3.3.1 Basics
Mages are one of the fastest classes in World of Warcraft if it comes to killing enemies.
Mages are able to summon their own food, water, and mana potions, so there is usually
not a problem economically with regenerating the Mage.
The biggest problem with them is though they kill very fast, they do so by expending a
great deal of mana which can take some time to recharge in later levels. Mages have
some class-specific quests to net them some cool equipment, so never neglect this.
Mages, like all cloth-classes, are not very equipment heavy. If you think about it,
mail/plate classes need a lot of equipment, both to shield them from harm, and to deal
damage. The Hunter needs to always have the latest ranged weapon and keep agility
up – the same goes for the rogue. But casting classes, such as the Mage neither take
damage, nor is their damage based on equipment.
This means that while keeping up with equipment now and then doesn’t hurt, casting
classes such as the mage do not need to be on the bleeding edge of armor and
weapons. Casters take in a great deal of gold because of their double-money
professions and need to spend very little on equipment. Casters tend to have more
money to play with than most other classes.
At certain levels you can obtain the ability to teleport to certain primary cities. Later, you
can portal other players to these cities as well, here’s a quick chart to help you
Teleportation
Level Locations
20 Stormwind (Alliance) Ironforge (Alliance)
20 Undercity (Horde) Orgrimmar (Horde)
30 Darnassus (Alliance) Thunder Bluff (Horde)
Portals
Level Locations
40 Stormwind (Alliance) Ironforge (Alliance)
40 Undercity (Horde) Orgrimmar (Horde)
50 Darnassus (Alliance) Thunder Bluff (Horde)
Groupability 7
Most groups like to keep one Mage around due to their high damage output. Killing an
elite mob before it can kill the tank is often a big plus, this is where mages come in.
Mages are also fairly good at crowd control with frost nova and polymorph. At the end of
a long instance, groups also enjoy the portals higher-level Mages can generate to get
them out and to the auction house.
Fun Factor 8
Mages, unlike many other classes, kill fast and are not repetitive. You can also switch
up spells and devise new strategies depending on your foe, allowing for a good amount
of versatility. On top of that, Mages have three damage types, Arcane, Fire, and Ice. It
would be hard to find an enemy with special resistances to all three.
3.3.2 Builds
? Cold Build Mages who focus on cold tend to be the more cost
effective than fire mages. Cold Mages focus on Arcane Talents to
reach clear-casting, arcane meditation, and boost mana efficiency.
They then head down the frost line. Cold Mages focus on having
high spirit and intellect over damage equipment, affording them
very little downtime at the cost of slower kills.
? Fire Mages are the fastest monster-killers in the game. Fire
Mages focus on laying down some early fire talents, then go into
the arcane tree. Focus on finding equipment that boosts damage.
Intellect and spirit gear help of course, but with fire Mages it’s all
about the damage.
3.3.3 Recommended Tradeskills:
Mages should focus on tailoring/enchanting. Though engineering has some useful
gizmos, tailoring and enchanting rake in more money and benefit the Mage more overall.
If you want to make sure though that you have your mount at level 40, you are better of
using the skills described in the money making chapter.
? With tailoring, a Mage can craft up some cool items, not only that, but can
sell them in the auction house. Enchanting is the only skill that pairs very
well with tailoring (skinning a bit, but overall not really). Mages have
many choices, craft items to disenchant, or craft items to sell.
Disenchanted items can then go towards selling enchantments in trade
channels.
? Engineering/Mining can be good to produce some goggles, clockwork
dragons, and other nifty items. Bombs can help finish off your opponent,
so keep them in mind as well. Engineers can sell guns and ammo to
Hunters on the market as well, so consider selling them.
3.3.4 Spells and Abilities
Do’s
? Polymorph
? Frost Nova
? Frost Bolt
? Fireball
? Arcane Intellect
? Conjuring Spells
? Mana Shield
? Pyroblast
Do Not’s
? Detect Magic
? Wards
? Flamestrike
? Cone of Cold (Unless you have cold talents)
Mages are the fastest and deadliest class in the game, but also the most fragile. Be
careful in PvP zones. Also, don’t think you’re invincible, if you fail to kite an enemy
properly you could run right into another or run out of mana. A Mage is torn to shreds in
melee combat, so be careful. The only class where you want to get close are a hunters –
try to remain with 5-8 yards away from them, as 5 yards is the maximum melee range
and 8 yards the minimum distance for ranged attacks.
Gnome Human Troll Undead
Agility 23 20 22 18
Intelligence 26 23 19 21
Spirit 22 22 23 27
Stamina 19 20 21 21
Strength 15 20 21 19
Total 105 105 106 106
Useable Weapons: Daggers, Staves, Swords, & Wands
3.3.5 Tips:
?? Teleport and portals are wonderful things, use them when your very far
from your destination. Some instances are a pain to get out of and allies
will often ask you to get them out, don’t let them down.
?? In all seriousness, don’t expect payment when porting group mates
Warriors don’t ask money for their armor, it’s not reasonable to expect
allies to pay for ports.
?? Fire spells will kill enemies faster; cold spells will save you more mana,
giving you less downtime. Pick your poison.
?? Regardless of whether you do a cold or fire build, invest some talents in
arcane. Arcane talents can seriously boost your mana, especially the
clear-casting-state ones.
3.3.6 Suggested Items
Corsair’s Overshirt – Chest - Level 19 - +5 Stamina, +11 Spirit
Drops off Van Clef in the Deadmines
Robes of Arugal – Chest – Level 24 - +3 Agility, +5 Stamina, +9 Intelligence, +10
Spirit
Drops of Arugal in Shadowfang Keep.
Robes of Power – Chest – Level 33 - +12 Intelligence, +8 Spirit, Increase magic
healing/damage by up to 8.
Craftable Recipe
Whitemane’s Chapeau – Head – Level 39 - +14 Intelligence, +14 Spirit
Drops off High Inquisitor Whitemane in the Scartlet Monestary
Grimlok’s Tribal Vestaments – Chest - +10 Stamina, +5 Intelligence, +20 Spirit.
Drops off Grimlok in Uldaman.
Chief Architect’s Monocle – Head – Level 50 - +10 Stamina, +27 Intelligence, +3
Spirit.
Drops off Fineous Darkvire in Blackrock Depths.
Vestaments of the Atal’ai Prophet – Chest – Level 50 - +11 Intelligence, +27
Spirit.
Drops off Jammal’an the Prophet in the Temple of Atal’Hakkar.
Clutch of Andros – Waist – Level 56 - +3 Stamina, +22 Intelligence, +8 Spirit.
Drops off Kirtonos the Herald in Scholomance.