Becuase Impact + Molten Armor stops melee in their tracks whilst you can get away. Frostbite allows them to use escapes, throw in that final Execute, etc., that a stun does not. Plus Molten Armor is just better than Ice Armor.
That's all assuming you can actually keep any armor on these days anyway
Me and my guildies are doing pvp to gear up our alts. We have a warrior/pally/rogue alt team in kara gear that loses pretty much all the 3 games that is played. Then we have our mains(+1 alt pally) try to win back some of the points.
Our main is a hunter with some S2/S3 gear, my mage with 0 resilience and 8k hp and a holy spec alt pally in kara gear. We win most matches(pretty much since our alt team bring us down to 1400+). However, I seem to do much less damage than my hunter guildie who almost does double the damage of me.
My hunter guildie suggested that I look up shatter combo macro and similar PVP macros that people use to increase our win rate and gear our alts faster. Do anyone have a list of mage pvp macros? Looked it up on google and nothing much.
Xio, here are the macros I use on my mage (main now.)
#showtooltip [pet] Freeze; Summon Water Elemental
/stopcasting [nopet]
/cast [nopet] Summon Water Elemental
/stopmacro [nopet]
/cast Freeze
Hit it once, pops out water ele. Hit it again brings up targeting circle for easymode shatter combos. (Make sure to hit the button again AFTER you've started to cast frostbolt.) See ma.sword - Video Tutorials for a better explanation of what the hell a shatter combo is.
All purpose WTF ICEBLOCK macro. Hit it once, dismounts you or stops your casting and iceblocks. Hit it again, drops iceblock. You can tap it twice real quick to drop a snare when you blink away from a warrior or rogue and your trinket is on cooldown.
#showtooltip [modifier:alt] Cone of Cold; Cone of Cold(Rank 1)
/cast [modifier:alt] Cone of Cold; Cone of Cold(Rank 1)
Hold down alt to do max rank CoC, otherwise just does rank 1 for snare kiting meele.
Icelances your current target, UNLESS you have a mouseover target. Then icelances that. *GREAT* for killing totems. Mouseover em, hit the key (in my case 4,) and bam, bye bye totem.
#showtooltip
/cast Icy Veins
/use 13
For next patch. Pops icy veins, and then your TOP trinket. If you want it to use bottom trinket, put a 14 instead of 13.
/cancelform
/use [flyable,nomounted] Green Riding Nether Ray; [nomounted,outdoors] Horn of the Swift Timber Wolf
/dismount
That's just my sexy macro I couldnt live without. Put in the names of your mounts where I have mine, and in outlands, it'll mount you on your flying mount, and when in oldworld / pvp, puts you on your running mount. It's so hot. Also. tap it again to quickly dismount and do what you need to do.
I use /focus on the healer , and big focus bar in middle of my screen.
+ special key to counterspell my focus target.
So if i see him healing i know how much is left and i can cs with one keystroke.
I would love for a simple mod that only did this. If you could suggest it I would be grateful. I just wanta cast bar for my focus.
Couterspells your target. If you have a focus target, counterspells them if you're holding down alt.
Fixed the typo in the 3rd line and updated the 4th line.
Also, I have quartz, but I find it very limited for positioning. I would like to be able to place the cast bars wherever I live and find it does not allow this.
Last edited by Kink : 01/03/08 at 5:53 AM.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
The only problem is, it's often an incoming train.
All purpose WTF ICEBLOCK macro. Hit it once, dismounts you or stops your casting and iceblocks. Hit it again, drops iceblock. You can tap it twice real quick to drop a snare when you blink away from a warrior or rogue and your trinket is on cooldown.
/dismount isn't really needed any more. unless your mount is off the ground, and i'm going to assume we're not talking about world pvp here so you can't use a flying mount anyway, casting any spell will now dismount you automatically.
/dismount isn't really needed any more. unless your mount is off the ground, and i'm going to assume we're not talking about world pvp here so you can't use a flying mount anyway, casting any spell will now dismount you automatically.
Technically neither is /stopcasting, but I like to play it safe just in case.
