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Mage spellbook

Every Mage trainer spell to level 60, every rank. 57 spells, 194 ranks. ShowHide
Level 1
  • Arcane Intellect Rank 1 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 1 Reworked
  • Frost Armor Rank 1
Level 4
  • Conjure Water Rank 1
  • Frostbolt Rank 1 Reworked
Level 6
  • Conjure Food Rank 1
  • Fire Blast Rank 1 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 2 Reworked
Level 8
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 1 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 2 Reworked
  • Polymorph Rank 1
Level 10
  • Conjure Water Rank 2
  • Frost Armor Rank 2
  • Frost Nova Rank 1 Reworked
Level 12
  • Conjure Food Rank 2
  • Dampen Magic Rank 1 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 3 Reworked
  • Slow Fall
Level 14
  • Arcane Explosion Rank 1 Reworked
  • Arcane Intellect Rank 2 Reworked
  • Fire Blast Rank 2 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 3 Reworked
Level 16
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 2 Reworked
  • Flamestrike Rank 1 Reworked
Level 18
  • Amplify Magic Rank 1 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 4 Reworked
  • Remove Lesser Curse Reworked
Level 20
  • Arcane Blast Rank 1 New
  • Blink Reworked
  • Blizzard Rank 1 Reworked
  • Conjure Water Rank 3
  • Evocation
  • Fire Ward Rank 1 Reworked
  • Frost Armor Rank 3
  • Frostbolt Rank 4 Reworked
  • Ice Lance Rank 1 New
  • Mana Shield Rank 1
  • Polymorph Rank 2
  • Pyroblast Rank 1 Reworked
  • Teleport: Ironforge
  • Teleport: Orgrimmar
  • Teleport: Stormwind
  • Teleport: Undercity
Level 22
  • Arcane Explosion Rank 2 Reworked
  • Conjure Food Rank 3
  • Fire Blast Rank 3 Reworked
  • Frost Ward Rank 1 Reworked
  • Scorch Rank 1 Reworked
Level 24
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 3 Reworked
  • Counterspell
  • Dampen Magic Rank 2 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 5 Reworked
  • Flamestrike Rank 2 Reworked
  • Pyroblast Rank 2 Reworked
Level 25
  • Arcane Wrath Rank 1 New
  • Ice Block
Level 26
  • Cone of Cold Rank 1 Reworked
  • Frost Nova Rank 2 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 5 Reworked
Level 28
  • Arcane Intellect Rank 3 Reworked
  • Blizzard Rank 2 Reworked
  • Conjure Mana Agate
  • Ice Lance Rank 2 New
  • Mana Shield Rank 2
  • Scorch Rank 2 Reworked
Level 30
  • Amplify Magic Rank 2 Reworked
  • Arcane Blast Rank 2 New
  • Arcane Explosion Rank 3 Reworked
  • Blast Wave Rank 1 Reworked
  • Cold Snap Reworked
  • Conjure Water Rank 4
  • Fire Blast Rank 4 Reworked
  • Fire Ward Rank 2 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 6 Reworked
  • Ice Armor Rank 1
  • Presence of Mind
  • Pyroblast Rank 3 Reworked
  • Teleport: Darnassus
  • Teleport: Thunder Bluff
Level 32
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 4 Reworked
  • Conjure Food Rank 4
  • Flamestrike Rank 3 Reworked
  • Frost Ward Rank 2 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 6 Reworked
Level 34
  • Cone of Cold Rank 2 Reworked
  • Ice Lance Rank 3 New
  • Mage Armor Rank 1 Reworked
  • Scorch Rank 3 Reworked
Level 36
  • Arcane Wrath Rank 2 New
  • Blast Wave Rank 2 Reworked
  • Blizzard Rank 3 Reworked
  • Dampen Magic Rank 3 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 7 Reworked
  • Mana Shield Rank 3
  • Pyroblast Rank 4 Reworked
