May 2018 Wizard Guide

Discussion in 'Mages' started by Version, Jun 1, 2018.

  1. Version Member


    Information, meta builds, playstyle and preferences change every day - there is no "perfect" way to play, but there are many wrong ways to go about reaching full potential. This guide will help steer a Wizard toward that goal.

    Keep this in mind with any guides, they are not set in stone, but only a tool to assist you in reaching your own goals.

    There are a lot of variations to a Wizard's Spec possible. Let's take a look at what I chose, and why.
    1. Freehand Sorcery(10)- 28% Damage increase on next spell - For use prior to every Fusion/Scorched Earth/Wildfire
    2. Brainstorm(10)- 4% base Damage increase on all spells -Damage
    3. Battlemage's Fervor(10)- +75 Spell focus increase - Damage
    4. Spell Expertise(10)- +11.7 Crit Chance increase - Damage
    5. Sagacity(1)- 12% power cost reduction on all Spells - optional
    1. Enhance: Ice Spears(5)- 35% cold + heat resistance reduction - Damage
    2. Enhance: Magi's Shielding(10)- adds minor ward - optional
    3. Enhance: Immolation(5)- 10% Crit bonus/0.5sec cast speed reduction - Damage
    4. Enhance: Magma Chamber(5)- 10% Crit bonus/5sec reuse reduction - optional
    5. Enhance: Firestorm(5)- 15% power cost reduction/100% radius increase - Damage
    6. Enhance: Ball of Fire(5)- 5% Crit bonus/0.5sec cast speed reduction - Damage
    7. Enhance: Surge of Ro(5)- 20sec duration increase - Damage
    8. Enhance: Storming Tempest(4)- 9.6sec duration reduction - Damage
    9. Enhance: Mail of Frost(10)- 80% ward increase - optional
    10. Enhance: Fusion(5)- 5m range and radius increase - Damage
    11. Enhance: Frigid Gift(5)- 5sec duration increase - Damage
    12. Fireshape(1)- makes all Magic/Vold spells into heat spells - Damage(buffing alternation)
    13. Spell Reach(1)- 6m range increase/25% radius increase - Damage
    14. Iceshape(1)- makes all Magic/Heat spells into Cold spells - Damage(buffing alternation)
    15. Burning Storms(5)- 20% base Damage increase to Firestorm - Damage
    16. Ball of Flames(5)- 10% base Damage increase to Ball of Fire - Damage
    17. Elemental Surprise(5)- 10% increased Damage to 80% target health - Damage(burst)
    1. Pet of the Gods(5)- 50% pet casting speed and attribute bonus - optional(For Wizard)
    2. Hearty Constitution(5)- 2.5% Max Health increase - Raid survivability
    3. Runic Protection(5)- 40% stamina/defense bonus on Magi's Shielding - Raid survivability
    4. Arcane Bewilderment(1)- 1 position threat decrease - Boss survivability
    5. Sorcerer's Shielding(5)- reduces Damage done to Sorcerer - Raid survivability
    6. Essence of Hatred(5)- 5% additional Hate transfer to Converge target - Boss survivability
    7. Critical Mastery(5)- 5% Crit Damage increase to all spells - Damage
    8. Thunderclap(1)- Damage spell - Damage
    9. Warm Blooded(5)- adds Heat debuff to Immolation - Damage
    10. Atomic Reaction(5)- 15% base Damage to Fusion - Damage
    11. Icicle Flurry(5)- 30% Damage increase to Ice Spears/exponential Damage increase over time - Damage
    12. Void Tempest(5)- 20% Damage increase to Storming Tempest/15sec duration reduction - Damage
    13. Heat Mastery(1)- 5% Damage increase to all Heat spells - Damage
    14. Hail Storm(1)- Damage spell(AoE) - Damage
    1. Attribute Prowess(10)- base statistic bonus - Damage
    2. Spirit and Body(10)- 5% Max Health/Power - Raid survivability
    3. Expertise(10)- 10% Potency increase - Damage
    4. Enhance: Thunderclap(10)- 60% Damage increase to Thunderclap/25m/15m additional strike - Damage
    5. Expunger(10)- 50% increase Damage/duration to Hailstorm - Damage
    6. Mystical Overflow(10)- AoE Damage add - Damage
    7. Ethemere Chains(1)- 2 position threat reduction/Damage spell - Damage/Boss survivability
    8. Sanguine Sacrifice(1)- 1.5% increase to Potency based on Intelligence - Damage
    1. Dragon Scales(10)- 8% Max Health increase - Raid survivability
    2. Scaled Protection(9)- generates minor ward every 3 seconds - Raid survivability
    3. Split Channeling(10)- 5% Doublecast increase - Damage
    4. Weave(10)- Spell focus increase - Damage
    5. True Bewilderment(10)- 100% Damage increase to Arcane Bewilderment - Damage
    6. Spellbind(1)- 25% potency increase for 10sec - Damage
    7. Improved Sorcery(10)- base Damage increase of Fusion - Damage
    8. Reaction(10)- 3% increase to spell triggers - Damage
    9. Resist Break(10)- 1% increase to Elemental Damage - Damage
    10. Ancient Fury(1)- adds 2 ticks to Damage over Time abilities - Damage
    1. Superheated/Arcane Stormbringer(3)- 30% Damage modifier increase to Fiery Blast - optional Damage
    2. Disintegrating Fire(2)- 32% reset for Rays of Disintegration - Damage
    3. E'ci's Frozen Wrath(1)- Damage spell - Damage
    4. Frozen Thoughts(2)- 24% reset for Fusion - Damage
    5. Arcane Force(1)- 33% of Crit Bonus into Potency - Damage
    6. Lord of Arcana(1)- 8.3% of Potency into Crit Bonus - Damage
    7. Incineration(3)- passive Damage buff - Damage
    8. Frozen Rain(3)- increment Damage spell - Damage
    9. Ro's Power(3)- 100% base Damage increase to Incineration - Damage
    10. Fire Chains(3)- passive group Damage buff - Damage
    11. Cryomaster(2)- adds 2 increments to stacking Frozen Solid - Damage
    12. Hellfire(1)- 12 Fervor increase for 10sec/Damage spell - Damage
    1. Bulwark of Mana(1)- 20% magical Damage reduction(group) - Group survivability
    2. Enhanced Vigor(8)- 1.28% of Crit Bonus + Potency to Stamina increase - Raid survivability
    3. Imbued Insight(2)- 2% Crit Bonus increase - Damage
    4. Undeniable Power(8)- 8% Potency increase - Damage
    5. Power from the Soul(1)- 0.8% of primary attribute increase to Potency - Damage
    6. World Ablaze(1)- 3% base potency increase active buff - Damage
    7. Unda Arcanus Spiritus(1)- Doublecast increased instance AoE Damage spell - Damage
    Cont..
    Falaphal likes this.
  2. Version Member

