I’m new to Mage and have just started leveling Arcane. I understand that I’m supposed to use my Clearcasting procs on Arcane Missiles. However, I don’t find out if I got a proc off of an Arcane Blast (we’ll call it Arcane Blast #1) until it’s finished casting, at which point I’ve already started spamming the next Arcane Blast (we’ll call it Arcane Blast #2).
Am I supposed to hold off on spamming Arcane Blast #2 to see if Arcane Blast #1 gave me a proc first? Or am I supposed to spam Arcane Blasts and just cast Arcane Missiles after Arcane Blast #2 is done?
Thanks!
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Depending on the talents you take, you can stack several clearcasting. So you can arcane blast a dozen times, build up some stacks of clearcasting, then drain them all in succession (as you run around). Early on it’s ok either way. But don’t feel like you’re losing anything if you wait for blast 2 (or 3) to complete before using the clearcast. A lot of times I’ll hold on to them until I have to move (standing in a ring of incoming damage), then clearcast as I run around; just make sure you have that talent in your tree that lets you move as you clearcast. It’s a decent way to keep damage output while you have to be mobile.
To piggyback off what Whitewizard said, leveling and endgame are going to be a bit different until you gain access to a few key talents.
Short answer: Don’t wait to see if you got the proc. There are 100 other things about arcane that will happily try to screw with your brain, don’t make “waiting to cast” one of them. Depending on which talents you pick as you level will make this more obvious and easier to manage.
Long answer: There are 3 talents that I (personally) think will really have an impact both on how you handle your procs and whether or not you do what Whitewizard suggested.
The most important one is Improved Clearcasting, which you have the option to take at level 29 at the earliest. This allows you to stack up to 3 procs total, so even if you cast arcane blast while clearcasting is available, it just means you either get no proc or gain an extra stack. This talent will likely fix your concern entirely. Additionally, I can’t say I’ve leveled in a while, but I’d be willing to bet that accidentally casting an extra arcane blast while you currently have your one and only clearcasting proc isn’t going to break the game.
The second talent to look for is Slipstream, which should be available at 27 at the earliest (and doesn’t prevent you from picking up Improved Clearcasting at 29). This one allows you to cast your Clearcasting Arcane Missiles while moving (which is what Whitewizard was talking about). This way you can stack up 3 procs and just fire all three off on the run (assuming you take Improved Clearcasting).
The third talent to look for is Nether Precision, which you should be able to get at 17 at the earliest. This mostly helps encourage a little bit of alternation in your rotation: Cast Blast until you get a proc of Clearcasting, spend the proc on missiles, cast 2 arcane blasts, repeat until you get another proc. I don’t know if this is considered a “required” talent for leveling builds, but I think it’s a decent chunk of damage and isn’t terribly hard to work with. The reason I mention it is because this talent actively discourages firing off all your procs at once (unless you’re doing some more complicated burst rotations which I don’t think are really available until you’ve done a decent chunk of leveling)
Regardless, that is one part of arcane that will definitely get easier to manage and understand as you level.
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