01-03-2005, 02:52 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-03-2005, 02:55 AM by Skandranon.)
First off, welcome to the Lounge, and thanks for commenting. While I may not necessarily agree with you, I do appreciate the comments.
That would be more relevant if it extended the freeze time by four seconds. I'm not so sure that four more seconds of cooldown's going to help. If you've fired your nova, it means that your opponent is in melee range. Your first spell is likely to break the ice, so it'll last up to 3 seconds (Improved Fireball). Somehow I don't think the fight's going to last another 10 seconds after your enemy is meleeing you, much less another 18. Furthermore, the only way in which it makes a difference is if you'll survive the next 18 seconds but not four more after that. All the PvP encounters I've been in have been very fast, certainly under thirty seconds in length, and Frost Novas aren't cast until the battle is more than half over.
This is the only way your build differs from the one I laid out. In essence, you're passing on Blast Wave. I can understand that, given that its 45-second cooldown is quite abnormally long, but I don't quite understand why you've chosen to take Burning Soul.
Presence of Mind is a great deal more important in such situations, it's true. In fact, I'd advise at least a 21 Arcane build for anyone on a PvP server for just that reason.
I can't speak for mass PvP situations, never having been in one. That said, in PvE situations Flamestrike clearly has more utility than Blizzard. Against masses of nonelites, Flamestrike is fine as an opener, just like the use of Fireball against single mobs. And just as you switch to Missiles as single mobs approach, one can switch to IAE as the crowd of nonelites approaches. IAE is like Missiles in the sense that it has the best DPS but not the best single-hit damage, and single-hit damage is key for openers. Blizzard, notably, does damage once-per-second the same way IAE does, so they overlap a little in a way that Flamestrike doesn't.
It's true that you can finish mobs with some more fireballs or frostbolts, but without IAM's uninterruptability, it's going to take longer, hurt more, and cost more mana. I just don't find the benefits of Improved Fireball/Frostbolt great enough to bother taking IAM second. With maxed IAM, most problems from 14-25 can be dealt with just by chaining missiles. I've tried starting with each of the three and the one I had the least trouble with was IAM, so I'll continue to recommend it.
As for the downtime...yeah, I know. I point out that mages do need patience. Long thirty-second sits, and doubledrinking when you're almost-but-not-quite at the next level of water, and so on and so forth. There isn't much to say about it, though, except that it's both necessary and annoying.
Alloraan,Jan 2 2005, 02:52 AM Wrote:On paper it seems junk but in pvp situations 4 seconds a long time, 4 seconds worth of distance, especially if they're slow which gives plenty of time to cast another spell. ie: another frostbolt.
That would be more relevant if it extended the freeze time by four seconds. I'm not so sure that four more seconds of cooldown's going to help. If you've fired your nova, it means that your opponent is in melee range. Your first spell is likely to break the ice, so it'll last up to 3 seconds (Improved Fireball). Somehow I don't think the fight's going to last another 10 seconds after your enemy is meleeing you, much less another 18. Furthermore, the only way in which it makes a difference is if you'll survive the next 18 seconds but not four more after that. All the PvP encounters I've been in have been very fast, certainly under thirty seconds in length, and Frost Novas aren't cast until the battle is more than half over.
Quote:Incinerate Rank 1
Burning Soul Rank 3
This is the only way your build differs from the one I laid out. In essence, you're passing on Blast Wave. I can understand that, given that its 45-second cooldown is quite abnormally long, but I don't quite understand why you've chosen to take Burning Soul.
Quote:Again I play on a PvP server so at any moment I could be attacked from behind and when I'm not looking and insta-cast spells are important. But being attacked from behind isn't a good thing so you have to have control. Even if things go wrong (rule number 1) You have presence of mind depending on how much health the guy attacking you has (usually full) so that you can either a) insta-pyro or B) insta-poly so that you can set up to you own leisure and work your way from there.
Presence of Mind is a great deal more important in such situations, it's true. In fact, I'd advise at least a 21 Arcane build for anyone on a PvP server for just that reason.
Quote:Blizzard is good in group PvP situations especially with the snare effect. 15% of normal speed is HUGE especially in a gigantic raid. Flamestrike has VERY little use in game. I don't think I've ever casted it for anything other then looks (and it doesn't look as good as the WarIII version either). And in instances IAE is the _BEST_ spell when surrounded by non elite mobs, such as the scarabs in Zul'Farrak, but only when your healers are willing to devote all their mana to heal you (since you are wearing paper after all) Your dps can actually break 1500 or so depending on how many mobs your tank rounds up for you. I personally hit 1675.38 with arcane explosion in maraudon when we aggroed up roughly 25 larvae.
I can't speak for mass PvP situations, never having been in one. That said, in PvE situations Flamestrike clearly has more utility than Blizzard. Against masses of nonelites, Flamestrike is fine as an opener, just like the use of Fireball against single mobs. And just as you switch to Missiles as single mobs approach, one can switch to IAE as the crowd of nonelites approaches. IAE is like Missiles in the sense that it has the best DPS but not the best single-hit damage, and single-hit damage is key for openers. Blizzard, notably, does damage once-per-second the same way IAE does, so they overlap a little in a way that Flamestrike doesn't.
Quote:Opinion: Your talent build shouldn't start with arcane missiles because it's not totally worth it at such low levels. You can usually finish mobs in 2-4 fireballs or 3-5 frostbolts up to around level 20.
You should also let'em know bout the gigantic downtime we get starting at roughly level 35-50 ;)
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It's true that you can finish mobs with some more fireballs or frostbolts, but without IAM's uninterruptability, it's going to take longer, hurt more, and cost more mana. I just don't find the benefits of Improved Fireball/Frostbolt great enough to bother taking IAM second. With maxed IAM, most problems from 14-25 can be dealt with just by chaining missiles. I've tried starting with each of the three and the one I had the least trouble with was IAM, so I'll continue to recommend it.
As for the downtime...yeah, I know. I point out that mages do need patience. Long thirty-second sits, and doubledrinking when you're almost-but-not-quite at the next level of water, and so on and so forth. There isn't much to say about it, though, except that it's both necessary and annoying.