Frost Mage Overview & Changes - WoW Forever Guide

Frost Mage overview

Choose Frost when you want ranged damage with control and defensive cooldowns you can plan around. Spend a Fingers of Frost proc on the spell that fits your next opening, save roots when someone needs distance, and take Blizzard talents for pulls where a grouped pack can stay inside the channel. A root that helps you escape can be worth more than using it immediately for damage.

On this page

The biggest changes from Classic

A slow is not a freeze: A Chill reduces movement speed; a Frozen target enables Shatter and Ice Lance's extra damage. Fingers of Frost supplies that damage condition for a spell without stopping the enemy's movement.
Rank 1 Fingers of Frost covers one cast: At rank 1, Fingers of Frost gives Chill effects a 15% proc chance and lasts 15 seconds. Plan around one affected cast, not an automatic Frostbolt-plus-Ice-Lance pair.
Defenses serve different jobs: Ice Barrier lets you keep casting while it absorbs damage. Ice Block protects you but prevents attacking, moving and casting. Cold Snap can restore a spent Frost cooldown when another defensive or root is needed.

Frost Mage

Ranged DPS / Control

Frostbolt supplies repeatable Frost damage and a slow against susceptible enemies. Ice Lance adds an instant spell with a strong Frozen-target bonus, while Shatter makes the next cast against a Frozen target more likely to crit. Choose when to spend a damage opportunity; the group's need to stop an enemy moving is a separate decision.

Build your talents

Separate Chill, roots and Fingers of Frost

Frostbolt slows an enemy; that slow does not by itself make the enemy Frozen. Frost Nova freezes nearby enemies in place, and Frostbite can freeze a target when a Chill effect triggers it. These roots stop susceptible enemies moving and open Frozen-target damage opportunities.

Fingers of Frost works differently: at rank 1, your Chill effects have a 15% chance to make your next one spell cast treat the target as Frozen, and the buff lasts 15 seconds. It does not root the target, so a pursuer can keep running at you even while your next spell has the damage condition it needs.

Against an enemy that cannot be rooted, a Fingers of Frost proc can still supply the Frozen condition for your spell. That does not make the target vulnerable to Frost damage if it is immune to that school, nor does it turn your control spell into a working root. Keep root immunity separate from the school's damage resistance when deciding what to cast.

Use Frost Nova to create distance when a melee enemy reaches you or a teammate. Watch for the root to break under damage instead of assuming the enemy will remain fixed for your whole cast. A teammate attacking the same target can end the control before the cast you planned has finished.

Choose Ice Lance or a casted Shatter spell

Ice Lance is instant and deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets. That is its normal damage plus three times that amount: four times its unfrozen damage from this condition alone, not triple damage. Use it when you need the Frozen-target hit immediately or want damage while repositioning.

Shatter increases the critical strike chance of all your spells against Frozen targets; at rank 1 it adds 17%. Frostbolt can use that crit opportunity when you have room to finish a cast, while Ice Lance combines the crit chance with its own Frozen damage bonus. Shatter increases chance, not certainty.

With rank-1 Fingers of Frost, decide before casting: Frostbolt uses the one spell opportunity, so a following Ice Lance cannot be assumed to have it too. If you must move now, Ice Lance fits that opening without losing a hard cast. If you can stand still, compare a Frostbolt cast with the instant hit rather than automatically firing Ice Lance after every bolt.

Without a proc or a Frozen target, Ice Lance loses its special damage bonus. It can still finish a low-health enemy or land an instant hit while moving, but spamming it on an unfrozen boss gives up the condition that makes it strong. Return to your supported Frostbolt casts when you have time to stand still.

Build your own Winter's Chill while casting Frost damage

Winter's Chill gives Frost damage spells a chance to apply an effect that increases the crit chance of your Ice Lance and Frostbolt against the target. At rank 1, the application chance is 20%, the bonus is 2%, and the effect lasts 15 seconds with a one-stack limit.

