THE TRUE THREAT - pearsoncmg.comptgmedia.pearsoncmg.com/imprint_downloads/brady/wow/Mage_Up… · the world: new, fresh, dedicated to a different cause. The right concoction of plague,

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Mages are the ranged damage-dealers in World of Warcraft. These masters of elemental fi re and cold have

studied the arcane arts for years, dedicating themselves to the destruction of their enemies. Though they

are fragile in melee combat and have poor health, Mages are able to make themselves known on the fi eld

of battle. No class fully rivals the range of a Mage, and the number of AoE spells available to this class is

daunting by itself. Join the ranks of the mystic elite if you want to dish out the damage (and run like mad if

it’s not enough).

The cries of battle carried over the forest like a melody. I felt so many precious souls being brought again into the world: new, fresh, dedicated to a different cause. The right concoction of plague, violence, and temporary unpleasantness was always a good way to make people see things in a new light.

Waiting for our Warriors to bring the ranks of Human invaders together, I poked my head up (ever so slightly) and saw that the time was approaching. The Humans and several of their Alliance vermin were closing in for the kill; that is how they saw it at least. Visibly, our Warriors below were in a bad place. As they feigned disorder and went into a rout, I readied the true attack. Looking over at Ishnaron, my Warlock ally, I nodded. He knew what to do.

We were over the hill in an instant. As we rolled into position, clacking across the cold ground, a Void Walker came through the shadows and laid into the Humans, distracting them. Our Warriors turned and began to fi ght with renewed vigor, and I summoned the power of frost to begin a mighty blizzard. The Humans called out to one another, lost in the sudden storm. Perhaps they were praying for warmth and life to return to them. Ishnaron answered one such prayer.

Running into the center of the Human party, he threw forth his arms and opened a gateway into a foul and horrible place (even by my perception); fl ames and fury came through the gateway, spilling around the Warlock in a storm of destruction. Though Ishnaron was injured by the heat, his potions and equipment were tailored to protect him. The same could not be said for the Humans, who fell like chaff in the wind.

I laughed for the victory at hand. The Humans had again underestimated the Forsaken; perhaps they would learn. Perhaps.

THE TRUE THREAT

INTRODUCTION TO PLAYING THE MAGE

Mages love to bring damage to the table, whether to individual targets or entire groups. Using a massive amount of mana, this is a class with burst damage galore. Though you may think of yourself as a bit of a glass cannon (all damage and no defense), the truth is that Mages can survive quite well as long as they temper their casting. Using spells at the right time can make all the difference between unsurvivable aggro and staying in the clear.

The fi rst defense of a Mage comes through range. Mage spells are cast at long range and can be deadly. Beyond the range itself, there is some use to the delay between a successful cast and the spell’s impact for bolts. Most long-range Mage spells are bolts, so there is time to start casting a second spell before your fi rst bolt impacts (against monsters this is a great boon, though players rarely let you have such free rein). Cast at maximum range for almost everything you do and allow as much reaction time as possible when seeing if there are adds.

Speaking of adds, Mages are loved not only for the damage they deal but for their ability to help with crowd control. Polymorph turns enemies into sheep, preventing them from doing any damage to you or your friends for a considerable duration. Though it takes a short cast and fair mana to accomplish this, using crowd control makes all the difference in big fi ghts (allowing tanks more time to grab aggro, healers more room to use mana-effi cient spells, etc.).

What else do Mages get besides long-range bolts and crowd control? They get powerful Intellect buffs (for themselves and allies, meaning that all casters are quickly your friends). Mages can summon food and drink so that everyone in the party recovers quickly during downtime. Later on, Mages summon Mana Gems (for fast mana recovery during combat), and there are the AoE spells mentioned earlier.

Using AoE magic, Mages are able to do horrendous damage to large groups in short order. This gives a major place to Mages in large-scale PvP and when fi ghting in groups tailored for besting monsters with AoE tactics.

RACES AND STARTING ATTRIBUTESRACE STRENGTH STAMINA AGILITY INTELLECT SPIRIT

Gnome 20 21 22 24 22Human 21 22 21 23 22Troll 21 22 20 22 24Undead 20 23 19 23 24

ATTRIBUTES APPLIEDStrength Modest Improvements to Melee DamageStamina Higher Hit PointsAgility Minorly Increases Chance to DodgeIntellect More Mana, Raise Critical Hit with SpellsSpirit Improves Hit Point/Mana Regeneration

Copyright © 2006 DK Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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HUNTER

DRUID

MAGE

PALADIN

PRIEST

ROGUE

SHAMAN

WARLOCK

WARRIOR

ITEMS AND EQUIPMENTEquipment doesn’t make the same difference for Mages that it does for Warriors; after all, you are wearing cloth garments, not mithril plates! However, the attributes on various armor pieces allow for customization of great importance, so Mages do care about their equipment very much (just for different reasons than a heavy tank).

