https://www.altered-time.com/forum/view ... f=5&t=3635
Before you read further please note the following items:
- Information listed in this post are based around a T19M profile (ilvl 880).
The apl provided will not include any optimizations for Multi-target Encounters.
This spec will most likely be nerfed if there is a lot of really high parses.
If you decide to gear, spec, and gain Artifact Power for this spec you are doing so at your own risk.
Well then this is just the spec for you!
- Spec Overview
Talent Setup
Ability Priority List
Suggested Generic Stats
Artifact Traits
SimC Profile
Suggested Trinkets
Suggested Legendaries
Potions
T19M Sim Comparison
PTR 7.1.5
With the theatrics and disclaimers out of the way, lets be very clear as to what a Glacial Spike build does. It casts Frostbolt to build Icicles. These icicles damage specifically contributes to Glacial Spike's damage. Icicle damage is directly related to Frostbolt Damage Done, the player's Mastery, Talents that effect Icicle damage, and Artifact traits that effect Icicle damage. While the main rotation of the build consists mostly of Frost Bolt into Glacial Spike, there are other spells cast because of their Damage Per Execute Time. This spec should excel at Single Target and 2T Cleave. This spec will most likely not excel on ranged 2T encounters (Dragons) or any Multitarget Encounters (Eviltree).
Talent Setup
Tier 1 : Level 15
- Bone Chilling is a good talent. It's the most consistent dps increase.
- Lonely Winter is a good talent. And certain breakpoints, like the current apl, it will be the best talent. Sim yourself for this tier.
- Ray of Frost is a gigantic dps lost. It doesn't create icicles. It doesn't buff icicles. It doesn't make Glacial Spike do more damage. It doesn't make you cast more Glacial Spike. Don't take it with this build.
- Shimmer is the only talent in this tree possible of DPS gains. I don't recommend it for DPS, but you can manipulate Flurry's shatter window with shimmer to get spells to shatter crit with it. Outside of that, just like every other mage spec Shimmer is the goto talent. Being able to cast while casting is insane value for this ability.
- Cauterize if you like Cauterize take it. I'm not a fan. May be worthwhile on Cenarius. Glacial Spike on Cenarius can easily kill you.
- Cold Snap if you like it take it. I don't see a point for it.
- Mirror Image is a dps lost and only use I'm aware of is threat drop.
- Rune of Power is the goto talent and probably performs better than the SimC profile expects.
- Incanter's Flow is a dps loss, but can be a worthwhile talent on heavy movement fights. (approximately ~2% dps loss from an unoptimized Rune of Power Profile)
- Ice Nova is a dps loss, and doesn't provide a strong utility.
- Frozen Touch is a dps loss, we don't cast Ice Lance often enough for it to be good.
- Splitting Ice is the goto talent. It increase Icicle damage (good) and it allows Glacial Spike to cleave (great)
- Ice Floes is the goto talent. Movement good.
- Ring of Frost nope.
- Ice Ward nope.
- Frost Bomb is a dps loss. You do not cast Ice Lance enough for this to be a dps increase.
- Unstable Magic is a crappy talent, but it's a dps increase and is passive.
- Arctic Gale is the talent to be used with 3+ talents or if you have Flurry Belt (I think, haven't simmed it with flurry belt)
- Thermal Void is not the ability in the title.
- Glacial Spike is big dick dps.
- Comet Storm is not the ability in the title.
NOTE: this is ripped directly from the SimC profile, it is probably not the most optimized Ability Priority List
- Icy Veins on Cooldown with a Rune of Power
- Rune of Power needs to be cast as much as possible, but you specifically want to line it up with Icy Veins and Bloodlust
- If you took Mirror Image cast it on Cooldown
- Blizzard if you have the Zann'esu Journey Belt and the buff is at 5 stacks It is currently not worth blizzarding even with the legendary, or so it appears.
- Flurry if Brain Freeze Procs outside of Rune of Power
- Frozen Orb on Cooldown outside of Rune of Power
- Ice Lance if and only if you have greater than 1 stack of Chain Reaction (Artifact Trait buff) and a Fingers of Frost Proc (or right after a Flurry)
- Glacial Spike when available (preferably within Rune of Power)
- Frostbolt
- Mastery has shown to be the stronger overall stat for this spec
Crit has shown to be the second strongest stat for this spec
Vers, Int and Haste are fairly equal.
NOTE: There are extremely strange thresholds for stats. Always sim your self for your own stat priority
Artifact Traits
13 Traits
Mastery Build
Pastebin : http://pastebin.com/8dy37Nzc
Code: Select all
mage="Mastery_GS_T19M_HF"
level=110
race=dwarf
role=spell
position=back
talents=2123122
artifact=53:142186:133070:142186:0:783:1:784:6:785:3:786:3:787:3:788:3:789:3:791:3:792:3:793:1:794:1:795:1:796:1:797:1:798:1:1296:1
