Mage Hero Talents — The War Within (11.0.5)

Last updated on Oct 27, 2024 at 07:40 by Kuni 116 comments

This guide will walk you through the best Hero Talents for Frost Mage for Raiding and Mythic+, how they impact your gameplay, and more.

1.

Best Hero Talents for Frost Mage in The War Within

This page is specifically about Hero Talents in The War Within. If you want to learn more about the best regular talents for Frost Mage, check out our Talents page:

1.1.

Raiding Hero Talents for Frost Mage

1.1.1.

Frostfire

Frostfire is perfectly viable in raid, although slightly behind Spellslinger's single target if you play a modified version.

1.1.2.

Spellslinger

Spellslinger is functionally tied with Frostfire in single target, unless you play a slight variant that sacrifices all cleave for about 3% more single target damage.

1.2.

Mythic+ Hero Talents for Frost Mage

1.2.1.

Frostfire

Frostfire is slightly behind in Mythic+, but not so far as to be unusable, like raid. Unfortunately, it does rely on Death's Chill Icon Death's Chill, which means that it has both ramping damage during your cooldowns and is even more sensitive to tank movement than usual due to Isothermic Core Icon Isothermic Core.

Defensively, it is a solid pick, with the only defensive talent being a flat boost to our Ice Barrier Icon Ice Barrier with no caveats. Likewise, from a utility standpoint, a cooldown reduction on Blast Wave Icon Blast Wave and Dragon's Breath Icon Dragon's Breath is a very welcome addition, even with the reduction in the importance of non-interrupt-based stops.

1.2.2.

Spellslinger

Spellslinger is extremely strong in AoE, with Spellfrost Teachings Icon Spellfrost Teachings resetting Frozen Orb Icon Frozen Orb repeatedly with a bit of luck.

Defensively, Spellslinger has the potential to be stronger, but both options are tied to either Mirror Image Icon Mirror Image or learning how to game your health to maximize the value of Reactive Barrier Icon Reactive Barrier. The utility node is simply a sprint attached to Alter Time Icon Alter Time for its duration, which is a strong option, or a Displacement Icon Displacement improvement, which is a class talent that we cannot really take due to position.

2.

Best Hero Talent Builds for Frost Mage

Frostfire Pure Single-Target Build Frostfire Mythic+ Build Spellslinger Universal Build
3.

Best Frostfire Pure Single-Target Build for Frost Mage

Frostfire has for the most part, one option in throughput. Thermal Conditioning Icon Thermal Conditioning is the better sustained throughput option. The other two choice nodes are defensive and utility, so pick which you like best.

3.

Best Frostfire Mythic+ Build for Frost Mage

Frostfire for Mythic+ simply takes Severe Temperatures Icon Severe Temperatures to maximize Frostfire Empowerment Icon Frostfire Empowerment damage.

3.

Best Spellslinger Build for Frost Mage

Spellslinger has no real options in any set. Unerring Proficiency Icon Unerring Proficiency loses out in every situation to Volatile Magic Icon Volatile Magic.

Reactive Barrier Icon Reactive Barrier and Phantasmal Image Icon Phantasmal Image is a personal choice. Phantasmal is easier to get value out of as long as you are casting Mirror Image Icon Mirror Image, where Reactive Barrier requires you actually watch your health and optimize Ice Barrier Icon Ice Barrier casting.

Slippery Slinging Icon Slippery Slinging is taken because you do not have the points to take Displacement Icon Displacement unless you sacrifice a lot of defensive utility.

Signature Spell Icon Signature Spell is a massive gain over Shifting Shards Icon Shifting Shards and allows for Glacial Spike Icon Glacial Spike to provide benefits to this Hero Talent.

2.1.

Hero Talents Rotation for Frost Mage

2.1.1.

Frostfire

Frostfire has no real interaction with your rotation. It simply plays as if it had no Hero Talents other than the occasional instant Frostfire Bolt Icon Frostfire Bolt replacing your usual filler Frostfire Bolt.

Despite the Excess Frost Icon Excess Frost and Excess Fire Icon Excess Fire buffs lighting up your Flurry Icon Flurry and Ice Lance Icon Ice Lance keys, you should not fire these without their associated procs available. Or, in Flurry's case, it is lit up while you have no charge available. If this annoys you, consider addons to turn off the glow effects outside of the usual proc circumstances.

There is no need to add any Fire element spells to the rotation, such as Fire Blast Icon Fire Blast, as Frostfire Infusion Icon Frostfire Infusion has a hasted 30 RPPM proc rate. This means that it will, on average, proc every just under 2 seconds. You will cap out your buffs as long as you are casting any spells at all.

2.1.2.

Spellslinger

The important component of this spec are Frozen Orb Icon Frozen Orb is now a proc reset, via Spellfrost Teachings Icon Spellfrost Teachings.

Otherwise, the spec is primarily passive bonuses to what you already are trying to do.

3.

Changelog

  • 27 Oct. 2024: Updated with new theory for 11.0.5.
  • 21 Oct. 2024: Updated for 11.0.5.
  • 09 Sep. 2024: Updated for The War Within Season 1.
  • 21 Aug. 2024: Page added.
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