Fire Mage Guide

[Methusula]

Awesome thanks.

With my gear, should i be worried about the haste cap, or should i concentrate on getting my crit upto say 40% self buffed first, then moving towards haste as the gear comes?

You always max crit. The focus for this discussion is what to prioritize after crit, which is haste up to 5036. If you can't reach 5036 without sacrificing crit, don't do it.

[mrgreenthump]

Awesome thanks.

With my gear, should i be worried about the haste cap, or should i concentrate on getting my crit upto say 40% self buffed first, then moving towards haste as the gear comes?

Depends how close you are with full crit reforge, if its only like 100 rating, then sure go for it, but if its way out there, I think the loss of crit will result in more grey hairs if nothing else. And at 40% selfbuffed, you should have enough stat budged to clear the 5100 hit, reforge full crit and still get 5036 haste. So you will reach the haste when you reach it pretty much, it's just after that point that you might want to start looking at mastery.

[Insomlol]

You always max crit. The focus for this discussion is what to prioritize after crit, which is haste up to 5036. If you can't reach 5036 without sacrificing crit, don't do it.

Thanks alot! Your input and feedback is greatly appreciated.

Depends how close you are with full crit reforge, if its only like 100 rating, then sure go for it, but if its way out there, I think the loss of crit will result in more grey hairs if nothing else. And at 40% selfbuffed, you should have enough stat budged to clear the 5100 hit, reforge full crit and still get 5036 haste. So you will reach the haste when you reach it pretty much, it's just after that point that you might want to start looking at mastery.

I will take a look when i get home at my values, i dont think i come anywhere close to 5036 haste, but that was with reforgelite default figures.

Thanks!

[voltaa]

You always max crit. The focus for this discussion is what to prioritize after crit, which is haste up to 5036. If you can't reach 5036 without sacrificing crit, don't do it.

no, after 3056 go mastery til you can reach 5036, combustion damage>0.00001s faster cast

[Insomlol]

no, after 3056 go mastery til you can reach 5036, combustion damage>0.00001s faster cast

Sorry, do you mean 3056 or 5036?

I changed the weights, and if i goto 5036 haste, then it drops me to 23% mastery (from 27%) Ill test that out tonight and see how we go

[voltaa]

Sorry, do you mean 3056 or 5036?

I changed the weights, and if i goto 5036 haste, then it drops me to 23% mastery (from 27%) Ill test that out tonight and see how we go

if you can reach 5036, go 5036, if not go 3056 then mastery is what i meant

[jocko1972]

WHAT IS OPTIMUM LEVEL TO SWITCH TO FIRE PVE RAIDING?

Currently a 516 Frost Mage, for both remainder of 5.3 and 5.4 at what ilevel does Fire become convincingly better than Frost? ie. when should I switch? If this is already answered I couldn't find it. thanks

[Deleted]

WHAT IS OPTIMUM LEVEL TO SWITCH TO FIRE PVE RAIDING?

Currently a 516 Frost Mage, for both remainder of 5.3 and 5.4 at what ilevel does Fire become convincingly better than Frost? ie. when should I switch? If this is already answered I couldn't find it. thanks

Not so much your itemlevel but yout crit rating and 2 int proc trinkets.

[Frost1129]

WHAT IS OPTIMUM LEVEL TO SWITCH TO FIRE PVE RAIDING?

Currently a 516 Frost Mage, for both remainder of 5.3 and 5.4 at what ilevel does Fire become convincingly better than Frost? ie. when should I switch? If this is already answered I couldn't find it. thanks

If you want a really simple answer, it's around 38-39% crit rating, and with normal trinkets. Higher if you don't have 4pc T15 (./sob)

If you want a more complicated answer - it depends. If you have some boss trinkets, the meta gem, and can reach high levels of haste AND while also being able to take advantage of NT/LB snapshotting at a high level (aka you're a really fucking good frost mage) people have played through 5.3 as frost just fine.