spec=frost
# This default action priority list is automatically created based on your character.
# It is a attempt to provide you with a action list that is both simple and practicable,
# while resulting in a meaningful and good simulation. It may not result in the absolutely highest possible dps.
# Feel free to edit, adapt and improve it to your own needs.
# SimulationCraft is always looking for updates and improvements to the default action lists.
# Executed before combat begins. Accepts non-harmful actions only.
actions.precombat=flask,type=flask_of_the_whispered_pact
actions.precombat+=/food,type=nightborne_delicacy_platter
actions.precombat+=/augmentation,type=defiled
actions.precombat+=/water_elemental
actions.precombat+=/snapshot_stats
actions.precombat+=/mirror_image
actions.precombat+=/potion,name=potion_of_prolonged_power
actions.precombat+=/frostbolt
# Executed every time the actor is available.
actions=counterspell,if=target.debuff.casting.react
actions+=/time_warp,if=(time=0&buff.bloodlust.down)|(buff.bloodlust.down&equipped.132410)
actions+=/call_action_list,name=cooldowns
actions+=/flurry,if=buff.brain_freeze.react&prev_gcd.frostbolt
actions+=/blizzard,if=buff.zannesu_journey.stack>4|buff.zannesu_journey.remains<cast_time+1&equipped.133970
actions+=/ice_lance,if=buff.fingers_of_frost.react>0&buff.chain_reaction.react>2&(equipped.138140|equipped.132411)
actions+=/ice_lance,if=buff.fingers_of_frost.react>0&buff.chain_reaction.react>1&buff.rune_of_power.down
actions+=/frozen_orb,if=buff.rune_of_power.down
actions+=/glacial_spike
#actions+=/frozen_orb
actions+=/frostbolt
actions.cooldowns=rune_of_power,if=cooldown.icy_veins.remains<cast_time|charges_fractional>1.7&cooldown.icy_veins.remains>38|buff.icy_veins.up|target.time_to_die.remains+5<charges_fractional*22
actions.cooldowns+=/icy_veins,if=buff.icy_veins.down
actions.cooldowns+=/mirror_image
actions.cooldowns+=/use_item,slot=neck
actions.cooldowns+=/use_item,slot=trinket2
actions.cooldowns+=/blood_fury
actions.cooldowns+=/berserking
actions.cooldowns+=/arcane_torrent
actions.cooldowns+=/potion,name=potion_of_prolonged_power,if=cooldown.icy_veins.remains<5
head=hood_of_darkened_visions,id=139189,bonus_id=1806
neck=sorcerous_shadowruby_pendant,id=130233,bonus_id=1758/689/601/669,stats=1300mastery_500crit,gems=150mastery,enchant=mark_of_the_hidden_satyr,ilevel=855
shoulders=ancient_dreamwoven_mantle,id=139191,bonus_id=1502/1807
back=gossamer-spun_greatcloak,id=138221,bonus_id=1502,enchant=binding_of_intellect
chest=maddening_robe_of_secrets,id=139193,bonus_id=1806
wrists=ragged_fur_wristwraps,id=139196,bonus_id=1806
hands=oiled_riggers_handwraps,id=142429,bonus_id=1502
waist=cinch_of_light,id=142411,bonus_id=3469
legs=ragged_horrorweave_leggings,id=139190,bonus_id=1806
feet=crimson_woollined_slippers,id=139195,bonus_id=1806
finger1=mindrend_band,id=138220,bonus_id=1806,enchant=binding_of_mastery
finger2=shard_of_the_exodar,gems=150mastery,id=132410,enchant_id=5429
trinket1=,id=141482,bonus_id=1492
trinket2=,id=142166
main_hand=ebonchill,id=128862,ilevel=906
Suggested Trinkets
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Above is a trinket sim done by user Rikx
Int/Mastery or Stat stick trinket seem to be really strong with this build. But as you can see trinkets like Spiked Tongue can be at times good. Please always sim to confirm if a trinket is an upgraded.
Suggested Legendaries
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Potions
You will use Potion of Prolonged Power. Not enough actions to make the most out of Deadly Grace.
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Profile Sim Damage comparisons with TV Frost
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PTR 7.1.5 and what that means for GS Frost
So let's start of with the big question. Is GS Frost viable on PTR? The answer: It has a large delta than it does currently with Thermal Void frost in Sims. As for actual parses I'm not certain. TV Frost doesn't parse it's sim dps. Which means the luckiest of lucky people aren't really meeting sim expectations consistently. GS Frost isn't meeting the Sim Maximums but Lucky individuals are definitely meeting the averages from SimC. [NOTE: this info is based on pre-ptr parses etc]. GS hasn't been 'gutted' or anything extreme. It's simply less potent. But it's always been the less optimal build as it was. There are more PTR 715 builds to go as of this writing, but I don't think it's going to get stronger. With that said, Paragon points should greatly assist GS more than TV due to double dipping, but I'm not sure it's comparatively enough. As stated when the post was created, if you choose to play and gear for GS Frost you are doing so at your own risk.
Changelog
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12/15/16 0252 EST : Updated post with information found since november as well as ptr notes
11/5/16 1639 EST : Updated charts
11/5/16 1534 EST : Updated Talent section with new APL finds.
11/5/16 1515 EST : Updated Mastery APL with Hellfreeze's apl
11/3/16 1918 EST : Updates Sugessted Stats section to reflect there is no hardlined Ratios between Mastery and Crit that have been mathed out with GS Spec.
11/3/16 1732 EST : Gussied up the APLs so that they're easier to switch gear with the addon output.
11/3/16 1725 EST : Updated Artifact Trait Path for better optimization
11/3/16 1544 EST : Updated DPS Comparison charts, Frost T19M was using Shard instead of Gloves for the legendary
11/3/16 1443 EST : Modified apl to add in Ice Lances for Frost Wrists and Icy Veins Gloves as well as added Legendary Comparison Chart
11/3/16 1404 EST : Added DPS Comparison sim
11/3/16 1315 EST : Added Potions and Artifact Traits section
11/3/16 1255 EST : remove Ice Lance at 3 CR stacks, is not a dps increase overall.
11/3/16 1307 EST : NOTE ON ABOVE CHANGE [ice lance changes very little]
11/3/16 1138 EST : Initial release