Keep attacking the priority target with your Frost damage rather than look for a separate debuff button. When you swap targets, do not assume the new enemy already has the benefit. A long-lived target gives your applications more time to support later Frostbolts and Ice Lances.

Original Classic's Winter's Chill gave Frost spells a broader crit bonus against the affected enemy. Forever names your two spells. Taking the talent improves your own attacks; it does not make you the raid's shared Frost-crit provider. Blizzard and Cone of Cold are also not among the spells receiving its crit bonus.

Use roots for peeling without losing control of the pull

When a loose melee enemy reaches a healer, Frost Nova can stop it while the healer moves and the tank regains control. Do not break that root with damage right away if the distance is still needed. Your own next Shatter opportunity is secondary to keeping the healer out of reach.

Frostbite adds extra roots to Chill effects. That is helpful against one enemy chasing you, but it is unreliable as an emergency stop: use a ready control spell when the next hit is dangerous. In PvP, keep moving away after the proc rather than standing in melee range because the target briefly stopped.

A rooted caster can still be a casting problem. Use Counterspell on the dangerous spell or Polymorph when the target should be taken out of the fight, rather than treating a movement root as a silence. The Mage group-play section covers the shared interrupt and dispel assignments.

Mage talent trees

Hover, focus or tap a talent to read its effects. Each badge shows the talent's maximum rank; this is the full tree, not a suggested build.

2

5

2

5

2

3

1

2

3

1

5

3

1

2

3

5

2

3

1

3

2

1

3

1

5

1

2

5

3

2

3

1

3

2

1

3

1

2

5

1

Spend your 51 points, try different paths and share your build in the talent calculator.

Build your talents

Read all talent descriptions

Arcane

Wand Specialization Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases your damage with Wands by 13%.

Rank 2
Increases your damage with Wands by 25%.

Passive

Arcane Focus Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Improves your chance to hit with Arcane spells by 1%.

Rank 2
Improves your chance to hit with Arcane spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Improves your chance to hit with Arcane spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Improves your chance to hit with Arcane spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Improves your chance to hit with Arcane spells by 5%.

Passive

Improved Channeling Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Gives you a 20% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 14% chance while casting Arcane Blast.

Rank 2
Gives you a 40% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 28% chance while casting Arcane Blast.

Rank 3
Gives you a 60% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 42% chance while casting Arcane Blast.

Rank 4
Gives you a 80% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 56% chance while casting Arcane Blast.

Rank 5
Gives you a 100% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 70% chance while casting Arcane Blast.

Passive

Arcane Subtlety Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces your target's resistance to all your spells by 8 and reduces the threat caused by your Arcane spells by 15%.

Rank 2
Reduces your target's resistance to all your spells by 15 and reduces the threat caused by your Arcane spells by 30%.

Passive

Magic Absorption Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases all your resistances by 5 and causes all spells you fully resist to restore 1% of your total mana. Cannot trigger more often than 1 time per sec.

Rank 2
Increases all your resistances by 10 and causes all spells you fully resist to restore 2% of your total mana. Cannot trigger more often than 1 time per sec.

Passive

Arcane Concentration Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Gives you a 2% 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%.

Rank 2
Gives you a 4% 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%.

Rank 3
Gives you a 6% 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%.

Rank 4
Gives you a 8% 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%.

Rank 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%.

Passive

Arcane Resilience Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases your Armor by an amount equal to 25% of your Intellect.

Rank 2
Increases your Armor by an amount equal to 50% of your Intellect.

Passive

Arcane Geometry Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the range of your Arcane spells by 3 yards.

Rank 2
Increases the range of your Arcane spells by 6 yards.

Passive

Arcane Impact Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Arcane spells by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Arcane spells by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Arcane spells by 6%.

