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Mage

Three schools, one sheep, and water for the whole party

Mages hit hard from a distance, but a couple of hits can bring them down. The entire class revolves around one habit: freeze, move away, finish the target. They turn extra enemies into sheep, conjure their own food and water, and teleport to a capital from level 20. In WoW Forever, Mages have new talents, weaker AoE leveling, and a beta forum debate: some players think they are too strong, while others complain they spend all their time out of mana.

Caster

Mage PvP

Level 60 builds with every talent explained, combos and a plan for every matchup, duels, battlegrounds and world PvP.

PvP · Mage51 min read · builds and every matchupOpen guide

Start leveling

Step-by-step routes: where to go, which quests to pick up, when to enter dungeons, talents and addons.

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Level 1–30 routes · quests, gear and talents · guides in Russian

An apprentice of Dalaran

Priests draw power from the Light, Shamans bargain with the elements, and Mages learn their magic from books. They pay for it with fragility: cloth armor, little health, and no healing beyond bandages. Their only early defense is Frost Armor, which slows enemies that hit them.

In return, Mages have three schools of magic. Frost slows enemies and holds them in place, Fire delivers big critical hits, and Arcane hits hard but burns through mana quickly. Blizzard says it wants the schools to feel distinct in Forever, encouraging Mages to choose spells to suit the situation.

The home of Magecraft is Dalaran and the Kirin Tor, whose ranks once included Kel'Thuzad before he took up necromancy. Undead Mages study in the Magic Quarter of Undercity. Cloth for their class robe comes from Dalaran Mages near Ambermill in Silverpine Forest.

Freeze, move away, finish

Distance defines every Mage fight. Frostbolt hits from range and slows the mob; a second bolt lands while it approaches, leaving it half dead by the time it reaches you. If it gets close, use Frost Nova: it roots the mob for 8 seconds. Move about ten steps away and resume casting, keeping your distance because damage can break the freeze. This is kiting, the Mage's essential technique.

You can take a second mob out of the fight: Polymorph works on beasts and humanoids, leaving the target wandering around as a sheep for 20 seconds. Sheep regenerate health quickly, so finish the first enemy before returning to it. A third mob while Frost Nova is on cooldown usually means a corpse run.

Mana regeneration stops for five seconds after each spell. Finish the last mob with a wand instead of another bolt: it attacks at range without spending mana, and you can equip one from level 5. Mages conjure their own food and water for free: Conjure Water at level 4 and Conjure Food at 6. Conjured items disappear if you log out for more than 15 minutes.

Leveling 1–30: Frost, a wand, and level 20

Almost every beta guide recommends Frost for leveling. Until level 20, that means Frostbolt and a wand. Before level 15, mana runs out after one or two mobs because there is almost no spell-power gear available.

At level 20, with 11 points in Frost, you can take Ice Lance. It is instant, has no cooldown, and deals 200% more damage to frozen targets. The sequence is simple: Frost Nova, step back, then cast Ice Lance repeatedly while the freeze holds. By level 27, Shatter adds 50% critical strike chance against frozen targets, making roughly every other lance a critical hit.

Fire hits harder per cast, but spends a lot of mana and cannot hold a mob in place. Arcane with a wand uses the least mana, but mobs reach you more often.

Level 20 is the Mage's big milestone, so save your money beforehand. Trainers offer Blink, Blizzard, Evocation, and capital teleports at once. Blink moves you 20 yards forward and removes stuns and roots. Teleporting makes trainer visits convenient; Horde Mages get Teleport: Orgrimmar, with a 10-second cast and one Rune of Teleportation as the reagent. Be careful with Blink: every Mage has managed to jump into another pack or off a cliff in Thousand Needles.

AoE leveling is more demanding. Blizzard explicitly said it does not want to help gold farmers and boosters, and weakened the relevant spells: Cone of Cold now slows by 40% for 6 seconds instead of 50% for 8, while Improved Blizzard caps at 40% instead of 65%. The old AoE sequence still works - Frost Nova, move away, Blizzard - but start with two or three melee mobs.

Dungeons and raids: sheep, water, and AoE after the tank

Mages have three jobs in a party. First, crowd control: agree on your Polymorph target before the pull, usually the moon-marked enemy. Avoid AoE near the sheep because any damage breaks it, and remember that only beasts and humanoids can be transformed.

Second, AoE damage. Arcane Explosion and Blizzard work well against packs, but only after the tank has hit them a few times. Third, water: every Mage has heard 'water please!', so conjure a stack for everyone before entering.

Mages also remove curses from the party and interrupt enemy healers with Remove Lesser Curse and Counterspell. Cast Arcane Intellect on each player separately; it now lasts a full hour instead of Classic's half hour. If a mob runs toward you, move toward the tank, not away. Use Frost Nova in a party only as a last resort: it breaks Polymorph, and rooted mobs attack whoever is nearby, often the healer.

In Classic raids, Mages often lived on one button, Frostbolt, because many Molten Core enemies resist Fire. Later, raid leaders assigned one Mage to maintain five stacks of Fire vulnerability on the boss for the other Fire Mages. That will not work in Forever: Ignite, Improved Scorch, and Winter's Chill now benefit only the Mage who applied them. The beta's level cap of 30 prevents raid testing for now.

PvP: fragile but dangerous

In PvP, Mages attack at range and die after one mistake. Kiting works just as it does against mobs: Frostbolt slows the enemy, and if a Warrior or Rogue reaches you, use Frost Nova and move away. With Shatter, roughly half your hits against frozen targets crit. Forever adds Ice Lance to that toolkit, and testers say it can kill in a couple of button presses.

If a Rogue opens from stealth and stuns you, Blink removes the stun and carries you 20 yards away. Frost Nova at your feet gives you even more room. Counterspell interrupts a cast and locks that school for 10 seconds, while Polymorph takes an enemy healer out of the fight.

Frost gains Ice Block at level 25: 10 seconds of immunity, available earlier than in Classic. At level 30, Cold Snap resets Frost spell cooldowns, but has its own 10-minute cooldown.

On battlegrounds, Mages provide control: freeze the flag carrier, cover a capture point with Blizzard, and sheep the healer. Testers report that the beta has one battleground open, the Darkspear Islands, from level 30.

Is Ice Lance too strong? On October 11, the US beta forum thread 'Nerf mages already' collected 445 replies in a day, while another thread asked for a 75% damage reduction. Other players point out that Mages are still fragile and one mistake sends them to the graveyard. On October 15, Blizzard reduced Ice Lance's frozen-target damage bonus from 300% to 200%.

