WoW Forever: Frost Mage
About the Class
Frost Mage combines ranged damage with slows, freezes, and defensive abilities. Your core spell is 
Frostbolt; 
Fingers of Frost enables empowered attacks even against enemies that cannot actually be frozen.
At higher levels, you need to track 
Winter's Chill stacks, the cooldown of 
Cone of Cold, and the buff from 
Ice Barrier. When playing solo, a safe distance and controlling approaching enemies are key. In a group, coordinate your freezes with the tank.
Strengths
- Comfortable solo leveling thanks to slows and crowd control.
- Ice Barrier and
Ice Block help you survive mistakes. - Fingers of Frost lets you cash in on your empowered attacks against bosses.
Cold Snap resets your important Frost abilities.
Weaknesses
- You have to keep in mind which enemies are immune to freezing.
- Your big hits depend on spending procs correctly.
- AoE leveling requires managing range, mana, and enemy pathing.
Stat Priority
- 1Spell Hit
- 2Spell Power
- 3Critical Strike
- 4Intellect
- 5Mana per 5
- 6Spirit
Against a raid boss, aim for 17% total spell hit. Three points in 
Precision give 6%, so gear has to cover the remaining 11% if you have no other sources. Check the talents you actually picked, not just the number on your gear.
Spell Power increases damage; bonuses to a single school apply only to matching spells. Intellect increases your mana and spell crit chance. Spirit and mana regeneration help you keep up the pace in long fights. Their value depends on your armor, talents, and how many pauses you get to recover.
Talents
Rotation (Ability Priority)
The opener is a set sequence of abilities you use as you engage an enemy. Memorising it helps initiate your rotation in the most optimal way possible.
- 1Frostbolt
- 2
Frost Nova - 3
Ice Lance - 4Frostbolt
- Frostbolt — slow the target and attack from range
- Frost Nova — root a suitable enemy when it closes in
- Ice Lance — use it on a frozen target, if you already have the talent
Blink — open up distance when simply backing off is not enough
When you are low on mana, finish off nearly dead enemies with your wand and recover between fights.
Important Abilities
Ability | When it helps |
|---|---|
| Blink | Quick repositioning and escaping certain crowd control |
 Counterspell | Ranged interrupt of a dangerous spell |
 Polymorph | Crowd control on a suitable enemy before or during a fight |
| Frost Nova | Stopping approaching enemies that can be frozen |
 Evocation | Restoring mana during a safe window |
 Conjure Water | Making water to recover between fights |
Conjure water and any available mana gems ahead of time. 
Mana Ruby has a cooldown separate from potions and helps you keep fighting when you run low. Coordinate crowd control with your group: a rooted enemy can still attack the nearest ally if the tank has moved away.
Best in Slot (BiS)
Best in Slot (BiS)Enchants, Gems, Consumables
Enchants and Enhancements
ConsumablesBest Race
Eureka! temporarily empowers your spells and lowers their cost. This racial pairs well with a short burst window.
Berserking speeds up your casting and is useful in a window when you can attack nonstop. When picking a race, consider not only short fights but also how handy its defensive abilities are.
Wind Blessed gives 2% movement speed, and 
Read Leyline helps you regain resources. It is a solid choice for long fights and solo play.
Best Professions
Tailoring lets you craft cloth gear, and 
Enchanting lets you enhance items and disenchant unneeded gear. This pair is handy for gearing your character on your own and crafting some of your pre-raid gear.
Herbalism supplies herbs, and 
Alchemy lets you brew potions and elixirs for damage, resource regeneration, and survival. It is a practical choice if you use consumables regularly.
Engineering suits players who like extra gadgets and PvP. Among secondary professions, 
First Aid is useful for bandages and 
Cooking for buff food.
FAQ
Is this spec good for a first Mage?
Frost is comfortable for a first character thanks to its slows, freezes, and defensive tools. The key is to pick your distance in advance.
What weapon types can a Mage use?
Daggers, one-handed swords, staves, and wands. You can learn missing weapon skills from weapon masters; for regular spellcasting, the stats on your gear matter most.
Do I need to buy water before every outing?
A Mage can conjure water ahead of time. Carry a supply suited to your level so you can recover between fights and skip the vendor stop before every dungeon.
What should I do when I'm almost out of mana?
Use an available mana gem and plan a safe window for Evocation in advance. While leveling, your wand helps finish off an enemy at no extra cost; don't waste an expensive spell on a sliver of health.
How do I empower attacks on a boss that can't be frozen?
Fingers of Frost lets suitable spells treat the target as frozen. Use the proc for empowered attacks, and save Frost Nova for enemies that can actually be frozen.
Author
Fouren
Fouren has been playing World of Warcraft for over 15 years. He is an active player with 12 Cutting Edge achievements under his belt, and has reached the top 1% and 0.1% multiple times on various classes. His main classes are healers, particularly Holy Paladin.
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