WoW Forever Mage Guide: How to Play Arcane, Fire and Frost

The WoW Forever mage is still the Classic mage: cloth, heavy ranged damage, crowd control and water and food for the whole group. What changes is in the talents: each spec gains a new spell that gives it its own way of playing. Arcane stacks Arcane Blast and spends it with Arcane Missiles, Fire chains crits so Pyroblast comes out almost instantly, and Frost freezes targets so Ice Lance hits for triple. This guide covers all three on one page: what you learn, how to spend your talents at level 30, what order to press things in, what gear to look for and how to level.

Everything comes from the beta client (build 1.60.1.70205, level 30) and Blizzard's notes. Blizzard has not yet published its explanation of the mage, as it did for other classes. It may change before November 4.

In short:

• Arcane: you stack Arcane Blast to raise the damage of your other spells and spend it with Arcane Missiles. A lot of damage in a short time, but the mana cost shoots up if you overstack.
• Fire: Fireball and Fire Blast go for crits; each crit shortens the next Pyroblast and leaves burns behind with Ignite. It is the spec that pays off most when the fight drags on.
• Frost: Frostbolt slows and sometimes freezes; against a frozen target, Ice Lance and Shatter crits do the rest. It is the spec that gives you the most room to breathe.

What changes from Classic

The base is the same: the same damage spells, the same armors, Polymorph, teleports and portals. The changes are concentrated in talents and a handful of spells.

Blizzard adjustments in the beta: Wake of Fire lasts 30 s (up from 20); the Heating Up bonus lasts 20 s; Ignite no longer counts percentage damage increases twice; Combustion is back to 3 charges; and Comprehension scrolls are toned down and can no longer be cast while moving. It is all covered in the level 30 patch.

Watch out for two names that look alike. Arcane Blast is the new single-target spell; Arcane Explosion is the long-standing area spell around the mage. And Frost Ward is the spell that absorbs Frost damage, while Frost Warding is a first-row Frost talent that improves your armors.

What you learn from 1 to 40

The levels are the trainer's in the client. Entries marked "talent" come from spending a talent point, and later ranks are trained.

Every rank, with cost, cast time and text, in the mage spellbook.

Arcane: how it plays

Arcane is the spec of the concentrated strike. You stack one or several Arcane Blasts and spend the bonus with Arcane Missiles, which with Improved Channeling are not cut off even when you get hit. It hits hard in a short window and has escape tools (Presence of Mind, the silence from Improved Counterspell). What it struggles with is mana: each Arcane Blast costs 175% more than the last, so if you stack without thinking you run dry mid-fight. Leveling solo it works well against a single enemy; in a group it fits when fights are short.

Level 30 talents, in order

The first five go into Improved Channeling: from level 8 your strong damage is Arcane Missiles, and not having them cut off when the enemy reaches you changes how you level. Then Arcane Concentration to the max: 10% of the time your next damage spell comes out free, and that is mana you don't have to drink. At 10 points, at level 20, you get Arcane Blast, the spell that defines the spec.

Next, 3 points in Arcane Impact (+6% crit with Arcane spells) and 2 in Arcane Resilience, which gives you armor equal to half your intellect: in cloth, you notice it every time something lands a hit. In the fourth row, Missile Barrage makes many of your Arcane Blasts leave free Arcane Missiles at twice the speed. Arcane Meditation (3 points) lets 50% of your mana regeneration continue while casting. And point 21, at level 30, is Presence of Mind: your next spell with a cast time under 10 s comes out instant.

With the 5 Talented points from the Legacy, 4 go into Arcane Mind (more intellect and more Arcane crit damage) and 1 into Arcane Instability, which is already within reach with 25 points in the tree.

Load these 21 points in the calculator

With the 5 points from Talented (Legacy), up to 26:

Load all 26 points in the calculator

Priority against one target

1. Arcane Blast (talent, level 20) once or twice to raise the damage of what follows. Watch the cost: it rises a lot with each stack.
2. Arcane Missiles (level 8) to spend the stacks. If Missile Barrage has procced, cast them right away: they are free and take half the time.
3. Fire Blast (level 6) to finish or to deal damage while you move.
4. Presence of Mind (talent, level 30) to get a long spell off instantly when you need it: Polymorph in a pinch, or an Arcane Blast to open.
5. If you are short on mana, keep Arcane Blast at a single stack and alternate with Arcane Missiles.

