Pre-5.0.4 mage talent analysis

This page is meant to provide some advice to Mage players seeking to make their own talent builds and examine the value of specific Mage talents.

It presents views on the usefulness of talents in solo leveling/farming, raiding, and PvP.

A comprehensive list of established talent builds can be found at Mage builds.

A full talent list can be found here.

With the new requirement as of Patch 4.0.1 that at least 31 talent points must be spent in the primary tree before any can be allocated to secondary trees, cross-specialization is no longer as prominent as it once was.

Arcane
Manipulates arcane energies, playing with the very fabric of time and space.


 * [[Image:Ability mage arcanebarrage.png|35px|Arcane Barrage]] Arcane Barrage, the heart, soul, and primary nuke of the Arcane tree.
 * [[Image:Spell fire twilightfire.png|35px|Arcane Specialization]] Arcane Specialization: increases the damage of Arcane spells by 25%.
 * [[Image:Spell holy magicalsentry.png|35px|Mana Adept]] Mastery - Mana Adept, increases all spell damage up to 12%, based on the amount of mana the Mage has unspent.

The Arcane tree has a special emphasis upon mana management unlike any other class found in the game. This is especially true of raiders, but can also apply to PvP Arcanists who have a high degree of Mastery invested in their gear. The new Arcane tree carries a wide variety of utility talents which can be situationally used in PvE or PvP.

Notes on cross-specializing Arcane with other trees

 * Arcanist raiders will want to invest into Master of Elements in the Fire tree to improve their Mastery game. The Frost talent Piercing Ice is also a direct damage increase.


 * PvP-oriented Arcanists can choose to offspec into the Fire tree for powerful utility talents such as Burning Soul (mage ability), Blazing Speed, and Impact (mage talent), all of which indirectly contribute to the Arcanist's utility and viability. Alternately, speccing into the Frost tree for Early Frost, Shatter, and Piercing Chill will make some of the Frost tree's powerful snares available to the Arcanist.

[[Image:Spell Shadow ManaBurn.png|50px|Arcane Concentration]] Arcane Concentration
''3 points: Gives you a 3/6/10% chance of entering a Clearcasting state after any damage spell hits a target. The Clearcasting state reduces the mana cost of your next damage spell by 100%.''
 * With 10% of your spells being free, you essentially get a 10% larger mana bar.
 * Solo Utility: Reduces your downtime slightly, which is helpful. Also increases your DPS when you can take Arcane Potency.
 * Raid Utility: Extends your mana bar and helps maintain your mana, letting you occasionally cast massive nukes for free, and contributing to the upkeep of Arcane's all important Mastery.
 * PvP Utility: While mana maintenance is less important in PvP, it does provide extra crit with Arcane Potency.
 * Talent Synergy: Arcane Potency
 * Bottom Line: A good investment for all Arcanists.

[[Image: Spell Frost IceShock.png|50px|Improved Counterspell]] Improved Counterspell
2 points: Your Counterspell also silences the target for 2/4 seconds.
 * Gives you the power of using Counterspell proactively, not just reactively.
 * Solo Utility: Silence isn't all that useful when soloing or leveling, and a well-timed spell interrupt does just as well.
 * Raid Utility: Useless, because nearly all bosses cannot be silenced, and Counterspell is only ever used reactively in a raid.
 * PvP Utility: This spell buys you four seconds to unleash upon most classes. And now that it's a tier 1 talent, any PvP mage can afford it.
 * Talent Synergy: None
 * Bottom Line: Useful for PvP, skip it if you're doing anything else.

[[Image: Ability Mage NetherWindPresence.png|50px|Netherwind Presence]] Netherwind Presence
3 points: Increases your spell haste by 1/2/3%.
 * What's not to like about faster spellcasts for all spells?
 * Solo Utility: Filler, but a direct damage increase nonetheless.
 * Raid Utility: Directly boosts your DPS by 3%, since all of Arcane's rotation is either casted or channeled spells. For three points, this is a fairly good deal.
 * PvP Utility: Filler, but still a damage increase and a GCD reduction.
 * Talent Synergy: None
 * Bottom Line: While most useful for raiders, solo and PvP mages might get some use out of it too.

[[Image:Spell arcane focusedpower.png|50px|Torment the Weak]] Torment the Weak
Requires at least 5 points in Arcane talents. 3 points: Your Arcane damage spells deal 2/4/6% more damage to snared or slowed targets.
 * Adds injury to insult. It works with all snares, not just the mage's, especially attack speed reductions.
 * Solo Utility: As Arcane, this spell is only useful after you pick up Slow.
 * Raid Utility: Essential. A 6% blanket damage boost is very powerful for three talent points, and your tank will be applying the snare, not you.
 * PvP Utility: Fairly powerful in PvP for the Arcanist, since at high levels you'll have plenty of ways to snare your opponents.
 * Talent Synergy: Slow, Nether Vortex
 * Bottom Line: All Arcanists should give this talent serious thought, especially endgame.

[[Image:Spell arcane invocation.png|50px|Invocation]] Invocation
Requires at least 5 points in Arcane talents. 2 points: You gain a 5/10% damage bonus for 8 seconds after successfully interrupting a spell.
 * Increases your damage output during a time when you have your opponent at a disadvantage. Note that this talent only triggers when you actually interrupt a spell, not when you silence a target, and does not work when you interrupt your own spells (e.g., clipping Arcane Missiles).
 * Solo Utility: Filler, and there are better talents at this tier.
 * Raid Utility: Far too situational to be useful; this talent doesn't work with Improved Counterespell, and you won't be the only interrupter in a raid to begin with.
 * PvP Utility: Important, since this talent opens an eight second window where you can proceed to unload upon an opponent.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: Worth at least a second look for a PvP mage, but anybody else can safely skip it.

[[Image:Spell Nature StarFall.png|50px|Improved Arcane Missiles]] Improved Arcane Missiles
Requires at least 5 points in Arcane talents. 2 points: Increases the number of missiles fired by your Arcane Missiles spell by 1/2.
 * A huge damage boost to any Arcanist, and isn't that what being a mage is all about? Furthermore, you'll need it for Missile Barrage.
 * Solo Utility: Get it. It's a damage increase to one of your most potent nukes.
 * Raid Utility: Get it. You'll need this spell to maintain your DPS when you aren't spamming Arcane Blasts.
 * PvP Utility: Get it. It opens up so many windows to burst your opponents almost on command when your missiles proc.
 * Talent Synergy: Missile Barrage
 * Bottom Line: Get it. Seriously, if you specced Arcane at all, get it.

[[Image:Spell Arcane Blink.png |50px|Improved Blink]] Improved Blink
Requires at least 5 points in Arcane talents. 2 Points: Increases your speed by 35/70% for 3 seconds after casting the Blink spell.
 * While you'll be using this spell as an escape tool most of the time, it's also useful for chasing down a fleeing enemy and finishing him off. The Arcanist's answer to Blazing Speed, only it can be triggered on command.
 * Solo Utility: Useful while leveling since Arcane mages have few tools when low-leveled, but its value drops sharply when you pick up Slow.
 * Raid Utility: Mobility is never a bad thing in PvE, but two talent points for a highly situational advantage at best is pushing it.
 * PvP Utility: Invaluable as an escape tool, a pursuit tool ... really, it helps you control the distancing, which is huge in PvP.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: A good utility tool for the PvP mage, but filler for anyone else.

