How It Feels
Fire is pure spectacle. Fireballs fly, Fire Blasts ignite mid-cast, and when the chain reaction is running, Pyroblasts rain down on your enemies every second. Hardly any spec looks this impressive once it gets going.
It feels fast and reactive. Instead of planning everything, you react to critical strikes that grant you instant spells. That makes Fire lively and unpredictable, but it demands good reflexes.
How Fire Works
The Fire Mage uses mana and lives on critical strikes:
- Basic spell: Fireball is your standard spell with a cast time.
- Chain reaction: two critical strikes in a row grant you an instant Pyroblast. Fire Blast always crits and can even be cast while casting other spells, so you can help luck along.
- Pyroblast: your heaviest spell. With a cast time it is slow, as an instant spell it is your most important damage dealer.
- Combustion: for a few seconds your spells crit almost every time. That is your big window.
- Movement: you can cast Scorch while running, and below 30 percent health it is a guaranteed crit.
Key Abilities
- Fireball: your basic spell, a ball of fire.
- Pyroblast: an immense fiery boulder, your strongest spell.
- Fire Blast: always crits and can be cast during other spells.
- Combustion: your spells crit almost every time for a few seconds.
- Phoenix Flames: a phoenix that hits your target and nearby enemies.
- Scorch: a spell for moving, a guaranteed crit against wounded enemies.
Lore: Kael'thas and the Fire of Quel'Thalas
Azeroth's most famous Fire Mage is Kael'thas Sunstrider, last prince of the High Elves and member of the Kirin Tor. After the fall of Quel'Thalas he led his people as Blood Elves to Outland, where he eventually fell to the Burning Legion. His is one of the most tragic stories of the Blood Elves.
In Legion, Fire Mages wielded Felo'melorn, his family's sword, as their artifact weapon. With WoW Midnight the story returns to Quel'Thalas, and the legacy of House Sunstrider is everywhere again.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- a spectacular look and fast chain reactions,
- huge damage in Combustion windows,
- some spells usable on the move,
- strong against wounded enemies.
Weaknesses
- chance plays a big role,
- cloth, very vulnerable to direct hits,
- missed procs cost noticeable damage.
Who Is the Fire Mage For?
A good fit if you …
- love spectacle and explosions,
- like reacting quickly to procs,
- are fascinated by Kael'thas and the Blood Elves.
Probably not if you …
- want a calm, plannable loop, in which case Arcane fits,
- want maximum safety solo, in which case Frost is better.
Fire, Arcane or Frost?
Arcane is the planner with mana management, Frost the controlled Mage with ice. Fire is the choice for everyone who wants to watch it burn.
More about the class on the Mage in WoW Midnight page.
Images: © Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Source: worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com