I'd say once you're nearly in BiS heroic gear, however, the ability for superior play to keep the gap closed / close between Fire and Frost will decrease significantly.

[Deleted]

Any update on what the best offpiece is?

Earlier I thought it was agreed that the Horridon head piece was the best, but some people like Kuznam are going for the Primordius chest off piece.

[Deleted]

Any update on what the best offpiece is?

Earlier I thought it was agreed that the Horridon head piece was the best, but some people like Kuznam are going for the Primordius chest off piece.

Horridon head is BiS, Kuznam is using the robe beacuse he hasn't got the head yet (according to Vykina) but the difference is really small although the tier chest is really god cuz of 3 gems.

[Deleted]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind

[lydude]

Quick question, I can obtain another 1.2% crit by losing 1k spell power, is it worth it? Or should I keep the spellpower? I'd be at 37.5% crit and 25090 spellpower by doing this, or 36.3% crit and 26,120 spellpower by not doing it.

[Deleted]

Quick question, I can obtain another 1.2% crit by losing 1k spell power, is it worth it? Or should I keep the spellpower? I'd be at 37.5% crit and 25090 spellpower by doing this, or 36.3% crit and 26,120 spellpower by not doing it.

A dumb answer for a dumb question. Don't play fire at that crappy gear. End of story.

Infracted.

[lydude]

A dumb answer for a dumb question. Don't play fire at that crappy gear. End of story.

...

Don't respond if you don't have anything useful to say.

[Deleted]

Quick question, I can obtain another 1.2% crit by losing 1k spell power, is it worth it? Or should I keep the spellpower? I'd be at 37.5% crit and 25090 spellpower by doing this, or 36.3% crit and 26,120 spellpower by not doing it.

How would you do that? Ignoring socket bonuses etc? Downgrade your weapon to a weapon with crit but with less spellpower? In both scenarios no, don't do that.

[Deleted]

How would you do that? Ignoring socket bonuses etc? Downgrade your weapon to a weapon with crit but with less spellpower? In both scenarios no, don't do that.

My guess is it has something to do with trinkets, Cha-ye vs some Int trinket?... But ye he dont explain much.

@lydude He may have said it in a rude way. But he's got a point, fire at that gear lvl is not so good, frost is better until at least 38% crit, pref. 40+. And your question is kind of "dumb" as it should be self explanatory(even for a guide) that 1k spell power is better than 1.2% crit.. Sometimes you just reap what you sow.

[spaace]

Quick question, I can obtain another 1.2% crit by losing 1k spell power, is it worth it? Or should I keep the spellpower? I'd be at 37.5% crit and 25090 spellpower by doing this, or 36.3% crit and 26,120 spellpower by not doing it.

Fire is decent at almost anything 500+
As to put it past the 2 ignorant people...


Spell power is better then crit.. Even though we need it.. you would never really sacrifice any for more crit.. (like downgrading a weapon)
1.2% crit is lots...

I looked at your armory.. and I seen you did all crit gems? It's good an all.. But you're missing out on tons of int(sp/crit)... So it's not really the best option...
You're also shy on haste..

9 times out of 10, getting socket bonus is better (especially in MOP) becuase since.. FOR EXAMPLE 160 int is very close to 320 crit.. split gems (int/crit) are equally as effective... so using those, getting the bonus from sockets make it worth while...

I dont know your raid and gear idea with your mage.. but drop some valor on weapon up and trinket ups.. it will make a little diff.

[mrgreenthump]

How would you do that? Ignoring socket bonuses etc? Downgrade your weapon to a weapon with crit but with less spellpower? In both scenarios no, don't do that.

Only way that it makes sense is switching weapon/offhand combo to another with lower SP, but that indeed does not make sense as 1.1k sp is over 3% dps even for top geared people

[Deleted]

I love when people call me ignorant. But space do you know the difference between decent, and better/best?.. guess not.
I dont see you playing frost at all(besides pvp) so i am just assuming you never tested the two specs against each other.