[[Image:Ability Mage PotentSpirit.png|50px|Arcane Flows]] Arcane Flows
Requires at least 10 points in Arcane talents. Requires 1 point in Presence of Mind. 2 points: Reduces the cooldown of your Presence of Mind, Arcane Power, and Invisibility spells by 12/25% and the cooldown of your Evocation spell by 1/2 minute(s).
 * All of your best and most interesting cooldowns, faster. The impact of this talent on your survivability and your DPS is not to be underestimated.
 * Solo Utility: This talent helps you survive when things go awry, making your panic buttons available sooner.
 * Raid Utility: Indirect damage boost, but a massive boost nonetheless, since the two minute Evocation helps maintain the Arcanist's mana, and thus his DPS by way of his Mastery. Having Arcane Power available more often as well is just the icing on the cake.  A big, delicious chocolate cake.
 * PvP Utility: All four abilities and spells are useful in PvP, and Evocation can be used to reset fights when glyphed.
 * Talent Synergy: Presence of Mind, Arcane Power
 * Bottom Line: All Arcane mages should fill this talent out. Its sheer utility makes it a mandatory talent.

[[Image:Spell Nature EnchantArmor.png|50px|Presence of Mind]] Presence of Mind
Requires at least 10 points in Arcane talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Presence of Mind ability. When activated, your next Mage spell with a casting time less than 10 seconds becomes an instant cast spell.''
 * Instant Polymorphs. Instant Arcane Blasts.  Instant Frostbolts.  No instant teleports or portals, unfortunately, as the talent calculates from base casting time.  This talent cannot be active if Arcane Power is also active.
 * Solo Utility: When pulls go awry, throw an instant Fireball or Frostbolt can be the difference between life and death.
 * Raid Utility: Not much of a DPS increase in a raid, but you'll take it anyways for Arcane Flows.
 * PvP Utility: With points in Improved Polymorph, it's a stun on command. With points in Piercing Chill, you can slow your opponents to a crawl.  It also procs Arcane Potency, improving your burst damage, and isn't that what PvP is all about?
 * Talent Synergy: Arcane Flows, Improved Polymorph, Arcane Potency, Piercing Chill
 * Bottom Line: Everyone should take it. At one point, it's a bargain.

[[Image:Ability Mage MissileBarrage.png|50px|Missile Barrage]] Missile Barrage
Requires at least 10 points in Arcane talents. Requires at 2 points in Improved Arcane Missiles. 2 points: Your Arcane Missiles spell will fire its missiles every .6/.5 seconds.
 * Allows you to unleash Arcane Missiles for powerful burst whenever it procs. Although no longer as powerful as it was before patch 4.0.1, Missile Barrage remains a powerful tool for the Arcanist.
 * Solo Utility: While you'll be using Arcane Barrage more, this is an excellent spell to spend when it procs.
 * Raid Utility: When you need to dump your Arcane Blast stacks in order to conserve mana, this talent prevents your DPS from dropping too severely.
 * PvP Utility: Susceptible to interrupts, but haste shortens the channeling time, and it still does excellent damage provided you aren't interrupted. Mages do not want their Arcane trees locked, ever.
 * Talent Synergy: Netherwind Presence, Improved Polymorph (ensures that the opponent is stunned for the entire duration of the spell)
 * Bottom Line: Anyone who uses Arcane Missiles will want to take this talent.

[[Image:Spell Arcane PrismaticCloak.png|50px|Prismatic Cloak]] Prismatic Cloak (mage talent)
Requires at least 10 points in Arcane talents. 3 points: Reduces all damage taken by 2/4/6% and reduces the fade time of your Invisibility spell by 1/2/3 seconds.
 * At max rank, you instantly turn invisible. Compared to that the damage reduction is pure bonus.
 * Solo Utility: Fairly useful, as you can end a fight instantly if you feel the need, which can happen while leveling.
 * Raid Utility: 6% damage reduction won't prevent you from dying in one hit, but it will slightly lessen the effects of unavoidable damage, and instant Invisibility can be used to dodge certain mechanics as well as drop aggro completely. Consider Improved Blink as an alternative.
 * PvP Utility: The Arcanist's great recovery cool, this talent helps you escape from bad situations to regroup. Very useful in arenas and battlegrounds.
 * Talent Synergy: None
 * Bottom Line: Useful in PvP and solo. For raiders, it's a filler talent, but an interesting one if you can spare the talent points.

[[Image:Spell nature polymorph.png|50px|Improved Polymorph]] Improved Polymorph
Requires at least 15 points in Arcane talents. ''2 points: When a target you've Polymorphed is damaged, that target is stunned for 1.5/3 seconds. This effect cannot occur more than once every 10 seconds.''
 * Opens a three second window during which you can burst your opponent down. It also forces PvP opponents to either delay use of a PvP trinket in order to break the stun or trinket immediately and risk another Morph-stun combo; either way, you win.
 * Solo Utility: Lets you open up against humanoid or beast critters with a slight time advantage, or create distance if you lose control.
 * Raid Utility: Useless against bosses, but it can be a lifesaver when a loose add is killing raiders and must be immediately controlled. Far too situational to be part of a standard raid spec, however.
 * PvP Utility: A mage can do a lot of things in a three second stun window, including fade to Invisibility.
 * Talent Synergy: Missile Barrage, Presence of Mind
 * Bottom Line: An excellent tool for PvP or solo Arcanists, but most raiders will skip this talent altogether.

[[Image:Spell arcane arcanetactics.png|50px|Arcane Tactics]] Arcane Tactics
Requires at least 15 points in Arcane talents. Requires 1 point in Presence of Mind. 1 point: Increases the damage of all party and raid members within 100 yards by 3%.
 * Since when has more damage ever been a bad thing?
 * Solo Utility: You won't be getting the full use out of this talent solo, but for one point it's a very good boost to your DPS indeed.
 * Raid Utility: For a single measly talent point, your raid kills a boss 3% faster. Watch that you position yourself for maximum coverage.
 * PvP Utility: Not as essential for PvP where control and burst are often more decisive than pure damage output. Still, is it too much to ask for a single point?
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: Another essential talent for Arcanists.

[[Image:Ability mage incantersabsorbtion.png|50px|Incanter's Absorption]] Incanter's Absorption
Requires at least 15 points in Arcane talents. ''2 points: When your Mana Shield (original) or Mage Ward absorbs damage your spell damage is increased by 10/20% of the amount absorbed for 10 seconds. In addition, when your Mana Shield is destroyed, all enemies within 6 yards are knocked back 12 yards.''
 * This ability places a spellpower buff on you when you absorb damage from your personal shields.
 * Solo Utility: When a pull goes bad, Incanter's Absorption could be a lifesaver if Invisibility is on cooldown.
 * Raid Utility: Not very useful, as a boss will destroy you with your Mana Shield in a single hit. And spending 5000 mana for 1000 spellpower for a mere 10 seconds is not using your mana pool wisely.  The elemental absorption from the Mage Ward is too situational to compensate.
 * PvP Utility: Mana Shield remains a desperation tool, but it now can be used to create distance against melee attackers, while the Mage Ward absorption empowers you against spellcasters.
 * Talent Synergy: Slow
 * Bottom Line: Raiders can skip this talent. Situationally useful in soloing or PvP, except against ranged physical damage.

[[Image:Spell nature wispsplode.png|50px|Improved Arcane Explosion]] Improved Arcane Explosion
Requires at least 15 points in talents. 2 points: Reduces the global cooldown of your Arcane Explosion spell by .25/.5 seconds and reduces the threat generated by 40/80%.
 * The only threat reduction talent available to mages, and it only applies to one spell. The cooldown reduction on Arcane Explosion does make it viable as an AoE, however.
 * Solo Utility: Threat reduction is irrelevant in solo, and if you get close enough to the number of mobs necessary for Arcane Explosion spam to be useful, you're doing it wrong.
 * Raid Utility: Good for clearing trash without drawing unwanted attention, but almost useless against bosses unless a heavy add component is present.
 * PvP Utility: Nobody is going to ignore a mage spamming Arcane Explosions for long, and again you generally do not want to be in melee range.
 * Talent Synergy: Arcane Power
 * Bottom Line: A subpar talent at best.

