New Frost mage play

[Grabco]

I play an 80 mage and I also have a 19 mage. I am not the best target switcher or fastest interupter in pvp on either of them but I do understand the concept of mage game play. There is a drastically different style of play and gearing between lvl 19 mages and lvl 80 mages. If the offense knows what they are doing at lvl 19 pvp then stacking stam for better survivability is the way to go to ensure you can get that clutch nova or poly off before you get zerged down. However with blink, counterspell, water elemental and shatter entering the lvl 10-19 bracket stam may not be so paramount. Situations where you used to have to tank damage to CC groups of people may be gone. Two mages on D in cata will mean 4 frost novas available at any given time and two counterspells to interupt fears and shadow school for 8 sec on the druid. Put a two shammies on the roof to blow people off and by the time the offense gets up to the roof again novas will be back up!



TL;DR. Mages will be adapting a new style of play centered around exceptional control over opponents coupled with blink to escape situations that they previously needed high stam gear to survive.

 

[Yirman]

They don't get blink do they? Wowhead says that it still requires level 20, but I know that they aren't always 100% up to date.



They do get Counterspell though, and that's something I've been missing on my own mage. They also get Evocation, so that means they will have about infinite mana, but sadly the glyph is a prime glyph and therefore requires level 20 so we cannot heal ourself for 45% HP. (Evocation only gains you 45% mana in cata, so far)



That's at least how it looks in the current build.

 

[Eliot]

They don't get blink do they? Wowhead says that it still requires level 20, but I know that they aren't always 100% up to date.

Mages do have blink, counterspell, and cone of cold on the PTR at level 19.



I'm very excited to see how mages will be changed with cataclysm.

 

[Pizza]

I play an 80 mage and I also have a 19 mage. I am not the best target switcher or fastest interupter in pvp on either of them but I do understand the concept of mage game play. There is a drastically different style of play and gearing between lvl 19 mages and lvl 80 mages. If the offense knows what they are doing at lvl 19 pvp then stacking stam for better survivability is the way to go to ensure you can get that clutch nova or poly off before you get zerged down. However with blink, counterspell, water elemental and shatter entering the lvl 10-19 bracket stam may not be so paramount. Situations where you used to have to tank damage to CC groups of people may be gone. Two mages on D in cata will mean 4 frost novas available at any given time and two counterspells to interupt fears and shadow school for 8 sec on the druid. Put a two shammies on the roof to blow people off and by the time the offense gets up to the roof again novas will be back up!



TL;DR. Mages will be adapting a new style of play centered around exceptional control over opponents coupled with blink to escape situations that they previously needed high stam gear to survive.

It all depends on how your opponent approaches your defense and how your defense is run. Mages will still have the same general purpose on defense, nothing has changed.

 

[Grabco]

It all depends on how your opponent approaches your defense and how your defense is run. Mages will still have the same general purpose on defense, nothing has changed.

Yes, same general purpose on defense yet increased utility and more flexibility with gear due to blink and ranged freeze.

 

[blueisbetterthanyou]

Yes, same general purpose on defense yet increased utility and more flexibility with gear due to blink and ranged freeze.

ss of blink at 19 ?

 

[Snowshoe]

ss of blink at 19 ?

Its there.





Thats all I do on the PTR now......Blink and CoC around Org then Evo for the win!

 

[Brokeboi]

DUDE! cata will have drastic and maybe challenging changes but im so fing excited!! Havent been on ptr cuz i want all the fun to be in the actual game. who knows how much longer i will last tho D:

 

[Revolution]

Plus your pet stays summoned until it is killed ^.^

 

[Firetruckk]

I've been playing tons on the PTR on my mage and as far as my opinion goes, this is what I've seen so far: Arcane is definitely a good offensive tree to go down. With the addition of arcane barrage, mages now can see viable burst. Fire is still... fire really. Nothing special about it. Pyroblast takes waaay too long to cast and there's really no beneficial spell to come out of the fire tree. Frost is definitely an amazing spec for premades and offers tons of survivability.