Frost Mage PvP Guide (Season 4)
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to play Frost Mage in a PvP environment. The guide will cover everything from talent choices, PvP talents, gameplay and rotation, and useful racial bonuses. It is most applicable to Arena content, but most talents and racial bonuses will work in Rated Battlegrounds and skirmishes.
If you were looking for TBC Classic content, please refer to our TBC Mage PvP guide.
Frost Mages' Place in 10.2.
Frost Mages are typically one of the strongest caster specs in PvP. Mages not only excel at getting crowd control and relentlessly slowing enemies, but they also have great burst damage. With short burst cooldowns and strong crowd control, Frost Mages are capable of controlling entire teams. One Polymorph can turn an entire game around. With the recent talent changes to Mages, the specialization has much more control and utility than in previous expansions.
Dragonflight Patch 10.2.
As of Patch 10.2., Frost Mage has not seen any changes, and will continue to be one of the strongest casters in PvP combat. Using heavy slows and instant cast damage to attack the enemy. With the tier set shifting away from Ice Lance damage, and more into Glacial Spike, Frost Mage will deal significant damage from afar.
Frost Mage Strengths and Weaknesses
- Great control
- Multiple defensive cooldowns
- Strong burst damage
- Relatively strong sustained damage
- Forced to cast most abilities
- Predictable burst damage
- Low Durability when out of cooldowns
- Only one school of casting
Notable 10.1.5 Changes
- Redesigned Class and Specialization Trees, including removal of Rune of Power, Ice Cold, Coldest Snap, and Cryopathy.
- Significant Damage buffs to Comet Storm, Ray of Frost, and Glacial Spike.
- Every specialization of Mage now has access to Mass Invisibility and other similar strong utility talents
- Return of the Water Elemental, once Icy Veins is used. Allowing for Pet Nova, as well as an additional damage buff.
Changelog
- 22 Apr. 2024 (races): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (macros): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (playstyle): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (comps): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (gear): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (talents): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (this page): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (this page): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 18 Mar. 2024 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 15 Jan. 2024 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (races): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (macros): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (comps): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (gear): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (talents): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 04 Sep. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, updated specific talent choices
- 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7. better aligned introduction
- 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7. better aligned introduction
- 10 Jul. 2023 (races): Updated for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (gear): Updated for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (talents): Updated for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5
- 09 May 2023 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (gear): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (talents): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 21 Mar. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (macros): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 31 Jul. 2022 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 31 Jul. 2022 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 31 Jul. 2022 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 31 Jul. 2022 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 31 Jul. 2022 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 31 May 2022 (races): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (races): Page reviewed and approved for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (macros): Page reviewed and approved for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (playstyle): Page reviewed and approved for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (comps): Page reviewed and approved for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (gear): Page updated for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (talents): Page updated for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (this page): Page updated for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (this page): Page updated for Patch 9.2.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (races): Page reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (macros): Page reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (playstyle): Page reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (comps): Page updated for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (gear): Page reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (talents): Page reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (this page): Page updated for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 Nov. 2021 (this page): Page updated for Patch 9.1.5.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (races): Reviewed and approved for Patch 9.1.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (macros): Reviewed and approved for Patch 9.1.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (playstyle): Updated for Patch 9.1 of Shadowlands.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (comps): Updated for Patch 9.1 of Shadowlands.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (gear): Updated for Patch 9.1 of Shadowlands.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (talents): Updated for Patch 9.1 of Shadowlands.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.1 of Shadowlands.
- 04 Jul. 2021 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.1 of Shadowlands.
- 19 Mar. 2021 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 19 Mar. 2021 (gear): Updated for Patch 9.0.5.
- 19 Mar. 2021 (talents): Updated for Patch 9.0.5.
- 19 Mar. 2021 (this page): Updated strength and weaknesses for Patch 9.0.5.
- 19 Mar. 2021 (this page): Updated strength and weaknesses for Patch 9.0.5.
- 23 Dec. 2020 (macros): Updated for Shadowlands.
- 23 Dec. 2020 (playstyle): Updated for Shadowlands.
- 23 Dec. 2020 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands.
- 23 Dec. 2020 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands.
- 23 Dec. 2020 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands.
- 23 Dec. 2020 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands.
- 23 Dec. 2020 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands.
- 28 Oct. 2020 (talents): Updated PvP Talents.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (races): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (macros): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (playstyle): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
Other PvP Guides
Pherix is a Multi Rank 1 Mage who has achieved 3500 rating. He streams high end arena and coaching with viewers on Twitch and also creates guides and informational content on Youtube.
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