Howdy everyone - I’ve been playing Mage since WoTLK (not that that qualifies my opinions or anything, I’m admittedly an idiot) and I’ve seen so many iterations of Arcane Mage through the years. I found the peak of my enjoyment in Legion, though recently I’ve been having a blast in Dragonflight (AoE arcane missiles? amazing). I was exhausted by the version we played in Shadowlands, but when Blizzard announced the return of talent trees in Dragonflight, my interest was renewed.
I started working on what I thought might be interesting to see in an Arcane Tree. So I’ve listed my ideas below. It will be painfully obvious to you all that I am no game designer - most of what I’m trying to get out there are concepts relating to magic that aren’t just “Arcane Magic is purple energy”. Some conjuration, illusions, etc. More interactions in the spec’s mechanics. As it stands, how many spells interact with Arcane Charges? Too few (in my opinion). I wanted to bring back mana as an important resource, so ideally many of the spells are mana-costly to make mana-restoration talents attractive.
My other goal was to start the spec of simple and teach the player the basic concepts of Arcane and build complexity down the tree. I know that’s generally how the trees work anyway, but it was one of my priorities.
Please feel free to rip into my thoughts below. I’d love to hear what you have to say.
I wasn’t able to share an image of the tree itself, so I have included the link below.
https://ibb.co/gtr3kgQ
Row 1:
- Arcane Missiles: Launches five waves of Arcane Missiles at the enemy over 2.5 sec, causing a total of [5 * (39.0663% of Spell power)] Arcane damage.
- A classic Arcane spell. Should be necessary to the rotation and support multiple builds.
Row 2:
- Clearcasting: For each X mana you spend, you have a 1% chance to gain Clearcasting, making your next Arcane Missiles or Arcane Explosion free.
- When you unlock Clearcasting, you’ve spent time casting Arcane Blast, Arcane Explosion, and Arcane Missiles. Now you are rewarded for spending mana and the tree teaches you that you can conserve mana by clearcasting AM.
Row 3:
- Concentrated Power: Clearcasting makes your next Arcane Missiles channel 20% faster or Arcane Explosion echo for 40% damage.
- Improves the clearcasting condition, further incentivizing the player to use these abilities when clearcasting is available.
- Arcane Orb: Launches an Arcane Orb forward from your position, traveling up to 40 yards, dealing (120.12% of Spell power) Arcane damage to enemies it passes through. Grants 1 Arcane Charge when cast and every time it deals damage.
- Not just an AoE ability, but a vital way to gain Arcane Charges. Its placement is central to the top portion of the tree since it is useful in all situations.
- Evocation: Increases your mana regeneration by 750% for 6 sec.
- A spell that was once central to the Arcane Mage’s kit has become useful only because of a talent that increases your DPS. By placing Evocation higher up in the tree, the player has the tools to spend and regain mana in a meaningful way from early on.
Row 4:
- Improved Arcane Missiles: Increases Arcane Missiles damage by 20%.
- A boring, but important talent for builds focused on AM.
- Crackling Energy: Increases Arcane Explosion and Arcane Blast damage by 20%.
- More straight DPS increases, useful when determining specific builds.
- Arcane Surge: Expend all of your current mana to annihilate your enemy target and nearby enemies for up to [(187.6% of Spell power) * 2] Arcane damage based on Mana spent. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets. For the next 12 sec, your Mana regeneration is increased by 425% and spell damage is increased by % of mana regained.
- Your main DPS cooldown and big hitter, this spell acts as a mini-Evocation all on its own. Ideally, the player is meant to use Arcane Surge, blast all their mana down, and use Evocation to get it all back after the 12 sec. of increased spell damage.
- Arcane Tempo: Consuming Arcane Charges increases your Haste by 2% for 12 seconds, stacks up to 5 times.
- A reward for expending Arcane Charges, useful for a build centered around Arcane Barrage or Prismatic Ray.
- Nether Precision: Consuming Clearcasting increases the damage of your next 2 Arcane Blasts by 20%.
- Provides a natural flow to clearcasting and Arcane Blast, definitely more useful in builds that want to prioritize Arcane Blast.
Row 5:
- Rule of Threes: Clearcasting Arcane Missiles gives you a 33.3% chance to fire 3 Prismatic Missiles that deal an additional 33.3% Prismatic damage (arcane, fire, frost).
- Bringing it back to a more traditional version of the talent, but also introduces a new damage type: Prismatic damage. Currently, there isn’t a damage type for spells that deal Arcane, Fire, and Frost damage and it seemed like it fit the class fantasy. Also, promotes the clearcasting/AM build.
- Sorcerer’s Wit: Damage dealt by Arcane Familiar, Explosive Conjuration, Greater or Mass Mirror Image, and Unstable Polymorph has a chance to restore 3% of your maximum mana.
- A brand new talent focused on giving new abilities sustain. Arcane isn’t a pet spec, but the fantasy of Mages as summoners is strong. I wanted to give utility and incentive to take the new spells that focused on schools of magic rather than just pure arcane magical energy.
