Arcane Mage DPS Spell List and Glossary — Midnight Pre-Patch (12.0)

Last updated on Jan 19, 2026 at 18:00 by Dutchmagoz 76 comments
General Information

On this page, we present you with all spells and procs that you need to understand as an Arcane Mage in World of Warcraft — Midnight Pre-Patch (12.0).

If you were looking for Mists of Pandaria Classic content, please refer to our Mists of Pandaria Classic Arcane Mage spells.

1.

Arcane Mage Spell Summary

If you are new to Arcane, it is recommended you read this before proceeding! In this section, we will discuss what abilities you have, what they are used for within the specialization, and how they interact with important cooldowns. If you have played this spec before or have already achieved a level of comfort playing this spec in a practical environment, it is recommended you skip this section and move on to the rest of the guide.

Keep in mind some spells might be much easier to use via macros or are more easily used in combination with other spells. Visit the macro page below to get a good idea of such macros.

2.

Unlocking Abilities

Note that this page simply lists all the different abilities, assuming you are at max level. If you are leveling, check out our dedicated Mage Leveling page, which has detailed information on when you unlock all of these abilities.

3.

Main Resources of Arcane Mage

Mana and Arcane Charges are your primary resources, and interact with each other in a fashion unique to Arcane.

Arcane Charges are generated by Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast and Arcane Explosion Icon Arcane Explosion, and by some talented spells. They go to a maximum of 4 and greatly increases the Mana cost of Arcane Blast for each stack. They also increase the damage of Arcane Blast, Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage and various other talents based on stacks and your Mastery.

Mana is the other main resource of Arcane Mages. With the above information in mind, managing your Mana can be a challenging task. On one hand, casting spells while at 4 Arcane Charges allows you to do maximum damage. The consequence of this is that you will quickly chew through your Mana bar, leaving you with no option but to stand there and wait for your Mana to slowly regenerate. This relationship between Mana and Arcane Charges forms the central theme of the Arcane specialization and will be discussed at length later in the guide.

4.

Baseline Abilities for Arcane Mage

These abilities are available no matter what talents you choose and form the bread and butter of this specialization.

