Arcane Mage PvP in Warlords of Draenor

Updated for Warlords of Draenor

Also see our post on the Mage Changes in Warlords of Draenor for all the new, removed, and changed stuff.

Arcane used to be the glass cannon spec of mages, capable of putting out extreme amounts of damage in a very short period of time, but also the most susceptible to being killed in a swift burst due to a lack of survivability tools or escape mechanisms.

Arcane’s greatest strength is in a battleground when it’s allowed to cast uninterrupted. Stay in groups and pick your fights. Battlegrounds will be “Hard Mode” for you, for when you’re bored with Frost. In the Arenas you will need to be very good, very lucky, or have a high tolerance for pain.

Contents

This Page Warlords Changes Build Stats Gems Enchants Races Professions Videos: How to Arcane PvP Faster Leveling

Other Mage Pages Mage overview Mists of Pandaria Mages Mage leveling guide Mage PvP Gearing Arcane PvE Fire PvE Frost PvE Fire PvP Frost PvP Get gold, buy stuff.

 

Some Warlords Changes for Arcane

For all of the changes to Mage sin Warlords see this post. What’s below is just a few selected items.

• Alter Time and Mirror Image are now talents.
• Presence of Mind and Evocation are now exclusively Arcane.
• Temporal Shield, Incanter’s Ward,  and Invocation are replaced and dead.
• Arcane Barrage replaces Fire Blast for Arcane Mages. You never used FB anyway, right?
• Arcane Blast now replaces Frostfire Bolt for Arcane Mages.
• Arcane Explosion is now available only to Arcane Mages, making it a bit harder for other Mages to slaughter mass quantities of lower level dungeon trash.
• Mage Armor is now a passive effect and is available only to Arcane Mages. Other armors are not available to you.

 

Arcane Mage PvP Build

Talents can be quickly and easily changed. Just pick the new one and pay one Tome of the Clear Mind. (Glyphs are changed the same way.) Our picks are checked:

Tier 1 Talents:

• Evanesce – Avoid all incoming attacks for three seconds. It does nothing for DOTs, debuffs, or any other effects already on you (unlike Ice Block.) The 45 seconds cooldown isn’t bad, though.
• Blazing Speed: A nice escape from snares and movement buff (even if it’s a brief one.) It’ll save your Blink for other uses. Added mobility.
• Ice Floes – Cast up to three spells while moving. 20 second recharge.

Tier 2 Talents

• Alter TIme – Walk back up to ten seconds of time. Nice for avoiding traps, situations, damage, etc.
• Flameglow: Deflects some of any incoming damage. Best use if you’re talking a lot of small hits, such as from DOTs.
• Ice Barrier – A nice basic shield. Throw it up and forget about it for a minute.

Tier 3 Talents

This one really depends on your game. Fighting groups? Then Ring. Duels Vs casters? Frostjaw. Melee? Iceward.

• Ring of Frost – nice for blocking pathways or freezing groups.
• Ice Ward – We’re not healers and aren’t usually in charge of protecting allies, nice for kiting opponents, though.
• Frostjaw – Silence, root, and Freeze all in one.  Very useful. better for 1 vs 1 than Ring.

Tier 4 Talents

So how do you want to avoid your damage, today?

• Greater Invisibility – Fade away, remove two DoTs, and escape.This has definite use. A nice “get out of Dodge” talent.
• Cauterize – Nice if a healer is keeping an eye on you or you remember to ice block right away (to remove the burn.)
• Coldsnap – nice for the smallish emergency heal and/or refreshing cooldowns, such as your Presence of Mind. 3 min cooldown, though.

Tier 5 Talents

You only have access to the one Bomb in Warlords, but the other two talents are pretty cool.

• Nether Tempest – Does added damage per Arcane Charge. Damages the main target over 12 seconds and other targets within ten yards.
• Unstable Magic gives your Arcane blast a 30% chance to explode on impact, doing more damage to the main target and also damaging all other targets within 8 yards. A nice passive effect that you don’t have to set up.
• Supernova – 300% (of your spellpower) damage to the main target and 200% to all other targets within 8 yards. It also knocks your opponents skywards. Two charges with a 25 second recharge and it replaces your Frost Nova.

Tier 6 Talents

• Mirror Images – Three copies of you start blasting away, which is pretty nice for some added burst every two min.
• Rune of Power: Cast a Rune, stand on it, blast away with increased power. Not so hot for PvP where a lot of movement is required.
• Incanter’s Flow gives you a buff which cycles from 4% to 20% increased damage in 5 seconds, then back to 4% in 5 seconds and so on. Ten seconds peak to peak or min to min. Time it with your “burn phase” for added destruction.

