In this article, we explain what the best statistics are for Frost Mages (WoW MoP 5.3), how the class benefits from each of them, and what your reforging strategy should be. We also detail what the various caps are and why they should be attained. The statistics priority is important as it influences reforging strategies as well as itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

Make sure to check our Gear Optimisation Guide, which serves as a support guide for this article.

The other articles of our Frost Mage guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Blatty, one of the best Mages in the world, who raids in Method, the currently ranked #1 guild on WoWProgress. He has been contributing a lot to the community through his streams on Twitch and now works for Millenium, his new streaming platform.

1. Basics↑top

The stat priority for a Frost Mage is:

1. Intellect;
2. Hit Rating (until 15%);
3. Haste Rating;
4. Critical Strike Rating;
5. Mastery Rating.

These statistics have been obtained by combining common sense, in-game testing, and simulations using Simulation Craft.

If you are unsure what the optimal reforging strategy is for the above priority, you can Ask Mr. Robot for a personalised optimisation of your character's gear, by filling the form below.

2. Getting a Better Understanding↑top

2.1. Statistics Explanations

Intellect is your primary stat. You should look for this stat in all of your upgrades. It provides you with Spell Power, which increases the damage of your spells, and increases your critical strike chance.

Hit Rating decreases the chance that your spells will miss their target (15% against a raid boss). Therefore, your goal is to reach the 15% hit cap (see section below), which will ensure that your attacks never miss.

Haste Rating influences the cast speed of your spells and stacking Haste Rating enables you to make the most of Invocation, by spending less time casting Evocation and more time benefiting from the +15% increased damage buff that it provides. Haste Rating also increases the damage dealt by your Water Elemental and decreases the cast time and the cooldown of Frost Bomb.

Critical Strike Rating increases your chance to critically hit. Remember that your chance to critical hit with Ice Lance (always cast with Fingers of Frost up) and Frostfire Bolt (always cast with Brain Freeze up) is increased by Shatter, a Frost-specific passive ability.

Mastery Rating increases the damage you deal against frozen targets ( Mastery: Frostburn).

2.2. Hit Cap

At level 90, most races require 5,100 Hit Rating to reach the spell hit cap. Some races, in some cases, only need 4,760 Hit Rating, thanks to passive racial skills:

• Draenei because of Heroic Presence;
• Gnomes when using a Dagger or a Sword ( Shortblade Specialization);
• Humans when using a Sword ( Sword Specialization).

Note that, in Mists of Pandaria, 1% expertise counts as 1% hit towards the spell hit cap.

2.3. Critical Strike Cap

Because of Shatter, it is possible to have more than a 100% chance to critically strike with Ice Lance (when Fingers of Frost is up) and Frostfire Bolt (when Brain Freeze is up). To obtain your critical strike chance against frozen targets, Shatter multiplies your critical strike chance by 2 and adds 50%. At 25%, critical strike chance, your chance to critically hit frozen targets is 100% (25% x 2 + 50%).

Raid bosses are subject to a mechanic called Crit Depression. Testing has shown that it causes you to deal 3% less critical strikes than the actual value of your critical strike chance. This -3% is applied before Shatter, so you need to reach 28% critical strike chance in order for Shatter to guarantee critical strikes.

This means that stacking Critical Strike Rating beyond 28% (23% with the +5% critical strike chance raid buff) is less beneficial than going for Mastery Rating instead. One reason why we do not mention this cap in the priority list is because Haste Rating is the best statistics for Frost Mages, and prioritizing Haste Rating will prevent you from reaching the Critical Strike Cap. Still, we feel that this cap is important enough that it should be mentioned.

3. Changelog↑top

• 20 May 2013: Patch 5.3 update: nothing changed.
• 17 Apr. 2013: Added a mention of the fact that Haste Rating increases the damage of your Water Elemental and decreases the cast time and cooldown of Frost Bomb.