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Fire Mage DPS Guide — Make Combust Great Again!

  • Epiccarry
    • WoW Fire Mage Guide
    Fire mage guide

    Okay, there are only two mages. In the era of the classical trilogy, there was only a frost mage who dominated the open world with a blizzard. For all other eras in the past, present, or future, there is only the fire mage that exists. Why? — one word: Combustion. This little crispy thing creates over 9,000 damage in each pack, to each mob. And only fire mages were those lucky bastards who could create 1,000,000 damage. As a result, the total damage dealt throughout the dungeon run was about 1,100,000. It doesn’t matter how many times Blizzard nerfs the fire mage; as long as we have Combustion, we’re still pyromaniacs with a bomb! So do not waste your time and prepare for a fire mage DPS guide that transforms your pyrophobe into a pyrogod!

    From this guide, you will learn:

    1. Why collecting critical strike is not effective for Fire mages.
    2. What the hell Phoenix Flames is.
    3. About minor and major DPS cooldowns for Fire.
    4. Dive into the depths of the fire mage rotation.
    5. Learn about the fire mage rework with the new talent tree system.
    6. Find all the weaknesses and strengths of the fire mage.
    7. Learn how to deal damage without using the fire’s major dps cooldown for a single target.
    8. Utilize your pyromaniac abilities to Ignite other nearby enemies with increased critical strike chance.

    And, of course, other important topics such as:

    All of this, and many other useful insights, are covered in one comprehensive fire mage DPS guide that will allow you to play like a god!

    We’re also recommend to view our Mythic+ Compendium, with all the Dungeon tactics and M+ Loot.

    Fire mage class overview

    Okay, let’s start the fire mage guide with the main class overview. The first and most important thing you must know about the fire mage is that this class is not for newbies. Why? It’s simple. Dealing critical strike damage to nearby enemies with Phoenix Flames and Fire Blast requires an extremely strict rotation.

    Even if you learn how to deal damage to a single target with an instant cast, it’s still not enough because you need to improvise all the time. In high keys, there are instances where you should save your global fire’s main DPS cooldown in your pocket and deal no DPS to the current pack, only to unleash all your critical strike spells into the largest pack.

    This class demands mastery (not a secondary stat) for you to remain effective. But once you learn how to use Phoenix Flames, Fire Blast, Combustion, Ignition, and all the other skills from the fire tree, you will become a god. No, wait… you will become THE god!

    Pros

    There’s nothing special to say. The fire mage:

    1. Is an S-tier DPS in all types of content.
    2. Has controlled frequent bursts with instant cast abilities.
    3. Possesses their own Bloodlust (a special talent in the new talent trees).
    4. Excels in multi-target damage.
    5. Offers high mobility.
    6. Utilizes Ice Block as the main defensive ability.
    7. Features at least one cheat death mechanic, which allows you to retain bursts in a big pack if you mess up the rotation or need some defensive abilities.
    8. Is no longer reliant on critical strikes due to the fire mage reworked secondary stat weights.
    9. Can now access Night Fae’s Shifting Power in each class tree, which enhances the fire mage’s damage.

    Cons

    Why does Combust do not damage over 9.000 pieces of damage in wow:Dragonflight?

    Alright, now let’s delve into what Combustion is, was, and will remain as the primary Fire mage viability. However, in the Shadowlands expansion and subsequently in the Dragonflight, Blizzard has aimed to limit mages’ ability to AoE against more than 5 mobs. This is why Combustion underwent nerfs, yet it still deals considerably more damage than any other skill. Conversely, the likelihood of critical strikes igniting nearby enemies has decreased.

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    No doubt, Combustion remains overpowered and ensures your spells critically strike consistently. However, its effectiveness has diminished in single target damage or within medium-sized packs. Additionally, Fire mages no longer employ Living Bomb, which means you can set aside your old-style rotation from World of Warcraft: Classic. 

    To correct your rotation, use the Dummy or Simcraft. We also have our WoW Sims actual guide to correct your SimulationCraft Logs.

    Important note

    If you’re playing on patch 10.1 or any later patches, it’s important to be aware that Rune of Power is no longer available in the talent trees. This change was implemented due to the power of Frost Mage’s Icy Veins ability. Icy Veins can be cast multiple times, and each casting grants an additional Rune of Power. This allowed Frost Mages to maintain constant presence within the Rune of Power, which was deemed overpowered. As a result, it has been removed from all talent builds, significantly altering the gameplay dynamics for all mage specializations.

    Fire mages in Tier List of all range damage dealers

    The Fire mage, with its direct damage spells and incredible AoE damage through critical strikes while under the effect of Combustion, is an amazingly powerful asset. This attribute elevates it to S-tier DPS for high keys and A-tier for raids, not only within the realm of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight but also spanning the past ten expansions of the game.

