Breaktheice's WoD Frost Mage Guide (updated for 6.2)

[Elluminea]

So with t18 4set bonus Water Jet lasts for such a long time and Prismatic Crystal has not changed it seems that these should never be used together? Anywhere between 2-6 GCDs after crystal has been placed could be used on FoF/BF procs now that they stack so high. A short little 4 second water jet used to be squeezed in but the 14 second will be massively truncated.

[jimme]

Does anyone have a WA that shows duration left on the waterjet while it is active?

[Valounette]

Does anyone have a WA that shows duration left on the waterjet while it is active?

http://altered-time.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1814" target="_blank

[Breaktheice]

So with t18 4set bonus Water Jet lasts for such a long time and Prismatic Crystal has not changed it seems that these should never be used together? Anywhere between 2-6 GCDs after crystal has been placed could be used on FoF/BF procs now that they stack so high. A short little 4 second water jet used to be squeezed in but the 14 second will be massively truncated.

Water Jet into a PC is something that you never want to do, short or long In most cases, Water Jet is used prior to a PC in order to use the procs into the PC.

Updated the OP a little, especially the 4 PC Water Jet section. Lance on!

[Breaktheice]

Updated OP: there is now a short video showing 4 PC + Archie trinket Water Jet use and weaving. Also fixed a Comet Storm diagram that was driving me crazy.

For anyone interested, the 4 PC Water Jet + Archie trinket video:



Lance on

[Tuckletuts]

I'm curious:
Your guide states that Frost Bomb is the strongest talent (Kuni's says UM/IN). Is this still true with the Archi trinket and 4pc T18? I'm kind of wondering if it's worth taking on a boss like Iskar and Xul where there's some sustained AoE situations.

Assuming it is still worth taking, how does it work with 4pc - Do you put FBomb up before starting WJ and reapply it when it runs out (about the same time WJ will) then use your 4 shatterlances, or is it the case where it's better to only put it on once you get your 4 FoF procs?

[Breaktheice]

I updated this a while back:

It is worth noting that in WoD, Tier bonuses can heavily favor some talent choices over others. If you possess the Tier 17 4 piece, Frost Bomb outpaces both Unstable Magic and Ice Nova heavily. Similarly, if you possess the Tier 18 4 piece bonus, Frost Bomb once again starts to out pace Unstable Magic and Ice Nova. If however, you possess the Tier 18 class trinket (from Archimonde, called Tome of Shifting Words), then Unstable Magic will become your go-to talent in this talent tier in almost all cases regardless of whether or not you possess any other tier bonus.

From all my personal testing as well, Frost Bomb falls slightly behind Unstable Magic when Archie trinket kicks in. This for me happens even with a Normal Archie trinket. The value UM gains is via the weaving itself; there are intentional Frostbolt casts in between the Ice Lances.

Worth noting that Ice Nova never simmed that high, and was behind Frost Bomb even in Highmaul testing. That said, it's an incredible utility talent on fights like HFA, Killrogg, etc. and I can see it working on Iskar as well. Kuni is not wrong in saying that it's a go-to, as most fights tend to favor either UM or IN once you get the Archie trinket.

[Frosted]

UM also gained a LOT of strength from the +20% buffs to both FB/FFB in the patch.

[sherndy]

forgive me if it has been already brought up by somebody else, I looked for it but couldn't find. I would sim it but i have little to no knowledge on how to.

on a water jet during IV using TV is it worth to skip BF procs in order to get one or two extra FoF procs to, theoretically reach one more water jet with IV still on?
like a 50s+ IV. wj->iv->orb->WJ->wj->iv ends
to skip FFB on the capital WJ is a dps gain?
I've done some testing on 2/3 targets and the amount of FoF procs I get from the orb seems to make it possible on non-st scenarios.

edit: without archi trink, assuming you'll rng enough to nearly spam fof'd lances during the orb

[masteryogurt]

Thank you for the great guide. I'd like to confirm something.

With 4pc, I get that you shouldn't frost bomb without 4 FoF procs.

But what about in the case of FO or water jet coming off cd? Because in the guide for cases without 4pc, you say to cast FB in the cases those are about to come off CD. Is that still the case with 4pc?

