Whats the Highest DPS Mage Spec for Patch 3.3.3?

[Cronus]

Calling all non-arcane mages out there! Have you noticed increased DPS on fire or frost? I know when I was playing my arcane spec last night, I felt like I wasnt hitting as hard and my DPS was lower. Not sure why. Maybe it was bad group senergy.

I am dual spec so I want to try out Fire or Frost and see if they got increased DPS. Let me know your thoughts and should I go Fire or Frost. I wonder what they would say if I show up in a raid with an elemental out...lol. If its better DPS, might have to train Raids that Frost or Fire is viable again.

[KysenMurrin]

Frost is still the lowest dps spec, but a little higher than it was before patch. Arcane didn't really change other than the exploitable Incanter's Absorption talent, and Fire got a big buff.

What I've read lately is that the current best option is to dual spec Arcane and Fire, and swap depending on the fight - Arcane for fights with lots of target swapping on mobs that don't live long enough for Living Bomb to explode, Fire for fights where AoE or having the DoTs ticking (for example fights where you may be stunned/spiked/disoriented) will be a big help.

[Cronus]

exploitable Incanter's Absorption talent

I have not found that yet...can you please inform a fellow mage

[KysenMurrin]

They fixed it, they didn't make it exploitable. Mages were getting a lot more from it than intended by using things like Priest shields to keep absorption up constantly. That no longer works.

[Palmela]

IA got nerfed to only work with mana shield/frost ward/fire ward instead of working off discs shields and any other absorb you would get. That talent was a huge boost on some fights where dmg was able to be absorbed i.e. Twins, constantly had the buff on that fight and you could see Arc mages hitting huge numbers there. Arcane is still the top single target dps spec with TTW/fire being number two, like the above poster said fire is great for fights where dots will increase your overall dps, i.e. Putricide/Anub. I prefer fire on dreamwalker as I can just tab target and spam living bomb on the bigger adds and flamestrike the guys that nerf his healing. In the end if you like fire and dont have to terribly gimp yourself to reach hit cap then play that, frost is still suboptimal to be raiding with.

[superworm]

The pet from frost mage may be quite useful in some cases. I can think of one mage keeping the 2 gravitation bombs up in 10 man prince council without moving much, and being able to sustain some dps on the boss while commanding his pet moving around hitting the bombs. Especially in heroic mode, when shadow prison comes into concern, this may be quite useful.

[Boyfriend]

The pet from frost mage may be quite useful in some cases. I can think of one mage keeping the 2 gravitation bombs up in 10 man prince council without moving much, and being able to sustain some dps on the boss while commanding his pet moving around hitting the bombs. Especially in heroic mode, when shadow prison comes into concern, this may be quite useful.

While true, I'd suggest using any other pet class if possible. All pets can keep up bombs, if you have at least 2 in the raid then your mage doesn't have to gimp himself.

[Dantriges]

They fixed it, they didn't make it exploitable. Mages were getting a lot more from it than intended by using things like Priest shields to keep absorption up constantly. That no longer works.

Resist counted as absorb, too as far as I know.

[superworm]

The pet from frost mage may be quite useful in some cases. I can think of one mage keeping the 2 gravitation bombs up in 10 man prince council without moving much, and being able to sustain some dps on the boss while commanding his pet moving around hitting the bombs. Especially in heroic mode, when shadow prison comes into concern, this may be quite useful.

While true, I'd suggest using any other pet class if possible. All pets can keep up bombs, if you have at least 2 in the raid then your mage doesn't have to gimp himself.

Well, goblins from warlocks may be ok, but I doubt hunters' pets and other pets from warlocks to be able to do that as they mainly focus on melee attacks.

[Dantriges]

Melee pets work. It just waits down there looking at the orb with the big huge eyes like a dog begging you for food and bite it, when the orb is low enough and nearly hits the ground sending it upwards again.

[Vorianloken]

Melee pets work. It just waits down there looking at the orb with the big huge eyes like a dog begging you for food and bite it, when the orb is low enough and nearly hits the ground sending it upwards again.

imao

[hoho]

Yes, melee hits work just fine. I managed to keep one sphere up just fine by whacking it with my staff