Against several enemies

Arcane Explosion (level 14) is your area spell: instant, around you, so you have to be right on top of the group. Open with Frost Nova to freeze them, stand in the middle and cast Arcane Explosion; with Blink (level 20) you get out if things go wrong. It costs a lot of mana for a low-level mage: it is for groups of weak enemies, not for three of your own level.

Stats

Spell power (or spell damage) and hit come first; then crit, which pays off most in this spec with Arcane Impact and Arcane Mind; then damage from one school, mana per 5 s and intellect. Stamina and spirit matter little.

Gear worth looking for

See this role's full BiS

Fire: how it plays

Fire is the spec that deals the most damage when the fight drags on. Fireball and Fire Blast go for crits: each crit lights Ignite (an extra burn) and a stack of Heating Up, and with three the next Pyroblast comes out with 75% less cast time. It is a rhythm spec, enjoyable in groups and against bosses. What it struggles with is control: almost all of its damage is cast standing still, and against a melee enemy it lacks the safety net Frost has. Master of Elements helps with mana, but only when you crit.

Level 30 talents, in order

Start with Improved Fireball to the max: half a second off your main spell is felt in every fight. Then Ignite in full, so every Fire crit burns for 40% of its damage over 4 s. At 10 points, at level 20, Pyroblast: the long hit you open with.

Then 3 points in Incineration, which raises the crit chance of Fire Blast by 6% (and of Ice Lance, Arcane Blast and Scorch): more Fire Blast crits means more Heating Up stacks. 2 points in Burning Soul so you lose less cast time when hit and generate less threat. At 16 points you get Heating Up, which requires Pyroblast. Master of Elements (3 points) returns 30% of the mana cost of every Fire or Frost crit. And point 21 opens the fifth row with Critical Mass.

With the 5 Talented points: 2 more in Critical Mass (6% Fire crit chance in total), Blast Wave for an area spell and a way to slow whoever gets close, 1 more in Burning Soul and the first in Fire Power, 2% more Fire damage per point.

Load these 21 points in the calculator

With the 5 points from Talented (Legacy), up to 26:

Load all 26 points in the calculator

Priority against one target

1. Pyroblast (talent, level 20) to open while the enemy hasn't seen you yet: 6 s cast and a 12 s burn.
2. Fireball (level 1) as your filler spell. Its crits add Heating Up.
3. Fire Blast (level 6) every time it is available: it is instant and, with Incineration, the one that crits most.
4. Pyroblast again when you have Heating Up stacks: with three, it comes out in 1.5 s. The effect lasts 20 s.
5. Scorch (level 22) when you need a short spell or are about to move.

Against several enemies

Flamestrike (level 16) for groups that stand still, Arcane Explosion (level 14) if they are on top of you and Blast Wave (with Talented, level 30) to hit everything in front of you and slow them by 50%. With Frost Nova first, you have time to cast Flamestrike from range.

Stats

Spell power and hit first; crit right behind, and in Fire it is worth more than the number says, because it feeds Ignite, Heating Up and Master of Elements. Then Fire damage, mana per 5 s and intellect.

Gear worth looking for

See this role's full BiS

Frost: how it plays

Frost is the spec of control. Frostbolt slows by 40% and, with Frostbite, sometimes freezes the enemy for 5 s. Against a frozen target, Ice Lance deals 300% more damage and Shatter raises the crit chance of everything by 50%. It hits a bit softer than the other specs in an isolated strike, but it gives you distance and time: most enemies never get to touch you. It is comfortable for leveling solo and useful in groups for slowing what runs off. If mana runs short, Frost Channeling makes your Frost spells cheaper.

Level 30 talents, in order

First, Improved Frostbolt to the max: your main spell half a second faster. Then 3 points in Frostbite, which gives your chill effects a 15% chance to freeze the target for 5 s: it is what makes the rest of the spec work. 2 points in Ice Shards to complete the 10 the third row requires, and at level 20, Ice Lance.

