WoW Forever Mage buffs and nerfs

Every change Blizzard made to the Mage's abilities and talents in each WoW Forever beta build, read from the game client. 1 buff, 9 nerfs and 39 other changes since 2 October 2026.

How buffs and nerfs are worked out

From the numbers, never from the words. A change is a buff when every number that moved moved your way: more damage, healing or effect, a lower cost, cooldown or cast time, a longer duration or range, a higher spell power coefficient, or learned at a lower level or with fewer points in other talents. It is a nerf when every number moved the other way. Anything else is listed as changed: a mix (cheaper but weaker), a tooltip whose words changed, or numbers in other units, such as a cost of 125 Mana that became 8% of base Mana. Read the before and after to judge those. Not listed: Season of Discovery spells left in the client that nobody can learn in Forever, and tooltips whose numbers only grew because the beta's level cap went from 20 to 30 on 2 October.

28 October 2026: beta build 1.60.1.70658

Removed: Piercing Ice: Increases the damage done by your Frost spells by 2%.
Changed: Elemental Precision. Rank 1 tooltip: “Improves your chance to hit with Frost and Fire spells by 1%.” → “Improves your chance to hit with Frost and Fire spells by 2%.”; Ranks: 5 → 3
Changed: Frost Channeling. Place in the tree: tier 3, column 2 → tier 3, column 1
Changed: Frost Ward. Rank 1 tooltip: “Absorbs 162 Frost damage. Lasts 30 sec.” → “Absorbs 162 (+10% of Frost spell power) Frost damage. Lasts 30 sec.”
Changed: Frost Warding. Rank 1 tooltip: “Increases the Armor and resistance given by your Frost Armor and Ice Armor spells by 15%. In addition, gives your Frost Ward a 10% chance to reflect Frost spells and effects while active.” → “Increases the Armor and resistances granted by your Frost Armor and Ice Armor spells by 15%, gives your Frost Ward a 10% chance to negate the warded damage spell, and increases the amount absorbed by your Ice Barrier and Frost Ward by 10%.”
Changed: Ice Barrier. Tooltip: “Instantly shields you, absorbing 431 damage. Lasts 1 min. While the shield holds, your spellcasts will not be interrupted or delayed from taking damage.” → “Shield yourself, absorbing 431 (+10% of Frost spell power) damage and increasing your Frost damage by 3% for 1 min. While shielded, your Frost damage is increased by an additional 3% and you do not lose casting time when you take damage.”
Changed: Ice Barrier (Rank 2). Tooltip: “Instantly shields you, absorbing 542 damage. Lasts 1 min. While the shield holds, your spellcasts will not be interrupted or delayed from taking damage.” → “Shield yourself, absorbing 542 (+10% of Frost spell power) damage and increasing your Frost damage by 3% for 1 min. While shielded, your Frost damage is increased by an additional 3% and you do not lose casting time when you take damage.”
Changed: Ice Barrier (Rank 3). Tooltip: “Instantly shields you, absorbing 671 damage. Lasts 1 min. While the shield holds, your spellcasts will not be interrupted or delayed from taking damage.” → “Shield yourself, absorbing 671 (+10% of Frost spell power) damage and increasing your Frost damage by 3% for 1 min. While shielded, your Frost damage is increased by an additional 3% and you do not lose casting time when you take damage.”
Changed: Ice Barrier (Rank 4). Tooltip: “Instantly shields you, absorbing 811 damage. Lasts 1 min. While the shield holds, your spellcasts will not be interrupted or delayed from taking damage.” → “Shield yourself, absorbing 811 (+10% of Frost spell power) damage and increasing your Frost damage by 3% for 1 min. While shielded, your Frost damage is increased by an additional 3% and you do not lose casting time when you take damage.”
Changed: Improved Blizzard. Place in the tree: tier 3, column 4 → tier 3, column 2