    For raids

    The Fire mage, with its direct damage spells and incredible AoE damage through critical strikes while under the effect of Combustion, is an amazingly powerful asset. This attribute elevates it to S-tier DPS for high keys and A-tier for raids, not only within the realm of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight but also spanning the past ten expansions of the game.

    For Keys

    In the keys, all is close to perfect. At least, all the fire mages stay on the edge of the season. Of course with some last minor updates, Fury warriors become on the edge too. But East or west, The crapping Combustion is still the rules.

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    The best race for fire mages in the world of Warcraft 10: Dragonflight

    East or West, Void Elf may not be the best. A classic Troll might actually fare better due to their haste bonus. However, the situation isn’t as straightforward when it comes to considering allied races, especially in the post-World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth era.

    That’s why we present a meta list of races for your Fire mage. Typically, for the Horde, Trolls reign supreme due to their haste advantage. On the Alliance side, Dwarves take the lead, primarily because of their defensive racial cooldowns.

    P.S. Here’s an interesting twist to consider. I can’t quite explain why, but Dwarves seem to be thriving in the current season with keys above 30+, while Trolls are not performing as well. This leads us to ponder whether, in high keys, defensive cooldowns for Fire mages might outweigh a minor DPS bonus. It’s certainly worth thinking about!

    Horde Racial Bonuses from allied races to make your fire mage great again:

    Alliance Racial Bonuses races to make your fire mage great again:

    How to play Fire mages — logic & rotations

    Alright, the time has come. Now you’re ready to delve into the intricacies of spell rotation. First, you should understand that all mage spells are based on cycles. There’s the Combustion cycle…

    But hold on, what exactly is Combustion? It’s simple, my friend — it’s a minor cooldown (available every two minutes) that increases your critical strike damage and raises your chance to critical hit to 100%. During Dragonflight, it also boosts your mastery.

    The main logic behind the rotation is to follow a strict sequence during a combust. You need to ensure that all your bursts align with the activation of Combustion.

    There are two primary scenarios. You can unleash your spells on nearby enemies and then trigger Combustion to make each tick much more painful for them. Alternatively, you can initiate your rotation with Combustion and Flamestrikes.

    Here are some additional pieces of advice to help you keep all the rotation specifications in mind.

    Hot Streak & Combustion Carnival

    Pyromaniac Passive Fun

    When your Fireball isn’t cool enough, it ups crit chance by 10% for the next hit. Lasts 15 sec or until Fireball stops fumbling.

    Hot Rotations & Crazy Spells

    Combustion Mayhem & SKB Shenanigans and Fire blast

    This is your fire mage starting rotation, so cast spells with maximum focus you can. It’s a hard cast, but if you learn it perfectly, no one will stop you, especially with your Fire Blast and Phoenix Flames.

    Opening Gambit & Brutal Finisher with your critical strikes

    Top Fire Mage Tips

    AoE Chaos Mode

    Ignite Mastery with a Fiery Twist

    Fire Mage leveling guide for Wow

    What can we advise you in the fire mage overview for leveling? First and foremost, learn how to use your critical strikes with Shifting Power and Combustion. As you progress beyond level 60, aim to utilize Combustion, which grants mastery equal to your critical strike rating, along with an enhanced version of it.

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    Additionally, if you’re new to the world of fire mages, you must learn how Shifting Power works. These aspects aren’t difficult, but we recommend dedicating your leveling time as a fire mage to mastering all the details of your strict rotation.

    Trust us — the proper instant cast of Phoenix Flames, which you will combine with a critical strike from Shifting Power and, for example, the global cooldown of Blink, will elevate you above all other AoE DPS classes.

    Fire mage stats priority for WoW

    Alright, let’s discuss what a single-target fire mage and an AoE specialization fire mage should prioritize in their gear. It’s important to note that both single target and AoE DPS share the following priorities:

    1. Intellect is crucial as it increases your spell power, which directly impacts your spell damage.
    2. Aim for the maximum possible amount of Haste. If you possess Haste-oriented trinkets, avoid surpassing 39% Haste. If not, always aim for 39% Haste. Accumulating more than 395 Haste isn’t advisable due to the fire mage’s stat weights.
    3. Once you’ve achieved a satisfactory amount of Haste, focus on collecting Versatility. This stat enhances your fire mage’s overall viability and damage output.

    You need not prioritize Critical Strike chance or Mastery, as long as you have sufficient Critical Strike for Combustion and its associated Mastery enhancement.

    However, regardless of your specialization, it’s essential to always simulate your gear. In situations where you lack Haste, it may be more reasonable to prioritize other stats..

    Fire mage talents builds

    If you’ve followed our previous guides, you may already be familiar with the concept of having two builds—one for raiding and another for Mythic+ keys. However, this time around, things are a bit different. Let me explain.

