Kuni's Frost Mage PVE Guide (Cataclysm)

[Max Rebo]

My mage is my 4th alt...he's in full 359, but i enjoy playing him. Problem is i never liked fire, hate arcane, but love frost. Is it viable for me to switch back to frost?

I'm gonna link my armory. Please remember its my fourth alt and hadn't until this point really given a flying fuck about making sure i've min-maxed anything. I'd like to start now.

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/characte...drinath/simple

Yes, your gear is fine. Just need to switch specs, reforge, and start pewpewing. I agree that frost has been more fun to play compared to fire and arcane. I just wish that Blizzard would interact with FoF like in Wrath. Then our AoE would be more in line with everyone else.

[ramennoodleking]

Yes, your gear is fine. Just need to switch specs, reforge, and start pewpewing. I agree that frost has been more fun to play compared to fire and arcane. I just wish that Blizzard would interact with FoF like in Wrath. Then our AoE would be more in line with everyone else.

I reforged to 17% hit, and ive got 22.51% crit (close to shatter cap fully raid buffed).

I followed the opener outlined at the start, no potting, but with a flask, and sustained right at 16k. I dpsed for right around5 min

Just doesn't sound right. I'm thinking I'm mismanaging the rotation after the intial cold snap deep freeze crap. I'm using frostfire orb on CD. I think my biggest questions are these:

Do you stop mid cast Frostbolt if you get a brain freeze proc? Do brain freeze procs still need to be used with a FoF proc? Should you stop a frostbolt cast to use icelance if you have 1-2 FoF procs?

[Hinalover]

I found it easier to do a kind-of shatter combo with Frostbolt and FFB/Ice lance whichever I need to use. So say a Brain Freeze Procs, I'll cast a new Frostbolt but spam my FrostFire bolt so that they both go off at the same time. It works for me at least not sure about others.

As for FFB interacting with FoF, no it's best that you use FFB whenever Brain Freeze is up, regardless if you have a FoF up. The main thing with FoF is that your trying to have at least one up whenever you have your Deep Freeze off cooldown. Otherwise, FFB working with FoF is just cherry on top.

[Potato Bus]

I reforged to 17% hit, and ive got 22.51% crit (close to shatter cap fully raid buffed).

I followed the opener outlined at the start, no potting, but with a flask, and sustained right at 16k. I dpsed for right around5 min

Just doesn't sound right. I'm thinking I'm mismanaging the rotation after the intial cold snap deep freeze crap. I'm using frostfire orb on CD. I think my biggest questions are these:

Do you stop mid cast Frostbolt if you get a brain freeze proc? Do brain freeze procs still need to be used with a FoF proc? Should you stop a frostbolt cast to use icelance if you have 1-2 FoF procs?

If you're hitting on a dummy, that's perfectly fine DPS. Frost is reliant on raid buffs a little more than other specs since we usually piggyback the buffs to reach shatter cap, and you're missing 5% int (and 8% spell damage, 5% haste, possibly 4% SP and 3% dmg done too, but all casters suffer from this). Keep in mind also that only the boss level dummies take damage from DF and your results will be skewed positively if you are in cleave range of another dummy (http://www.wowhead.com/spell=83157).

And never break a cast for a proc.

[Max Rebo]

I was going to reply, but Hinalover and Potato Bus wrote pretty much what I would have as well.
I also spam IL when I get a proc while casting Frostbolt. That way you get a nice chunk of damage in what is basically one GCD.

Since you're new to frost, just practice a lot. It takes a bit of time to get a feel for how the procs work. Nothing very difficult, though.

[Karazee]

With Frost gearing being so much easier when you can factor in raid buffs in order to reach the crit cap, would it be safe to assume that Frost might not be as viable (or viable less early on in progression) if you are in a 10-man guild rather than a 25-man guild, since in a 10 man there's no guarantee that you'll have all the buffs and debuffs you need? Seems to me that gearing for it would be much harder and it might not be worth the trouble. Thoughts?

[Max Rebo]

With Frost gearing being so much easier when you can factor in raid buffs in order to reach the crit cap, would it be safe to assume that Frost might not be as viable (or viable less early on in progression) if you are in a 10-man guild rather than a 25-man guild, since in a 10 man there's no guarantee that you'll have all the buffs and debuffs you need? Seems to me that gearing for it would be much harder and it might not be worth the trouble. Thoughts?

