Everyday the question is asked on the forums at least once, "How do I AoE grind?". Then the responses come in, some are sarcastic, some are helpful and some are just idiotic. I have written this guide to help out mages that want to AoE grind with frost. This is only for grinding with Blizzard, I will not take into account any other method in this guide. I hope that this will remain in the top tiers of the forum (shameless bumps by me and hopefully help from others as well), and perhaps even get a sticky if the community deems it worthy.


So you wanna kill lots o' mobs........
There are many reasons that people want to try to AoE grind with a mage, and for some the prospect of all that killin' is the sole purpose of making a mage. I would warn all those desiring to try this path, it is not easy. Expect to die a lot at the beginning. Also, know this before you begin. It is not as easy as you might think to find good spots to AoE grind at every level. There will be times that you have to quest or even do some single mob killing, those words will sting those who are only in it for the glory but those kind never make it far anyway. So, if you still want to try to make this journey and massively slay of all kinds of threats, read on.

So you think you can AoE........
The first thing to make sure of is your talent spec. Not just any spec will do, although there are some choices. The first thing to know is that you must certainly be level 21. This is the absolute lowest I would ever allow you to try to AoE grind with Blizzard (you get rank 1 Blizzard at level 20). The reason for being level 21 is that you must have 3/3 Permafrost and 2/3 Improved Blizzard before you can hope to AoE effectively. I recommend waiting till you are level 32 but some people just can't wait.

Just the specs man just the specs........
Ok so you can't wait any longer. Here are the specs at each respective level that will help you to AoE the most effectively using Blizzard.

Level 21
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=RZZMhMhM
This build gets you the core talents necessary to grind using Blizzard. Don't get more than 2/3 Imp Blizzard. If you get the last point in Imp Blizzard its chill effect overwrites the effect of Cone of Cold and makes your whole process much more difficult. For experienced AoE grinders this rule does not necessarily apply but this guide is for beginners and I am making this as foolproof as possible. (Considering you will be making 6-20 mobs very unhappy with you, I don't know how foolproof anything can really be). More info on the reasoning for 2/3 Improved Blizzard can be found at the end of the guide.

Level 29
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=RZZMhMIMf
This build is getting you closer to actually being able to AoE grind and make it look pretty. Although you are not really to the point that you can shine yet, if you can do it at these levels the rest will be cake. (I like pie better but to each his own).

Level 32
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=RZZMhMIMf0c
Ok, now we're talking. By the time you get here you will have all the talents that make AoE grinding a blinding success. With your increased damage from Cone of Cold talents and all that experience from starting at level 21 (you impatient little mage) you will be ruling and ruining the lives of countless mobs the world over.

Level 40
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=RZZVhMIRf0sbo
Now you really know what it means to be a mage. You feel the sheer power flowing through you and fear of pulling too many mobs is a distant memory. You have your mount, you have your shield and you have a lower cooldown on one of the most amazing (and underestimated) spells in an AoE mages arsenal (Cone of Cold). The world is your toy to play with. Clear entire forests of mobs in one fel swoop and make them all know that the mage is king........er, sorry I got carried away. But really, you will understand by now what you are doing and with the talents gained at level 40 you will be nearly unstoppable as an AoE force.

Level 50
It does not really matter what talents you choose after 40 as long as you don't ever get more than 2/3 Imp Blizzard (as stated before, experienced AoE grinders are exempt from that statement) and never, never, never get the Frostbite talent. (Ok I know I said never, never, never but there are those that AoE at later levels, post 60, that use frostbite and it seems to work out pretty well. I do not suggest getting it but if you want to grab it and see how it works feel free.) Arctic winds should be changed in the next patch to add damage to Frost spells so I recommend picking that up. When you hit 50 be sure to get your Water Elemental and make it your friend. Every three minutes you will be the most powerful force in the AoE world and no matter what happens, a mage with his WE out should never die because of regular mobs. Never.

Post 50
Do as you will, anything that you can add to your arsenal of AoE spells will only help you in the future. Whether you go fire, arcane or even full frost, does not really matter all that much. You have all the talents needed to AoE effectively and by now you have all the experience needed as well.



