Arcane Mage WotLK Guide

Arcane is the burst spec of the Mage, and it is the safe raiding choice on fights where you can stand still. Its damage comes from stacking Arcane Blast, and it brings a strong raid buff through Arcane Empowerment, which increases the damage of the whole group. The price is mana: Arcane spends it quickly, and part of the spec is knowing how to make it last.

This guide covers the rotation, the cooldowns, when to choose Arcane over Fire, the talents and glyphs we run, the stats to reach and the mistakes that cost the most. It is written for Icecrown Citadel 25 and Ruby Sanctum on 3.3.5a. The short overview is in the class guide.

You stack Arcane Blast to get its damage bonus, and you react to one proc: Missile Barrage makes Arcane Missiles strong and lets you cast it while moving. Around that, Arcane Power and your other cooldowns give you a burst window, and your mana is the resource you plan for in every fight.

The guides we read say Arcane is best on short, stationary encounters, like Deathbringer Saurfang and Valithria Dreamwalker. On longer fights, or fights with a lot of movement, Fireball builds with the Torment the Weak talent usually keep up better, because Arcane struggles during movement without Blink.

1. Arcane BlastCast it to stack its damage bonus. Your main spell.
2. Arcane MissilesWhen Missile Barrage procs. It is strong and can be cast while moving.
3. Arcane BarrageTo use the stacks while you are moving, and as part of mana management.
4. Arcane PowerWith your other cooldowns, as the burst window opens.
5. ManaUse Evocation and your mana gem at the right moment, and do not let mana run to zero.

Arcane needs about 47 percent self-buffed critical strike chance or more before Fire becomes the better choice, and it wants around 650 haste rating or more, according to the guides we read. If your gear is below that, Arcane is often the better option.

Arcane is a spec of one big burst window and careful mana. These are the tools for both.

Arcane Power2 min

A large damage increase for a short time, at a higher mana cost. Use it with your trinkets and Bloodlust.

Presence of Mind2 min

Makes your next spell instant. Use it before a large spell, or with Pyroblast in a Fire hybrid.

Mirror Image3 min

Creates copies of you that cast at the target. A burst tool for the start of a fight.

Evocation4 min

Restores a large part of your mana over a few seconds. Plan it for when the raid needs you to stand still anyway.

Focus Magic

Increases the critical strike chance of another caster, and yours too. Put it on a good partner.

Blink15 sec

Moves you a short distance. Arcane needs it on fights with movement.

Our recommended Arcane build is the 56/3/12 in the calculator, built around Missile Barrage, Arcane Empowerment, Arcane Power, Netherwind Presence, Arcane Instability and Focus Magic.

The major glyphs are Arcane Blast, Arcane Missiles and Molten Armor. For Sindragosa, the guides we read use an Arcane build with Incanter's Absorption.

Missile Barrage

Gives your Arcane Blast a 40% chance, and your Arcane Barrage, Fireball, Frostbolt and Frostfire Bolt spells a 20% chance to reduce the channeled duration of the next Arcane Missiles spell by 2.5 sec, reduce the mana cost by 100%, and missiles will fire every 0.5 sec.

Arcane Empowerment

Increases the damage of your Arcane Missiles spell by an amount equal to 45% of your spell power and the damage of your Arcane Blast by 9% of your spell power. In addition, increases the damage of all party and raid members within 100 yds by 3%.

Arcane Power

When activated, your spells deal 20% more damage while costing 20% more mana to cast. This effect lasts 15 sec.

Netherwind Presence

Increases your spell haste by 6%.

Arcane Instability

Increases the damage done by your spells and your critical strike chance by 3%.

Focus Magic

Increases the target's chance to critically hit with all spells by 3%. When the target critically hits the caster's chance to critically hit with spells is increased by 3% for 10 sec.

Glyph of Arcane Blast

Increases the damage from your Arcane Blast buff by 3%.

Glyph of Arcane Missiles

Increases the critical strike damage bonus of Arcane Missiles by 25%.

Glyph of Molten Armor

Your Molten Armor grants an additional 20% of your spirit as critical strike rating.

Your priority is hit, then spell power, then haste and critical strike, and your mana pool is the resource that makes your rotation last. The numbers in the caps section show the hit target.

The best items are in the BiS list below. Check your haste and your critical strike chance against the numbers above, to know if Arcane or Fire is the better choice in your gear.

1. Hit
2. Spell Power
3. Haste
4. Critical Strike

Arcane is at its best on short, stationary fights. A few notes:

Deathbringer Saurfang

A short fight where you can stand still: the best place for Arcane. See the Icecrown guide.

Valithria Dreamwalker

Burst damage on the adds, standing still in your position.

Sindragosa

Use Arcane with Incanter's Absorption if the raid asks for it, and use your cooldowns on the ground phase.

Lich King

Fire usually does better on this long fight with a lot of movement. See the Lich King guide.