Instead of looking for DPS, weapon speed, improved Armor Rating, and similar values, Mages try to collect items that improve Intellect, Spirit, and sometimes Stamina. This is done to keep the casters casting as much as possible. Spirit equipment won’t help your total casting or critical hits, but it improves mana regeneration. Intellect is a vital attribute because critical hits and maximum mana come from that stat. This creates a diffi cult choice for many casters. “Would I rather cast a little and fi ght often or cast a ton and have longer downtime?”

Mixed equipment choices work if you aren’t sure which type of fi ghting you plan on doing from day to day. Spirit and Intellect mix well together, and you lose little from either side from getting the most of these. Intellect-heavy gear raises your potential damage (because of the criticals) and helps to keep you chain-casting in longer fi ghts. Intellect-heavy builds are good for Instances and PvP fi ghts. Spirit builds aren’t as common, but they are effi cient for fi ghting lighter enemies out in the fi eld (reducing downtime incredibly). Use high Spirit to keep things rolling while farming experience and money.

Equipment that gives bonuses to damage changes in popularity over time, as they are subject to a number of rebalances. Ultimately, this form of equipment is going to raise a character’s maximum damage while sacrifi cing the ability to cast for as long or regain mana as effectively. For short PvP battles, gear that improves damage may be a fi ne choice. However, in PvE fi eld fi ghting and Instances, it seems that Intellect and Spirit offer greater rewards.

One thing that is nice to have for adding some damage while regaining mana is a quality wand. Use these during rest periods in a fi ght to keep doing some damage without breaking the fl ow of mana regen.

CHOOSING YOUR PROFESSIONMages have a number of solid Profession choices. Taking Tailoring is useful for creating modest gear earlier on in your career (to help with staying up to date before tackling tougher enemies). Because Tailoring doesn’t have a Gathering Profession, you are free to take Enchanting with it. Between the two, you are able to make and enchant your own items.

Herbalism and Alchemy allow Mages to create a number of potions to boost their spell damage and resistance against enemy spells. Combined with Fishing (to gain certain rare ingredients), this is a solid combo, especially for Mages who plan on farming their own high-level gear from Instances.

Cooking isn’t the most useful skill to grab on the side; Mages have such immediate access to food and drink that making additional sustenance isn’t as impressive. First Aid may help a group, but it isn’t as useful in the all-or-nothing battles that Mages often face alone, and it competes with Tailoring for cloth drops. As usual, your character may benefi t from taking whatever you wish, but Mages certainly don’t need to rely heavily on peripheral skills.

The three types of magic available to this class are Arcane, Fire, and Frost. Arcane spells offer many Instant abilities, useful burst damage, and quite a bit of aggro generation. The Arcane line is also the shortest in range, with some important spells being almost point-blank.

Fire magic has the best range and damage output. While damage is high, the costs are often quite high as well.

Frost magic is fairly effi cient at lower levels and it has many status effects to frustrate enemies. Snares and Roots are available to Mages who rely heavily on the Frost Line and back it up with Talents.

