The Mage class is master of magic in World of Warcraft. Capable of calling upon the powers of Arcane, Fire, and Frost, Mages are intelligent and disciplined. Mages are only able to take on the task of damage dealing in game, but they do well. However, this does not mean the Mage is a one show pony. Thanks to the various specializations available, each one will give the Mage a totally different play experience.

Besides being damage dealers, the mage class are also adept in several utility roles. Able to conjure refreshments to sooth their weary party members, teleport, open Portals for others to major cities, and perhaps most importantly; crowd controlling mobs.

Current Expansion: Warlords of Draenor

Choosing the Mage

When you choose a Mage you are entering the world of caster DPS. Unlike hybrid classes, that don't specialize in anything, the Mage is made to put out pure damage. If you are looking for a class that can heal and tank, the Mage is probably not the right choice for you. Mages have no heals and are glass cannons, meaning they can't take much of a hit. However, if you are looking for a class that can do exceptional amounts of damage from a distance, this is the perfect fit.

While you won't be throwing any heals with your Mage, your job in game won't be 100% doing damage. As mentioned above, Mages are full of utility spells. Mages can create food and drink for themselves and their allies, teleport and portal to major cities, and crowd control mobs with Polymorph that would otherwise overwhelm your party. Mages also can provide their party with Arcane Brilliance; a powerful buff that increases spell power and critical strike chance.

Players leaning towards choosing the Mage as their class of choice will find a plethora of race options open to them. In fact, most races found in the game can become a Mage. The races that can choose Mage are: Draenei, Dwarf, Gnome, Human, Night Elf, Pandaren, Worgen, Blood Elf, Forsaken, Goblin, Orc, and Troll.

Mage Core Abilities

Due to the fact that Mage's typically do not have the physical strength to wear heavy armor, not to mention the fact that heavier armor can impede their magic, the Mage wears cloth armor only. This doesn't mean you are totally vulnerable, Mages can pack a pretty big punch and most enemies will die before they ever reach you. When it comes to weapons the Mage can weild the following: Wands, Daggers, One-Handed Swords, and Staves.

While each Mage is unique based on their specialization of choice, each Mage comes with a select set of abilities that define the class. Some examples of these abilities are: Arcane Intellect, Teleport, Portal, Conjure Refreshment, Blink, Polymorph, and more! All these spells, plus those given when a specialization is chosen, are what make a Mage distinctive.

Fueling these abilities is mana. Each Mage has their own personal mana bar that they must keep an eye on. Each spell or ability will cost the Mage mana every time it is used. Mana will recharge by itself both in and out of combat. Gear will increase the amount of mana the Mage has or how fast it regenerates, allowing them to cast even more spells.

Mage Specializations

Each Mage has the option to choose one of three specializations; Arcane, Fire, or Frost. The specialization you choose will determine what kind of spells your Mage uses and how you do damage. Mages who choose Arcane will take on abilities like Arcane Missles and Arcane Blast to overwhelm their enemies. Fire Mages use devastating spells like Pyroblast and the classic Fireball to ignite their enemies. Finally, Frost Mages tap into their frozen side and use Frostbolt and their Water Elemental to do shattering damage.

While it has not always been the case, all Mage Specializations are viable in game. Pick the one that best suits your preferred play style or play them all to mix things up! With their impressive damage and utility, Mages are always welcome in any PvP match, raid, or party.


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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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Get in the bush with David "Xerin" Piner as he leverages his spectacular insanity to ask the serious questions such as is Master Yi and Illidan the same person? What's for dinner? What are ways to elevate your gaming experience? David's column, Respawn, is updated near daily with some of the coolest things you'll read online, while David tackles ways to improve the game experience across the board with various hype guides to cool games.

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