[6.0] Fire FAQ & mini guide for level 90!

[Deleted]

Crossposting this from http://altered-time.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=597 - So formatting may be a bit wonky here and there since I just copied it and removed tags that MMOC doesn't support. Sadly MMOC doesn't support wowhead tooltips, so you're going to have to click the urls to see the items I'm referring to. (Or just check the original post for better readability)

Since there's been so many (of the same) questions I've decided to make a quick miniguide/FAQ to deal with these.


I advise beginners to read IV's fire guide for 6.0 first, and then come back and read this thread if you still got any questions. (http://www.icy-veins.com/wow/fire-mage-pve-dps-guide)


Table of contents:
- When can I go fire?
- What gems should I use? Should I go for socket bonuses?
- What trinkets should I use?
- Two piece t16 or four piece t16? What offpiece(s)?
- How do I combust most optimally now?
- Living Bomb? Blast wave? Unstable Magic? What do I use when?
- Stat priorities?????


When can I go fire?
Minimum ~35% self buffed crit & 4pc t16. If you don't have 4pc t16, you should have at least like 50% self buffed crit, preferably more.


What gems should I use? Should I go for socket bonuses?
Red: http://wod.wowhead.com/item=76659 or http://wod.wowhead.com/item=76681 (Same gem, doesnt matter which one you pick.)
Yellow: http://wod.wowhead.com/spell=107713
Blue: http://wod.wowhead.com/item=76636

Go for socket bonuses which are a minimum of 4 intellect per red socket. Always go for yellow/blue socket bonuses.
Example: http://wod.wowhead.com/item=99401 has 2 red sockets, for an 8 int bonus. This is 4 int per red socket, so you should go for this bonus.

There's one exception, and this is when you're less than 20% haste. At this point, you want to ignore all red sockets and just gem pure crit. (Except obvious ones, like 1 red socket for 11 int, still go for those)


What trinkets should I use?
Always use http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105422 aslong as it's within 2 "tiers" of your other available trinkets. (So use flex PBOI over heroic other trinkets. But use heroic warforged trinkets over PBOI)

Then take your highest item level trinket between http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105540 and http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105648.
If both are equal item level, use http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105540.

All other trinkets suck.


Two piece t16 or four piece t16? What offpiece(s)?
Use four pieces of tier 16.

Most optimal offpiece: http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105420
Second most optimal offpiece: http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105464
Third/fourth most optimal offpiece: http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105613 equal to http://wod.wowhead.com/item=105604, gloves being better on fast kills, chest on long kills.


How do I combust most optimally now?
Get something that tracks ignite values. I personally use weakauras for this, but addons like combustionhelper or mybigignite work as well if they're updated.

My weakaura:

dyKlfaGis5ssvXOuP6uGOxPc1Sur6wOsAxK4xQqggkogQAzukptQQMgPkxJs12ic(grQXre6CKkEhPs5EsvyFerDqIKwiPQEOuLmrujCrPkAJe8rsLQrse5KGYkrfZKiXnjvYoLk)KI0qrLOLIkLNQQPsHRQcmxvq7f5VGKbRCyIAXuuEmjnzq1LPAZuYNj0ObHtd51QiMnkDBvk7gQFd0WvrTCP8CatxY1vjBhvQ(UuLA8ueNhKA9svP5tr1(ft8Kb9i6HHlVzjR6hctfedC4F2zzHsa1COGHvryVjxo9a0BtHrrhfB0FJE40dNmOhoc4mRm0gUjf99rLE1lGc8MHBsrV1fwTqG47qMfozzzzSGQYSzirmQ8SEKb4SUADN3(PzhGrLuVAY31k5MOxANMPbteJkx70mmI90mnjjvUPlHdKIgKqQBzHtwwwgYkdjIrLNfZ7rggXMvq44WjllllllldzLHeXOYZKCgpdddtwbHJdNSSSSSSSSSSSSMxxnCMM5QccmmccmmAkkwSGGT7irmQ8J4pwXoKzkkzAAHtwwwwwwwMZc4iRmKigvEMKLMHHjlRGWXHtwwwwwwwwwwwwZRRgotZCvbbbbbbggnfflwqW2DKigv(r8hRyhYmfLmnTWjlllllllZzbCKvgseJkptYz2zyyYkiCC4KLLLLLLLLLLL186QHZ0mxvqqqWUezy0uuSybbB3rIyu5hXFSIDiZuuY00cNSSSSSSSmNfWdNSSSSSSSSSSSSMxxnCMM5QccccmmmmAkkwSGGT7irmQ8J4pwXoKzkkzAAHtwwwwwwwMJHhozzzzogE44y40BbIlbwzra6n9adPaRRN0xnKOO3id6XY3CaYG64PhMigvov0FHrf9LCt0l6b7n2uml0K(0d3n7YYYa6Zo9ssQCtxchifQOhUdixxn5YjZOhchjcrrc6WWinVo2SjTD941HVFjqwCvpDONfugozqFdK1jd6VDXwiYGkQO)cWHc7C3BKz0Fb4qbC2vj9Ph4SRsg0dGWISo1zJkQO3cexpQVo1Xlb6HJaoZkd9xYQNaqFFaOV5IiqSb0ND6l3KIEGsw9eGEbIlze(MJl6H19W4IEsFFbbVrDm0JubXK(0ldhoQqGyzwOQgsu0BaKbv0dui1tGMlUAYfcetMrFVrWliibP7NxI9lbP555TXlnVDBKfx1th6H2ullaVOoUkrg6ryU7naNmJE81nJgsu0Bauhp9i40dteJkpZWnPOx(Qaj9PhOKvpbGlbr4IE9n1WWuDXny6UKmOVCtQEbYc2idQJN64PoBuhp11p1XtD6rD8urf9YKb9WeXOYPhgU8MLSQFimvqmWH)zNLfkbuZHcgwfH9MC5urp3PoE9SXqfra