Passive

Arcane Blast Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Blasts the target with energy, dealing 57 to 65 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of all your other spells is increased by 10% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 8 sec or until any other damage spell is cast.

15% of base mana | 30 yd range | 2.5 sec cast

Arcane Shielding Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Decreases the Mana lost per point of damage taken when your Mana Shield spell is active by 17% and increases the resistances granted by your Mage Armor spell by 25%.

Rank 2
Decreases the Mana lost per point of damage taken when your Mana Shield spell is active by 33% and increases the resistances granted by your Mage Armor spell by 50%.

Passive

Improved Counterspell Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Your Counterspell also Silences the target for 2 sec.

Rank 2
Your Counterspell also Silences the target for 4 sec.

Passive

Arcane Meditation Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Allows 17% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Rank 2
Allows 33% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Rank 3
Allows 50% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Passive

Missile Barrage Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Gives your Arcane Blast spell a 40% chance, and your Fireball, Frostbolt, and Frostfire Bolt spells a 20% chance to reduce the channeled duration of your next Arcane Missiles spell by 50%, reduce the Mana cost by 100%, and missiles fire every 0.5 sec.

Passive

Presence of Mind Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When activated, your next Mage spell with a casting time less than 10 sec becomes an instant cast spell.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Arcane Mind Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your Intellect by 2% and increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Arcane spells by 20%.

Rank 2
Increases your Intellect by 4% and increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Arcane spells by 40%.

Rank 3
Increases your Intellect by 6% and increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Arcane spells by 60%.

Rank 4
Increases your Intellect by 8% and increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Arcane spells by 80%.

Rank 5
Increases your Intellect by 10% and increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Arcane spells by 100%.

Passive

Arcane Instability Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your spells by 1% and your critical strike chance by 1%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your spells by 2% and your critical strike chance by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your spells by 3% and your critical strike chance by 3%.

Passive

Arcane Power Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
For the next 15 sec, your spells deal 30% more damage while costing 30% more mana to cast.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Fire

Wake of Fire Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Fire Blast spell by 1 sec. Killing a non-trivial target increases the critical strike chance of your next Fire Blast cast within 20 sec by 25%.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Fire Blast spell by 2 sec. Killing a non-trivial target increases the critical strike chance of your next Fire Blast cast within 20 sec by 50%.

Passive

Incineration Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire Blast, Ice Lance, Arcane Blast, and Scorch spells by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire Blast, Ice Lance, Arcane Blast, and Scorch spells by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire Blast, Ice Lance, Arcane Blast, and Scorch spells by 6%.

Passive

Improved Fireball Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the casting time of your Fireball and Frostfire Bolt spells by 0.1 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Fireball and Frostfire Bolt spells by 0.2 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the casting time of your Fireball and Frostfire Bolt spells by 0.3 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces the casting time of your Fireball and Frostfire Bolt spells by 0.4 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces the casting time of your Fireball and Frostfire Bolt spells by 0.5 sec.

Passive

Ignite Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 8% of your spell's damage over 4 sec.

Rank 2
Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 16% of your spell's damage over 4 sec.

Rank 3
Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 24% of your spell's damage over 4 sec.

Rank 4
Your critical strikes from Fire damage spells cause the target to burn for an additional 32% of your spell's damage over 4 sec.

Rank 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.

Passive

Flame Throwing Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the range of your Fire spells by 3 yards.

Rank 2
Increases the range of your Fire spells by 6 yards.

Passive

Impact Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives your Fire spells a 3% chance to stun the target for 2 sec.

Rank 2
Gives your Fire spells a 7% chance to stun the target for 2 sec.

Rank 3
Gives your Fire spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 2 sec.

Passive

Burning Soul Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives your Fire spells a 23% chance to not lose casting time when you take damage and reduces the threat caused by your Fire spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Gives your Fire spells a 47% chance to not lose casting time when you take damage and reduces the threat caused by your Fire spells by 20%.

Rank 3
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%.

