Mage talent analysis

From WoWWiki

Mage talents are listed elsewhere. I found the Druid Talent Analysis page really useful in creating a druid build, so I wanted to start something similar to help people make custom mage builds.

Arcane

Arcane Sublety

2 Points: Reduces your target's resistance to all your spells by {5/10} and all of your Arcane spells cause {20/40}% less threat

• Largest Threat decrease you can get on a Magic school.
  
  • Solo Utility: Threat doesn't matter in solofarming and the 10 magic penetration don't really make a difference.
    
  • Raid Utility: If you plan on going further down the arcane tree this is a must have on your way down, espacially if you want to go deep arcane. And the tanks will be happy about the aggro reduce while aoeing.
    
  • PVP Ulility: Threat doesn't matter here and the 10 penetrationn won't really matter, 'cos noone will wear resistance gear in PVP.
    
• Bottom Line: If you Raid you should take it, but don't touch it for PVP or Soloing.
  

Arcane Focus

5 Points: Reduces the chance that the opponent can resist your Arcane spells by {2/4/6/8/10}%

• Bigger hitchance with arcane... why not.
  
  • Solo Utility: Skip it.
    
  • Raid Utility: If you already took Arcane Sublety you should spend your next three points here. And if you're Deep arcane, spend all your points here.
    
  • PVP Utility: Skip it.
    
• Bottom Line: This is a Raid talent, as are most +Hit skills.
  

Improved Arcane Missiles

5 Points: Gives you a {20/40/60/80/100}% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles.

• This is the only spell you can get a 100% Pushback resistance
  
  • Solo Utility: Well if a great skill for leveling and important if you choose AM as you main spell.
    
  • Raid Utility: Helps against bosses with AOE effects. On any other location useless.
    
  • PVP Utility: Why would you use AM in PVP?
    
• Bottom Line: Interesting for Deep Arcane mages. Other builds may skip it.
  

Fire

Improved Fireball

5 Points: Reduces the casting time of your Fireball spell by 0.5 sec.

• A faster casting time means more damage a second and less of a chance for spell pushback. A must for fire Mages.
  
  • Solo Utility: If you're a fire Mage take it. If you aren't, take it if you have the free points.
    
  • Raid Utility: Take it. More DPS is never a bad thing in a raid.
    
  • PVP Ulility: Good for PvP because of reduced pushback. If you have the points, take it.
    
• Bottom Line: A must for fire Mages. Good in every situation.
  

Ignite

5 Points: Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 40% of your spell's damage over 4 sec.

• This will make your fire criticals also apply a DoT to the target.
  
  • Solo Utility: Take it.
    
  • Raid Utility: Take it if you're fire.
    
  • PVP Ulility: Take it. Criticals are essential to PvP and this talent adds critical damage.
    
• Bottom Line: A must for fire Mages. Good in every situation.
  

Frost

Frost Warding

2 points: Increases the armor and resistances given by your Frost Armor and Ice Armor spells by {15/30}%. In addition, gives your Frost Ward a {10/20}% chance to reflect Frost spells and effects while active.

• Lower cast time equals higher DPS and a reduced chance to be interrupted.
  
  • Solo Utility: Handy to have additional armor and resistance when leveling
    
  • Raid Utility: You don't need the armor or the frost resistance for raiding, so most raid builds skip it
    
  • PVP Utility: +194 armor is handy.
    
• Bottom Line: Use this talent as you level, or for pvp, but lose it for raiding.
  

Improved Frostbolt

5 points: Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by {0.1/0.2/0.3/0.4/0.5} sec. Reduces the bonus damage from items by {2/4/6/8/10}%. Changed in 2.0.6; doesn't appear on the tooltip. The reduction of bonus damage from items has removed in 2.3.0.

• Faster casting = more damage in all circumstances.
  
  • Solo Utility: Get it.
    
  • Raid Utility: Get it.
    
  • PvP Utility: Get it.
    
• Bottom Line: If you are going to use Frostbolt, get this talent. Most people start here.
  

Elemental Precision

3 points: Reduces the mana cost and chance that the enemy can resist your Frost and Fire spells by {1/2/3}%.

• For new players, this doesn't seem that special, but it increases hit rating, which is critical for raiding. This talent allows you to do more damage against enemies that are a higher level than you are.
  
  • Solo Utility: Take it or leave it.
    
  • Raid Utility: Critical. Taking this talent means you only need +126 spell hit on your gear to be able to hit level 73 raid bosses 99% of the time.
    
  • PvP Utility: No benefit.
    
• Bottom Line: If you're raiding, you need this. Fire specced raiders will also take this talent. PVP players should skip it.
  

Ice Shards

Requires 5 points in Frost Talents
5 points: Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 100%.

• This is a nice crit bonus. Taking this talent significantly increases the benefit of +crit gear.
  • Solo Utility: Useful.
    
  • Raid Utility: Critical for maximizing your output.
    
  • PvP Utility: PVP fights are shorter so crit is less important
    
• Bottom Line: Most frost mages take this talent.
  

Frostbite

Requires 5 points in Frost Talents
3 points: Gives your Chill effects a {5/10/15}% chance to freeze the target for 5 sec.

• This is incredibly useful for kiting and snaring.
  • Solo Utility: Makes it much easier to keep your distance and reduce the damage taken.
    
  • Raid Utility: Not useful - most raid bosses can't be frozen.
    
  • PvP Utility: Must have.
    
• Bottom Line: Handy for leveling or PvP - leave it out for raiding.
  

Improved Frost Nova

Requires 5 points in Frost Talents
2 points: Reduces the cooldown of your Frost Nova spell by {2/4} sec.

• Very handy utility talent.
  • Solo Utility: Makes it much easier to keep your distance and reduce the damage taken.
    
  • Raid Utility: Not useful - most raid bosses can't be frozen.
    
  • PvP Utility: Frost nova is key for reducing damage taken.
    
• Bottom Line: Handy for leveling or PvP - leave it out for raiding.
  

For more information, see the detailed page of Mage Talents.

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