I am PVE arcane. The first thing that came to mind for me was Evocation has gone back to longer cooldown now. When previously, I could afford to do it without mana gem glyph and mage armor glyph, now, I probably need to put mana gem glyph back if I am to remain arcane.

I have noticed definately a huge increase in DPS after I respecced to arcane post 3.0.8, up from FFB build. With this change, will it still make that much of difference in raid? I may go back to FFB for this week’s raid and then decide what I’m going to do with my mage’s build.

Arcane still has some benefits in my opinion. For example, 3% extra hit from talent means that I can get more SP/Haste/Crit from gear. Focus Magic means I can buff others and myself at the same time. However, with arcane power change, it kinds make C/D management more complicated than what it has already been since 3.0.8, on top of watching my mana pool, my mana gem cooldown and my evocation cooldown while running around avoiding certain bosses’ abilities and decursing. I was still able to maintain around 3800-4000 dps. But now, althought mana gem glyph got a buff, gaining around 1.5k more mana per 2 min. It is still a lot less than one extra evo every 2 min.

My main concern is really about mana in PvE. Mana was tight in 3.0.8 but I was able to barely manage it with 2-min C/D evocation. With Evo back to 4-min, I will definately be forced to cast more ABx1 + *spell* than ABx3 +”spell”, which will bring down my overall dps output.

Just ran a quick spreadsheet regarding the Arcane Power change. Although minor, the new arcane power change will result in lower dps than previously.

When counting acane power dps second by second, right from the get-go, 3.0.8 is ahead. It won’t be until the end of 3.0.9′s 3rd arcane power buff when the two matches, which is at 102 second. However, at 120, the next 3.0.8 arcane power starts again and jump ahead of 3.0.9. The next time 3.0.9 catches up and matches 3.0.8 is at the end of 6th 3.0.9 arcane power buff, at 228 second. Same thing happens again and the next time 3.0.9 can catch up is at 354 sec, and again at 480 sec.

What happens after 480, however, becomes really interesting because 3.0.9 never ever catches up 3.0.8 again anymore. 3.0.8 arcane power cooldown now lands directly on 3.0.9′s 3rd cooldown and jumps ahead before 3.0.9 can ever catch up.

To make long story short, wIthin 8 minutes, as long as your don’t miss any of the 12 arcane power that you have to hit without any delay in 3.0.9, you will get the same dps output at the end of 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th arcane power. If the fight ends before those 4 arcane power buffs, you will have less dps in 3.0.9. Since I don’t have a cpu implanted in my arcane power finger, I am pretty sure that my dps will be lower in 3.0.9 for that 1 second that I know I will miss to hit one of the 12 arcane power while managing other cooldowns and the fight itself.

Once the fight lasts for more than 8 minutes, you will definately output less dps in 3.0.9 than in 3.0.8.

At this point, I consider arcane power a nerf rather than a buff in 3.0.9.

Just found out that Evocation still has 2 min cooldown. It is good news then. That was what I concerned about the most.

I think its a mistake that they nerf Arcane. Even with the PvP burst, it was only bad vs under geared targets with 0 resil and less then 15K HP. Also the burst should be there since we have (as arcane) low survivability (compared to frost or other casters). When blizzard nerf us, what did they put in place? More survivability? NO. Nothing.

And under good conditions the burst is there, but who will let a mage stack 3 AB debuff in pvp? That is just insane. The class that needs to be nerf are DKs. Since i still get killed bad with 600 resil and 18k hp in a matter of seconds vs many classes. It really piss me off since I don’t want to spec frost for pvp. And lets not even talk about pve….bad nerf. End of story really.

Memnarch, you’re an idiot. Please support your thoughts with real numbers, not “lol he has 15khp 0 res I can kill him”, because really, you were destroying 18k-20khp targets with 500+ res.

You may say you have low survivability, but really, the mage class has the highest survivability; you just suck. Frost nova, mana shield now with a 1mp:1hp ratio (with talents), the bull shit talent magic absorbtion + mage armor for 120 resistance, iceblock, slow, impact proc > sheep… I could go on, but I think you now understand how many peels you had.