What's new in Forever and what testers say

Talents have been redesigned, with additions in every school. Frost gained Ice Lance and Fingers of Frost, Arcane gained Arcane Blast and Missile Barrage, and Fire gained Improved Fire Blast and Heating Up, which does not yet have a Russian localized name.

Talents help with mana: Frost's Frost Channeling reduces spell costs by 15%, while Arcane's Arcane Meditation allows 50% of mana regeneration to continue while casting instead of 15%. Base damage is lower than in Classic, though: higher ranks of Fireball lost up to a third of their damage, and wands have not scaled with spell power since September 24.

The most mysterious addition is Comprehension, a minor skill exclusive to Mages. Scrolls drop from mobs, and you decipher them yourself with Comprehend Scroll. Blizzard has not explained their contents. Beta reports say YouTuber Farmerfarms found a rare scroll on his 119th attempt; combined with Baron Silverlaine's blade, it produced the Coldflame Saber. Forum users are already hoping for a battle mage.

Testers fall into two camps. Some think Mages are too strong because Cone of Cold, Frost Nova, and Ice Lance kill opponents before they can respond. Others complain that spells are weak and mana runs out after a couple of mobs, jokingly calling the game Drinkwatercraft. I think both sides have a point: at level 30, a Mage is strong while the mana lasts.

Is this your class?

Choose Mage if you enjoy thinking a step ahead: where to stand, whom to sheep, and where to Blink. In return, you get free food and water, a teleport to your capital, and Polymorph, which Blizzard itself calls one of the game's best crowd-control tools. Your party will love you, or at least keep asking for water.

There are drawbacks: you are fragile, have no healing, run out of mana first, and spend all your money on training at levels 20 and 30. The class's main rule is: do not pull a third mob while Frost Nova is on cooldown.

To get started, open the Undead Mage 1–30 leveling guide: it covers the entire journey from Deathknell to Thousand Needles, including class quests, teleports, wands, and four builds. The route will not fit an Orc, Troll, or Alliance character, but its talents, spells, and mana advice apply to everyone.

Frost Blast becomes trainable at level 24: a 1.5-second cast and a 40% slow, benefiting from Frostbolt talents. Use it for a quick slow instead of the old rank-one Frostbolt trick. Winter's Chill now empowers your next Cone of Cold, which consumes its stacks; Wowhead's datamined tooltip gives +40% Cone damage per stack, up to 5 stacks. The cone's first four targets receive an additional 10% slow and 3 extra seconds of slow duration. Firing a wand requires standing still for 0.5 seconds.

Mage races

Horde

UndeadWill of the Forsaken, Cannibalize, Touch of the Grave (new), Underwater BreathingWill of the Forsaken removes fear, sleep, and charm, but does not protect against repeated control or remove Scatter Shot. Cannibalize helps you recover between fights. Touch of the Grave has a 30% proc chance and a 25-second internal cooldown; Shadow spell power does not increase it.
OrcBlood Fury, Hardiness, Shatter Curse (new), SavageSavage adds 1% critical strike chance regardless of weapon. Blood Fury increases attack and spell power for 15 seconds and now has a 3-minute cooldown. Hardiness shortens stuns by 20%. Shatter Curse removes curses and banes and reduces magic damage taken by 5% for 8 seconds; it does not grant immunity to new curses.
TrollBerserking, Rapid Regeneration (new), Regeneration, Beast SlayingBerserking increases casting speed by 10% for 10 seconds, while Rapid Regeneration restores half your health over 6 seconds between fights. That is valuable for a Mage with no healing. Many guides recommend Troll for Horde Mages, although Blizzard is also revising their active racials.

Alliance

HumanWill to Survive (new), Ruthless, The Human Spirit, PerceptionRuthless grants 2% critical strike chance regardless of weapon. Will to Survive removes stuns once every 3 minutes, and Perception helps spot stealthed enemies. Since the October 15 patch, there is no reason to choose a sword for the racial bonus.
GnomeEureka! (new), Expansive Mind, Escape Artist, Engineering SpecializationEscape Artist instantly removes slows and roots and grants 3 seconds of immunity to them. Eureka! now lasts 8 seconds without a three-charge limit: affected abilities cost 10% less and are 10% stronger. For Priests, it also affects Power Word: Shield. Expansive Mind increases your resource pool by 5%.
Skyborne · High OrderRead Leyline, Wind Blessed, Elemental Insight, Walk on AirHigh Order Skyborne are Forever's new Mages. Beta reports say their island of Zephris is connected to Dalaran by airship. Read Leyline doubles health and mana regeneration for at least 30 seconds, or 15 minutes near a leyline. Wind Blessed grants 3% spell haste, while Walk on Air provides 10 seconds of gliding without the feathers required by Slow Fall. These offer little in combat but reduce downtime. This is a paid race. Since October 15, Walk on Air has a 90-second cooldown, and the racial regeneration or haste ability can be activated while moving.

Leveling builds

Talents for levels 10–30, matching the beta cap. We will update these builds when leveling to 60 opens.

Frost: Ice LancerecommendedFrost 21

Quest one mob at a time: Frostbolt slows, Frost Nova roots, and Ice Lance deals much more damage to frozen targets. Almost the same setup appears on Icy Veins, Mobalytics, Method, and wow.gg.

  1. 10–14Improved Frostbolt5/5
  2. 15–17Frostbite3/3
  3. 18–19Ice Shards2/5
  4. 20Ice Lance1/1
  5. 21–23Frost Channeling3/3
  6. 24Ice Shards3/5
  7. 25–27Shatter3/3
  8. 28–29Ice Shards5/5
  9. 30Fingers of Frost1/2
Why these talents

Strengths: Improved Frostbolt 5/5 at 10–14 makes Frostbolt half a second faster: more damage and fewer hits taken. Frostbite 3/3 at 15–17 gives every chill a chance to freeze the target for 5 seconds.

At 20, Ice Lance: instant, no cooldown, and 200% bonus damage against frozen targets after the October 15 patch. When a mob reaches you, use Frost Nova, take a few steps back, and fire lances while the freeze holds. At 25–27, Shatter adds 50% critical strike chance against frozen targets, making lance crits frequent. At 30, Fingers of Frost: chills can grant a charge that lets your next spell treat the target as frozen.

Frost Channeling 3/3 at 21–23 makes Frost spells 15% cheaper: mana is the main beta Mage complaint. If you rarely drink, put these 3 points into Piercing Ice for 6% Frost damage instead.

Weaknesses: before 20, this is simply a faster Frostbolt. It controls packs less effectively than the Frost: Blizzard AoE build.

