Fire Mage AoE rotation

[Deleted]

What is the optimal rotation for a fire mage when there's a group of enemies. And how many enemies do you need to make it worth using aoe abilities and not just spread living bomb with inferno blast and then single target?

Thank you.

[wrathblade]

use your combustion on the adds.
spread it using inferno blast.

do a flame strike for the lols seeing your dmg will skyrocket

[Imnick]

Inferno Blast has a cap of 3 targets

[Deleted]

Inferno Blast has a cap of 3 targets

You're a legend on these forums, don't ever stop posting! I've learned alot about my mage from you and I hope to learn alot more.

[Blayzee]

2 – 4 targets:
Evocation 1 - 2 sec before buff expires, Incanter’s Ward when guaranteed incoming damage (either raidwide or deliberate running into bad), or Rune of Power 1 - 2 sec before the rune expires.
Combustion when Pyro DoT and a large Ignite DoT are on target.
Mirror Image on CD (unless the fight is not likely to last another 30 sec, or unless you're keeping it in reserve for aggro dumping)
If both Pyro! and HU are procced:
LB if about to expire.
Fireball.
Pyro!
Inferno Blast when HU procs (if HU procs with IB on CD, keep casting your filler instead).
Living Bomb/Nether Tempest on or just before expiry, or Frost Bomb on CD
IB to spread DoTs
If Combustion is off CD, cast to reset IB’s CD
Pyro when it procs*
Fireball (or glyphed FFB) as filler if Pyro DoT is on target, Scorch as filler if it isn't (and you have the talent)

5+ targets
Evocation 1 - 2 sec before buff expires, Incanter’s Ward when guaranteed incoming damage (either raidwide or deliberate running into bad), or Rune of Power 1 - 2 sec before the rune expires.
Living Bomb/Nether Tempest on or just before expiry, or Frost Bomb on CD
IB to spread DoTs
Combustion to reset IB’s CD.
Flamestrike on CD
Mirror Image on CD (unless the fight is not likely to last another 30 sec, or unless you're keeping it in reserve for aggro dumping)
Blizzard or Arcane Explosion

Taken from elitist jerks. Hope this helps.

[Imnick]

You're a legend on these forums, don't ever stop posting! I've learned alot about my mage from you and I hope to learn alot more.

While I'm flattered, I'm only sharing information present on the tooltip!
Impact spreading Combustion was indeed a wonderful source of AOE damage in Cataclsym but unfortunately it doesn't work since Mists of Pandaria came out and I guess some people haven't noticed.

The above list of spells by Blayzee seems pretty accurate as far as I can tell.
I understand completely why Blizzard wanted to limit Mages putting Combustion on absolutely everything (it was completely imbalanced!) but I'm slightly saddened that they haven't really provided any new alternative.

All Mages now AOE using the same spells, as Flamestrike, Blizzard and Explosion are baseline. Frost Bomb and Living Bomb both also provide very competitive AOE damage, but are also not spec-specific.

Arcane is forced to use Explosion because it's the only one that keeps their charges up, but it doesn't really seem to generate any additional charges at anywhere near an acceptable rate which means they can't use their other mechanic (cleaving with Arcane Barrage) particularly effectively.

Frost Mages have Frozen Orb, one of the most powerful AOE spells in the game, but that has a one minute cooldown and while it'd on CD they're stuck with Flamestrike and Blizzard, exactly like a Fire Mage. Worse, they generate FoF charges with both Frozen Orb and Blizzard but have no AOE finisher to consume them on, making them entirely worthless until the AOE period ends.

Fire is the worst off of the lot. The only unique spell they have for AOE is Inferno Blast which is really limited to cleave damage rather than proper AOE. Against a large number of targets you will usually just be relying on your Mage Bomb for the biggest damage, Flamestrike for a DoT and then adding something else as Filler.

Fortunately there's not really any fight in this tier where heavy AOE is required, but some greater ability to provide it would have been appreciated!
I doubt it will come now until the 6.0 patch but I would really have liked to see more spec-based variation between the AOE capabilities of Mages.

[Polarthief]

Fire? Non-Cleave AoE?

Doesn't exist, sorry.

[Darcyn]

While I'm flattered, I'm only sharing information present on the tooltip!
Impact spreading Combustion was indeed a wonderful source of AOE damage in Cataclsym but unfortunately it doesn't work since Mists of Pandaria came out and I guess some people haven't noticed.

The above list of spells by Blayzee seems pretty accurate as far as I can tell.
I understand completely why Blizzard wanted to limit Mages putting Combustion on absolutely everything (it was completely imbalanced!) but I'm slightly saddened that they haven't really provided any new alternative.

All Mages now AOE using the same spells, as Flamestrike, Blizzard and Explosion are baseline. Frost Bomb and Living Bomb both also provide very competitive AOE damage, but are also not spec-specific.

Arcane is forced to use Explosion because it's the only one that keeps their charges up, but it doesn't really seem to generate any additional charges at anywhere near an acceptable rate which means they can't use their other mechanic (cleaving with Arcane Barrage) particularly effectively.

Frost Mages have Frozen Orb, one of the most powerful AOE spells in the game, but that has a one minute cooldown and while it'd on CD they're stuck with Flamestrike and Blizzard, exactly like a Fire Mage. Worse, they generate FoF charges with both Frozen Orb and Blizzard but have no AOE finisher to consume them on, making them entirely worthless until the AOE period ends.

Fire is the worst off of the lot. The only unique spell they have for AOE is Inferno Blast which is really limited to cleave damage rather than proper AOE. Against a large number of targets you will usually just be relying on your Mage Bomb for the biggest damage, Flamestrike for a DoT and then adding something else as Filler.

Fortunately there's not really any fight in this tier where heavy AOE is required, but some greater ability to provide it would have been appreciated!
I doubt it will come now until the 6.0 patch but I would really have liked to see more spec-based variation between the AOE capabilities of Mages.

I think he was being sarcastic o_O

[Imnick]

I did suspect that too, but thought the best way to deal with it was to take it entirely seriously and then just in case he was being sarcastic, provide more information than anyone else in the topic

This also has the added bonus of not being completely off topic and actually helping the guy who is asking for help.

Besides I am a legend, let's be honest here. I deserve some kind of plaque or maybe a small statue.
It doesn't have to be solid gold, gilt will do. I'm not fussy.

[Darcyn]

We have the best sculptors in the world working on it. We were planning a surprise party but meh im telling it.

Enough offtopic for me imo =)

[Deleted]

Living Bomb/Nether Tempest on or just before expiry, or Frost Bomb on CD

Surely its best to let the Living bomb drop off to gain the AoE damage from the explosion. Or am I seeing this completely wrong? I only started playing mage last week.

[Decimation2g]

Surely its best to let the Living bomb drop off to gain the AoE damage from the explosion. Or am I seeing this completely wrong? I only started playing mage last week.

In past expansions this was true. However in MoP you can refresh with less than 1 second to refresh and cause LB to explode.

[Deleted]

In past expansions this was true. However in MoP you can refresh with less than 1 second to refresh and cause LB to explode.

Fair enough. Cheers for the clarification.

[Imnick]

In past expansions this was true. However in MoP you can refresh with less than 1 second to refresh and cause LB to explode.

It is in fact less than 3 seconds, scaling with haste (so more like 2.66 seconds at current gear levels).

[reflection]

What happens if I do first spread combustion to two targets and after the next CD I hit Infernoblast again? Does it spread to two more targets?