WoW Classic 39 Mage Twink Guide

At level 39, Mages are among the most devastating damage dealers in the entire game of World of Warcraft.  Their ability to throw damage at a distance is surpassed occasionally by Hunters, who are able to also do damage at greater range.   For PvP, the best course is for a Frost Mage, focusing on Crowd Control (CC). A Mage speced for fire can do a lot more damage than one who is not, but one speced for frost is one of the most devastating CC classes in the game, just because of the sheer number of ways in which they can hinder movement.

While still possessing the Polymorph, as all Mages do, Frost Mages also have a number of talents that make some of their CC Frost spells far more effective.  They also have access to Ice Armor since level 30 and so are more durable and survivable.

Mages gain access to their teleport to Darnassus and Thunder Bluff at level 30, making travel to and from Kalimdor much easier.

Contents

• Races: Which races can play as Mages and which of those make the best PvP Mages?
• Professions: Which professions are useful to a mage and which recipes and formulas are the best fro PvP?
• Spells and Abilities: What spells does a Mage have access to at level 39 and how best can those spells be employed in PvP?
• Talents: Which talent builds suite a PvP Mage most and which spec is best for Twinking?
• Gear: What is the Best in Slot gear for a level 39 Twink Mage and how can it be acquired?
• Enchantments: Which enchantments benefit a Mage most and which are the most useful in PvP?
• Buffs: What scrolls, potions, elixirs and other consumables are available to a Mage at this level and how best can they be employed in PvP.

Races

While not having as many choices for races as some other classes do, Mages have more of a balance in their roster.  Each faction has two races, one of which is great for PvP and the other which is sort of so-so, but all are definitely viable.

You are going to want to select your race very carefully, as you will be stuck with whatever race you choose for the life of your character.  So read the following entries carefully, and weigh the benefits of the traits each race offers based on its usefulness and merits.

Or make a sexy troll purple hair, tusk rings.  No one’s here to judge.

Alliance

• Gnome: Every one of the racial traits that the gnome possesses is of direct benefit to any mage, but in particular one engaging in PvP.  This is an aspect not shared by any of the other races available to the class.  Arcane Resistance, like any magical resistance, is valuable to any class and will protect you from many of the abilities of other Mages, Caster Druids and Hunters.  All Twinks will benefit from Engineering Specialization, though not as much at this level, except to raise it faster, as it can be capped out at 39.  Every class engaging in any kind of PvP will make liberal use of Escape Artist to break out of physical CC effects.  Lastly, Expansive Mind might be the best racial trait to be had for a Mage, or any caster that wants to do more damage.
• Human: Of the five traits that humans offer, only three are of any value to a mage and even these are minor benefits to the class.  There is an indirect benefit to Diplomacy as it allows you to get some of your BiS items from Battleground vendors more easily.  Perception and The Human Spirit are the most obvious boons to a Twink Mage.  The former, for the increased ability to spot Rogues, Druids and Hunter pets that are in stealth, and the latter for the Mana and health regen, but mostly the health.

Horde

• Troll: Trolls have few racial traits which are directly beneficial to any Mage, even a Twink.  There is some situational usefulness to Beast Slaying when you are fighting a Druid in animal form, or a Hunter’s pet and not much else.  Berserking offers a nice speed increase to your spell casting, which can help to drop some foes more quickly.  Regeneration is the only other trait that is useful to a Mage, though it is also quite potent.  In a long, protracted battle, you will just outlast other Mages, especially if you use potions to augment your natural healing ability.
• Undead: Shadow Resistance proves, once again, that everyone benefits from magical resistance in any form.  Cannibalize is a neat extra heal between battles, but leaves you vulnerable while in use.  Will of the Forsaken, almost the mirror of the Gnome’s Escape artist, allows you to cast off mental CC effects.

Unlike a lot of other classes in WoW, there is a clear winner for Mages when it comes to race and that is the Gnome.  There’s just too many benefits here to ignore, and some of them offer bonuses that you just can’t find in other aspects of the game.  If you’re Main is a Hordie, then go for the Undead, because in PvP, escape from CC trumps almost anything.

