Arcane Mage DPS Artifact Talents/Traits and Relics (Legion 7.2.5)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2 Changes
  • 4. Strengths
  • 5. Weaknesses
  • 6. Viability in the Current Patch
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Talent Choice
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Rotation
    • 4.1. "Burn"
    • 4.2. "Conserve"
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resources
  • 3. Basic Abilities
  • 4. Important Procs
  • 5. DPS Cooldowns
  • 6. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheets
    • 2.1. Raid Encounters
      • 2.1.1. Heavy Cleave/AOE
    • 2.2. For General Use
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 10. ChangeLog
• ×Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression — First 35 Points
    • 1.1. Early Point Investment
    • 1.2. Second Golden Trait
    • 1.3. Third Golden Trait
      • 1.3.1. Mythic Raid Progression/Single Target Focused
      • 1.3.2. Mythic+ Dungeons/AoE Focused
    • 1.4. Final Point Investment
  • 2. Patch 7.2: 35+ Trait Path
  • 3. Relic Choice
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Ability Priority List
    • 1.1. Conserve Phase
    • 1.2. Burn Phase
  • 2. Important Notes
    • 2.1. Arcane Charges: Understanding Your Mana Pool
      • 2.1.1. Aluneth's Avarice
    • 2.2. Spells That Benefit From Arcane Charges
    • 2.3. Truncating Arcane Missiles
    • 2.4. Effectively Handling AoE
    • 2.5. Rune of Power
    • 2.6. Arcane Orb
    • 2.7. Prismatic Barrier
  • 3. Core Concepts
    • 3.1. Mana Management During Conserve Phase
    • 3.2. Executing the Burn Phase Consistently
    • 3.3. Movement Management
      • 3.3.1. Quiet Movement
  • 4. Resonance Opening Sequence
  • 5. Charged Up Opening Sequences
  • 6. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
    • 2.1. Statistics Explanations
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
  • 2. Enchants
  • 3. Consumables
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Addons
    • 1.1. ElvUI
    • 1.2. Weak Auras
    • 1.3. Boss Mods
      • 1.3.1. BigWigs Bossmods
      • 1.3.2. Deadly Boss Mods
    • 1.4. Name Plates
      • 1.4.1. KUI Nameplates
      • 1.4.2. TidyPlates
    • 1.5. Damage Meters
      • 1.5.1. Skada
      • 1.5.2. Details
    • 1.6. Extra AddOns
      • 1.6.1. Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 1.6.2. DeathNote
      • 1.6.3. Doom CooldownPulse
      • 1.6.4. Angry Assignments
  • 2. Macros
    • 2.1. Generic Macros for Mages
      • 2.1.1. Stopcast Blink
      • 2.1.2. 1-Button Block
      • 2.1.3. Block Cancel
    • 2.2. Specific Macros for Arcane Mages
      • 2.2.1. Stopcast Displacement
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Tier 20 Set Bonus
  • 2. Best in Slot List
    • 2.1. Trinket Notes
  • 3. Evaluating Upgrades Using Stat Weights
  • 4. Racial Bonuses
  • 5. Legendaries
  • 6. Loot Competition
  • 7. ChangeLog

General Information

This page shows you how to level up the Artifact and how to choose the right Relics for your Arcane Mages. It is updated for World of Warcraft Legion 7.2.5.

The other pages of our Arcane Mage guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About Our Author and Reviewer

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Blixius, a top Arcane Mage who raids in Bird is the Word.

1. Artifact Progression — First 35 Points

1.1. Early Point Investment

After acquiring the starting point, Might of the Guardians, take the left road into Blasting Rod for some immediate punch on your Arcane Blast. This is a good trait for burst, especially. Grab Aegwynn's Imperative to extend your Arcane Power to a maximum of 13 seconds before heading left into Force Barrier. This is an excellent defensive trait and enforces the notion that you should take full advantage of Prismatic Barrier whenever possible. Invest into your first Golden Trait, the Rule of Threes, which gives your Arcane Missiles even more damage.

1.2. Second Golden Trait

Continue upwards along the tree into Ethereal Sensitivity, the best basic trait on the tree on longer encounters. Aegwynn's Wrath is also amazing, and is your next allocation of points. Go downwards and snag your second Golden Trait, Arcane Rebound, which is exceptional for Mythic+ dungeons and any situation with cleave.

1.3. Third Golden Trait

1.3.1. Mythic Raid Progression/Single Target Focused

From Aegwynn's Imperative, head right and grab Aegwynn's Fury for the Arcane Missiles damage. Continue right into Everywhere At Once, which is neat for high mobility fights, but otherwise ineffectual. Grab your final Golden Trait, Touch of the Magi, which is good in all situations. Go upwards into Torrential Barrage before backtracking to the start of the tree and filling out Arcane Purification.

1.3.2. Mythic+ Dungeons/AoE Focused

From the start of the tree take the right path and grab Arcane Purification, which is an exceptional basic trait for AoE. Go up to the top of the tree and talent into Torrential Barrage, which is another great AoE trait when paired with the Resonance talent. Go down through Everywhere At Once and snag Touch of the Magi. Finally, grab Aegwynn's Fury near the centre of the tree.

1.4. Final Point Investment

The remaining points are mostly utility based, and are therefore largely a matter of preference. Crackling Energy is a good investment, particularly for dungeon focused players, as the extra range can actually be a DPS gain in some instances, and it helps your spread AoE. Aegwynn's Ascendance adds a little bit of damage to Evocation, but this is largely negligible and requires you to be nearby targets. Sloooow Down can be taken any time you feel you can get use out of the potential kiting utility.

2. Patch 7.2: 35+ Trait Path

Patch 7.2 has replaced the 35-54 Paragon system with several additional new traits becoming available upon acquisition of the 35th point. All of the previous Relic traits will also unlock a 4th rank, along with a new Paragon system becoming available after all traits have been filled (via Concordance of the Legionfall) which all additional Artifact Power will be spent on.

Detailed below is our suggested maxing order after 35 traits:

1. Intensity of the Tirisgarde
2. Aegwynn's Intensity
3. Aluneth's Avarice
4. Time and Space
5. Fourth rank of Ethereal Sensitivity
6. Fourth rank of Aegwynn's Wrath
7. Fourth rank of Blasting Rod
8. Fourth rank of Aegwynn's Fury
9. Fourth rank of Arcane Purification
10. Fourth rank of Torrential Barrage
11. Fourth rank of Aegwynn's Imperative
12. Fourth rank of Force Barrier
13. Fourth rank of Everywhere At Once
14. Concordance of the Legionfall

3. Relic Choice

1. Ethereal Sensitivity is overall the best trait for single target
2. Aegwynn's Wrath is a great trait, essentially giving you a free 350 Critical Strike rating
3. Blasting Rod is good, particularly for burst
4. Aegwynn's Fury for the Arcane Missiles damage
5. Arcane Purification for the AoE benefit
6. Any of the other damage Relics

4. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 12 Jun. 2017: Page reviewed and deemed updated for 7.2.5.
• 27 Mar. 2017: Added path for new 7.2 traits.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Added.