    The Fire mage still maintains two distinct builds: one optimized for single-target damage and another tailored for AoE damage. However, what sets this guide apart is the increased emphasis on managing utilities. Mages, as a class, boast an array of utilities, and the fire mage specialization offers even more versatility in this regard compared to other mage specs.

    In addition to mastering the two standard builds, it’s essential to grasp the various utilities at your disposal. Keep in mind that, despite these changes, the core principle remains unchanged—the cornerstone of your strategy is still the mighty Combustion.

    Utility management for fire mage

    M+ utilities to make the dungeons feel like a twisted carnival: Spellsteal, for when your enemies’ tricks become your treats, Blast Wave, a fiery welcome to the sinister sideshow, and  Ring of Frost, freezing foes in place like morbid art.

    When death knocks, defensive talents answer the door first, like Tempest Barrier – because every mage needs a magical panic room.

    Unleash chaos with the new talent – Mass Barrier. Save yourself and four unlucky souls in one fell swoop. Or opt for Mass Invisibility, your vanishing act for those rare times you prefer playing hide and seek with danger.

    Ditching Ice Block for Ice Cold – no immunity, just a chilling thrill. Boost it with Winter’s Protection and Cryo-Freeze. More frostbite, less fade away.

    Trade Invisibility for the macabre magic of Greater Invisibility – vanish like a ghostly wraith when things get too grim.

    Talent Energized Barriers – because dodging death traps and shrugging off curses is the mage’s equivalent of a twisted laugh.

    When time itself buckles, go big with Temporal Warp. Leave Time warp in the past. Time waits for no one, except the mage who’s messing with it.

    Skip the light fantastic with Shimmer, or give death the slip with Ice Floes – casting spells on the run, because standing still is for tombstones.

    Single target build

    Import string for the raid build fire mage world of Warcraft: Dragonflight: B8DArSxcnei16P8xFL3rzzOyRmkgUSDJRSKOAIJREJhEAAAAAAAAAiISSClElkkkkkkcgGAAAIA

    AoE damage build

    Import string for the Mythic+ build fire mage world of Warcraft: Dragonflight: B8DArSxcnei16P8xFL3rzzOyRKJIFNkEJp4AgkERkESCAAAAAAAAQkkEJSUSUkkIJJJpBAAACA

    Enchants for Fire mages in DragonFlight

    Alright, let’s dive in again! First and foremost, focus on your stats. If you find yourself lacking in haste, prioritize increasing it. When you’re approaching the haste cap, shift your focus towards versatility. The rest of your approach remains quite similar to other mage specs.

    WeaponEnchant Weapon – Sophic Devotion or Enchant Weapon – Spore Tender
    LegsTemporal Spellthread
    RingsDevotion of haste
    CloakGraceful avoidance
    BracersDevotion of Leech
    BootsPlainsrunner’s Breeze
    BeltShadowed Belt Clasp
    ChestplateEnchant Chest – Waking Stats

    Food & Consumables

    Alright, let’s get into it! Firstly and most importantly, what do you need for raids, keys, and other endgame content? Naturally, the Keen Ysemerald is a must-have. As we’ve previously emphasized, Versatility is your lifeline—it’s the key to survival, damage, and effective gameplay.

    However, if you haven’t yet reached the hardcap for haste, you can opt for the Quick Ysemerald, but only if your haste is below 38%.

    For your flask choice, we recommend the Phial of Subtle Versatility or its haste equivalent.

    Given that the Fire mage relies heavily on Combustion, you might be interested in potions. The Elemental Potion of Ultimate Power is the optimal choice.

    Lastly, don’t overlook the importance of consuming Deviously Deviled Eggs. They can provide you with some extra versatility to enhance your performance.

    Fire mage gear — real top from the edge of the current season

    Before we continue—remember some big things that are really important. First and foremost, all these recommendations are from the top of MDI (Mythic Dungeon Invitational). That means they have the best ilvl (item level) for the gear in the current season.

    Secondly, you will always encounter compromises. What does this mean? You can’t collect everything from this BiS Wishlist for the Fire mage.

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    Thirdly, and still importantly, follow the rule where you aim to collect around 12% of critical strike, 39% of haste, and at least 13% of mastery. Haste is always preferable. 

    Fourthly, Sim yourself. And here’s a list!

    The best Fire Mage addons, tips & hints

    In every corner of the globe, the enhancement of the World of Warcraft experience through addons stands unparalleled. Our comprehensive WoW Best Addons Dragonflight guide is your ultimate resource for the most effective addons in WoW: Dragonflight retail. It meticulously compares various addons and elucidates the specific necessity and functionality of each addon for this expansion.

    Let’s begin with Addons. Among all the classes, the most crucial one for a fire mage is… MDT (Mythic Dungeon Tools), as fire mages need to coordinate Combustion in large groups of enemies. This requires managing it alongside the tank’s route.

