World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Mage: Changes
What has changed for the Mage in the Forever beta, newest first. The rest of this guide describes the class as it plays now (client build 1.60.1.70425).
Last updated 2026-10-16, checked 2026-10-16.
- : Client build 70425 reworked Arcane and Fire and added the Frost Blast spell.
- : Ice Lance's bonus damage against Frozen targets fell from 300% to 200%.
- : Frost Blast was added at level 24.
- : Winter's Chill was redesigned: it no longer adds crit and instead boosts your next Cone of Cold.
- : Human Ruthless replaced Sword Specialization.
- : Gnome Eureka! became an 8 s buff with no charges; before, it covered your next 3 spells.
- : Read Ley Line became castable while moving.
- : Orc Blood Fury cooldown changed from 2 minutes to 3.
- : Undead Touch of the Dead was changed for casters to a 30% chance with a 25 s internal cooldown.
- : Troll Regeneration was doubled from 10% to 20% health regeneration bonuses.
- : Wands now need you to stand still for 0.5 s before they shoot.
- : Arcane Blast stacks changed from +10% to your other spells for 8 s to 15% of your Intellect as spell damage for 15 s.
- : Arcane Blast's boost to your next AoE spell was 10% before the rework.
- : Arcane Blast stacks changed from lasting until your next spell to lasting 15 s from the first one.
- : Fire Blast and other filler stopped clearly ending Arcane Blast stacks.
- : Arcane Blast became a 1.5 s cast; its damage and coefficient fell 40% and its mana cost was unchanged.
- : Missile Barrage moved to row 1 with 2 points, and Arcane Missiles hits can now trigger it.
- : Improved Fire Blast replaced Wake of Fire, every Fire Blast cast began adding a Heating Up stack, and a Presence of Mind Pyroblast stopped using them up.
- : Arcane Missiles ranks 2-3 rose slightly (rank 3 from 46 to 49 a second).
- : Fireball ranks 1-3 hit a little less and ranks 4-5 harder (rank 5 from 98–130 to 108–143).
- : Client build 70291: Flamestrike's burn stopped triggering Impact stuns.
- : Frostbolt ranks 1-3 hit a little less and ranks 4-5 harder (rank 5 from 97–105 to 104–114).
- : Hot Streak was renamed Heating Up.
- : Winter's Chill and Improved Scorch can no longer be resisted once their spell lands.
- : Combustion went back from 4 crits to 3.
- : Gnome Eureka! stopped boosting damage over time.
- : Dungeon quest XP was cut, to about 2.2 times Classic's.
- : Respawns were raised in Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, Wetlands, Duskwood and Thousand Needles.
- : Low ranks of Frostbolt began to get less spell power and fewer procs at high level; Rank 1 at 60 never procs Frostbite.
- : Mage scrolls can no longer be cast while moving.
- : A balance pass changed most Comprehension scroll tooltips.
- : Gnome Eureka! no longer gives Mages 50% off spell costs; it is 10% for everyone.
- : Heating Up's duration rose from 15 s to 20 s.
- : Arcane Missiles began checking line of sight once, when the channel starts.
- : Ignite stopped double-dipping on percentage damage bonuses.
- Earlier builds: Skyborne Wind Blessed casting haste rose from 1% to 3%.
Still open
- Mage class blog: promised by Blizzard but not yet posted. Check every number when it lands.
- New Mage buttons: Blizzard is looking at more for every spec "in the next few weeks". Rotations here may change.
- Teleport: Dalaran is Alliance only in the client. Do Horde Mages get a Dalaran spell at 50?
- Felfire: a level-60 Fire-tab record in the client. Is anything teaching it?
- Coldflame Saber: does its 98 Fire damage scale with spell power, and does Fingers of Frost count as Frozen for it?
- Comprehension scrolls: most scroll tooltips changed in a balance pass; only Greater Cryoblast and Rebuke Elemental are re-read so far.
- Reagents: Arcane Powder for Arcane Brilliance and Rune of Portals for portals (70205 client).
- Mana in practice: how often a level-30 Mage drinks next to a Priest or Shaman.
- Everything above level 30 is untested until the beta cap rises.