    Cast Priority
    There are a lot of different ways to play a Wizard, currently. Using the Spec I outlined above, I will give you a standard method of play, called a priority rotation, that I use to get toward my end goal, which is not only leading the parse, but beating current-tier raid content, along with continually improving both myself and my group/raid.

    • Efficiency
    1. I cannot stress this point enough- always be casting SOMETHIING. If you feel like you're out of abilities to cast, you are NOT. This is only meant to bring to light one thing about the rest of this guide: If you are not active, paying attention, engaged and attempting to pass anyone ahead of you while playing a Wizard, you may not be playing the right class for your playstyle.
      This said, if there is anything about efficiency at it's base, it is activity, knowing what to cast, what to hold, and when to cast what. If your Hate is high, use a positional and continue casting your biggest available spells, as they apply.
      If your raid is on a hold DPS fight, and the fight is long, focus on understanding what your role is at that moment, and know exactly when you can continue to do what you're good at, DPS. If the fight is short, be thankful and prepare your character for the next opportunity to do what you're made for, DPS.
    2. The second point about efficiency is exactly the meaning of the word: be efficient. This means limiting movement, limiting ability downtime, knowing what abilities are available and using them as soon as you possibly can, as they apply.
    3. The third point of efficiency is, finally, the actual Spell priority for Wizard, as it currently stands.
      This is not as simple and straightforward as some would make it sound, but it is also not rocket surgery, either. I could give the mathematical version of this breakdown, but instead we'll focus on what you'll really be doing, casting situationally.
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    1. Hellfire
    2. Fusion
    3. Ice Spears
    4. Fiery Incineration
    5. Rays of Disintegration
    6. E'ci's Frozen Wrath
    7. Frozen Rain
    8. Scorched Earth
    9. Ball of Fire
    10. Elemental Amalgamation
    11. Immolation
    12. Protoflame
    13. Wildfire
    14. Firestorm
    15. Unda Arcanus Spiritus
    16. Ethernere Chains
    17. Thunderclap
    18. Hailstorm
    19. Storming Tempest
    20. Flames of Velious