The 3 remaining points of Ice Shards double the extra damage of your Frost crits. Piercing Ice (3 points) raises Frost damage by 6%. Shatter (3 points) adds 50% crit against frozen targets: with Ice Lance, Frostbite and Frost Nova, that happens often. Point 21, at level 30, is Fingers of Frost: your chill effects can make your next 2 spells treat the enemy as frozen, even if it isn't.

With the 5 Talented points: the second point of Fingers of Frost, Ice Block (10 s immune to everything, 5 min cooldown), 2 in Improved Frost Nova (4 s less cooldown) and the first of Winter's Chill, which you can already take with 25 points in the tree.

Load these 21 points in the calculator

With the 5 points from Talented (Legacy), up to 26:

Load all 26 points in the calculator

Priority against one target

1. Frostbolt (level 4) to open: damage and slow.
2. Ice Lance (talent, level 20) as soon as the target is frozen (by Frostbite or Frost Nova) or you have Fingers of Frost: it is instant and hits for triple.
3. If the enemy reaches you: Frost Nova (level 10), a few steps back and Ice Lance or a Frostbolt while it is still frozen. Frost Nova's freeze breaks on damage, so the first hit has to be a good one.
4. Fire Blast (level 6) to finish on the move.
5. Cone of Cold (level 26) when it is in front of you and you need to slow it again.

Against several enemies

Blizzard (level 20) is the spec's area spell: channeled, with damage over 8 s. The usual routine: Frost Nova to bunch them up and freeze them, back away and cast Blizzard; Cone of Cold for the ones that run off. If you want to level by pulling many enemies, Permafrost and Improved Blizzard (outside this build) lengthen and strengthen those slows.

Stats

Spell power and hit first, because a missed spell is a chill effect that doesn't happen; then crit (with Ice Shards and Shatter every crit hits for double the extra), Frost damage, mana per 5 s and intellect.

Gear worth looking for

See this role's full BiS

Interrupting, controlling and surviving

How to level

The basics apply to all three specs:

• Fight enemies of your level. In cloth, three enemies at once means a retreat.
• Train every two levels with the trainer. The mage gains new ranks almost every time, and an outdated rank of Fireball or Frostbolt is noticeable.
• Look for a better weapon, even if only for the intellect and spell power, and a wand to finish without spending mana. Wand Specialization, in the first row of Arcane, raises its damage.
• Drink conjured water. Conjure Water has a new rank every 10 levels: don't buy drinks.
• Eat crafted food: while well fed you gain 5% more experience per kill. And carry the cozy sleeping bag.

Frost is the most comfortable spec for leveling solo: it slows, freezes and gives you time to drink less. Fire fits in a group and against enemies that last, and Arcane when you want fights to end fast. All three reach 60. If you change your mind, the trainer in a capital resets your talents; with the Talented perk from the Legacy you start having points before level 10.

Zone-by-zone route: the 1-60 leveling guide. To know where to go, which dungeon fits and what you train at your exact level: What should I do at my level?.

Professions that fit

• Tailoring (recipes): the cloth you wear yourself. It makes pieces for you, and the cloth drops from the humanoids you already kill while leveling.
• Enchanting (recipes): pairs well with Tailoring, because you disenchant what you craft and what you don't need.
• Alchemy (recipes): your own mana and healing potions. Goes with Herbalism.
• Engineering (recipes): useful in PvP, and the Gnome has Engineering Specialization.

Races that fit

In the Alliance:

• Gnome: Eureka! makes your next 3 damaging abilities cost 10% less and deal 10% more damage (since October 1 it doesn't apply to periodic effects, but channeled ones like Arcane Missiles do count); Expansive Mind, 5% more mana; Escape Artist gets you out of a slow or root.
• Human: The Human Spirit (5% more spirit, more regeneration) and Sword Specialization, 2% spell crit if you wield a sword.
• Skyborne (High Order): Wind Blessed, 1% spell haste; Read Ley Line doubles your mana and health regeneration.