But what about my pants.......
You can't get past talking about gear can you? We might as well talk about it I suppose.
One of the things you will hear on the forums, and rightly so, is that for a mage + damage gear is king. This is true and I do not argue with that fact. However, for the AoE mage + damage gear is not really what you need to go for.
The benefit that you get from + damage gear is minimal when using channeled spells and instants, so what you really need to be looking for is gear with + int and + sta. Any "of the eagle" gear is great and if you happen to come across some stuff with spirit on it as well, grab it up.
You need to have enough mana to cast three rounds of Blizzard and a couple rounds of Cone of Cold, plus enough hitpoints to take a few hits along the way. Spirit is not gonna help you that much because you will be casting almost continually, so you need a mana pool that will sustain you until all the mobs are dead or running away.


I got the talent, I got the pants, what about the skill.........
Talent points are easy to spend and if you do it right will make your AoE journey a lot less painful. But the real deal is the skill factor involved in handling multiple mobs and even being able to take a bad situation and turn it to your favor. This is where the rubber meets the road, the grass meets the pants, the real mages are separated from those otherguys. (Not the "otherguy", the rest of the otherguys.) No onto the way that it all goes down.

The following are the levels that you get each new rank of Blizzard

Rank 1 - Level 20
Rank 2 - Level 28
Rank 3 - Level 36
Rank 4 - Level 44
Rank 5 - Level 52
Rank 6 - Level 60
Rank 7 - Level 68

You will find that every time you get a new Blizzard rank it will make things a little easier and the levels just before your new rank will be a bit harder.
Although this may not interest some of you the numbers really do make a difference. At rank 1 Blizzard is at its least efficient, weighing in at .677 damage per mana (DPM) it's almost scary to think about using it at all. The good news is though that every rank scales up the DPM all the way to rank 7 which gives you .894 DPM. This does not sound like much of an increase but when you take into account all the talents that I told you to get along the way it changes that number to 1.17 DPM which is actually very good. The point being, the farther you go, the easier it gets to AoE grind.

Now for what we have all been waiting for. How to actually go about AoE grinding. You have the talents, you have the pants, lets see if we can keep em' clean.


I see dead murlocs..........
So here we are. You are about to learn the secret methods behind AoE grinding. At least they seemed to be secret before I told you about them, now everyone knows them.

Before you pull:

• There are some very important things to do before you actually pull any mobs


• Watch the patrols and make sure you know the area


• Make sure that any mobs surrounding the area are cleared out, those adds can get you killed fast


• Pick out an area to pull the mobs to (I call this my killing field, it has a nice ring to it)


• Choose the mobs that you want to pull and figure out a path to take to pull those mobs (this will get easier as you get more experienced and also you will be able to modify these paths as you learn each area better.)


• Make sure you have an escape route if things go badly


• Set your keybinds for Blizzard, Cone of Cold, Frost Nova, Ice Barrier, Arcane Explosion


• Make a keybind for "Flip Camera" this switches the camera to look behind you and will be a huge help when you are running to MAX range so you can cast your Blizzard


Steps to make a Flip Camera keybind:

• While in WoW press the Escape key to bring up the Main Menu


• Click on Key Binding to open the Key Bindings Menu


• Scroll down till you get to the Camera Functions section


• At the bottom of that section you should see a command for Flip Camera


• Set a keybind for it and then click on Okay

The pull:
This is the part that makes or breaks the whole deal. You must know your enemy. If there are casters or ranged mobs in the group that you want to pull, things will get messy fast. This is the reason that it is so hard to find good spots to AoE grind. You must either clear out the ranged mobs or find spots that have only melee mobs in the pulls. When you find the spot here is what you do.


• Cast Ice Barrier (if you don't have it skip this step)


• Mount your horse (if you are below level 40 skip this step also)


• Make a run toward the group that you will pull following your predetermined path


• Run to the spot that you have chosen to use as your killing fields


• Run in a large circle to tighten the group


• Dismount (if you are below 40 skip this step, duh)


• Begin the cast rotation:


• Cone of Cold (you do this so that the mobs will be slowed, they will remain slowed for a long time and this makes things much safer)


• Frost Nova


• Run to MAX distance (use the flip camera keybind you set up)


• While you are running hit your Blizzard keybind and begin to place the targeting circle (You do not have to turn around to cast Blizzard, you can cast it in any direction)


• At MAX range unleash the first blizzard


• While it is channeling, turn your character to face the mobs and then cast Blizzard again but don't target it yet. (It will not cancel your channel until you actually click the targeting circle on the ground)


• When the mobs reach the edge of the first Blizzard unleash the second Blizzard (even if the first Blizzard is not through channeling go ahead and let the second one go, you cannot afford to let the mobs lose their chill effect)


• The mobs will reach you as the second Blizzard is ending


• When the mobs are in range Cone of Cold again


• Frost Nova


• Run to range


• Cast Blizzard again just like at the beginning


• From this point you have some options depending on the remaining hitpoints of the mobs (and the hitpoints and mana left on your character):


• Cast another blizzard
  or
  
• Run in and use Arcane Explosion to finish them all off


• Wand any runners and loot the losers

That is it, I know it seems like a lot but after you do it about 50 times you will get the hang of it. Some people have their own little variations that they put in there but for a tried and true method just follow those steps. There are a few tips that will help you along the way as well.