Tier 7 Talents

Longer Arcane power or more arcane charges?

1. Overpowered: Casting your Arcane Missiles extends your Arcane Power by 2 seconds.
2. Prismatic Crystal puts a crystal at the targeted location. Only you can attack it and it takes 130% damage from your attacks. Any time it takes damage it instantly releases that damage, splitting it evenly among all enemies within 8 yards. The only problem is that your enemies have to stay in one place for the duration. This will happen is some BGs (such as on flags in AB or the center in Eye of the Storm,) but in duelas or arenas or other BGs? Not so much.
3.  Arcane Orb: Your Arcane Orb travels up to 40 yards doing damage to everything it passes through and it generates an Arcane Charge every time it does damage.

Arcane Mage PvP Glyphs

These are changed like talents. Drag a new glyph onto your glyph slot, pay the Tome, and you’re set. This makes it easy to set up your glyphs for the situation you’re facing.

Major:

More or less in order of interest.

• Glyph of Arcane Power – double the power and double the cooldown time (to 3 min.)
• Glyph of Slow – Your Arcane Blast now slows targets.
• Glyph of Ice Block – Nice to have when people are camping your Ice Block, waiting for it to break.
• Glyph of Cone of Cold – A lot more C of C damage.
• Glyph of Counterspell – Use it while moving or casting, but you get a 4 second longer cooldown.
• Glyph of Polymorph – removes all DOTs from the target, allowing your Poly to stick.
• Glyph of Remove Curse – Gives you an excuse to remove more curses, since you get a damage boost after doing so.
• Glyph of Arcane Explosion – larger area of effect radius.

Minor Glyphs:

• Glyph of Momentum – Blink in the direction that you’re moving, rather than facing. Makes kiting and positioning a bit easier.
• Glyph of Rapid Teleportation – Quality of life, move quickly after teleporting.

 

Arcane Stats for PvP

Warlords note: Hit, Expertise, Resilience, PvP Power, and Reforging are all dead. Int does not add to Crit, but you start out with a base of 5% to make up for that. You have two new stats, Multistrike and Versatility.

• Primary stats: Int > Mastery > Haste = Multistrike > Critical > Versatility

Mastery helps to pump out even more damage. Anything that can help you quickly regain mana, such as potions, will help take advantage of your Mastery.

Haste speeds up everything you do, including cast times. Pile it on, after Mastery.

Multistrike gives you a chance at one or two additional copies of your attack, at 30% power. These strikes can crit.

Crit is hardly a bad stat, it’s just that the others are better. You have nothing that procs off of crit.

Versatility adds to your damage and to your defense. Again, it’s not bad but the others are better.

Stacking stats will be done mainly through gear choices and enchanting. Gem slots are rare. Reforging is gone.

 

Arcane Mage Gems

Some warlords Notes:

• Gems sockets are actually few and far between, especiallu on PvP gear. Currently none are actually available, but perhaps they will be as the expansion progresses. They have a (small) random chance to appear on Raid gear, so perhaps they’ll also appear on PvP gear.
• The gem themselves are actually available. They are all prismatic, meaning they fit into any socket. None have Int, they all have secondary stats (Mastery, etc.) Apparently there are no Meta sockets or gems.
• Older (Mists of Pandaria) gems work until item level 600, but the item squish cut them down a bit. What used to be 160 Int is now 10, for example. The new Prismatic gems are 50 points of Mastery or whatever.
• Older gems (Mists of Pandaria and lower) that used to code for Hit now do Crit, gems that had Expertise are now Haste.

So, Assuming the gems actually become available for level 100 PvP…

Visit our gold guide for tips on how you can afford to gem up if gold is a bit short.

Gems for offensive use on gear under iLevel 600.

• Meta: Burning Primal Diamond – Some like the gem with the reduction to silence duration: Forlorn Primal Diamond
• Red socket: Brilliant Primordial Ruby
• Yellow: Artful Vermilion Onyx
• Blue: Mysterious Imperial Amethyst or Sensei’s Wild Jade
• Belt and Blacksmithing sockets:Brilliant Primordial Ruby