Passive

Improved Flamestrike Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Flamestrike spell by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Flamestrike spell by 10%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Flamestrike spell by 15%.

Passive

Pyroblast Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Hurls an immense fiery boulder that causes 101 to 131 Fire damage and an additional 44 Fire damage over 12 sec.

125 Mana | 35 yd range | 6 sec cast

Improved Scorch Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Your Scorch spell has a 33% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Fire damage. This vulnerability increases all Fire damage you deal to your target by 3% and lasts 30 sec, stacking up to 5 times.

Rank 2
Your Scorch spell has a 67% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Fire damage. This vulnerability increases all Fire damage you deal to your target by 3% and lasts 30 sec, stacking up to 5 times.

Rank 3
Your Scorch spell has a 100% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Fire damage. This vulnerability increases all Fire damage you deal to your target by 3% and lasts 30 sec, stacking up to 5 times.

Passive

Improved Fire Ward Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Causes your Fire Ward to have a 10% chance to reflect Fire spells while active.

Rank 2
Causes your Fire Ward to have a 20% chance to reflect Fire spells while active.

Passive

Hot Streak Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Your non-periodic critical strikes with Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Fire Blast, and Scorch grant Hot Streak for 15 sec. Hot Streak reduces the cast time of Pyroblast by 25%, stacking up to 3 times.

Passive

Master of Elements Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Your Fire and Frost critical strikes will refund 10% of their base mana cost.

Rank 2
Your Fire and Frost critical strikes will refund 20% of their base mana cost.

Rank 3
Your Fire and Frost critical strikes will refund 30% of their base mana cost.

Passive

Critical Mass Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire spells by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire spells by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire spells by 6%.

Passive

Blast Wave Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
A wave of flame radiates outward from the caster, damaging all enemies caught within the blast for 154 to 184 Fire damage, and Dazing them for 50% reduced movement speed for 6 sec.

215 Mana | Instant | 45 sec cooldown

Fire Power Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 6%.

Rank 4
Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 8%.

Rank 5
Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 10%.

Passive

Combustion Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When activated, this spell causes each of your Fire damage spell hits to increase your critical strike chance with Fire damage spells by 10%. This effect lasts until you have caused 4 non-periodic critical strikes with Fire spells.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Frost

Frost Warding Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the Armor and resistance given by your Frost Armor and Ice Armor spells by 15%. In addition, gives your Frost Ward a 10% chance to reflect Frost spells and effects while active.

Rank 2
Increases the Armor and resistance given by your Frost Armor and Ice Armor spells by 30%. In addition, gives your Frost Ward a 20% chance to reflect Frost spells and effects while active.

Passive

Improved Frostbolt Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by 0.1 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by 0.2 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by 0.3 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by 0.4 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by 0.5 sec.

Passive

Elemental Precision Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Improves your chance to hit with Frost and Fire spells by 1%.

Rank 2
Improves your chance to hit with Frost and Fire spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Improves your chance to hit with Frost and Fire spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Improves your chance to hit with Frost and Fire spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Improves your chance to hit with Frost and Fire spells by 5%.

Passive

Ice Shards Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 20%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 40%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 60%.

Rank 4
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 80%.

Rank 5
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Frost spells by 100%.

Passive

Permafrost Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the duration of your Chill effects by 11% and reduces the target's speed by an additional 3%.

Rank 2
Increases the duration of your Chill effects by 22% and reduces the target's speed by an additional 7%.

Rank 3
Increases the duration of your Chill effects by 33% and reduces the target's speed by an additional 10%.

Passive

Improved Frost Nova Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Frost Nova spell by 2 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Frost Nova spell by 4 sec.

Passive

Frostbite Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives your Chill effects a 5% chance to Freeze the target for 5 sec.

Rank 2
Gives your Chill effects a 10% chance to Freeze the target for 5 sec.

Rank 3
Gives your Chill effects a 15% chance to Freeze the target for 5 sec.