- Explosive Conjuration: Conjures a sheep that wanders the targeted area for 3 seconds, then detonates for (125% of Spell power) Arcane damage to all enemies within 10 yards. Generates 2 Arcane Charges. Replaces Arcane Orb.
- An alternative to Arcane Orb. It’s targetable in an area and won’t let you ninja pull groups by poor positioning. It always generates the same two Arcane Charges, making it a predictable part of your rotation. For people who don’t like the sheep, this should be glyphable (other critter options, arcane bomb, etc.)
4a. Slipstream: Clearcasting allows Arcane Missiles to be channeled while moving. Evocation can be channeled while moving.
4b. Foresight: Standing still for 6 sec grants you Foresight, allowing you to cast while moving for 4 sec. This duration begins when you start moving.
- I wanted utility to be accessible and central to the tree’s design. No matter what build, you should be able to easily access these options for movement.
- Reverberate: If Arcane Explosion hits at least 3 targets, it has a 50% chance to generate an extra Arcane Charge.
- Brings further viability to Arcane Explosion and its position on the tree links it to the more traditional style of play for the spec.
- Overwhelming Power: Increases Arcane Blast damage by 15%. Enemies damaged by Arcane Blast are slowed by 20% or Arcane Barrage by 50% for 5 sec.
- Another DPS increase for Arcane Blast, but also returned utility to both Arcane Blast and Arcane Barrage.
- Impetus: Arcane Blast has a 10% chance to generate an additional Arcane Charge. If you were to gain an Arcane Charge while at maximum charges instead gain 10% Arcane damage for 10 sec.
- More Arcane Blast talents, further promoting a build focused on Arcane Blast
Row 6:
- Conjure Familiar: Summon a Familiar that attacks your enemies and increases your maximum mana by 10% for 1 hour.
(Familiar appearances customizable in the Barbershop. Examples include a spellbook, whelpling, raven, rat, cat, broomstick, etc.)
- The only change to this talent is its name and ability to be glyphed. I want the mage to have cosmetic options that allow us to feel like a typical fantasy mage, and what better way than to give us a cat or raven or spellbook that follows us around.
- Unstable Polymorph: Transforms the enemy into a sheep, bursting with arcane energy. While affected, the victim is untargetable, but deals (90% of Spell power) Arcane damage to itself and all enemies within 5 yards over 6 seconds.
- My goal with this talent is not to replace Polymorph (which it does not), but to let the mage use that magic for offensive purposes. It’s an AoE option with utility baked in.
- Resonant Cleave: For each Arcane Charge, Arcane Barrage hits 1 additional nearby target for 40% damage.
Arcane Barrage deals 12% increased damage per target it hits.
- By combining Resonance with Arcing Cleave, you create a talent that transforms Arcane Barrage into an AoE juggernaut.
- Presence of Mind: Causes your next 2 Arcane Blasts to be instant cast.
- Can be used for movement in dire situations, but mostly promotes the Arcane Blast build.
Row 7:
1a. Greater Mirror Image: Creates two copies of you for 10 seconds, casting a variety of Mage spells at your target.
The images do not take damage. Each time Arcane Missiles deals damage, there is a chance to add 0.5 sec to their duration.
1b. Mass Mirror Image: Creates a copy of you and 4 nearby allies, casting spells and abilities according to their class and specialization for 10 seconds.
While the images are active, damage taken is reduced by 15% for all affected allies.
- Neither of these options replace Mirror Image. My goal for these talents was to give the mage more access to this school of illusion magic, and to provide utility to themselves/teammates. Greater Mirror Image is a DPS cooldown where your images are more potent than regular images, and also can increase their duration with Arcane Missiles. Mass Mirror Image provides the damage reduction for your party and boosts DPS for the duration.
- Nether Tempest: Places a Nether Tempest on the target which deals (40% of Spell power) Arcane damage over 12 sec to the target and nearby enemies with 10 yrds. Limit 1 target. Deals reduced damage to secondary targets. Jumps to a nearby enemy if the current target dies before Nether Tempest expires.
Deals 25% increased damage per arcane charge.
- Buffed from its current state. Hopefully, these changes make it a spell worthy of casting on its own without the need for the old Arcane Echo to be useful.
3a. Touch of the Magi: Casting Arcane Surge applies Touch of the Magi to your current target, accumulating 20% of the damage you deal to the target for 12 sec, and then exploding for that amount of Arcane damage to the target and reduced damage to all nearby enemies.
Generates 4 Arcane Charges.
3b. Mark of Aluneth: Creates a rune around the target, inflicting ((40% of Spell power) * 6) Arcane damage over 6 sec to all enemies within 6 yds, and then detonating for Arcane damage equal to 20% of your maximum mana.
- The goal here was to give an alternate playstyle to the current one, which focuses on Touch of the Magi windows. The change to TotM links it to Arcane Surge, while Mark of Aluneth feels like less of a priority to build the rotation around.
- Arcane Eruption: Arcane Explosion is now targetable at a range of 30 yd. and deals damage to all enemies within 10 yds.