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Frost: Blizzard AoEfor leveling on packsFrost 21

Gather two or three melee mobs and keep them under Blizzard. Based on classic Mage AoE leveling and Zockify's AoE build, adjusted for Forever's nerfs.

  1. 10–14Improved Frostbolt5/5
  2. 15–17Permafrost3/3
  3. 18–19Improved Frost Nova2/2
  4. 20–22Improved Blizzard3/3
  5. 23–24Frost Channeling2/3
  6. 25Ice Block1/1
  7. 26Frost Channeling3/3
  8. 27–28Arctic Reach2/2
  9. 29Piercing Ice1/3
  10. 30Cold Snap1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: Permafrost makes chills last a third longer; Improved Frost Nova gives Frost Nova a 21-second cooldown instead of 25; Improved Blizzard 3/3 by 22 slows Blizzard targets by 40%. At 25, Ice Block provides 10 seconds of immunity if a pull goes wrong; at 30, Cold Snap resets Frost cooldowns.

Also useful in dungeons: Blizzard the tank's pack, while Frost Channeling reduces threat by 30%.

Weaknesses: Forever deliberately nerfed Mage AoE farming: Blizzard's maximum slow is 40% instead of 65%, and Cone of Cold slows by 40% for 6 seconds. This build skips Ice Lance, so single-target kills are slower. It deliberately skips Frostbite, too: random freezes disrupt the pack's movement.

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Fire: Pyroblastfor big numbersFire 21

Open from range with Pyroblast, follow with Fireball, and finish with Fire Blast. Icy Veins' version takes Improved Fire Blast before Improved Fireball.

  1. 10–11Improved Fire Blast2/2
  2. 12–14Improved Fireball3/5
  3. 15–19Ignite5/5
  4. 20Pyroblast1/1
  5. 21–22Improved Fireball5/5
  6. 23–24Flame Throwing2/2
  7. 25Heating Up1/1
  8. 26–28Master of Elements3/3
  9. 29Burning Soul1/3
  10. 30Blast Wave1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: Improved Fire Blast allows Fire Blast every 6 seconds and adds 15 yards of range; the old on-kill bonus is gone. Ignite makes Fire crits ignite targets. At 20, Pyroblast opens fights from range. At 25, Heating Up makes crits speed up your next Pyroblast. At 26–28, Master of Elements refunds 30% of a spell's cost on a crit. At 30, Blast Wave deals nearby damage and slows.

Weaknesses: mana-hungry - testers complain of '11 Fireballs and empty', while Fireball's base damage was reduced by 20–33% in Forever. Your only slows are Frostbolt and Cone of Cold, making solo play riskier than Frost.

Fire elementals are highly resistant to Fire. Use Frost against them: Frostbolt.

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Arcane: Arcane Blast and wandfor less drinkingArcane 21

Stronger wand attacks, free spells, and mana regeneration while casting. Since October 15, Missile Barrage is available in the first row; Arcane Blast arrives at 20.

  1. 10–11Wand Specialization2/2
  2. 12–13Missile Barrage2/2
  3. 14Improved Channeling1/5
  4. 15–19Arcane Concentration5/5
  5. 20Arcane Blast1/1
  6. 21–22Arcane Resilience2/2
  7. 23–24Improved Channeling3/5
  8. 25Arcane Wrath1/1
  9. 26–28Arcane Meditation3/3
  10. 29Arcane Focus1/5
  11. 30Presence of Mind1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: Wand Specialization 2/2 at 10–11 increases wand damage by 25%, and wands provide much of your damage at 10–20. Arcane Concentration gives a 10% Clearcasting chance: your next spell is free.

At 12–13, Missile Barrage 2/2: a proc speeds up Arcane Missiles and removes its mana cost. At 20, Arcane Blast: avoid long chains of expensive blasts and switch to free missiles on a proc. At 25, Arcane Wrath; at 26–28, Arcane Meditation allows 50% mana regeneration while casting. At 30, Presence of Mind provides an instant spell.

Weaknesses: no freezes, so mobs reach you more often. Durotar has no quest wand: without an Enchanter, the tree only comes into its own at 16–17. Beta forums disagree: some call it a 'two-button' tree, while others praise it for dungeons.

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Useful information

Mage: spells, water, control, and teleportsWhat to train, how to fight, how to drink less, and what Forever changes through level 30

Killing a mob (Frost, before 20). Start Frostbolt from range, then cast another while the slowed mob approaches. If it reaches you, use Frost Nova from level 10, move more than 10 yards away, and continue. Finish low-health targets with a wand or Fire Blast, not another bolt: spending mana stops regeneration for 5 seconds. Sheep a second mob with Polymorph from level 8. From 20 in Frost: Frost Nova, step back, then Ice Lance while the target stays frozen. Keep Frost Armor and Arcane Intellect on yourself, and recast both after dying.

LevelSpellsCostTrain?
1Arcane Intellect10cYes; you start with Fireball and Frost Armor
4Frostbolt, Conjure Water1s eachYes - from now on, you make your own water
6Conjure Food, Fire Blast, Fireball (rank 2)1s eachYes
6Comprehend Scroll-New in Forever: for Comprehension scrolls, taught by Cain Firesong
8Polymorph, Frostbolt (rank 2), Arcane Missiles2s eachPolymorph and Frostbolt: yes; Arcane Missiles: for Arcane
10Frost Nova, Conjure Water (rank 2), Frost Armor (rank 2)4s eachYes - Frost Nova changes every fight
12Conjure Food (rank 2), Fireball (rank 3), Dampen Magic, Slow Fall6s eachFood: yes; Fireball: for Fire; the rest can wait
14Frostbolt (rank 3), Arcane Intellect (rank 2), Arcane Explosion, Fire Blast (rank 2)9s eachYes
16Arcane Missiles (rank 2), Flamestrike15s eachCan wait for Frost
18Remove Lesser Curse, Amplify Magic, Fireball (rank 4)18s eachRemove Lesser Curse for dungeons; the rest depend on your tree
20Blink, Blizzard, Evocation, Frostbolt (rank 4), Conjure Water (rank 3), Polymorph (rank 2), Frost Armor (rank 3), Mana Shield, Fire Ward20s eachYes - the Mage's key level; Fire Ward can wait
20Teleport: Orgrimmar, Teleport: Undercity20s each + runeTaught only by portal trainers: Thuul in Orgrimmar and Lexington Mortaim in Undercity
20Ice Lance, Arcane Blast, or PyroblasttalentThe tree's 11th point - see Leveling talents
22Conjure Food (rank 3), Arcane Explosion (rank 2), Fire Blast (rank 3), Frost Ward, Scorch30s eachConjure Food, Arcane Explosion, and Fire Blast: yes; Frost does not need Scorch
24Counterspell, Fireball (rank 5), Arcane Missiles (rank 3), Flamestrike (rank 2), Dampen Magic (rank 2)40s eachCounterspell: yes, along with Frost Blast; the rest depend on your tree
26Cone of Cold, Frost Nova (rank 2), Frostbolt (rank 5)50s eachYes
28Arcane Intellect (rank 3), Blizzard (rank 2), Conjure Mana Agate, Mana Shield (rank 2), Scorch (rank 2)70s eachConjure Mana Agate and Arcane Intellect: yes; Blizzard: for AoE
28Ice Lance (rank 2)30sOnly if you took Ice Lance
30Ice Armor, Conjure Water (rank 4), Fireball (rank 6), Arcane Explosion (rank 3), Fire Blast (rank 4), Fire Ward (rank 2), Amplify Magic (rank 2)80s eachIce Armor and Conjure Water: yes; the rest depend on your tree
30Teleport: Thunder Bluff80s + runeOnly Birgitte Cranston in Thunder Bluff
30Arcane Blast (rank 2), Pyroblast (rank 3)80s and 4sOnly with the relevant talent

