Introduction
Hello! My name is Khaelt. I’m a high key M+ pusher, top 40 raider, content creator, and Mage coach! I’ve been playing this game since 2017 and have played Mage ever since.
In this guide, I will teach you:
- How to properly execute Frost Mage rotation (both Spellslinger and Frostfire)
- What the best-in-slot gear is
- Stat priority, best races, and consumables
- How to properly set up your UI and I’ll give you useful macros, WeakAuras, etc.
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/khaellt
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Khaellt
Frost Mage has received a large rework going into Midnight. As of the prepatch, it has very strong on-demand burst AoE thanks to its major cooldowns, Ray of Frost and Comet Storm. It also has the strongest two-target cleave in the game, since Flurry, Ice Lance, Frostbolt, and Glacial Spike currently cleave to 2 targets.
Historically, Frost Mage has been one of the specs that performs well in theory and simulations, but it lacked a niche compared to Arcane or Fire and was therefore often not picked for high-end content. With Midnight, that is changing.
What has changed
Midnight Prepatch Changes
In Midnight, Frost Mage received a large number of changes, specifically to how Shatter works, and a new passive called Freezing was introduced. Damage from Frostbolt, Flurry, and Ray of Frost applies Freezing to the targets they hit, stacking up to 20 times. When these stacks are removed with Ice Lance or Comet Storm, you Shatter the target, dealing damage for each stack removed.
Frost also had its iconic cooldown Icy Veins removed and replaced by Ray of Frost. This spell received a major overhaul, as of Midnight it stacks up to 2 charges and now serves as a Freezing builder. It also grants access to Comet Storm if you are talented into it.
Additionally, Mage lost access to many of its defensives, including Mirror Image, Greater Invisibility, Mass Barrier, and Shifting Power. Mirror Image and Greater Invisibility still exist in the game but now function more as utility spells rather than defensive cooldowns. Frost still has access to Cold Snap, a 5 minute cooldown that resets Ice Barrier and Ice Cold. Frost also gains access to a brand new passive, Glacial Bulwark, which grants Ice Barrier and Ice Cold an additional charge. As of now, this passive is extremely overpowered, effectively making Frost Mage an immortal machine. Shifting Power has also been removed for all 3 specs.
Many offensive abilities were pruned or merged into a single spell and keybind. For example, if you talent into Comet Storm, it replaces Ray of Frost immediately after finishing its channel. Glacial Spike also replaces Frostbolt once you reach 5 Icicles.