Everything in this build

24 October 2026: beta build 1.60.1.70532

Nerf: Frost Blast. Rank 1 spell power coefficient: 0.343 → 0.271; Rank 1 icon: new icon
New: Arcane Wrath: Launches a projectile of pure Arcane energy at the enemy target, causing 108 to 132 Arcane damage. This spell gains additional Spell Damage equal to 5% of your maximum Mana.
Removed: Arcane Wrath: Launches a projectile of pure Arcane energy at the enemy target, causing 406 to 496 Arcane damage. This spell gains additional Spell Damage equal to 5% of your maximum Mana.
Changed: Frostbite. Place in the tree: tier 2, column 4 → tier 2, column 2
Changed: Improved Channeling. Rank 1 tooltip: “Gives you a 20% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 14% chance while casting Arcane Blast or Arcane Wrath.” → “Gives your Arcane Missiles spell a 20% chance and your Arcane Blast and Arcane Wrath spells a 14% chance to not lose casting time when you take damage.”
Changed: Improved Scorch. Icon: new icon
Changed: Missile Barrage. Rank 1 tooltip: “Gives your Arcane Blast spell a 20% chance, your Arcane Missile hits a 5% chance, and your Arcane Wrath, Fireball, Frostbolt, and Frostfire Bolt spells a 10% chance to reduce the channeled duration of your next Arcane Missiles spell by 50%, reduce the Mana cost by 100%, and missiles fire every 0.5 sec.” → “Gives your Arcane Blast spell a 20% chance, and your Arcane Wrath, Fireball, Frostbolt, Frost Blast, and Frostfire Bolt spells a 10% chance to reduce the channeled duration of your next Arcane Missiles spell by 50%, reduce the Mana cost by 100%, and missiles fire every 0.5 sec.”
Changed: Permafrost. Place in the tree: tier 2, column 2 → tier 2, column 4
Changed: Winter's Chill. Rank 1 tooltip: “Gives your Frost damage spells a 20% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the damage done by your Cone of Cold spell to the target by 40%, stacking up to 5 times.” → “Gives your Frostbolt, Frost Blast, and Fingers of Frost empowered Ice Lance spells a 20% chance to apply Winter's Chill, increasing the target's damage taken from your next Cone of Cold by 5% and it gains an additional 7% of your spell damage, stacking up to 5 times.”