Prices come from Wowhead Forever's beta Mage page. Training everything through level 20 costs about 3.7 gold, including Teleport: Orgrimmar. Levels 22–30 cost another 15 gold, including 6.4 at 30. Skip spells that can wait to save a couple of gold. Keep saving: riding training at level 40 costs 100 gold, although your first mount itself is free.

Three schools while levelingAlmost identical before 20; the differences begin at 20
  • Frost is the recommendation across beta guides. Frostbolt slows, Frost Nova roots, and from 20, Ice Lance deals much more damage to frozen targets. The safest and fastest solo tree.
  • Fire deals more damage per hit but costs more mana and has little control; Frostbolt remains your slow. Pyroblast, a level-20 talent, opens fights from range.
  • Arcane offers 25% wand damage and Clearcasting, adding Arcane Blast at 20. You drink less than anyone else, but mobs reach you more often.
  • Level-by-level builds are in Leveling talents. Tree-specific route advice is marked.
Make your own food and waterThe Mage's biggest saving
  • Conjure Water at level 4, Conjure Food at 6. Water ranks unlock at 4, 10, 20, and 30; food at 6, 12, 22, and 32. Train a new rank immediately: higher-level water restores noticeably more mana.
  • Forever tooltips show conjured water restoring the same mana as vendor water of the same level: 145, 420, 803, and 1293 mana for ranks 1–4.
  • The number created per cast is disputed on beta: the tooltip promises 20, while one level-30 tester reports 2. Check your own result and conjure extra on zeppelins, flights, or while waiting for mobs.
  • Conjured items disappear after more than 15 minutes offline. They cannot be sold, only traded directly.
  • Well Fed: cooked food grants 5% bonus kill experience for 15 minutes; according to Icy Veins, conjured food does not. Keep some cooked food in reserve.
Mana: drink lessThe main beta Mage complaint
  • The five-second rule: after spending mana, Spirit-based regeneration waits 5 seconds. Finish mobs with a wand rather than a spell.
  • Use higher ranks. In Forever, low ranks scale less with spell power and trigger Frostbite and Clearcasting less often. Classic's rank-one slowing trick does not work the same way here.
  • Start fights at 70–80% mana rather than waiting for full: mana also regenerates while moving. Drink when you drop below a third.
  • Evocation, available at 20 with an 8-minute cooldown, replaces drinking when a difficult fight leaves you empty. Conjure Mana Agate at 28 restores mana during combat; conjure it beforehand.
  • Mana-saving talents include Frost Channeling in Frost, Master of Elements in Fire, and Arcane Meditation and Arcane Concentration in Arcane. The Arcane Orb from Balnir Farmstead restores another 80–240 mana once every 30 minutes.
Polymorph and controlHandling two or three enemies
  • Polymorph, available at 8, works only on beasts and humanoids. Sheep a second mob, finish the first, then return to the second. Sheep heal quickly, so leave it alone until ready.
  • Any damage breaks Polymorph, so avoid AoE nearby. Rank 2 at level 20 lasts 30 seconds instead of 20.
  • Frost Nova, available at 10 with a 25-second cooldown, freezes nearby enemies for 8 seconds. Move more than 10 yards away before attacking; damage can break the freeze early.
  • Casters such as cultists, Dalaran Mages, and Razormane Geomancers can cast while rooted by Frost Nova. Kill them first or pull them around a corner so they approach. From 24, use Counterspell.
  • Blink at 20 removes stuns and roots. Watch where you are going: Blinking into another pack or off a cliff is a classic mistake.
  • Mana Shield at 20 spends 2 mana per point of damage absorbed. Save it for emergencies rather than every mob.
AoE: when and howFrom 20, ideally with the Frost AoE build
  • Solo AoE is uncommon before 20: Arcane Explosion, available at 14, works only at close range and is expensive. It suits three or more weak mobs already held by Frost Nova.
  • From 20: gather two or three melee mobs, use Frost Nova, move 10–15 yards away, and cast Blizzard on them. When they approach, use Frost Nova again or Cone of Cold from 26, step back, and cast another Blizzard.
  • Forever deliberately weakened Mage AoE farming: Improved Blizzard slows by at most 40%, and Cone of Cold by 40% for 6 seconds. Start with two or three mobs, not ten.
  • Choose melee enemies without ranged attacks or calls for help. Avoid casters, archers, and gnolls or kobolds that flee toward friends.
  • Classic Mage AoE spots on this route include humans at Hillsbrad Fields, levels 25–27; skip footmen, whose shield attacks interrupt casts. Another option is packs in Razorfen Kraul at 29 with a group. These have not been verified on beta. Along the way, there are furbolg waves at the Ashenvale totem (step).
  • Stop if you spend more time waiting for respawns than fighting, or if Ice Block has been your only escape twice in an hour.
WandsFinishers without mana
  • Wand attacks (Shoot) cost no mana and do not interrupt regeneration, making them ideal finishers. Frost uses them to save mana; Arcane with Wand Specialization gets half its damage from them.
  • 5–13: Lesser Magic Wand, from Enchanting 10, the auction house, or a friend. Otherwise, Riptear's Spare Arm from the elite Rear Guard Patrol quest (step).
  • 13–26: Greater Magic Wand, from Enchanting 70 or an Enchanter friend. Alternatives: Flaring Baton from Escape (step), Sizzle Stick from Wailing Caverns, or Wand of Decay from Beren's Peril (step).
  • 26–28: Lesser Mystic Wand, from Enchanting 155 or the auction house (step). 28–30: Gravestone Scepter from Blackfathom Villainy in Blackfathom Deeps (step), the best wand through 30.
  • Game files list vendors Zane Bradford in Undercity and Katis in Orgrimmar: Smoldering Wand from 15 is only a fallback; Dusk Wand from 20 if no Enchanter is available; Combustible Wand from 29 if you skipped Blackfathom Deeps.
  • Game files list wand materials at enchanting suppliers: Thaddeus Webb in Undercity, Kithas in Orgrimmar, Lilly in Silverpine Forest, and Nata Dawnstrider in Thunder Bluff. Stock is limited.
Teleports and portalsA second Hearthstone
  • Teleport: Orgrimmar and Teleport: Undercity unlock at 20, Teleport: Thunder Bluff at 30. Portal trainers teach them, not regular Mage trainers, and each teaches only their own city: Thuul in Orgrimmar for 20s, Lexington Mortaim in Undercity for 20s, and Birgitte Cranston in Thunder Bluff for 80s.
