Top raiding spec?

[Onahail]

I've heard people say Arcane and people say Fire. Which is it? And whats the best spec for Fire if that is the best spec.

[foralexlul]

Depends on the boss now , usually mages have 1 arcane spec and 1 fire spec for ICC HM's,and depends on each fight or personal preference what you think is better for that situation.

[Boonzorsx]

Arcane is the personal higher dps spec.
Fire is raid higher dps spec ( well, depending on ur raid composition ).
I am not sure, but i think i red that firebolt spec does more damage them scorch spec, but someone else will have to confirm that.

[Muffinator]

Arcane is the personal higher dps spec.
Fire is raid higher dps spec ( well, depending on ur raid composition ).
I am not sure, but i think i red that firebolt spec does more damage them scorch spec, but someone else will have to confirm that.

What the fuck? Clarify?

Do you mean Fireball and Frostfirebolt spec?

[Rugz]

whats the best spec for Fire if that is the best spec.

FAQ

Arcane is the personal higher dps spec.
Fire is raid higher dps spec

Huh?

[Odexy]

Huh?

I think he means that fire gives more raid utility because of the crit buff. However, I wouldn't say this is the case anymore considering the raid buff arcane was given...

[Deleted]

I have both speccs and from my experience if there is movement both speccs come out more or less the same, however if the fight is longer (the higher the boss HP) then fire will come out ontop.

You want -35% phase to be as long as possible then fire will really shine.

[Rugz]

I think he means that fire gives more raid utility because of the crit buff. However, I wouldn't say this is the case anymore considering the raid buff arcane was given...

Retadins already gave the 3% damage arcane was given, and demo locks give the 5% crit of fire. Neither mage spec brings a buff to a balanced 25 man comp. If we're talking 10man then the top spec probably will be the one which brings the buff you don't have.

[dr0nzer]

Play both, Fire for LK Heroic and Gunship, Arc for the rest.
Arc will pretty much cut it for all of the WotLK raid content, prehaps Fire will make a stronger comeback come catalysm.

[DirewolfX]

I have both speccs and from my experience if there is movement both speccs come out more or less the same, however if the fight is longer (the higher the boss HP) then fire will come out ontop.

You want -35% phase to be as long as possible then fire will really shine.

That's not true, because with a longer boss fight, the non-35% phase where Molten Fury is not active will also be longer. Fire shines on fights where the boss starts with less than maximum health and goes to 0% (like Vaelastrasz).

Arcane and Fire are both very competitive right now. The FAQ should have good specs for both trees. Arcane will general be slightly higher DPS in a straight stand-and-nuke competition, while Fire is a little stronger against fights with aoe or mobility. Personal skill and preference will player a bigger role for the average player than talent tree choice, although hardcore raiders will probably be using both specs to optimize for different boss fights.

[Kankuri]

Honestly, its all about play style. My Mage is TTW/Fire, and I slaughter Arcane Mages on the damage meters all the time because they don't know how to play. I've raided as Arcane, Frostfire, and TTW/Fire, and my personal favorite is TTW/Fire. Arcane is too damn easy for me to take seriously. I don't know if I'm making much sense at the moment. I just woke up XD

[Rugz]

That's not true, because with a longer boss fight, the non-35% phase where Molten Fury is not active will also be longer. Fire shines on fights where the boss starts with less than maximum health and goes to 0% (like Vaelastrasz).

True, perhaps the wording should have been that fire is stronger where the >35% phase is the most important. Saurfang, Putricide, Sindrigosa, any fight with a challenging phaseshift at low % hp will benefit Molten Fury more.

[Fingertricks]

Both are very good. Fire is more for a movement fights such as Professor Putricide, Blood Council, LDW, Gunship etc. but Arcane is good for fights like Festergut, Saurfang and low-movement fights. Myself, I mainly just stick with the Arcane Spec.