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    • A major thing to realize about Wizard, in general, there is no written in stone order for your spells. You will cast many thing "out of order" based on a multitude of factors, including fight duration, Singular Focus necessity, upcoming abilities off CD, active buffs and most importantly, active procs and runes.
    • This means several things, but the most important is: not a single Wizard out there is perfect, b/c there are always ways to improve and adapt to new fights, old fights and even pre fight preparations.
      Don't get caught up on this, it only means one thing: you'll get better as long as you're trying to.
    • Here's the buffs you should be tracking or watching, or at minimum ensuring you are keeping on CD/asking for.
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    1. World Ablaze - use full duration of every stack, track this buff
    2. Freehand Sorcery - Fusion/Scorched Earth/Rays of Disintegration
    3. Spellbind - Fusion/Fiery Incineration/Scorched Earth/Wildfire
    4. Sanguine Sacrifice - always on CD
    5. Elemental Channeling - pre-fight buff/prior to Fiery Incineration/Elemental Amalgamation
    6. Frost Pyre - pre-fight buff/any time there's an immunity period in boss fights/transition
    7. Fury of the Magus - pre-fight buff/prior to Scorched Earth/Wildfire/Fusion
    8. Surge of Ro - always on CD/alternate with Frigid Gift
    9. Frigid Gift - always on CD/alternate with Surge of Ro
    10. Ro's Blade - always on self + 2 top DPS in group
    11. Thermal Depletion - with rune pre-fight buff/any transition/any high dmg incoming boss fight
    12. Bulwark of Rime - with rune any high dmg incoming fight
    13. Phoenix Rising - always ask for pre-cd's/pre-fight buff on top DPS/set up a tell for your target to ask for
    14. Pact of the Fire Tyrant - on any fight with non-high incoming dmg/pre-fight buff for initial burst then cancel it whenever possible to use
    15. Jester's Cap - set up rotation with your Troub/get as often as possible
    16. Timelord - ask for when all Ascensions/Fusion/CD's are down/get as often as possible
    I'll stop there, although there are many more buffs that can impact a Wizard's DPS substantially. The ideal situation is your raid group working together to maximize not only your DPS, but every other T1/T2 DPS in the group. No matter your raid build, a Wizard can bring substantial DPS and sustained Single Target in any fight. Communication and teamwork go a long way in making you and every other DPS perform like a rock star.
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    • Opening Salvo - one historically true rule in DPS - Start High, Stay High. What this means to a Wizard is simple: Your opening rotation block can set up the rest of every boss fight for success, or make it an uphill climb. Do not confuse this for RNG luck with crits/Surges/procs. The best DPS are the ones who set the table for the best scenarios to happen, over and over. Some call this luck, but with practice, you can create your own luck. Procs and Crits happen, by a %, and that means you can always set the odds in your favor in at least 1 way: consistency.
    1. Elemental Channeling - Pre
    2. Frost Pyre - Pre
    3. World Ablaze - Pre
    4. Sanguine Sacrifice Pre
    5. Fury of the Magus - Pre
    6. Surge of Ro
    7. Ice Spears
    8. Immolation(for Hellfire)
    9. Flames of Velious(for Hellfire)
    10. Fiery Blast(for Hellfire)/Cast on CD next/cast prior to Ascensions next/repeat
    11. Spellbind(cast on CD next)
    12. Hellfire(cast on CD for Fervor buff)
    13. Scorched Earth
    14. Wildfire
    15. Freehand Sorcery
    16. Fusion
    17. Fiery Incineration
    18. Rays of Disintegration
    19. E'ci's Frozen Wrath
    20. Fusion(if available)
    21. Elemental Amalgamation
    22. Hellfire(keep on CD)
    23. Ball of Fire(Priority starts here)
    24. Immolation(keep on CD)
    25. Protoflame(keep on CD)
    • This can be adapted, obviously, to each fight, and each situation. Being consistent with your opening rotation will not only allow you to gauge where your DPS is on each fight, but also allow other people in your group and raid to know when and where to buff you.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    • Well that's all for now. You can reach me on Halls of Fate - Version - or my Conj - Inception.
    Breanna, Xianthia and Armageddoux like this.
  3. The Fonz Active Member

    Holy crap a real guide. I haven’t seen a current one of these in some time. I don’t play a wizard, but thank you for putting it together for those that do/want to.
  4. Jokirr Member


    I highed the main parts of this that are simply not correct. I'm not saying don't cast them but a priority list verse an cast opener is so different.

    Priority indicates that you should be casting these spells as soon as they are up. I can tell straight up that Thunderclap should be much higher on that list if you intend people to cast those spells as they come off cooldown.

    Overall I would not use this on my own wizard as a priority list ever. I might consider it as an opener to fights but only as an opener then use a different list as an actual priority through out the fight.
  5. Alexstrasza Active Member

    I guess I should chime in here as 1 of the top parsing wizards in game. The spell priority list is way off and assuming every wizard is Elementalist is wrong and should not be factored into any priority list. If you want to make a list of spells to prioritize that is fine but you should also list Etherealist abilities too as most Wizards are Etherealist I would assume as its the best ascension class for a Wizard atm, ive compared parses vs Elemenalist and Etherealist still has the edge. Anyway back on topic a lot of those spells aren't even on my hotbar and those AA's are a little suspect to say the least, most "Damage Increase" AA's are just Potency buffs and not base potency just adding 28% which is nothing and not worth 10 AA points thats for sure.
  6. Alexstrasza Active Member

    Also if any wizard in game wants to talk about wizards with me, my office has an open door either in game or on discord, Ellessvee on discord and Ellessvee in game.
  7. Xellium Active Member

    Unda cant be 15th on priority, it has no cast time or recovery. Its the most efficient spell for both sorcs.
    Where is incinerate? Don't underestimate this little guy!
    FoV at 20? It should be higher than that even at 100% and climbs with enemy health depletion.