Level 38
  • Arcane Explosion Rank 4 Reworked
  • Conjure Mana Jade
  • Fire Blast Rank 5 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 7 Reworked
Level 40
  • Arcane Blast Rank 3 New
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 5 Reworked
  • Arcane Power Reworked
  • Combustion Reworked
  • Conjure Water Rank 5
  • Fire Ward Rank 3 Reworked
  • Flamestrike Rank 4 Reworked
  • Frost Nova Rank 3 Reworked
  • Frostfire Bolt Rank 1 New
  • Ice Armor Rank 2
  • Ice Barrier Rank 1 Reworked
  • Polymorph Rank 3
  • Portal: Ironforge
  • Portal: Orgrimmar
  • Portal: Stormwind
  • Portal: Undercity
  • Scorch Rank 4 Reworked
Level 42
  • Amplify Magic Rank 3 Reworked
  • Arcane Intellect Rank 4 Reworked
  • Cone of Cold Rank 3 Reworked
  • Conjure Food Rank 5
  • Fireball Rank 8 Reworked
  • Frost Ward Rank 3 Reworked
  • Ice Lance Rank 4 New
  • Pyroblast Rank 5 Reworked
Level 44
  • Blast Wave Rank 3 Reworked
  • Blizzard Rank 4 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 8 Reworked
  • Mana Shield Rank 4
Level 46
  • Arcane Explosion Rank 5 Reworked
  • Fire Blast Rank 6 Reworked
  • Ice Barrier Rank 2 Reworked
  • Mage Armor Rank 2 Reworked
  • Scorch Rank 5 Reworked
Level 48
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 6 Reworked
  • Arcane Wrath Rank 3 New
  • Conjure Mana Citrine
  • Dampen Magic Rank 4 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 9 Reworked
  • Flamestrike Rank 5 Reworked
  • Ice Lance Rank 5 New
  • Pyroblast Rank 6 Reworked
Level 50
  • Arcane Blast Rank 4 New
  • Cone of Cold Rank 4 Reworked
  • Conjure Water Rank 6
  • Fire Ward Rank 4 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 9 Reworked
  • Frostfire Bolt Rank 2 New
  • Ice Armor Rank 3
  • Portal: Darnassus
  • Portal: Thunder Bluff
  • Teleport: Dalaran New
Level 52
  • Blast Wave Rank 4 Reworked
  • Blizzard Rank 5 Reworked
  • Conjure Food Rank 6 Reworked
  • Frost Ward Rank 4 Reworked
  • Ice Barrier Rank 3 Reworked
  • Mana Shield Rank 5
  • Scorch Rank 6 Reworked
Level 54
  • Amplify Magic Rank 4 Reworked
  • Arcane Explosion Rank 6 Reworked
  • Fire Blast Rank 7 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 10 Reworked
  • Frost Nova Rank 4 Reworked
  • Pyroblast Rank 7 Reworked
Level 56
  • Arcane Brilliance Reworked
  • Arcane Intellect Rank 5 Reworked
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 7 Reworked
  • Arcane Missiles Rank 8 Reworked
  • Flamestrike Rank 6 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 10 Reworked
  • Ice Lance Rank 6 New
Level 58
  • Conjure Mana Ruby
  • Ice Barrier Rank 4 Reworked
  • Mage Armor Rank 3 Reworked
  • Scorch Rank 7 Reworked
Level 60
  • Arcane Blast Rank 5 New
  • Arcane Wrath Rank 4 New
  • Blast Wave Rank 5 Reworked
  • Blizzard Rank 6 Reworked
  • Conjure Food Rank 7
  • Conjure Water Rank 7
  • Dampen Magic Rank 5 Reworked
  • Fire Ward Rank 5 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 11 Reworked
  • Fireball Rank 12 Reworked
  • Frost Ward Rank 5 Reworked
  • Frostbolt Rank 11 Reworked
  • Frostfire Bolt Rank 3 New
  • Ice Armor Rank 4
  • Mana Shield Rank 6
  • Polymorph Turtle
  • Polymorph Pig
  • Polymorph Rank 4
  • Pyroblast Rank 8 Reworked

New new in WoW Forever · Reworked changed from Classic · small numbers are the level each rank is learned at · tooltips show level 60 values with no gear.

