Frost Mage DPS Easy Mode — The War Within Pre-Patch

This build is optimal for pure single-target situations.

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This is our recommended build for AoE scenarios. This works well for AoE Fights in Raids, as well as most Mythic+.

Be sure to make use of the 'Copy Export String' button to import the best build directly into your game!

The goal of Frost Mage is to Shatter as many of your spells as possible. Flurry lets you Shatter other spells, so line them up with the debuff, prioritizing heavy hitters first.

After that, it is simply using your procs, cooldowns, and if talented for it, Glacial Spike whenever available.

1. Use your Icy Veins cooldown when possible for more damage. Keep in mind any fight mechanics that would either cause you to lose valuable casting time, or a vulnerability to take advantage of. Perhaps you do not want to pop it the second it comes up if the boss will take extra damage in a few seconds!
2. Cast Ray of Frost after you have cast Flurry to let it gain a huge Critical Strike bonus.
3. Cast Frozen Orb when available to generate Fingers of Frost and proc Permafrost Lances.
4. Cast Blizzard when there are 3+ targets to help your AoE damage, and to reduce the cooldown of Frozen Orb, assuming you have Ice Caller.
5. Cast Flurry on cooldown.
6. Cast Comet Storm on cooldown, directly after a Flurry.
7. Cast Glacial Spike when you have 5 Icicles. Try to line the impact up with Flurry, either the cast right before it, or either of the two Winter's Chill charges afterwards. Otherwise, just fire it. It is extremely strong regardless, just try to get it inside Winter's Chill.
8. Cast Ice Lance to spend your Fingers of Frost charges, or twice directly after casting a Flurry.
9. Cast Shifting Power when there are 2+ targets in range to help your AoE damage, or when Icy Veins, Frozen Orb, and Ray of Frost are on cooldown.
10. Cast Frostbolt as a filler and generate Fingers of Frost and Brain Freeze.

There are two parts to AoE. The base rotation, and the burst.

Base rotation is simply Frozen Orb and Blizzard on cooldown. You should have both Freezing Rain and Ice Caller for this. Blizzard ticks will reduce the cooldown of Frozen Orb, and Frozen Orb will make Blizzard instant cast. Fill empty sections with your single target rotation, which will predominantly be Ice Lance.

Cooldown set revolves around Cone of Cold with Coldest Snap. You want to go into this with Comet Storm available, and preferably Frozen Orb either available or already ticking. The idea is you want to Frozen Orb - Comet Storm - Cone of Cold - Comet Storm - Frozen Orb. This is a massive burst of damage that should mostly be Shattered due to Coldest Snap.

If you have the Dragonflight 2p set bonus, you should also try and Glacial Spike into any freeze you have available on trash mobs. Ice Nova and Frost Nova both will cause the 2p's explosion to go off.

1. Icy Veins
2. Cast Frozen Orb
3. Cast Blizzard
4. Cast Comet Storm.
5. Cast Cone of Cold.
6. Cast Ice Nova, if the targets can be frozen, and you just cast Glacial Spike.
7. Cast Shifting Power.
8. Cast Glacial Spike. Try and combo it into either Ice Nova or Frost Nova if the targets can be frozen, especially if you have your 2pT31 set bonus.
9. Cast Flurry if available.
10. Cast Ice Lance if you have Fingers of Frost available.
11. Cast Arcane Explosion if there are 7 or more targets, and you are above 30% Mana.
12. Cast Frostbolt.

For more detailed information about how to play Frost, please refer to the Rotation page:

Ice Barrier is your bread and butter. It has a low cooldown, and it gives you a 24% health buffer. Never be afraid to hit this button, it will almost always be there for you due to it having such a short cooldown. It will save you so much more than you think it will.

Relatedly, Mass Barrier is just another Ice Barrier, but for you and the 4 nearest targets, preferring players. Great to throw for any large group damage events.

Ice Block and its alternative talent option, Ice Cold are both our strongest single defensive buttons. Ice Block is a full immunity, which means you cannot be damaged inside of it except for very special attacks that pierce immunities. This will also clear almost all debuffs from you, and is extremely powerful for escaping mechanics. Ice Cold on the other hand, frees you up so that you can still move and attack, at the cost of being shorter duration and not being a full immunity, although still one of the strongest defensives in the game.

Greater Invisibility is a shorter cooldown, shorter duration, and slightly worse damage reduction version of Ice Cold. This is a good button to hit if there's a large single hit coming for you, but can also be used to drop combat, or to cause a mob to drop target while casting. This can break many mechanics, if in doubt, try it.

Mirror Image is an extremely long duration 20% damage reduction. If damage is going out, pop it, especially if it is an extended duration of damage, or if mobs are targeting random targets.

While not strictly a defensive, Alter Time can be used as a heal if popped before non-fatal damage goes out, and then popped again afterwards to heal back to where you originally were. It is absolutely niche and a bit more advanced than the others, but it can be a great boon to healers.