Civilian

I can personally confirm that all the listed talents above do affect frostfire bolt except for

Ice shards

Frost channeling

Piercing ice

Not that they don't affect frostfire bolt, but that I haven't tested it.  Also, it's damage isn't anywhere near fireball spam, so it's not too wise in my opinion.

I believe Frostfire bolt is more of an ability for mages that do want to spec elemental and get the benefits of both trees into one spell, vs one or another.  It's purely a pvp 3 second spell.  I see no real viability of this spell in PvE.

On another note, Mirror image is super broken, it does retarded damage and it's gonna get a good hard swing from the nerf bat.  Currently, it mirrors a % of your current mana on cast and gives it to the image.  For example, say the spell only gives 30% of whatever mana you have to each copy.  If you have 300 mana, then each copy will only have 100 mana and the spell's useless.  It's better for opening dps increase (as it currently stands, I believe this will serve more as a pvp spell.  However, for the cost *360 mana I believe* it would suffice as a decent dps increase for almost no penalty.)

To give you an idea of how OP this is, I can cast mirror image at the start of a duel and pretty much just Ice block and let the images win for me.  I've seen them throw out over 15-20k damage in about 6 seconds, which is silly.  Not as silly as rogues are right now with their easily attainable 4k dps, but still silly nonetheless.

Also, it seems to appear that Hot Streak has an internal cooldown, making chain crits almost useless.  I also haven't been able to tell how critting with a pyroblast affects the talent, if it even does at all. 

I ran Naxx 10 man last night for a little bit into the early morning.  The trash is pretty ridiculously easy, but the bosses aren't so forgiving.  While you're decked out in PvP gear arena season 1 and honor season 1, it's not PvE gear!  Warriors with 8% dodge n *** aren't going to fly far, but you make do with what you got.  We downed instructor and cleared trash from 3 wings and got about 4-5 BoE epic drops, which are decent in and of themselves.  ALSO, a bit of a warning, Anub'Rekhan is going to be the nightbane of Naxx, it's not an easy fight (for anyone that remembers the joy of the spider wing in Pre-BC, it was like being shanked repeatedly with an olive fork. I hated that encounter)

Also, it appears that Patchwerk is a weee bit strong.  He hits pretty hard.... Like, a lot hard.  And attacks very fast.  Basically, I'm going to be running it just to clear trash and some of the easier bosses for some PvE loot to make the other encounters easier. 

 Here's a potential level 70 2/51/8 build that keeps Arcane Focus and Elemental Precision.. but loses Icy Veins.

Another fun spec to consider for the patch. You don't get living bomb, but after what I read, with only one mage being to apply it at a time, it would seem that the mage with highest fire damage getting that spot. However you get a few more toys out of arcane as well as fire 14/47/0. Another I think looking at again does not include living bomb but instead keeps the arcane side and adds icy veins 14/36/11. You will get a lower CD on icy veins but lose impowered fireball. However I think with arcane impact that becomes a minimal loss with the incorperation of IV.

Baps,

I'm totally boggled why you'd take 1/3 Piercing Ice over Icy Veins

Here's the cut n paste of my thread from my misposted other thread:

The earlier links in the thread are probably out of date.. I just fixed the one on this page, and it's working now. 

Ok then why Arcane Subtlety over Arcane Focus? Or does the "chance to hit" of AF only apply to Arcane Spells? If so the wording is deceiving.

I'm pretty sure it does only effect arcane spells for AF.  But I haven't taken a look at the patch notes in a bit.

I noticed a considerable improvement in dps between our two Naxx clears when I switched specs to a pure ffb spec with the appropriate glyphs.  I'm still looking for a glyph of molten armor but I don't think anyone in the guild can make it yet and I haven't yet found it on the AH.  I'm still finding hot streak difficult to use/notice at times, and I need to load up DoTimers for living bomb but otherwise I think this is a solid build.