  • Each teleport has a 10-second cast, costs 120 mana, and consumes a Rune of Teleportation, which costs 10s and stacks to 10. Game files list reagent vendors Hannah Akeley in Undercity's Magic Quarter, Hagrus in Orgrimmar, and Hula'mahi at the Crossroads.
  • How this changes your route: keep your Hearthstone at the quest hub and teleport to the capital for training. This guide uses it from Thunder Bluff to Orgrimmar (step), binds the Hearthstone to the Sepulcher instead of Undercity (step), skips the zeppelin from Undercity to Orgrimmar (step), and makes a trainer detour from Ashenvale to Orgrimmar (step). Expect to use 5–6 runes before 30.
  • Party portals start at 40 for Orgrimmar and Undercity, and 50 for Thunder Bluff. You cannot earn money selling portals before 30.
  • Slow Fall, available at 12, requires a Light Feather. The Forever database currently lists no feather vendor, so train it when you find feathers.
Cloth, weapons, and statsWhat to wear and what matters
Undead Mage racials
  • Cannibalize restores up to 35% health and mana over 10 seconds from a humanoid or undead corpse, once every 2 minutes. Mage water is free, but before level 4 or between dungeon packs, this is another recovery option without sitting down to drink.
  • Will of the Forsaken removes fear, sleep, and charm, but grants no immunity afterward. Use it once the fear has landed.
  • Touch of the Grave, new in Forever, lets attacks or spells drain health. It has a 30% proc chance and a 25-second internal cooldown. Polymorph does not trigger it, so your sheep stays asleep.
  • Undead can breathe underwater longer than other races, useful in Blackfathom Deeps. Shadow Resistance appears to have been removed; this is still being checked.
Class questsFor Undead Mages
  • 1: Glyphic Scroll is given by Shadow Priest Sarvis and turned in to Isabella in Deathknell.
  • 10: Speak with Anastasia → Balnir Farmstead. Cain Firesong in Brill starts the chain, Anastasia Hartwell in Undercity continues it, and the flowers are at Balnir Farmstead (step). Reward: Arcane Staff or Arcane Orb.
  • 15: Investigate the Alchemist Shop → Gathering Materials → Spellfire Robes. Anastasia Hartwell in Undercity sends you after invisible creatures in the city (step), then requires 10 Linen Cloth and 6 Dalaran Mana Gem from Dalaran Mages near Ambermill, turned in to Joseph Gregorian. Reward: Lesser Spellfire Robes. Do the first part at 15 and the rest at 22–24 when the route returns near Ambermill: accept, gems, turn in. If you skipped Investigate the Alchemist Shop at 15, you can also accept and complete it at 22–23 before Gathering Materials (step).
  • 26: Speak with Deino → Waters of Xavian → Laughing Sisters → Nether-lace Garment. Undercity, Orgrimmar, Xavian Falls in Ashenvale, Orgrimmar again, Laughing Sisters in Ashenvale, then the Crossroads. Teleports make these short route detours: accept, Orgrimmar, waterfall, Orgrimmar again, hair, garment. Reward: Nether-lace Robe or Nether-lace Tunic.
  • You can skip Anastasia's introduction quest: Anastasia Hartwell offers Investigate the Alchemist Shop without it. The Troll's Speak with Un'thuwa is also available, but taking it closes Balnir Farmstead and leads far away from this route. Forever has no new Horde Mage quests for levels 1–30.
Comprehension: Mage scrolls
  • A new Mage minor skill: scrolls drop from mobs worldwide, and you decipher them. The spell is Comprehend Scroll, taught by Cain Firesong from level 6; its button is in the General tab of your spellbook.
  • Blizzard has not revealed their contents. Testers report temporary weapon enhancements for a dagger or sword lasting an hour, damage consumables, and a rare 'key' scroll. Combined with Baron Silverlaine's blade from Shadowfang Keep, it produces a battle-mage sword. These are beta findings and may change.
  • Scrolls can no longer be read while moving. Warcraft Tavern reports that a failed deciphering attempt can turn you into a sheep, so read them somewhere safe, away from mobs.
First AidHealth without mana
  • Bandages heal without mana and do not interrupt its regeneration. Bandage after a hard fight and save all your mana for the next mob.
  • Nurse Neela in Brill teaches it (step); Mary Edras in Undercity teaches better bandages (step). Humanoids along the route provide cloth naturally.
Staying aliveCombinations that save you
  • A third mob without an escape plan is the main cause of Mage deaths. If Frost Nova, and from 20 also Blink, are on cooldown, do not pull another.
  • Always keep Frost Armor active: enemies that hit you are slowed. Recast it after death, along with Arcane Intellect.
  • Handle casters head-on or from around a corner; use Frost Nova on melee enemies and move away.
  • Before a difficult mob, have full mana, buffs, and Frost Nova ready. If things go wrong, Polymorph one enemy and run toward guards.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Dungeons: what to collect beforehandQuests far from the entrance and the Mage's party role
Mage in a party: sheep, AoE, water
  • Polymorph is your main job. Agree with the tank on your target before the pull, usually the moon-marked enemy. Polymorph affects only beasts and humanoids, not undead or elementals. Any damage breaks it, so avoid nearby AoE.
  • AoE only once the tank is ready: they must gather the pack and hit it 2–3 times first. Start earlier and the whole pack runs toward you. Arcane Explosion from 14 and Blizzard from 20 provide the Mage's main dungeon damage.
  • Use Frost Nova in groups only as a last resort: rooted mobs attack the nearest player, often the healer.
  • If a mob attacks you, run toward the tank rather than away so they can pick it up faster. Frost Channeling in Frost and Burning Soul in Fire reduce your threat by 30%.
  • Remove Lesser Curse from 18 removes party curses; Counterspell from 24 interrupts enemy healing and dangerous spells.
  • Before entering, conjure water for the whole party and give everyone Arcane Intellect. Water requests have followed Mages since Classic. Prepare beforehand, not during combat.
Ragefire Chasm13–18 · Orgrimmar, Cleft of Shadow
  • The Power to Destroy... - Varimathras, UndercitySecond Undercity visit: step; turn in at 22–23: step
  • Hidden Enemies → Hidden Enemies - Thrall, OrgrimmarThe insignia drops from Burning Blade enemies in Skull Rock: step
  • Slaying the Beast - Neeru Fireblade, OrgrimmarAlso in the Cleft of Shadow