Don't eat yellow snow.......
Not that kind of tip although that is a good piece of advice.
The tips that will help you are really just common sense but a lot of times are overlooked by people.

Make sure to use Ice/Frost Armor at all times

• Sometimes this can have a negative effect in that it will slow some mobs down and not others, making it hard to get them in a tight group. For the beginner I would highly suggest using the extra armor so that you don't die. After you get to be an expert at the whole AoE game you will not get hit very much and Ice/Frost Armor can be left out of the mix. I do suggest adding extra armor in other ways though, such as pots, buffs, etc.

Any trinkets that give you a shield can save your life

Pots

• Not just mana or health pots, use fortitude pots and protection pots and regen pots and all the pots you can get from the pot gettin place.


• Any buff that you can put on or get put on you will help you out and sometimes that little extra is all it takes to put you on the winning side

Use keybinds, never click

• Timing is critical and if you are a half second too late it can make the difference between being face down eating dirt or setting upright drinking some conjured water


• When you place your keybinds think about the fact that you will be moving when you hit most of them so make sure your fingers can do all that is required of them. (i.e. don't put your Cone of Cold keybind on F12.) Put things within easy reach and don't forget your mouse has extra buttons on it too. (At least it should)

Be prepared to die

• When you first start off you will die. You will die. You will die. Don't let it frustrate you to the point of giving up. Be ready for it and know that it will all be worth it in the long run.

Don't be afraid to run

• If you find yourself in over your head, don't be too proud to run away. A short run back is better than a corpse run anytime.

When you run, don't run straight away

• Whether you are running away or just running to MAX range don't fully turn your back on the mobs until you are out of melee range, use strafe and run sideways that way the mobs don't daze you as easily

Start small

• Take one mob and see if you can AoE it to death using the given methods. If you can't take one you will never take 10. When you get the method down try a few more. Work your way up.

Don't grind on mobs that are too high

• Mobs that are your level or higher are really too high to AoE effectively. The fact that these mobs will have too many hitpoints, and the increased chance for resist make it tough. I suggest grinding on mobs that are at least 1-2 levels lower than you. Even choosing mobs 3 levels lower will sometime give you good results. Play with it and find out what works best for you and go with that.

Refer people to this guide

• This is the greatest tip of all. Maybe.


• The best way to accomplish this is to click on the little radioactive button and report this post for a sticky. If you feel that this guide can be a benefit to the mage community then help out to get this puppy stickied.

2/3 Improved Blizzard: The Explanation

• I will try to expalin this adequately, but as you read this remember that the best thing to do is always what suits you best.


• Going with 2/3 Improved Blizzard is not something that MUST BE DONE. I do, however, feel that it is the best option for the beginning mage.



• To start with we will look at the two spells in question. (All figures assume 3/3 Permafrost)


2/3 Improved Blizzard: 60% reduction in movement that lasts 4.5 seconds


3/3 Improved Blizzard: 75% reduction in movement that lasts 4.5 seconds


Cone of Cold: 60% reduction in movement that lasts 11 seconds


Armed with that knowledge we can proceed. Following the spell rotation that I suggest in the guide you will cast Cone of Cold then a frost nova, then run to range and begin your first Blizzard. When you begin casting your first Blizzard the mobs should still be under the chill effect of Cone of Cold and sometime in the channel of that first Blizzard the Cone of Cold chill will wear off and be immediately replaced (not overwritten) with the chill from Blizzard. That chill effect will remain on the mobs through the first and second Blizzard and then the mobs will be near you and you will need to use Cone of Cold again.

Give me your ear because this is the important part (thanks to Desorano for pointing this out). When you cast Cone of Cold this time it will overwrite the chill effect of the last Blizzard that you cast and slow the mobs for 11 more seconds. This is helpful for those less experienced in the art because it keeps things slow for a longer period of time.