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast AB This is your main filler and nuke and generates 1 Arcane Charge when cast. This spell has a low Mana cost when you have no Arcane Charges but can make your Mana bar disappear in only a handful of casts at 4 Arcane Charges. It has no travel time, which makes it great for instantly applying damage or finishing off an important add.
Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage Abarr Arcane Barrage is an instant-cast spell that clears your Arcane Charges and makes your Arcane Blast cheaper to cast again. This ability is used as a reset button to help you maintain a stable Mana pool. You can generate charges with Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast and Arcane Explosion Icon Arcane Explosion. Arcane Barrage itself hits relatively hard when used at 4 Arcane Charges, especially on multiple targets when combined with various talents.
Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles AM Although technically a talent, Arcane Missiles is the first node and required to pick. It is a channeled spell that deals high damage. It can only be cast when you have a Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting proc. Any Arcane spell you cast has a chance to proc Clearcasting. Arcane Missiles has a relatively slow travel time, which means you should avoid casting it on any target that is about to die, as it may not reach in time.
Arcane Explosion Icon Arcane Explosion AE Arcane Explosion is an instant cast spell, and generally your primary AoE ability that generates 1 Arcane Charge if you hit any number of targets with it. Unlike Arcane Blast, the Mana cost and damage of Arcane Explosion does not go up with the number of Arcane Charges. Unlike practically all other Arcane Mage spells, Arcane Explosion requires you to be near the targets you want to hit, potentially putting you closer to danger, Can be replaced by Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse for a different ranged AoE ability.
Invisibility Icon Invisibility Invis Invisibility is a utility spell that makes you invisible over 3 seconds. It can be very useful to skip certain enemies in a dungeon or open world content. Additionally, it also completely drops your aggro over 3 seconds, which can be useful when you are at risk of getting aggro on enemies.
Blink Icon Blink - Blink is an instant cast spell that immediately travels you 20 yards forward, breaking any stuns and roots you might be affected by. This iconic Mage spell is a very strong mobility spell that helps with getting around the battlefield.
Counterspell Icon Counterspell CS Counterspell is an instant-cast spell that is not on the global cooldown, which, when cast, will interrupt your target's spell cast and also locking them out of casting any spells of the same school as the interrupted spell for 6 seconds. If you cast this on a target that is not casting, it will have no effect.
Time Warp Icon Time Warp TW/BL/Hero Time Warp is an instant-cast spell that is not on the global cooldown, which increases Haste by 30% for 40 seconds for all party and raid members within 100 yards. This ability debuffs everyone with a debuff that prevents the possibility of benefiting from Time Warp, Heroism Icon Heroism, and Bloodlust Icon Bloodlust for the next 10 minutes. Sometimes referred to as BL (Bloodlust) or Hero(ism) as well due to the other class versions of the same buff.
Arcane Intellect Icon Arcane Intellect AI/Int Arcane Intellect buffs the entire raid, giving them more Intellect. Mages are the only class that gives this buff, so most raids will want at least one Mage to ensure the raid has this buff.
Polymorph Icon Polymorph Poly Polymorph, one of the most iconic Mage spells in the game, turns your target into a critter that cannot do anything while at the same time healing them. This spell does no damage. Instead, it heals your target, so it is not used in any DPS rotations. However, it is a very useful spell used very actively in PvP and sometimes in PvE content to reduce the number of enemies you are fighting at the same time. There are various collectibles to change the appearance of your Polymorphed target, but as a baseline, your target turns into a sheep.
Cone of Cold Icon Cone of Cold Cone/CoC Cone of Cold is an instant-cast spell that slows enemies in front of you. It is generally not used as a damage spell but purely as a control spell.
Conjure Refreshment Icon Conjure Refreshment - Conjure Refreshment is a utility spell that generates food for you. If you are in a group, instead of directly creating food, it instead creates a table that you and your party or raid members can click to gain food instead. This food will regenerate health and Mana out of combat while eating it, but it does not provide any combat buffs like some other types of food.
Slow Fall Icon Slow Fall - Slow Fall is an instant-cast spell that, as the name suggests, makes you fall more slowly, avoiding any fall damage. You can also use this on other players to reduce their falling speed and fall damage. This is primarily used to save yourself from dying when falling from high places and in some niche PvP situations.
Frost Nova Icon Frost Nova Nova Frost Nova is an instant-cast spell that does a bit of damage to targets around you, freezing them in the process. This freeze effect stops them from moving but not from using any spells or abilities. The freeze effect can also break from damage, both yours or anyone else's damage. This spell is usually not used in a DPS rotation, but it is often used for its crowd control effects in PvP or open-world content.
Portal Icon Portal Port Portal is a spell that opens up a portal to a specific destination. There are multiple variants of this spell that open up Portals to most of the big cities in World of Warcraft. Anyone in your party or raid group can take this portal to quickly travel around the world.
Teleport Icon Teleport TP/Tele Teleport is a lot like Portal Icon Portal, except instead of opening up a portal for you and your allies to use, it immediately teleports you to the designated city.
5.

Important Procs for Arcane Mage

Arcane Mage has several important procs that are very important to the normal rotation.

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting CC The main rotational proc Arcane has. This proc allows you to cast Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles or make your next Arcane Explosion Icon Arcane Explosion cost no mana. It also provides various other benefits depending on what talents you picked, like making Arcane Missiles channel faster or shoot more missiles. It can proc from any Arcane spell.
Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo Salvo/AS The other core proc for Arcane. Arcane Salvo greatly increases the damage of Arcane Barrage, stacking 20 times by default. By default, only Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles procs it and only Arcane Barrage consumes it, however many different talents interact with it, increasing the strength of it, or increase the maximum stacks, proc it from more spells, or change which spells consume it.

To learn how to use these abilities together in your rotation, read the rotation part of our guide below.