When Blizzard nerfed you, did you really expect them to put in more survivability? You wouldn’t have been nerfed in the first place if you had bad survivability. If you had bad survivability, then millions of people wouldn’t be complaining about your burst damage in the first place, because they could simply gib you. HOWEVER, as I mentioned above, you have a huge about of survivability abilities. USE THEM.

Also, you have this thing called a partner. He CCs target with stuns, counterspells, hex, I don’t care, and you can stack 3 AB debuffs. The only reason I think you don’t want to spec frost is because it actually takes a little more thought than pressing your PoM pyro macro and arcane barrage button.

an arcane mages only way to survive is to dish out as much damage (AP – PoM – Pyro (orwhatever)).. with the nerf going on, I cant see how arcane mages can DPS that amount of damage to survive.

You may say you have low survivability, but really, the mage class has the highest survivability; you just suck. Frost nova, mana shield now with a 1mp:1hp ratio (with talents), the bull shit talent magic absorbtion + mage armor for 120 resistance, iceblock, slow, impact proc > sheep… I could go on, but I think you now understand how many peels you had.

Frost nova? trinket. Mana shield 1mp:1hp? What happens if the mages run out of mana?… magic absorb is an ok, but who in the world would pvp with mage armor on? Ice block? mass dispell. Slow? dispell, spam slow? the mage would just be wasting his time. Impact proc? 2 second stun. Sheep? umm trinket? dispel?

When Blizzard nerfed you, did you really expect them to put in more survivability? You wouldn’t have been nerfed in the first place if you had bad survivability. If you had bad survivability, then millions of people wouldn’t be complaining about your burst damage in the first place, because they could simply gib you. HOWEVER, as I mentioned above, you have a huge about of survivability abilities. USE THEM.

people complained about our damage just like you, obviously you haven’t played an arcane mage before, notice how we have a weak spot every time we have our AP POM on CD? what happens if you resist our AP POM Pyro? What happens if someone smart unlike you, would use his skills to prevent us using AP PoM? How? Magic Reflect (proct warrs), Purge (Shaman), Dispel, Mass Dispel (Priest), Deterence or what ever you call it that reflects any spell damage in front of the hunter (Hunter), Bubble (Pally), Devour Magic, Void Shield or just spam fear and death coil, dot and run away (Warlock), Anti magic zone/shell (DK). Ice block, Steal Spell, Counter Spell (talented) and wtfpwn before silence fades.

Also, you have this thing called a partner. He CCs target with stuns, counterspells, hex, I don’t care, and you can stack 3 AB debuffs. The only reason I think you don’t want to spec frost is because it actually takes a little more thought than pressing your PoM pyro macro and arcane barrage button.

and your partner can? shield?, instant heal?, sheep,hex,stun the mage? And sorry to say, any pro, would know if lets say 2vs2, a mage with a healer, ANY PRO PVPER would know that the mage would only pom ap pyro AB for opening or finishing. It is possible to purge a marco’ed AP POM PYRO AB mage, you just need to learn more about the mage. Even if he succeeds in doing AP POM Pyro what if the target resist? i dont know.. fire aura? DK frost aura?

but then again, how would you know “lol” youre just one of the people that sits in front of their computers, mindlessly pvp and thinks youre the best until you meet an arc mage wtfpwning you then complaining to blizz until they get nerfed.

“you were destroying 18k-20khp targets with 500+ res.”

now youre exaggerating.. killing 500+ res.. in seconds? that wasn’t the case. and no one smart was standing there waiting for a 3 stack of AB packakes.

ok the thing i have noticed that is an issue with the way recount calulates its dps number is messed up. i useually run 25 naxx with 3 arcane mages and i am the only ffb. i am top of the dmg meter and they are top of the dps meter. i think this is because it takes into account my dots and averages there dps with my other spells. i have also noticed that i will reset my meter then do one fight and the current fight dps will be different than the overall. and no my dots are not carrying over into another (fight). i tested this by ending my run with some frostbolts so it did not run over. anyway the mages in my guild keep posting dps meters and i have to keep telling then that dmg> dps with regards to recount ever if they should be simmular.