Frost Mage 7.3

[Guest Corgmorph]

I hate how fire get's so much more attention to it's guide. There is more to this spec than just spamming FoF charges into a Frost Bomb. I've done a lot of my own research and have found that a different combination of talents work best for certain situations. I'm mostly referring to Raid/Mythic+ content. I'll give some examples...

- First, Ray of Frost/Rune of Power is godlike for raiding. Since most people are checking these guides for raiding, I'd be placing the green check mark there, not on Bone Chilling. We as frost mages don't want consistent, we want to maximize our burst to level the playing field...more on that later.
- Second, since Thermal Void does not extend your Chilled to the Core Artifact Trait, I believe that Glacial Spike is best used for single target dps. The reason being is that you can line up your damage enhancing CDs(Rune of Power, etc.) with our underrated mastery mechanic, also allowing it to crit, bringing much more damage than with FoF spams. This is because Ice Lance's true damage is VERY reliant of your Frost Bolt with the Chain Reaction Artifact Trait.
- Third, there are talent combos that synergize extremely well while others are doomed for a dps loss. Knowing what to pair for certain situations is detrimental to maximizing your dps potential...

Some great synergy for example...
- Glacial Spike/Splitting Ice, Ray of Frost/Rune of Power, Bone Chilling/Unstable Magic, Bone Chilling/Arctic Gale, Incanter's Flow/Thermal Void
Terrible combos include...
- Ray of Frost/Incaner's Flow, Ray of Frost/Frost Bomb, Bone Chilling/Frost Bomb, Lonely Winter/Incanter's Flow, Rune of Power/Thermal Void

Spitting out your FoF charges towards a Frost Bomb is a noob trap and it's going to limit your maximum damage output, Single Target or AoE. Maximizing your continuous damage from Frostbolt/Blizzard, for single target or AoE respectively, while weaving your FoF charges in at 2-3 stacks of Chain Reaction coupled with other damage modifiers is where you'll see your DPS shine.
While Bone Chilling is an overall 6% increase to damage output, our consistent damage potential is naturally low. So instead of focusing on covering our weakness, lets bolster what we already shine in, burst damage. 

I get it. Want the best consistent damage? Go Fire...
But it's not for everyone. It doesn't mean us frost mages are doomed to being filthy casuals!
I feel much more love can be put into frost. We have the potential to utilize our niche of burst damage to bring whatever is needed to the table. The new line of buffs for us has made sure of that...

Make Frost great again! =3

[Corgmorph 0]

^ The above reply was from me. If any frost mage has any other questions, feel free to hit me up in game! KlutchS#1706

[Guest IraLee - Stormreaver]

But your builds seem to be based off of a specific stat priority? ... I tested it and it appeared to pull in less dps for me. What stats do you perceive as best for your builds?

Blizzard is recommending everyone go mastery, so I swallowed the pill and am 71% mastery 24% haste 20% crit and can put out about 230-250kdps singletarget on the dummy in our guild hall. 

Help a mage out~

[Guest Shqz]

Am i the only one witnessing brain freeze/Flurry isn't 100% crit even past crit cap?

i've 38% cc (so 107% with BF or FoF) and flurry isn't a 100% crit. 

[Furty 51]

On 10/27/2016 at 6:20 AM, Guest Corgmorph said:

I hate how fire get's so much more attention to it's guide. There is more to this spec than just spamming FoF charges into a Frost Bomb. I've done a lot of my own research and have found that a different combination of talents work best for certain situations. I'm mostly referring to Raid/Mythic+ content. I'll give some examples...

- First, Ray of Frost/Rune of Power is godlike for raiding. Since most people are checking these guides for raiding, I'd be placing the green check mark there, not on Bone Chilling. We as frost mages don't want consistent, we want to maximize our burst to level the playing field...more on that later.
- Second, since Thermal Void does not extend your Chilled to the Core Artifact Trait, I believe that Glacial Spike is best used for single target dps. The reason being is that you can line up your damage enhancing CDs(Rune of Power, etc.) with our underrated mastery mechanic, also allowing it to crit, bringing much more damage than with FoF spams. This is because Ice Lance's true damage is VERY reliant of your Frost Bolt with the Chain Reaction Artifact Trait.
- Third, there are talent combos that synergize extremely well while others are doomed for a dps loss. Knowing what to pair for certain situations is detrimental to maximizing your dps potential...

