frost mage spec guide for levelling

Posted on 2010 under Wowgrrl |

22 Jul

Frost Mage has been largely seen as a PvP spec, but don’t let them fool you - a player who plays their Mage skillfully can be a giant in terms of fast levelling and high damage in dungeons and raids in addition to being a formidable foe on the battlegrounds or in the arena.

There are subtle differences in the talent configurations in order to be successful as a Frost Mage in different areas of the game.

Note, although this is a Frost Mage guide, often many Frosties have points in the Arcane tree as well, making us a Frost/Arcane mix if truth be told.

Gear Choices, 1-56

Go for Stamina and Intellect as a priority in your gear for this range of play.

What about those extra gear bonuses? Spell Damage and Spell Hit and things that restore Mana every 5 seconds?

Spell Damage is a higher priority than Spell Hit while levelling, although Spell Hit can help you lower resists when fighting against mobs higher level than you are. MP5 gear comes around more frequently in the Outland, too.

When in a group with a healer, be sure to check that Spell Damage gear to ensure its Healing bonus is equal or less than the Spell Damage. If Healing bonus is higher, let the Healer get first crack at the gear.

Massive gear upgrades, 57-59

In this level range, Outland gear becomes available from those doing low-level Outland quests and selling the green BOE drops in the Auction House.

Outland gear is often a significant stat and +damage upgrade to the things you’ll be wearing as you approach this level range.

As you approach level 57, visit the Auction House on occasion to pick up a new wardrobe of gear that you can quickly switch over when you hit 57, 58 and 59.

Again, go for Stamina and Intellect as a priority in your gear for this range of play, but you’ll find that there’s a fair amount of gear with both stats plus +spell damage and healing on them that you can pick up as well. Spell Hit and MP5 gear is still lower priority during levelling through the Outland.

Gear Choices, 60-69

Outland gear is much more clear in terms of who gear is generally best for.

That being said, Mages have a lot of gear competition, especially in groups: Prime competitors for gear will be Warlocks, Shadow Priests and even Moonkin Druids on occasion. Remember to share with your teammates

Priorities on Stats on Mage levelling gear remains the same: Intellect, Stamina, Spell Damage, MP5 and Spell Hit - in that order.

Sockets are introduced in this level range for all players, and this guide recommends the addition of +spell damage gems in all of the slots, no matter what color the slot itself asks for in order to get the socketing bonus. Most socket bonuses aren’t worth sacrificing the +spell damage.

“Mage AOE spec”

Name commonly given to the talent configuration aimed towards gathering up multiple mobs at once, keeping them slowed or iced in place, and downing them all together.

The “Blizzard” skill is required for this strategy, and since it isn’t obtained until level 20, a Mage must make their way through quests and mob grinding to get to 20 in order to being the faster progression that AOE grinding can offer. At around level 28 things get easier thanks to more talent points that strongly affect this strategy of play.

The final spec you’ll end up at as a level 70 is a Frost/Arcane mix.

Sample Mage AOE spec/talent build development:

lvl 20
lvl 30
lvl 40
lvl 50
lvl 60
lvl 70

5-man dungeon spec, clear to heroic

Talent configuration built on high damage output and improved crowd control
Sample spec: lvl 20, lvl 40, lvl 60, lvl 70

Raiding spec, Karazhan and beyond

Talent configuration built on high damage output and improved mana efficiency
Sample spec: lvl 20, lvl 40, lvl 60, lvl 70

PvP Spec

Talent configuration built on slowing and stopping opponents while delivering damage with high levels of penetration
Sample spec: lvl 20, lvl 40, lvl 60, lvl 70