[[Image:Spell Arcane ArcanePotency.png|50px|Arcane Potency]] Arcane Potency
Requires at least 20 points in Arcane talents. 2 points: Increases the critical strike chance of your next 2 damaging spells by 7/15% after gaining Clearcasting or Presence of Mind.
 * This talent is in effect about 20% of the time if you have maxed talents in Clearcasting, and is furthermore controllable via Presence of Mind.
 * Solo Utility: While the difference isn't significant, this talent does increase your DPS in conjunction with Clearcasting.
 * Raid Utility: Increases your DPS when taken with Clearcasting, which most Arcane raiding builds do, and helps refund mana with Master of Elements.
 * PvP Utility: Again, more crits, and it makes that big nuke armed with Presence of Mind have a higher chance of critting to knock away massive amounts of enemy health.
 * Talent Synergy: Clearcasting, Presence of Mind, Master of Elements
 * Bottom Line: A solid support talent if you are also specced into the talents which proc it.

[[Image:Spell nature slow.png|50px|Slow]] Slow
Requires at least 20 points Arcane in talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Slow ability. Reduces a target's movement speed by 60%, increases the time between ranged attacks by 60%, and increases casting time by 30%. Lasts 15 seconds. Slow can only affect one target at a time.''
 * The most feared, versatile, and powerful snare available to any player in the entire game. It affects casting speed, movement speed, attack speed.
 * Solo Utility: Extremely useful spell which allows a mage to practically eliminate one mob from a pull.
 * Raid Utility: You'll take it for Arcane Power and not much else, since bosses can't be snared. Potentially useful if you are relegated to being the sole kiter of a single mob.
 * PvP Utility: Increases damage when used with Torment the Weak, slows melee to a crawl and makes them virtually sitting ducks, greatly reduces Hunter damage, and slows spellcasters making them much more suspectible to interrupt. Practically hands you control of distancing.  Did we mention that it's 200% spammable and effective on all classes?
 * Talent Synergy: Torment the Weak, Incanter's Absorption
 * Bottom Line: Another mandatory Arcane spell. You'll want it the moment you can get it.

[[Image:Spell arcane blast.png|50px|Nether Vortex]] Nether Vortex (mage talent)
Requires at 20 least points in Arcane talents. Requires 1 point in Slow. 2 points: Gives your Arcane Blast a 50/100% to apply the Slow spell to any target it damages if no target is currently affected by Slow.
 * Ties the Slow spell to your stand-and-deliver nuke as an Arcanist.
 * Solo Utility: Now you can slow your pulls without using a global cooldown. Not much more utility beyond Slow itself, however.
 * Raid Utility: Useful on council-type boss fights with multiple bosses, or if you need to snare and kill an add, or if (heaven forbid) your tank isn't applying attack speed snares.
 * PvP Utility: While Arcane Blast is not the primary spell for PvP as Arcane, it makes that spell so much more deadly on the chance that you can cast it.
 * Talent Synergy: Same as Slow.
 * Bottom Line: While not as useful as the Slow talent itself, it can still be worth some consideration.

[[Image:Spell Arcane StudentOfMagic.png|50px|Focus Magic]] Focus Magic
Requires at 25 least points in Arcane talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Focus Magic ability. Increases the target's chance to critically hit with spells by 3%. When the target critically hits your chance to critically hit is increased by 3% for 10 seconds. Cannot be cast on self.''
 * You need to be within 100 yards of the spell recipient for this talent to work. Note that it only procs on spell criticals.
 * Solo Utility: You'll be alone, so ... what's the point?
 * Raid Utility: Very useful. By helping someone else's DPS, you also help your own, and the uptime can be close to 100% if cast on the right person.
 * PvP Utility: Good to cast on a fellow spellcaster, and it's an extra spell to serve as dispel buffer.
 * Talent Synergy: Master of Elements
 * Bottom Line: Useful for raiders and PvP. Consider skipping while you're soloing, but for a mere talent point, this ability is so very much worth it.

[[Image:Inv misc gem emerald 01.png|50px|Improved Mana Gem]] Improved Mana Gem
Requires at least 25 points in Arcane talents. 2 points: Mana gained from your Mana Gem also increases your spellpower by 1/2% of your maximum mana for 10 seconds.
 * A highly controllable DPS cooldown which can be used in conjunction with Arcane Power for whenever you need burst the most.
 * Solo Utility: Your mana pool won't be as high while leveling as it is during endgame, but it's still a DPS increase when you need it.
 * Raid Utility: 2% of your maximum mana pool can be quite high in a raid setting when fully buffed, and a damage increase paired with Mana Adept makes it that much more powerful.
 * PvP Utility: Less mana management in PvP means you have more freedom to consume the Mana Gem for a DPS cooldown when you need it most.
 * Talent Synergy: Arcane Power
 * Bottom Line: Take this talent. Seriously, there's not much of a reason to pass it up.

[[Image:Spell Nature Lightning.png|50px|Arcane Power]] Arcane Power
Requires at least 30 points in Arcane talents. Requires 1 point in Slow. ''1 point: Grants you the Arcane Power ability. When activated, you deal 20% more damage but spells cost 10% more mana to cast. This effect lasts 15 seconds.''
 * Your DPS and DPM increase, although this ability cannot be used with Presence of Mind.
 * Solo Utility: A wickedly powerful DPS cooldown whenever you need it, especially against hard-hitting elite mobs when soloing.
 * Raid Utility: Stack this ability with other powerful cooldowns and we have a winning recipe.
 * PvP Utility: Increases your burst against opponents, making it a very potent weapon in the Arcane arsenal.
 * Talent Synergy: Arcane Flows, Improved Arcane Explosion, Improved Mana Gem
 * Bottom Line: Like all other 31-pointers, Arcane's top talent is something you just can't pass up.

Fire
Ignites enemies with balls of fire and the breath of dragons.


 * [[Image:Spell fire fireball02.png|35px|Pyroblast]] Pyroblast - Iconic pyromancer spell and serious contender for the single hardest hitting spell in the game.
 * [[Image:Spell fire fire.png|35px|Fire Specialization]] Fire Specialization - Increases the damage of your Fire spells by 25%.
 * [[Image:Spell fire firebolt02.png|35px|Flashburn]] Mastery - Flashburn, increases the damage done by all your periodic Fire damage effects by 20%.

Fire spells are traditionally harder-hitting and burstier in nature, resulting in higher sustained single-target damage. The Fire tree also has a strong emphasis on damage-over-time effects and AoE, with many talents bolstering one or both. With no direct defenses of note, the Fire mage lives by his wits as the proverbial glass cannon: kill fast, die fast.

Notes on cross-specializing Fire with other trees

 * When dipping into the Arcane tree, Clearcasting and Netherwind Presence are useful for raiders while PvP pyromancers will want to consider Improved Counterspell.
 * An investment in Frost is a necessity for any elementalist mage, including talents such as Piercing Ice and Shatter.

[[Image:Spell Fire MasterOfElements.png|50px|Master of Elements]] Master of Elements
2 points: Your spell criticals will refund 15/30% of their base mana cost.
 * Helps you maintain your mana, not only for Fire but also for Arcane and Frost.
 * Solo Utility: Not essential, but it does help reduce downtime.
 * Raid Utility: Helps sustain high intensity DPS rotations in raids, which makes it a very good talent to take, especially for Arcanists with high levels of Mastery.
 * PvP Utility: Mana management is less of a concern in PvP, so you won't get much use out of this talent.
 * Talent Synergy: Arcane Potency, Focus Magic, Improved Fire Blast, Hot Streak/Improved Hot Streak, Piercing Ice, Shatter
 * Bottom Line: Good for raiders, but solo and PvP mages should take a look at the next talent instead ...