Some great synergy for example...
- Glacial Spike/Splitting Ice, Ray of Frost/Rune of Power, Bone Chilling/Unstable Magic, Bone Chilling/Arctic Gale, Incanter's Flow/Thermal Void
Terrible combos include...
- Ray of Frost/Incaner's Flow, Ray of Frost/Frost Bomb, Bone Chilling/Frost Bomb, Lonely Winter/Incanter's Flow, Rune of Power/Thermal Void

Spitting out your FoF charges towards a Frost Bomb is a noob trap and it's going to limit your maximum damage output, Single Target or AoE. Maximizing your continuous damage from Frostbolt/Blizzard, for single target or AoE respectively, while weaving your FoF charges in at 2-3 stacks of Chain Reaction coupled with other damage modifiers is where you'll see your DPS shine.
While Bone Chilling is an overall 6% increase to damage output, our consistent damage potential is naturally low. So instead of focusing on covering our weakness, lets bolster what we already shine in, burst damage. 

I get it. Want the best consistent damage? Go Fire...
But it's not for everyone. It doesn't mean us frost mages are doomed to being filthy casuals!
I feel much more love can be put into frost. We have the potential to utilize our niche of burst damage to bring whatever is needed to the table. The new line of buffs for us has made sure of that...

Make Frost great again! =3

Just curious where you're getting your data. SimCraft, practical logs, and my own empirical testing all seem to concur that the talents furnished in the guide are correct. You're right that Ray+Rune can put out some okay burst damage, but result in an overall DPS gain? I'm not seeing it. Can you provide me with some numbers/sims/logs that indicate what you're saying isn't just your own personal desire or preference?

[Guest Steve2563]

"If you are playing  Splitting Ice and  Frost Bomb on an encounter heavily populated by adds, you will want to ensure  Frozen Touch,  Frozen Orb, and  Water Jet are ready for your  Frost Bomb..." 

Splitting ice and frozen touch are in the same talent row, or I am missing something? 

[Furty 51]

18 minutes ago, Guest Steve2563 said:

"If you are playing  Splitting Ice and  Frost Bomb on an encounter heavily populated by adds, you will want to ensure  Frozen Touch,  Frozen Orb, and  Water Jet are ready for your  Frost Bomb..." 

Splitting ice and frozen touch are in the same talent row, or I am missing something? 

There are lots of situations where you might elect to play Frozen Touch + FB instead of SI + FB. Think it's just poor phrasing on my part, it's meant to be an all encompassing statement that basically says "have your shit ready for your Frost Bomb, baby". 

[Guest Tetisheri]

There are quite a few frost mages recently who go for stacking mastery and then playing with Bone Chilling + Glacial Spike while avoiding casting Ebonbolt. What do you think about such way of playing? 

[Guest Zlimex]

I recently tested frost mage while in Heroic Emerald Nightmare to see how it was compared to fire (my main spec) and it was actually pretty good. Keep in mind, I don't have much experience with frost, and only had 2 golden traits in my weapon (883 ilvl). At Nythendra, which is a pretty easy dps fight, I had 380k dps at the end of the fight. My ilvl at that moment was 878 equiped (880 as fire), so not sure if that dps is good for my ilvl. I strongly belive that my dps as frost might actually surpass fire when I get my weapon fully talented.

http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/character/outland/Zlimex/simple          -my armory if anyone is interested. (I might be fire when you check, but my frost weapon is 878 as I said earlier)

[Guest Frost mage noob]

Hey I had a handful of questions in regards to how some of the mechanics of frost mage work.  It seems like there are a lot of ways that could increase icicle damage, but I don't actually know if they do.  For instance, would using RoP, which would increase the damage of your frostbolts also increase the damage stored for icicles?  Also, does splitting ice, which boosts icicle damage, also indirectly buff glacial spike? I also have the same question for lonely winter, and unstable magic in regards to boosting frostbolt damage.  Do they also increase the icicle damage?

[Archimage 98]

How does Frost Mage compare to Fire Mage in Patch 7.1?

Any comment on the following build for Mythic plus dungeons?

1/1/2/1/1/1/3

Single Target:

With the recent buffs, I see Ray of Frost doing a lot of burst damage when paired with Icy Veins and Rune of Power. Is there maybe a comparison (SimCraft) between Ray of Frost and Bone Chilling?

AoE:

1. Rune of Power
2. Comet Storm
3. Pet Freeze + Ice Nova
4. Frost Bomb
5. Frozen Orb
6. Blizzard
7. Use all FoF Ice Lances into Frost Bomb target
8. Recast Blizzard on cooldown.