Passive

Piercing Ice Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Frost spells by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Frost spells by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your Frost spells by 6%.

Passive

Frost Channeling Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the mana cost of your Frost spells by 5% and reduces the threat caused by your Frost spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Reduces the mana cost of your Frost spells by 10% and reduces the threat caused by your Frost spells by 20%.

Rank 3
Reduces the mana cost of your Frost spells by 15% and reduces the threat caused by your Frost spells by 30%.

Passive

Ice Lance Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Deals 28 to 32 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets.

45 Mana | 30 yd range | Instant

Improved Blizzard Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Adds a Chill effect to your Blizzard spell. This effect lowers the target's movement speed by 15% for 1.5 sec.

Rank 2
Adds a Chill effect to your Blizzard spell. This effect lowers the target's movement speed by 25% for 1.5 sec.

Rank 3
Adds a Chill effect to your Blizzard spell. This effect lowers the target's movement speed by 40% for 1.5 sec.

Passive

Arctic Reach Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the range of your Frostbolt and Blizzard spells and the radius of your Frost Nova and Cone of Cold spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the range of your Frostbolt and Blizzard spells and the radius of your Frost Nova and Cone of Cold spells by 20%.

Passive

Ice Block Maximum rank 1

Rank 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.

15 Mana | Instant | 5 min cooldown

Shatter Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of all your spells against Frozen targets by 17%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of all your spells against Frozen targets by 33%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of all your spells against Frozen targets by 50%.

Passive

Improved Cone of Cold Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage dealt by your Cone of Cold spell by 12%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage dealt by your Cone of Cold spell by 23%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage dealt by your Cone of Cold spell by 35%.

Passive

Cold Snap Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Finishes the remaining cooldown on all your other Frost spells.

Instant | 10 min cooldown

Fingers of Frost Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Gives your Chill effects a 15% chance to grant you the Fingers of Frost effect, which treats your next 1 spell cast as if the target were Frozen. Lasts 15 sec.

Rank 2
Gives your Chill effects a 15% chance to grant you the Fingers of Frost effect, which treats your next 2 spells cast as if the target were Frozen. Lasts 15 sec.

Passive

Winter's Chill Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Gives your Frost damage spells a 20% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the chance your Ice Lance and Frostbolt spells will critically hit the target by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 1 times.

Rank 2
Gives your Frost damage spells a 40% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the chance your Ice Lance and Frostbolt spells will critically hit the target by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 2 times.

Rank 3
Gives your Frost damage spells a 60% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the chance your Ice Lance and Frostbolt spells will critically hit the target by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 3 times.

Rank 4
Gives your Frost damage spells a 80% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the chance your Ice Lance and Frostbolt spells will critically hit the target by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 4 times.

Rank 5
Gives your Frost damage spells a 100% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the chance your Ice Lance and Frostbolt spells will critically hit the target by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times.

Passive

Ice Barrier Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Instantly shields you, absorbing 447 damage. Lasts 1 min. While the shield holds, your spellcasts will not be interrupted or delayed from taking damage.

305 Mana | Instant | 30 sec cooldown

Blizzard kiting and pack cohesion

Improved Blizzard adds a Chill to Blizzard. At rank 3 it slows by 40% for 1.5 seconds, compared with the familiar 65% slow in original Classic. Leave more distance before you channel: a pack moving faster toward you gives less time to finish than the old slow did.

Permafrost extends Chill duration and increases its slowing effect. Arctic Reach extends Blizzard's range and the radius of Frost Nova and Cone of Cold. Use the extra reach to start from a safer position, and keep the retreat path clear before you begin. These talents do not let you stand still once the leading enemy has reached you.

Keep the pack tight enough for Blizzard to hit it together. Frostbite can freeze one enemy while the others keep moving, leaving the stopped mob behind your next damage area. If your solo pulls depend on moving a compact pack through repeated Blizzards, choose Permafrost and planned roots over adding random Frostbite roots. Frostbite is easier to use well when one pursuer, rather than a synchronized pack, is the problem.

