Guide to Mage Talent Builds
The following talent builds are categorized into dungeons and what, in my opinion, is considered to be the most viable for those dungeons.
Mages still actively raiding in these dungeons heavily are encouraged to try these talent builds for optimum effectiveness and contribution.
Molten Core, Blackwing Lair
Talent Build: 29/0/22
Arcane (29 points)
Arcane Subtlety - Rank 1/2
Reduces your target's resistance to all your spells by 5 and reduces threat of Arcane spells by 20%.
Improved Arcane Missiles - Rank 5/5
Gives you a 100% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles.
Arcane Concentration - Rank 5/5
Gives you a 10% chance of entering a Clearcasting state after any damage spell hits a target. The Clearcasting state reduces the Mana cost of your next damage spell by 100%.
Improved Arcane Explosion - Rank 3/3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Arcane Explosion spell by an additional 6%.
Arcane Resilience - Rank 1/1
Increases your armor by an amount equal to 50% of your Intellect.
Improved Counterspell - Rank 2/2
Gives your Counterspell a 100% chance to silence the target for 4 sec.
Arcane Meditation - Rank 3/3
Allows 15% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.
Presence of Mind - Rank 1/1
When activated, your next Mage spell with a casting time less than 10 sec becomes an instant cast spell.
Arcane Mind - Rank 5/5
Increases your maximum Mana by 10%.
Arcane Instability - Rank 3/3
Increases your spell damage and critical strike chance by 3%.
Fire (0 points)
None
Frost (22 points)
Improved Frostbolt - Rank 5/5
Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by 0.5 sec.
Elemental Precision - Rank 2/3
Reduces the chance that the opponent can resist your Frost and Fire spells by 4%.
Ice Shards - Rank 5/5
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 100%.
Piercing Ice - Rank 3/3
Increases the damage done by your Frost spells by 6%.
Cold Snap - Rank 1/1
When activated, this spell finishes the cooldown on all of your Frost spells.
Arctic Reach - Rank 2/2
Increases the range of your Frostbolt and Blizzard spells and the radius of your Frost Nova and Cone of Cold spells by 20%.
Frost Channeling - Rank 3/3
Reduces the Mana cost of your Frost spells by 15% and reduces the threat caused by your Frost spells by 30%.
Ice Block - Rank 1/1
You become encased in a block of ice, protecting you from all physical attacks and spells for 10 sec, but during that time you cannot attack, move or cast spells.
Note: Improved Counterspell is included in the Arcane tree for the Mage that likes to continue to have some strong effectiveness in PVP against casters. Players who PVP very little or not at all should invest the 2 points in Improved Counterspell in more useful talents in the Arcane tree.
Itemization Note: Mages using this build will want to invest in heavily damage intense gear.
Ahn`Qiraj, Naxxramas, 20MAN
Talent build: 17/31/3
Arcane (17 points)
Improved Arcane Missiles - Rank 5/5
Gives you a 100% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles.
Magic Absorption - Rank 5/5
Increases all resistances by 10 and causes all spells you resist to restore 5% of your total mana.
Arcane Concentration - Rank 5/5
Gives you a 10% chance of entering a Clearcasting state after any damage spell hits a target. The Clearcasting state reduces the Mana cost of your next damage spell by 100%.
Arcane Meditation - Rank 2/3
Allows 10% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.
Fire (31 points)
Improved Fireball - Rank 5/5
Reduces the casting time of your Fireball spell by 0.5 sec.
Ignite - Rank 5/5
Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 40% of your spell's damage over 4 sec.
Flame Throwing - Rank 2/2
Increases the range of your Fire spells by 6 yards.
Incinerate - Rank 2/2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire Blast and Scorch spells by 4%.
Burning Soul - Rank 2/2
Gives your Fire spells a 70% chance to not lose casting time when you take damage and reduces the threat caused by your Fire spells by 30%.
Improved Scorch - Rank 3/3
Your Scorch spell has a 100% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Fire damage. This vulnerability increases the Fire damage dealt to your target by 3% and lasts 30 sec. Stacks up to 5 times.
Master of Elements - Rank 3/3
Your Fire and Frost spell criticals will refund 30% of their base mana cost.
Critical Mass - Rank 3/3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire spells by 6%.
Fire Power - Rank 5/5
Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 10%.
Combustion - Rank 1/1
When activated, this spell causes each Fire damage spell you cast to increase your critical strike chance with Fire damage spells by 10%. This effect lasts until you have caused 3 critical strikes with Fire spells.
Frost (3 points)
Elemental Precision - Rank 3/3
Reduces the chance that the opponent can resist your Frost and Fire spells by 6%
Itemization Note: Mages using this gear that balances damage intensity with intellect/spirit stats.