- A new talent that allows players to cast Arcane Explosion from a distance
- Erosion: Your attacks erode the target’s resistances, increasing all damage the target takes from your Arcane spells by 1%, stacking up to 8 times. After 3 sec of not taking damage from your spells, this effect decreases by 1% every 1 sec.
- An old talent returning that amounts to mostly a ramping passive buff. May not make sense any more - could consider it filler for now.
Row 8:
- Wizardry: Consuming an Arcane Charge increases the damage of your next Clearcast spell by 25/50%.
This effect stacks up to 4 times.
- A DPS boost for clearcasting, further promoting the Arcane Missiles build. Also, it just provides further interactivity between the Arcane Mage’s mechanics. Two point node.
- Manaspark: Mark of Aluneth and Touch of the Magi cause the target to take 2% increased damage from your direct damage spells, stacking each time they are struck.
- An updated version of Radiant Spark that fits more thematically with the class and is baked into either Touch of the Magi or Mark of Aluneth. Should be less clunky to use effectively.
- Bursting Arcana: Direct damage you deal to enemies affected by Mark of Aluneth or Touch of the Magi, causes an explosion that deals (8.25% of Spell power) Arcane damage to all nearby enemies. Deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets.
- The old Arcane Echo received mostly just a name change, but now it also works with Mark of Aluneth.
- Prodigious Savant: Arcane Charges further increase Mastery effectiveness of Arcane Blast and Arcane Barrage by 20/40%.
- A buff to Arcane Blast and Arcane Barrage that should make Mastery more effective as a stat. No changes to the current talent. Two point talent.
Row 9:
- Prismatic Ray: Fire a dazzling ray at your target, dealing (60% of Spell power) Prismatic damage and disorienting it for 4 sec.
For each Arcane Charge, deals 40% increased damage and increases disorient duration by 0.5 sec.
Consumes all Arcane Charges.
- Another new ability, this one also dealing Prismatic damage. An alternate means of clearing Arcane Charges and also provides utility by disorienting enemies effected. This would operate on a cooldown so as not to completely replace Arcane Barrage, but it should feel like an impactful part of your rotation.
- Arcane Echoes: Your direct damage spells have a chance to conjure a mirror image that duplicates the previous spell cast. Proc chance based on mana spent.
- Whenever I hear the name “Arcane Echo” I think of a magical after-image that repeats your spell, so that’s what this is. Sort of a Multistrike with a visual effect. This is a single target talent that gives you passive damage, but should have a cool visual effect. Contributes to Sorcerer’s Wit as well.
- Illuminated Thoughts: Clearcasting has a 10/20% increased chance to proc and deals 5/10% increased damage.
- A straight buff to clearcasting. Two point talent.
- Enlightened: Arcane damage dealt while above 50% mana is increased by 12%, Mana Regen while below 50% is increased by 30%.
- A buffed version of the current version. This should promote mana conservation without strict punishment.
- Rebounding Barrage: When Arcane Barrage hits more than two targets, it explodes for (50% of Spell power) additional Arcane damage to all enemies within 10 yds of the primary target.
Arcane Barrage grants you 2% of your maximum mana per Arcane Charge spent.
- A personal favorite Artifact Trait of mine. Boosts AoE, promotes Arcane Barrage build, and provides sustain.
Row 10:
1a. Prismatic Orb: Fires an orb at the target, exploding for (35% of Spell power) Prismatic damage and disorienting all enemies within 5 yards for 4 sec.
For each Arcane Charge, deals 40% increased damage and increases disorient duration by 0.5 sec.
Consumes all Arane Charges.
Replaces Prismatic Ray.
1b. Mana Beam: Channels a beam of pure mana at the target, dealing (175% of Spell power) Arcane damage over 2 sec.
Replaces Arcane Missiles.
- Turns Prismatic Ray into an AoE ability, or replaces Arcane Missiles with a buffed version.
- Gift of the Archmage: Casting Mass Mirror Image or Greater Mirror Image conjures two additional copies of yourself, one casting Frost specialization spells and the other casting Fire specialization spells.
Consuming Clearcasting increases the damage dealt by the images by 5% for their duration, stacking up to 10 times.
- This spell turns you into the Archmage of high fantasy that wields all schools of magic at the same time, without forcing the player to actually cast Frost or Fire spells.
- Arcane Harmony: Each time a Clearcast spell deals damage, the damage of your next Arcane Barrage is increased by 10%. This effect stacks up to 10 times.
- I updated this talent to work with any clearcast spell and reduced the number of stacks needed to deal maximum damage.
- Arcane Bombardment: Arcane Barrage deals an additional 150% damage against targets below 35% health.
- Same as current talent.
- Orb Barrage: Arcane Barrage has a 10% chance per Arcane Charge consumed to launch an Arcane Orb in front of you.
- Same as the talent as of 10.1.5. If you’ve talented Explosive Conjuration, the sheep would be summoned above the target of your Arcane Barrage.
I also like the idea of mirror image being castable (in its present state) on party members. Could be a fun utility spell when healer gets in trouble to mirror image them, or same with a tank in a particular boss fight where you want the image to take a big hit.