Arcane Mage DPS Mythic+ Tips — The War Within (11.1.5)
In this guide, you will find tips and advice to tackle Mythic+ dungeons with your Arcane Mage in World of Warcraft — The War Within (11.1.5).
Best AoE/Mythic+ Talents for Arcane Mage
Both 
Sunfury and 
Spellslinger are good in Mythic+ content.
However, the Spellslinger build does do more overall AoE DPS (while doing similar single-target),
making it generally the favoured spec for Mythic+. We listed both in-case you do want to play
Sunfury.
You can easily import the talent trees below into the game by using the "Export Talents" button below.
Spellslinger AoE Build
This build does higher AoE damage while doing similar single-target damage.
Sunfury AoE Build
This build does lower overall AoE damage, while doing similar single-target damage.
Flexible Talents
Utility / Defensive Flexible Talents
- Replace
Mass Barrier for 
Mass Invisibility if
your dungeon route requires the ability to skip enemy packs and have no one
else providing the group with invisibility (a Rogue or using potions). - Swap out of
Remove Curse for any defensive talent of your choice
when there are no Curses to dispel in the dungeon you plan to do or if someone
else will handle the dispelling. - Swap out of
Spellsteal for any defensive talent of your choice
when there are no buffs worth dispelling in the dungeon you plan to do. - Take
Ring of Frost or 
Ice Nova if you need any more crowd-control
at the cost of any of your defensives.
- Replace
Blast Wave for any
defensive talent of your choosing if you do not need the crowd-control. - Replace
Supernova for any
defensive talent of your choosing if you do not need the crowd-control. - Opt out of
Ice Cold (and the nodes leading to it) for any defensive
nodes of your choosing if you need the immunity of 
Ice Block
for the dungeon you are doing.
Arcane Mage Utility In Mythic+
The main reason to bring an Arcane Mage to a Mythic+ group is for its damage, but aside from that, it also has some very valuable utility:
Arcane Intellect is a big boost for both the other caster DPS in
the group, as well as additional healing for the healer.
Time Warp is a required cooldown for any Mythic+ group.- Remove Curse can be useful to dispel Curses in some
dungeons.
- An Arcane Mage can add a lot of crowd control in the form of
Supernova,
Polymorph, Blast Wave, Ice Nova, Ring of Frost,
or even
Mass Slow. - Spellsteal can be useful in some dungeons to remove
dangerous buffs from enemy targets. Sometimes, it can also be used as a big DPS
boost for the Arcane Mage by Spellstealing beneficial buffs that increase your
damage.
- Mass Barrier can be brought as a decent defensive cooldown for
the group.
- Mass Invisibility can be very useful to skip certain packs.
Arcane Mage Mythic+ Rotation
The AoE rotation outlined in the Rotation Page below is a perfect fit for Mythic+ content. However, we also list some additional tips on this page that only apply to Mythic+.
Dungeon Tips and Tricks for Arcane Mage for The War Within Season 2
This section has Mage-specific tips and tricks that may not seem obvious, for all dungeons' bosses and mobs. Generic tips or guides for the dungeons are not included here.
Mythic+ Tips for Arcane Mage in The War Within Season 2
Bosses
I'pa
Prismatic Barrier barrier reduces the duration of 
Burning Fermentation.
You can reduce the dot for your entire party by using Mass Barrier right before it goes out.
Trash
- Venture Co. Pyromaniac:
Greater Invisibility will immediately interrupt
Boiling Flames. - Royal Jelly Purveyor:
Honey Volley can be removed via 
Energized Barriers.
- Flavor Scientist:
Rejuvenating Honey can be stolen with Spellsteal.
Bosses
We do not currently have boss specific tips for this dungeon.
Trash
- Sootsnout: Greater Invisibility makes
Flaming Tether target someone else.
- Torchsnarl: Greater Invisibility immediately cancels
One-Hand Headlock.
Bosses
Big M.O.M.M.A.
- You can
Shimmer over 
Sonic Boom.
Swampface
- During
Razorchoke Vines, be careful with using Shimmer as
it will count as moving 14 yards and will pull the linked player to you.
Trash
- Disturbed Kelp: You can Spellsteal
Restorative Algae. - Venture Co. Surveyor: You can Greater Invisibility Surveying Beam to
immediately cancel it.
Bosses
K.U.-J.O.
Explosive Leap can be completely negated via Greater Invisibility.
It targets the furthest player first, so make sure you are the furthest
player away, and while the boss is mid air, cast Greater Invisibility,
completely cancelling the ability for you and everyone else.
If you are not the furthest or do not have Greater Invisibility ready,
you can avoid the damage with Shimmer, but this will not cancel
the ability for the rest of the group.
King Mechagon
- Greater Invisibility cancels
Mega-Zap on you.
Trash
- Mechagon Mechanic: Spellsteal
Overclock for a haste buff. - Defense Bot Mk III: Spellsteal
Defensive Countermeasure for a big
shield. - Loaderbot:
Wind Up can be interrupted via 
Dragon's Breath and
Blast Wave.
Bosses
Captain Dailcry
Savage Mauling can be cancelled via Greater Invisibility.
Baron Braunpyke
Castigator's Shield can be removed via Energized Barriers.
Prioress Murrpray
The Sacred Flame will target someone else if you use Greater Invisibility.
Trash
- Zealous Templar: Spellsteal
Templar's Wrath for a big damage bonus.
- War Lynx:
Pounce can be interrupted during the cast via crowd-control,
including roots like 
Frost Nova.
It can also be dodged via Shimmer. - Lightspawn: Purification gets cancelled by Greater Invisibility.
