| Masters of Arcane magic, the mages of the kirin tor | | | | arcane tree offers powerful spells designed to |
| were spread out across the continents following the | | | | maximize the mage's damage potential, which gives |
| decimation of dalaran by the burning leigon. Mages in | | | | the mage class the highest burst damage in the |
| the world of warcraft come down from influential, | | | | game (with appropriate gear). To balance this raw |
| powerful inhabitants of azeroth, which used their | | | | power, the spells have cool downs during which the |
| extraordinary powers to shape politics. Jaina | | | | mage cannot use them. The fire tree focuses on fire |
| Proudmoore, one of the key figures in the warcraft | | | | spells, which increases the raw damage and enhances |
| plot line, is the most powerful mage still alive, with | | | | the utility of their spells, offering very powerful |
| her abilities possibly surpassed by the spirit of medivh. | | | | area-of-effect spells. |
| Mages are a magic-using class who use a host of | | | | Combat usually focuses on unloading a host of |
| magic-based power to strike their enemies. | | | | high-damage critical strikes in a short amount of time, |
| Although they can deal large amounts of damage in a | | | | usually giving the opponent no chance to react. The |
| short period of time, related to rogues, survival is | | | | frost tree offers more control in the form of slowing |
| hard due to their low amount of hit points. However, | | | | and freezing opponents, and offers better |
| the mage class's combat tactics, survivability, control, | | | | survivability due to ice shields and elemental minions. |
| and damage differ drastically depending on how their | | | | Nonetheless, the frost tree can deal out a fair |
| talents are allocated. | | | | amount of damage when a fight is controlled by the |
| Mages also have the unusual ability to teleport | | | | mage. It does not rely on cooldowns like the arcane |
| themselves and their party to any of their faction's | | | | tree, or initial control of the fight, as in fire. Rather, |
| major cities and, in the burning crusade expansion, all | | | | frost has slightly lower burst damage potential. |
| mages can teleport and make a portal to the neutral | | | | Mages are the most effective class at area of effect |
| shattrath City in Outland. They can conjure items | | | | spells, which allow them to attack multiple targets at |
| such as food and water which can be traded with | | | | once. Mages also have the ability to transform an |
| other players, making them useful in 'endgame' raiding. | | | | unfriendly target into a harmless sheep. Pig and turtle |
| They can also create mana gems with which they | | | | transformations are attainable by acquiring special |
| can use to replenish mana whilst in combat. | | | | spellbooks. The target remains in this animal form and |
| The arcane tree gives "utility" talents, such as passive | | | | is not in control of his or her actions unless they take |
| increases and bonuses to mana, silences added to | | | | any damage, the spell wears off or is dispelled. |
| spells, and increased armor. At higher levels, the | | | | |