    The second, though still important, is Wago.io. You can discover specific WeakAuras, particularly tailored for fire mages, on their website.

    As for the third… well, other addons don’t hold much significance:

    1. Details, to analyze your DPS (do not use a recount).
    2. Raider.io if you want to play pugs.
    3. DBM to stay alive if you forget boss encounters.

    Hints

    In the realm of magical flames, a whispered piece of advice emerges: Perhaps, dear traveler, consider veering away from the path of the fire mage. This initial counsel, while earnestly offered, may find a home in your contemplations.

    However, should your resolve be unwavering, a paramount wisdom beckons – the mastery of the enigmatic art of Combustion. Within its blazing embrace lies the crux of your arcane journey.

    Now, let us meander back into a realm of levity. Whether your mantle be that of a fire mage or an arcane adept, a treasure trove of unique abilities graces your repertoire – gems that shine brightly in the crucible of high-stakes challenges. Behold, the power to unravel the very essence of Ice Block, a dual-purpose gem that unravels not only its shielding veil, but also banishes debilitations from marauding adversaries. A treasure, whose worth is unveiled in moments of dire peril, safeguarding not just your existence, but liberating healers to channel their essence into damage or mend the valiant tank’s wounds.

    Yet, another revelation awaits – the astute manipulation of Alter Time. Beyond its customary shelter, it morphs into a dance partner of movement, a waltz through the continuum.

    And as the cosmic threads weave, should you be entwined with a Priest, a simple request unveils the potential for swifter incantations – the gift of haste, bestowed by the divine, amplifying your prowess.

    Thus, this arcane tapestry weaves. Amidst the labyrinthine complexities, a steadfast truth emerges: “Learn Combustion, Learn Combustion, and then… Learn Combustion!” This incantation, a mantra echoing through the ages, stands as the cornerstone of your arcane legacy.”

    Macros

    Please take note that there are only two crucial macros to incorporate here, ones that you must utilize. The first among them is for Combustion. Streamlining your button presses expedites your damage initiation.

    The more vital of the two is the cancel aura macro for Alter Time. Moreover, it’s important to recognize that Alter Time serves as your refuge against AoE and cleave damage, a sanctuary from the onslaught of bosses and adversaries.

    Combustion, Racial, and Trinket (press racial separately):

    #showtooltip

    /cast Combustion

    /use 13

    /cast Blood Fury

    /cast Berserk

    /cast Fireblood

    Quick Decurse for Allies, Otherwise Steal a Spell:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@mouseover,help,nodead] Decurse; Spellsteal

    Flamestrike Wherever Your Cursor Is:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@cursor] Flamestrike

    Counterspell Priority: Mouseover => Focus => Target:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead][@focus,harm,nodead][] Counterspell

    Undo Alter Time (no need to wait):

    /cancelaura Alter Time

    Whatever you want to learn about Fire mages?

    Alright, listen up folks, because here’s the scoop on the fire mage gig: Now, I ain’t gonna dance around it, when it comes to one-on-one smackdowns, the fire mage ain’t exactly hog-tying the competition. But hold your horses, because when it’s time to let loose with all them fiery explosions and sending those AoE crits into a power shifting frenzy, coupled with a Combustion that’s juicier than a ripe watermelon, slingin’ mastery around like candy at a parade, and those critical hits piling up for your Shifting Power—well, partner, you might just be riding high on the edge of that tier list. And let me tell ya, you’re gonna be cozy on that mage spec tier list, flashing them instant casts like a proper magician.

    But mark my words, this fire-flinging business ain’t no walk in the park. You gotta know this mage spec like the back of your hand, just like a rancher knows every nook and cranny of their spread. Wrangle them cooldowns like a cowboy with a herd, aligning them just right with the choreography of raid scraps. You’re gonna be sniffing out which spells are giving you sweet crits, figuring out which core moves are your bread and butter when the sky ain’t lit up with fireworks. And let me tell ya, when you trigger that Blink, you’re zipping around like a jackrabbit on a caffeine buzz.

    Now, here’s a little trick I’ll share with ya: If you’re teaming up with a Priest, don’t be shy about asking for that haste boost with slick macros. So saddle up, partner, cause the fire mage trail ain’t for the faint-hearted. It’s a wild ride, but if you’re willing to put in the elbow grease, learning every spell and adding up fire numbers, you might just be slinging damage like a champ. And if you ain’t up for that, well, reckon you best mosey on over to a different mage spec. The frost deal might be simpler, but truth be told, it ain’t no match for the fire mage firepower.

    Curious about mastering spells? Our Arcane Mage Guide has all the answers or step up your game with the strategies in our Frost Mage Guide.

    Want your mage to dazzle? Dive into our Best Mage Transmog Sets Guide.

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