[[Image:Spell burningsoul.png|50px|Burning Soul]] Burning Soul (mage ability)
3 points: Reduces the casting time lost from taking damaging attacks by 23/46/70%.
 * Invaluable when enemies are beating on you to prevent your spells from suffering too much pushback.
 * Solo Utility: Useful while leveling or soloing to overpower mobs by brute force, especially as Fire has few snares.
 * Raid Utility: Not very useful, since most raid damage does not cause spell pushback and you can generally avoid abilities which do.
 * PvP Utility: Enemies will eventually hit you in PvP. This helps you deal with them, although most Fire mage spells are instants in PvP.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: A good talent to have when solo or in PvP. Raiders will still need at least a point to unlock higher tiers, but the other two talents are better.

[[Image:Spell Fire Fireball.png|50px|Improved Fire Blast]] Improved Fire Blast
2 points: Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire Blast spell by 4/8% and increases its range by 5/10 yards.
 * A talent with a lot of utility, you'll find ways to use Fire Blast in all aspects of the game.
 * Solo Utility: Good burst damage while soloing, and its usefulness only rises as you unlock the higher tiers of fire talents.
 * Raid Utility: You'll be using Fire Blast with Impact procs to spread your dots around and the extra crit bonus dramatically boosts your chances of chaining a Hot Streak.
 * PvP Utility: More burst damage and a chance to proc Hot Streak.
 * Talent Synergy: Master of Elements, Impact, Hot Streak\Improved Hot Streak
 * Bottom Line: Useful in all aspects of the game. Raiders will have to be a bit more creative about it, as its application is not straightforward.

[[Image:Spell fire incinerate.png|50px|Ignite]] Ignite
Requires at least 5 points in Fire talents. 3 points: Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 13/26/40% of your spell's damage over 4 seconds.
 * This talent is one of the hallmarks of Fire. It applies a DoT to the target, and at max rank causes your spell criticals to hit for 280% of their base damage.  It also works very well with Combustion.
 * Solo Utility: Take it, because it makes your spell criticals hit that much harder.
 * Raid Utility: Take it, because you'll want more free damage whether you raid as Fire or elementalist.
 * PvP Utility: Take it, because not only is the DoT more damage, it serves as a further dispel buffer and can be used to trigger Combustion for truly horrendous damage.
 * Talent Synergy: Combustion, Pyromaniac, Critical Mass, Piercing Ice
 * Bottom Line: A must for Fire mages; not taking it means being ignorant of one's own class.

[[Image:Spell fire immolation.png|50px|Fire Power]] Fire Power (mage talent)
Requires at least 5 points in Fire talents. 3 points: Increases the damage of your Fire spells by 1/2/3 and gives your Flame Orb a 33/66/100% chance to explode at the end of its duration.
 * Besides boosting Fire damage very well, it also adds yet another AoE to Fire's vast repertoire in the form of a fire-and-forget missile.
 * Solo Utility: Not much use while leveling as you can't have Flame Orb before level 81, but it's still more damage. Consider the utility talents in this tier, however.
 * Raid Utility: More damage = good. More AoEs = good.
 * PvP Utility: Useful in crowded battlegrounds where a well-timed Flame Orb with a well-placed Ring of Frost can easily decimate the entire enemy team.
 * Talent Synergy: Critical Mass, Frostfire Orb
 * Bottom Line: Raiders will get the most use out of this talent, but it's worth a try for PvPers and solo mages as well.

[[Image:Spell fire burningspeed.png|50px|Blazing Speed]] Blazing Speed
Requires at least 5 points in Fire talents. ''2 points: Gives you a 5/10% chance when hit by a melee or ranged attack to increase your movement speed by 50% and dispel all movement impairing effects. This effect lasts 8 seconds.''
 * Removes all stuns, slows, and snares when it activates. While unreliable, it can destroy much of an opposing melee's game completely at random.
 * Solo Utility: If a pull goes bad, you have a chance to get away and try again, which is certainly preferable to dying.
 * Raid Utility: You'll die before it gets a chance to proc. Borderline useful at best, not worth passing on other talents in this tier for.
 * PvP Utility: Frees you from rogue stunlocks, warrior charges and hamstrings, hunter kiting, and can be used as a last-ditch attempt to turn the fight around with Molten Shields.
 * Talent Synergy: Molten Shields, Firestarter
 * Bottom Line: Raiders can skip this talent. PvP and solo mages who need to get their hands dirty near enemies will find it a lifesaver.

[[Image:Spell Fire MeteorStorm.png|50px|Impact]] Impact (mage talent)
Requires at least 5 points in Fire talents. 2 points: Gives your damaging spells a 5/10% chance to reset the cooldown on Fire Blast and to cause the next Fire Blast you cast to stun the target for 2 seconds and spread any Fire damage over time effects to nearby enemy targets within 12 yards.
 * This spell helps tangle up mobs from time to time, as well as providing another method for a Fire mage to AoE his targets. It has impressive synergy with Ignite and Combustion, allowing a mage to spread the damage on one target to others surrounding it.  Since the damage is spread by DoTs, AoE caps do not apply to Impact blasts.
 * Solo Utility: While the stun is short, it does permit you to interrupt mob actions and give extra burst.
 * Raid Utility: Bosses are immune to stuns, but you'll still take this talent for the way it cleans up trash, as well as a massive DPS boost to any raid encounter with a significant add component.
 * PvP Utility: You use Fire Blast aplenty in PvP and the extra stun comes in handy.
 * Talent Synergy: Improved Fire Blast, Ignite, Combustion, Pyromaniac, Living Bomb
 * Bottom Line: This talent has direct applications, but the mages who make the most of its DoT-spreading mechanics will find it a very useful tool in many, many situations.

[[Image:Spell fire rune.png|50px|Cauterize]] Cauterize
Requires at least 10 points in Fire talents. ''2 points: You have a 50/100% chance that an attack which would otherwise kill you will instead bring you to 40% of your maximum health. However, you will burn for 12% of your maximum health every 1.50 seconds for the next 6 seconds. This effect cannot occur more than once per minute.''
 * The Fire Mage's version of Ardent Defender, this ability lets you soak a death and recover from serious mistakes. The burn can be negated with Ice Block, or withstood using Mage Ward, Mana Shield (original), or a health potion.
 * Solo Utility: When pulls go bad, you'll at least be able to throw up a final attempt to get away and recover where other mages would die.
 * Raid Utility: Gives the raid some leeway in battles for survival, as well as you a second chance if you happen to eat a boss mechanic.
 * PvP Utility: Invaluable, as it gives you a second fighting chance. For most classes dead is dead.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: More useful for solo and PvP mages, but raiders can also take it as a filler talent.

[[Image:Spell Holy Excorcism 02.png|50px|Blast Wave]] Blast Wave
Requires at least 10 points in Fire talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Blast Wave ability. A wave of flame radiates outward from the target location, damaging all enemies caught within the blast for X fire damage and slowing them by 70% for 3 seconds.''
 * A ranged snare available to Fire mages, this ability is no longer restricted to being centered on the caster.
 * Solo Utility: You can use this spell with a Pyroblast opener to slow your opponent, buying precious time to eke out another attack.
 * Raid Utility: Bosses can't be snared; take it for adds or trash if you have Improved Flamestrike, but skip it otherwise.
 * PvP Utility: A good getaway tool, and also a good tool when you need to catch an opponent for a kill. Together with Improved Flamestrike it becomes a high-damage instant spell against any opponent with a pet.
 * Talent Synergy: Improved Flamestrike
 * Bottom Line: A solid talent with a lot of PvP utility, and for a single talent point you might just afford it in PvE too!

[[Image:Ability Mage HotStreak.png|50px|Hot Streak]] Hot Streak
Requires at least 10 points in Fire talents. ''1 point: Your spells no longer trigger Arcane Missiles. Instead, your critical strikes with Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Scorch, Pyroblast, or Fire Blast have a chance to cause your next Pyroblast spell cast within 15 seconds to be instant cast and cost no mana.''
 * Pyroblast, although powerful, usually requires too much cast time to be used as anything besides an opener. This talent completely changes that around.
 * Solo Utility: More DPS and more mobility for a soloing mage is always good.
 * Raid Utility: A DPS increase for the raider, although around 45% crit rate it becomes entirely overshadowed by Improved Hot Streak.
 * PvP Utility: Increases your burst damage by a very significant amount and gives you extra mobility.
 * Talent Synergy: Master of Elements, Improved Fire Blast, Piercing Ice
 * Bottom Line: No Pyromancer can afford to skip this talent. The amount of damage and utility it brings for one talent point is unreal.