In the Horde:

• Undead: Will of the Forsaken against fear, charm and sleep, which in PvP gives you control back; Cannibalize restores mana and health on corpses.
• Troll: Berserking, 10% more casting speed for 10 s; Beast Slaying, 5% more damage to beasts, which are many of the things you kill while leveling.
• Orc: Blood Fury, 10% more spell power for 15 s; Hardiness shortens the stuns put on you.

None is mandatory: pick the one you like looking at. More detail in Which race should I pick?.

Consumables

• Conjured water and food: Conjure Water (level 4) and Conjure Food (level 6). Give some to your group too: it's what's expected of a mage.
• Mana gems: Conjure Mana Agate (level 28) leaves you a gem that instantly restores 400 mana. Make one before every dungeon.
• Crafted food for the well-fed experience bonus, apart from the water.
• Bandages from First Aid to heal between fights without spending mana.
• Mana and healing potions for tight spots: the mana one once you've already used the gem.

Useful macros

A macro packs several commands into one button. These use the official spell names and the current game's syntax, which works in the beta. To create one: type /macro, click "New", paste the text and drag the icon to your bar. All of them, with a copy button, are on the mage page; what each piece means is in the macro guide.

Stances, forms and aspects

Ice Armor or Mage Armor (Intermediate · from level 34). One button for both armors: Ice Armor for levelling and melee pressure; with Shift, Mage Armor for mana regeneration. Only one can be active at a time.

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift] Mage Armor; Ice Armor

Attacking

Frostbolt on your tank's target (Advanced · from level 4). Set your tank as focus and this macro takes the tank's target and casts Frostbolt on it: you always hit what the tank is hitting without hunting for it. Without a focus, it attacks your target.

#showtooltip Frostbolt
/assist [@focus,help,nodead]
/cast [harm,nodead] Frostbolt

Frostbolt that finds its own target (Advanced · from level 4). For levelling: if your target is dead it drops it, if you have none it grabs the nearest enemy in front of you and casts Frostbolt.

#showtooltip Frostbolt
/cleartarget [dead]
/targetenemy [noexists]
/cast [harm,nodead] Frostbolt

Fire Blast that cuts your current cast (Intermediate · from level 6). Stops your current cast and finishes instantly with Fire Blast: for the enemy about to die or run away.

#showtooltip Fire Blast
/stopcasting
/cast Fire Blast

Pyroblast to open, Fireball after (Intermediate · from level 20). Out of combat it opens with Pyroblast; in combat it casts Fireball. With Shift, Pyroblast even in combat (for when your Fire talents shorten its cast). Pyroblast is a Fire talent.

#showtooltip
/cast [nocombat][mod:shift] Pyroblast; Fireball

Frostbolt, and Ice Lance with Shift (Intermediate · from level 20). Your main Frost spell and, with Shift, Ice Lance for when the target is frozen. Ice Lance is a Frost talent (level 20).

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift] Ice Lance; Frostbolt

Arcane Blast into Arcane Missiles (Intermediate · from level 20). Builds one Arcane Blast and spends it with Arcane Missiles; restarts on a new target or after 8 s, the stack duration. Arcane Blast is an Arcane talent.

#showtooltip
/castsequence reset=target/8 Arcane Blast, Arcane Missiles

Blizzard or Flamestrike at your cursor (Intermediate · from level 20). Drops the area exactly where you point, no green circle: Blizzard; with Shift, Flamestrike.

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift,@cursor] Flamestrike; [@cursor] Blizzard

Trinkets into Pyroblast (Advanced · from level 20). Pops both trinkets (slots 13 and 14) and casts Pyroblast with the extra power. If a trinket has no on-use effect or is on cooldown, that line does nothing. Pyroblast is a Fire talent.

#showtooltip Pyroblast
/use 13
/use 14
/cast Pyroblast

Trinkets in combat and Blizzard at cursor (Advanced · from level 20). In combat it pops your trinkets and drops Blizzard where you point; out of combat it saves the trinkets (so you can pull without wasting them).