ABILITY RANK LEVEL TYPEArcane Intellect 1 1 Arcane SpellsFireball 1 1 Fire SpellsFrost Armor 1 1 Frost SpellsConjure Water 1 4 Arcane SpellsFrostbolt 1 4 Frost SpellsConjure Food 1 6 Arcane SpellsFire Blast 1 6 Fire SpellsFireball 2 6 Fire SpellsArcane Missiles 1 8 Arcane SpellsFrostbolt 2 8 Frost SpellsPolymorph 1 8 Arcane SpellsConjure Water 2 10 Arcane SpellsFrost Armor 2 10 Frost SpellsFrost Nova 1 10 Frost SpellsConjure Food 2 12 Arcane SpellsDampen Magic 1 12 Arcane SpellsFireball 3 12 Fire SpellsSlow Fall N/A 12 Arcane SpellsArcane Explosion 1 14 Arcane SpellsArcane Intellect 2 14 Arcane SpellsFire Blast 2 14 Fire SpellsFrostbolt 3 14 Frost SpellsArcane Missiles 2 16 Arcane SpellsDetect Magic N/A 16 Arcane SpellsFlamestrike 1 16 Fire SpellsAmplify Magic 1 18 Arcane SpellsFireball 4 18 Fire SpellsRemove Curse 1 18 Arcane SpellsBlink 1 20 Arcane SpellsBlizzard 1 20 Frost SpellsCold Snap 1 20 Frost SpellsConjure Water 3 20 Arcane SpellsEvocation 1 20 Arcane SpellsFire Ward 1 20 Fire SpellsFrost Armor 3 20 Frost SpellsFrostbolt 4 20 Frost SpellsMana Shield 1 20 Arcane SpellsPolymorph 2 20 Arcane SpellsPyroblast 1 20 Fire SpellsTeleport: Ironforge N/A 20 Portal MagicTeleport: Orgrimmar N/A 20 Portal MagicTeleport: Stormwind N/A 20 Portal MagicTeleport: Undercity N/A 20 Portal MagicArcane Explosion 2 22 Arcane SpellsConjure Food 3 22 Arcane SpellsFire Blast 3 22 Fire SpellsFrost Ward 1 22 Frost SpellsScorch 1 22 Fire SpellsArcane Missiles 3 24 Arcane SpellsCounterspell 1 24 Arcane SpellsDampen Magic 2 24 Arcane SpellsFireball 5 24 Fire SpellsFlamestrike 2 24 Fire SpellsPyroblast 2 24 Fire SpellsCone of Cold 1 26 Frost SpellsFrost Nova 2 26 Frost SpellsFrostbolt 5 26 Frost SpellsArcane Intellect 3 28 Arcane SpellsBlizzard 2 28 Frost SpellsConjure Mana Agate N/A 28 Arcane SpellsMana Shield 2 28 Arcane SpellsScorch 2 28 Fire SpellsAmplify Magic 2 30 Arcane SpellsArcane Explosion 3 30 Arcane SpellsBlast Wave 1 30 Fire SpellsCombustion 1 30 Fire SpellsConjure Water 4 30 Arcane SpellsFire Blast 4 30 Fire SpellsFire Ward 2 30 Fire SpellsFireball 6 30 Fire SpellsIce Armor 1 30 Frost SpellsIce Block 1 30 Frost SpellsPresence of Mind 1 30 Arcane SpellsPyroblast 3 30 Fire SpellsTeleport Thunder Bluff N/A 30 Portal MagicTeleport: Darnassus N/A 30 Portal MagicArcane Missiles 4 32 Arcane SpellsConjure Food 4 32 Arcane SpellsFlamestrike 3 32 Fire SpellsFrost Ward 2 32 Frost SpellsFrostbolt 6 32 Frost SpellsCone of Cold 2 34 Frost SpellsMage Armor 1 34 Arcane SpellsScorch 3 34 Fire SpellsBlast Wave 2 36 Fire SpellsBlizzard 3 36 Frost SpellsDampen Magic 3 36 Arcane Spells

ABILITY RANK LEVEL TYPEFireball 7 36 Fire SpellsMana Shield 3 36 Arcane SpellsPyroblast 4 36 Fire SpellsArcane Explosion 4 38 Arcane SpellsConjure Mana Jade N/A 38 Arcane SpellsFire Blast 5 38 Fire SpellsFrostbolt 7 38 Frost SpellsArcane Missiles 5 40 Arcane SpellsArcane Power 1 40 Arcane SpellsConjure Water 5 40 Arcane SpellsFire Ward 3 40 Fire SpellsFlamestrike 4 40 Fire SpellsFrost Nova 3 40 Frost SpellsIce Armor 2 40 Frost SpellsIce Barrier 1 40 Frost SpellsPolymorph 3 40 Arcane SpellsPortal: Ironforge N/A 40 Portal MagicPortal: Orgrimmar N/A 40 Portal MagicPortal: Stormwind N/A 40 Portal MagicPortal: Undercity N/A 40 Portal MagicScorch 4 40 Fire SpellsAmplify Magic 3 42 Arcane SpellsArcane Intellect 4 36 Arcane SpellsCone of Cold 3 42 Frost SpellsConjure Food 5 42 Arcane SpellsFireball 8 42 Fire SpellsFrost Ward 3 42 Frost SpellsPyroblast 5 42 Fire SpellsBlast Wave 3 44 Fire SpellsBlizzard 4 44 Frost SpellsFrostbolt 8 44 Frost SpellsMana Shield 4 44 Arcane SpellsArcane Explosion 5 46 Arcane SpellsFire Blast 6 46 Fire SpellsIce Barrier 2 46 Frost SpellsMage Armor 2 46 Arcane SpellsScorch 5 46 Fire SpellsArcane Missiles 6 48 Arcane SpellsConjure Mana Citrine N/A 48 Arcane SpellsDampen Magic 4 48 Arcane SpellsFireball 9 48 Fire SpellsFlamestrike 5 48 Fire SpellsPyroblast 6 48 Fire SpellsCone of Cold 4 50 Frost SpellsConjure Water 6 50 Arcane SpellsFire Ward 4 50 Fire SpellsFrostbolt 9 50 Frost SpellsIce Armor 3 50 Frost SpellsPortal: Darnassus N/A 50 Portal MagicPortal: Thunder Bluff N/A 50 Portal MagicBlast Wave 4 52 Fire SpellsBlizzard 5 52 Frost SpellsConjure Food 6 52 Arcane SpellsFrost Ward 4 52 Frost SpellsMana Shield 5 52 Arcane SpellsScorch 6 52 Fire SpellsAmplify Magic 4 54 Arcane SpellsArcane Explosion 6 54 Arcane SpellsFire Blast 7 54 Fire SpellsFireball 10 54 Fire SpellsFrost Nova 4 54 Frost SpellsPyroblast 7 54 Fire SpellsArcane Brilliance 1 56 Arcane SpellsArcane Missiles 8 56 Arcane SpellsArcane Intellect 5 56 Arcane SpellsArcane Missiles 7 56 Arcane SpellsFlamestrike 6 56 Fire SpellsFrostbolt 10 56 Frost SpellsCone of Cold 5 58 Frost SpellsConjure Mana Ruby N/A 58 Arcane SpellsMage Armor 3 58 Arcane SpellsScorch 7 58 Fire SpellsBlast Wave 5 60 Fire SpellsBlizzard 6 60 Frost SpellsConjure Food 7 60 Arcane SpellsDampen Magic 5 60 Arcane SpellsFire Ward 5 60 Fire SpellsFireball 11 60 Fire SpellsFireball 12 60 Fire SpellsFrostbolt 11 60 Frost SpellsIce Armor 4 60 Frost SpellsMana Shield 6 60 Arcane SpellsPolymorph 4 60 Arcane SpellsPolymorph: Pig 1 60 Arcane SpellsPyroblast 8 60 Fire Spells Conjure Water 7 60 Arcane Spells