[Jiklim]

Honestly, its all about play style. My Mage is TTW/Fire, and I slaughter Arcane Mages on the damage meters all the time because they don't know how to play. I've raided as Arcane, Frostfire, and TTW/Fire, and my personal favorite is TTW/Fire. Arcane is too damn easy for me to take seriously. I don't know if I'm making much sense at the moment. I just woke up XD

^This^ Except for the part that I just woke up.

[shadowrx]

Arcane and Fire are both very competitive right now. The FAQ should have good specs for both trees. Arcane will general be slightly higher DPS in a straight stand-and-nuke competition, while Fire is a little stronger against fights with aoe or mobility. Personal skill and preference will player a bigger role for the average player than talent tree choice, although hardcore raiders will probably be using both specs to optimize for different boss fights.

This is the best answer. In essence there is no 'right' answer. A few bosses favor one spec or another. But played with skill, both fire and arcane can be a solid contributor to the raid team for every encounter in ICC.

[silentk59]

I say Fire. I have been usng it the whole time I leveled my mage and continue to use it in raids. I completely owned this Arcane mage in dps in ICC. We both had a GS of 5200 and my AoE was 10k and his was like 6. then on Marrowgar I ended with like 6k and him with 5. He could have been horrible I dont know but I know for a fact I can out dps any Arcane mage when it comes to AoE even if he out gears me(unless its by like 1000GS). And my single target dps is considerably high. Like I said my GS is 5200 and I hit 7k on most heroicboss fights, weakly buffed. I recommend fire all the way, not to mention its way funer. Arcane is honestly a joke, a five year old could master the roto in a day.

[nerfproof]

I say Fire. I have been usng it the whole time I leveled my mage and continue to use it in raids. I completely owned this Arcane mage in dps in ICC. We both had a GS of 5200 and my AoE was 10k and his was like 6. then on Marrowgar I ended with like 6k and him with 5. He could have been horrible I dont know but I know for a fact I can out dps any Arcane mage when it comes to AoE even if he out gears me(unless its by like 1000GS). And my single target dps is considerably high. Like I said my GS is 5200 and I hit 7k on most heroicboss fights, weakly buffed. I recommend fire all the way, not to mention its way funer. Arcane is honestly a joke, a five year old could master the roto in a day.

Being a fellow Fire Mage I'm going to say this as nice as I can...just because you beat 1 Arcane Mage doesn't mean the spec is a joke. There plenty of fights in ICC were Arcane is still the preffered spec. So I wouldnt just say its a joke because you out dpsed some scrub in a pug. I know Arcane Mages on my server with the same GS you have who are doing 12k on trash and 8k on bosses.

[Swizzle]

I say Fire. I have been usng it the whole time I leveled my mage and continue to use it in raids. I completely owned this Arcane mage in dps in ICC. We both had a GS of 5200 and my AoE was 10k and his was like 6. then on Marrowgar I ended with like 6k and him with 5. He could have been horrible I dont know but I know for a fact I can out dps any Arcane mage when it comes to AoE even if he out gears me(unless its by like 1000GS). And my single target dps is considerably high. Like I said my GS is 5200 and I hit 7k on most heroicboss fights, weakly buffed. I recommend fire all the way, not to mention its way funer. Arcane is honestly a joke, a five year old could master the roto in a day.

so your logic is: an AoE spec out DPSd a single target spec? no fuckin' way bro!!!!

[baelon]

One of the nice things about fire which I haven't seen mentioned is gear - all of the arcane-friendly haste gear comes from drops, while the 264 emblem gear, BoEs and crafteds mostly don't have haste, and instead are loaded with crit. If you don't have a steady, good guild - or if you simply have awful luck on drops, terrible dice, etc. - you'll end up way low on haste, which is bad news for arcane... but great for fire.

Since making fire my second spec I only swap to arcane for a few fights, and during those fights I find myself wishing I was fire. Specifically, Lady DW, Saurfang and the LK. The damage from each is comparable with the gear I have (with better-itemized haste gear arcane would probably pull ahead) but I'm having a lot more fun as fire which is why I'm playing in the first place.