6.

Class Tree Active Abilities for Arcane Mage

In this section, we will go over all the active abilities in the Mage general talent tree. Active abilities are abilities you can press yourself.

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Prismatic Barrier Icon Prismatic Barrier Barrier Prismatic Barrier is an instant-cast spell that provides you with a shield that absorbs damage before your health pool. Additionally, while the shield is up; it also reduces the Magic damage you take by 15% and reduces the duration of harmful Magic effects by 25%. This is an incredibly strong defensive tool and proper usage of this will increase your survivability greatly.
Ice Block Icon Ice Block Block/IB Makes you completely immune to all damage, and removes (almost) all debuffs from you. You are unable to do anything while in an Ice Block, but you can cancel it by pressing it a second time. Causes Hypothermia Icon Hypothermia for a time, which stops you from using Ice Block.
Spellsteal Icon Spellsteal - Spellsteal is a utility spell that steals one magic beneficial effect from a target enemy and applies it to yourself for a maximum of 2 minutes. There are many powerful effects in all types of content that can be stolen with this spell, which can greatly boost your damage or survivability. In some cases, enemies might have buffs which can be removed from the enemy via Spellsteal, but you do not receive the buff yourself. This is pretty rare, but does sometimes happen for balance reasons.
Remove Curse Icon Remove Curse - Remove Curse can be used to remove Curses from a raid or party member. Sometimes called Decurse.
Mirror Image Icon Mirror Image MI Mirror Image spawns 3 copies nearby that will attack your enemies and greatly reduce the threat you generate while at least one is alive. Any direct damage you take will cause one of the copies to be removed. These copies can not be controlled. Although the copies do some damage, it is primarily a defensive ability, as the damage they do is very low. The copies will also take aggro before you, which allows you to survive significantly longer in solo content. Generally, they do not take damage from area damage, but they do die from direct attacks on them.
Alter Time Icon Alter Time AT Alter Time can be used as both a defensive and a mobility tool. Ten seconds after casting this ability or after pressing it a second time, you will be returned to your location and health from when you cast it. One common usage is to activate it right before a big hit and then re-activating it after the big hit to immediately heal back to full health.
Mass Polymorph Icon Mass Polymorph - Mass Polymorph is an AoE version of Polymorph Icon Polymorph, hitting all enemies within 10 yards. Due to the requirement to be within 10 yards of enemies to hit them, it loses significant value as it requires you to get in combat with the enemies before being able to Polymorph them. It can however still be used as a mass interrupt or for other niche situations.
Ice Nova Icon Ice Nova - Ice Nova is an instant-cast spell that freezes your target and targets around it for 2 seconds. Although it does do some damage, it is generally not used for the damage aspect, as the damage is not high enough to make it worth casting just for damage. Unlike the Freeze from Frost Nova Icon Frost Nova, the Freeze from Ice Nova will not break from damage, but it lasts significantly shorter.
Shimmer Icon Shimmer - Shimmer replaces Blink Icon Blink when picked. Shimmer is an instant-cast spell that immediately moves you forward 20 yards. It does not trigger a global cooldown and can be cast while casting other spells. Shimmer is one of the best mobility spells in the entire game. Unlike Blink, it will not break root or stun effects, but you can still cast it while rooted. Due to being usable while casting, Shimmer lets you get around the battlefield without giving up any DPS.
Greater Invisibility Icon Greater Invisibility GI Greater Invisibility is a stronger version of Invisibility Icon Invisibility and replaces Invisibility when picked. It immediately makes you invisible when cast, completely dropping all threat and making you unable to be targeted. In PvE content it is primarily used to cancel certain targeted abilities. In some cases, it completely cancels the targeted ability, whereas in other cases it will swap the target to someone else.
Dragon's Breath Icon Dragon's Breath DB Dragon's Breath is a short-range instant-cast crowd control spell. It will disorient all enemies in front of you for 4 seconds when cast, canceled by damage. It is often used in dungeons as a way to interrupt multiple enemies all at once. A common combo in PvP or solo content is to use Dragon's Breath into Polymorph Icon Polymorph while the enemy is disoriented and thus unable to interrupt you, so you can create distance. Although this ability does damage, it is generally not used for its damage and purely for crowd-control.
Supernova Icon Supernova SN A ranged crowd-control ability that knocks your target (if it is an enemy target) and surrounding enemies into the air. This can be used both on enemy and friendly targets but will only knock up/damage enemy targets, and does double damage to the primary target. It is often used in dungeons as a way to interrupt multiple enemies all at once. Although this ability does damage, it is generally not used for its damage and purely for crowd-control.
Mass Invisibility Icon Mass Invisibility - Makes you and all your party or raid members invisible for 12 seconds. The invisibility breaks when any ability or item is used and does not apply on allies in combat.
Reflection Icon Reflection - After casting Blink Icon Blink or Shimmer Icon Shimmer, it turns into Reflection Icon Reflection for a short while. You can use Reflection to immediately teleport back to where you Blinked/Shimmered from. Can be cast while casting and is not affected by the global cooldown.
Ice Cold Icon Ice Cold - Replaces Ice Block Icon Ice Block when talented. Greatly reduces damage taken while active and can be used without incurring the global cooldown. Unlike Ice Block, it does not grant immunity nor remove any debuffs, but it also does not lock you in place nor prevent you from casting.
7.