EJ says 18/53/0 is also a good build which I'd like to try, particularly since it gives Arcane Focus, but I'm afraid it will have mana issues using fireball instead of ffb.

So I've started to do some homework (on Atlanis' behalf) and now have a better idea of where Mages sit at 80 but am left with a few questions.

What 'filler' talents are people taking beyond the required core for FFB (ie. flamethrowing, world in flames, master of elements, burning soul, improved blizzard, etc.) and why? Can someone also confirm that burning soul affects FFB, I understand that the two threat reduction talents (burning soul and frost channeling) do not stack however.

What mods are people using to watch their timers (LB, scorch), anything other than Scorchio2?

Also, if people have any suggestions as to what gear should be sought out, outside of raid instances (be it through quests, instances or rep) that are real gems (ie. Quag's Eye from TBC) that would be much appreciated.

The standard ffb dps build is linked in the post above.  For better or worse, there's really very little room for moving points around (maybe 1?) without sacrificing dps.  As far as I know, burning soul gives ffb pushback resistance but does not stack with the threat reduction of frost channeling (threat is very rarely an issue).

I have started using DoTimer to monitor LB.  I still monitor scorch manually.

As far as gear, there isn't much until blues and epics from heroic instances that will be upgrades for Atlanis.  There is a wand reward from Storm Peaks that is quite good, I'll try to find a link, and revered with Kirin'Tor has a very good blue MH.

One thing I have found useful is a combat text program that alerts me when hot streak is up.  Right now I'm using MSBT, I think SCT would also work but I haven't tried it recently.  That's all I can think of right now.

Let's talk a bit about AOE.  From what I'm reading the best AOE right now for the FFB build  is to Flamestrike and Blizzard while the dot ticks and then reapply flamestrike.

How have the mages been AOEing?

Oh and here's a good thread that talks about alot of simple mage things I wasn't aware of:

Simple Mage Thread

I linked directly to the middle of the thread where Manly lists out the best gear choices in his opinion for a mage including how to gem etc if you are a jewelcrafter.

Direct link to the gear post Gurruk mentioned above.

Post that describes the "perfect" FFB gear set

Gear Set with gem choices

Neck: have best in slot.
Shoulder: have best in slot.
Finger: Buy [Signet of the Kirin Tor] best in slot(s)
Trinket2: have 2 viable trinkets, 71 hit for flexibility.

Waist: Leash of Heedless Magic -- Obtained 12/22/08
Hands: Valorous Frostfire Gloves -- Obtained 12/22/08

Remaining Gear Plan by Instance:

Obisidian Sanctum 25
Wrist: Unsullied Cuffs - 2 drakes
Cloak: Pennant Cloak - 2 drakes
Trinket1: Illustration of the Dragon Soul - 2 drakes

Naxx 25
Weapon: The Turning Tide - KT
Ring: Signet of Manifested Pain - KT
Wrist: Bindings of the Expansive Mind - Raz, Gluth
Offhand: Surplus Limb - Patch, Gluth
Wand: Gemmed Wand of the Nerubians - A'R, Gluth
Chest: Heigan's Putrid Vestments - Heigan
Head: Gothik's Cowl - Gothik, Gluth
Feet: Boots of Impetuous Ideals - Loatheb, Gluth



Remaining Gear Plan by upgrade amount:

Head: Gothik's Cowl - Gothik, Gluth
Cloak: Pennant Cloak - 2 drakes
Weapon: The Turning Tide - KT
Ring: Signet of Manifested Pain - KT
Wrist: Unsullied Cuffs - 2 drakes
Wand: Gemmed Wand of the Nerubians - A'R, Gluth
Chest: Heigan's Putrid Vestments - Heigan
Feet: Boots of Impetuous Ideals - Loatheb, Gluth
Offhand: Surplus Limb - Patch, Gluth
Trinket1: Illustration of the Dragon Soul - 2 drakes
Wrist: Bindings of the Expansive Mind - Raz, Gluth