So I've decided that I've been out of the arcane biz too long. With the recent patch, arcane got much love much of it in the form of a really uber new glyph and some of it in the form of a nice exploitable bug. (the bug vs feature issue is a whole other post) Seeing as I really haven't enjoied the "You must be Frostfire" way that mages have been so far in WotLK, this seemed like a perfect opportunity to try out the ole Arcane spec again.
The spec is what I remember Arcane being in the past. Dynamic and flexible. Insane DPS at completely unsustainable DPM. However, I kind of noticed today that I (and many others) had really approached this spec like it's another fire spec. Find the right rotation and work it to death. (In this case it was AB->AB->AB->AM->ABar) I tried it and was surprised that I wasn't having mana issues. I mean not even close to having mana issues. So I dropped my glyph of Mage armor and switched to Glyph of Molten Armor. No mana issues so why not get 5% more Crit? Makes Sense? Right?
Well maybe to a Fire mage, but to an Arcane mage, that is just the wrong way of thinking. If you have more mana, cast a more mana intensive cycle. Mage armor (Glyphed)_gives me between 400-500 additional MP5. Molten armor (Glyphed) is 5% crit or 230 crit rating. Form a gear standpoint, 450 MP5 is worth TONS more than 230 crit rating. And with Arcane, you can take advantage of that extra mana and convert it into damage.
To be honest I'm kind of embarrassed at myself. I should have been thinking like this all along. I'm really looking forward to exploring Arcane in more depth in the next few weeks. It's nice to come home again, even if it does mean I have to actually think.
Friday, January 23, 2009
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2 comments:
It'll be a little while before I get around to Jhera in my alt rotation, but I intend to level her as arcane.
In what little post-Wrath time I've spent on her, I've already discovered the potency of the new arcane spells. I appreciate the posted rotation you give (most non-elite mobs are long dead by the third spell though.) I'm curious as to what glyphs I should be looking for. You obviously prefer Mage Armor, but what are the others?
Also, what gear stats should I be focusing on? Spellpower and MP5, I suppose. Am I right?
Well you're gong to deal with trash way differently than elites or mobs in an instance.
For the average soloing/questiing mob, I open with Frostfire bolt, then arcane blast, then Arcane Barrage. For me that kills almost any mob. Fireblast will finish anything else off.
Theory behind it: Forstfire bolt slows the target down, and puts a snare up so that you'll get Torment of the Weak (12%) Arcane blast is a qucik cast spell. Arcane barrage then will get a damage buff from the arcane blast.
Glyphs: Arcane blst is a MUST. It is bordering on broken it's so good. Turns the 15/30/45 buff from AB into 20/40/60. That's huge. Forthe last one. I use arcane power. Nothing really a natural feel here though. No exceptional choices. (BTW for soloing, you may prefer molten armor as mana regen is not the same issue for solo fights as it is for instancing, Mage armor will be more so you don't have to stop and drink in a solo setting.)
Spellpower is #1 still. However the next stat is INT. Int is more mana, more regen, more crit, and more damage. Many people stack INT over spell power even. Try to get gear with spirit on it as opposed to MP5. Spirit will give you a lot more bang for the buck than MP5.
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