Ignite values swing up and down every hits/couple of seconds, the key to big combustions is to notice these swings and make sure you use combustion at the top of one of these swings.

The ingredients for a good combustion are: Both trinkets procced, 4pc, a lot of multistrike luck.

What you want to do is the following:
- Get at least 1 trinket proc, preferably both.
- Get a heating up proc -> inferno blast. (for 4pc)
- Keep casting fireballs until you got a new heating up proc, so you have both pyroblast! and Heating Up.
- While fireball is in the air, start spamming pyroblasts. If you get a bit lucky, you should get 3 pyros in a row, all during your intellect procs. If you get even more lucky, you get some (double) multistrikes from your pyros. During your pyro spam, take note of your ignite value, and watch it going up/down a bit. At the peak of your ignite, use combustion.
- If during the 3 pyroblasts your ignite LOWERED from the third pyroblast hitting the boss, cast inferno blast (and a new pyroblast if it procs) after it, and use combustion off of that.

The biggest thing to note is, your high/low points of ignite. You need to start understanding what a "high" ignite is for your character, and what a low ignite is for your character, and judge your combustions off of that. In general, if you get 3 pyroblasts in a row during 2 intellect procs, that will be your best moment to combustion. However, multistrikes make it a lot more random, so watch for random ignite spikes.

An example ignite from my character (587 ilvl, decent mastery, not super high though) a high ignite is like 12k, whereas an acceptable one for combustion is 9k+. If I see 15k+ ignite I instantly combust, because that's very high for my character. My rank 1 parses were all done with less than 13k ignites, so it's not that big of a deal to aim extremely high.


Living Bomb? Blast wave? Unstable Magic? What do I use when?
NEVER use Living bomb on a pure single target fight! It is a DPS LOSS to use Living Bomb in a single target scenario.

- For pure single target, use unstable magic.
- For AoE DPS for short periods of time use Blast Wave.
- For prolonged periods of cleaving between 2+ targets, use Living Bomb, and make sure you spread it before it explodes.

Stat priorities????
Crit > mastery = haste till ~20% > multistrike > haste = int > spellpower > versatility.

Mastery = haste till ~20% only applies when using t16 2pc.

Being less than 20% haste is fine, but crit becomes even more valuable then, and you will want to ignore all socket bonuses and go for pure crit. (Except very obvious socket bonuses, like 1 red socket for 11 int)

[LocNess]

Good quick guide for people switching to Fire, thanks Dutch. A lot easier to read than my long, drawn out mess

[Deleted]

Nice guid mate !
What is currently better at the moment: fire or Arcane ? (im lvl 579 )

[LocNess]

Nice guid mate !
What is currently better at the moment: fire or Arcane ? (im lvl 579 )

Fire will be the top damage at level 90 for now.

[Deleted]

Fire will be the top damage at level 90 for now.

and what are the stats priority ?

Crit-mastery-haste
or
crit-haste-mastery ?

[Deleted]

and what are the stats priority ?

Crit-mastery-haste
or
crit-haste-mastery ?

Crit > mastery > multistrike > int = haste > versatility

[Exostential]

Crit > mastery > multistrike > int = haste > versatility

This is a little surprising, but I've been following your math and you seem to know what you're doing. Is their a haste point we should try not to go any lower? I've got a few optional pieces and want to make sure I'm not giving up too much for mastery. Also does this mean we should be going for the crit enchant on cloak instead of int? Bracers?

[Deleted]

This is a little surprising, but I've been following your math and you seem to know what you're doing. Is their a haste point we should try not to go any lower? I've got a few optional pieces and want to make sure I'm not giving up too much for mastery. Also does this mean we should be going for the crit enchant on cloak instead of int? Bracers?

25% Haste is what I would consider the only "breakpoint" of haste that we have. At 25% haste (buffed), we can cast 2 fireballs inbetween camping pyros. This makes it a lot easier to keep up your 2pc stacks. With less than 25% haste, you can only fit 1 fireball inbetween pyro camping, meaning if not both pyro and fireball crit, you're ending your pyro+hu chain. With 25% haste you only need one of them to crit however, and then you got 2 fireball to give you a new HU.