Class Tree Passive Abilities for Arcane Mage

In this section, we will go over all the passive abilities in the Mage general talent tree. Passive abilities are abilities you cannot press yourself but instead apply some effect to other abilities.

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Time Walk Icon Time Walk - Causes Alter Time Icon Alter Time to reset the cooldown of Blink Icon Blink / Shimmer Icon Shimmer when you return to your original location via Alter Time.
Temporal Realignment Icon Temporal Realignment - Whenever you drop below 25% health, immediately heals you by 50% health. Can only activate while Alter Time Icon Alter Time is not on cooldown, and puts Alter Time on cooldown when activated.
Overflowing Energy Icon Overflowing Energy - Increases the critical strike chance of Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast each time it fails to critically strike, until it critically strikes at which point the bonus is removed.
Winter's Protection Icon Winter's Protection - Reduces the cooldown of Ice Block Icon Ice Block / Ice Cold Icon Ice Cold.
Frost Conditioning Icon Frost Conditioning - Reduces the duration of Hypothermia Icon Hypothermia, which is the debuff you get after Ice Block Icon Ice Block. As Arcane, this is mostly a useless talent since there is no way to get Ice Block's cooldown below the duration of Hypothermia, so lowering the duration of Hypothermia does not allow you to use Ice Block any sooner.
Incantation of Swiftness Icon Incantation of Swiftness - Grants you bonus movement speed for a few seconds after casting Greater Invisibility Icon Greater Invisibility. The movement speed bonus remains even if Greater Invisibility is cancelled.
Master of Escape Icon Master of Escape - Reduces the cooldown of Invisibility Icon Invisibility / Greater Invisibility Icon Greater Invisibility.
Charm of Aegwynn Icon Charm of Aegwynn - Increases the critical damage of your spells.
Brainstorm Icon Brainstorm - When you gain Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting you also gain bonus Intellect.
Mana Confluence Icon Mana Confluence - Reduces your mana costs.
Charm of Medivh Icon Charm of Medivh - Increases your Mastery.
Permafrost Bauble Icon Permafrost Bauble - Reduces the cooldown of Ice Block Icon Ice Block / Ice Cold Icon Ice Cold.
Arcane Warding Icon Arcane Warding - Arcane Warding reduces all magic damage you take by a small amount.
Quick Witted Icon Quick Witted - Reduces Counterspell Icon Counterspell cooldown.
Improved Conjuration Icon Improved Conjuration - Reduces the cooldown of Mirror Image Icon Mirror Image.
Improved Spellsteal Icon Improved Spellsteal - Causes Spellsteal Icon Spellsteal to repeat its effect after a few seconds, but also gives it a small cooldown.
Improved Blink Icon Improved Blink - Reduces the cooldown of Blink Icon Blink.
Improved Counterspell Icon Improved Counterspell - Causes Counterspell Icon Counterspell to prevent casting for an additional second.
Improved Remove Curse Icon Improved Remove Curse - Makes it so that when you cast Remove Curse Icon Remove Curse on a friendly target, it also applies its effect to yourself, but grants Remove Curse a cooldown.
Master of Time Icon Master of Time - Master of Time reduces the cooldown of Alter Time Icon Alter Time / Temporal Realignment Icon Temporal Realignment.
Improved Frost Nova Icon Improved Frost Nova - Improved Frost Nova increases the duration of Frost Nova Icon Frost Nova by 2 seconds. Keep in mind this will not make it break slower from damage.
Captured Thoughts Icon Captured Thoughts - Increases the duration of Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting.
Tome of Rhonin Icon Tome of Rhonin - Increases your Critical Strike chance by 2%.
Tome of Antonidas Icon Tome of Antonidas - Increases your Haste by 2%.
Energized Barriers Icon Energized Barriers - Causes casting Prismatic Barrier Icon Prismatic Barrier to remove all snare effects.
Flow of Time Icon Flow of Time - Reduces the cooldown of Blink Icon Blink / Shimmer Icon Shimmer.
Ice Ward Icon Ice Ward - Gives Frost Nova Icon Frost Nova a second charge.
Time Manipulation Icon Time Manipulation - Reduces the cooldown of your crowd control abilities.
Barrier Diffusion Icon Barrier Diffusion - Whenever any of your barriers are removed, it reduces their cooldown by a few seconds.
Freezing Cold Icon Freezing Cold - Causes your Cone of Cold Icon Cone of Cold to freeze enemies for 5 seconds instead of slowing them. Additionally, whenever any of your roots expire or are dispelled, the enemies will be slowed by 80%, decaying over 3 seconds.
Inspired Intellect Icon Inspired Intellect - Arcane Intellect Icon Arcane Intellect grants an additional 3% Intellect.
Improved Prismatic Barrier Icon Improved Prismatic Barrier - Further reduces the amount of magic damage you take and duration of magic debuffs while Prismatic Barrier Icon Prismatic Barrier is up.
8.