[[Image:Spell Fire SoulBurn.png|50px|Improved Scorch]] Improved Scorch
Requires at least 10 points in Fire talents. 2 points: Reduces the mana cost of your Scorch spell by 50/100%.
 * Free Scorches for the pyromancers! Used with Master of Elements, a Fire mage can actually regain mana by spamming Scorch and Hot Streak nonstop.
 * Solo Utility: If you use Scorch a lot, you can also use Mana Shield (original) as a personal defense. You shouldn't have to do either, however.
 * Raid Utility: Useful only if your mana bar is completely drained, you have no Mana Gem left, your Evocation is on cooldown, you have no potions, and the fight is still far from over. In other words, useless.
 * Second Opinion: It may have been useless in the WotLK raiding model, but fire mages in Beta report mana issues severe enough for this to be useful.
 * PvP Utility: Scorch is a primary spell for the PvP pyromancer, but mana efficiency isn't a big deal in PvP.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: Overall a lackluster talent. You shouldn't have to spend any filler points in this.

[[Image:Spell Fire FireArmor.png|50px|Molten Shields]] Molten Shields
Requires at least 15 points in Fire talents. 1 point: Reduces the global cooldown of your Mage Ward by 1 second and your Mage Ward triggers the Blazing Speed effect when it dissipates from absorbing damage.
 * Props up your Mage Ward by reducing the opportunity cost of casting it, and makes it useful for proccing Blazing Speed.
 * Solo Utility: Against mobs that do arcane, fire, or frost damage, you may get some use out of this.
 * Raid Utility: It's a boost to mobility when there's AoE spell damage.
 * PvP Utility: Gives the mage the option to outrun an enemy spellcaster in PvP, or to trigger Blazing Speed off a Cauterize.
 * Talent Synergy: Blazing Speed
 * Bottom Line: This is strictly a utility talent and taking it or not really depends on personal taste.

[[Image:Spell fire sealoffire.png|50px|Combustion]] Combustion
Requires at least 15 points in Fire talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Combustion ability. Consumes all your damaging periodic Fire effects on an enemy target, instantly dealing X to Y Fire damage and creating a new periodic effect that lasts 10 seconds and deals damage per time equal to the sum of the consumed effects.''
 * While it has to micromanaged somewhat, this talent gives you an exceedingly potent damage cooldown that can easily inflict 100,000 or more damage to a single target if timed and aimed correctly.
 * Solo Utility: You'll generally kill a mob before your dots stack up to the point where Combustion deals high damage, but it can be useful for elites or group pulls when used with Impact.
 * Raid Utility: Automatically increases the damage of your Ignites to 200% of base spell damage when used on a boss, and it can be spread via Impact as well. A very powerful cooldown made even more useful during the Molten Fury phase.
 * PvP Utility: While it's liable to be dispelled quickly, Combustion with Impact in a crowded battleground is your ticket to wiping out an entire enemy team.
 * Talent Synergy: Ignite, Impact, Pyromaniac, Living Bomb
 * Bottom Line: Given the sheer versatility of a high damage, long-lasting DoT, you would be hard pressed to find justification for passing on this talent.

[[Image:Ability mage hotstreak.png|50px|Improved Hot Streak]] Improved Hot Streak
Requires at least 15 points in Fire talents. Requires 1 point in Hot Streak. 2 points: Any time you score 2 non-periodic critical strikes in a row with your Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Scorch, Pyroblast, or Fire Blast spells, you have a 50/100% chance to trigger your Hot Streak effect.
 * Unlike the base talent, this talent guarantees the Hot Streak effect upon two criticals. They don't have to be criticals with the same spells.  Note that instant Pyroblasts cast by the Hot Streak effect do not count for or against subsequent Hot Streak calculations.
 * Solo Utility: Even more DPS and mobility for the soloing mage.
 * Raid Utility: Boosts your DPS by a lot, and it scales with the crit rating on your gear. A chain of Hot Streak procs is usually good preparation for a massive Combustion combo.
 * PvP Utility: Take the Hot Streak talent and then inject some turbo fuel into its veins, and you have this talent in PvP.
 * Talent Synergy: Master of Elements, Improved Fire Blast, Piercing Ice
 * Bottom Line: If you picked up Hot Streak (which you did), then you should also take this talent (which you will).

[[Image:Ability Mage FireStarter.png|50px|Firestarter]] Firestarter (old)
Requires at least 15 points in Fire talents. 1 point: Your Molten Armor allows you to cast the Scorch spell while you are moving instead of reducing the chance you are critically hit.
 * While the casting time of Scorch isn't reduced, this talent turns the spell from a stationary spell into a mobile one.
 * Solo Utility: Up to personal preference, but generally not necessary as you have more powerful spells in your arsenal.
 * Raid Utility: You'll barely, if ever, use Scorch in raids. It just has no place in a competitive DPS rotation.
 * Second Opinion: Many fights in Cata raiding require a lot of movement, which is certainly something that this will help with. Far from essential, but a decent option.
 * PvP Utility: Maintains your DPS and allows you to be almost constantly on the move. With this talent, a Fire mage will never need to stop in PvP.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: Raiders and solo players can skip this talent, but it can be very interesting to the PvP pyromancer.

[[Image:Spell fire selfdestruct.png|50px|Improved Flamestrike]] Improved Flamestrike
Requires at least 20 points in Fire talents. 2 points: Reduces the casting time of your Flamestrike spell by 50/100% and gives you a 50/100% chance that your Blast Wave spell will also automatically Flamestrike the same location if two or more targets are affected by the Blast Wave.
 * Another powerful AoE talent in the Fire tree, this one lets you blanket areas in Flamestrikes and adds a Flamestrike for free to Blast Wave when you catch two or more enemies, turning Blast Wave into a high damage instant cast.
 * Solo Utility: Allows you to cast ranged AoEs on the move, useful for training large numbers of mobs.
 * Raid Utility: Good for cleaning out trash packs in dungeons or raids, but you'll want to shelve this talent against bosses unless a heavy add component is present.
 * PvP Utility: Your opponents should be losing count of the number of instant-casts you have by now.
 * Talent Synergy: Blast Wave, Impact (gives you two chances to proc Impact off a single spellcast)
 * Bottom Line: While not an essential talent to have, it does greatly expand the options available to all three types of pyromancers.

[[Image:INV Misc Head Dragon 01.png|50px|Dragon's Breath]] Dragon's Breath
Requires at least 20 points in Fire talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Dragon's Breath spell. When cast, targets in a cone in front of the caster take X Fire damage and are disoriented for 5 sec. Any direct damaging attack will revive targets. Turns off your attack when used.''


 * The Fire mage's answer to Cone of Cold. Targets of this spell receive reasonably good damage and are unable to act for the duration of the disorient effect.
 * Solo Utility: Invaluable for tough situations when you have to get them away and run.
 * Raid Utility: It's extra AoE if you can spare the point, not to mention a prerequisite for Living Bomb.
 * PvP Utility: Invaluable to keep melee away from you as they should be in PvP.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: Anyone who can get in close quarters combat should take it. And even if you never use it, you'll still take it in order to pick up Living Bomb.