Mage class guide

Best spec, leveling build, talents, rotations, stats and FAQ. ShowHide

WoW Forever Mage Guide: Best Spec, Leveling Build, Talents and Rotation

Updated · Patch: Launch (post 2–3 November changes)

Quick answer: Mage is still one of the best classes in WoW Forever, and it has more viable builds than ever. For leveling, Frost is the safest pick thanks to Ice Lance, Fingers of Frost and your slows, while Arcane levels fast early with Arcane Blast and Missile Barrage. At level 60, an Arcane and Fire mix performs best in single-target simulations, pure Fire shines in long fights, and Frost got a real raid reason in Ice Barrier's new damage bonus. Big AoE farming still works, but it was nerfed, so don't expect Classic-style mass pulls.

Is Mage good in WoW Forever?

Yes. Mages got some of the most interesting new toys in Forever: Arcane Blast, Arcane Wrath, Missile Barrage, Ice Lance, Fingers of Frost, Heating Up and Frostfire Bolt. Every tree now plays differently, and you can mix them in ways that just didn't work in Classic.

Blizzard did take aim at one thing: the old mass-pull AoE farming. Cone of Cold and Improved Blizzard were weakened, and casting a Blizzard rank learned more than 12 levels below you gives a lower chance to trigger Arcane Concentration, Frostbite and Fingers of Frost. AoE grinding is still strong if you pull sensibly, but the days of rounding up half a zone are mostly over.

The 2 November notes also cleaned up a lot of talents. Arcane Blast now costs 100% more mana per stack (down from 175%) and lasts 18 seconds, Ice Lance shares an 8-second cooldown with Fire Blast, Precision gives 6% spell hit in just 3 points, and Ice Barrier now boosts your Frost damage, which Blizzard said was there to give Mages a reason to go all the way down the Frost tree.

At a glance:

  • Role: ranged damage, with the best crowd control in the game (Polymorph, Frost Nova, Counterspell)
  • Best leveling spec: Frost (safest) or Arcane (fastest early)
  • Hardest part: mana, especially for Arcane, and staying alive when something reaches you
  • Best for: players who like big numbers, smart positioning, and being everyone's favourite food and water vendor

Mage strengths and weaknesses

Strengths:

  • Huge damage. Mages hit hard in every spec, with big burst from Arcane Blast stacks, Pyroblast or Shatter combos.
  • The best crowd control. Polymorph, Frost Nova, Counterspell and Cone of Cold handle almost any situation.
  • Free food, water and travel. Conjure your own food and water, teleport to cities and open portals for your friends.
  • AoE leveling and farming. Even after the nerfs, Mages can grind groups of mobs faster than most classes.

Weaknesses:

  • Very squishy. Cloth armour and no healing mean anything that reaches you is a threat.
  • Mana. Arcane especially burns through it, and AoE pulls can leave you empty.
  • Punishing mistakes. A missed Frost Nova or a resisted Polymorph can turn a fight around fast.

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What's new for Mages in WoW Forever?

  • Arcane Blast (Arcane talent): every cast gives you 12% of your Intellect as spell damage and makes the next Arcane Blast cost 100% more mana. It stacks up to 4 times and lasts 18 seconds.
  • Missile Barrage (Arcane): Arcane Blast (40% chance) and Arcane Wrath, Fireball, Frostbolt and Frostfire Bolt (20% chance) can make your next Arcane Missiles free and twice as fast.
  • Arcane Wrath (Arcane): an Arcane bolt that gains spell damage equal to 5% of your maximum mana. Intellect is a damage stat now.
  • Ice Lance (Frost): a quick spell that deals 300% more damage to frozen targets. It shares an 8-second cooldown with Fire Blast.
  • Fingers of Frost (Frost): your chill effects can make your next 2 spells act as if the target were frozen. Ice Lance plus Shatter does the rest.
  • Heating Up (Fire): crits from Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Fire Blast and Scorch make your next Pyroblast up to 75% faster to cast, stacking 3 times.
  • Frostfire Bolt (level 40): a bolt that counts as both Fire and Frost, slows by 40% and leaves a small burn.
  • Ice Barrier now increases your Frost damage by 15% for a minute, plus another 5% while the shield holds, and stops spell pushback.
  • Winter's Chill now builds up a bonus for your next Cone of Cold (20% more damage per stack).
  • Teleport: Dalaran at level 50.
  • Frost Blast was removed in the final notes.

