A Classic Debate: Frost or Fire?Follow

I'm going to stick my spec related post here rather than make a new thread, basically I'm after an opinion on a few things.

First a bit about me:
I'm currently raiding late SSC/TK and early MH/BT, 10/0/51 or something similar is the spec I've used for most encounters (I've spent maybe 2 raids as fire).

Worked fine for the content and mostly I've been competitive with our other dps (except on frost immune/resistant mobs).

The main problem for me at the moment isn't the spec, but I've recently had a problem with being too mana efficient, I had a sp for one fight and didn't go below 90% mana and that's without using gems, pots or evocates. Cheap on consumables, but not great for maximising potential.

I've respecced 5/45/11 (probably should put 2 points inincinerate and 1 somewhere random in fire) and found that unlike my last tries with fire I'm actually doing around the same as with frost (before I've always been lower with fire).

Which leaves me with the dilema of which spec to go with (as this impacts the gear I'll be aiming for, I'd need to rejig my planned frost upgrades to get the extra hit).

So, onto the questions/opinions, subdivided by spec:

Arc/frost - I'd love to try this, but am currently only 1/5 T5. I want the helm, but my guild hasn't killed Vashj yet, so not really a quick option. I have the shoulders (sat in the bank) and for the slots which I could get T5 for I currently have Enslaved Doomguard Soulgrips and Corrupted Soulcloth Pantaloons, if I were to get 2/5 T5 which do you think would be the better part to replace? Or should I just dump that idea until I get the helm (which needs replacing anyway).

Frost - I like the cooldown management aspect of this spec and so far it's served me well. I really wish there was a flame cap consumable for frost, but given that there isn't should I just bite the bullet and fork out the gold for destro pots? If we had someone in guild that could make them I'd have done this anyway, but so far no luck.
Frost is also handy for fights that need things slowed or kited (e.g. Vashj and Kael, both of which are progress fights for my guild atm) and I'm a bit wary of losing that functionality.

Fire - Always something I thought I should spec as the 'done thing' and as it's on par for me with frost I'm considering staying fire.
In it's favour we have a warlock that wants to try fire who's interested in me staying fire to keep up the scorch debuff and the pushback resistance is kinda nice.
Down side is I miss my WE, the dot aspect of it is taking a while to get used to in fights with threat dumps, do I assume I'm meant to stick to scroch/fire blast at this point to prevent random fireball/ignite tick agro? Also I'd have to rethink my gear upgrades for extra hit (I'm currently overcapped for frost, but my planned upgrades will drop that back to 126).

Anyone who made it this far, well done :) and any opinions are welcome.

There is only a couple questions in there that can be answered for you:

1) Get the T5 gloves, imo, but realistically get the first one that drops whether it is gloves or leggings. When you get the helm item later in your progression, then switch back to the badge loot you replaced.

2) Having a ton of left over mana as frost is one of the problems with frost, since ideally to min/max ourselves we want to push everything to the limit on a raid boss, threat, damage, and mana consumption (ie running out right as the fight is over). In order for you to overcome the too much mana "problem" you need destro pots or haste.

3) The DoT portion of fire spells is not a big deal. The only thing you need to really be worried about is the ignite ticks, and to prevent those you stop casting at least 4 sec before the event that drops agro. Most of the time it is a phase change that is announced on your boss mod.

4) As for missing you WE, there may be support groups out there somewhere.

I have had some good results with 2xT5 doing AB spam and frostbolting to get mana back as 40/0/21. Then again, if you don't have a spriest in your group consistently this post is moot.

Probably not Officer. I'm most appreciative that you took the time to point that out.

As for the "<g> crap" as you so elequently put it. That is an ASCII emoticon from a messaging/text/editing protocol in use likely before you were born. It stands for "grin" or smile. It is, perhaps, rude to use words or expressions that may be unfamilar to younger audiences. I apologize.

IMO fire best 1-35 lvls, frost best 40-65, levels I don't mention it doesn't matter if fire or frost this my opinion. This mainly for PVE & dungeons. The classic arguement between fire & frost really contrast between the playing styles. Which neither side can win because it possile to go from 1-70 with no problem being frost or fire if that what want to do. Both side have pros & cons, (pro)Fire damage high damage (con)low survivible when thing go wrong/ frost (pro)good suvivible, (con) so/so damage until get in mid 60's. I have been fire & frost. The only thing you [] Text[/]can't be is arcane it sucks for pve. It only works for BGs. I going say probably what don't want to hear but it true go with which one you have most fun with or mix them as I did.

Some of us prefer to use or .

The only thing you [] Text[/]can't be is arcane it sucks for pve. It only works for BGs. I going say probably what don't want to hear but it true go with which one you have most fun with or mix them as I did.

Hi. 41/20/0 PoM Pyro guy checking in. Got to disagree here. Arcane does just fine in PVE instances, including heroics.

I wear PvP gear. It's what I have. I understand it is not optimal for pve, and I'm never gonna match the min-maxers. I'm ok with that. I can still turn in a respectable showing in most situations. I self buff, with spell damage food, to +920 damage. That's enough to hold my own even if I don't top the damage meter every time.

Here you go:

http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Elune&n=Kahbueme

I don't think that is the "standard" 41/20/0 build, but it's reasonably close.