Variations on a mage theme

[Turak]

I've been considering changing my mage build from a frost heavy build to more of an elementalist build and I would like to know what others think.

My level 51 mage alt is currently specced 2/0/40 (http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=RMZZVAGIoftho) and has +240 spell damage of which about 140 is general spell damage and 100 is frost damage. I'm averaging 600 frost bolts and 1200 crits. My DPS probably averages from about 240 to 300, although seeing 400+ is not that uncommon.

I'm considering 0/21/21 (http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=kZVgM0fzoZVA0c0rz) and improving the fire tree while leaving frost as is. I think Scorching with Improved Scorch and Ignite could be very efficient and deadly. (And not have that blue streak showing everyone where I am in PvP!) I really like ice block, so I know that I will not be able to get Combustion. Assuming I switch the frost damage gear to fire damage and remain around +240 to +260 spell damage, will I see similar DPS? Opinions? Should I stay frost until 60?

[Mak]

Improved scorch rocks. Personally, if I were going to put that many points in fire I would get blastwave. You're missing shatter as well. I had the same conundrum and it comes down to picking a single tree for damage and using the other to fill in gaps. Maybe this for a change of pace (http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=kZVgMzszzZbhMusbu)?

[Nom]

elemental is lame!!

21 / 0 / 30 is nice for pvp / mc

21 / 30 / 0 is nice for lots o dmg

every talent is useful in some way , except arcane resiliance, any mage that specs that is a noob.

try them out for yourself and be prepared to spend $ on respecs.

get firepower / shatter / and the range talents , and whatever else you want.

[Turak]

Ok, I opted for a "lame", as punchface put it, elementalist build (http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=kZxgMzf0kZVhMhk0t). I spent a couple of hours in Un'Goro trying it out (at level 51 with about +230 fire/spell damage gear) and I can only say that I'm not especially impressed.

The shatter crits and ignites are nice and I had a peak 489 DPS at one point against a mob three levels higher. I do miss the steady control and mana efficiency that my previous frost build (2/0/40) gave. I haven't tried it out in AV yet. I'm worried that the lack of an Ice Barrier will be an issue in BGs. I'm thinking that Pyroblast is kinda gimped without PoM. I seemed to find myself having to strafe more and taking a few more hits than I would have if I was frost.

At this point, I just dinged 52 and I'm going to give AV a try tonight to see what happens. If I'm not impressed more, then I'll go back to my frost build (http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=RMZZVAGIoftuo).

[Jazabel]

It all depends on what you're wanting to do. For levelling I've always stuck with heavy fire builds (aside from PoM/insta AE in the old trees) simply because of the higher burst dps. I've never really buggered with combustion. When they "fixed" mages my prior points blown on PoM went right back into the fire tree. I've also ran a 31 Arcane build and it's really not atrocious...it's simply more built for longevity and sustained damage rather than burst dps. This was, of course, all prior to the rebuild of talent trees.

Here's my opinion of an ideal elementalist build (http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=kZVgrzMcuxbNG0o0x) at 60. I feel that in an elemental build, frost is simply the tool to +crit and keep them away from you while you set their hair on fire and impact stun them.

The only instance where I've really seen builds make a hugely signifigant amount of impact in a mage is having ice block save your butt in raids and ice barrier be your battleground saving grace as well as AoE buffer in raids. This alone makes me like frost slightly more than the others as far as 31 point builds go. If you're wanting to be in the tops for mage dps in MC or BWL fire's not gonna cut it obviously.

In the endgame, it all boils down to your preference and playing style and whether or not it matters to you that you'll be slightly gimped in MC and BWL. Since you've got a good 8 levels to go until you need to worry about MC/BWL I'd enjoy the fire! Not all things are immune to fire damage in MC/BWL either. I haven't noticed and could be wrong, but I don't see HAWC caring too much about too many dots which is one problem I've had with my mage being fire in MC.