Various Gems for Arcane PvP Use.
Meta		Burning Primal Diamond: +14 Int & 3% Increased Crit Effect Forlorn Primal Diamond: +14 Intellect and 10% Silence Reduction
Red		Brilliant Primordial Ruby: 10 Int
Yellow		Quick Sun’s Radiance: +20 Haste Fractured Sun’s Radiance: +20 Mastery
Blue		Rigid River’s Heart: +20 Crit
Orange		Reckless Vermilion Onyx: 5 Int, 10 Haste Artful Vermilion Onyx: +5 Int & +10 Mastery
Green		Sensei’s Wild Jade: +10 Crit and +10 Mastery
Purple		Veiled Imperial Amethyst: 5 Int and 10 Crit
Prismatic		Greater Multistrike Taladite: +50 MultiStrike Multistrike Taladite: +35 Multistrike Greater Mastery Taladite: +50 Mastery Mastery Taladite: +35 Mastery Greater Haste Taladite: +50 Haste Haste Taladite: +35 Haste
Cogwheel		Requires an engie helm, such as this. Quick Tinker’s Gear: 38 Haste Smooth Tinker’s Gear: 38 Crit Fractured Tinker’s Gear: 38 Mastery

 

Arcane Enchantments

Warlords Notes: There are no head enchants, all shoulder enchants come from the Inscription profession and are only for items under items level 600. There are new enchants for Neck, Cloak, Weapons, and your Rings. Not for any other pieces. (Not yet, anyway.)

As with the gems, the new enchants only carry the secondary stats: Mastery, etc.

Short on gold? If you want to buy the best enchants, fund all of your alts, donate to the guild, etc., but don’t have the cash, then see what the Tycoon Addon can do about about fixing your poverty.

Various Caster Enchantments
Weapons, Main & Off-Hand	Warlords: Enchant Weapon – Mark of Bleeding Hollow – Sometimes increases Mastery by 500 for 12 seconds. Enchant Weapon – Mark of Warsong – Sometimes increase Haste by a large amount, but it then diminishes by 10% every 2 seconds. Enchant Weapon – Mark of the Frostwolf – Sometimes increases your Multistrike by 500 for 6 seconds, this effect can stack twice. Note: There is a “Glory of” version of each of these enchants which looks just the same as the above, so they are not included here. Mists: Enchant Weapon – Jade Spirit: Sometimes increases Int by 83, might increase Spirit by 750 if mana is low. Enchant Weapon – Windsong: Sometimes increase Crit, Haste, or Mastery by 75 for 12 seconds. Enchant Weapon – Glorious Tyranny: 38 PvP Power, 50% Disarm reduction, cost is 1,000 Conquest points. Living Steel Weapon Chain: 50% Disarm Reduction, +12 Crit Off Hand: Enchant Off-Hand – Major Intellect: +25 Int
Shoulders	Greater Crane Wing Inscription: +15 Int and 5 Crit
Cloak	Warlords: Enchant Cloak – Gift of Mastery– +100 Mastery and +10% movement speed Enchant Cloak – Gift of Haste – +100 Haste and +10% movement speed Enchant Cloak – Gift of Multistrike– +100 Multistrike and +10% movement speed Note: There is a “breath of” version of each of these enchants which have the same stats, but without the 10% movement bonus, and which is probably cheaper. Mists: Enchant Cloak – Superior Intellect: +15 Int
Chest	Enchant Chest – Glorious Stats: +9 to all Stats
Bracers	Enchant Bracer – Super Intellect: +15 Int Enchant Bracer – Mastery: +25 Mastery
Gloves	Enchant Gloves – Superior Mastery: +25 Mastery
Belt	Livingsteel Belt Buckle: Gem slot for a nice Int gem
Leggings	Greater Cerulean Spellthread: +19 Int and +11 Crit
Boots	Enchant Boots – Pandaren’s Step: +10 Mastery, slight run speed increase. Enchant Boots – Greater Haste: +12 Haste
Rings	Warlords: Enchant Ring – Gift of Mastery: +50 Mastery Enchant Ring – Gift of Haste: +50 Haste Enchant Ring – Gift of Versatility: +50 Versatility Note: There is a “breath of” version of each of these enchants with +30 Stats, instead of +50.
Neck	Warlords: Enchant Neck – Gift of Mastery: +75 Mastery Enchant Neck – Gift of Haste: +75 Haste Enchant Neck – Gift of Multistrike: +75 Multistrike Note: There is a “breath of” version of the above enchant which provides +40 to the stats, instead of +75

 

Professions for Arcane Mages

Warlords Notes: The BIG change to professions in Warlords? No more profession bonuses. No more extra gem sockets, not more Int enchants to cloaks, etc. You will not have to go to a trainer to get your skill cap raised to 700, as you’ll find it on a scroll while questing. You willstill have to learn recipes and actually raise your skill.