#showtooltip Blizzard
/use [combat] 13
/use [combat] 14
/cast [@cursor] Blizzard

Interrupts

Counterspell on mouseover, focus or target (Intermediate · from level 24). Stops your own cast and counters the enemy under your mouse, your focus or, failing that, your target, without switching targets.

#showtooltip Counterspell
/stopcasting
/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead][@focus,harm,nodead][] Counterspell

Crowd control

Polymorph on mouseover or focus (Basic · from level 8). Sheep whatever is under your mouse or your focus without losing your target; otherwise, your target.

#showtooltip Polymorph
/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead][@focus,harm,nodead][] Polymorph

Set focus and Polymorph (Intermediate · from level 8). With Shift your target becomes your focus and gets sheeped; without Shift you re-sheep the focus when it breaks while you keep hitting something else.

#showtooltip Polymorph
/focus [mod:shift]
/cast [@focus,harm,nodead][] Polymorph

Polymorph that keeps your focus (Advanced · from level 8). If you have no focus (or it died), your target becomes the focus and gets sheeped; if you already have a living focus, it re-sheeps that one even while you hit something else. No more losing the sheep by pressing on the wrong target.

#showtooltip Polymorph
/focus [@focus,noexists][@focus,dead]
/cast [@focus,harm,nodead][] Polymorph

Frost Nova or Cone of Cold (Intermediate · from level 26). Freezes whatever is on you with Frost Nova; with Shift, Cone of Cold to slow what is in front of you.

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift] Cone of Cold; Frost Nova

Defense and survival

Ice Block that also cancels it (Intermediate · from level 4). First press puts you in Ice Block; press again while inside to leave early (once you are healed or the danger is over).

#showtooltip Ice Block
/cancelaura Ice Block
/cast Ice Block

Ice Block you only cancel with Shift (Advanced · from level 4). A press stops your cast and puts you in Ice Block; pressing again by accident won't take you out. To leave early, hold Shift.

#showtooltip Ice Block
/cancelaura [mod:shift] Ice Block
/stopmacro [mod:shift]
/stopcasting
/cast Ice Block

Blink that cuts your current cast (Intermediate · from level 20). Stops your current cast and blinks at once: if you get caught mid-cast, no waiting or double pressing.

#showtooltip Blink
/stopcasting
/cast Blink

Fire Ward or Frost Ward (Intermediate · from level 22). Fire Ward; with Shift, Frost Ward. Put it up before the caster you know hits you.

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift] Frost Ward; Fire Ward

Ice Barrier or Mana Shield (Intermediate · from level 40). Ice Barrier; with Shift, Mana Shield while the barrier is on cooldown. Ice Barrier is a Frost talent (level 40); without it, just use Mana Shield.

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift] Mana Shield; Ice Barrier

Healing and support

Arcane Intellect on mouseover or yourself (Basic · from level 1). Buffs whoever is under your mouse; if nobody, yourself.

#showtooltip Arcane Intellect
/cast [@mouseover,help,nodead][@player] Arcane Intellect

Remove Lesser Curse on mouseover or focus (Basic · from level 18). Removes the curse from whoever is under your mouse or your focus without switching targets; otherwise, your target.

#showtooltip Remove Lesser Curse
/cast [@mouseover,help,nodead][@focus,help,nodead][] Remove Lesser Curse

Dampen or Amplify Magic on mouseover (Intermediate · from level 18). Dampen Magic (less spell damage, but less healing too) on whoever is under your mouse; with Shift, Amplify Magic for a group that heals a lot.

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift,@mouseover,help,nodead][mod:shift] Amplify Magic; [@mouseover,help,nodead][] Dampen Magic

Remove Lesser Curse on each party member (Advanced · from level 18). Without looking at frames: Shift for party member 1, Ctrl for 2, Alt for 3 and right-click on the button for 4; with nothing, whoever is under your mouse or yourself. Member order follows your party frames.

#showtooltip Remove Lesser Curse
/cast [mod:shift,@party1][mod:ctrl,@party2][mod:alt,@party3][btn:2,@party4][@mouseover,help,nodead][@player] Remove Lesser Curse

Arcane Brilliance or Intellect on mouseover (Intermediate · from level 56). From level 56: Arcane Brilliance for the whole group and, with Shift, Arcane Intellect on whoever is under your mouse (the late joiner).

