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Beta, level cap 30 · data read 13 Oct

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Arcane Mage guide

Ranged DPS · our guide of 13 Oct 2026 Recommendation

Talent trees, every tier list's rating and the sim: the Arcane tab.

In short

  • A ranged caster: the highest burst of the three Mage specs, and the hardest on mana.
  • Number 8 of 20 damage specs in our newest sim run, at 716 DPS. Sourced: Sim · 11 Oct run
  • Arcane Blast builds stacks: each one makes your other spells hit harder and Arcane Blast itself cost more. Sourced: Talent database Source pending
  • Weak spot: mana. At level 20, stacking Arcane Blast to four empties your mana in about two cycles. Sourced: Guide · 2 Oct Source pending

How it plays

Up to level 30. Arcane Blast to two or three stacks, then Arcane Missiles; go to four stacks only for burst. Clearcasting from Arcane Concentration makes your next damage spell free, and Missile Barrage gives Arcane Blast a 40% chance to make your next Arcane Missiles free and twice as fast. Arcane Meditation keeps part of your mana regeneration going while you cast. Wand and Evocation for mana; Arcane Explosion and Blizzard on packs.

Sourced: Guide · 2 Oct, Talent database Source pending

At level 60. Theory Open with Arcane Power and Presence of Mind: use Arcane Power for 30% more spell damage for 15 sec at 30% higher mana costs, and Presence of Mind for one instant cast. Arcane Blast to three or four stacks, Arcane Missiles when Missile Barrage procs, and stop stacking when your mana falls below about 40%. Evocation and mana gems to recover.

Sourced: Talent database Source pending

Talents at a glance

Our level-20 and level-30 builds for Arcane are still to come; for now, here is the level-60 build.

  • Level 60: Arcane Focus 5, Arcane Concentration 5, Arcane Subtlety 2, Arcane Impact 3, Arcane Blast 1, Arcane Geometry 1, Arcane Meditation 3, Missile Barrage 1, Presence of Mind 1, Arcane Mind 5, Arcane Instability 3, Arcane Power 1, Improved Fireball 5, Incineration 3, Ignite 5, Impact 2, Pyroblast 1, Burning Soul 2, Master of Elements 2

    Arcane Meditation requires Arcane Concentration 5/5; Arcane Power requires Presence of Mind; one Arcane Geometry lifts rows 1–6 to 30. Fire: Improved Fireball, Incineration, Ignite, Impact 2, Pyroblast, Burning Soul, Master of Elements 2.

    Theory · See the trees · Open in the calculator

Rotation at level 30

Recommendation

Single target

Open with Arcane Blast.

  1. Arcane Blast to 2–3 stacks, then Arcane Missiles
  2. Missile Barrage procs (row 4) shorten Missiles
  3. Clearcasting, then Arcane Missiles
  4. Wand / Evocation for mana

Groups

  • Arcane Explosion
  • Blizzard
  • Cone of Cold (26)

Tip

Arcane Meditation (row 4) lets 50% of regen continue while casting.

Stats

Each guide's stat order as it gives it, the sim's stat weights, then ours. Guides dated before the last big tuning are shown but not counted.

One guideOnly one guide ranks the stats.

WhereStat order
Guide · 24 Sep PvE, level 30 · read 12 Oct · dated before 1 Oct, not countedHit › Spirit › Intellect › Spell power › Crit › Stamina › Mana per 5 sec
Guide · 1 Oct PvE, level 20 · read 12 OctHit › Spell power › Spirit › Intellect › Crit › Stamina
Guide · 9 Oct leveling, level 30 · read 12 OctNot ranked
Sim · stat weights level 60 · run 12 Oct, 5,000 iterations

Per 1%: Spell hit 8.63 › Spell crit 4.91 › Spell casting speed 0.659

Per point: Spell damage 0.511 › Arcane spell damage 0.457 › Intellect 0.134 › Mana every 5 sec 0.0576 › Fire spell damage 0.0484 › Spirit 0.0414 › Frost spell damage 0.0061

No DPS change in this run: Mana, Spell penetration.

The DPS each stat adds, for a level-60 character on the engine's preset gear in a 2-minute fight on a beta engine: a direction, not a verdict. = marks a tie: stats within each other's margin. Not counted toward "Guides agree".

Our order matches the sim's lists for the stats both name.

Ours RecommendationSpell power › Hit › Intellect › Spell crit › Spirit

Where ours differs: ours puts Spirit after Intellect and Spell crit, which the guide ranks lower; ours puts Spell power before Hit, which the guide ranks higher.

Race

Each guide's race picks for Arcane, then our pick for the Mage.

Alliance

  • Guide · 24 Sep PvE, level 30 · read 12 Oct · dated before 1 Oct, not countedNot given
  • Guide · 1 Oct PvE, level 20 · read 12 OctNot given
  • Guide · 9 Oct leveling, level 30 · read 12 OctGnome
  • Ours, for the Mage RecommendationGnome S

Horde

  • Guide · 24 Sep PvE, level 30 · read 12 Oct · dated before 1 Oct, not countedNot given
  • Guide · 1 Oct PvE, level 20 · read 12 OctNot given
  • Guide · 9 Oct leveling, level 30 · read 12 OctTroll, Orc
  • Ours, for the Mage RecommendationUndead S

Professions

One guideOnly one guide names professions.

  • Guide · 24 Sep PvE, level 30 · read 12 Oct · dated before 1 Oct, not countedEngineering, Tailoring
  • Guide · 1 Oct PvE, level 20 · read 12 OctEngineering, Tailoring
  • Guide · 9 Oct leveling, level 30 · read 12 OctNot given
  • Ours, for the Mage RecommendationTailoring + Enchanting; or Herbalism + Alchemy

What changed for Arcane

  • 8 Oct: Frostbolt and Fireball ranks 1–5 and Arcane Missiles ranks 1–3 retuned so each new rank is an upgrade; Impact no longer procs from Flamestrike's damage over time.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 8 Oct

  • 1 Oct: Hot Streak renamed Heating Up (same talent, trees and builds here use the new name); Combustion back to 3 charges (was 4); Improved Scorch's Fire Vulnerability no longer double-rolls resistance; Winter's Chill no longer rolls resistance; scrolls can't be cast while moving.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 1 Oct

  • Arcane Missiles checks line of sight once at the start of the channel.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

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