Frost Mage PVP guide

[Signet]

Hello and welcome to my mage pvp guide!

To get started lets go over some of the general talent specs as a frost mage:

First up is the general used by almost every frost mage 17/0/44. In my opinion 17/0/44 is a mediocre spec at best, but it is the best spec for mages just learning how to play their class. I say this because of the fact you give up so many good frost talents to get improved counterspell which you really wouldn't need if you can time a Counterspell. (Newer Frost mages please use this.)
Example: Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

Next we have a less popular spec used by few mages 0/5/56. 0/5/56 is a great spec and provides a lot of utility from the frost tree, but of course you give up improved counterspell. This spec is recommended for mages who have fast reaction times and can prevent a heal without needing the silence. The impact proc chance on your fireblasts is really deadly if catch a healer or dps off guard. (Don't need counterspell and love stunning others? This is the spec for you)
Example: Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

My personal favorite spec is 1/0/60. Why is this my favorite you ask? I don't have to respec for raids and pvp anymore! lol j/k, but this spec adds everything you would ever need from the frost tree except maybe improved blizzard. (Rank 1 blizzard spam and warriors can barely move XD) Also add in the extra mana efficiency and increased armor plus a chance to reflect frost spells makes this a great counter to other mage teams, but of course you have no improved counterspell. (Mages that don't need counterspell this is the spec for you)
Example(my spec): Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

The last frost mage spec is the arcane frost mage 40/0/21. This spec can be utterly deadly to your opponents with a quick counter spell, arcane power, presence of mind and letting a big fat frostbolt fly at a frozen target. However with this added damage increase you survivability suffers a great deal. You no longer have an ice barrier so your clothy ass is going to take it very hard, you still have your two ice blocks. (Extremely good mages only! requires a lot of CC kiting and bursting at right moments)
Example: Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

Okay! Now that you have hopefully chosen a spec, we get down to what mages really do! ARE YOU READY??? MAGES CC AND STAY ALIVE, IF YOU ARE A BURST A HOLIC THAT ONLY WANTS TO BLOW SHIT UP ROLL ANOTHER CLASS. In other words use your slows and sheeps effectively! Time your blinks in correct situations! Don't replace an Ice Barrier that hasn't absorbed any damage yet! If you don't need to don't use your trinket!

I suggest having two counterspell and two sheep macros to help with your CC'ing abilities. One counterspell macro should look something like:

#show Counterspell
/stopcasting
/cast [target=focus] Counterspell

This macro allows you to silence your focus target.

#show Counterspell
/stopcasting
/cast Counterspell

And this macro is used on your target and is used for interrupting fast even if you are casting.

It is important you do not waste your counterspells incredibly early, wait for the moment your team is going in for the burst kill and wait for that big fat heal that is going to save your opponent then swiftly lock his school out and laugh at the dead person on the ground. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO DRUIDS LOCK THEIR SCHOOLS OUT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN

Now that we have gone over counterspelling lets go over sheeping. Here are the two macros that i suggest you have:

#show Polymorph
/stopcasting
/cast [target=focus] Polymorph

and

#show Polymorph
/stop casting
/cast Polymorph

Notice any pattern here? As a mage you want to control your enemy team as much as possible and watching two targets at once is very handy in arenas.

Lets now go over blink situations as a mage.

A warrior runs in an charges you what do you do?
a) Blink (duh...)
b) Trinket (LOL)
c) Ice Block (ewwww)
d) NONE OF THE ABOVE

The correct answer to this situation is D! Why you may ask? Well lets run this situation down, You get charged and you blink, what is going to happen to you? You just blinked out of a half a second stun and are now eating a 2-3 second stun from intercept (can't remember the stun time) GJ RETARD. What about trinket? well with your trinket gone the warrior can then fear bomb you and you will have to blow an Ice Block and are susceptible to an improved hamstring. Ice Blocking is actually a pretty safe choice, but if the warrior is geared your going to need it later.

Now against rogues it is really difficult to know what to do. Some people say hey if your cheap shotted just sit there until the kidney or you get hit by his 5 combo point finisher. That seriously will ****ing kill you in arena since rogues aren't as dumb. I personally blink on the Cheap shot and Ice Block the kidney if it happens and pray I live through cloak of GG.

Always try to use your blink out of stuns or rooting effects since its a waste if you blink and then get rooted or stunned.

MAGES BEST FRIEND WATER ELEMENTAL??? NO RANK 1 FROSTBOLT AND CONE OF COLD! These are your best kiting spells EVAR use them and love them to death. Use rank 1 cone of cold only for the purpose of kiting never killing and the same goes for rank 1 frostbolt lawlz... Oh hay don't forget the frost novas man! Frost nova is an awesome skill and really should be used to get away and to trap as many people as you can.