- Sergeant Shaynemail: Use Shimmer to avoid
Lunging Strike. - Arathi Footman: You can interrupt
Defend with Dragon's Breath and
Blast Wave.
Bosses
Azerokk
Azerite Infusion can be temporarily dropped via Greater Invisibility,
but it continues when the invisibility ends.
Rixxa Fluxflame
Azerite Catalyst can be fully interrupted and stop the puddles from spawning
by using Greater Invisibility.
Propellant Blast also gets cancelled by Greater Invisibility,
but try to avoid this, as it will stop it from clearing the pools
on the floor.
Mogul Razdunk
Homing Missile can be cancelled by casting Greater Invisibility
by casting it before the cast finishes. If the cast finished, casting Greater
Invisibility will make the Missile immediately explode on the spot,
so be careful activating it late.
Trash
- Stonefury: Spellsteal
Tectonic Barrier for a big shield. - Venture Co. Mastermind: Greater Invisibility can be used to cancel
Mind Lash.
Bosses
We do not currently have boss specific tips for this dungeon.
Trash
- Corrupted Oracle:
Void Shell can be stolen with Spellsteal for a big
shield. - Unruly Stormrook:
Energized Barrage can be cancelled with
Greater Invisibility. - Cursed Thunderer:
Lightning-Infused can be stolen with Spellsteal for a
cast speed buff. - Corrupted Oracle:
Seeping Corruption can be dispelled with Remove Curse.
Bosses
We do not currently have boss specific tips for this dungeon.
Trash
- Minibosses (Advent Nevermore + Harugia):
Ricocheting Blade can be cancelled via
Greater Invisibility. - Shackled Soul:
Bind Soul can be cancelled with Energized Barriers. - Portal Guardian: You can dispell
Shadow Vulnerability with Remove Curse.
- Nefarious Deathspeaker: You can dispell
Curse of Desolation with
Remove Curse. - Bone Magus: You can Spellsteal
Bone Shield for a big shield.
Note that it sets you to 50% health. You can counteract this by activating
Alter Time before Spellsteal and then re-activating it after, but
since this shield is so big, it is usually overkill. - Battlefield Ritualist: You can Spellsteal
Unholy Fervor to stop it from
healing.
Affix Tips, Tricks and Management for Arcane Mage in The War Within Season 2
This section has Mage-specific tips for dealing with the various affixes of Mythic+. If you want general guides for each of our Dungeons or Mythic+ in general, check out our dedicated page below.
Affix Guide for Arcane Mage in The War Within
Ascendant Affix Management for Arcane Mage
Blast Wave and 
Dragon's Breath / 
Supernova are great at handling this affix.
Pulsar Affix Management for Arcane Mage
You can soak these without losing any health by activating 
Alter Time right before soaking them.
If Alter Time is not available, using any other defensive, especially 
Prismatic Barrier
should make them easy to survive as well.
Devour Affix Management for Arcane Mage
Remove Curse should be used to remove 
Void Rift.
Optimizing Movement and downtime in Mythic+
One of the most important parts of your damage in Mythic+ will come from how efficiently you move between packs and how you use the downtime between packs. Below, we have some tips on how to manage this.
- Make sure you start the run with some water so you can generate mana out of combat if needed.
- Make sure you drink some water if you are low on mana while moving to the next
pack. The easiest way to do this is to
Blink or Shimmer
ahead right after a pack dies and getting in 2 or 3 seconds of drinking.
Although nowadays you are unlikely to fully run out of mana, if you do end up
very low on mana, make sure to use the downtime to recover this. - Avoid using
Evocation in combat whenever possible. You should always try to
fit Evocation in between packs so that you can immediately start doing damage
when you enter combat with the next pack or boss. Make sure to use Shimmer or
Slipstream to follow your group toward the next pack while
casting Evocation. Of course, if a pack or boss still has plenty of health left
and Evocation is ready, you should still use it but otherwise, aim to use it
outside of combat.
Changelog
- 21 Apr. 2025: Reviewed for Patch 11.1.5.
- 22 Mar. 2025: Removed wind up interrupt tip as they cannot be interrupted by disorients.
- 14 Mar. 2025: Added tips for all dungeons.
- 24 Feb. 2025: Updated best talents for 11.1 changes, updated affix tips for new affixes.
- 15 Dec. 2024: Updated for Patch 11.0.7.
- 22 Oct. 2024: Updated talents based on last minute nerfs.
- 21 Oct. 2024: Updated best talents for 11.0.5 rework. Added Spellslinger vs Sunfury information. Added dungeon specific tips.
- 09 Sep. 2024: Updated for TWW Season 1.
- 07 May 2024: Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 22 Apr. 2024: Reviewed for Season 4.
- 19 Mar. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6. and updated talent choice information.
- 15 Jan. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 06 Nov. 2023: Updated talents for 10.2.
- 04 Sep. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 10 Jul. 2023: Updated suggested talents and rotation for reworked Arcane.
- 01 May 2023: Removed mentions about thundering and reviewed for 10.1 changes.
- 20 Mar. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7 and provided some small phrasing tweaks.
- 24 Jan. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 16 Jan. 2022: Updated suggested talents to Mana Gem build and some minor tip changes.
- 11 Dec. 2022: Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 28 Nov. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 24 Oct. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
More Mage Guides
Guides from Other Classes
This guide has been written by Dutchmagoz. Dutchmagoz has been playing Mage since 2009 and writing guides and theorycrafting since 2012, with many top 20-100 world kills and rank 1 parses under his belt. He is the owner of the official Mage Discord server Altered Time, where he is involved in Mage Theorycrafting and everything else Mage. You can reach out to him directly for questions or feedback about the guide there.
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