CLASS ABILITIES


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ARCANE SPELLSOne of your few direct defenses is found in the Arcane Line. Once Mages get Mana Shield, it’s possible to use this spell to survive direct onslaughts for a short period. Get out of harm’s way quickly, since these don’t last forever.

Polymorph is in this spell line (for combat control), and beyond that there are many fast or Instant-cast spells with fair damage but only moderate effi ciency.

Never forget to use Arcane Intellect, as this is a class-defi ning buff (raising Intellect for you or allied targets).

AMPLIFY MAGIC

ARCANE BRILLIANCERANK LEVEL MANA REAGENT RANGE CASTING TIME COST TO TRAIN EFFECTS

1 56 3400 Arcane Powder

40 yd IC — Increases the Intellect of your party by 31 for one hour.

ARCANE EXPLOSION

ARCANE INTELLECT

ARCANE MISSILES

BLINK


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CONJURE MANA AGATE

CONJURE MANA CITRINE

CONJURE MANA JADERANK LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

N/A 38 800 Inventory 3 sec — 1 40 1 Conjures a Mana Jade that can be used to instantly restore 550 to 650 mana. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.

CONJURE MANA RUBY

CONJURE WATER

COUNTERSPELLRANK LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

1 24 100 30 yd IC 30 seconds 40 1 Counters the enemy’s spell, preventing him any spell in that school of magic being cast for 10 sec. Generates a high amount of threat.

DAMPEN MAGIC

CONJURE FOODRANK LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

1 6 60 Inventory 3 sec — 1 1 Conjures 2 muffi ns, providing the mage and his allies with something to eat. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.

2 12 105 Inventory 3 sec — 6 1 Conjures 2 loaves of bread, providing the mage and his allies with something to eat. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.

3 22 180 Inventory 3 sec — 30 1 Conjures 2 loaves of rye, providing the mage and his allies with something to eat. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.

4 32 285 Inventory 3 sec — 1 Conjures 2 loaves of pumpernickel, providing the mage and his allies with something to eat. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.

5 42 420 Inventory 3 sec — 1 80 1 Conjures 2 loaves of sourdough, providing the mage and his allies with something to eat. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.

6 52 585 Inventory 3 sec — 3 50 1 Conjures 2 sweet rolls, providing the mage and his allies with something to eat. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.

7 60 705 Inventory 3 sec — 3 50 1 Conjures 10 cinnamon rolls, providing the mage and his allies with something to eat. Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.


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DETECT MAGICRANK LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

N/A 16 35 40 yd IC — 15 1 Detects benefi cial magic effects on the target for 2 min.

MAGE ARMOR

MANA SHIELD

POLYMORPH

REMOVE LESSER CURSERANK LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

1 18 22 30 yd IC — 18 1 Removes 1 Curse from a friendly target.

SLOW FALLRANK LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

N/A 12 40 Self IC — 6 1 Slows falling speed for 30 sec.

SKILLS LEARNED FROM THE ARCANE TALENT TREE

ARCANE POWER

PRESENCE OF MIND

POLYMORPH: PIGRANK LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

1 60 150 30 yd 1.5 sec — — Transforms the enemy into a pig, forcing it to wander around for up to 50 seconds. While wandering, the pig cannot attack or cast spells but will regenerate very quickly. Any damage will transform the target back into its normal form. Only one target can be polymorphed at a time. Only works on Beasts, Humanoids and Critters.

EVOCATION

RANK

MINIMUM

LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

1 20 — — Channeled 8 minutes 20 1 While channeling this spell, your mana regeneration is active and increased by 1500%. Lasts 8 sec.