[[Image:Spell Fire MoltenBlood.png|50px|Molten Fury]] Molten Fury (mage talent)
Requires at least 20 points in Fire talents. 3 points: Increases damage of all spells against targets with less than 35% health by 4/8/12%.
 * Useful for Boss fights and elites, where you will be able to get enough hits in at 12% increased DPS. This talent also helps when AoE spells are used, accelerating mob death past the 35% health mark. Optimally it speeds a kill by 4% for three points: .12*(.35*100) = 4.2.
 * Solo Utility: Useful combined with all your other AoEs, but not worthwhile otherwise.
 * Raid Utility: "The last 35% of a raid boss fight can be the most critical, with low mana and dead players. By the 35% mark, aggro is firmly established and DPS classes are free to unload, making the effective DPS increase much more valuable." quoted from Molten Fury (mage talent). Many raid bosses with significant burn phases occur at or near the 35% mark.
 * PvP Utility: Can make the difference, but basically just increases DPS. Less stellar than in PvE Raid.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: No Fire Raid Mage would want to be without this gem, marginally useful otherwise.

[[Image:Spell Fire Burnout.png|50px|Pyromaniac]] Pyromaniac
Requires at least 25 points in Fire talents. 2 points: Increases spell haste by 5/10% if 3 or more targets are taking Fire damage over time from your spells.
 * The damage increase is huge for a mere two talent points, but depends entirely upon your skill in keeping the required DoTs up.
 * Solo Utility: Nice talent to have if you plan to AoE harvest mobs with Impact Ignites, but not useful otherwise.
 * Raid Utility: You won't be able to keep this up on most fights, but it's a massive boost to DPS when you can.
 * PvP Utility: Battleground with this talent and be amazed at how much more damage you do.
 * Talent Synergy: Ignite, Impact, Combustion, Living Bomb
 * Bottom Line: This talent just reinforces the notion that a Fire mage's purpose is to burn up everything in sight.

[[Image:Spell nature wispheal.png|50px|Critical Mass]] Critical Mass
Requires at least 25 points in Fire talents. 3 points: Your Living Bomb and Flame Orb spells deal 5/10/15% more damage, and your Pyroblast and Scorch spells have a 33/66/100% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to spell damage, increasing spell critical strike chance against that target by 5% and lasts 30 seconds.
 * Not only does this talent prop up two of your most important spells by a whopping 15%, it also indirectly gives you more crit to all your spells.
 * Solo Utility: Strictly speaking this talent isn't essential, but you'll still want it for the way it helps your spells all around.
 * Raid Utility: Increases your DPS by a significant amount, and the debuff helps other spellcasters too.
 * PvP Utility: Adds another debuff to serve as dispel buffer, makes your DoTs stick harder, and Flame Orb explodes for even more damage now.
 * Talent Synergy: Ignite, Fire Power, Living Bomb
 * Bottom Line: No pyromancer should pass this talent up, it's just too useful to have.

[[Image:Ability Mage LivingBomb.png|50px|Living Bomb]] Living Bomb
Requires at least 30 points in Fire talents. Requires 1 point in Dragon's Breath. ''1 point: Grants you the Living Bomb spell. The target becomes a Living Bomb, taking X Fire damage over 12 sec. After 12 seconds, the target explodes dealing Y Fire damage to up to 3 enemies within 10 yards. Limit three targets.''


 * A high-damage and efficient Damage over Time spell. The only non-AoE DoT spell available to Mages, it has the damage of a lengthy stationary spell with the mobility afforded by an instant spell.
 * Solo Utility: Fire soloing is based around taking out opponents fast, so this won't have enough time to tick too much damage.
 * Raid Utility: Keeping it up on a boss target increases single-target DPS by around 10%. That is one of the highest DPS increases in the Fire tree, for a single point.
 * PvP Utility: Very useful, as it allows the Fire mage to deal mobile DPS and adds yet another dispel buffer.
 * Talent Synergy: Impact, Combustion, Pyromaniac, Critical Mass
 * Bottom Line: Every endgame Fire Mage should pick it up, but it's not terribly useful when leveling. Its AoE power has been nerfed significantly, but its single-target damage in long fights remains as potent as ever.

Frost
Freezes enemies in their tracks and shatters them with powerful Frost magic.


 * [[Image:Spell Frost SummonWaterElemental 2.png|35px|Summon Water Elemental]] Summon Water Elemental - Your best friend as a frost mage, the Elemental provides extra DPS, extra control, and burst opportunities.
 * [[Image:Spell fire bluefire.png|35px|Frost Specialization]] Frost Specialization - Increases the damage of your Frost spells by 25%.
 * [[Image:Spell frost frostbolt02.png|35px|Frostburn]] Frostburn - All your spells deal 20% increased damage against Frozen targets.

The Frost tree has an emphasis in control and survivability talents such as Permafrost (mage talent) and Ice Barrier. It sacrifices some of its single-target DPS in exchange for powerful snares, higher mana-efficiency, and higher burst damage than other trees that makes it excel in fights that include multiple adds or are longer than average. Its control and longevity earned it the crown of most recognized PvP Mage tree.

Notes on cross-specialising Frost with other trees

 * Elementalist mages will need to sink into the Fire tree to pick up Ignite and Fire Power for a much more powerful Frostfire Bolt. For PvP purposes, Burning Soul, Blazing Speed, and Impact are all interesting choices.


 * In the Arcane tree, Improved Counterspell is a must for PvP cryomancers, while raiders will find Netherwind Presence and Arcane Concentration of interest.

[[Image:Spell Frost FrostBolt02.png|50px|Early Frost]] Early Frost
''2 points: Reduces the cast time of your Frostbolt spell by .35/.7 seconds. This effect becomes inactive for 15 seconds after use.''
 * Faster casting = more damage in all circumstances.
 * Solo Utility: Get it. Frostbolt is your strongest spell as Frost.
 * Raid Utility: Get it. Frostbolt is your main nuke as Frost.
 * Second Opinion: The math shows this to be a VERY marginal DPS increase overall, particularly when you consider the T11 set bonus. Far from essential.
 * PvP Utility: Get it. Frostbolt is your best friend as Frost with its chill, high damage and procs.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: If you are going to use Frostbolt at all, get this talent. Most people start here.

[[Image:Spell Frost Frostbolt.png|50px|Piercing Ice]] Piercing Ice
3 points: Increases the critical strike chance of your spells by 1/2/3%.
 * Boring, but effective, and useful to more than just Frost mages.
 * Solo Utility: More damage is always good, but consider Shatter a higher priority.
 * Raid Utility: Helpful to reach the magical 33.34% crit for a cryomancer, and very useful for other classes of mage as well in PvE.
 * PvP Utility: Same as Solo.
 * Talent Synergy: Master of Elements, Ignite, Hot Streak\Improved Hot Streak, Shatter, Piercing Chill
 * Bottom Line: If you're a raider, this is a must. Even as a filler talent there are seldom better ones to sink points into.

[[Image:Spell Frost FrostShock.png|50px|Shatter]] Shatter
2 points: Multiplies the critical strike chance of all your spells against frozen targets by 2/3.
 * If you have 33.34% crit chance or more, any spell cast at a frozen target is a guaranteed critical. The effects of Frost Nova, Fingers of Frost and Deep Freeze count towards this bonus.
 * Solo Utility: This talent is perhaps the main reason why most mages favor farming and leveling as Frost. Combined with Frost Nova and the Water Elemental's Freeze spell, you will be critting mobs a lot. Highly useful and recommendable.
 * Raid Utility: While raid mobs can't be frozen by conventional means, Fingers of Frost circumvents that by merely treating them as frozen when it procs. Combining both talents results in a DPS increase by increasing your instant spells' crit rates. And DPS is what raiding is all about.
 * PvP Utility: Frost Mage burst relies on this talent. A Frost mage's many freezing effects combined with this talent make him both a very strong and very resilient foe. This talent is a must.
 * Talent Synergy: Master of Elements, Piercing Ice, Improved Cone of Cold, Piercing Chill, Fingers of Frost, Shattered Barrier
 * Bottom Line: Critical for Frost mages of all sorts. Don't expect to get anywhere as a Frost mage without this talent.