Seriously though, if you want to play a sexy troll, go for it.  It is a videogame, after all.

Professions

There are a lot of professions to choose from, which can make deciding which ones to go with hard.  Fortunately, one of the coolest professions is also an absolute necessity for a Twink of any class.  Engineering.  There are a plethora of gadgets, devices and bombs that are extremely useful within Battlegrounds and you won’t want to miss out on them.

While Engineering is a necessity, you’re other Profession is also important.  Which ones you’ll be interested in will largely depend on your class.

What follows is a description of each of the Professions that should be of interest to a level 39 Twink Mage and why.

Engineering

For Twinks of any class, this profession is an absolute must-have.  Along with all of the engineering gadgets and doodads you get before reaching 230 in engineering, there are some seriously fantastic items at this level that are of extreme use in PvP.  Make sure you get all of them.

The Major Recombobulator is especially useful for countering the Crowd Control (CC) effects of Polymorph, while also doling them out.  You’ll be the one that saved the day if you carry the Goblin Jumper Cables XL and can rez the Healer when your whole team gets ganked.  Other items of note are the  Alarm-O-Bot, which can help in detecting Rogues and Feral Druids and the Dark Iron Bomb, which is the absolute best bomb in early Classic WoW, with the most damage and longest CC duration.  There are also three energy reflectors; Gyrofreeze Ice Reflector, Hyper-Radiant Flame Reflector and Ultra-Flash Shadow Reflector, which all reflect their type of damage for 5 seconds.  This is extremely useful and can quickly turn the tables on any caster in the game.  Finally, there is the Arcane Bomb, which absorbs mana and does half of what is absorbed as damage to anyone in range.

Casters in particular benefit from Engineering, as they still have access to Spellpower Goggles Xtreme Plus, as they did in the last bracket, which is still a contender for BiS head slot item, but can also acquire the Green Lens, which is better.  They can also gain use from Catseye Ultra Goggles , especially humans with their perception trait.

All of these items are incredibly useful in PvP and are the best engineering has to offer at this level.  Not to mention all of the fun fireworks and pet companions you can make.

Enchanting

Enchanting is probably the best choice for players who are not supporting their Twink with another character.  It has few expensive reagents that must be truly gathered, most being products of disenchanting items you are already likely to pick up.  It also offers lucrative selling opportunities with the many materials you will acquire from breaking down all of the Green and Blue items you do not need.  It can also offset the cost of getting your own enchantments some, as higher level enchanters are sometimes on the lookout for lower level materials.  Not to mention that at this level, if you can acquire the recipes and mats, you can max out enchanting to 300 and perform the enchant yourself.

Alchemy

If you are being supplied herbs and reagents by another character, then Alchemy can be an extremely useful Profession to endeavor upon.  The ability to simply create the many potions and elixirs that offer decided advantages in PvP at this bracket, instead of having to go shop for them, almost pays for itself.  Alchemy can also be a great way to make money, especially if the reagents and materials can be acquired cheaply.

Other Professions

The only other professions even worth considering are Tailoring and Mining.  Tailoring for obvious leveling and Pre BiS gear and Mining as a means to support Engineering.  Everything else is a waste of time and energy.

Another use for for Alchemy, Leatherworking and Tailoring is to sell the various high level components and transmutes that only these Professions can craft.  Alchemists can transmute metals with recipes like Recipe: Transmute Arcanite, Leatherworkers can craft the Cured Rugged Hide and Tailors can use Pattern: Mooncloth to purify Felcloth.