For Mages: the end of Hidden Enemies rewards Staff of Orgrimmar, while The Power to Destroy... gives Ghastly Trousers. Troggs and cultists can be sheeped; use Frost against fire elementals. Tauren can pick up two more quests in Thunder Bluff, and a third starts inside. Ask a Tauren friend to share them.

Wailing Caverns17–24 · The Barrens, oasis west of the Crossroads
  • Deviate Hides and Deviate Eradication - at the entranceImmediately before the run: step. Deviate Eradication rewards the Sizzle Stick wand
  • Smart Drinks - Mebok Mizzyrix, RatchetAfter Raptor Horns: step
  • Trouble at the Docks - Crane Operator Bigglefuzz, RatchetAny Ratchet visit from level 14
  • Serpentbloom - Apothecary Zamah, Thunder BluffFungal Spores → Apothecary Zamah chain; the delivery is timed: step
  • Leaders of the Fang - Nara Wildmane, Thunder BluffThe chain begins with The Forgotten Pools at the Crossroads. Reward: Crescent Staff

For Mages: Druids of the Fang heal themselves and cast sleep. They are humanoids, so sheep them; Will of the Forsaken removes sleep from yourself. Deviate raptor packs are AoE targets, but wait for the tank.

Ruins of LordaeronNew · above Undercity · level 24 on this route

Unending Torment and The Crest of Lordaeron start inside. The entrance is in the capital's ruins, immediately left as you enter Lordaeron. For Mages: there are many skeletons and zombies, and Polymorph does not affect undead. Your jobs here are damage and party water.

Shadowfang Keep22–30 · Silverpine Forest · level 25 on this route

The three quests are estimated to award around 20 thousand experience in Forever, over half a level. For Mages: worgen attack in packs, so AoE after the tank; Remove Lesser Curse removes party curses. Baron Silverlaine drops a blade that testers say a rare Comprehension scroll turns into a Mage sword; see the Mage section.

Blackfathom Deeps22–32 · Ashenvale, the Zoram Strand · level 29 on this route
  • Trouble in the Deeps - Tsunaman, Sun Rock RetreatRequired: without it, Allegiance to the Old Gods will not unlock
  • The Essence of Aku'Mai and Amongst the Ruins - Je'neu Sancrea, Zoram'garOn the day of the run
  • Blackfathom Villainy - Argent Guard Thaelrid, insideReward: Gravestone Scepter, the best wand through 30. Turn in at Thunder Bluff: step
  • Allegiance to the Old Gods and Baron Aquanis - start insideStarted by a Damp Note and Strange Water Globe; Baron Aquanis drops the globe. Reward: Witch's Finger

For Mages: naga are humanoids and can be sheeped. Twilight Lord Kelris casts sleep, which Will of the Forsaken removes from yourself. Undead breathe underwater longer than other races.

Razorfen Kraul25–35 · southern Barrens · level 29 on this route
  • Willix the Importer - starts insideStep. Reward: Snake Hoop
  • Blueleaf Tubers - Mebok Mizzyrix, RatchetOptional: accept in Ratchet while turning in eggs at 22; the route does not return to Ratchet later

For Mages: boar and Razorfen packs are the best AoE opportunity before 30, but wait for the tank. Geomancers and Charlga Razorflank heal themselves; interrupt with Counterspell.

Excavation Site: WetlandsNew · 26–31 · southern Wetlands · after 30
  • Changing Tastes - Borstan, OrgrimmarAt 27, if you plan to go. Reward: Satchel of Potions trinket
  • Dragonmaw Rumors → Breaking the Maw - first Hammerfall, then a Deathstalker agent in the WetlandsAt 30+, on the way through Arathi Highlands

There is no Horde flight point in the Wetlands: walk from Tarren Mill or Hammerfall across Thandol Span.

Scarlet Monastery30–40 · Tirisfal · after this guide
  • Test of Faith - Dorn Plainstalker, Thousand NeedlesAt 30: the start of the trials leading to the Monastery Library

The main quest Into The Scarlet Monastery is available from level 33. For Mages: Graveyard and Library are classic group AoE locations, but Forever deliberately weakened Mage mass pulling.