Yes /stopcasting is needed, although for some reason iceblock will stop channeling spells, casting spells will bring up "another action is in progress" error.
As others have briefly mentioned, /stopcasting is still a very useful part in many macros. The use of "/stopcasting" along with quartz is supposedly no longer needed thanks to improvements Blizzard has made to the casting system. However, there are still spell that will not interrupt other spells.
Examples:
Counterspell
blink
Frost nova
Arcane Missles
sheep
These (and surely some more) still might be used at a spur of the moment cast. This might need to interrupt your casting of a frostbolt, arcane missle, etc... In order for it to interrupt the spell, /stopcasting is still required for most spells.
In regard to hunters melee range is definately better these days than getting shot in the face so get good at staying in close....even better than the good old days where you could hop in the dead zone and own hunters all day long.
Just wanted to share that in world pvp and in bgs (not arenas, haven't been terribly active the last couple of months and yes I know my gear/spec for arena is sub-optimal), BM hunters are fun to kite and it works pretty well as a strat. In my experience many of them hit TBW against mages like newbie mages hit blink.....too early and not strategically. Wait for it, turn around and blink away.....by the time they catch up you can iceblock for the duration of big red kitty and then wtfpwn em with snares while they don't have their precious immunity to everything except damage lol. I spec permafrost, and cone of cold > wing clip when trying to stay in melee range.
In regard to hunters melee range is definately better these days than getting shot in the face so get good at staying in close....even better than the good old days where you could hop in the dead zone and own hunters all day long.
Just wanted to share that in world pvp and in bgs (not arenas, haven't been terribly active the last couple of months and yes I know my gear/spec for arena is sub-optimal), BM hunters are fun to kite and it works pretty well as a strat. In my experience many of them hit TBW against mages like newbie mages hit blink.....too early and not strategically. Wait for it, turn around and blink away.....by the time they catch up you can iceblock for the duration of big red kitty and then wtfpwn em with snares while they don't have their precious immunity to everything except damage lol. I spec permafrost, and cone of cold > wing clip when trying to stay in melee range.
Bait and switch, I say.
I have been getting absolutely wrecked by hunters the past few weeks and simply am at my wits end. I am finding fewer and fewer BM hunters, and running into FAR more MM hunters.
You would think that would be good, but I am finding I simply do not have the burst even with the WE up to kill them. Plus, even with 400+ resilience and 10k hp, they can dump so much damage so quick with simply no way to stop it that I find myself on the receiving end the majority of the time. Additionally, with the ijnclusion of a mindless and mana free dispel on top of the already powerful arcane shot, I can't even count on the added burst from a frostbite proc if I do get lucky and get into melee range.
I understand they have LOS issues in arena, but with the last series of over-the-top buffs (I played a hunter for a year and a half, deadzone was not a problem) I am to the point now I would rather face an SL/SL lock with a felpuppy.
Any suggestions would be useful. I simply don't know what to do.
Has anyone using, or considered using 2 pieces of Aldor for lower brackets? It seems since S3 i'm under pressure literally every match (warrior/mage/druid atm) which is completely different from S2.
I guess people even at lower ratings have finally realised that a mage left alone can be devastating but a mage under pressure is severely limited and runs oom damn fast.
When I get S3 robe next week I should be able to still hit about 10k hp and 375 resil with Aldor shoulders and gloves. It seems it would definitely make a huge difference against any team with a hunter or lock in, which these days is a lot...
I use T4 Shoulders/Chest sometimes in BG and occasionally on my low rated 3v3 team because of silly 2x <pet class> matchups. I wouldn't use the T4 gloves unless you don't have a choice, the S3 glove bonus is to good to give up.
Originally Posted by Sebudai
Addons aren't a crutch, they're tools to be abused by skilled players to increase performance. Like a carpenter using a hammer, a fisherman using a lure, or Xi using curse words.