[masteryogurt]

Other 4pc question I had regarding your guide is...for TV and water jet, is the 3FoF+1BF=cast frostfire and immediately then ice lance still true?

Wondering if the fact that icy veins is ticking and interacting with thermal void, makes it more of a priority to cast frost bolt into target with water jet, then the above condition.

[Frosted]

You would never want to BF -> IL unless your FoF is going to expire if you're using Tome, which I'm assuming you are.

[masteryogurt]

Oh, I've misunderstood then. With thermal void, I would have thought at least to hit frostfire when at 2 stacks. I suppose not.?

[Frosted]

if you have 2 stacks, then you've just FB'd, and there is no risk of munching because you're about to IL. So you FB (procs 2nd BF stack) -> IL (complete lance weave) -> BF (down to 1xBF) -> continue lance weave.

The buff from shatterlance(Tome trinket) only lasts 0.9s after FB. You must immediately use IL after FB, or it will not be buffed.

[Soulsink]

Sup guys,

I'm tying myself in knots trying to figure out what's optimum when using 4-set, class trinket and Prophecy'.

Specifically I'm referring to when using Water Jet and Mark of Doom then procs. Do I burn my FoF procs to take advantage of Mark of Doom (essentially losing out on buffed IL's via weaving) or do I continue with my normal FB weaving and, further to that, do I use non-FoF IL's when Mark of Doom is up?

Case in point is during my opener: normally, without Prophecy', I'd pre-pot at 3s, FB > WJ > FB to 4 x FoF > IV, and then weave until my FoF procs run out after which I use FO, weave, and WJ is usually available again. Mark of Doom generally always procs early in my opener and while the initial burst I can generate from burning all my FoF procs on it is nice, I'm not sure if this adds up to an overall DPS gain over the long haul. This situation comes up regularly throughout an encounter, except I don't have IV to take into account when it's not available.

If this has been answered elsewhere I'd appreciate a link: the PoF mega thread is heavily skewed for Arcane...

[Frosted]

No, ignore MoD procs basically.

[masteryogurt]

Following the guide instructions about water jet and 4pc, does thermal void/icy veins change the rotation in various ways? Prioritizing elongating icy veins?
For example, if I have FB as a talent and icy veins is running out on me, but I have 4 FoF with no frost bomb applied. Rotation instructions would say...well you need FB on target when you hit 4 FoF. However, it would also seem wrong to let icy veins expire when I could dump 4 ice lance into it.

I guess the clearer question is how much of a dps increase is it to elongate icy veins over changing aspects of the normal rotation.

[frank161616]

Hi~ want to ask 2 question. With 4T18+mage trinket~UM+TV...

I cast IL(with FoF) after every frostbolt~
My FoF sometimes at 1~2 stacks....and the next Jet can be used.
So should I use Frozen orb on CD? I'am afraid it will waste some FoF :O

the next is should I delay IV to go with the ring? or just use as usual thanks!

[Frosted]

Following the guide instructions about water jet and 4pc, does thermal void/icy veins change the rotation in various ways? Prioritizing elongating icy veins?
For example, if I have FB as a talent and icy veins is running out on me, but I have 4 FoF with no frost bomb applied. Rotation instructions would say...well you need FB on target when you hit 4 FoF. However, it would also seem wrong to let icy veins expire when I could dump 4 ice lance into it.

I guess the clearer question is how much of a dps increase is it to elongate icy veins over changing aspects of the normal rotation.

Why are you waiting until 4xFoF to Fbomb?

No, TV doesn't change how you want to weave. In the end it's worth more DPS to get additional shatterlance buffed ILs than it is to get more Fbomb explosions (on single target).

[Frosted]

Hi~ want to ask 2 question. With 4T18+mage trinket~UM+TV...

I cast IL(with FoF) after every frostbolt~
My FoF sometimes at 1~2 stacks....and the next Jet can be used.
So should I use Frozen orb on CD? I'am afraid it will waste some FoF :O

the next is should I delay IV to go with the ring? or just use as usual thanks!

WJ if you are not capped, delay WJ if you have FoF procs up and FO ticking. FO anytime you have 0 or 1 FoFs.

Dunno about the delay. Hard to say since normally the ring is used at times your raid needs DPS the most, in which case it's no longer a question of sustained average throughput, but when you need DPS. I delay it though for the ring.