Comprehensive PvP and PvE Mage Guides

[Chaerophon]

Since I know little about WoW as of yet, I may be wrong, but this post looked to be quite a good one!

Have a look:

http://www.nurfed.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=387

[Raven Vale]

Some good advice there , and more besides on other classes , thanks for the site / info .

[Skandranon]

Since I know little about WoW as of yet, I may be wrong, but this post looked to be quite a good one!

Interesting info. His analysis of what talents not to take is useful, and it's good to have some direction as to what a good talent build looks like. Not so sure about his suggested order, though.

He suggests taking Improved Fireball at 10-14, which is all right, I suppose, but he doesn't advise Improved Arcane Missiles until 22-26, which is in my opinion somewhat late. I don't have experience with later levels yet, but I've played one mage OB and one in release, both to at least 22, and I think that IAM should be either the 10-14 or 15-19 talent selections. I'd get it first.

Arcane Missiles and Fireball have comparable DPS without talents; IF makes Fireball clearly superior. I don't like raw DPS as a comparison, though. The choice to get IF first seems to be based on every fight going the same way: a max range shot, another fireball as they run in, a frost nova to lock them in place, another fireball and a fireblast. Maybe a second fireblast if the first one's shot off before the nova.

If it goes like that things will be perfect, but there are so many times when things won't be. One resisted spell in that chain and whatever mob you were shooting at is now in your face and gnawing on your foot. Notably, they'll be taking chunks out of your casting time (I've heard 1 sec for the first hit, .8 for the second) and send your DPS through the floor. That doesn't even begin to cover cases where an additional creature pops in and you want to finish off the first target, or cases where something spawns on your head. On the whole, IAM's virtual guaranteed damage is going to prove useful in a larger variety of situations.

Anyway, just getting this out here to spark some discussion. We've got Lurkers playing on a number of servers already, let's see if we can't get this forum rolling.

[Magicbag]

As a 53 Beta/24 Retail Mage, I'm going to have to agree with Skand. I'm probably biased towards early arcane, but it seems to be very useful in terms of efficiency.

A) At level 14, you have an uninterruptable missle.
B) At level 24 (or 25) you have another instant damage spell with improved Arcane explosion.
C) You get access to Clearcasting (10% chance of free spells) and evokation (full mana bar channel).

Arcane explosion will also make you much loved in instances starting as early as Gnomergan.
-MB

[Tal]

He suggests taking Improved Fireball at 10-14, which is all right, I suppose, but he doesn't advise Improved Arcane Missiles until 22-26, which is in my opinion somewhat late.  I don't have experience with later levels yet, but I've played one mage OB and one in release, both to at least 22, and I think that IAM should be either the 10-14 or 15-19 talent selections.  I'd get it first.
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The only reason I can think for going with Improved fireball first is the time it carves off casting and the extra damage it does since many mages pull with fireball because of its superior range. If you carve some time off the cast you can frequently drop the mob's health with two fireballs before going to arcane. Often the mob will die before they can reach the caster under this strategy.

[Skandranon]

The only reason I can think for going with Improved fireball first is the time it carves off casting and the extra damage it does since many mages pull with fireball because of its superior range. If you carve some time off the cast you can frequently drop the mob's health with two fireballs before going to arcane. Often the mob will die before they can reach the caster under this strategy.

Yeah, I mentioned that as the "if it goes that way things will be perfect" (unless you're implying three fireballs - pull and two more as it approaches). I also don't disagree that often, the mob will die before they can reach the caster. But it frequently won't go perfectly, and the ability to put damage on the target no matter what is priceless.

The reason you thought of really is the only reason one might want to go IF first. I just don't think it's enough of a reason.