Spec Tree Active Abilities for Arcane Mage

In this section, we will go over all the active abilities in the Arcane talent tree. Active abilities are abilities you can press yourself.

Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles is technically a talent, but it is the first required node so it is listed under the base abilities.

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge AS/Surge This is Arcane's biggest DPS cooldown. It consumes all Mana, and deals high damage, based on the Mana consumed, to your target and all enemies nearby your target (reduced beyond 5 targets) and grants you one stack of Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting. Additionally, it increases your Mana regeneration by 425% and Spell Damage by 35% for 15 seconds after casting it. The 35% bonus damage is also applied to Arcane Surge damage itself. The increased Mana regeneration is enough to bring you back to full Mana throughout the buff, if you were to cast no other abilities.
Presence of Mind Icon Presence of Mind PoM Causes your next 2 Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blasts to be instant cast. Presence of Mind is not affected by the global cooldown.
Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse - Replaces Arcane Explosion Icon Arcane Explosion when talented. Arcane Pulse is effectively an AoE version of Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast. It generates one Arcane Charge and Arcane Charges greatly increase the damage, mana cost and radius of Arcane Pulse. Although it replaces Arcane Explosion, it is not directly just a "ranged Arcane Explosion" as sometimes referred to. It is indeed a ranged AoE ability, but unlike Arcane Explosion, it scales with Arcane Charges, making it both do much more damage, but also quickly drain your mana.
Arcane Orb Icon Arcane Orb AO Shoots an Arcane Orb forward (depending on how you are facing), giving you one Arcane Charge when cast and another for each target struck.
Touch of the Magi Icon Touch of the Magi ToTM A relatively short cooldown spell that when applied to your target will accumulate 20% of the damage done to the target for 10 seconds, after which it explodes for the total damage accumulated to the primary target, and reduced damage to nearby targets. Additionally, it also generates 4 Arcane Charges, allowing you to immediately go into high burst windows without first needing to build up Arcane charges.
Evocation Icon Evocation Evo Not a direct damage cooldown, strictly speaking, but it does restore 100% of your Mana bar. As noted, Mana is damage for Arcane Mages, so this ability ends up having a high DPS value.
9.