[Guest Cimos]

On 10/30/2016 at 2:36 PM, Furty said:

There are lots of situations where you might elect to play Frozen Touch + FB instead of SI + FB. Think it's just poor phrasing on my part, it's meant to be an all encompassing statement that basically says "have your shit ready for your Frost Bomb, baby". 

Hey Furty,

 

I am not going to debate your guide, but it is confusing when the guy you reference as approving the guide, always shows an armory talent spec different from what you have in the guide.  I know specs change for different uses, but I am checking his spec everyday, and he never is using frost bomb or some of the other talents which are key to your guide's rotation.  Today is the first day I have seen him using Ray of Frost - but it is the night after raid-reset.

[Guest Frosted]

I can only agree to Corgmorph. I cant understand why IV have only 1 Frostmage-Guide and take so much more attention to fire, even after 7.1. The new Frostmage is, for sure, the absolutly BEST single and 2-Target Burster at same gearscore. The synergy from Spike with the Traits, Crit and Mastery is so damn underestimated.

Speaking in DPS, at pure singletarget Raidbosses and over 4-5min, my DPS is between 325-350k. Current GS is 865, so there is plenty of room to the Top. And for the record, GS-Crits between 5-6mio are normal...

[Furty 51]

1 hour ago, Guest Frosted said:

I can only agree to Corgmorph. I cant understand why IV have only 1 Frostmage-Guide and take so much more attention to fire, even after 7.1. The new Frostmage is, for sure, the absolutly BEST single and 2-Target Burster at same gearscore. The synergy from Spike with the Traits, Crit and Mastery is so damn underestimated.

Speaking in DPS, at pure singletarget Raidbosses and over 4-5min, my DPS is between 325-350k. Current GS is 865, so there is plenty of room to the Top. And for the record, GS-Crits between 5-6mio are normal...

Currently I haven't seen any data to support Frost being a more dominant spec than Fire.

[Valks 2,373]

On 11/9/2016 at 11:50 PM, Guest Cimos said:

I know specs change for different uses, but I am checking his spec everyday, and he never is using frost bomb or some of the other talents which are key to your guide's rotation.

The issue is, we have no idea what he is currently talenting for. For example, it might be that he is currently using Arctic Gale due to the fact that the mobs he was killing (perhaps in a certain level of M+), wouldn't stay alive for the duration of Frost Bomb. By just looking at the armory, however, one would assume that Gale performs better, right?

[Valks 2,373]

On 11/10/2016 at 5:47 PM, Guest Frosted said:

I can only agree to Corgmorph. I cant understand why IV have only 1 Frostmage-Guide and take so much more attention to fire, even after 7.1. The new Frostmage is, for sure, the absolutly BEST single and 2-Target Burster at same gearscore. The synergy from Spike with the Traits, Crit and Mastery is so damn underestimated.

Speaking in DPS, at pure singletarget Raidbosses and over 4-5min, my DPS is between 325-350k. Current GS is 865, so there is plenty of room to the Top. And for the record, GS-Crits between 5-6mio are normal...

What do you mean by, "only 1 - guide"? As for the Frost being absolutely the BEST...

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/rankings/12#class=Mage&boss=1958

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/rankings/12#class=Mage&boss=1962

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/rankings/12#class=Mage&boss=2008

I'm fairly certain Fire is still the best. Frost is undoubtedly better than it once was, but it is certainly not the best spec for Mages currently. I understand that you were focusing more on Single Target damage, but then look at the Guarm rankings. It's a 100% ST fight.

[Guest Zlimex]

Hey, I just had an amazing Ursoc run as frost, and wanned to share how much damage I did. You can see my recount from that fight, and that most of the damage is done on Ursoc himself, so the high damage isn't from cleave (only like 3%). 

Some info: I have 2 golden traits in my weapon. You can see my build at the armory: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/character/outland/Zlimex/simple

I really think frost is better than fire for singeltarget dps. I hope my achievements as frost might make you change to frost aswell.

[Guest Frost Mage Noob]

On 11/6/2016 at 3:20 AM, Guest Frost mage noob said:

Hey I had a handful of questions in regards to how some of the mechanics of frost mage work.  It seems like there are a lot of ways that could increase icicle damage, but I don't actually know if they do.  For instance, would using RoP, which would increase the damage of your frostbolts also increase the damage stored for icicles?  Also, does splitting ice, which boosts icicle damage, also indirectly buff glacial spike? I also have the same question for lonely winter, and unstable magic in regards to boosting frostbolt damage.  Do they also increase the icicle damage?

Hello?  Could I get any answers on my questions?

[Guest Zlimex]

5 hours ago, Guest Frost Mage Noob said:

Hello?  Could I get any answers on my questions?