I've found this to be true also. We've been mainly raiding 10M lately, so if I go Frost, then I'm usually missing at least 8% crit (5% from a Warlock and 3% from another mage's FM). That's not to say it's bad, but missing out on that much crit can hurt. I'm usually the only mage in our 10M groups, so I feel compelled to provide the 3% damage buff.

[mostlyharmless]

I've been playing frost a bit lately and enjoying it. I just got 4pc T12, hopped in a bh25 late night pug with a bunch of not very geared random people (occ only) 24 people total, fight was over 4 minutes, didn't have a flask on me, but I still pulled 26k which seemed decent all things considered. I just blizzd the ads, wonder if flame strike + blizz would be better? They die so fast. I love running out of fire with FoF up, no dps lost while moving!

My main spec is arcane, so I find that using the revered rep trinket with the trusty old DMC:V is a perfect way to get me the crit I need without compromising my arcane setup (using mirror and chalice). The 1min CD works out really well: every other time I cast FFO, I can activate the trinket, Deep Freeze, then enjoy all the FoF procs while buffed +1277 int.

[Karazee]

I've found this to be true also. We've been mainly raiding 10M lately, so if I go Frost, then I'm usually missing at least 8% crit (5% from a Warlock and 3% from another mage's FM). That's not to say it's bad, but missing out on that much crit can hurt. I'm usually the only mage in our 10M groups, so I feel compelled to provide the 3% damage buff.

We have a ret pally so I don't need to provide that buff, but the Focus Magic on the boomkin is appreciated by him Frost doesn't really bring anything to the table, but I want to be whatever spec will give me the best results. I have no 4-piece yet (lol 1 piece FTL) so I know Frost won't be at least viable for a while longer, but I'm just trying to figure out which to be when I get it, because the gearing needs are different. I have to plan ahead which spec I want to be when I get 4-pc T12 and because I have to gear ahead of time, I fear making the wrong decision at this early point in time, especially since I don't see myself getting a Shard of Woe anytime soon (we haven't killed Sinestra yet, and even if we do I can't imagine my guild would ever give me one before any healer than wanted it, no matter how OP it is for me).

[Potato Bus]

I've found this to be true also. We've been mainly raiding 10M lately, so if I go Frost, then I'm usually missing at least 8% crit (5% from a Warlock and 3% from another mage's FM). That's not to say it's bad, but missing out on that much crit can hurt. I'm usually the only mage in our 10M groups, so I feel compelled to provide the 3% damage buff.

I was in the same boat, but I changed my mentality: all of our dps'ers pull decent numbers, 3% isn't going to make or break an encounter. I also pay $15.00 a month to play this video game, so I'm gonna do what I find fun, and lately that has been frost. Hoping it stays fun, unlike my ventures with arcane and fire where the novelty wore off (though I was Arcane from ToC to the 1st half of ICC and then fire until 4.1 where I went back to arcane, both get on my nerves now for varying reasons).

Thought I'd throw this in here too: Had a tank in a random the other day whisper me at the end of the run thanking me for being frost and pulling good numbers, my performance had convinced him to play his alt mage again as frost Spreading the frost mage love, 1 run at a time.

[Kuni Zyrekai]

I just blizzd the ads, wonder if flame strike + blizz would be better? They die so fast. I love running out of fire with FoF up, no dps lost while moving!

Considering that the reason for flamestrike is the non-AOE cap DoT, I'd just blizzard them since they die so quickly.

[omegatrigun]

So, I heard from some people on forums that with t12 frost pulls up to about the same dps as arcane, and is better than fire. Anyone know up to date on what things are simming out to be? Do you just need 4pc, regardless of normal or heroic? Do you need other higher ilvl gear, or just the 4pc that matters? Will this mean we see t12 mages going dual spec fire/frost for FL?

[Hinalover]

Frost does do competative damage even in 4-piece T12. However the gap closes with the 4-piece T12 and the extra chances for Brain Freeze to proc and more ignites are rolling.

[omegatrigun]

Frost does do competative damage even in 4-piece T12. However the gap closes with the 4-piece T12 and the extra chances for Brain Freeze to proc and more ignites are rolling.

So what would be the optimal dual spec for FL?

