Arcane brings huge burst windows and strong mana tools. This guide covers Arcane leveling for Classic, TBC, and WotLK with talents, rotations, mana management, and routes from 1-80.
Arcane is mostly a support/off-tree in Classic. Full Arcane leveling is slower than Frost, but a hybrid Arcane/Frost build gives strong mana tools and solid control.
Strengths
Clearcasting procs reduce mana use.
Improved Arcane Explosion for instant, threat-reduced AoE.
Arcane Power burst for elites/bosses.
Weaknesses
Less efficient than Frost for sustained leveling.
No slows/roots in Arcane tree; depends on Frost off-tree for control.
Shift to Frost: Improved Frostbolt, Permafrost or Frostbite, Shatter.
Late (45-60)
Ice Barrier for safety; Frost Channeling for efficiency.
Optional: Improved Blizzard for AoE slows.
Fill Winter's Chill if grouping.
Classic recommendation: Hybrid Arcane/Frost. Use Arcane Power + Presence of Mind for elites, Frost tools for control.
Rotation & Playstyle
Single Target
Arcane Missiles on Clearcasting procs; Frostbolt filler for control.
Arcane Power + PoM + Fireball/Frostbolt for burst on elites.
Wand to finish to conserve mana.
AoE
Frost Nova → Blink → Arcane Explosion spam (Improved AE).
Use Frost kiting (Barrier/CoC/Blizzard) if pulls are large.
Arcane Power for short high-threat bursts—Ice Block to drop threat.
Survival
Mage Armor for regen; swap to Ice Barrier when pulling big packs.
Use Mana Shield only in emergencies.
Free Action/Health pots for tight pulls.
Zone Route (Classic)
Bracket
Zones
Notes
1-20
Starter → Barrens/Westfall
Early wand; practice AE pulls small.
20-30
Ashenvale/Duskwood
Deadmines/Stockades for cloth/wands.
30-40
STV/Desolace
SM for AE practice; PoM + AP on elites.
40-50
Tanaris/Feralas
ZF dungeon; cloth and caster gear.
50-60
Felwood/WPL/EPL
BRD/Scholo/Strat for spellpower gear.
Arcane in TBC
Arcane becomes viable: Arcane Blast, Clearcasting, and Arcane Power create huge burst. Mana is the limiter; use consumables and downranking smartly.
Spec: 40+ Arcane for Arcane Blast, Arcane Power, Mind Mastery, Spell Power. Off-tree 10 in Frost for Icy Veins or hit/mana talents; or Fire for Improved Scorch if raiding later.
Arcane Blast unlocked; manage stacks (don’t overstack while leveling).
Late (68-70)
Mind Mastery 5/5; Spell Power.
Optional: Icy Veins off-tree for haste and emergency defense.
Rotation & Mana (TBC)
Single Target
Arcane Blast x2-3 → reset with Arcane Missiles on Clearcasting.
Presence of Mind + Arcane Blast for instant nuke on elites.
Arcane Power on bosses/elites; Evocation on cooldown.
AoE
Frost Nova → Blink → Arcane Explosion spam (Improved AE).
Use Rank 1 AE to tag/position; higher ranks to finish.
Ice Block if threat spikes; Mana Gem before big pulls.
Mana Management
Downrank Arcane Blast (keep stacks low while leveling).
Use Mage Armor; stack Intellect gear; carry plenty of water.
Clearcasting → Arcane Missiles for free channel.
Zone & Dungeon Path (TBC)
Level
Zone/Dungeon
Notes
60-62
Hellfire / Ramparts / BF
Use PoM+AP bursts on bosses.
62-65
Zangarmarsh / SP / UB
Efficient pulls; good cloth drops.
65-68
Terokkar / Sethekk / Mana-Tombs
Mana-Tombs fits Arcane theme; watch mana.
68-70
Nagrand / Netherstorm / Mech
Mech badge farm; Netherstorm quest spellpower.
Arcane in WotLK
Top-tier burst spec with Arcane Blast stacking, Missile Barrage, and Arcane Barrage mobility. Mana gems, Evocation, and cooldown cycling are key to sustain.
Spec path: Deep Arcane to Arcane Barrage, Missile Barrage, Torment the Weak, and Arcane Empowerment. Off-tree: Frost for Icy Veins or Fire for Student of the Mind if mana is fine.
Talents by Level (70-80)
Early (70-74)
Arcane Focus/Precision for hit; Arcane Concentration.
Arcane Potency, Presence of Mind, Torment the Weak.
Missile Barrage as soon as available.
Mid (75-77)
Arcane Barrage for mobility.
Arcane Empowerment for group buff.
Incanter’s Absorption (synergy with wards) if desired.
Late (78-80)
Fill Mind Mastery, Netherwind Presence (haste).
Optional: Icy Veins off-tree or Fire crit talents.