Secondary Skills

• Cooking:  Cooking has but one benefit to any Twink at any level bracket.  The Well Fed Buff.  The food that offers the highest possible Well Fed bonus at this level is Spider Sausage, the recipe for which can be purchased from virtually any standard Cooking trainer.  Another fun and useful food the cooks can make at this level is Dragonbreath Chili, the recipe for which can be purchased from Helenia Olden (Alliance) or Ogg’marr (Horde) in Duskwallow Marsh.  It can also be purchased from Super-Seller 680 in Desolace.
• First Aid:  The only thing to worry about here is to get your First Aid maxed as high as it will go, so that you can use the Heavy Runecloth Bandage, which can heal you almost completely full with just one bandage.  To do this, you will need the three books Expert First Aid – Under Wraps, Manual: Heavy Silk Bandage and Manual: Mageweave Bandage.  The only trouble is that, because you still can’t get your Secondary Skills up to 300 yet, you’ll have to find someone to craft the bandages for you.  Alternatively, you could simply purchase them off of the AH.
• Fishing:  This skill is not as important at this level bracket, but it’s still a great way to increase your income, especially while you’re bored and waiting around near some water.  Take any opportunity you can to fish, because each time you fish is a chance to catch a rare fish that can earn you some good money.  It’s also not a bad way to get Cooking and Alchemy reagents to increase those skills.

Spells and Abilities

A Mage’s spellbook is full of marvelous and useful spells that range from being able to transport one’s self to another location somewhere else in the world instantaneously, to being able to conjure muffins and spring water out of thin air.  All of the Mage’s spells can be broken down into three groups:  Fire, Frost and Arcane.  Fire and Frost are largely those spells that burn, or freeze, obviously, but there are some exceptions.  Arcane spells, while sometimes the damaging type, are more often of a practical and utilitarian nature.  These are all of the spells available to a Mage of level 39.

• Arcane
• Fire
• Frost

You’re main advantage in PvP, over pure damage, is CC and keeping your enemies off balance and at bay, so that your allies can move in for the kill.  Use Frostbolt liberally, as it is the simplest method of doing this and with talents, very effective.  Always look for opportunities to use Polymorph and Frost Nova, or anything else that can hinder your foes.  Even fire spells like Blast Wave.

Talents

In PvP Frost Mages absolutely overwhelm, not because of the massive amounts of damage they do, though there damage is nothing to ignore at all, but their ability to control the movement and cadence of a fight.  CC is where PvP Mages are the most valuable and to get the best CC that the Mage has to offer, one need look no further than the Frost Talent Tree.  Polymorph is very exacting, but frost has so many ways to slow, or stop enemies in their tracks, it’s almost foolhardy to do any other build.

This spec excels at CCing and bursting frozen targets. Ice Block is good if you are carrying the flag in WSG as you can Ice Block out of CC, instantly cancel it using a macro, and then pick up the flag again immediately.  Also, the 2 points you spend here in Elemental Precision translates to 4% spell hit, which is the caster hit cap in pvp.

There is a school of thought that raw damage is better than an over taciturn approach and that a Fire Mage build might be better for PvP.  If that’s your thing, check out this spec.  It focuses on raw damage output with a little AoE from Blast Wave.

If you want to see what else the Mage’s talents have to offer, check out the mage talent calculator and see what you can come up with.

BiS Gear

• Head
  • What: Green Lens (of Fozen Wrath / Fire Wrath) /Whitemane’s Chapeau / Gnomish Mind Control Cap / Goblin Rocket Helmet
  • Where: Buzzek Bracketswing – Engineering Trainer / High Inquisitor Whitemane, Scarlet Monastery 33% / Gnomish Mind Control Cap – Engineering / Goblin Rocket Helmet – Engineering

• Neck
  • What: Necklace of Calisea / Triune Amulet
  • Where: Narillasanz, Alterac Mountain 0.0167% / High Inquisitor Whitemane, Scarlet Monastery 33%

•  Shoulders
  • What: Lunar Mantle (of the Eagle/Frozen Wrath)
  • Where: Rumbler, Badlands 0.641%

• Cloak
  • What: Bloodwoven Cloak (of Frozen Wrath/Fire Wrath/the Eagle)
  • Where: Zul’arek Hatefowler, The Hinterlands 1.124%

• Chest
  • What: Robes of the Lich / Robes of the Magi
  • Where:  Amnennar the Coldbringer, Razorfen Downs 20% / Burgle Eye, Duskwallow Marsh 0.0056%

• Bracers
  • What: Bloodwoven Bracers (of Frozen Wrath/Fiery Wrath/the Eagle)
  • Where: Anathemus, The Badlands 0.641%