Which Mage spec should you pick?

Frost (control and comfort). The easiest Mage to play and the safest to level. You slow everything, freeze it, and punish frozen targets with Ice Lance and Shatter crits. Its weakness is raw single-hit damage, but Ice Barrier's new bonus and Winter's Chill make it a real endgame option, and it's brilliant in PvP.

Arcane (burst and mana). The "budget" spec. Every Arcane Blast makes you stronger and poorer at the same time, so you're constantly deciding how many stacks you can afford before dumping them into a free, fast Arcane Missiles. Huge in short fights and very fun, but greedy players go out of mana fast.

Fire (long fights). Ignite, Improved Scorch, Fire Power and Heating Up all reward crits and keeping fire on the target, so Fire gets stronger the longer a fight goes. Combustion is a big burst cooldown. It's weaker at control, and most of its damage comes from standing still and casting.

Hybrids. Forever loves mixing trees. Arcane with a Fire dip is the strongest single-target setup in community simulations, and Frost/Fire "elemental" builds with Heating Up and Frostfire Bolt are popular for PvP.

Best Mage leveling build in WoW Forever

Level as Frost, with a small Arcane and Fire dip. It's safe, kites well and stays strong all the way to 60.

Frost Leveling Build (10/5/36)

Talent order, roughly:

  1. Improved Frostbolt (5) first, for a faster main nuke.
  2. Precision (3) for 6% spell hit, then Ice Shards (5) and Frostbite (3).
  3. Frost Channeling (3) and Ice Lance, then Permafrost (3) for longer slows.
  4. Ice Block, Shatter (3), Cold Snap and Fingers of Frost (2).
  5. Winter's Chill (3) and Ice Barrier at level 40.
  6. Improved Frost Nova (2) for more frequent freezes.
  7. Finish with Wand Specialization, Arcane Resilience and Arcane Concentration in Arcane, and Incineration (5) in Fire for crits on Ice Lance.

Planning to AoE farm a lot? Move the Frostbite points into Improved Blizzard instead, since random freezes scatter big pulls.

Want a faster start? Plenty of players go Arcane to around level 30 (Missile Barrage, Arcane Blast and Arcane Wrath) and switch to Frost once Cold Snap and Ice Barrier come online.

Key levels to look forward to:

  • 4: Frostbolt and Conjure Water.
  • 6: Fire Blast and Conjure Food.
  • 8: Arcane Missiles.
  • 10: Frost Nova.
  • 14: Arcane Explosion.
  • 16: Flamestrike.
  • 20: Evocation, Blink, Mana Shield, Blizzard, city teleports, and talents for Ice Lance, Arcane Blast or Pyroblast. A huge power spike.
  • 24: Counterspell.
  • 26: Cone of Cold.
  • 28: Conjure Mana Agate.
  • 30: Ice Armor.
  • 34: Mage Armor.
  • 40: Frostfire Bolt and portals.
  • 50: Teleport: Dalaran.

How to level as Frost: pull from max range with Frostbolt, keep casting while it walks slowly towards you, and if it gets close use Frost Nova and step back. Fire off Ice Lance on frozen targets or whenever Fingers of Frost lights up. Finish low-health targets with your wand so your mana regeneration kicks back in sooner. Conjure food and water before you head out, drink between pulls, and use Evocation when you're empty.