[[Image:Spell Frost Glacier.png|50px|Improved Cone of Cold]] Improved Cone of Cold
Requires at least 5 points in Frost talents. 2 points: Your Cone of Cold also freezes targets for 2/4 seconds.
 * Turns your Cone of Cold from merely slowing your enemies into actually rooting them, setting up for Shatter combos.
 * Solo Utility: Good when AoE grinding to maximise damage output, and it can be used to put distance between you and a mob.
 * Raid Utility: Pointless, as bosses can't be frozen.
 * PvP Utility: Another snare is a welcome addition to the PvP cryomancer's toolbox. This lets you freeze your opponent in case Frost Nova is on cooldown.
 * Talent Synergy: Shatter, Deep Freeze
 * Bottom Line: Raiders can skip it. PvP mages will love it.

[[Image:Spell frost piercing chill.png|50px|Piercing Chill]] Piercing Chill
Requires at least 5 points in Frost talents. 2 points: Your Frostbolt criticals apply the chill effect to 1/2 additional nearby targets.
 * Three for the price of one. While you get no extra damage out of this talent, it's handy for snaring multiple opponents.
 * Solo Utility: Not really useful when you intend to focus on a single target or when you want to AoE a group of targets all at once.
 * Raid Utility: Useless. Bosses can't be snared by chills.
 * Second Opinion: The increase in chill effects going out increases the chances for a Finger of Frost proc. This talent is useful for boss fights that include more than one target.
 * PvP Utility: If you find a bunch of enemies clustered together, this and Early Frost together = profit.
 * Talent Synergy: Presence of Mind, Piercing Ice, Shatter, Permafrost, Fingers of Frost
 * Bottom Line: Subpar talent, because it depends on your enemies being clustered together, and you never want to depend on your enemies for anything.

[[Image:Spell Frost Wisp.png|50px|Permafrost]] Permafrost (mage talent)
Requires at least 5 points in Frost talents. ''3 points: Your Chill effects reduce the target's speed by an additional 4/7/10%, and the target's healing by 8/16/25%. In addition, whenever you deal spell damage, your Water Elemental is healed for 5/10/15% of the amount dealt.''
 * The Frost tree is most notable for its powerful chill effects. This talent boosts them very well.
 * Solo Utility: Helps a whole lot. Snared mobs take longer to get to you, and give you a chance to run. Your Water Elemental will appreciate the healing.
 * Raid Utility: Borderline useless. Most raid mobs are immune to snare effects and the Water Elemental has 90% AoE damage reduction.
 * PvP Utility: Essential. Chills provide the Frost Mage's control and survivability in PvP, the healing makes the Water Elemental so much harder to kill, and the healing debuff on your opponent is gravy.
 * Talent Synergy: Piercing Chill, Ice Shards, Frostfire Orb
 * Bottom Line: If you're PvPing Frost, you need this. Raiding players should skip it.

[[Image:Spell frost ice shards.png|50px|Ice Shards]] Ice Shards
Requires at least 10 points in Frost talents. ''2 points: Adds a chill effect to your Blizzard spell. This effect lowers the target's movement speed by 25/40%. Lasts 1 second. In addition, increases the range of your Ice Lance spell by 2/5 yards.''
 * This talent allows Blizzard to benefit from your chills, enabling it to slow mobs down. Essential for Frost AoE grinding.
 * Solo Utility: Mandatory for Frost AoE grinding, to keep mobs off of you as you rain icy destruction on their heads. And your Blizzard now procs Fingers of Frost!
 * Raid Utility: Acceptable for clearing trash in dungeons or raids, but you won't be using it on boss fights.
 * PvP Utility: You can slow down, snare, and debuff enemy teams with this, but your points are generally better spent elsewhere.
 * Second Opinion: Increasing the range of your Ice Lance spell by five yards has PvP benefits, especially when chasing down EFCs.
 * Talent Synergy: Permafrost, Fingers of Frost, Brain Freeze
 * Bottom Line: Excellent for soloing, useless for raiders, situational for PvP.

[[Image:Spell Frost ColdHearted.png|50px|Icy Veins]] Icy Veins
Requires at least 10 points in Frost talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Icy Veins ability. Hastens your spellcasting, increasing spell casting speed by 20% and reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting by 100%. Lasts 20 seconds.''
 * Costs a single point and is affected by Cold Snap. Haste is useful in both PvE and PvP.
 * Solo Utility: Helps a whole lot to provide some extra power and to kill elites.
 * Raid Utility: Increases your DPS, although marginally, given that a large amount of Frost's damage comes from instants.
 * PvP Utility: Very useful. Haste is very valuable in PvP, and pushback immunity is just godly.
 * Talent Synergy: Cold Snap
 * Bottom Line: You need this if you're a serious Frost Mage of any kind.

[[Image:Ability Mage WintersGrasp.png|50px|Fingers of Frost]] Fingers of Frost
Requires at least 10 points in Frost talents. ''3 points: Gives your Chill effects a 10/20/30% chance to grant you the Fingers of Frost effect, which causes your next Ice Lance or Deep Freeze spell to act as if your target were Frozen. Fingers of Frost can accumulate up to 2 charges and lasts 15 seconds.''
 * Designed to work with Shatter and chill effects which are basically all Snares in the Frost tree. You aren't limited to expending your charges on the same enemies either.
 * Solo Utility: Provides extra crits against targets immune to Freeze effects, which you probably don't want to solo in the first place. Increases your damage significantly.
 * Raid Utility: Since it's a self-buff it also works on Raid bosses. Essential for Deep Freeze and Ice Lance combos, which make up a significant part of your damage.
 * PvP Utility: When it procs this self-buff increases crits, which is useful in PvP, since opponents will usually try to get out of chill effects (snares) or freezes (roots) pretty fast. It also provides an opportunity to use Deep Freeze creatively.
 * Talent Synergy: Shatter, Ice Shards, Improved Freeze, Brain Freeze, Frostfire Orb, Deep Freeze
 * Bottom Line: All Frost mages need this talent. The damage, control, and mobility increases that it provides can't be beaten.

[[Image:Spell frost summonwaterelemental.png|50px|Improved Freeze]] Improved Freeze
Requires at least 10 points in Frost talents. Requires 3 points in Fingers of Frost. 3 points: Gives your Water Elemental's Freeze spell a 33/66/100% chance to grant 2 Fingers of Frost charges.
 * Adds extra power to your Water Elemental by giving two Fingers of Frost charges on demand.
 * Solo Utility: Allows you to set up a massive Shatter combo right as your Water Elemental nails a mob to the ground. And if it can't be frozen, you can still use a charge to trigger Deep Freeze for high damage.
 * Raid Utility: Using this move whenever it's off cooldown increases a mage's DPS significantly.
 * PvP Utility: Your opponents won't know what hit them. Since many opponents have tricks for getting out of roots, the bonus fingers of frost ensures that you still have a chance to crit off of your elemental's freeze.
 * Talent Synergy: Fingers of Frost
 * Bottom Line: Supports the Fingers of Frost talent very well, and provides a huge DPS increase in both PvE and PvP for three points.

[[Image:Spell Frost ArcticWinds.png|50px|Enduring Winter]] Enduring Winter
Requires at least 15 points in Frost talents. ''3 points: Reduces the mana cost of all spells by 4/7/10%. In addition, your Frostbolt spell has a 33/66/100% chance to grant up to 10 party or raid members mana regeneration equal to 1% of their maximum mana over 10 seconds.''
 * Extends your mana bar by 10%, which stretches Frost's already efficient spells even further. Replenishment is a nice buff to bring to raids.
 * Solo Utility: Filler, but it does decrease downtime dramatically.
 * Raid Utility: Raids assume that you will have Replenishment, but this is still a filler talent.
 * PvP Utility: Mana is less of a concern in PvP, unless you happen to be caught in long arena battles.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: Not an essential talent by any means, but feel free to spend extra talents here.