Everything in this build

16 October 2026: beta build 1.60.1.70425

Nerf: Combustion. Requires: Critical Mass at 3/3 → Critical Mass at 5/5
Nerf: Ice Lance. Tooltip: “Deals 26 to 30 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets.” → “Deals 26 to 30 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 200% increased damage to Frozen targets.”
Nerf: Ice Lance (Rank 2). Tooltip: “Deals 33 to 39 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets.” → “Deals 33 to 39 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 200% increased damage to Frozen targets.”
Nerf: Ice Lance (Rank 3). Tooltip: “Deals 41 to 49 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets.” → “Deals 41 to 49 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 200% increased damage to Frozen targets.”
Nerf: Ice Lance (Rank 4). Tooltip: “Deals 72 to 86 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets.” → “Deals 72 to 86 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 200% increased damage to Frozen targets.”
Nerf: Ice Lance (Rank 5). Tooltip: “Deals 90 to 106 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets.” → “Deals 90 to 106 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 200% increased damage to Frozen targets.”
Nerf: Ice Lance (Rank 6). Tooltip: “Deals 133 to 157 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 300% increased damage to Frozen targets.” → “Deals 133 to 157 Frost damage to an enemy target. Deals 200% increased damage to Frozen targets.”
New: Arcane Wrath: Launches a projectile of pure Arcane energy at the enemy target, causing 406 to 496 Arcane damage. This spell gains additional Spell Damage equal to 5% of your maximum Mana.
New: Frost Blast: Quickly launch a weak blast of frost at the enemy, causing 73 to 81 Frost damage and slowing movement speed by 40% for 9 sec.
Changed: Arcane Blast. Tooltip: “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 50 to 58 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of all your other spells is increased by 10% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 8 sec or until any other damage spell is cast.” → “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 30 to 34 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, you gain 15% of your Intellect as Spell Damage and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 15 sec from time of initial application.”; Cast time: 2.5 sec → 1.5 sec; Spell power coefficient: 0.714 → 0.429
Changed: Arcane Blast (Rank 2). Tooltip: “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 120 to 140 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of all your other spells is increased by 10% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 8 sec or until any other damage spell is cast.” → “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 72 to 84 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, you gain 15% of your Intellect as Spell Damage and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 15 sec from time of initial application.”; Cast time: 2.5 sec → 1.5 sec; Spell power coefficient: 0.714 → 0.429
Changed: Arcane Blast (Rank 3). Tooltip: “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 156 to 182 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of all your other spells is increased by 10% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 8 sec or until any other damage spell is cast.” → “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 93 to 109 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, you gain 15% of your Intellect as Spell Damage and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 15 sec from time of initial application.”; Cast time: 2.5 sec → 1.5 sec; Spell power coefficient: 0.714 → 0.429
Changed: Arcane Blast (Rank 4). Tooltip: “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 253 to 295 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of all your other spells is increased by 10% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 8 sec or until any other damage spell is cast.” → “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 155 to 181 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, you gain 15% of your Intellect as Spell Damage and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 15 sec from time of initial application.”; Cast time: 2.5 sec → 1.5 sec; Spell power coefficient: 0.714 → 0.429
Changed: Arcane Blast (Rank 5). Tooltip: “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 364 to 424 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of all your other spells is increased by 10% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 8 sec or until any other damage spell is cast.” → “Blasts the target with energy, dealing 218 to 254 Arcane damage. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, you gain 15% of your Intellect as Spell Damage and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 175%. Effect stacks up to 4 times and lasts 15 sec from time of initial application.”; Cast time: 2.5 sec → 1.5 sec; Spell power coefficient: 0.714 → 0.429
Changed: Arctic Reach. Rank 1 tooltip: “Increases the range of your Frostbolt and Blizzard spells and the radius of your Frost Nova and Cone of Cold spells by 10%.” → “Increases the range of your Frostbolt, Frost Blast, and Blizzard spells and the radius of your Frost Nova and Cone of Cold spells by 10%.”
Changed: Cone of Cold. Rank 1 tooltip: “Targets in a cone in front of the caster take 92 to 102 Frost damage and are slowed by 40% for 6 sec.” → “Targets in a cone in front of the caster take 92 to 102 Frost damage and are slowed by 40% for 6 sec. The first 4 targets hit by this cone are slowed by an additional 10% for an additional 3 sec.”
Changed: Critical Mass. Rank 4 tooltip: nothing → “Increases the critical strike chance of your Fire spells by 8%.”; Ranks: 3 → 5
Changed: Fire Power. Rank 1 tooltip: “Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 2%.” → “Increases the damage done by your Fire spells by 1% per your Fire effects on the target, up to a maximum increase of 4%. Effects which mix multiple schools of magic do not qualify.”; Ranks: 5 → 3
Changed: Frostbite. Proc chance: none → 100%
Changed: Heating Up. Tooltip: “Non-periodic critical strikes with Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Fire Blast, and Scorch reduce the cast time of your next Pyroblast cast within 20 sec by 25%, stacking up to 3 times.” → “Non-periodic critical strikes with Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Fire Blast, and Scorch reduce the cast time of your next Pyroblast cast within 20 sec by 25%, stacking up to 3 times. Fire Blast grants an additional stack every time it deals damage.”
Changed: Improved Channeling. Rank 1 tooltip: “Gives you a 20% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 14% chance while casting Arcane Blast.” → “Gives you a 20% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while channeling Arcane Missiles and a 14% chance while casting Arcane Blast or Arcane Wrath.”
Changed: Improved Fire Blast. Rank 1 tooltip: “Reduces the cooldown of your Fire Blast spell by 1 sec. Killing a non-trivial target increases the critical strike chance of your next Fire Blast cast within 30 sec by 25%.” → “Reduces the cooldown of your Fire Blast spell by 1 sec and increases its range by 8 yards.”; Name: Wake of Fire → Improved Fire Blast; Proc chance: 100% → none
Changed: Improved Frostbolt. Rank 1 tooltip: “Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt spell by 0.1 sec.” → “Reduces the casting time of your Frostbolt and Frost Blast spells by 0.1 sec.”
Changed: Missile Barrage. Rank 1 tooltip: “Gives your Arcane Blast spell a 40% chance, and your Fireball, Frostbolt, and Frostfire Bolt spells a 20% chance to reduce the channeled duration of your next Arcane Missiles spell by 50%, reduce the Mana cost by 100%, and missiles fire every 0.5 sec.” → “Gives your Arcane Blast spell a 20% chance, your Arcane Missile hits a 5% chance, and your Arcane Wrath, Fireball, Frostbolt, and Frostfire Bolt spells a 10% chance to reduce the channeled duration of your next Arcane Missiles spell by 50%, reduce the Mana cost by 100%, and missiles fire every 0.5 sec.”; Place in the tree: tier 4, column 4 → tier 1, column 4; Requires level: level 25 → level 10; Ranks: 1 → 2
Changed: Winter's Chill. Rank 1 tooltip: “Gives your Frost damage spells a 20% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the chance your Ice Lance and Frostbolt spells will critically hit the target by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 1 times.” → “Gives your Frost damage spells a 20% chance to apply the Winter's Chill effect, which increases the damage done by your Cone of Cold spell to the target by 40%, stacking up to 5 times.”

