I’m looking for a break down in how arcane works in PVE. Specifically in different PVE environments such as raids, and M+ (average keys 10-15).
I’ve come across 1 or 2 videos on youtube but I’m not really sure they’re 100% relevant or correct. Is there a hub for Arcane information? Is ICY Veins going to be where I should take all my info? Currently, I’m researching warcraft logs for high parse arcane mage info and that seems to be helpful but was hoping I can read something at work as the time passes by.
I don’t really need to know the bis traits/essences/spec as that stuff is already public on warcraft logs, but more on how to tailor my arcane mage around different pve scenarios like EP or mediocre keys.
Here’s my guide, it’s pretty in-depth so I hope you follow along.
Go fire and/or frost. There you go, guide complete.
In all honesty though, you can make it work, but it would be nowhere near as good as fire or frost in terms of consistency. Speccing in to aoe somewhat hampers your ST as well.
If you are deadset on arcane for m+ and raids using icy veins is a good start, altered time and their related discord are useful as well.
No, speccing into aoe as arcane destroys your ST. Otherwise, pretty accurate. Coming from someone who’s been arcane since day 1, it kills me to say this. /hangsheadinshame
Fair enough, I almost never sacrificed my ST and tried to let arcane pressure help with a bit of aoe since most of my equipose pieces had barrage also, but in retrospect I do agree with you.
I don’t mind switching my azerite/spec around for whatever content im doing (M+ vs Raids)
According to Warcraft logs, Arcane is doing just fine in most HEROIC content, which is all I do. In fact, the numbers are even better in some fights in Heroic as Arcane versus Frost (my main spec atm).
Really? Because it’s still in the bottom 5 if not dead last according to what I’ve seen. Not trolling you here, but if you have a source that shows it doing “just fine,” please link it. I’d love to swap back.
Just looking at Warcraft Logs for Heroic and Arcane is by bar the worst spec in the game. I think it is last one or two on every fight except one, where it is 4th worst. I wouldn’t call a spec that, on its best fight, is the fourth worst spec “doing fine”. Unless by “doing fine” you mean complete and total garbage.
I was trying to be less harsh, but that’s what my findings indicated as well. Granted I don’t know if the info is from this week, but what I saw was still terrible.
Best to be clear about how bad it is. Also, I didn’t mention that it is far and away the least represented in M+, with only Affliction competing with it for lowest overall raider .io. And Affliction is at least good in raids.
So, yeah, Arcane is trash, and devs response was an insignificant 6% buff that fixed nothing and kept Arcane firmly in last place in pretty much all content. It is possible there is a worse spec in PvP, but not sure.
Even go to the mage discord and when someone asks an Arcane question, you get . . . crickets. Very few people even play it anymore.
For Raiding:
3x Equipoise is mandatory. At least one Arcane Pummeling. Undulating Tides/Galv Spark
RoP is optimal, but I’m doing a lot better with IF in EP because I’m finding it a struggle to actually play optimally with the mechanics and movement in this tier.
Burn Phase (this isn’t the most optimal but for a new Arcane Mage it will be fine. Others will say to get an AB off on pull).
Pre Pot
Charged Up
RoP (If talented)
Trinket
Arcane Power
Arcane Blast until 2 seconds on AP then PoM
AB
AB
RoP (if talented)
AB spam until oomish
Evo
Conserve:
Stay above 70% mana to maintain Equipoise buff
-AB until 4 stacks (always worth doing a 4th if you do a 3rd because of rule of threes) and dump with Arcane Barrage.
-Make use of AM with clear casting procs.
-Use RoP (if talented but make sure you have one up for your next Burn)
-Use Charged Up for free AB (again make sure you have up for Burn)
-Use PoM if you need to AB on the move (again be mindful of CD because you want up for Burn).
Common Loss of DPS:
Using AM during Burn.
Interrupting Casts for movement.
Using PoM at the start of Burn instead of at the end of Arcane Power.
Dumping Charges at 3 stacks when you get a 4th AB for free from Rule of Threes Talent
*I also always have a preference for Slipstream over Shimmer. It makes casting AM/Evo a lot more forgiving and can get you out of certain mechanics that shimmer cannot. In M+ it gets you out of the thorns on tree guy in Waycrest Manner. The Snake Wrap on the Snake Boss in Temple. Multiple others (just can’t think of them). Just a preference, but I always go with it.
3x Equipoise is really nice, but during conserve make sure to keep your mana at or above 70% to take advantage of the damage boost. Don’t drain your mana bar unless you’re getting close to your next evocation.
Very often I find myself running 2x Equipoise instead of 3x. This is a reduction in DPS, but allows me to equip 2x Quick Thinking. Especially during progression, I find being able to self heal can make an enormous difference in survivability.
I also get better results with IF over ROP. ROP sims 2k higher dps for me, but it’s so clunky to use, in practice I get worse results with it.
100% agree: I know that streamers, guides and elite mythic raiders have an obsession with shimmer, but outside of pvp, I greatly prefer slipstream. One interrupted evocate and your dps tanks, putting you dead last on dps. Oh wait sorry, we’re already last. I guess you can talent what you like, we’ll still be garbage.
I still play arcane because I despise proc reliant classes and I like the theme. That being said, I finally got around to trying out the first few bosses on heroic palace and… Arcane needs help lol.
The first boss seems reliant on you getting the poison mark because if you get frost… RIP damage.
I did okay on Behemoth I think(I ran slipstream and that seemed to help a bit)… or maybe the others did bad I’m not really sure.
Radiance is radiance lol.
Arcane needs another buff, or preferably a rework.
I don’t really raid. Just run low M+ with pugs or guild mates. I guess I’m fine, but not sure. Still gearing and is painfully slow because Pugs tend to reject me. If I ever raid, it will be on my Fury main or Marksmanship alt.
I tried Frost but I just don’t enjoy how it looks. Fire is too wierd for me, I keep messing my rotation. I’m stuck with Arcane for better or worse
If you ever decide to reroll I highly suggest Boomkin. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to Arcane’s builder/spender without procs. While I enjoy Arcane more, Boomkin is just in a much better place.
I actually have this druid that’s been sitting around level 60 forever it feels like. I’ve always thought Boomie looked fun to play so maybe it’s time to finish leveling it up and try it out in endgame haha. Thanks for the recommendation!
Thinking about just playing my Elemental shaman. Boomie is okay, but I miss being able to do real AoE damage. I don’t raid, and that is more where Boomie shines, so a good choice if you are raiding.
I’ve only managed to do most of the bosses on heroic so far, and from what I’ve seen, every fight is very unfriendly to arcane.
Some highlights:
Sivara: The frost mark is awful. Hope for frequent clearcasting procs with slipstream talented so the forced movement doesn’t tank your damage.
Blackwater: Rune of Power does not work well with 3d movement. It places itself on the ground no matter how far up you’re currently swimming, and being too far above it will cancel its buff. Multiple mages can quickly eat up all the available space on the ground.
Radiance: LOL
Court: Good luck with repeat performance. Unless you spec into nether tempest or burn your mana by weaving extra missiles, you don’t have enough abilities to avoid the silence.
Zaq: Haven’t done it heroic yet, but from what I’ve experienced on normal, arcane has a unique problem in the delirium realm no other spec has: The massive haste buff will make you oom since even the most mana-conserving rotation spends mana faster than you can regen it.
Granted I don’t know if the info is from this week, but what I saw was still terrible.