[[Image:Spell Frost WizardMark.png|50px|Cold Snap]] Cold Snap
Requires at least 15 points in Frost talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Cold Snap ability. When activated, this spell finishes the cooldown on all of your Frost spells.''
 * Everything from Icy Veins to Ice Block to Frost Nova to Cone of Cold, reloaded. Essentially gives you a second chance.
 * Solo Utility: Serves the ever useful panic button function. For one point, you just can't pass it.
 * Raid Utility: Resets your damage cooldowns Icy Veins. And if you lost the Elemental for any reason, you can get it back again immediately.
 * PvP Utility: Frost Mage survivability is reliant on this talent. It resets all your defensive cooldowns and gives you a fighting chance against a tough foe or provides you burst damage when you need it most.
 * Talent Synergy: Icy Veins, Ice Barrier, Deep Freeze
 * Bottom Line: No one should pass it. It can be either a great deal of offensive power or a full arsenal of defensive abilities.

[[Image:Ability Mage BrainFreeze.png|50px|Brain Freeze]] Brain Freeze
Requires at least 15 points in Frost talents. ''3 points: Your spells no longer trigger Arcane Missiles. Instead, your Frost damaging spells with chilling effects have a 5/10/15% chance to cause your next Fireball or Frostfire Bolt to be instant cast and cost no mana. When Frostfire Bolt is cast, it can benefit from Fingers of Frost. Brain Freeze cannot be triggered by Frostfire Bolt.''
 * A free Fireball or Frostfire Bolt every 20 frost spells per talent point spent, on average.
 * Solo Utility: This talent does reduce downtime a little, but its real value lies on the mobility aspect it provides.
 * Raid Utility: The Frost tree's response to Hot Streak. An instant, free Frostfire Bolt is nothing to sneeze at, especially when reinforced by Fingers of Frost.
 * PvP Utility: An instant spell able to snare, apply a dot, and apply a debuff has great value.
 * Talent Synergy: Ice Shards, Fingers of Frost, Frostfire Orb
 * Bottom Line: A decent talent late in the Frost tree for 3 points for both PvP and PvE.

[[Image:Ability Mage ColdAsIce.png|50px|Shattered Barrier]] Shattered Barrier
Requires at least 20 points in Frost talents. Requires 1 point in Ice Barrier. 2 points: Gives your Ice Barrier spell a 100% chance to freeze all enemies within 10 yds for 3/6 seconds when it is destroyed.
 * Turns Ice Barrier into an offensive ability in addition to its defensive capabilities when used right, to force Shatters. Improves Ice Barrier's control function by making sure enemies not immune to Freeze effects are frozen once it ends.
 * Solo Utility: Extra control is useful when doing many mobs or mixed pulls with casters you can't avoid. It doesn't do extra damage but can trigger a combination with Shatter. A must-have for Frost AoE grinding.
 * Raid Utility: A DPS-optimized Frost build won't have the points to spare. Raid mobs tend to be immune to freezes.
 * PvP Utility: Useful. It does require your enemy to break the Ice Barrier in melee range to get frozen in turn, or that they use a DoT ability while in range. Shatter then increases burst damage, but smart PvP opponents will adapt and break your Ice Barrier from range.
 * Talent Synergy: Shatter
 * Bottom Line: A nice gimmick for soloing and PvP Frosties. Raiders won't find a use for this.

[[Image:Spell Ice Lament.png|50px|Ice Barrier]] Ice Barrier
Requires at least 20 points in Frost talents. ''1 point: Grants you the Ice Barrier ability. Instantly shields you, absorbing X damage. Lasts 60 sec. While the shield holds, spellcasting will not be delayed by damage. ''
 * Far more efficient than Mana Shield (original). Ice Barrier receives 80% of your spell power as extra protection too, at no extra cost.
 * Solo Utility: Extra survivability on a short 30 sec cooldown. Very useful when doing many mobs or mixed pulls with casters you can't avoid. A must-have.
 * Raid Utility: While this won't actually help you defeat bosses, it does soak incidental damage and is required to unlock Deep Freeze.
 * PvP Utility: Very useful. Damage absorption is always useful in PvP. Can also be used to force a freeze effect for a Shatter combo when coupled with Shattered Barrier, both a survivability AND burst boost against melee such as Rogues coming at you from Stealth.
 * Talent Synergy: Cold Snap, Shattered Barrier, Reactive Barrier
 * Bottom Line: A powerful and defining talent of the Frost tree, limited in PvE.

[[Image:Spell frost manarecharge.png|50px|Reactive Barrier]] Reactive Barrier
Requires at least 20 points in Frost talents. Requires 1 point in Ice Barrier. ''2 points: Gives the caster a 50/100% chance for the Ice Barrier spell to automatically activate with no mana cost upon taking damage that lowers the caster's life below 50%. This effect obeys Ice Barrier's cooldown, and will trigger the cooldown when activated.''
 * When you're being beaten up and can't spare the mana or the GCD to activate Ice Barrier, this might just save your life.
 * Solo Utility: Gives you a chance to fight back against a pull that has gone badly.
 * Raid Utility: Useless, since the same attack that lowered your life below 50% also killed you.
 * PvP Utility: Similar to solo; Ice Barrier reacts right when you need it the most, which saves you a button press. Unfortunately, even the smallest DoT that happens tip you past 50% health will also activate the barrier, even after a skirmish is over.
 * Talent Synergy: None.
 * Bottom Line: There are better places to spend your talent points.

[[Image:Spell firefrost orb.png|50px|Frostfire Orb]] Frostfire Orb
Requires at least 25 points in Frost talents. ''2 points: Your Frostfire Orb gains a chill effect, slowing targets damaged by the Frostfire Orb by 40% for 4 seconds. In addition, reduces the speed of targets slowed by your Frostfire Bolt's chill by an additional 10/20%.''
 * Turns your Flame Orb into a Frostfire Orb, so that the Frost specialization bonus applies to it.
 * Solo Utility: You gain an extra snare, and the one on your Frostfire Bolt becomes much more potent.
 * Raid Utility: More damage in raids is always good. The snare is useless against bosses, though.
 * Second Opinion: The snare increases FoF procs, making it far from useless.
 * PvP Utility: Fire this in a battleground and you'll be able to snare an entire team of clumped opponents, but its real use is letting Brain Freeze reduce enemies to crawling.
 * Talent Synergy: Fire Power, Permafrost, Fingers of Frost, Brain Freeze
 * Bottom Line: A decent talent late in the Frost tree for 3 points for both PvP and PvE.

[[Image:Ability Mage DeepFreeze.png|50px|Deep Freeze]] Deep Freeze
Requires 30 points in Frost talents. Requires 1 point in Ice Barrier. ''1 point: Grants you the Deep Freeze ability. Stuns the target for 5 sec. Only usable on Frozen targets. Deals a high amount of damage to targets permanently immune to stuns.''
 * Instantly stuns enemies and counts as a Freeze effect. Can force Shatters on enemies when coupled with Fingers of Frost, but keep in mind it does no damage of its own unless the target is permanently immune to stuns.
 * Solo Utility: Rather weak when dealing with a single target as you're better off just damaging them. When pulling multiple mobs, though, it can be used to increase Shatterable time on more than one Frozen target.
 * Raid Utility: This talent is by far the most damaging Mage spell once it comes off cooldown and you have a Fingers of Frost charge.
 * PvP Utility: Forces burst onto a defenceless enemy. Interrupts spell casts and stops melee in place when used with Fingers of Frost. Gives you amazing control and extends Shatter combos beyond a single Frost Nova. This talent is very useful.
 * Talent synergy: Shatter, Fingers of Frost, Cold Snap
 * Bottom Line: If you're this far into the Frost tree for any reason, you will take this talent. Period.