In a dungeon, let the tank gather the pack and establish threat before channeling. Aim where enemies are being held, with controlled targets outside the area. If one enemy escapes the slow or starts running toward you, stop and reposition rather than finish the channel at the cost of taking several melee hits.

Cone of Cold can slow enemies in front of you while dealing immediate damage, but you must face the pack and be close enough to hit it. Use it when enemies are already coming to you; do not move through the front of a dangerous pack just to add a cast. A missed cone leaves you close to enemies without the slow you planned to retreat behind.

Choose Barrier, Block or a Cold Snap reset

Ice Barrier absorbs damage and keeps damage from interrupting or delaying your spellcasts while the shield holds. Use it before expected incoming hits to protect the casts you are about to make. It lasts up to a minute and has a 30-second cooldown, but the shield can be consumed earlier. Check whether it is still active rather than assuming the duration guarantees protection.

Ice Block protects you from physical attacks and spells for up to ten seconds, but you cannot attack, move or cast during it. Use it when you need to survive damage that you cannot safely take. If you only need to move out of danger, a movement or control tool lets you leave instead of sitting there in Block.

Cold Snap finishes the remaining cooldown on your other Frost spells. Before using it, decide which second cast the pull needs: another Frost Nova to regain distance, another Barrier to absorb incoming damage, or a restored defensive for a dangerous moment. Its ten-minute cooldown makes spending it on an unnecessary extra Cone of Cold costly if you then need a second escape.

In PvP, Barrier protects against damage pushback, not an opponent's interrupt ability or silence. Use spacing and control to make a Frostbolt cast safe even while shielded. Block prevents your own actions as well as enemy damage, so give teammates time to reposition or cover you rather than expect it to deal with the attacker by itself.

Damage talents, control points and prerequisites

Improved Frostbolt shortens your repeated Frostbolt casts, Piercing Ice increases Frost spell damage, and Ice Shards increases the critical strike damage bonus of Frost spells. At rank 5, Ice Shards increases that bonus by 100%; it does not double the entire critical hit. These talents strengthen damage even when a target cannot be held in a root.

Shatter needs a Frozen target or an applicable Fingers of Frost proc to add crit chance. Fingers of Frost requires Ice Lance, and Ice Barrier requires Cold Snap. Keep those routes intact when deciding how many points to spend on damage versus control and defense.

For solo melee enemies, Improved Frost Nova gives you the root more often, and Frostbite can add unplanned chances to escape or attack a Frozen target. For grouped Blizzard pulls, Improved Blizzard, Permafrost and Arctic Reach support the channel and retreat. Improved Cone of Cold improves the cone's damage. Choose it for a harder hit, not a longer slow.

Outside Frost, Arcane Concentration can save mana on a damage spell, while Incineration adds crit chance to Ice Lance but not Frostbolt. Their benefits differ from more Frost damage: Clearcasting helps you afford the next cast, whereas Incineration favors one of your attacks. Do not spend points for a Frostbolt crit bonus that Incineration does not provide.

A Classic Arcane Power/Frost build cannot simply add Fingers of Frost to its old plan. Arcane Power requires at least 31 Arcane points; the first point of Fingers of Frost requires at least 21 Frost points. That is one point beyond Forever's 51-point budget. Compare those two damage choices rather than planning both. The Classic comparison and removed-talent list stay on the parent page.

Mana, threat and repeated dungeon pulls

Frost Channeling reduces both Frost mana costs and Frost threat. At rank 3, those reductions are 15% mana cost and 30% threat. That helps you sustain Frostbolt casts and Frost AoE, but the reduced threat still requires a tank to establish control before you hit the whole pack.

A Fire Blast used to finish a target does not receive Frost Channeling's benefits. Neither does Arcane Explosion used at close range. Check the school's threat support before replacing a controlled Frost pull with repeated off-school instant attacks.