Spec Tree Passive Abilities for Arcane Mage

In this section, we will go over all the passive abilities in the Arcane talent tree. Passive abilities are abilities you cannot press yourself but instead apply some effect to other abilities.

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Concentrated Power Icon Concentrated Power - Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles channels faster.
Amplification Icon Amplification - Makes Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles fire off additional waves of missiles.
Improved Clearcasting Icon Improved Clearcasting - Allows you to stack Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting up to 3 times. This allows you to store them for later, for example, to save one of them for a period of high movement combined with Slipstream Icon Slipstream.
Arcing Cleave Icon Arcing Cleave - Makes Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage hit an additional target per Arcane Charge consumed for a portion of its damage.
Reverberate Icon Reverberate - Gives Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse a chance to repeat its explosion at 30% effectiveness. Does not grant any Arcane Charges when repeated.
Slipstream Icon Slipstream - Allows you to cast Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles and Evocation Icon Evocation while moving.
Mana Bomb Icon Mana Bomb - Increases the damage Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge does based on your mana spent.
Arcane Familiar Icon Arcane Familiar AF (sometimes) Causes Arcane Intellect Icon Arcane Intellect to also summon a Familiar that does a bit of damage to your target, and increases your maximum Mana by 10% for 1 hour. The Familiar spawned is not like a normal pet, as it cannot take damage nor can it die or be controlled.
Charged Orb Icon Charged Orb - Gives Arcane Orb Icon Arcane Orb an additional charge and makes Arcane Orb do more damage.
Intuition Icon Intuition - When you reach max stacks of Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo, your next Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage does additional damage.
Energized Familiar Icon Energized Familiar - Empowers your Arcane Familiar Icon Arcane Familiar so that it fires 4 bolts during Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge. Both in and out of Arcane Surge, its damage has a small chance to grant you 2% maximum mana.
Expanded Mind Icon Expanded Mind - Causes Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast and Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse casts to also grant Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo.
Consortium's Bauble Icon Consortium's Bauble - Reduces Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast's mana cost and increases its damage.
Arcane Tempo Icon Arcane Tempo Tempo Increases your Haste.
Aether Attunement Icon Aether Attunement - Causes Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles to hit 2 additional targets for a portion of its damage.
Arcane Echo Icon Arcane Echo Echo Causes your Touch of the Magi Icon Touch of the Magi to also explode and do AoE damage any time you hit your target affected by Touch of the Magi. (reduced beyond 8 targets) Multiple hits will trigger multiple explosions, so for example, Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles will trigger a lot of explosions.
Aegwynn's Technique Icon Aegwynn's Technique - Casting Touch of the Magi Icon Touch of the Magi also grants a stack of Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting.
Resonance Icon Resonance Reso Makes Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage do more damage per additional target it hits. This only works for any secondary Arcane Barrage targets, so if you have no secondary target, it provides no bonus.
Impetus Icon Impetus - Causes Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast and Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse to grant a second Arcane Charge.
Mana Adept Icon Mana Adept - Makes Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage give you a portion of your maximum mana per Arcane Charge spent.
Enlightened Icon Enlightened EN Increases your Arcane Damage the more mana you have, and increases your mana regeneration the lower your mana.
Focusing Crystal Icon Focusing Crystal - Gives Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles a chance to provide an extra stack of Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo per wave.
Illuminated Thoughts Icon Illuminated Thoughts - Increases the chance of Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting to proc.
Prodigious Savant Icon Prodigious Savant - Further increases the damage bonus Arcane Charges provides to Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast, Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse and Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage.
Eureka Icon Eureka - When consuming Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting, the spell does more damage.
Arcane Singularity Icon Arcane Singularity - Increases the damage bonus of Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo stacks.
High Voltage Icon High Voltage HV Grants Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles more damage and gives each wave a chance to grant you an Arcane Charge.
Charged Missiles Icon Charged Missiles - Causes each wave of Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles to consume an Arcane Charge to do more damage. Note that Arcane Missiles fires off more than 4 waves, so only the first few waves will gain the bonus damage as you will run out of Arcane Charges throughout the channel.
Overflowing Insight Icon Overflowing Insight - Increases the damage and mana cost of Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast and Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse.
Overpowered Missiles Icon Overpowered Missiles - Gives Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting a chance to cause your next Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles to do greatly increased damage, generate maximum stacks of Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo and strike 3 additional targets for a portion of the damage.
Orb Mastery Icon Orb Mastery - Arcane Orb Icon Arcane Orb now consumes Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting if you have any stacks to fire off additional Arcane Orbs.
Orb Barrage Icon Orb Barrage - Gives Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage a chance per Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo stack to launch an Arcane Orb in front of you.