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MAGE

PALADIN

PRIEST

ROGUE

SHAMAN

WARLOCK

WARRIOR

FIRE SPELLSFire magic has Fireball for long-range bolting, Fire Blast for fast casting, and Flamestrike for hitting everything in an area. Scorch can be aided considerably by gear that raises Fire damage per spell, but this equipment is hard to obtain and lacks high attribute bonuses.

FIRE BLAST

FIRE WARD

FIREBALL

FLAMESTRIKE

SCORCH


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FROST SPELLSFrost magic stays high in effi ciency, with a good bolt! When area of effect spells are needed, Cone of Cold does immediate damage with Chill effects, and Blizzard offers more damage with the added bonus of being an Instant. Using Ice Armor prevents enemies from having an easy chase after a fl eeing Mage.

SKILLS LEARNED FROM THE FIRE TALENT TREE

BLAST WAVE

PYROBLAST

BLIZZARD

CONE OF COLD

FROST ARMOR

COMBUSTION

RANK

MINIMUM

LEVEL MANA RANGE CASTING TIME COOLDOWN COST TO TRAIN EFFECT

1 40 — — IC 3 minutes — When activated, this spell causes each Fire damage spell you cast to increase your critical strike chance with Fire damage spells by 10%. This effect lasts until you have causes 3 critical strikes with Fire spells.


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MAGE

PALADIN

PRIEST

ROGUE

SHAMAN

WARLOCK

WARRIOR

FROST NOVA

FROST WARD

FROSTBOLT

ICE ARMOR

SKILLS LEARNED FROM THE FROST TALENT TREECOLD SNAP

ICE BARRIER


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TALENTS

Mages dive into a single Talent line even sooner than most other classes. It’s wise to choose your primary line fi rst and focus on that quite heavily until it is completed, then to switch into a secondary Talent line.

Arcane Talents are wonderful for raising Mana effi ciency, Damage, and base functionality for the class. With an improved Intellect buff, Presence of Mind (for essentially a massive, Instant cast), and Evocation to renew lost mana, this line has much to offer.

Fire Talents make Mages into even more powerful casters at range (with longer bolts, a chance for Stun, and major damage up front and over time). Chosen often as either a primary or a secondary Talent line, the Fire Talents are more than simply functional. Added abilities improve the Fire line’s power to bring AoE’s into a battle (Blast Wave) or deal huge damage from surprise attacks (Pyroblast).

Frost Talents are there to frustrate and halt enemy advances. Though lacking in the power to immediately bring down enemy troops in the same way, this specialization improves the Chill Effects of almost all Frost magic. Also, Root effects are added to some spells, making it even harder for melee enemies to advance on groups that have Frost Mages at the ready. Groups with heavy ranged capabilities gain the most from having this line maxed.

ICE BLOCK

PORTAL MAGICA time-saving feature of the Mages is that they are able to Teleport themselves (and later their group as well) to major cities across Azeroth. This power is gained at Level 20, and is limited to the two central cities of your faction at that time. Later, at Level 30, the more distant capital is added. It’s after that that group Teleportation becomes possible.

PORTAL

TELEPORT


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WARRIOR

AR

CA

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E TALENT NAME RANKS PREREQUISITES EFFECTS

Arcane Subtlety 2 None Reduces your target’s resistance to all your spells by 5 (Per Rank) and reduces threat of Arcane spells by 20% (Per Rank).

Arcane Focus 5 None Reduces the chance that the opponent can resist your arcane spells by 2% (Per Rank).

Improved Arcane Missiles 5 None Gives you a 20% chance (Per Rank) to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles

Wand Specialization 2 5 Points in Arcane Increases your damage with Wands by 13%. Progression: 13%/25%.

Magic Absorption 5 5 Points in Arcane Increases all resistances by 2 (Per Rank) and causes all spells you resist to restore 1% (Per Rank) of your total mana.

Arcane Concentration 5 5 Points in Arcane Gives you a 2% (Per Rank) chance of entering a Clearcasting state after any damage spell hits a target. The Clearcasting state reduces the mana cost of your next damage spell by 100%.

Magic Attunement 2 10 Points in Arcane Increase the effect of your Amplify Magic and Dampen Magic spells by 25% (Per Rank).

Improved Arcane Explosion 3 10 Points in Arcane Increases the critical strike chance of your Arcane Explosion by an additional 2% (Per Rank).

Arcane Resilience 1 10 Points in Arcane Increases your armor by an amount equal to 50% of your Intellect.

Improved Mana Shield 2 15 Points in Arcane Decreases the mana lost per point of damage taken when Mana Shield is active by 10% (Per Rank).

Improved Counterspell 2 15 Points in Arcane Gives your Counterspell a 50% chance (Per Rank) to silence the target for 4 sec.

Arcane Meditation 3 15 Points in Arcane Allows 5% (Per Rank) of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting

Presence of Mind 1 20 Points in Arcane When activated, your next Mage spell with a casting time of less than 10 sec becomes an instant cast spell.

