Arcane Mage

Arcane Blast changed late in the beta

Blizzard's 7 October deep dive described a 2.5 second Arcane Blast whose stacks raised your other spells' damage, lasted 8 seconds and ended when you cast anything else. Build 1.60.1.70425 (16 October) changed it in the client: a 1.5 second cast, each stack grants spell damage equal to 15% of your Intellect, stacks last 15 seconds from the first cast, and each one still raises the next Blast's cost by 175% (ForeverDB). Wowhead's 21 October overview says the buff now runs until the first stack's timer ends.

That splits the advice. Guides written earlier tell you to dump stacks with Fire Blast; the WoWSims rotations keep stacks running while casting other spells. Test it in game before following either.

Talents by level

Icy Veins takes Wand Specialization while wands carry your damage and suggests respeccing out of it at 30, skipping Arcane Focus unless you fight higher-level mobs. Wowhead's level 30 guide gives the same wand advice, prefers Improved Channeling over Arcane Focus if you only fight mobs at or below your level, and puts Legacy bonus points into Arcane Mind. Icy Veins' levelling calculator showed an invalid 52-point build when read, so only its talent list is used here: Improved Channeling, Arcane Subtlety, Arcane Blast, Missile Barrage, Arcane Meditation and Arcane Mind, with a Fire dip into Incineration.

Rotation

Current rules: Blizzard's 16 October notes moved Missile Barrage to row 1, redesigned Arcane Blast and introduced Arcane Wrath as the 16-point talent. Arcane Blast's stacking spell-damage buff lasts 15 seconds from its first application; it is not consumed by Fire Blast or Arcane Missiles. Arcane Wrath has a 3.5-second cast and 6-second cooldown in those notes.

For a practical starting priority, use Missile Barrage when available, maintain a useful Arcane Blast buff without exhausting mana, and keep control or defensive spells available. Adjust stack spending to fight length and recovery time. This is an interpretation of the changed rules, not a tested launch rotation.

The earlier Wowhead/Icy Veins advice to dump one or two Blast stacks with Fire Blast describes the old mechanic. The old level-30 damage split and bug-dependent Clearcasting reports are not reliable forecasts for the redesigned version. WoWSims' level-60 list maintains Blast stacks and uses Arcane Wrath, but must be checked against the current talent implementation before its exact priority can be recommended.

Gear and consumables

• Stats: Icy Veins says talent hit makes hit a non-factor while levelling and ranks Spirit and Intellect high for downtime, noting that 5 Intellect plus 5 Spirit beats 7 Intellect. ForeverDB's dungeon guide puts hit first, because bosses are often above your level. Wowhead says hit now caps at 17%; WoWSims uses the same Arcane hit cap.
• Level 30 items (Icy Veins): Tailoring's Pearly pieces (Arcane damage only), Belt of Arugal, Gaze Dreamer Pants, Scorn's Icy Choker, Bloodmage Mantle and Nether Force Wand from the Mage quest at 30.
• Consumables: Lesser Arcane Elixir is the top consumable in ForeverDB's simulator at 30 (+5.1%), with Briny Seafood Stew close behind; Icy Veins adds Wizard Oils, Spellblasting Potion and mana gems from 28. WoWSims' level 60 defaults include Flask of Supreme Power, Greater Arcane Elixir, Brilliant Wizard Oil and Major Mana Potion.

Where the guides disagree or aren't sure

• Arcane Blast stacks — resolved: dumping stacks belongs to the old spell. Current rules retain the timed buff; only the affordable number of casts remains a build and encounter decision.
• Missile Barrage timing: Icy Veins' milestone table still lists it at 25; the current client places it in the first row from level 10.
• Arcane Concentration: Wowhead saw it proc once per target hit on AoE during the beta, which made Arcane Explosion nearly free, and expects a fix.
• Arcane Wrath — resolved: the later official notes specify a 3.5-second cast and 6-second cooldown. An incomplete client tooltip is not evidence for a different cooldown.