For more information on when to pick the above-described talented abilities, and their relative strength, see our talent page.

10.

Hero Talents Abilities for Arcane Mage

In this section, we will go over the important abilities from the different Hero Talents for Arcane Mage.

10.1.

Sunfury

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Spellfire Spheres Icon Spellfire Spheres + Rondurmancy Icon Rondurmancy - Grants all your spells chance to grant a stacking buff (Spellfire Spheres Icon Spellfire Spheres) that increases your damage. Stacks up to 3 times by default, but can be increased to 5 via Rondurmancy Icon Rondurmancy. Various other Hero Talents also interact with these Spheres. You also generate these Spheres slowly out of combat. Note: You generate it per successful spell cast, not damage instance. So Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles can only grant a single charge, not multiple.
Mana Cascade Icon Mana Cascade - Grants a buff that increases your Haste every time you cast Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast or Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage. It can stack up to 10 times, but every stack has an independent timer, meaning gaining new stacks does not refresh the duration on previous stacks.
Invocation: Arcane Phoenix Icon Invocation: Arcane Phoenix + Codex of the Sunstriders Icon Codex of the Sunstriders - When you cast Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge, it spawns an Arcane Phoenix. The Phoenix casts various spells from both the Fire and Arcane school. By default, it casts "simple" spells like Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage and Flamestrike Icon Flamestrike, but with the Hero Talent Codex of the Sunstriders Icon Codex of the Sunstriders, it can also cast "Exceptional" spells like Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge and Greater Pyroblast Icon Greater Pyroblast. When casting Arcane Surge, it converts all of your Spellfire Spheres Icon Spellfire Spheres into the similar buff Lingering Embers Icon Lingering Embers. For each Sphere consumed, the Phoenix will cast one exceptional spell.
Burden of Power Icon Burden of Power BoP Increases the damage of Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast and Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse.
Glorious Incandescence Icon Glorious Incandescence GI Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage summons 1 Meteorite Icon Meteorite per 5 Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo stacks consumed.
Pyrocosm Icon Pyrocosm - Arcane Missiles Icon Arcane Missiles waves have a chance to summon a Meteorite Icon Meteorite, dealing damage. Additionally, when a Meteorite lands, you have a chance to gain Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting.
Savor the Moment Icon Savor the Moment - Increases the duration of Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge by 0.5 seconds for each Spellfire Spheres Icon Spellfire Spheres you have, capped to 2 seconds.
Sunfury Execution Icon Sunfury Execution - Increases the damage of Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrage when hitting targets affected by Touch of the Magi Icon Touch of the Magi.
Ashes of Inspiration Icon Ashes of Inspiration - When your Arcane Phoenix expires, it grants you Lesser Time Warp Icon Lesser Time Warp, increasing your Haste for 10 seconds.
Spellfire Salvo Icon Spellfire Salvo - Increases the maximum stacks of Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo and increases the damage of Meteorite Icon Meteorites.
Memory of Al'ar Icon Memory of Al'ar - During Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge, you get twice as many stacks of Mana Cascade Icon Mana Cascade. Additionally, after Arcane Phoenix ends, you get Arcane Soul Icon Arcane Soul for 6 seconds, which causes your Arcane Barrage Icon Arcane Barrages to always proc Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting, provide 4 Arcane Charges, 5 stacks of Arcane Salvo Icon Arcane Salvo and causes Arcane Barrage to not consume Arcane Salvo.
10.2.