Arcane Mind 5 1 Point in Arcane Resilience, 20 Points in Arcane

Increases your maximum Mana by 2% (Per Rank).

Arcane Instability 3 1 Point in Presence of Mind, 20 Points in Arcane

Increases you spell damage and critical strike chance by 1% (Per Rank).

Arcane Power 1 3 Points in Arcane Instability, 30 Points in Arcane

When activated, your spells deal 35% more damage while costing 35% more mana to cast. This effect lasts 15 sec.

FIR

E LI

NE TALENT RANKS PREREQUISITES EFFECTS

Improved Fireball 5 None Reduces the casting time of your Fireball spell by 0.1 seconds (Per Rank).

Impact 5 None Gives your Fire spells a 2% chance (Per Rank) to stun the target for 2 seconds.

Ignite 5 5 Points in Fire Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 8% of your spell’s damage (Per Rank) over 4 seconds

Flame Throwing 2 5 Points in Fire Increases the range of your fi re spells by 3 yards (Per Rank).

Improved Fire Blast 3 5 Points in Fire Reduces the cooldown of your Fire Blast by 0.5 seconds - Progression: 0.5/1/1.5

Incinerate 2 10 Points in Fire Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire Blast and Scorch spells by 2% (Per Rank).

Improved Flamestrike 3 10 Points in Fire Increases the critical strike chance of your Flamestrike spell by 5% (Per Rank).

Pyroblast 1 10 Points in Fire Hurls an immense fi ery boulder that causes 148-195 fi re damage and an additional 56 fi re damage over 12 sec.

Burning Soul 2 10 Points in Fire Gives your fi re spells a 35% (Per Rank) chance to not lose casting time when you take damage and reduces the threat caused by your Fire spells by 15% (Per Rank).

Improved Scorch 3 15 Points in Fire Your Scorch spells have a 33% (Progression: 33%/66%/100%) chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Fire damage. This vulnerability increases the Fire damage dealt to your target by 3% and lasts 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times.

Improved Fire Ward 2 15 Points in Fire Causes your Fire Ward to have a 10% (Per Rank) chance to refl ect Fire spells while active.

Master of Elements 3 15 Points in Fire Your Fire and Frost spell criticials will refund 10% (Per Rank) of the mana cost.

Critical Mass 3 20 Points in Fire Increases the critical strike chance of your fi re spells by 2% (Per Rank).

Blast Wave 1 3 Points in Improved Flamestrike, 20 Points in Fire

A wave of fl ame radiates outward from the caster, damaging all enemies caught within the blast for 160 to 192 Fire damage, and dazing them for 6 sec.

Fire Power 5 25 Points in Fire Increases the damage done by your fi re spells by 2% (Per Rank).

Combustion 1 3 Points in Fire Power, 30 Points in Fire

When activated, this spell causes each Fire damage spell you cast to increase your critical strike chance with Fire damage spells by 10%. This effect lasts until you have causes 3 critical strikes with Fire spells.


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STRATEGIES

As early as Level 8, you receive the Polymorph spell. To practice its use, save up your full supply of mana and intentionally take on two monsters at the same time. Normally, this is a very bad situation, because Mages cannot mitigate damage in any positive way. So, use your best Fireball to bolt one target and “Sheep” the other opponent to prevent them from adding into combat. Use kiting tricks to blow down the initial target then choose whether to proceed with the second foe (who will soon come out of Polymorph) or run away.

Master Polymorph and learn which targets are best to hit with it. During group battles, later in your career, it’s a huge boost to Sheep an incoming caster to prevent them from fl anking your group. Be aware that Polymorph allows enemies to heal quickly, so it’s best to hit fresh targets with Polymorph instead of wounded ones.

Arcane Missiles can dish out the damage quickly, so learning how to avoid interruption is key for its use. Use Frost and kiting techniques to have the range for safe casting when soloing, or wait in groups to unload Arcane Missiles until one of your allies has consolidated aggro. Either way, Arcane Missiles are the bread and butter burst DPS against a single mob.

If you are ever stopped during a kiting run (by nets, rooting, etc.) use Blink to hop out of harm’s way as soon as possible. Trading blows is a bad idea no matter how you cut it, and Blink is your best hope for getting out of tight places.

Arcane Explosion is the ultimate in fast AoE potential. With the right Talents, this spell eventually offers Instant damage with a decent radius that doesn’t cost much Mana. Parties with a single tank may not benefi t as much from this, since they commonly kill one foe at a time in each battle. However, groups with a backup tank can consolidate more aggro and allow Mages to spam Arcane Explosion against several foes. This is a solid technique to bring down foes all at once (especially if combined with a Berserk Stance Warrior as the secondary tank).

This is one of those classes that dies easily if you aren’t fast on your feet and good with your keys, because your Armor Rating isn’t going to stay close to decent. In fact, Mages and damage mitigation only go together in the sentence, Mages have no damage mitigation. So, avoid the damage entirely and stay mobile.

