Frost Mage DPS Easy Mode

This section is intended for players who are new to the game or class, have no intentions of raiding Mythic difficulty, or simply want a more straightforward way to play their specialization without being overwhelmed by the numerous priorities and active abilities that need to be taken into consideration for optimal play.

1. The Basics

Frost is a very versatile specialization, with a high degree of talent customization. It can evolve from a fairly relaxing and passive spec to one with a veritable cornucopia of buttons that can tax the keybinds of very seasoned players. In this section we will be focusing on a setup that minimizes the amount of buttons necessary without compromising the output too much.

When playing Frost you want to make sure that your Summon Water Elemental Icon Summon Water Elemental is always present. It is recommended that you keep it on "Assist", so that it will automatically attack your target when you engage in combat. The Water Elemental adds 2 extra buttons that you will need to make via Macro (otherwise, you will need to click them on your pet bar). The Macros you will need are as follows:

#showtooltip
/cast Water Jet

#showtooltip
/cast Freeze

These spells share a cooldown and help you generate Fingers of Frost Icon Fingers of Frost charges. More information on Fingers of Frost and your other basic abilities can be found in our Spell Summary page.

2. Talent Choice

These choices are optimized for ease of use. Although some talents might offer marginally higher gains when played perfectly, these same talents often result in damage losses when utilized by many players. These talents aim to present the best setup that has very little punishment for unfamiliarity or mistakes.

Level 15: Bone Chilling
Level 30: Shimmer
Level 45: Incanter's Flow
Level 60: Frozen Touch
Level 75: Frigid Winds
Level 90: Frost Bomb
Level 100: Thermal Void

3. Stat Choice

Currently, you will want to prioritize secondary stats as follows:

Intellect;
Haste;
Critical Strike;
Versatility;
Mastery.

Haste, Critical Strike, and Versatility are all very close in value, so you should usually just pick the item with the highest item level when considering upgrades.

4. Basic Rotation

Cast Frostbolt as a filler, and to generate Fingers of Frost and Brain Freeze.
Use Water Jet (single target/bosses) and Freeze (2+ targets/adds) to generate Fingers of Frost.
Cast Frozen Orb when available to generate Fingers of Frost.
Use your Icy Veins cooldown when possible for more damage. Try to have a few charges of Fingers of Frost saved up before you use it.
Apply your Frost Bomb when you have Fingers of Frost charges.
Cast Ice Lance only to spend your Fingers of Frost charges (make sure Frost Bomb is applied!).
Cast Flurry only when you have Brain Freeze.
Cast Ebonbolt when available and you do not have Brain Freeze.
Cast Blizzard when there are 4+ targets to help your AoE damage.
Cast Ice Nova (if you talented it) whenever available. Try to use it for AoE when possible as well, as it deals good burst damage.

About Our Author and Reviewer

This guide has been written by Furty, who has an illustrious history in the World of Warcraft raiding scene and race for World First. He has been a member of guilds such as Serenity, Midwinter, and many more, and is currently raiding in Future. He plays most classes at the highest level. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him play on Twitch.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Kuni, one of the best Frost Mages in the world, who raids in Midnight Sanctuary.

⋘Introduction

Spell Summary⋙