Frost Mage leveling guide
Frost is the safest way to take a Mage from 70 to 80. Fingers of Frost makes your next spells act as if the enemy is frozen, Brain Freeze gives instant Fireballs, and Deep Freeze stuns an enemy while it hits hard. Slows, roots and Ice Barrier keep almost every enemy in Northrend from ever landing a hit.
Strengths and weaknesses
- Frost Nova, the Water Elemental’s Freeze and slows keep enemies away.
- Ice Barrier, Ice Block and Cold Snap make the spec very forgiving.
- Blizzard and Cone of Cold still clear groups of weaker enemies.
- Lower damage against a single strong enemy than Fire.
Talents by level
At level 70
- In Frost: Improved Frostbolt 5/5, Ice Shards 3/3, Precision 3/3, Permafrost 3/3, Piercing Ice 3/3, Icy Veins, Improved Blizzard 3/3, Frost Channeling 3/3 and Shatter 3/3.
- Cold Snap, Frozen Core 3/3, Cold as Ice 2/2, Ice Barrier, Arctic Winds 5/5, Empowered Frostbolt 2/2, Fingers of Frost 2/2, Brain Freeze 3/3 and Summon Water Elemental.
- Chilled to the Bone 3/5 and Deep Freeze, for 51 points. In Arcane: Arcane Subtlety 2/2, Arcane Focus 3/3 and Arcane Concentration 5/5.
Level 71 to 80
- Spell Impact 3/3 and Student of the Mind 3/3.
- Focus Magic and Arcane Meditation 3/3, for 20 points in Arcane.
Rotation
One enemy
- Frostbolt from maximum range, and Summon Water Elemental for a tough enemy.
- Deep Freeze or Ice Lance while Fingers of Frost is active or the enemy is frozen.
- Fireball when Brain Freeze makes it instant, or Frostfire Bolt from level 75.
Groups of enemies
- Pull a group of weaker enemies, Frost Nova, move away and cast Blizzard.
- Cone of Cold on enemies that get through, and Cold Snap to reset Frost Nova and Ice Barrier.
Staying alive
- Ice Barrier before a pull, Ice Block when it goes wrong, and Blink to get away.
- Mirror Image at level 80 draws enemies away from you for a moment.
- Evocation and a mana gem when your mana is empty.
Leveling route
| Level | Alliance | Horde |
|---|---|---|
| 70-72 | Borean Tundra (Valiance Keep), Howling Fjord (Valgarde) | Borean Tundra (Warsong Hold), Howling Fjord (Vengeance Landing) |
| 72-74 | Dragonblight (Wintergarde Keep) | Dragonblight (Agmar’s Hammer) |
| 74-75 | Grizzly Hills (Amberpine Lodge) | Grizzly Hills (Conquest Hold) |
| 75-76 | Zul’Drak (Zim’Torga) | Zul’Drak (Zim’Torga) |
| 76-78 | Sholazar Basin (Nesingwary Base Camp) | Sholazar Basin (Nesingwary Base Camp) |
| 78-80 | The Storm Peaks (K3), Icecrown (Argent Vanguard) | The Storm Peaks (K3), Icecrown (Argent Vanguard) |
Dungeons worth the detour: Utgarde Keep and The Nexus from level 70, Azjol-Nerub and Ahn’kahet: The Old Kingdom around 72, and Drak’Tharon Keep and The Violet Hold from 74.
Stats, weapons and tradeskills
- Spell Power first, then Hit, Haste and Crit.
- A staff, or a one-handed weapon with an off-hand item, with as much Spell Power as possible.
- Enchants: Mighty Spellpower on the weapon, Exceptional Spellpower on the gloves and Superior Spellpower on the bracers.
- Tradeskills: Tailoring for caster cloth and Lightweave Embroidery, with Enchanting to disenchant what you replace.