Everything in this build

8 October 2026: beta build 1.60.1.70291

Buff: Arcane Missiles. Rank 2 tooltip: “Launches Arcane Missiles at the enemy, causing 31 Arcane damage each second for 4 sec.” → “Launches Arcane Missiles at the enemy, causing 34 Arcane damage each second for 4 sec.”
Changed: Fireball. Rank 2 tooltip: “Hurls a fiery ball that causes 30 to 44 Fire damage and an additional 3 Fire damage over 6 sec.” → “Hurls a fiery ball that causes 26 to 38 Fire damage and an additional 3 Fire damage over 6 sec.”
Changed: Frostbolt. Rank 2 tooltip: “Launches a bolt of frost at the enemy, causing 31 to 35 Frost damage and slowing movement speed by 40% for 6 sec.” → “Launches a bolt of frost at the enemy, causing 27 to 31 Frost damage and slowing movement speed by 40% for 6 sec.”

Everything in this build

2 October 2026: beta build 1.60.1.70170

Nerf: Combustion. Tooltip: “When activated, this spell causes each of your Fire damage spell hits to increase your critical strike chance with Fire damage spells by 10%. This effect lasts until you have caused 4 non-periodic critical strikes with Fire spells.” → “When activated, this spell causes each of your Fire damage spell hits to increase your critical strike chance with Fire damage spells by 10%. This effect lasts until you have caused 3 non-periodic critical strikes with Fire spells.”
Changed: Heating Up. Tooltip: “Your non-periodic critical strikes with Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Fire Blast, and Scorch grant Hot Streak for 20 sec. Hot Streak reduces the cast time of Pyroblast by 25%, stacking up to 3 times.” → “Non-periodic critical strikes with Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, Fire Blast, and Scorch reduce the cast time of your next Pyroblast cast within 20 sec by 25%, stacking up to 3 times.”; Name: Hot Streak → Heating Up; Icon: new icon

Everything in this build

Buffs and nerfs for every class

Every change is also in the build changelog, with the old and new tooltip text.