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift,@mouseover,help,nodead][mod:shift,@player] Arcane Intellect; Arcane Brilliance

Utility

Get everything ready before the next pull (Advanced · from level 4). Out of combat only: each press casts, in order, Arcane Intellect on yourself, Ice Armor, water, food and a Mana Agate; it restarts after a minute. In combat it does nothing, so you can't press it by mistake.

#showtooltip Conjure Water
/stopmacro [combat]
/castsequence [@player] reset=60 Arcane Intellect, Ice Armor, Conjure Water, Conjure Food, Conjure Mana Agate

Conjure water and food (Intermediate · from level 6). One button for both: first press conjures water, the next one food.

#showtooltip
/castsequence reset=10 Conjure Water, Conjure Food

Slow Fall on mouseover or yourself (Basic · from level 12). Slow Fall on whoever is under your mouse (the friend jumping with you) or, if nobody, yourself.

#showtooltip Slow Fall
/cast [@mouseover,help,nodead][@player] Slow Fall

Alliance teleports (Intermediate · from level 30). Stormwind; with Shift, Ironforge; with Ctrl, Darnassus (that one from level 30).

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:ctrl] Teleport: Darnassus; [mod:shift] Teleport: Ironforge; Teleport: Stormwind

Horde teleports (Intermediate · from level 30). Orgrimmar; with Shift, Undercity; with Ctrl, Thunder Bluff (that one from level 30).

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:ctrl] Teleport: Thunder Bluff; [mod:shift] Teleport: Undercity; Teleport: Orgrimmar

Alliance portals (Intermediate · from level 50). From level 40: portal to Stormwind; with Shift, Ironforge; with Ctrl, Darnassus (from 50).

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:ctrl] Portal: Darnassus; [mod:shift] Portal: Ironforge; Portal: Stormwind

Horde portals (Intermediate · from level 50). From level 40: portal to Orgrimmar; with Shift, Undercity; with Ctrl, Thunder Bluff (from 50).

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:ctrl] Portal: Thunder Bluff; [mod:shift] Portal: Undercity; Portal: Orgrimmar

What we don't know yet

• Blizzard has not yet published its explanation of the mage, as it has for the warrior, priest, hunter and druid. When it does, the guide will be updated.
• The beta goes up to level 30. Frostfire Bolt, Ice Barrier, Combustion and Arcane Power sit above that and haven't been playable yet.
• Evocation, the Classic spell for restoring mana, does not appear in the client's spellbook.
• What lowering a spell's rank does: Blizzard has explained that low ranks make less use of your spell power and trigger your talents less. How much each rank is worth is calculated by the downrank calculator.
• The numbers on talents and spells can change with every build: Combustion has already gone up and down in charges.

Frequently asked questions

Which spec is most comfortable for leveling solo?

Frost. Frostbolt slows, Frostbite freezes and Frost Nova gives you distance, so most enemies never get to touch you. Fire and Arcane also level well, but they have less margin when something reaches you.

What is the difference between Arcane Blast and Arcane Explosion?

Arcane Blast is the new Forever spell: one target, 2.5 s cast, and each cast raises the damage of your other spells and its own cost. You get it from an Arcane talent. Arcane Explosion is the instant area spell around the mage, the Classic one, at level 14.

When do I get Blink and Ice Block?

You train Blink at level 20. Ice Block is a talent in the fourth row of Frost: it requires 15 points in that tree, so the earliest is level 25. In this guide's build it comes in with the Talented points.

Is it worth using low ranks of a spell?

Sometimes, to save mana, but they perform worse than they seem: Blizzard has explained that a low rank makes less use of your spell power and triggers your talents less (its example: rank 1 Frostbolt at level 60 can't freeze with Frostbite). The downrank calculator tells you how much each rank does at your level.

What are mage scrolls?

A skill unique to the mage in Forever: you study in a library and pull out single-use scrolls that imbue your staff, dagger or sword for an hour or summon a familiar that gives you intellect. You have all of them in the mage scrolls guide.