If you are wanting to lvl a mage in cataclysm, you may want to reconsider & do it NOW

[BTF777]

From the front page of mmochampion today , I read THIS

Blizzard is now trained at level 52. Up from 18.

Hooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyy crap.... uhhh...... yeah can you say "Entire mage lvling experience RUINED?!"

I have an 80 mage , Blizzard spam was my life lvling up , w/o it it would be hell to lvl a mage because flamestrike blows and arcane explosion is so harsh on mana , you can't really afford to use it on any frequent basis till you're geared at 80

Edit : Yeah sure... the disclaimer of "Nothing in beta is final and is subject to change" but if it doesn't holy crap...

[Chiruru]

You know, you can always...singe target the mobs? Like everyone else? What I've seen so far from cata, lvling is mostly irrelevant because you one-shot most mobs anyways. Also it helps learning you'r spec.

[Icarris]

Not only with the above, but you're basing it on the current leveling experience. It's a safe bet to say things are going to be different whilest leveling in Cataclysm then they are now.

[BTF777]

What do you mean "Like everyone else"

As far as I'm aware locks still got the rain of fire at 20 , Paladins consecrate at like 20 as well , this is essentially a drastic change of taking Mage from BEST low lvl dungeon trash clearer , to the worst...

[Arcilte]

It will suck leveling in dungeons not having Blizzard. But...

•Arcane Explosion is now trained at level 12. Down from 58.

[Daemaro]

Single target. Oh and:

Arcane Explosion is now trained at level 12. Down from 58. You have your basic AoE. AoE grinding isn't the only way to level. Especially with the new quests.

[Deleted]

Well soon to be lvling a goblin mage in cata (only class I don't have at 80 yet so not much choice ) and I don't mind, lv 10 water elemental looks sweet, so yeah, we'll see.

[BTF777]

As of WOTLK Arcane explosion is like lvl 12 anyway , and its really harsh on mana and since it must be done in melee range , if you pull aggro you're going down in 1 sec flat

[Insomnium]

Puh! Back in my days, Arcane Explosion had a Cast time!

[AuthurDent]

I have to agree... that's a pretty lame change. It was the "In Frost We Trust" video that motivated me to level a mage... without some of that AoE grinding action at lower levels... I doubt I'll level a Worgen/Goblin mage as planned.

It wasn't over the top, because there wasn't a lot of rockin' places to use it (casters, rushers, stunners prevented it)... but it was fun when you could.

[Icarris]

As of WOTLK Arcane explosion is like lvl 12 anyway , and its really harsh on mana and since it must be done in melee range , if you pull aggro you're going down in 1 sec flat

They said they're fixing health pools and mana consumption. It's safe to say comparing it to how leveing is now and wrath mechanics is not the wisest thing to do. Relax.

[BTF777]

Relax? I have no reason to not relax my mage is 80 already , I'm saying this stuff for the sake of other aspiring mages

[loki504]

Relax? I have no reason to not relax my mage is 80 already , I'm saying this stuff for the sake of other aspiring mages

i don't mind i can't aoe level any more at low lvl. because you know quests are going to be EPIC!!! i'm not wasting my time on aoe fast leveling while the whole point of cataclysm is so you can see a new world not some places that are good for AOE!!

[Beace]

You know, you can always...singe target the mobs? Like everyone else? What I've seen so far from cata, lvling is mostly irrelevant because you one-shot most mobs anyways. Also it helps learning you'r spec.

Mobs in lvl 80 entry zones have 30k hp, mobs in Deepholm (lvl 82 zone) have hp values between 40-80k. Good luck one-shotting that.

As for the OP, aoe is heavily nerfed in Cataclysm, even if you got blizzard at lvl 10, you wouldn't be using it. The days of Wotlk are over, single target is the new era (for leveling, for dungeons and probably for raids). I think the only ones that might do multi mob pulls while leveling are prot specs.

[lokna]

seeing as you get arcane explosion at 12 i really don't see mutch to complain about use it wise and don't overagro simple as that i got a mage 80 and ye it was easy levling as frost with imp blizz, but people need to learn how to properly use there classes again seeing as cata will prob be a step up from wotlk wich was easier then all of the previous expansions.

so i think its good blizz is implementing changes and you'l prob see alot changing might even change blizzard back to the current levl as the have alot of work on the expansion

[Ayperi]

If that will prevent lvl 85 mages from Blizzard spamming a group of two mobs in dungeons because they never really learned their class different i am ok with that change.
I always go /facepalm when i see a mage pop Blizzard on such small groups.

[killzwitch]

Whenever I'm in a dungeon with a mage whilst lvling a toon I accept that they suck, will suck, only know how to suck. They are always out of mana, always popping blizzard after I've gotten most mobs down to 50% and then cancelling it to run in with arcane explosion. Now these statements wont hold true on you, the educated forum users...but for the scrubs in dungeons, they won't even notice. You should feel bad, 99% of them probably couldnt farm those mobs in Tanaris PirateBay anyways.

[ChaoticMunkey]

This isn't going to stop me rolling a Night Elf Mage. I'm doing it because I want to be part of the highborne and I'm excited about the change in questing in Darkshore. Oh noes I can't AoE grindz mah levels. If that's how you're going to level you really aren't getting the point of Cataclysm.

[ThExPriDe]

I have a level 80 Mage and plan on making another for Alliance during Cataclysm.

And if you think about it, Blizzard is the reason why most mages die anyway, by taking chances with kiting a lot of mobs.

[BTF777]

If that will prevent lvl 85 mages from Blizzard spamming a group of two mobs in dungeons because they never really learned their class different i am ok with that change.
I always go /facepalm when i see a mage pop Blizzard on such small groups.

So you think that making mages not learn about how to use blizzard untill idk... 40 levels friggin later , would actually somehow better inform them of its proper use?