So if I was a bit more specific: Crit > mastery = haste till 25% > multistrike > haste = int > versatility.

[Exostential]

So does that mean crit on the cloak? Also is 10 crit for blasting on gloves better than 13 mastery?

[Deleted]

So does that mean crit on the cloak? Also is 10 crit for blasting on gloves better than 13 mastery?

Crit on cloak, mastery on gloves.

[Goreguttz]

Awesome mini guide... Coming back from a month of Destiny and I'm like aaaaaaaamg what to do lol.

[angermage]

I have the heroic tier chest and gloves. Normal tier helm, shoulders and legs. I have non tier heroic helm, shoulders and legs. Do i go with all heroic pieces and break my 4 piece? I have 55%+ going with full heroic gear and breaking my 4 piece.

[willemh]

Crit on cloak, mastery on gloves.

Actually you want to go for 20 spellpower on gloves http://wod.wowhead.com/spell=33999

You can also get 15 spellpower on bracer, 10crit 10 haste on boots

[Deleted]

Actually you want to go for 20 spellpower on gloves http://wod.wowhead.com/spell=33999

You can also get 15 spellpower on bracer, 10crit 10 haste on boots

Most of this has been hotfixed.

[Azobank]

Most of this has been hotfixed.

Still show on my character. Exception is +6 stats (Exceptional stats, not allowed to link.) on chest which show up as 3.

- - - Updated - - -

Crit > mastery > multistrike > int = haste > versatility

1 crit rating is worth more then 1 spellpower?

[Song]

I'm 584, 51% crit. I can only seem to get as high as 5k ignites...what am I doing wrong? I'm very new to fire.


When trying to combust etc, I build up to pryo! and then i get a heating up as well, cast fire ball, and use pyro, if one crits I get another pryo! and i cast and get another heating up, then again, for like 2-3 pyros and then combust. But my ignite rarely goes above 5k..


Also, here is a good question I took this from iceyveins:

When upgrading heating up to pyroblast with Inferno Blast, do not use the instant-cast Pyroblast just yet. Keep casting Fireball until you get another Heating Up. When this happens, cast Fireball again immediately followed by your instant-cast Pyroblast. Fireball and Pyroblast will land on the target at the same time and if any of them is a critical strike, then your current Heating Up will be upgraded and will give you another instant-cast Pyroblast.

The bolded part, do i USE that instant cast pyro blast, or do I keep spamming fireball till heating up procs *again* with it and repeat?

[Malfecto]

Thank you for this guide. I was frost forever before my 5 month break. Tbe portion on pyro series and ignite expectations were really helpful, as well as the tier info.

Thanks also to Loc. Your guide is full of great info too that helped.

I know the mage forum gets testy at times, but it is still my favorite community.

[Azobank]

I'm 584, 51% crit. I can only seem to get as high as 5k ignites...what am I doing wrong? I'm very new to fire.

In what situation? On training dummie with 377 mastery and 2565 spell power I can reach 6K tops. In normal I think I peaked 13K, first proper raid for my mage is tomorrow. Stat buff, mastery buff, skull banner, 5% extra magic damage taken on target etcetera ads up a lot.

then your current Heating Up will be upgraded and will give you another instant-cast Pyroblast.

The bolded part, do i USE that instant cast pyro blast, or do I keep spamming fireball till heating up procs *again* with it and repeat?

No. The idea is to camp pyroblast. In other words always try to keepa pyroblast! on yourself. When you've pyroblast!+heating up you cast a fireball and a pyroblast at the "same time" to take advantage of the 0,5 second window spells have to crit. Exception is if you got 4 or 5 stacks of potent flames which is about to run out, then you can cast pyroblast anyway to keep that buff up. Other exception is trinket procs especially BBoY, at high stacks of BBoY you want to get as many pyroblats of as possible and therefor stop camping and start dumping. On single-target I don't bother dumping on PBoI for maybe the last seconds, when there's multiple target I don't camp and try to use inferno blast off CD to spread ignite.

But in general camp "pyroblast!".

[Song]

Thanks very much for the reply Azobank! And I should have specified, but the situation is on training dummies self buffed. Also, yeah that's what i was trying to say is, should I hold the pyros and wait for heating up, then use them both and repeat

[Azobank]

Also, yeah that's what i was trying to say is, should I hold the pyros and wait for heating up, then use them both and repeat

I split it.

should I hold the pyros and wait for heating up

Yes.

then use them both and repeat

No. Use one.

Exceptions is;

Building ignite for combustion. Want to cast as many heavy spells as posible to get higher ignite.
Trinekt proc. Want to cast as many heavy spells during some procs and/or buffs. After patch I do not know for sure what is worht and not.
Multiple targets. If inferno blast is of CD you want to cast many pyroblasts to get high ignite which you can spread to other target with inferno blast.