Frost guide: rotation and tips

  • Rotation: Frostbolt as your main spell, Ice Lance on frozen targets and every Fingers of Frost proc, and Cone of Cold after you've built up Winter's Chill stacks.
  • Ice Barrier before every fight. It's now a damage buff as well as a shield.
  • Shatter gives 50% extra crit chance against frozen targets, so Frost Nova into Ice Lance or Frostbolt is a big combo.
  • Cold Snap resets your Frost cooldowns: a second Ice Block, Frost Nova or Ice Barrier when you really need it.
  • Mana: Frost Channeling makes Frost spells 15% cheaper and Master of Elements (if you take it) refunds mana on crits.

Arcane guide: rotation and tips

Arcane Fire Build (31/17/3). It takes Arcane Blast, Missile Barrage, Arcane Wrath, Arcane Power and Presence of Mind, plus Incineration, Accelerant and Ignite in Fire and Precision in Frost.

  • Rotation: build Arcane Blast stacks, then spend them on Arcane Missiles whenever Missile Barrage procs (it's free and twice as fast). Weave in Arcane Wrath, which scales with your maximum mana.
  • Watch your budget. Four stacks is huge damage but very expensive. On long fights, many players stop at 2 stacks and let them drop off before starting again.
  • Don't start a fight with stacks left over. If your stacks are still up from the last pull, use other spells or your wand until they expire.
  • Cooldowns: pair Arcane Power (30% more damage, 30% more mana cost) with Presence of Mind for a big instant spell.
  • Mana: Arcane Meditation keeps 50% of your regeneration going while casting, Arcane Concentration gives free spells, and Evocation and mana gems refill you.

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Fire guide: rotation and tips

Fire Build (16/32/3). It takes Heating Up, Improved Scorch, Fire Power, Critical Mass, Master of Elements and Combustion.

  • Open: stack Scorch a few times for the Improved Scorch vulnerability (up to 15% more Fire damage), then cast Fireball.
  • Heating Up: your Fireball, Fire Blast and Scorch crits make your next Pyroblast faster to cast. At 3 stacks it's very quick, and Fire Blast gives an extra stack.
  • Keep fire on the target. Fire Power gives 3% more Fire damage per Fire effect on the target, up to 12%, and Ignite counts.
  • Combustion adds 10% Fire crit with every hit until you've landed 3 crits. Save it for a boss.
  • Keep Scorch stacks up, since they fall off after 30 seconds.

AoE farming in WoW Forever

AoE grinding still works, but it's nerfed, so play it smart:

  • Keep your ranks up to date. Low ranks of Blizzard trigger far fewer procs, and old ranks just don't kill fast enough.
  • Pick easy targets. Green and low-health mobs die before your mana runs out. High-health mobs with old spell ranks are a trap.
  • Timing matters. Blizzard damage breaks Frost Nova, so let the Nova run nearly out before you start channeling.
  • Skip Frostbite for AoE. Random freezes scatter your pull and ruin your Blizzard and Arcane Explosion coverage.
  • Arcane Explosion is instant but expensive, Flamestrike is great on groups that stand still, and Cone of Cold buys time while kiting.

Mage leveling tips

  • Pull from max range and slow enemies with Frostbolt so they take longer to reach you.
  • Conjure food and water before you head out, and drink between pulls.
  • Finish with your wand so your mana keeps regenerating.
  • Frost Nova and step back when something reaches you, then keep casting.
  • Blink out of roots and stuns, and keep Ice Block for real emergencies.
  • Use Evocation when you're out of mana and can't drink, and carry mana gems from level 28.
  • Teleport back to a city when your bags are full, instead of running.

Mage dungeon tips

  • Polymorph your marked target before the pull, and don't break it with AoE.
  • Counterspell dangerous casts like heals and fears.
  • Watch your threat. Mages pull aggro easily, so let the tank build threat first and use Ice Block if a big hit is coming.
  • Remove Lesser Curse from your group, and keep Arcane Intellect on everyone.
  • AoE only when the tank is ready. Blizzard and Arcane Explosion pull everything at once.
  • Conjure food and water for your group before the run.
  • Portals save your group a long walk at the end.