[Hinalover]

Depends. If your just going for top single target but have 2 separate gearing options, Arcane/Frost is just fine (your reforging gold maybe hurt a bit though). If you don't want to deal with Arcane AT ALL and have similar gearing, Frost/Fire is good for Frost for all but Alysrazor and Fire for Alysrazor. Or spec for the encounter.

Most fights Arcane and Frost are Fine for their single target dps. However there are certain fight mechanics that Arcane is better such as Rageface duty and MAYBE heroic Lord Rhyolith (Arcane Blast the Spark while Arcane Exploding the Shards/oozes at almost the same time). Though on the plus side I WAS doing 24k average dps on Heroic Lord Rhyolith as Frost earlier tonight, but no where near the 30k+ Arcane dps the top 200 mages are posting on WoL (made it to Phase 2 several times but never downed him)

[Zrow]

Hello, im an experianced frost mage, Pritty much only played frost so far into cata, Im a dedicated player so I allways want to get better. But im having some issues atm. The thing is im raiding 10m and we don't have a firemage or warlock for the 5% spell critt buff. But we got the 5% aura from fwar or fdruid. So i will pritty much lack 5% critt in BiS gear. I just want some tips of what gear i should aim for, my thoughts is to upgrade the BoE staff to hc verson since that gives hit ( im rly low on hit now aswell with one int trinket ) I will get the tier gloves soon ( my 3d piece ) Other then that its not so much items with hit i can get, The ring from valor is an option, aswell as the boe wrists from valor, but they are not optimal. Since i joined my guild kinda late im not getting our first legendary ;/ I guess I should keep my back from rep as long as i can, since it also gives hit. So some tips would be cool tnx

[omegatrigun]

Depends. If your just going for top single target but have 2 separate gearing options, Arcane/Frost is just fine (your reforging gold maybe hurt a bit though). If you don't want to deal with Arcane AT ALL and have similar gearing, Frost/Fire is good for Frost for all but Alysrazor and Fire for Alysrazor. Or spec for the encounter.

Most fights Arcane and Frost are Fine for their single target dps. However there are certain fight mechanics that Arcane is better such as Rageface duty and MAYBE heroic Lord Rhyolith (Arcane Blast the Spark while Arcane Exploding the Shards/oozes at almost the same time). Though on the plus side I WAS doing 24k average dps on Heroic Lord Rhyolith as Frost earlier tonight, but no where near the 30k+ Arcane dps the top 200 mages are posting on WoL (made it to Phase 2 several times but never downed him)

My raid group (in fact all the raid groups in my guild) aren't a heroic level group. We're progressing on normal 10 mans.

I really wouldn't want to need two gearsets. Wouldn't Arcane/Fire share gearsets since the only time you go fire is for Alysrazor, where mastery is king?

I was thinking if frost got to be that close to arcane, frost would be better from having less gimmicky aoe and some extra survivability.

[mostlyharmless]

So what would be the optimal dual spec for FL?

You'd probably do the most dps using fire for alysrazor and arcane for everything else, and you could use the same reforging (heavy on mastery) for both. Also unless you have a ret paly or an arcane mage in the raid already, you will need to go arcane for the extremely valuable 3% dmg buff to everyone.

In my 10man we have a ret paly for the 3% dmg and a warlock who likes flying for alysrazor, so I can play around with frost as an offspec. I love the idea of using an unusual spec, and there is so much arcane mage hate! It's really fun to top meters in bh25 and have people freaking out that you did it in frost spec. There is a lot of resentment towards arcane mages in the wow community lately, but people get all stoked when they see a raiding mage going frost. I mean, if I top the meters by 5,000 dps using arcane, people hate me ("LOL 1 BUTTON SPEC GG"). If I top the meters by 500 dps using frost, people love me. So yeah, I guess I have more fun when people love me, what a shallow jerk right?

[Deleted]

World 4th on Occuthar 25 today:

http://www.worldoflogs.com/rankings/players/Baradin_Hold/Occu'thar/25N/Frost_Mage/

http://www.worldoflogs.com/reports/r...?s=9454&e=9613

[mostlyharmless]

World 4th on Occuthar 25 today:http://www.worldoflogs.com/rankings/players/Baradin_Hold/Occu'thar/25N/Frost_Mage/http://www.worldoflogs.com/reports/r...?s=9454&e=9613

Haha nice job! If only there was a way to dps the ads harder as frost...