When you're under pressure, is hard casting a frostbolt really what you want to do? I realize that having a hunter (or even just a pet), warrior or spam-casting class like boomkin or ele shaman takes frostbolt and therefore your strongest shatter combos off the table, but I don't think that's when you should be trying for a frostbolt anyway. If a melee class is chewing on your face, charging up a 2.5 second cast is ill-advised, and its likely to get interrupted anyway.
It'd be best against hunters and warlocks who sick their pet on you to prevent a frostbolt-ice lance combo. Of course without 2/5 T5 there are still chances to sneak off a frostbolt w/o worrying about push-back, either with a fresh ice barrier or a frostbite proc on the pet. The benefit is minimal when the push-back is from a class that also has interrupts, and hard casts are still dangerous to attempt when attacked by a rogue, warrior or shaman.
Considering the pvp stats and 4 piece gladiator bonus you give up to equip 2/5 T4, I don't think its really worth it in most brackets/setups.
I have a question about using Molten Armor in PvP. The resilience cap is around the mid 400s right? Is the cap effectively lowered by the 5% to not be crit from Molten armor? Or should we still get resil to the 25% dmg reduction cap then we have max crit avoidance +5%?
I have a question about using Molten Armor in PvP. The resilience cap is around the mid 400s right? Is the cap effectively lowered by the 5% to not be crit from Molten armor? Or should we still get resil to the 25% dmg reduction cap then we have max crit avoidance +5%?
Which is it?
There is no cap on -crit chance, only -crit damage - you can never go above 25%.
Anyone have good success with an alternate talent spec besides 17/0/44 with the new patch?
It seems that people are thinking about venturing into a scorch or arcane missile spec, anyone try going back to the easy-button AP/POM/Pyro spec? Usually most mages who do go this spec use it right off the bat and risks getting wasted by some kind of shield/invulnerability/reflect technique but how's scorch spamming and then using it? Since all mages do have iceblock now, it increases the survivability of mages of all specs. Also the chromatic cloak/mana shield spam also works but frost seemed way better previously because frost had ice block; but with more mana in the arcane tree for mana shields, less damage taken, more spell damage, does anyone else see this as viable?
I do agree that fireballs take way too long in arena. Frostbolts also take way too long but I am sometimes able to fit in that shatter combo which is nice but rarely am I left alone being able to spam more than 2-3 frostbolts at a target without me having to save a friendly by CC'ing an enemy or being interrupted/CC'd by the enemy. So I don't completely doubt Icy Veins, but I don't think I'll be able to use the full 20 seconds or even near that for arena. I might just end up sending more instant casts hoping for a frozen-in-place effect.
Anyone have good success with an alternate talent spec besides 17/0/44 with the new patch?
It seems that people are thinking about venturing into a scorch or arcane missile spec, anyone try going back to the easy-button AP/POM/Pyro spec? Usually most mages who do go this spec use it right off the bat and risks getting wasted by some kind of shield/invulnerability/reflect technique but how's scorch spamming and then using it? Since all mages do have iceblock now, it increases the survivability of mages of all specs. Also the chromatic cloak/mana shield spam also works but frost seemed way better previously because frost had ice block; but with more mana in the arcane tree for mana shields, less damage taken, more spell damage, does anyone else see this as viable?
I do agree that fireballs take way too long in arena. Frostbolts also take way too long but I am sometimes able to fit in that shatter combo which is nice but rarely am I left alone being able to spam more than 2-3 frostbolts at a target without me having to save a friendly by CC'ing an enemy or being interrupted/CC'd by the enemy. So I don't completely doubt Icy Veins, but I don't think I'll be able to use the full 20 seconds or even near that for arena. I might just end up sending more instant casts hoping for a frozen-in-place effect.
Icy Veins affects *all* spells. Not just frostbolt. It's INCREDIBLE with sheep.
Anyone have good success with an alternate talent spec besides 17/0/44 with the new patch?
