cast barrier, ice armor and summon elemental, make pet stay just out of aggro range of the elite and move 30 yards away so the 3 of you form a triangle.
- Pull the elite, have your pet start attacking when it gets into range.
- Tank it with your barrier, use IV and trinkets, recast Barrier as it should be off CD.
- When second barrier breaks cast Ice Block, elite will run to pet.
- Let pet take 1 hit (if it can) and leave IB, cold snap, barrier, nuke.
- When shield breaks cast Mirror Image, elite will run at Elemental.
- Run/Blink from the Images to create a new triangle, when elemental dies resummon in the new position and move again. Elite will attack images. Barrier as soon as it’s available
- This is the last chance to nuke non stop, save IV for when images and pet are dead. If you have the Evocate glyph you can use it during IV to heal up while tanking him.
This depends on your gear and having enough dps to nuke the elite down before your cooldowns are used up. Can also be combined with a ledge kite in order to get a few extra hits in.