Arcane Mage PvE Guide - TBC Classic

TBC Classic Arcane Mage Rotation

The key to maximizing your DPS as an Arcane Mage is through optimizing your mana usage. Your rotation will change based on your gear, consumables, and group composition. Access to a Shadow Priest,
Mana Tide Totem
, and
Innervate
will highly increase your performance. While you want to spam
Arcane Blast
during your cooldown windows, you will need to figure out your ideal N in
Arcane Blast
xN
Frostbolt
x3 rotation. The goal is to end the fight with 0 mana having had as little downtime as possible. For any fight that lasts more than 3 minutes, make sure you have enough mana to spam
Arcane Blast
when
Arcane Power
and
Icy Veins
come off cooldown.

Single Target

1. Use
   Mage Armor
   .
2. Cast
   Icy Veins
   .
3. Cast
   Arcane Power
   and any on use trinkets.
4. Cast
   Presence of Mind
   with
   Arcane Blast
   if your
   Arcane Power
   will expire before your next
   Arcane Blast
   cast finishes.
5. Cast
   Cold Snap
   when
   Icy Veins
   expires and re-cast
   Icy Veins
   .
6. Cast
   Arcane Blast
   .
7. Cast
   Evocation
   when you run out of mana.
8. Cast
   Frostbolt
   to conserve mana or
   Shoot Wand
   if you are low on mana.
9. Cast
   Fire Blast
   while moving.

AoE

1. Cast
   Arcane Explosion
   .

TBC Classic Arcane Mage Talents

Standard Build

TBC Classic Arcane Mage Best Consumables

Flasks and Elixirs

Best:
• Adept's Elixir
  ,
• Elixir of Draenic Wisdom

Alternatives:
• Flask of Blinding Light

Food

Best:
• Blackened Basilisk
  ,
• Crunchy Serpent
  ,
• Poached Bluefish

Alternatives:
• Skullfish Soup
  ,
• Juicy Bear Burger

Potions

Best:
• Super Mana Potion

Alternatives:
• Destruction Potion

Weapon Buffs

Best:
• Brilliant Wizard Oil

Alternatives:
• Superior Wizard Oil

Miscellaneous

Best:
• Mana Emerald

TBC Classic Arcane Mage Best Races

Alliance

1. Gnome:
   Expansive Mind
2. Draenei:
   Inspiring Presence
3. Human:
   The Human Spirit

Horde

1. Troll:
   Berserking
2. Blood Elf:
   Arcane Torrent
   and
   Mana Tap

TBC Classic Arcane Mage Best Professions

1. Tailoring: Every Spellfire piece and the set bonus from Spellstrike are bis until Tier 5.
2. Enchanting: Provides 24 Spell Power with
   Ring - Spellpower
   .
3. Leatherworking: Provides 80 spell haste for 30 seconds with
   Drums of Battle
   and 60 spell power for 30 seconds with
   Drums of War
   .
4. Jewelcrafting: Provides two unique gems for 14 Spell Damage and 12 Spell Crit.

TBC Classic Arcane Mage Aldor or Scryer

We recommend going Scryers as an Arcane Mage in TBC Classic. The Aldor shoulder enchant,
Greater Inscription of Discipline
, is slightly better than the Scryer
Greater Inscription of the Orb
. However, Scryer's has the advantage of providing one of the best trinkets in Phase 1, the
Scryer's Bloodgem
and a powerful ring, the
Seer's Signet
.