It seems that people are thinking about venturing into a scorch or arcane missile spec, anyone try going back to the easy-button AP/POM/Pyro spec? Usually most mages who do go this spec use it right off the bat and risks getting wasted by some kind of shield/invulnerability/reflect technique but how's scorch spamming and then using it? Since all mages do have iceblock now, it increases the survivability of mages of all specs. Also the chromatic cloak/mana shield spam also works but frost seemed way better previously because frost had ice block; but with more mana in the arcane tree for mana shields, less damage taken, more spell damage, does anyone else see this as viable?
I do agree that fireballs take way too long in arena. Frostbolts also take way too long but I am sometimes able to fit in that shatter combo which is nice but rarely am I left alone being able to spam more than 2-3 frostbolts at a target without me having to save a friendly by CC'ing an enemy or being interrupted/CC'd by the enemy. So I don't completely doubt Icy Veins, but I don't think I'll be able to use the full 20 seconds or even near that for arena. I might just end up sending more instant casts hoping for a frozen-in-place effect.
Even mages in S3 gear are easily hitting 10.5k unbuffed HP, other classes can reach much higher. Consider that many teams will have kings/fort/commanding shout etc and that 400 resilience is the norm, one off burst specs like that just just won't work against any half decent opposition.
It'll just get you killed so fast your eyes will pop out - and that's not just because you're more squishy than a frostmage, it's because everyone and I mean everyone thinks/knows non frost mages are easy kills and will zerg the hell out of them.
That's the main reason why non-frost specs will have trouble fitting into 3v3 or 5v5 teams. You're the best target on any team, even with ice block. A frost mage can extend his life quite a bit after ice block comes down/gets dispelled with his roots, snares and all the cooldowns reset by cold snap.
both fire and arcane have promising burst and sustained damage potential, but their survivability just isn't there. Slow and blazing speed are great talents but don't make up for the burst of survivability of frost cooldowns.
Squishy targets in large arenas are shadow priests, MM hunters, UA locks, rogues, elemental shaman, and, illogically, moonkin druids. Non-frost magi are an easier target than any of these, and you'd end up tanking most nights in a spec ill-suited for it.
Mana shield in arenas is a form of suicide, to protect even a small amount like 2000 hp you need 3 gcd and 3800+ mana. Faster way of going oom than AB spam, surely.
If there's much potential here I'd think it's for stacked dps teams.
I'm curious, as I have played with many specs throughout my careeer as a mage to see if neone has any conclusive info regarding an arena spec given the changes in 2.3.2. Should I still be going with the full 61 points? Or should there be some different distribution?
Most used build will still be 17/44 or 5/56 for 5v5 fanatics. Icy veins and mana gems are primarily PvE fixes and changes little in PvP. Ive been using Icy veins mostly the last couple of days to get more frostbite procs with a rogue on me, being faster on sheep then a lock on fear and trying for a bit faster shatter combo. All nice things but nothing gamebreaking. Still cant take out a healer solo
Most used build will still be 17/44 or 5/56 for 5v5 fanatics. Icy veins and mana gems are primarily PvE fixes and changes little in PvP. Ive been using Icy veins mostly the last couple of days to get more frostbite procs with a rogue on me, being faster on sheep then a lock on fear and trying for a bit faster shatter combo. All nice things but nothing gamebreaking. Still cant take out a healer solo
The first time I used icy veins in pvp, a warlock pet with autodevour on ate it halfway through my first cast. Icy Veins lasted 1.6 seconds.
Most used build will still be 17/44 or 5/56 for 5v5 fanatics. Icy veins and mana gems are primarily PvE fixes and changes little in PvP. Ive been using Icy veins mostly the last couple of days to get more frostbite procs with a rogue on me, being faster on sheep then a lock on fear and trying for a bit faster shatter combo. All nice things but nothing gamebreaking. Still cant take out a healer solo
You can't take out paladins? :O
I've had pretty good success trying out 0/7/54. 31 yard range fireblast with 10% chance to stun w/ full permafrost is pretty damn potent against warriors. Makes druids harder tho w/o imp CS ><.
01/01/08, 9:06 AM
and a holy spec alt pally in kara gear. We win most matches(pretty much since our alt team bring us down to 1400+). However, I seem to do much less damage than my hunter guildie who almost does double the damage of me.
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