Arcane Mage 5.0 simplified

[fateswarm]

Forget everything you know about Arcane Missiles. It is no longer a weak dump of charges. It is practically a free Arcane Blast with higher DPS.

This is because:

1. It generates charges just like Arcane Blast and it does not drop them, just like AB
2. It has higher dps than AB at all charges points.

Hence the main differences from 4.0 before the Tier 90 talents are only:

1. Keep up a DOT
2. Use Arcane Missiles when the alternative was Arcane Blast

[SooFaded]

Okay so I've barely played my mage since the start of cata, I've been focusing on my paladin, so forgive me if these are stupid questions. What stats am I looking for after hit cap? Haste int and mastery? Also my spell hit chance is 15.79%, and it says miss chance for 88/skull is 0.00%, yet I miss just about every hit on the raiding target dummy. Why is that?

[Minaah]

Because all the 'raid' skull marked dummies are level 93... thats why you are missing. Pre expac launch, you need to do any testing on the regular level 85 dummies.

[SooFaded]

/facepalm thanks so much I'm an idiot

[Deatheryn]

So in practice, where is Arcane in the line up in regard to dps? As of right now, from what I've heard: Fire>Arcane or Frost, is that how it really is in practice or just sims/theory?

[Imnick]

Frost interacts poorly with DTR in Dragon Soul and Arcane requires a bit of relearning and erasing muscle memory, Fire is the easiest to pull high numbers with

[fateswarm]

I'd like to add an asterisk on the OP. While AM is superior to AB at all times now, individually, concerning the rotation in whole, it's slightly different than disregarding AB completely since AM could be saved for higher charges.

However, it is very important to not forget that AM is still superior at low charges as well, so it's not exactly "forget about it, unless the charges are very high". It is very likely that we'll end up to something like 'usually use it at 2-3 charges and up but don't pay too much attention about it'. This might be exacerbated at Tier 90, though uncertain.

By the way, current sims show an indifference on caring at all about it or they show a very tiny bias (*inside the statistical margin of insignificance) for 4 charges.

[Rorixis]

You can use arcane missiles proc to go higher charges than you normally would e.g. if you normally barrage after 4 stacks and you get a missile proc on 3 stacks dont use missiles stacks asap, do another blast so you have 4 then missiles for 5 stacks and then barrage. I assume that's the idea at least, whether it's actually mathematically feasible I have no idea but it at least makes room for a more dynamic rotation which is good to see.

[Zankoku]

In a zero-sum situation (where mana concerns are non-existant), the recommended Arcane priority is:

1) Level-75 Bomb spell
2) AM
3) Barrage to clear (when mana costs feel like they are too much)
4) AB to build charges

AM does do more damage total (barring misses) than a single AB. AM also grants a charge even if all missiles miss, unlike AB which does not grant charges on misses. AM can also be stopcasted to grant a charge in cases of charge time running out. AM mana cost does not increase with charge stacks, but damage does increase.

All in all, if you are not casting AM, then you are doing it wrong.

[Tezra]

Is the rumor true that you only want to cast missiles (just once) if you have 2 procs of AM before you hit 6 charges? OR is it better to cast missiles right as they proc, ASAP?

[fateswarm]

Is the rumor true that you only want to cast missiles (just once) if you have 2 procs of AM before you hit 6 charges? OR is it better to cast missiles right as they proc, ASAP?

This is at least partially incorrect (even if it's popular) since arcane missiles is higher dps than AB at all times, low charges or not. Hence, it's not clear cut what to do. Sims right now show that it doesn't matter if you wait for charges or not for AM *even X1-AM, though they show a very slight advantage on X4-charges.

Tier 90 may enlarge that effect or not; in any case it's not clear cut and 'cookie cutter' solutions that are now popular saying 'never use AM unless it's X6' and other such monolithic definitions need to be avoided.

[ns66]

at what stack (0-6) should use AM depends very much on AM proc rate, my guess is new proc rate is not 40% anymore

lower the proc rate, the more you want to save AM towards higher stack

[Bigchipper]

Dot
AB to 5 stacks, if you get one AM stack use it to get to 6 stacks
(if you get two AMs, AB to 4 stacks then two AMs to get 6 stacks)
Barrage
rinse>repeat

[Shangalar]

If you have two stacks of Missiles when reaching a higher amount of charges, it's much better to start using Missiles at 5 charges because the first one will benefit from 5 and raise it to 6 and the second will benefit from 6... if the timing fits you'll refresh your dot at that time which again has a chance to proc yet another missiles stacks. And then follow it with barrage.

[Sattori]

Dot
AB to 5 stacks, if you get one AM stack use it to get to 6 stacks
(if you get two AMs, AB to 4 stacks then two AMs to get 6 stacks)
Barrage
rinse>repeat

No, you obviously want to stay at high stacks because 6 stacks gives you FAR more damage with AB and missiles than building up does.
Use 1 AM if you have 2 at any time. It's always better to use the AM (since it hits harder than AB) and make room for another AM proc.

If you're near 100% mana with 6 stacks, you -should- use an AB and clear your AM charges, and probably AB again before hitting Barrage. Completely stupid to Barrage when you're at high mana.

But then, I'm expecting Arcane in MoP to be like frost in 4.3 anyway. Possibly the least mobile DPS spec in the game, LONG ramp up time, no burst ability to take advantage of boss vulnerability and imo a super clunky and unchanging rotation.

[Uld]

Is it viable to get stacks and once at 6 stack alternate between 3 scorch (mana free) and 1 arcane blast to keep stacks up - and obviously using arcane missiles on proc- ?
That way we could stay 6 stacks forever, abusing missiles when up and conserving mana by refreshing stacks with only 1 AB before it fade.

[fateswarm]

I should remind you that sims right now show an almost complete indifference in keeping AMs or not for high charges (even X1 AM) and only a very slight advantage on using it at >3 charges, an advantage of the 0.06% kind, quite unnoticeable in practice.

This effect might be enlarged in Tier 90, or not, but it's important to note the spec is not so clear cut in that department because AM is not just a free AB, it's a free AB that has higher DPS than AB, at all charges, high, but also low.

[ns66]

Is it viable to get stacks and once at 6 stack alternate between 3 scorch (mana free) and 1 arcane blast to keep stacks up - and obviously using arcane missiles on proc- ?
That way we could stay 6 stacks forever, abusing missiles when up and conserving mana by refreshing stacks with only 1 AB before it fade.

scorch is way too weak dps will drop like rock
only maintain high dps makes sense

so if we want to keep at stack 6, one possible way is stack crit (each hits harder, more efficient mana use), 0 mastery (so we use the whole mana pool range, mana adept benefit goes to crit), and use evo if mana goes to 0, anyone got sims can try that see if that works

for pvp i'd stack haste

[fateswarm]

mana adept benefit goes to crit), and use evo if mana goes to 0, anyone got sims can try that see if that works

It won't. Mana adept doesn't go to crit, it goes nowhere.

[ns66]

It won't. Mana adept doesn't go to crit, it goes nowhere.

you don't understand what i mean, i mean convert all mastery to crit stat, so mana pool loss due to mana adept is being realized by crit benefit. mastery and crit effect is about equal, by convert all mastery to crit, you don't need to maintain high mana pool anymore, you can use full 0-100% mana, you see what i mean?