Use Mage Armor's casting regeneration when sustained mana is the problem; Frost Armor or Ice Armor serves a different defensive purpose when enemies are hitting you. Only one armor spell can be active. If melee hits keep forcing you to shield or escape, fix the distance and control before judging the pull solely by how much mana your attacks cost.

Save enough mana to use your next root or defensive rather than spend everything finishing the last few enemies with Blizzard. Between pulls, drink while the group regains resources. In combat, Evocation needs a safe stationary window; rooting one attacker does not make the channel safe if another enemy is still free to hit you.

Frost hit, crit and survival gear

Elemental Precision supplies Fire and Frost hit, with 1% at rank 1. Arcane Focus only helps Arcane. Count the Frost talent you selected before comparing hit pieces, and do not treat a Fingers of Frost proc as a guarantee that the affected spell lands. A missed spell can lose both damage and the control you needed.

SP improves your damage without needing a crit. Crit works with Ice Shards, while Shatter adds crit chance only during its Frozen-target condition. A target you can keep rooted and a boss where you wait for procs do not offer the same number of Shatter casts, so avoid valuing every attack as though that bonus were always active.

Frost-only damage supports Frostbolt, Ice Lance and your Frost AoE. General spell damage also supports Fire and Arcane attacks you use between those casts. Compare the spells that lose damage on a school-specific gear swap, especially if off-school instant casts are a regular part of your solo or PvP play.

Intellect gives you more mana to get through a pull; Stamina helps you survive when control fails or an enemy reaches you before the next shield. Do not trade away so much health for a small damage gain that one failed root ends the pull. Shared hit and crit item stats do not turn weapon DPS or AP into Frost damage. The Mage gear overview covers weapon and healing-item changes, and Mage races covers racial escapes and recovery.

Frost Mage questions

Does Winter's Chill make Blizzard and Cone of Cold crit more often?

No. Winter's Chill names your Ice Lance and Frostbolt as the spells receiving its crit bonus. Its application trigger is broader Frost damage, but that does not broaden which spells benefit.

Does Arctic Reach increase Ice Lance range?

No. Arctic Reach names Frostbolt and Blizzard range, plus Frost Nova and Cone of Cold radius. It does not name Ice Lance. If you cast Frostbolt from extended range, check that you can reach the target with Lance before planning it as the follow-up.

Can rank-1 Fingers of Frost guarantee a Frostbolt and Ice Lance combo?

No. Rank 1 Fingers of Frost affects one spell cast. If you use it on Frostbolt, the following Ice Lance needs its own Frozen-target condition. An enemy still held in a root can provide that condition separately, but a root-immune enemy will not.

Should a solo Blizzard build always take Frostbite?

No. Frostbite can stop individual enemies while the rest of the pack keeps moving, splitting the group you wanted inside Blizzard. For tightly grouped kiting pulls, Permafrost, Improved Blizzard and planned Frost Nova use support more predictable movement. Frostbite is helpful when stopping an individual pursuer is the priority.

Does Ice Block let me move safely through a pack?

No. Ice Block prevents your own movement as well as attacking and casting. It can protect you while teammates regain control, but it does not move you to a safer position. Plan where you will go after it ends.

Frost Mage overview

The biggest changes from Classic

Frost Mage

Separate Chill, roots and Fingers of Frost

Choose Ice Lance or a casted Shatter spell

Build your own Winter's Chill while casting Frost damage

Use roots for peeling without losing control of the pull

Mage talent trees

Arcane

Fire

Frost

Blizzard kiting and pack cohesion

Choose Barrier, Block or a Cold Snap reset

Damage talents, control points and prerequisites

Mana, threat and repeated dungeon pulls

Frost hit, crit and survival gear

Frost Mage questions

Mage spec guides

Plan the rest of your character