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Now, I know what you're thinking. Frost isn't for PvE! Well, the purpose of this guide is to make Frost PvE as viable as possible for information purposes. Though I do like the spec myself to say the least.
1.Spec:
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3630/1233u.png
Most of the talents are self-explanatory. However, some are needed to move down through the tiers. The 1/3 in spell impact is needed to get to Torment The Weak, as is Ice Barrier to get to the last four tiers. The last talent, deep freeze, is bugged. According to rcgn,
"Deep Freeze is bugged. It's meant to deal damage when target is immune. It scales hugely with spellpower which is where a major part of damage comes from." While that is the case, DF is not a waste when fixed, however in its current state it is a waste.
Feel free to spend that point in more spirit.
As for splashing Fire, what is there to take? The first tier is wasted, the second ignite might benefit from FFB, but you don't cast FFB enough to make it worthwhile. The third only has Pyro, which would maybe be worth it if affected by Brain Freeze, and the fourth only has a mana regenerating talent.
2.Stat priorities:
The stat priorities for Frost are a sort of mix from every spec. It goes
Hit to 11% > SP > Haste >= Crit (to 34%)
For the crit chance, you need 50% to make FB a guaranteed crit on frozen targets due to shatter. Scorch, Improved Shadowbolt, Winter's Chill gives 5%.Moonkin Aura / Elemental Oath give another 5%. Totem of Wrath / Heart of the Crusader give 3%. Focus Magic gives 3% and another if someone is casting it on you as well.
The minimum haste required to reach a 1 sec GCD is 1377. The 1748 haste is to get a 1.5 sec FB cast without raid buffs. With raid buffs it would be 1475 haste rating is needed to get FB to 1.5 second casting time, the same time as the normal GCD. Because your FoF procs are on a static timer instead of based on crit, it becomes a much more valuable stat.
More spellpower is more damage done. 'Nuff said.
3.Glyphs:
Necessary Glyphs:
1. Glyph of Frostbolt - Flat damage increase to your frostbolt. Obviously.
Other glyphs:
These seem to change depending on what is bugged/your current stats.
Eternal water(?) - Makes your water elemental impermanent, however that may screw up its stats in someway and cause you to lose dps to other glyphs.
Molten Armour - When you need the extra crit.
Ice Lance - If Eternal Water is inferior, replace with either Ice or Molten depending on crit.
FFB - May give more DoT than the Ice Lance glyph, as you tend to cast more FFBs than you do Ice lances.
4.Rotation:
For starters, you want to be using your cold snap/icy veins/Mirror image whenever you feel it is a good time to pop them.
Unless it is going to die soon due to some fight mechanic, you should pop water elemental whenever it comes off of cooldown, though try not to cold snap while water elemental is almost off of cd.
Cast Frostbolt and keep spamming it. When brain freeze procs, you cast FFB. When Fingers of Frost procs, you cast one frostbolt. Then it should have one stack left. After that stack is gone, cast another frostbolt and then immediately ice lance before the second frostbolt is able to hit the target. If you do it right, the ice lance will also benefit from the Freeze effect.
If brain freeze and Fingers proc, do the same thing with fingers, then after you are done with the ice lance, Frost bolt and FFB. If you see the word frozen proc, cast FB and then icelance.
Here is what Offbeat has to say about ghost charges "Cast FB > Cast Next FB, the FoF proc comes up while you're casting (from the previous FB), keep casting this FB, it uses the first charge > Cast another FB > Ice Lance / FFB (if BF is procced) just as the second FoF FB finishes. If the FFB / IL lands within a very short peroid after the FB, you essentially get a third FoF charge (called the ghost charge), ie the cast treats the spell as if the target is frozen. This is because Shatter is determined at the time the spell is released (the end of the cast), not when it lands."
During Fingers of Frost, you would spend the first stack on Deep Freeze, then shatter combo a FB + Ice lance. If you have Cold Snap available you would go Deep Freeze > Cold Snap > FB > Deep Freeze.
Here is a video where I try to show frost PvE.
[YT]SFLw46vHpnA[/YT]
5.Gems:
For gems, go for the socket bonuses if they give you either haste when you can gem haste/SP in them, or SP when you can gem haste/SP in them. You should rarely need to gem crit, as you would be getting it, largely, from either gear or molten armour.
Meta:
Chaotic Skyflare Diamon +21 crit 3% increase critical damage
Red gems:
Runed Cardinal Ruby + 23 SP
Blue gems:
Sparkling Sky Sapphire + 16 Spirit
Yellow gems:
Brilliant King's Amber +20 Int
Smooth King's Amber +20 Crit
Quick Autumn's Glow +16 haste
Orange gems:
Potent Ametrine +12 SP + 10 crit
Reckless Ametrine + 12 Sp + 10 haste
Purple gems:
Purified dreadstone = +12 sp, +10 spirit
Green gems:
Intricate eye of zul = +10 haste, +10 spirit
Misty eye of zul = +10 crit, +10 spirit.
I listed rare gems when I could not find the names of the epic gems, and did not list any under green as I could not find any. +Int will give you more mana and crit, though not as much crit as pure crit. Spirit will give you crit from glyph of molten armour, as you need two blue to activate your meta, you could have two of those blue gems, or two of the purple gems I listed.
6.Enchants:
Head: Arcanum of Burning Mysteries (Kirin Tor)
Shoulders: Greater Inscription of the Storm (Sons of Hodir exalted) or Master's Inscription of the Storm (only for Scribes)
Cloak: Lightweave Embrodiery (only for tailors) or Greated Speed
Chest: Powerfull Stats
Bracers: Superior Spellpower or Fur Lining - Spellpower (only for leatherworkers)
Hands: Exeptional Spellpower or Hyper speed accelerators (only for engineers)
Belt: Socket Bonus
Leggings: Brilliant Spellthread
Boots: Ice Walker
Ring 1/2: Spellpower (only for enchanters)
Main Hand: 63 spellpower or Black Magic
If any experienced mage in any spec notices something wrong in my guide, besides the fact that it's frost (don't point that out) please tell me where I made a mistake. Or if you're telling me the epic versions of the rare gems I posted, that too. Any additional help on the guide would also be appreciated.
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If you are lucky enough to get into a raid as a frost mage, you are going to do more poorly in boss fights than arcane or fire, obviously. So your only time to shine are boss-fights that include adds, and mowing through trash with AOE. On retail, I raided with frost mage before MoP was released, and defeated the LK dozens of times. Deep freeze was especially useful vs the valkeries in the final fight, to keep others from being dragged off the edge. As for splashing fire, you can spend enough in frost to get deep freeze and still have enough to reach 3 points in World in Flames, which really boosts your crits with aoe spells (flamestrike and blizzard) If AOE is your niche, make your AOE as strong as possible. That's what I do anyway, or would do if the MIN/MAX wasn't so dominant on warmane. Yeah, I know the other speccs are slightly more powerful, but frost, to me, is way more fun.
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I believe Deep Freeze works as intended now (according to Bugtracker). It say's "fixed" on status. Additionally, I did some tests and on DF I get "Immune" and right after that I get the damage.
