Mage PvP Spec

[Satair]

I have had dual spec since 3.1 hit and I haven't even touched my second spec except to switch just for the hell of it. I have finally decided I might as well just do a PvP spec since thats the option I'm left with after deciding I don't really wanna deal with dual PvE spec. I will have most of the Valor badge set with a couple crafted tailor peices to get rid of hit gear and stuff like that so that I have a better chance. I have done a little bit of research and haven't really found any good info on mage PvP, although I'm sure its out there.

So my question is what specs are out there to use. I know its either Arcane or Frost unless you wanna fail with Fire or your the shit and can just use Fire. I will prolly wanna go 20/00/51 but I haven't looked at any of the other ones. So I was wondering if you could tell me if this is the right spec and or if arcane is better. I'm really not that good at PvP but that doesn't mean I don't want to be. I have also been reading the pvp glyph section thread and I kinda have an idea of what I should be using but if yoiu could include that in the answer it would save me a lot of time. Im not dead set on frost but I hear its easier and has more surviablity. I would also like a general idea of how to work frost in PvP. I know its mainly about CC and movement imparment stuff like that, but stuff I should be looking for. I hear some things about shatter combos but I have no idea what that is. Any help is welcome. Thanks

Dont think it matters but I can't put up a armory link cause im at work so my Character name is Satair on Earthen Ring US

[zingalong]

I pressume you're going to do battlegrounds, i would say either go arcane or fire.

Personally i find fire the most fun, and has far from poor survivability, you got DB, BW, CS and Fireblast stun (if proc'ed) as interrupts/disorient effects. Not to mention that fiery payback now has a 10% chance of disarming mainhands/ranged weapon.

Try the specs, you can always respec again, take what suits you the best : )

Good luck.

[Swizzle]

a shatter combo is when you abuse the frostbolt travel time to obtain a triple damage crit ice lance along with the original "shatter" crit frostbolt on a frozen target. also works with deep freeze

[Satair]

nah i wanna do arenas it going to suck yeah yeah I know but thats what im going to do

[Chilla]

Try one of these 2:

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?mage...0&version=9806

or

http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?mage...0&version=9806

The last glyph in each one is your choice between poly, mana gem, icy veins, etc. :P

GL ;D

[Satair]

so i got all the hateful gear and most of the extra stuff still missing some things, but what should I gem for I have heard SPower or Spen and Resilance so I don't really know

[qae]

a shatter combo is when you abuse the frostbolt travel time to obtain a triple damage crit ice lance along with the original "shatter" crit frostbolt on a frozen target. also works with deep freeze

Actually this is a misconception. This has nothing to do with *travel time*

You can shatter combo with Scorch + IL or AB + IL and neither Scorch nor AB have a travel time.

The point is launching 2 spells at the exact same time, and it's done by casting an instant spell exactly when you casting finish (in order to counter the latency issues you may want to spamm the instant - IL - while you are casting the spell - FB )

Since the 2 spells are fired exactly at the same time, they both get the *frozen target* effect, because the target was actually frozen when they were both fired.


The *shattercombo* effect are encountered in many situations, but they are especially usefull to Frost mage for the FB + IL combo.

As an Elementalist mage (00/53/18) I use a Scorch + Fireblast combo on frozen targets to proc a Hot Streak.

[Meri]

For battlegrounds where you have chance not to be focused I'd say Arcane is a way to go, you have good burst, good survivability and a powerful instant spell at your disposal
Frost is a way better for arena tho, it has extreme survivability (together with the glyph of ice barrier and 1700~sp your ib will be able to absorb ~6k dmg every 20-few seconds). Other glyph to take would be glyph of evocation which will give you some healing capability on arena. The last one depends on your setup, if your teammate is dotter then take glyph of polymorph, otherwise pick up icy veins for additional anti-snare.

About shatter combo. You know that frost has +100% frost crit damage and ice lance deals triple damage against frozen target right? So now imagine you have water elemental up, and opponent is running towards you from the distance. You start casting frostbolt at him, just before your cast goes off you cast elemental's frost nova on your opponent and as soon as frostbolt lunches you cast ice lance. This way your opponent gets frozen and then hit by 50% crit frostbolt and 50% crit-triple damage ice lance before he has time to act and remove the nova effect from himself.

Gear on frost, you want spell power and value haste over the crit, that would be all
Also 400+ resil would be nice.

[Swizzle]

Spells are "created" when they leave the mage's hands, not when they hit their target.
All frostspells gain 50% crit against frozen targets, icelance gains 300% dmg against frozen targets (if I remember that right.)

Because of this facts, a shatter combo (shatter from the mage skill shatter) works like this:

The mage puts his victim in a frostnova (his own or his pet's) and casts a frostbolt. When the frostbolt ist launched it is created with the +50% crit from shatter but does not break the frostnova (because it did not hit yet).
Frostbolts have a casttime above 1.5 secs so the global cooldown is away again when the frostbolt is "in the air". Now the mage casts an instant icelance. Because the victim is still frozen it gains 50% crit and 300% dmg.
Now both spells hit nearly at the same time and do a lot of dmg

yup, has nothing to do with frostbolt travel time.

[qae]

then how can you do a AB+IL or Scorch+IL shatter combo?

Edit : ok I admit that doing a Shattercombo FB+IL is easier, because even if you doesn't time perfectly your IL, the travel time of FB saves you.

[Deleted]

You spam Ice Lance button..

[Swizzle]

then how can you do a AB+IL or Scorch+IL shatter combo?

Edit : ok I admit that doing a Shattercombo FB+IL is easier, because even if you doesn't time perfectly your IL, the travel time of FB saves you.

those aren't shatter combos.

[rathok]

Frost > arcane except in rare 3v3 situations but in all honesty for BGs arcane is just as good and lots of fun to play. I do love frost though, the survivability and burst it can put out is definitely tits. Mages are probably one of the hardest classes to play well in the arena. 3 simple macros will greatly improve your gameplay.
1) polymorph:

/focus
/cast Polymorph

2) focus polymorph
/cast [target=focus] Polymorph

3)focus counterspell
/cast [target=focus] Counterspell

This way you dont have to spend all your time switching targets. If you can effectively use focus polys/counterspells you will improve your teams rating by 200, easy. Mages in the arena are there strictly for well timed burst, CC and well timed silences/interupts. The more damage you can put out while keeping their team's CC target CCed the better you will be.

[Marvdatboi]

I'd definitely suggest Frost. Survivability and Control. However other specs are definitely viable such as Arcane or Elemental.

[qae]

those aren't shatter combos.

Those ARE shatter combo.. since the 2 spells get the benefit of *Frozen target*

Try it.. it's easy to check.