Basics Combat FAQ Spells Soloing 1-40 DPS Guide

There are a lot of spells available to Mages in World of Warcraft and using them properly can be a challenge. Mixing them and matching them to create your perfect rotation or just understanding the bare basics can turn your Mage from an arcane tome to an arcane powerhouse. Below are the descriptions of the various spells and how to use each one properly.

Arcane

• Arcane Blast: This ability basically does damage and then applies a buff (up to 4 times) that increases Arcane damage by 15% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast by 175%. If you cast any Arcane spell or wait six seconds the buff will disperse. So, essentially, if you cast Arcane Blast 4 times you’ll have a 60% increase in your next Arcane spell (including Arcane Blast, although it would rather be a waste). The big thing to watch out for is the mana cost, which increases each time. You’re trading mana for burst damage, essentially.
• Arcane Brilliance: Gives everyone 6% spell power and more mana, which is your standard buff. Needs to be up at all time.
• Arcane Explosion: It’s a Point Blank Area of Effect (PBAoE) spell that essentially damages everyone near you.
• Arcane Missiles: The standard Arcane DPS spell. It shoots missiles at the target, each one doing damage.
• Blink: Teleports you forward a bit, although it’s a bit strange. Sometimes it works the way you want it to and sometimes it doesn’t, depending on the terrain.
• Conjure Mana Gem / Refreshement: Creates a Mana Gem or Mana Pie. The Mana Gem heals your mana for a set amount while the Mana Pie is level appropriate food.
• Counterspell: If an enemy is casting a spell and this is cast then they’ll stop and can’t cast other spells from that school for six seconds. Great in PvP or pulling enemies that cast.
• Evocation: Gives you 15% of your mana instantly and another 45% over 6 seconds. This is your mana regeneration spell since Mages don’t regen mana via stacking spirit.
• Invisibility: Somewhat of a gimmick ability. After 3 seconds of no damage you go invisible for 20 seconds, meaning no one but invisible (and those who can see invisible) can see you. It’s great for skipping content to make it a quest item or avoiding someone in PvP.
• Mage Armor: Gives you 3% of your maximum mana every 5 seconds via regen, increases resistances, and halves negative magical effect durations.
• Mage Ward: Absorbs Fire, Frost, or Arcane damage. Useful in raiding to avoid a big attack or in Arenas.
• Mana Shield: Uses your mana bar for your health bar at a set conversion rate (like 1 damage per 1 mana). Very useful in staying alive and is usually kept up at most times, since it’s better to lose some mana than it is to take a killing blow.
• Mirror Image: A DPS cooldown that summons 3 clones of you who walk around and do damage to enemies.
• Polymorph: Turns a beast, human, or critter into a sheep (or other animal) for 50 seconds. Has huge diminishing returns for players. While a sheep the enemy will regenerate very quickly but can’t do anything.
• Remove Curse: Removes a curse.
• Ritual of Refreshment: Summons a Mage table that gives food to allies.
• Slow Fall: Allows you to glide instead of drop to your death.
• Spellsteal: Takes a buff from the target, amazing for removing some buffs during PvP and in some unique PvE scenarios.
• Teleport (Location): Various abilities that allow the Mage to teleport to certain cities, depending on faction.
• Time Warp: Essentially Bloodlust, gives everyone in the raid 30% haste and debuffs them to prevent the affect from happening for 10 minutes (or until death).
• Portal (Location): Opens a portal up to a major city for raid members to enter. Disappears whenever the Mage enters it, so make sure everyone has gone through!

Fire

• Fire Blast: An instant attack usually used as a follow-up for huge burst damage.
• Fireball: A casted long range fire attack.
• Flame Orb: A ball of fire that deals damage as it moves in a straight line toward the target.
• Flamestrike: A ground targeted AoE damage ability.
• Frostfire Bolt: An ability that does either Frost or Fire damage (depending on which does more), snares by 20%, and applies a DoT.
• Molten Armor: Gives 3% critical strike, reduces critical strikes against you by 5%, and returns a small portion of melee damage. Your general DPS armor.
• Scorch: Fast casting ranged DPS spell.

Frost

• Blizzard: Ground targeted channeled DPS spell.
• Cone of Cold: Does damage to anything in front of you.
• Frost Armor: Snares anyone who hits you and increases your defense. Good for kiting.
• Frost Nova: Roots everyone around you.
• Frostbolt: Ranged DPS spell that also snares.
• Ice Block: Makes you immune to everything for 10 seconds, but you can’t do anything.
• Ice Lance: An instant Frost damage spell.
• Ring of Frost: After 3 seconds, anyone caught in the ring for 12 seconds will be Frozen.