From what I understand, everything that increse the frostbolt damage, will also increse the glacial spike damage. This would mean RoP and lonely winter, since they flat out buffs its damage. While unstable magic on the other hand doesn't buff the frostbolt damage, it just has a chance to make an explosion of a % damage of the frostbolt damage.

[Guest Frost Mage Noob]

15 hours ago, Guest Zlimex said:

From what I understand, everything that increse the frostbolt damage, will also increse the glacial spike damage. This would mean RoP and lonely winter, since they flat out buffs its damage. While unstable magic on the other hand doesn't buff the frostbolt damage, it just has a chance to make an explosion of a % damage of the frostbolt damage.

I see.  Thank you for that explanation.  What about Splitting Ice?  It ups icicle damage, so would that also up glacial spike damage?  If each icicle is getting a 5% buff, does that mean that glacial spike would be 25% stronger?

[solitha 84]

Pardon the noob question... how do you end up with 3 charges of Fingers of Frost? The tooltip says the maximum is 2, and I'm not seeing anything that raises the cap. However, the single-target rotation page keeps referring to FoF as if it stacks to at least 3.

Edited November 14, 2016 by solitha

[Zadina 923]

47 minutes ago, solitha said:

Pardon the noob question... how do you end up with 3 charges of Fingers of Frost? The tooltip says the maximum is 2, and I'm not seeing anything that raises the cap. However, the single-target rotation page keeps referring to FoF as if it stacks to at least 3.

It's from Icy Hand, an Artifact trait.

[Valks 2,373]

On 11/13/2016 at 8:10 AM, Guest Frost Mage Noob said:

Hello?  Could I get any answers on my questions?

Sorry about missing your question!

Just to add to what was said above:

• Take the flat damage of a Frostbolt into an Icicle, with no modifier. This is without Lonely Winter. Call this A.
• If you stand in a Ring of Power and Frostbolt, then Icicle, it will do more damage than A. It doesn't matter if you Icicle in RoP or not, it doesn't affect it. Only the Frostbolt being in RoP does. Call this B.
• Using the Lonely Winter talent, if you Frostbolt and Icicle without Ring of Power, you will do more damage than A, but less damage than B. 
• If you use Lonely Winter, stand in Ring of Power and Frostbolt, then Icicle, you will do the most damage out of them all.

For Glacial Spike, Ring of Power affects the damage on both ends. For max damage, you need to use 5 Frostbolts and your Glacial Spike in the RoP. It's also worth noting that Lonely Winter affects the damage too, as does Splitting Ice.

[Meowfurion 1]

I'm bad at Frost, let me get that out there beforehand - but this is my opinion on this rotation put forth by this guide:

Rune of Power having both a cast time, a positioning requirement, and such a pathetically short duration and a not very impressive buff makes me not want to use it, at all, ever. It's way too much of a hassle especially when boss fights (especially in Heroic and Mythic) require so much dynamic movement.  It may put out higher numbers in theory and sims, but in practical use, it's a yuge hindrance and pain in the arse.   The fluidity and ease of incanter's flow is so much more satisfying to me, personally. 

Also: Frost Bomb. A cast time, Blizzard? Really? Too niche, too much of a hassle.  Buffing Blizzard and having it be a fire and forget while you pump out more frostbolts and glacial spikes is so much more fun to me.  Frost needs to be streamlined a good bit.  I could see using Frost Bomb if it was instant cast, but time is everything.

[Guest Frost Mage Noob]

3 hours ago, Blainie said:

Sorry about missing your question!

Just to add to what was said above:

• Take the flat damage of a Frostbolt into an Icicle, with no modifier. This is without Lonely Winter. Call this A.
• If you stand in a Ring of Power and Frostbolt, then Icicle, it will do more damage than A. It doesn't matter if you Icicle in RoP or not, it doesn't affect it. Only the Frostbolt being in RoP does. Call this B.
• Using the Lonely Winter talent, if you Frostbolt and Icicle without Ring of Power, you will do more damage than A, but less damage than B. 
• If you use Lonely Winter, stand in Ring of Power and Frostbolt, then Icicle, you will do the most damage out of them all.

For Glacial Spike, Ring of Power affects the damage on both ends. For max damage, you need to use 5 Frostbolts and your Glacial Spike in the RoP. It's also worth noting that Lonely Winter affects the damage too, as does Splitting Ice.

Thank you.  RoP affecting both the storage of icicles and glacial spike itself helps clear up some confusion on the huge variance I have in glacial spike damage.  Knowing this will also help clean up my rotation a bit.