The key is to fi nd ways to maximize the spell line(s) you enjoy the most. On the whole, Mages use a primary spell line with elements from the other two, and this is more than a Talent issue. Indeed, the spell lines have entirely different purposes, and your strategy should refl ect the spells you prefer using (or vice versa).

ARCANE TRICKSThe Arcane line has much to offer at close and long range. One of the fi rst things that you get out of this is the ability to create food and drink. Use this to reduce the downtime of your character and any allies you group with. Beyond that, giving away extra supplies of this sort is a good way to make friends in a region, even if they aren’t grouped with you. If you have a side goal of meeting new people, scouting for the right guild, and such, try offering to make people extra food/drink in General Chat.

FRO

ST L

INE TALENT RANKS PREREQUISITES EFFECTS

Frost Warding 2 None Increases the armor and resistances given by your Frost Armor and Ice Armor spells by 15% (Per Rank). In addition, gives your Frost Ward a 10% (Per Rank) chance to refl ect Frost Spells and effects while active.

Improved Frostbolt 5 None Reduces the casting time of Frostbolt spell by 0.1 seconds (Per Rank).

Elemental Precision 3 None Reduces the chance that the opponent can resist your Frost and Fire spells by 2% (Per Rank).

Ice Shards 5 5 Points in Frost Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 20% (Per Rank).

Frostbite 3 5 Points in Frost Gives your Chill effects a 5% (Per Rank) chance to freeze the target for 5 sec.

Improved Frost Nova 2 5 Points in Frost Reduces the cooldown of your Frost Nova spell by 2 sec (Per Rank).

Permafrost 3 5 Points in Frost Increases the duration of your Chill effects by 1 sec (Per Rank) and reduces the targets speed by an additional 4% (Progression: 4%/7%/10%).

Piercing Ice 3 10 Points in Frost Increases the damage done by your Frost spells by 2% (Per Rank).

Cold Snap 1 10 Points in Frost When activated, this spell fi nishes the cooldown on all of your Frost spells.

Improved Blizzard 3 10 Points in Frost Adds a chill effect to your Blizzard spell. This effect lowers the target’s movement speed by 30% (Progression: 30%/50%/65%) Lasts 1.5 sec.

Arctic Reach 2 15 Points in Frost Increases the range of your Frostbolt and Blizzard spells and the radius of your Frost Nova and Cone of Cold spells by 10% (Per Rank).

Frost Channeling 3 15 Points in Frost Reduces the Mana cost of your Frost spells by 5% (Per Rank) and the threat caused by your Frost spells by 10% (Per Rank).

Shatter 5 2 Points in Improved Frost Nova, 15 Points in Frost

Increases the critical strike chance of your Frost spells against frozen targets by 10% (Per Rank).

Ice Block 1 20 Points in Frost You become encased in a block of ice, protecting you from all physical attacks and spells for 10 sec, but during that time you cannot attack, move, or cast spells.

Improved Cone of Cold 3 20 Points in Frost Increases the damage dealt by your Cone of Cold spell by 15%. Progression: 15%/25%/35%

Winter’s Chill 3 5 Points in Frost Gives your Frost damage spells a 20% (Per Rank) chance to apply the Winter’s Chill effect, which increases the chance a Frost spell will critically hit the target by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times.

Ice Barrier 1 1 Point in Ice Block, 30 Points in Frost

Instantly shields you, absorbing 438 damage. Lasts 1 min. While the shield holds, spells will not be interrupted.


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V

HUNTER

DRUID

MAGE

PALADIN

PRIEST

ROGUE

SHAMAN

WARLOCK

WARRIOR

FUN WITH FIREArcane spells sound like fun, but Fire is just as insane. Damaging single targets with Fireball is solid, especially when backed with Fire-enhancing potions/gear. The range (and possible Stun) from this bolt makes it a deadly option for solo use and group play. Practice getting the most out of Fireball range by chaining these spells together at max range (see how much you can get in before a monster arrives). Bolt, bolt, then slam some Instant damage home before taking a single hit. Fireball, Fireball, Fire Blast is certainly effective for waking up someone. Frost Nova during fi nal enemy approach, then skirt away for more good times.

Flamestrike does moderate AoE damage at range, and can certainly help you contribute to a party that wants to bring down multiple enemies at the same time. However, Fire-Talented Mages are going to appreciate the Instant use of Blast Wave and its potential to Daze opponents. Using this at a “wave” of incoming targets can give you maneuvering room while allies get their position against the opponents.

Pyroblast is a slow spell; you only get this with Fire Talents, and there is much to consider before relying on it. Pyroblast takes more time to cast than many equivalent spells. The best time to use Pyroblast is in a situation where your enemy isn’t prepared for the incoming attack (neutral mobs, aggressive foes out of range, or unaware PvP targets). Using Combustion and Pyroblast together is certainly an option, and this is a fi ne way to start important battles.

