Which Mage spec for Antorus?

[HuxNeva]

The difference between abundance of used procs between not using procs is usually #1-#6, fire is nowhere near "rock bottom" in current and upcoming raid

I don't mean as a spec. I mean the variance in output from pull to pull is extreme and all due to bracer proc RNG.

[durrtygoodz]

Because it is such fun being absolute top vs. rock bottom of the dps on the same fight pull to pull depending on some lucky RNG timed procs?

lmao when did this literally ever happen

[Charge me Doctor]

I don't mean as a spec. I mean the variance in output from pull to pull is extreme and all due to bracer proc RNG.

Never noticed that, can you elaborate? My DPS per pull hardly goes over or under 15% range, counting in being targeted or not by boss mechanics, fucking up and other shit. Or are you comparing a hypothetical situation when one mage doesn't use any of his procs and other just stands there and spams hardcast pyro getting procs one after another?

[HuxNeva]

lmao when did this literally ever happen

More than once. I play Fire exclusively, and the difference between a 'God pull' where you have chain proc'ed critting hardcasted pyros and one where you get your first proc 2 minutes into the fight and it duds is enormous.

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Never noticed that, can you elaborate? My DPS per pull hardly goes over or under 15% range, counting in being targeted or not by boss mechanics, fucking up and other shit. Or are you comparing a hypothetical situation when one mage doesn't use any of his procs and other just stands there and spams hardcast pyro getting procs one after another?

Well, 15% difference is about the spread between being top dog or bottom rat of the DPS pile on most pulls tbh. Maybe the spread in you guild isn't so narrow? If your comparing 15% over with 15% under, that is huge! That is like the difference between a barely green and a solid purple parse!

[Charge me Doctor]

Well, 15% difference is about the spread between being top dog or bottom rat of the DPS pile on most pulls tbh. Maybe the spread in you guild isn't so narrow? If your comparing 15% over with 15% under, that is huge! That is like the difference between a barely green and a solid purple parse!

Your DPS range is intended to be at ~10% range, regardless of performance or spec, that kinda shows in all the sims box plots

[Deleted]

looks like fire is the go to for 7.3.2

[HuxNeva]

Your DPS range is intended to be at ~10% range, regardless of performance or spec, that kinda shows in all the sims box plots

On patchwork? Real fights have much more variance.

[Lulbalance]

On patchwork? Real fights have much more variance.

Yea but not that much man, lol.

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I'm 938 only doing HC, arcane is deffo getting better numbers across the board than frost or fire for me personally

I actually hope that holds.. been betting AP on arc as my darkhorse.

[Lulbalance]

I lack any good fire legos though so there's that :/

Yea but that would just lower your baseline.. you're describing a stastical outlier.

I don't doubt that you've seen some variance, I'm just saying that much variance and you have to consider the possibility that you played a bit different from one pull to the next.

[Gnomorepuns]

Going to be fire or frost depending on the fight. FIre always has its shining moment on the final tier when stats are gross as hell. But those who know frost very well, can likely also do things unless blizz wants to cut our legs from under us for the n'th time this expansion

[Sylvaeres]

Hey everyone,


Looking towards Antorus, I'm thinking of rolling a Mage as my (required) raiding alt. I've played Mage before and I'm comfortable on all three specs - personal preference aside, I like playing what's optimal, down to the min/max. With that in mind, I'm now trying to decide which spec to roll in preparation for the raid, particularly in terms of legendaries. Since it'll likely take a good few weeks to get the right ones, I'd rather start collecting for the spec most likely to be the best in Antorus.

On that subject, however, I've heard a lot of different opinions. Some say Frost is going to be king, while others insist Fire has the better tier bonus and will come out on top. Since hard data is a bit difficult to come by, I'd like to ask people for their opinion - and, more importantly, for their REASONING behind those opinions. So, if you reply, please tell us WHY you think so. Of course there is not going to be a 100% conclusive, guaranteed correct answer given that things are still in flux on the PTR. That I have to live with. But starting the legendary grind can't begin soon enough, so the wisdom of crowds is the best I can do, I feel.

Thanks everyone for your replies in advance!

If this is a fresh toon you're speaking of, you should probably go frost. It's the least legendary dependant of the 3. Of you wanna roll the dice, go fire, as it could possibly be the top mage spec

[HCoop09]

Different specs for different gear/fights is always the answer. Depends on how hardcore you want to be.

I play frost right now and really enjoy it. Fire looks super fun though.

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Different specs for different gear/fights is always the answer. Depends on how hardcore you want to be.

I play frost right now and really enjoy it. Fire looks super fun though.

[Yhcti]

I'm a lonely DK tank but if what im hearing is correct and ALL 3 Mage specs are competitive then i think its time to dump any spare time I have into gearing the pleb! I considered Warlock but hey... Mage has same dps eith mobility

[Ambereldus]

Correct. Outside of cutting edge raiding (not just mythic, but top 10 world), all 3 specs will do well in most situations. Tuning can change that in the next patch, but we don't have any info on if/what changes will be made.

Play what you're comfortable with, for the time being.

[Yhcti]

Correct. Outside of cutting edge raiding (not just mythic, but top 10 world), all 3 specs will do well in most situations. Tuning can change that in the next patch, but we don't have any info on if/what changes will be made.

Play what you're comfortable with, for the time being.

Good point. Thats all i do lately, semi-competitive so playing whats strong yet fun.

[Deleted]

People can play whatever they want, all 3 specs are viable. I will stay frost. It will(should) remain top single(or 2) target spec and fire os for 3+ target/AoE = gg.

[Deleted]

I dont like where fire is heading again, where all the focus is on combustion periods.

Think I will try arcane this time since it does relatively well in all regards except pure cleave.

[Ambereldus]

I dont like where fire is heading again, where all the focus is on combustion periods.

Think I will try arcane this time since it does relatively well in all regards except pure cleave.

If Fire is dissuading you because of its focus on combustion windows, Arcane shouldn't be your alternative since it functions very similarly in principle.

If you haven't already, give Frost a try. It doesn't completely hinge on your Icy Veins CD, and your performance outside CD's is still quite strong.

[Deleted]

If Fire is dissuading you because of its focus on combustion windows, Arcane shouldn't be your alternative since it functions very similarly in principle.

If you haven't already, give Frost a try. It doesn't completely hinge on your Icy Veins CD, and your performance outside CD's is still quite strong.

I agree they might perform quite similar on paper, but Arcane would still be more interesting as you have to manage mana and multiple CD's not just 1 big "DMG OP NOW" button like fire will be.

But maybe i should look into frost - but im just worried that without the 2p - t19 you will be standing there fishing for procs, that with bad RNG will be like 10 casts of just frostbolts.

[Ambereldus]

I haven't raided with T19 2p since after the first month of Tomb, and I'm still routinely in the top 80-90th percentiles for my ilvl. If I had gotten lucky rolls with high ilvl tier, I would probably try to make it work, but I got decently lucky with loot boxes and got some early 935's that just crushed any use my old tier had.

From experience, there will be a few dry spells every raid. You'll certainly notice them, but its nowhere near as bad as some people make it seem, and I've only once felt crippled by it...

It was a Goroth farm kill, and I got nothing for IV. I still got 70th % on that pull tho.