Arcane

[funyroger]

I have read some topics considering arcane, but decided to make my own just to clear some things up. So basically how is arcane? Is it really that far behind fire and frost as it shows on some logs (like 10-20k)? I am kinda getting tired of fire and praying for heating up proc to come, and overall it is pretty boring spec. Frost i have no tried out, but considering i hate pets, and that you have to use pets frost nova like every 20? sec is enough for me to not want to play it. So that leaves arcane, but i must know how bad/good it is and if i wont hold my raids dps back.

[fearist]

well how does it look on world of logs?

[funyroger]

Well... not good at all
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...10N/Fire_Mage/
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...N/Arcane_Mage/
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...0N/Frost_Mage/

[Jimm3]

are these logs accurate for this fight? with the spirit phase of the boss?

When i did it every person of the raid had different recount results...

[funyroger]

No idea, but arcane seem to be behind on every fight at least on Logs, thats why im asking how bad it really is.

Here are different fight :

http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...N/Arcane_Mage/
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...10N/Fire_Mage/
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...0N/Frost_Mage/

[schwarzkopf]

I'm playing and sticking to arcane, however there are significant mana issues because of the very low and unreliable proc rate of Arcane Missiles.

My rotation is now basically - ABx6 (to stack up), AM to 0, scorch until more AM, AM to 0. I'll normally get to cast around 3 or 4 Arcane Missiles before that rotation takes me down to far on mana.

I like invocation though - as it is a predictable source of increased damage once you know the boss fights. Rune of Power is too reliant on standing still, and Incanter's Absorbtion too dependent on taking damage in a very small window.

Basically - if I get the advertised proc rate on Arcane missiles I get solid DPS - normally I don't, so the DPS sucks as I run out of mana or lose DPS to regen mana.

[funyroger]

You dont use Abarr at all?

[schwarzkopf]

You dont use Abarr at all?

I tried that, but found the benefits of keeping the 6 stack up kept me at a higher dps. If I used ABarr rotation, I'd rarely get a 6 stack AM off.

So now I use scorch instead of ABarr in the normal rotation... it also means I am mobile for most of my rotation. I just use AB again if I'm about to run out of stacks, and there are no AMs available.

Using this method, every AM is at full stacks, which is awesome.

If I got advertised proc rates on AM, I'd probably use the ABar rotation.

[Sattori]

You dont use Abarr at all?

I don't.
I've been doing pretty good DPS with Invocation and simply spamming bomb/AB/AM until I'm down to 30% mana, then Evocating. Even if the Evocation is interrupted, I probably had a good 10s left on my +25% damage buff and gained enough mana from the partial Evocation to fire off a few more AB or refresh a bomb. If nothing else it saves the frustration of Evocating just as your +25% buff is dropping, then being interrupted and wasting another 5s without the buff.

[Shangalar]

Just posting this to remember to copy part of this discussion into my guide when I get home, very interesting ideas, which goes well with my thought that Arcane is possibly the most complex spec in the game currently.

[Mican17]

Well... not good at all
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...10N/Fire_Mage/
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...N/Arcane_Mage/
http://worldoflogs.com/rankings/play...0N/Frost_Mage/

I just don't understand.

Arcane already does not have anything going for them in PvP, and now they're ALSO the worst PvE spec?

What the hell was Blizzard thinking with mage balancing?