Starting up a frost mage as a raiding alt (Glacial Spike Questions)

[mhaps]

Hi ive been lvling a frost mage with the intention using it as a raiding alt, and i am a bit confused as to how to build/progress/gear as one.

The majority of the guides i have seen, including the one stickied on here have recommended a Thermal Void/Comet Storm build for single target/ aoe, disregarding Glacial Spike as a worthless talent.

However, there are many logs on mythic EN and ToV where high ranking frost mages are using glacial spike, to the point where actually there seems to be a larger amount of glacial spike users then Thermal Void.

Does this simply mean that the idea that Glacial Spike was mediocre is simply a misconception? Many guides have stated that glacial spike actually LOWERS dps when picked. Is this simply ppl simming Glacial Spike on Thermal Void Builds where mastery has lowest priority, whereas a glacial spike build might actually prioritize mastery?

In addition to this, with a glacial spike build what is the specific stat weights? what are the cutoffs? I am assuming very high mastery and crit as the players that a logging high numbers have glacial spike dealing more than 50% of their total dmg.

Furthermore, does the intention of running a glacial spike build change the artifact progression tree? Traditionally when it comes to golden traits it has been "It's Cold Outside" , "Chilled to the Core", "Black Ice". Would the intention of playing a Glacial Spike Mage from the start alter this progression at all? possibly prioritizing "Black Ice" first?

[pkm]

It only came to surface because the sky is falling in ptr for fire mages and now people are scrambling to find a viable spec. GS was always known, but fire just over shadows it in its current state.

[Deleted]

Hi ive been lvling a frost mage with the intention using it as a raiding alt, and i am a bit confused as to how to build/progress/gear as one.

The majority of the guides i have seen, including the one stickied on here have recommended a Thermal Void/Comet Storm build for single target/ aoe, disregarding Glacial Spike as a worthless talent.

However, there are many logs on mythic EN and ToV where high ranking frost mages are using glacial spike, to the point where actually there seems to be a larger amount of glacial spike users then Thermal Void.

Does this simply mean that the idea that Glacial Spike was mediocre is simply a misconception? Many guides have stated that glacial spike actually LOWERS dps when picked. Is this simply ppl simming Glacial Spike on Thermal Void Builds where mastery has lowest priority, whereas a glacial spike build might actually prioritize mastery?

In addition to this, with a glacial spike build what is the specific stat weights? what are the cutoffs? I am assuming very high mastery and crit as the players that a logging high numbers have glacial spike dealing more than 50% of their total dmg.

Furthermore, does the intention of running a glacial spike build change the artifact progression tree? Traditionally when it comes to golden traits it has been "It's Cold Outside" , "Chilled to the Core", "Black Ice". Would the intention of playing a Glacial Spike Mage from the start alter this progression at all? possibly prioritizing "Black Ice" first?

check GS build guide on altered time, everything was explained here: stat prio, artifact, rotation