This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Professions and travelWhat to choose, where to train, and what to gather through level 30
Craft your own wand
Where to train
  • Tailoring: Bowen Brisboise in Brill, Joseph Gregorian in Undercity, who also accepts Gathering Materials, and Snang and Magar in Orgrimmar.
  • Enchanting: Lavinia Crowe in Undercity and Godan in Orgrimmar.
  • Herbalism: Martha Alliestar in Undercity; junior trainer Florence Nightshade in Deathknell.
  • Apprentice caps at 75. Journeyman requires skill 50, costs 5s, and caps at 150. Expert requires skill 125, costs 50s, and caps at 225.
How to learn for free
  • Marla's Last Wish at level 5 rewards a gathering manual of your choice: the profession immediately, plus 2 skill. A Mage needs it only if choosing gathering.
  • Junior trainers in Deathknell: Margaret Weaver for Skinning, Walter Mason for Mining, and Florence Nightshade for Herbalism, at 10c each.
Camping, new in Forever
  • Unlocked by The Great Outdoors from Eleanor Shackleton near Brill. Its follow-up, Camping Basics: Cooking, is turned in to William Picman in Brill, teaching Cooking and Basic Campfire.
  • At skill 20, each profession has a Camping Basics quest for a camp buff item. Sit near it to receive the buff.
  • For Mages: Tailoring provides a faction banner for Spirit, Herbalism an incense candle for Intellect, and First Aid a medical kit for Stamina.
  • Tier-two camping items require skill 140; their patterns drop in dungeons.
Cooking and First Aid
  • In Forever, cooked food also grants 5% bonus kill experience, while conjured food does not. Cooking therefore matters even for Mages who make their own food.
  • First Aid heals without mana. Nurse Neela in Brill teaches it, Mary Edras in Undercity teaches better bandages, and Pand Stonebinder in Thunder Bluff teaches wool bandages.
Comprehension is not a main profession
  • A Mage minor skill, like Cooking, which apparently does not occupy a main profession slot. Decipher mob-dropped scrolls yourself with Comprehend Scroll. See the Mage section for details.
What to collect
  • Cloth from humanoids: Linen Cloth at 1–20 and Wool Cloth at 20–30. Auction surplus. Bank 10 Linen Cloth for the Gathering Materials class quest.
  • Keep meat for Cooking; sell gray items at every stop.
  • New in Forever: Durotar Supply and Logistics has a camp near the Crossroads. Fill crates found in the world with materials and turn them in for currency. Beta reports say their rewards include cloth patterns.
Money
  • Mages spend nothing on water or food, saving a few silver per level early on and up to a gold by 30.
  • Training costs more than it does for many classes: around 2 gold at 20 and 6.4 gold at 30. Do not train everything; the Mage section lists what can wait.
  • Do not buy a vendor wand if a better quest or crafted one is available in 1–2 levels. Keep saving: riding at 40 costs 100 gold.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
What's new in ForeverOnly changes relevant to this route
What remains unchanged
  • The old quests in level 1–30 zones remain, with unchanged quest experience and experience requirements for the next level.
  • Ragefire Chasm, Wailing Caverns, Shadowfang Keep, Blackfathom Deeps, and Razorfen Kraul retain their levels and bosses. Mob experience is lower and quest experience higher.
  • There are no new Horde flight points, zeppelins, or ships for levels 1–30. Hearthstone still has a one-hour cooldown.
  • Mounts still unlock at 40: the first mount is free, training costs 100 gold.
  • Unchanged for Mages: training levels, spell mana costs, Polymorph, Blink, teleports from 20, and conjured food and water.
Mage in Forever
New quests at 1–20
  • Tirisfal: A Light in the Darkness, Seeking Adventure, Patience, Punishment, Sticks and Bones (a bag!), The Great Outdoors, Seeking Shelter, Coffinweed, Hides for the Forsaken, The Argent Dawn Emissary, The Cult of the Damned, Remnants of War, and the elite Rear Guard Patrol. In the northwest: Shadowglen Green Elixir, As Above, So Below, The Last Shard, and A Righteous Cause.
  • Silverpine Forest: Prove Your Worth now starts at level 12; Wild Hearts requires 3 hearts instead of 6; new quests include Wild Eyes, Back to Quinn (Again), and Arugal's Folly.
  • The Barrens: Spare Parts, Wrang's chain beginning with Wounded Pride and Lion Hides, Her Name Is Olgra, and the elite WANTED: Bruuz.
New quests at 20–30
  • The Barrens: elite Chol'aruk the Vulture, worth triple experience according to beta data; False Accusation, Cleared Name; and Field Cleanup.
  • Silverpine Forest: Watching the Roads, Stop the Infestation, and the chain near Beren's Peril.
  • Hillsbrad: Helping the Scouts → Valuable Positions.
  • Ashenvale: Never Coming Back → A Void Path; Stonetalon Mountains: Bloodfury Trinkets.
  • Quests for the new Ruins of Lordaeron and Excavation Site: Wetlands dungeons. Forever added no Mage class quests at 20–30: Gathering Materials and Speak with Deino are unchanged from Classic.
New dungeons
  • Ruins of Lordaeron, above Undercity, has 6 bosses that can be tackled in any order. This route visits at 24 (step).
  • Excavation Site: Wetlands, levels 26–31, is outdoors in southern Wetlands. The Horde lead-in begins in Hammerfall.
  • Dalaran City is not yet open in beta; all Horde access steps require level 30.
Undead racial abilities
  • New: Touch of the Grave lets spells and attacks sometimes drain health. For other Undead changes and their value to Mages, see the Undead Mage racials card in the Mage section.
PvP and rulesets
  • Choose a ruleset: Normal makes PvP optional through /pvp; PvP automatically flags you in contested and hostile zones and limits the account to one faction; Roleplay uses Normal rules. Hardcore comes after launch.
  • Horde territory on the route: Tirisfal, Silverpine Forest, and the Barrens. Contested: Stonetalon Mountains, Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, and Thousand Needles.
  • Battlegrounds: Warsong Gulch from 10, Arathi Basin from 20, the new 15v15 Darkspear Islands from 30, and Alterac Valley from 51, with ten-level brackets. Testers report that only the level-30 battleground is open in beta.
  • For Mages: Frost Nova plus Ice Lance is the beta's most discussed combo, and testers have requested nerfs. It may change before release.
  • Casting Arcane Intellect on a PvP-flagged player flags you too, as before, including on Normal rulesets.
Experience and convenience
  • Cooked food grants 5% bonus kill experience. Camping buffs, tents, and sleeping bags are available.
  • Dungeon quests are estimated to award around 2–2.5 times the experience of regular quests.
  • There is no automatic dungeon finder, only a noticeboard. Meeting stones do not summon.
  • Mobs respawn faster in Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, and Thousand Needles.
  • The Legacy System unlocks account-wide bonuses when your first character reaches 25.
  • Books found around the world can be turned in to Owen Thadd in Undercity's Magic Quarter for experience and rewards.
  • If your group plays in a particular language, choose it as your preferred language under Languages and Communication. You will be more likely to share a world with players speaking that language.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Tips and common mistakesMoney, Hearthstone, and dangerous mobs
LevelWhat you needCost
4–8Frostbolt, Conjure Water, Conjure Food, Fire Blast, Polymorph, and ranksAbout 11 silver
10–12Frost Nova, water and food rank 2, armor rank 2, plus a wandAbout 18–36 silver and a wand - your first money shortage
14–18Frostbolt, Arcane Intellect, Arcane Explosion, Remove Lesser Curse, and tree-specific ranksAbout 0.5–1.2 gold
20Blink, Blizzard, Evocation, Mana Shield, ranks, and Teleport: OrgrimmarAbout 2 gold and runes
22–28Counterspell, Cone of Cold, Conjure Mana Agate, ranks, and Teleport: UndercityAbout 9 gold
30Ice Armor, water rank 4, ranks, and Teleport: Thunder BluffAbout 6.4 gold
40Riding100 gold - start saving early
Hearthstone
  • 6: Brill. 10: Undercity. 15: the Crossroads.
  • 23: the Sepulcher, teleporting to Undercity. 25: Tarren Mill. 28: Splintertree Post. 30: Freewind Post.
  • From 20 you also have Teleport: Orgrimmar, and from 22–23, Teleport: Undercity. Keep your Hearthstone at the quest hub and teleport to your capital for training. Remember Runes of Teleportation.
  • For short distances, death can provide a shortcut. It is free before 10; afterward it incurs Resurrection Sickness and 25% durability loss.
Dangerous mobs
  • Tirisfal: Maggot Eye (11), Riptear (elite 13).
  • Silverpine Forest: Son of Arugal (elite 24–25), Krethis Shadowspinner (15), Dalaran Scribe (21), and Dalaran Mages, who still cast while held by Frost Nova.
  • The Barrens: Barak Kodobane, Hezrul Bloodmark with guards, Chol'aruk (elite 20), Swinegart Spearhide with fear, and Kaz the caster.
  • Stonetalon Mountains: Grimtotem Sorcerers, who cast while held by Frost Nova; Besseleth (elite 21); Windshear Crag's rare elites; and Bloodfury Slayers.
  • Hillsbrad: field footmen whose shield attacks interrupt casts, Durnholde shadow mages, Blacksmith Verringtan, and Southshore, an Alliance town.
  • Ashenvale: Keeper Ordanus and his guards, Xavian satyrs (28–30), Eck'alom with a 15-second stun, and Sharptalon (31).
Common Mage mistakes
  • Not upgrading water means drinking longer and more often. Train new water and food ranks immediately.
  • Finishing with a spell instead of a wand delays mana regeneration by another 5 seconds.
  • Frost Nova will not stop a caster: rooted enemies can still cast.
  • Pulling a third mob with no escape: Frost Nova is on cooldown and you have not learned Blink yet.
  • Breaking your own Polymorph with AoE, or trying to sheep an undead or elemental.
  • Forever penalizes Classic's habit of using rank 1 spells just for a slow.
  • Forgetting Runes of Teleportation: teleports do not work without one.
  • Selling Discolored Worg Hearts before the quest, or accepting hide and bone quests after already killing those mobs.
  • Missing quests: Delivery to Silverpine Forest in Brill, A Sample for Helbrim and The Power to Destroy... in Undercity. Taking the Stranglethorn zeppelin instead of Orgrimmar's.
  • Waiting for a zeppelin or flying across half the map when you have a teleport. From 22–23, Undercity and Orgrimmar are 10 seconds away.
  • Skipping Blackfathom Villainy in Blackfathom Deeps means missing the best wand through 30.
  • Accepting The Legacy of Cenarius only after leaving Ashenvale, where the next quest's target is located.
  • Collecting dungeon quests for later until your quest log is full.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
AddonsWhat to install from CurseForge: only addons with a Forever version
For Mages
  • Mage Portal Dock - Forever provides a teleport bar from 20 and portals from 40. It automatically detects learned spells, casts with one click, tracks Runes of Teleportation, and highlights low supplies. Command: /mpd. Built for Forever, with a 1.60.1 file dated September 27; downloads are still limited, so consider it optional.
  • The built-in Cooldown Manager shows procs such as Fingers of Frost, Clearcasting, and Missile Barrage. For larger alerts with sound, use ForeverAuras from the Don't search card.
  • For dungeon AoE, install a threat meter from the Optional card. The built-in damage meter does not show threat, and a Mage channeling Blizzard is often the first to pull a pack off the tank.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →

