Noob Mage needs adviceFollow

Since I'm new to the game, I'm just learning jobs. I recently got my gnome mage up to level 70, and I really need some advice on my spec tree.

I had decided to spec Frost AoE at first, which was great for instances (since the tank pulls more than one target), and fun in PvE because I could put up my shield spells, run in and grab a bunch of mobs, then watch them die while I spam AoE.

It was fun for a while, now I'd like to really take the next step. I've read the guides, which show me all these choices. I looked at the descriptions of each build, and I'm kind of stuck. People have told me Fire is the way to go at 70, others said an Arcane-Hybrid, and some say pure Arcane. Every thread I read on this subject seems to be an arguement, written when the leveling cap was still 70.

What's the general concensus now? What will help me do my job best?

1. Do you have Dual Spec - If so I suggest you keep the frost then look at Anobix's Arcane spec and do what ever he did. You do not need to be Arcane spec to do 5 mans. But it would be nice to start learning...

Also - keep the frost spec. It's the best way to level.


2. If you do not have Dual Spec - stay frost till 80.

Then look at Anobix's spec and do what he did.

3. At 80 you will want to spec for raid damage. The quests and 5-mans are not always optimal for single target raid damage, but it won't matter. They will be so far below you that it shouldn't matter. If you have Dual spec you will want to have 1 spec for raid DPS. (This spec will change every few months as Blizzard tweeks things. It might be Frost-Fire Bolt, then later Deep Fire, then later Arcane... You just need to check the boards after any major patch.) Then with Dual spec you need to pick either PVP, AOE, or some random set up that you just like.

PVP can be any tree you like - so long as you get a lot of the survival type talents. (Having said that there's about a 90% chance PVP will mean FROST without improved Blizzard and some Arcane added in for utility)

AOE is essentially your current spec. You just take anything that makes AOE farming easier.

"Some random set up" is just that... Currently Deep fire is not the optimal raid spec, but I've seen some people with it. They Just like the rotation...

It's not that it's King, just that it is extremely well equipped for those levels. Its AoE is JUST behind Fire's in terms of output (or may even be equal/better, but I'm not sure), but is more mana efficient (3 ranks of FS is 90% base mana, Blizzard is 74%). And there's no reason to bother with LB on most trash packs nowadays, because they die way before they explode, which is a huge DpS loss (compared to using that GCD for a Flamestrike or Blizzard).

Frost is ludicrously strong on bosses at lower levels right now. Why? Because Deep Freeze is balanced for level 80--there's only one rank. You get the base damage of a much higher-level spell that adds more than double your spell power to its damage, AND gets a +50% chance to crit. Spam FB, ghost Ice Lance/Deep Freeze on FoF procs and FFB on BF procs. It's intricate enough that you'll learn some rotation awareness, but forgiving enough that you won't be punished. And for fights where you mess up, or there are mechanics that stun you/impede your DpS, Puddles will still be giving you some passive damage.

Furthermore, AB spam is really, really expensive. It matters less at cap, when you have a huge mana pool, but it can make you go OOM way too fast before cap. Once the buff reaches 4, it takes something like 49% of your base mana to cast the spell. That's 1.5 Flamestrikes, and over half a Blizzard cast. It's just too much when your mana pool isn't that much higher than your base mana. And it's AoE sucks.

As for Fire... Frankly, it sucks for single targets at that level, due to low crit values. FB spam is NOT impressive DpS--you really need your PB procs. But you will be seeing VERY few consecutive crits when you only have 15-20% spell crit (with MA active). And it has the hardest, most unforgiving rotation, I have found (with my tests). Letting LB to go too long unrefreshed is a pretty large DpS drop. Letting Scorch drop is over a 5% DpS drop (due to it giving you more PBs on top of the crits itself). And it is less mana-efficient than Frost.

And when it comes to PvP and solo PvE, Frost is just superior in everything but AB (I imagine spamming LB on huge packs of players would be maniacally fun). You get some passive DpS from Puddles, faster CD on your Nova, a snare with each spell that makes it easier to kite, a very strong stun (albeit, one that is situationally available, but saved my life MANY times when leveling and pulling an add). It's only weakness is the lack of a strong instant spell, but Fire Blast suffices, since it isn't needed THAT much. And IV just kicks *** no matter what you are doing. Ice Barrier also made my life so stupidly easy at those levels--I took way less damage than other specs and when they broke it, I sometimes got a free root.

Now, if someone wants to, all the specs are fine at that level. They all have strengths and weaknesses. But none of them really surpass Frost unless you are talking about very specific circumstances. Frost beats Fire's DpS, and I imagine you wouldn't have the mana to sustain Arcane's for a full fight. Frost has more efficient, and still highly damaging, AoE over Fire (and lolArcaneAoE). And it is also more forgiving when a pack doesn't fit into the small FS circle, which is a problem I've even had at cap.

Frost is King. That doesn't mean it can't have some rather powerful Duke cousins.

[EDIT]

Just to add, for reference. I was hitting 10-15K DF crits in my 70s. Don't underestimate what I mean by saying it is powerful.

Edited, Apr 14th 2010 8:47pm by idiggory