Now, if you are using 3/3 Improved Blizzard the chill effect is considered greater than the chill effect from Cone of Cold (because of the higher speed reduction) and thus will not allow Cone of Cold to overwrite the Blizzard chill. If this is the case you will only have 4.5 seconds of slowing effects on the mobs and things can get messy here, especially if you get a Frost Nova resist. So to keep things slower longer, I feel that is more helpful to go with 2/3 Improved Blizzard as opposed to 3/3 Improved Blizzard.

This is the reasoning for only going 2/3 Improved Blizzard. As stated earlier, do what fits you best. I only suggest 2/3 Improved Blizzard because in my opinion it make the whole thing a bit easier for mages who are trying AoE grinding for the first time.
I hope that this clarifies this issue. There have been numerous posts asking about this so I hope that I have been concise. As always, I am open to suggestions and I hope that this guide will be a benfit to the mage community.

I hope this guide helps and I will be happy to add, or even change things on here if some valid points are made. I always want to improve myself and my instructions so feel free to make any suggestions. I am writing for the sole purpose of helping the mage community and I hope that it will be a benefit.

Good luck out there. Don't let a murloc chew your face off.

There are alot of lists floating around for spots to AoE at each level. I will update links here as I am directed to others lists.

The locations in the links below have been posted by other people and I have not personally tried all of them so I cannot vouch for how good they are. I will make it a point to begin visiting them and see how they look to me and I will make any comments that I feel are necessary.

WoWWiki page for AoE locations:
http://www.wowwiki.com/Mage_Aoe_Locations

Locations from the AoE guide written by Avarice:(Thanks for the great guide)
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=17531794&sid=1

Video of Blizzard AoE grinding in action
http://www.warcraftmovies.com/stream.php?id=30092

Well written. Reported for sticky.

Thank you for your support.

i saw a mage doing this yesterday and i was jealous!

respeccing as soon as i get home!

reported for sticky :)

What do you aoe from 60-70?

There are tons of birds in hellfire peninsula that will get you a long ways. They seem made to order for AoE grinding. They are already in pretty tight packs so they are easy to round up and they die fairly quickly. There are also other zones that have alot of birds in them as well. Trekokkar (spelling) Forest is good after you outrange the one in Hellfire.

Nice guide. Well, written and to the point.

/bump

If you think this is a well written and concise guide please use the radioactive button and report it for a sticky.

Very Nice Job

Where is a good place for a level 34? I currently have been kiiling the yeti's in that yeti cave north of southshore. But its getting a little annoying since there is not alot of room to manuever within the cave.

Also do you have a list of other places to AoE at various levels. I know other guides have them, just curious if you agree with those places or have some of your own that you found.

Again, nicely done...thanks!

Good guide.

You may want to include some good locations to AOE grind as well.

Reported for sticky.

Nice guide, it's how I've been leveling this mage all the time.

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Q u o t e:
Good guide.

You may want to include some good locations to AOE grind as well.

Reported for sticky.

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http://www.wowwiki.com/Mage_Aoe_Locations

It hasn't been updated for BC, but <60 locations are there.

I can't wait to get into the outlands. Leveling my warlock there, the whole time I was seeing so many awesome places to AoE grind.

Oh, and it would probably be good to add that it's VERY ill-advised to grind on mobs that are more than 2 levels above you (orange and red).

Especially in large pulls, it is almost guaranteed that someone will resist your frost nova, and when that happens, it sucks hard.

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Q u o t e:
Make sure to use Ice/Frost Armor at all times

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I've actually found that to be not a good thing, because in the first rounding-up pull it splits the group apart from those that have hit you and those that haven't.

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Q u o t e:


I've actually found that to be not a good thing, because in the first rounding-up pull it splits the group apart from those that have hit you and those that haven't.

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I have found this is hit or miss. In tightly pacted areas the ice armor comes in handy because you cant roam as much. Outside, much better without armor, just run like a mad man and get them together asap.

IMO, the best way to AOE farm is with one partner if you can. I generally bring along a shadow priest. He shields, runs around SW: Pain dotting everything in site, and basically sits in the middle of them. Being arc/fire, I nova, flamestrike, and AE until dead. Plus you get the added bonus of a heal and shield here and there if things go bad.

Personally I love the Frostbite talent....even for AOE grinding. I find that it procs so much during blizzard that it rarely messes up my grouping.

I am used to it though, so that helps a lot. I know other mage friends of mine can't stand it and it totally messes them up.

Also, it was a pain at lower levels.

I still would rather have it than not....not always AOE grinding afterall ;)