Essential Runes & Locations
Frostfire Bolt (Belt Slot)
Effect: Deals hybrid Frost/Fire damage, synergizing with Shatter and Fingers of Frost.
Location: Kill Skullsplitter Mystics near Zul’Gurub (Stranglethorn Vale) for Spell Notes: TROFF IRESTBOL. Decipher with a Comprehension Charm 79.
Icy Veins (Legs Slot)
Effect: Increases casting speed by 20% and reduces pushback.
Location: Collect 10 books across Azeroth (e.g., Arcanic Systems Manual in The Barrens, Crimes Against Anatomy in Duskwood) 39.
Living Bomb (Hands Slot)
Effect: Applies a DoT that explodes for AoE damage.
Horde Method: Start the Wand to Bethor questline on Fenris Isle (Silverpine Forest). Farm Rot Hide Brutes for A Talking Head and follow the quest chain 711.
Brain Freeze (Feet Slot)
Effect: Grants instant-cast Balefire Bolt procs.
Location: Complete the Highway Robbery quest chain in Desolace and Stranglethorn Vale 7.
Frozen Orb (Cloak Slot)
Effect: Summons an orb that channels AoE Frost damage.
Location: Solve the Blink puzzle in Southern Barrens (coordinates 45,80) or farm Stonesplinter Seers in Loch Modan (Alliance) 39.
Fingers of Frost (Chest Slot)
Effect: Grants spells a chance to act as if the target is Frozen.
Horde Location: Kill Zalazane on Echo Isles (Trolls) or Gillgar in Tirisfal Glades (Undead) 911.
Best Horde Race: Troll
Berserking: Increases casting speed by 10–30% based on health, perfect for burst phases with Icy Veins.
Beast Slaying: Bonus damage against beasts (useful in early raids like Gnomeregan).
Regeneration: Minor survivability boost.
Alternative: Undead (Will of the Forsaken for PvP).
Talent Builds
Single-Target DPS (Raids)
Core Talents: Shatter, Ice Shards, Piercing Ice.
Rune Synergy: Frostfire Bolt + Brain Freeze + Icy Veins.
Rotation:
Pre-cast Living Bomb.
Spam Frostfire Bolt.
Use Balefire Bolt on Brain Freeze procs.
Activate Icy Veins during execute phases.
AoE Farming (Dungeons/Open World)
Core Talents: Improved Blizzard, Permafrost.
Rune Synergy: Frozen Orb + Living Bomb + Blizzard.
Rotation:
Drop Frozen Orb.
Apply Living Bomb to multiple targets.
Chain-cast Blizzard for slows and Fingers of Frost procs.
Clean up with Cone of Cold and Ice Lance.
Stat Priority
Spell Hit (Cap at 16% for raids).
Spell Damage (Primary scaling stat).
Intellect (Mana pool and crit chance).
Critical Strike (Synergizes with Shatter).
Spirit (Sustain for longer fights).
Gearing Tips
Pre-Raid BiS: Focus on Spell Hit gear like Starfaller (Wailing Caverns) and Robe of Winter Night (Blackfathom Deeps).
Professions:
Tailoring: Craft Frostweave set for spell damage.
Engineering: Use Goblin Sapper Charges for AoE burst.
Advanced Tips
Mana Management: Use Evocation during downtime and pair Arcane Surge with high-mana bursts.
Crowd Control: Permafrost + Improved Blizzard lets you kite indefinitely in open-world farming.