    Freehand Sorcery is a flat potency boost, not a damage multiplier. I don't disagree with taking and or using it, but its benefits are benign at best nowadays.

    Thank you for sharing. Too many people are selfish with knowledge in this game.
    Heijo and Rosyposy like this.
  8. Xellium Active Member

    Also, where is magma chamber?
    You must be casting that at a higher priority then thunderclap no?
  9. Wimble Active Member

    Xell, I know you're solid as a wiz but you'd do more damage farting on the mob than casting Magma Chamber at it :p
    Arkmarux likes this.
  10. Daray Well-Known Member

    B+ for effort, but wizard guides need tens of thousands of words, plus lots of numbers and important-looking graphs.
    kingmob23, SacDaddy420, Momo and 2 others like this.
  11. Alexstrasza Active Member


    Kind of why I havn't posted a guide or even attempted at starting 1, this game has way too many variables especially with ascensions, you have to weigh in a lot of factions, a cast order only gets you so far its what you do between cool downs that can make/break a good/great wizard.
  12. Xellium Active Member

    [IMG]This is the last update to my priority list that I did before I betrayed in early March.
    Its pretty solid and takes into account all of the little things.
    This is simply all of my class spells sorted by efficiency on a per target basis.
    This doesn't take into account of how to open, or deal with fervor proc, or ascensions, or trying t o reset fusion, or anything.
    Also, Unda is not included because you cant divide by 0. Unda is always your most efficient spell.
    Just ignore world ablaze as no one uses it for damage, I forgot to remove it.

    But ya in general you don't cast magma chamber much, but if your casting TC before it your wrong.
    BoF is up so often that u spend a lot of time casting that and RoD.
    Also, notice how good incinerate and FOV are.

    I'm an Etherealist so I don't know how much this would change as an Elementalist. I imagine it wouldn't change much,
    Wimble likes this.
  13. Alexstrasza Active Member

    Why would you betray? FoTM type player?
  14. Wimble Active Member


    yup :D
  15. Xellium Active Member

    I was a wiz for 6 years. Not FotM kinda guy but wanted a change for once.
    Turns out Warlocks are a lot of fun as well so it's worked out.
    Rosyposy likes this.
  16. Version Member

    Appreciate all the feedback buds-

    A lot to address here ofc, but the first would be the overall idea of this guide.

    It is not intended to be a complete guide to every possible situation, and certainly has some room for argument/error.
    I am all about listening to feedback, and am more than willing to listen and adjust many aspects of it.

    I'll sit down tomorrow and give a longer response, but the jist of this was to finally get an open discussion going, at least on one class, and hopefully help the community catch up a bit to some of the more seasoned and well-versed players.

    This guide is obviously cut very short, and removes a lot of the extraneous information that any new player wouldn't need to get their ball rolling.

    Thanks again!
    Rosyposy likes this.
  17. Version Member

    As a side note, I'll gladly sit and parse, compare spell weights from live Bosses, and discuss which AA's are currently not viable, Freehand being one if it is simply a flat Potency increase, which wouldn't surprise me. :p

    I tried to get my point across as best I could, regarding Wizard being a situational caster, and that none of this guide is meant to encompass every scenario or situation, but it seems that point was lost on some, which is probably my fault.

    I'll try to do better, friends :)
    Wimble and Rosyposy like this.
  18. Ellimist Active Member

    So on the efficiency list to calculate it I'm going to quote Daray from a long time ago:

    "To work out the DPS Efficiency value of each of your spells, you need to first work out the average total damage that the spell
    deals (including any ticks if it has a duration component). Then divide this number by the casting time + recovery time that you
    have for that spell - the recovery time is 0.5s for each of your spells. You then need to order your spells by the resulting number,
    so that when you come to cycling your spells, you are always casting the highest available spell in the list."

    I started the list a few weeks ago for myself but haven't finished it yet. To work out the average I just took the min and the max from the spell card when examined under my current AA profile. I also set it up so I could use number of ticks and just calculate that against the max time the spell can run for. I.E. it might tick once every 2 seconds and run for 6 seconds so I use 3 ticks.
  19. Xellium Active Member

    Don't forget to add in incineration damage.
  20. SgtPmpkn Well-Known Member

    So the specs linked - are Wizards not using Blast of Devestation anymore?