A quick starting note: I keep seeing posts with questions on AoE but we don't have any real guides stickied yet. I drafted this to help with the questions. If anyone likes the guide, instead of just typing "bump" please add some info! Or, better yet, click the biohazard symbol and report the post to blizzard for a sticky. However, the occasional bump to keep it alive (if you like it) is good as well.
Blizzard designed the mage to be the most effective class at inflicting massive damage to large groups of enemies. This comes in very handy in group play and adds another role for the mage in most any party, but it is actually quite a handy tool for dispatching enemies on your own (or with a partner) in a non-dungeon setting. Hopefully the following will prove insightful to tender, blossoming mages.
AoE: A rogue's guide.
Let's start out with your first question:
Mr. Avarice, why are you so handsome?
You're making me blush! Really though, what do you want to know about AoE?
Ok, dreamboat, what exactly is AoE?
Well, young mage, AoE stands for "Area of Effect" and refers to spells which do damage not to any single target, but instead to all targets within an area. They come in two distinct flavors: Area target and instant cast.
Area target spells are ones that require you to place a targeting reticule over where you'd like your spell to land. There is a lot of intricacy to aiming a spell which we'll get into later but first off, here is the breakdown:
Area target: Flamestrike (FS), Blizzard (Blizzard =))
Instant cast: Arcane Explosion (AE), Cone of Cold (CoC), Frost Nova (FN), Blast Wave (BW)
All of these have their distinct uses and ideal situations (i.e. AE is great for doing heavy damage to lots of mobs that are beating on you, while CoC is great for general face pwnage and Blizzard is great fun to make lots of auction house lag).
Ah, I see. So handsome, yet so knowledgeable and eloquent. You truly are a midnight fantasy! But, pray tell, how do I use these abilities to great effect to level?
WHOA THERE! Don't you want to know if you even SHOULD use these spells to level?
Eh, no wai! I totally saw a video of l33t uber pwnage and I want to do it too!!
No doubt you did. However, AoEing to level is a different story than the uberness of Faxmonkey and company at 60 and decked out. You won't be dual-trinketing squadrons of mobs at 30. But you CAN be effective! You'll need an appropriate talent build, a good spot, patience and lots of practice.
The following is advice for horde mages, alliance side will need to step up with their tried and true techniques at low levels.
I would recommend starting as early as 26. You COULD start earlier, but CoC is, in my opinion, a prereq to really learning the trade. Even at 26 you'd probably be earning more xp just doing the easy to find quests in the obvious areas; however, it is a good chance to hone your technique and experiment with the awesomeness that is the most unique way to level, in my opinion, of any class in WoW.
Your starting spec will be something like this:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/mage/talents.html?0000000000000000000000000000000005010230132000000
Blackdeath suggested this particular build at level 28:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/mage/talents.html?0000000000000000000000000000000005300230132000000
His point was that gettting those 3 points into Elemental Precision early on will greatly reduce your resist frustrations. I concur.
The important things are permafrost and improved blizzard. Some people don't like 3/3 Improved Blizzard because it's "chill" will overwrite the longer CoC chill, but it's how I roll, so I put it here. If you'd like to do it the other way, go right ahead!
Continue building your points in frost until at 40 you get Ice Barrier. Then go down arcane for clearcasting ... or not! It's up to you.
*NOTE* Stay away from FROSTBITE if you're frost AoE grinding. One odd snare will mess up your whole rhythm.
Once you've gotten your talents chosen and your skills bought, you need to go to your zone and find a nice group of melee only mobs. Find your targets, decide before you run in there all willy nilly how many you're aiming for, where you're pulling them to and what your hotkeys are. Clear out ANY AND ALL patrols that will get in the middle of you and your mobs ... They'll make for a quick trip to the graveyard and a long walk back reviewing your strategy.
Once you're topped off with mana and health, kamikaze in and aggro a group of mobs. Your first few times it is advisable to go for less, like 5 or even only 3, just so you can get the feel for what you're doing.
Ok, now you've got 5 (or 10 or 95) angry farmers trying to stab you with pitchforks ... What do you do?
The first thing you do is point yourself where you had planned to kite them to.
Move that way for a couple of seconds and try to organize your pack of friends into a nice tight ball, then quickly spin (you can jump and turn 180 degrees in the air or just spin quickly with the mouse), face them and blast them with a CoC.
Next, turn back around to where you've planned your hasty retreat, make sure they're still grouped up tightly and blast them with a FN. Then blink forward, turn around and start to ... What's that you say? One of them resisted? Ah crap.
You've got three options now:
1. Run. It's a good option.
2. Sheep the offender, continue your AoE madness and look like a ninja. This is definitely not the easiest route; however, it can be very effective and can save a good pull. You'll need extra mana for this option and some more finesse, so take caution before you decide not to just run it off.
3. Die. It's a bad option, but it will happen if you're not careful.
Ok, so, let's say there were no resists:
You've rounded them up, CoC, FN, Blinked.
You're now at max range with a group of mobs rooted. You need to aim your blizzard so that the furthest away point of your target reticule is just touching the furthest out mob. Drop a blizzard. If you did this right, they'll all be snared by your improved blizzard.
Queue up another blizzard and, while watching your first blizzard's "Channeling" bar, follow the front most mob's feet with the back of your target reticule and click as soon as your channel runs out.
This method will allow you to get 2 full blizzard casts in before the mobs reach you. Once your second cast of blizzard ends your FN cooldown ought to be about up and you can hit your group again. At this point you'll stay close, drop a FS into the group, blast them with CoC and AE any stragglers. Congratulations! You've done it!
In summary:
Gather a group
CoC
FN
Blink
Blizzard
Blizzard
FN
FS
CoC
AE
ZOMG! Thanks!!!
A warm smile is all the thanks I ask.
The following are two lists of AoE spots. I am not responsible for this list, I didn't come up with it and I haven't tried all of the spots. But it is a good resource. However, basically, any place with a tight cluster of melee mobs will do.