Frequently asked questions

Is Mage beginner-friendly?

Yes, if you are willing to learn distance management. The buttons are straightforward and food and water are free, but your health is low. Pull an extra mob without a backup plan and you will be running from the graveyard. The first 20 levels teach the essentials: freeze, move away, finish.

Which talent tree should I level with?

Frost is the leveling recommendation in almost every beta guide. It gains Ice Lance at level 20, Shatter at 25–27, and Fingers of Frost at 30. Fire hits harder per cast but costs more mana and provides little control. Arcane with a wand saves mana, but mobs reach you more often. You can reset talents at a Mage trainer in a capital.

Do Forever Mages really spend all their time drinking?

Partly. Testers complain that mana runs out after one or two mobs, especially before level 15 when spell-power gear is scarce. Higher spell ranks, wand finishers, Frost's Frost Channeling, and Evocation at level 20 help. At least Mage water is free.

When do Mages get teleports and portals?

Teleports to two faction capitals unlock at level 20, and the third at 30. For Horde, those are Orgrimmar, Undercity, and Thunder Bluff; Alliance gets Stormwind and Ironforge at 20, then Darnassus at 30. Portal trainers teach them, not regular Mage trainers, and each teleport consumes a Rune of Teleportation. Party portals start at level 40, and Teleport: Dalaran at 50.

Can I AoE level like in Classic?

Yes, but it is weaker than before. Blizzard deliberately weakened Cone of Cold and Improved Blizzard to hinder gold farming and boosting. Start with two or three melee mobs: freeze them with Frost Nova, move away, cast Blizzard, then freeze them again. Avoid adding casters or enemies that flee for help.

Is Mage good in PvP?

According to the beta forums, perhaps too good, although those killed by Mages tend to post the loudest: 'Nerf mages already' collected 445 replies in one day. The combo is simple: Frost Nova followed by Ice Lance, with Shatter adding 50% critical strike chance against frozen targets. The weakness remains low health: with Nova and Blink on cooldown, a Mage does not last long. On October 15, the lance's frozen-target damage bonus was already reduced from 300% to 200%.

Which race is best for Mage?

Horde guides disagree: some recommend Troll for casting haste, others Orc for 10% spell power, while Undead Cannibalize also restores mana. On Alliance, Humans gain 2% critical strike chance regardless of weapon and a stun removal, Gnomes have Escape Artist and Eureka!, and High Order Skyborne recover quickly between fights. Racials were revised on October 15 and may change again before launch. We already have an Undead 1–30 route.

What is Comprehension, and will Mages become battle mages?

It is a new Mage minor skill learned from level 6. Scrolls drop from mobs, and you decipher them with Comprehend Scroll. Testers report temporary weapon enhancements, consumables, and rare 'keys' inside. One such scroll combined with Baron Silverlaine's blade from Shadowfang Keep gave YouTuber Farmerfarms the Coldflame Saber, though it took 119 scrolls and a dozen dungeon runs. These are beta findings; Blizzard has said nothing about a battle mage.

Why does everyone ask Mages for water?

Conjured water restores as much mana as vendor water of the same level, but costs the Mage only three seconds and some mana. It cannot be sold, only traded directly, and disappears after more than 15 minutes offline. 'Mage, water!' has been the class's running joke since Classic, and it is still here in Forever.