Frost Mage guide

Ranged DPSMage · WoW Forever

Beta guide, level 30. The WoW Forever beta stops at level 30, so this guide and its build cover levels 1 to 30. We update it for level 60 after launch on November 4.

Frost is the safest Mage: slows, freezes and big crits on frozen targets. Forever makes it a real raid spec too. Ice Lance is a new instant spell that hits three times as hard on frozen targets, and Fingers of Frost lets your chill effects make your next spells act as if the target were frozen, so Shatter works on bosses. Ice Barrier now also boosts your frost damage.

Strengths

The easiest and safest way to level a Mage
Strong burst with Ice Lance and Shatter
Great control: Frost Nova, Frostbite, Cone of Cold

Weaknesses

Damage depends on freeze procs
Spamming Frostbolt and Ice Lance drains mana
Lower raw damage than Fire with great gear (for now)

Talent build (level 30) 0/0/21

Frost 21 points

Improved Frostbolt5/5
Elemental Precision1/3
Frostbite3/3
Improved Frost Nova2/2
Frost Channeling3/3
Ice Lance1/1
Arctic Reach1/2
Ice Block1/1
Shatter3/3
Fingers of Frost1/2

21 points in Frost: Improved Frostbolt, Frostbite for free freezes, Improved Frost Nova, Ice Lance and Shatter, Frost Channeling for mana, Ice Block, and the first point of Fingers of Frost. Ice Shards, Winter's Chill and Ice Barrier come after launch.

Open this build in the talent calculator

Key talents

Ice Lance: New in Forever: instant, and 200% more damage on frozen targets.
Fingers of Frost: New in Forever: chills can make your next 2 spells treat the target as frozen.
Shatter: +50% crit against frozen targets.
Frostbite: Chills can freeze the target for 5 sec.
Improved Frostbolt: 0.5 sec faster Frostbolt.

New in Forever: Frost talents

Ice LanceDeals 28 to 32 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 200% increased damage to Frozen targets.
Fingers of FrostGives your Chill effects a 15% chance to grant you the Fingers of Frost effect, which treats your next 2 spells cast as if the target were Frozen. Lasts 15 sec.

Rotation

Keep Arcane Intellect up; Frost Armor while soloing.
Frostbolt as your main spell.
Ice Lance on Fingers of Frost procs and on frozen targets.
Frost Nova, then Ice Lance until the freeze breaks.
Fire Blast while you reposition.

Several enemies

Frost Nova the pack, then Flamestrike or Cone of Cold for Shatter crits.
Blizzard from a distance when the pack is too dangerous to get close to.
Arcane Explosion when it's safe.

Cooldowns

Ice Block: Immune for 10 sec and drops threat.
Frost Nova: Your best friend: freeze, step back, keep casting.
Cold Snap (after launch): Resets your frost cooldowns.

Stats

Spell (frost) power first, then haste and crit, then Intellect. Forever buffed spell damage on weapons, so a staff or sword with spell power is a real upgrade.

Best races

Alliance

Human: Ruthless (+1% spell crit) and The Human Spirit (+10% Spirit).
Skyborne (High Order): Wind Blessed (+2% haste) and Read Leyline for faster mana regeneration.
Gnome: Expansive Mind (+5% mana) and Escape Artist.

Horde

Orc: Blood Fury: +10% Spell Power for 15 sec.
Troll: Berserking (+10% casting speed) and Rapid Regeneration to survive.
Undead: Will of the Forsaken breaks fear: the PvP pick.

Professions

Tailoring and Enchanting, the classic Mage pair (cloth gear and your own wands). Engineering if you want more damage.

Leveling

The Mage leveling spec. Pull a group, Frost Nova, then blast with Frostbolt and Ice Lance. Conjure your own food and water so you never pay for drinks.