Spellslinger

Ability Abbreviation Description/Effect
Splintering Sorcery Icon Splintering Sorcery - Creates an Arcane Splinter Icon Arcane Splinter whenever you cast Arcane Blast Icon Arcane Blast or Arcane Pulse Icon Arcane Pulse. Arcane Splinters apply a damage over time effect on your current target.
Augury Abounds Icon Augury Abounds - Creating an Arcane Splinter Icon Arcane Splinter has a chance to immediately create 8 additional Arcane Splinters.
Controlled Instincts Icon Controlled Instincts - This makes your Arcane Splinter Icon Arcane Splinters do a portion of its damage to nearby targets as well, reduced beyond 5 targets.
Splintering Orbs Icon Splintering Orbs - Arcane Orb Icon Arcane Orb generates 2 Arcane Splinter Icon Arcane Splinter, per target hit, and increases the damage of Arcane Orb.
Shifting Shards Icon Shifting Shards - Proccing Clearcasting Icon Clearcasting also generates 2 Arcane Splinter Icon Arcane Splinters.
Attuned Familiar Icon Attuned Familiar - Gives your Arcane Familiar Icon Arcane Familiar a chance to generate an Arcane Splinter Icon Arcane Splinter when it attacks.
Spellfrost Teachings Icon Spellfrost Teachings - Causes your Arcane Splinter direct hits (so not the damage over time effect) to reduce the cooldown of Arcane Orb Icon Arcane Orb by 0.25 seconds.
Splinterstorm Icon Splinterstorm - Causes Arcane Surge Icon Arcane Surge to generate 8 Arcane Splinter Icon Arcane Splinters, and greatly increases the chance of generating Arcane Splinters during Arcane Surge.
11.

Changelog

  • 19 Jan. 2026: Updated for Midnight Pre-Patch.
  • 30 Nov. 2025: Reviewed for Patch 11.2.7.
  • 05 Oct. 2025: Reviewed for Patch 11.2.5.
  • 04 Aug. 2025: Updated spells for the 11.2.0 changes.
  • 15 Jun. 2025: Reviewed for Patch 11.1.7.
  • 21 Apr. 2025: Reviewed for Patch 11.1.5.
  • 24 Feb. 2025: Updated spells for changes in 11.1.
  • 15 Dec. 2024: Updated for Patch 11.0.7.
  • 21 Oct. 2024: Updated spells for 11.0.5 changes.
  • 09 Sep. 2024: Removed double-dipping mention for Burden of Power due to removal in-game, and removed bug mention of Ignite the future after the bug fix.
  • 28 Aug. 2024: Updated some spell descriptions.
  • 21 Aug. 2024: Updated for The War Within.
  • 23 Jul. 2024: Updated for The War Within Pre-Patch.
  • 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 fixed some typos and updated some abbreviations.
  • 15 Jan. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
  • 06 Nov. 2023: Reviewed for patch 10.2.
  • 04 Sep. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
  • 10 Jul. 2023: Updated all spells and talents for the Arcane Mage rework of 10.1.5
  • 01 May 2023: Updated some descriptions to be more clear and cleaned up some duplicate spells.
  • 20 Mar. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 24 Jan. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 11 Dec. 2022: Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 30 Nov. 2022: Updated Temporal Warp description for changed time warp functionality.
  • 28 Nov. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 24 Oct. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
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