A guide to safe blinking.

[Flyingcarpet]

In this guide i will explain the uses and disadvantages for the mage spell blink.

First of all. The basics.
Blink is a spell obtained at level 20. It's instant cast and teleports you 20 yards directly in front of your character. It will also remove any stun or movement impairing effect. Unfortunately it costs 21% of your base mana and has a 15 second cooldown.

Secondly.Uses.
Blink is extremely useful in combat. The fact that it removes stuns and movement effects means (as long as it's not on it's CD) you can usually get out of range of any melee'rs looking to slash, cut or bash you.

Blink is also a fairly useful form of transportation below level 40, if you have high enough intellect and spirit. However be careful of lowering you mana to far by spamming this every 15 seconds incase you run into a random mob/ enemy player.

This neat little spell also has many other great usages in Player vs. Player combat.
As you charge at the enemy, blink once you are within 10 yards or so.
Sometimes the enemy get a hit in, but unless your really unlucky with a crit/proc, this is nothing to worry about.
After blinking behind the enemy, use frost nova immediately, the enemy will now be both disorientated and stuck.
Now feel free to nuke.

This tactic also works without frost nova aswell.
If you blink behind the enemy, they are forced to turn their character around and charge at you.
If you blink straight through them and carry on running ing the same direction, casting instant casts (eg fireblast/ice lance), 90% of the time they will follow you, enabling you to kite them to at least 50% before they hit you.

Also, try using Cone Of Cold at max range just before you blink. It's difficult to get the timing and distance calculation, but it's definitely worth it as it give you the ability to dance around your opponent at max range, giving you the option of using spells which require cast times.
Yes thats right, spells using cast times in PvP.

The best thing to do is experiment with this in duels with friends/guildies before heading off to the battlegrounds.

The final use is to prevent damage from falling
This method has been explained before but it doesn't hurt to go over it in more detail.
When falling, from whatever height (generally the higher the harder, as you travel faster) damage/death can be prevented by blinking roughly a second before hitting the floor.

It's not an exact science, and takes a great deal of timing/luck.
Things to watch out for are blinking too late, if you don't die from the initial damage you are teleported another 20 feet into the air after you hit the floor, only to take even more damage.
Also, sometimes doing this will cause a miniature lag-spike, ending in your death, this is unfortunately unavoidable, but there is only a slight chance it will happen.

Finally.Disadvantages.

The biggest problem with blink is using it on uneven surfaces.
When blinking onto a upwards slope you will usually only move a couple of feet. Sometimes even backwards!
The best way to remedy this is to jump just before you blink.
But this still isn't a sure way to make sure it doesn't happen.
My Advise is to try and blink on only slightly sloped floors.
Better still even ground!

The cooldown is another disadvantage.
15 seconds doesn't sound a lot, but when in combat you'll often need to use it 2-3 times in that slot.
Try to use frost nova and keep the enemy in one place rather than blink away from him/her.
And I would also recommend sacrificing a few talent points for the shortened cooldown.

That's all folks.
Have fun with your new blink tactics.

Thanks for reading.
-Flyingcarpet

[SmotPoker]

kind of is common sense if u have ever played a mage

[Flyingcarpet]

For alot of people yes.
But some players may not have heard of some of these tactics.
And if your thinking about rolling a mage then this could be very helpful.
Also I'm just trying to contribute.

[Oosoup]

Pretty basic stuff.. But..

... and has a 10 second cooldown.

... this every 10 seconds incase ...

... 10 seconds doesn't sound alot, but when in combat you'll often need to use it 2-3 times in that slot.

Last time I checked the base cooldown for blink was still 15 seconds.

Also, sometimes doing this will cause a minature lagspike, ending in your death, this is unfortunately un-avoidable, but there is only a slight chance it will happen.

Hmm? I've been using it for over 3 years now and I've never seen such a thing happen. ;o

... it removes stuns and movement effects means (as long as it's not on it's CD) you can usually get out of range of any melee'rs looking to slash, cut or bash you.

Over here you might want to mention that people should be cautious of intercept, shadowstep and the likes.

[Xhaf]

Unfortunately it costs 21% of your base mana

When blinking onto a upwards slope you will usually only move a couple of feet. Sometimes even backwards![/

it costs like 400 mana at lvl 70!
i've never been moved backwards in upward slopes

[Oosoup]

Unfortunately it costs 21% of your base mana

False! like WTF! it costs like 400 mana at lvl 70!

21% of your base mana is correct. Not 21% of your total mana pool. 21% of your base mana, the mana pool when you have no gear on.

It's instant cast and teleports you 20 feet directly in front of your character

I just noticed-- Nitpicking, but, it's 20 yards, not 20 feet. If it were 20 feet, it would only be 6+(2/3) yards.

[Flyingcarpet]

Ta for feedback, will edit.
And yes, it an teleport you backwards.
Ask any experienced player.

[CaptRaythe]

i have rolled mage sinse 2006 and i have blinked backwards on a slopped surface, such as a hyjal breakin on retail

[lilmike325]

21% of your base mana is correct. Not 21% of your total mana pool. 21% of your base mana, the mana pool when you have no gear on.


I just noticed-- Nitpicking, but, it's 20 yards, not 20 feet. If it were 20 feet, it would only be 6+(2/3) yards.

I was wondering about that mana part too, still nice guide didn't knew everything..

[Connactzor]

Common knowledge but a good guide for new mages i guess.

[Flyingcarpet]

Thanks again for feedback.
Just trying to get out of leecher and contribute to the community

[lilmike325]

Thanks again for feedback.
Just trying to get out of leecher and contribute to the community

k Good Luck with that!

[MaiN]

kind of is common sense if u have ever played a mage

Woah, show me a guide that AIN'T common sense.