Best professions now? Tailoring for the high level gear, Inscription for starter end-game weapons, Engineering for useful toys (most of which don’t work in Arena or RBGs.)

Affliction Professions
Tailoring	Make your gear.
Leatherworking	Noting here, move along.
Jewelcrafting	Make pretty things, neck items, rings, mounts, etc.
Enchanting	Make things glow.
Inscription	Glyphs, caster items, darkmoon cards, fortune cards, some other stuff.
Alchemy	Nothing interest here, move along. Well, Ok, you can make useful potions & chemicals.
Engineering	Blow things up, glide, run faster. Make a small fortune, if you start with a large one.
Blacksmithing	Nothing here except for maybe a couple of weapons.
Skinning	For the gold and leatherworking
Herbalism	For the gold or Inscription or Alchemy.
Mining	For the Gold or for Blacksmithing.

 

 

Races for the PvP Arcane Mage

Note that race is not a replacement for skill, but some races have certain advantages. Less so in Warlords, now that racials with Hit or Expertise are gone.

Best race? Draenei for the +Int, Humans for Versatility & Escape, Orcs and Trolls for the burst.

• Humans: Escape ability allows use of two DPS trinkets. Added Versatility.
• Gnome: Decent escape, bigger mana pool, small size helps (really.) +1% Haste.
• Night Elves: A bit harder to hit. Shadowmeld can be very useful for either lurking in ambush or breaking incoming spells (if you time it right.) Slightly faster running, +1% Crit by day which becomes +1% Haste at night.
• Dwarves: Ability washes away bleeds and take less damage, +2% extra crit damage.
• Draenei: + to your Int and a small heal.
• Worgen: +1% crit is just Ok, Sprint-like ability is useful.
• Orcs: Blood Fury for increased burst, stun resistance.
• Undead: Remove Fear, Sleep, and Charm. Drain life (and heal for the amount drained.) Eat slain players. Underwater breathing.
• Trolls: Berserk increases casting speed, less affected by roots & slows. Extra XP from beast slaying.
• Goblins: 1% Haste is nice, Rocket Jump is a nice escape (like a cheap “Blink.”
• Blood Elves: Arcane Torrent restores some mana, but you hardly have mana issues. It also briefly silences casters. +1% Crit.
• Tauren don’t believe in Magery.
• Pandaren can join either side, take less falling damage, have a melee range stun, and get better food buffs.

 

Comsumables

Note that Pandarens get twice the food buff. All food buffs last one hour.

Foods

• Mogu Fish Stew: 34 Int
• Steamed Crab Surprise: 34 Spirit
• Braised Turtle: 31 Int
• Fire Spirit Salmon: 31 Spirit

Flasks

• Flask of the Warm Sun: 114 Int for an hour.

Potions

• Potion of the Jade Serpent: 456 Int for 25 seconds. If you pop one immediately before combat you will be able to pop another during combat.
• Master Healing Potion: Heals 12k HP
• Master Mana Potion: About 6k Mana

 

How to: Arcane PvP Videos

Arcane Mage in BGs. Some comments on talents, abilities, and diatribes against Feral Druids, along with lots of random blather. He gets some kills, though.

Arcane Mage in Arena

No commentary, but it’s fairly clear what’s going on.

The Burst macro:

• #showtooltip Arcane Power
• /cast Arcane Power
• /use Malevolent Gladiator’s Badge of Dominance

 

 

The Fastest Mage Leveling

Need to get your mage, or another alt, to the level cap fast? Want to be atop the power curve rather than crushed by it? With thousands of quests and a million mobs to grind the trip to the highest levels can take awhile. A long while. An in-game leveling guide makes the whole trek a whole lot easier.

Pick your starting point and Dugi’s guide will show you where to go, what to do, and keep track of your objectives (such as Kill X of…).  Dugi’s Guide automatically updates and advances as you complete tasks and quests, sets a waypoint arrow automatically (always showing you where to go next,) and includes all the important quest info. You’ll never have another question about where to go or what to do.

Dugi’s does this even if you’ve gained levels in the dungeons or PvP Battlegrounds. Leave off the questing to gain a few levels elsewhere, then come back and Dugi’ss will figure out where you are and show you the best place to go next, automatically. Whether you’re brand new to WoW or covered from head to toe in Heirlooms, Dugi will show you the way to get leveled as fast as possible.

Dugi’s is fully updated for the latest patches of every expansion. With it you will probably never need to look at your quest log again, much less browse some website. Grab your copy here and get leveled fast.

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