ALLIANCE

QUEST LEVEL QUEST LAUNCHER QUEST COMPLETER CHAIN MAX XP

Glyphic Letter 1 Marshal McBride Kheldan Bremen N 40

Glyphic Memorandum 1 Sten Stoutarm Marryk Nurribit N 40

Speak with Bink 10 Magris Sparkmantle Bink S 85

Mage-tastic Gizmonitor 10 Bink Bink Y 850

Speak with Jennea 10 Zaldimar Wefhelt Jennea Cannon S 40

Mirror Lake 10 Jennea Cannon Jennea Cannon Y 850

Report to Jennea 15 Dink Jennea Cannon S 110

Investigate the Blue Recluse

16 Jennea Cannon Jennea Cannon Y 120

Gathering Materials 15 Jennea Cannon Wynne Larson Y 800

High Sorcerer Andromath 26 Jennea Cannon High Sorcerer Andromath S 1050

Ur’s Treatise on Shadow Magic

28 High Sorcerer Andromath High Sorcerer Andromath Y 2300

Pristine Spider Silk 26 High Sorcerer Andromath Wynne Larson Y 1600

HORDE


Glyphic Scroll 1 Shadow Priest Sarvis Isabella N 40

Glyphic Tablet 1 Gornek Mai’ah N 40

Speak with Anastasia 10 Cain Firesong Anastasia Hartwell S 85

The Balnir Farmstead 10 Anastasia Hartwell Anastasia Hartwell Y 850

Speak wit Un’Thuwa 10 Uthel’nay Un’Thuwa S 85

Ju-Ju Heaps 10 Un’Thuwa Un’Thuwa Y 850

Report to Anastasia 15 Uthel’nay Anastasia Hartwell S 110

Investigate the Alchemist Shop

16 Anastasia Hartwell Anastasia Hartwell Y 120

Gathering Materials 15 Anastasia Hartwell Josef Gregorian Y 800

Speak with Deino 26 Anastasia Hartwell Deino S 210

Waters of Xavian 26 Deino Deino Y 2100

Laughing Sisters 26 Deino Kil’hala Y 1600

Nether-lace Garment 26 Kil’hala Kil’hala Y 1600

CLASS QUESTS

LEAVING ENEMIES OUT IN THE COLDBefore your specialization is complete, Frost is a great complement to either of the other two lines. Using a fast Frostbolt snares your enemies and prevents them from reaching allies in time to deal as much damage. It’s hard to say no to that. Later on, as Mages move away from Frost into other lines or fully become Frost casters, there are more tricks to this selection of spells.

Frost Nova is your best bet for getting out of melee trouble. In both PvE and PvP, Frost Nova offers one of the most reliable means to stop melee attackers and give you fl ight time. The moderate root caused by Frost Nova is more than enough to get you out to range; use the remaining time to hurl new Frostbolts at your target to renew that good-old Chill effect!

At higher levels, Cone of Cold and Blizzard are good to tradeoff during AoE combat. Blizzard (when improved with Talents) is just incredible for doing damage while halting enemies. Adding Chill to this AoE negates the needs to use less damaging spells while slowing enemies.

Ice Barrier (also gained through Talents), gives you a chance to act like a Priest on defense. Shield yourself with this spell and launch a couple of short spells to Chill and wound your opponents. Combining the previous spells is useful; so, raise Ice Barrier then use Blizzard to smash enemies as safely as possible.

SHARED


Hidden Secrets 38 Tabetha Magus Tirth S 1450

Get The Scoop 30 Magus Tirth Magus Tirth Y 190

Rituals of Power 40 Magus Tirth Tabetha Y 3150

Journey to the Marsh 38 Mage Trainer Tabetha N 290

Return to the Marsh 40 Mage Trainer Tabetha S 340

The Infernal Orb 40 Tabetha Tabetha Y 2350

The Exorcism 40 Tabetha Tabetha Y 2400

Power in Uldaman 40 Tabetha Tabetha Y 3900

Mana Surges 40 Tabetha Tabetha Y 2350

Items of Power 40 Tabetha Tabetha Y 3150

Mage’s Wand 40 Tabetha Tabetha Y 3150

Mage Craft 52 Uthel’nay Sanath Lim-Yo S 200

Magic Dust 52 Archmage Xylem Archmage Xylem Y 2050

The Siren’s Coral 52 Archmage Xylem Archmage Xylem Y 2050

Destroy Morphaz 52 Archmage Xylem Archmage Xylem Y 6350

The Arcanist’s Cookbook 54 Dire Maul Lorekeeper Kildrath N 7050

Warlord Krellan 60 Archmage Xylem Archmage Xylem S —

Fragmented Magic 60 Archmage Xylem Archmage Xylem Y —

Arcane Refreshment 60 Lorekeeper Lydros Lorekeeper Lydros N —


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