Also going back to my all caps paragraph a little bit up try to avoid replacing a perfectly fine ice barrier with a new one without getting hit since it starts a new cooldown and you will absorb less damage.

Now as a mage in arena you will be focused.... a lot... Use your spells to your advantage. Am I taking too much damage? Sheep a dps, Is our target getting healed to much? Sheep the healer. REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE DIMINISHING RETURNS ON ONE TARGET SHEEP SOMEONE ELSE SO YOU CAN MAINTAIN MORE PEOPLE CURRENTLY ACTIVE ON YOUR TEAM AND LESS ON THEIRS.

I am not going to go into my arena comp V.S. your arena comp because that would make this entire thread even longer so I suggest you check out sites like arenajunkies so you can see strategies for your teams.

I am really running out of time righting this thing so I am going to include a strat to beat warlocks, rogues, and disc priests.

To beat warlocks, try to avoid getting your frost tree spell locked, fake cast as much as possible and always dispel curses. once the felhunter uses its spell lock pop all your cooldowns and blast that lock to smithereens. If you see a death coil coming at you immediately ice block to avoid healing the lock. If done correctly you should kill the lock before the second spell lock comes along and try not to get feared counterspell it early, trinket, and since the healing nerf to drain life you can just out dps it with a shatter combo.

Rogues! Blink the Cheap shot iceblock the kidney kite him until he uses cloak of shadows and try to take as minimal damage as you can. Once cloak ends pop all your cooldowns and start going to home with that rogue. Also once you gain distance always make sure to avoid the deadly throws, they suck ass. burn that rogue like he is just like any other melee after his cooldowns and you have him dead.

Disc Priests!!!!! beginning of the duel spellsteal all his health armor and resist buffs. After doing so try to avoid the fear and pop all your cooldowns. Spellsteal power word shields, renews, and prayer of mendings as much as possible. BURN BURN BURN. Counterspell a heal around 40% and shatter combo is GG for a priest.

Hope my guide helps some of you mages,

Signet
Masumi of Kel'Thuzad

[frutmestoofvlees]

Frost mages don't need a PvP Guide! if you can't pvp with frost, quit your life plz :P..

nevertheless, nice guide +rep

[Signet]

Actually playing a Frost Mage good is different than only shatter comboing, and it makes a huge difference for your healers in arena if you multi task your pressuring damage, CCs, and kiting. Of course if your never focused frost mages are EZ as pie frostbolt frostbolt frostbolt shatter combo counterspell frostbolt frostbolt. Also thanks for the rep much appreciated : )

[freakzone]

i think you should frostnova the warri shot a lvl 1 fb and dance naked on the table while hje tries to get you with permafrostx) then kite him and he will /afk

[Signet]

Uhmmm okay? Aside from the whole blinking scenario I did not include a warrior 1v1 because its too rigged in the Frost Mages favor.

140 views 4 posts come on people don't be shy!

[tom123h]

Frost mages in pvp are wayyy to predictable, the 17/0/44 spec is very cliche.
I decided to respec my mage to a Elementalist+Dragon's Breath build.. it's really awesome and much more fun. Not quite as mana efficient though but good for 2v2.

[B14d3r11]

Very good setup

[spess]

Nice! (: And best kiting spells would be frostbolt + Cone of Cold AND Ice lance, ice lance is very good in kiting abilitys, because it requires quite low mana, and instant.. So Frostbolt and then Ice lance them..

[ipnetz006]

I laugh at this thread lol.

[Anadymene]

i dont think frost mage is that easy, so i thank you for this gj

[Jadedknight]

I am n00b at WoW so thank you for this +Rep! Just what I needed.

[NOFX]

What about mana burns from priests? If you're counterspelling the heals, how do you deal with them?

[Tankotron]

What about mana burns from priests? If you're counterspelling the heals, how do you deal with them?

What I do is eat the first mana burn then emerald after I see fit

after the first fear I trinket, or WOTF and summon my WE then shatter
.. the goal is to get the priest to use Pain Suppression without having
to use Cold Snap to summon a second WE

by the time you get the priest down to about 30% he or she will use PS
and try to heal, get the CS off then and finish him or her off :P

IF you don't finish him off summon a second WE after your CS is back up

ONLY AFTER

[Akiraazn]

Well good Guide for Noobs :P

still +Rep for the work ^-^

[Hordelife]

great post i roll mages ! im learning a lot and staying out the graveyards!