Coming back from 6 Month Hiatus - Help!

[Dawogi]

Hey all, I'm just coming back from a 6 month break and I could use some guidance on which way to head. I'm looking to get back into raiding. Which spec should I be playing right now? I have a 493 ilvl currently. Good mage just lacking gear and guidance. Any help on what I should be playing right now is appreciated!

[Hexotic]

For lower gear frost seems to be doing the best as fire requires some gear before becoming op again. This is based on what My raids mage said, dunno how accurate it is, my alt mage is same ilvl as you now and frost is pulling slightly ahead of fire.

Im sure some actual mages can be of more help, but frost with living bomb for single target and nether tempest for aoe seems to be the best 'gearing up and starting tot' spec.

[nimryas]

Due to differences in scaling between frost/fire its more viable to go frost when your itemlvl is (relatively) low. I went fire at about 34% selfbuffed crit, there seems to be somewhat of a consensus as to when to go fire, but it hasnt been backed with with mathematical proof As for frost you want to go all out on haste, for this patch at least, I think comming patch 5.4 mastery will get a bit more value as well but don't know if it will surpass haste, maybe only at certain (skyhigh) haste plateau's.

[Ryuzaki]

I would definitely stick with frost to start out. It seems from what I've read to stay frost until higher 520's when crit will become high enough to be OP again.

[Dawogi]

Thank you for the responses guys. I appreciate it!

[Insomlol]

Ive recently done the move up the ilvl tree, and can agree with the posts above.

Frost for anything below say 520ish ilvl, and then once you can get to about 35% self buff crit, change to fire.