Best stats for Mages

Most guides agree on roughly these priorities:

  • Everyone: spell hit until you stop missing (Precision covers 6%), then spell damage for your school.
  • Frost: hit matters even more, because a missed Frostbolt means no slow and no freeze.
  • Fire: crit is extra valuable, since Ignite, Heating Up, Combustion and Master of Elements all feed off it.
  • Arcane: Intellect is a real damage stat thanks to Arcane Blast and Arcane Wrath, and mana regeneration keeps the engine running.
  • Stamina helps you survive, especially while leveling and in PvP.

Best race for Mage

The differences are small, so pick the race you like.

  • Gnome (Alliance): Expansive Mind for extra Intellect and Escape Artist for PvP. Eureka! was nerfed but is still useful.
  • Human (Alliance): Ruthless crit (halved this patch, but still good) and The Human Spirit.
  • Skyborne (both factions): Wind Blessed haste, plus Walk on Air and the Ley Line racials. A strong caster race.
  • Orc (Horde): Blood Fury for burst and Hardiness against stuns.
  • Undead (Horde): Will of the Forsaken breaks fear, charm and sleep. The best PvP Mage race.
  • Troll (Horde): Berserking for haste on boss fights.

Best professions for Mage

  • Tailoring and Enchanting: make your own cloth gear and enchant it. The classic Mage pair.
  • Alchemy: mana potions keep Arcane going in long fights.
  • Engineering: strong for PvP, with stuns and gadgets.
  • First Aid and Cooking: cheap healing, and food buffs.

Mage PvP tips

  • Polymorph is your best crowd control, so keep a focus or mouseover macro ready. Any damage breaks it.
  • Frost Nova, Blink and Cone of Cold are your escape kit. Blink also frees you from stuns and roots.
  • Counterspell (with Improved Counterspell) silences a healer for 4 seconds. Time it on their big heal.
  • Ice Block and Cold Snap give you two "get out of jail" buttons.
  • Fingers of Frost and Shatter make Frost the scariest PvP Mage, and Frost/Fire builds with Heating Up and Frostfire Bolt are a fun alternative.

Common Mage mistakes

  • Using a build from before the 2 November changes. Lots of beta videos still show old Arcane Blast costs and old Precision values.
  • Pulling from too close. Always start a fight from maximum range.
  • Mass-pulling with old spell ranks. After the AoE nerfs, it just gets you killed.
  • Starting a fight with Arcane Blast stacks still up.
  • Breaking your own Polymorph or Frost Nova with damage.
  • Forgetting to conjure food and water. You're the one person who never has to buy it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Mage spec in WoW Forever?

For leveling, Frost is the safest and Arcane is the fastest early on. At level 60, an Arcane spec with a Fire dip performs best in single-target simulations, Fire is strongest in long fights, and Frost is the top PvP spec and now viable in raids thanks to Ice Barrier.

Is Mage AoE farming still good in WoW Forever?

Yes, but it was nerfed. Cone of Cold and Improved Blizzard were weakened, and low ranks of Blizzard trigger fewer procs. It still works well on low-health mobs with up-to-date spell ranks, just not with Classic-sized pulls.

What does Arcane Blast do in WoW Forever?

Each Arcane Blast gives you 12% of your Intellect as spell damage and raises the mana cost of the next one by 100%. It stacks up to 4 times and lasts 18 seconds, so you build power and then spend it on Arcane Missiles.

What level do Mages get Frostfire Bolt?

Frostfire Bolt is learned at level 40. It counts as both Fire and Frost, slows the target by 40% and deals a little extra damage over time.

What is the best race for Mage in WoW Forever?

The differences are small. Gnome and Human are strong Alliance choices, Undead is the best Horde race for PvP, and Orc and Troll are great for damage. The new Skyborne race works well on either faction.

Does Ice Lance share a cooldown with Fire Blast?

Yes. Since the 2 November update, Ice Lance has an 8-second cooldown shared with Fire Blast, and it deals 300% more damage to frozen targets.

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