• Gloves
  • What: Royal Gloves (of Fiery Wrath/the Eagle) / Black Mageweave Gloves
  • Where: Razortalon, Hinterlands 0.641% / Black Mageweave Gloves – Tailoring

• Belt
  • What: Defiler’s Cloth Girdle / Highlander’s Cloth Girdle / Deathmage Sash
  • Where: Sold By – Illiyana Moonblaze/Kelm Hargunth / Mordresh Fire Eye, Razorfen Downs 33%

• Legs
  • What: Regal Leggings (of the Eagle) / Red Mageweave Pants
  • Where: Razortalon, The Hinterlands 0.641% / Pattern: Red Mageweave Pants

• Boots
  • What: Defiler’s Cloth Boots / Highlander’s Cloth Boots / Royal Boots (of the Eagle) /Gnomish Rocket Boots /  Goblin Rocket Boots
  • Where: Sold By – Illiyana Moonblaze/Kelm Hargunth / Gnarl Leafbrother, Feralas 0.641% /Gnomish Rocket Boots – Engineering /  Goblin Rocket Boots – Engineering

• Ring One
  • What: Charged Gear (of the Eagle/Concentration) /
  • Where: Mekgineer Thermaplugg, Gnomeregan 30% /

• Ring Two
  • What: Advisor’s Ring / Lorekeeper’s Ring
  • Where: Sold By – Illiyana Moonblaze/Kelm Hargunth

• Trinket One
  • What: Arena Grand Master / Arena Master/ Mark of the Chosen
  • Where:  Quest – Arena Grandmaster / Arena Treasure Chest 100% / Quest – The Pariah’s Instructions

• Trinket Two
  • What: Rune of Perfection / Tidal Charm / Nifty Pocketwatch
  • Where: Sold By – Illiyana Moonblaze/Kelm Hargunth / Prince Nazjak, Arathi Highlands 45% / Quest – This Is Going to Be Hard

• Main Hand
  • What: Hypnotic Blade
  • Where: Arcanist Doan, Scarlet Monastery 25%

• Off-Hand
  • What: Celestial Orb/ Prophetic Cane / Skull of Impending Doom
  • Where: Quest – Celestial Power / Into The Scarlet Monastery / Quest – Forbidden Knowledge

• Two Handed
  • What: Staff of Jordan / Advisor’s Gnarled Staff / Lorekeeper’s Staff
  • Where: Colonel Kurzen, Stranglethorn Vale 0.00013%/ Sold By – Illiyana Moonblaze/Kelm Hargunth (Requires Honored with WSG)

Enchantments

The enchantments for your gear are almost as important as the gear itself.  Make sure to get all of the best enchantments for each gear slot item that can be enchanted.  If your Main is not an enchanter, then acquiring these enchantments will be expensive, so keep that in mind.  Here are all of the best enchantments for a level 39 Twink Mage.

• Head: Lesser Arcanum of Constitution
• Shoulders:  Power of the Scourge
• Cloak: Enchant Cloak – Superior Defense / Enchant Cloak – Greater Resistance
• Chest: Enchant Chest – Major Health/ Enchant Chest – Greater Stats
• Bracers: Enchant Bracer – Superior Stamina
• Gloves: Enchant Gloves – Frost Power /Rugged Armor Kit (applicable by higher level characters only) -or- Thick Armor Kit (Can use at level 30 and above)
• Legs: Lesser Arcanum of Constitution
• Boots: Enchant Boots – Minor Speed / Enchant Boots – Greater Stamina (Arathi Basin only)
• Weapons: Enchant Weapon – Spell Power / Enchant Weapon – Mighty Intellect

Buffs

There are a plethora of buffs to be had at this level and some of them are incredibly useful.  If you’ve taken Alchemy, you’ll be able to acquire most of these, fairly easily.  Otherwise, you can get them through other players who are Alchemists, or simply from the AH. Some of them are often sold by vendors in a limited quantity as well.

Elixirs

Remember that only one Battle and one Guardian Elixir can be active at a time.

Battle Elixirs

• Elixir of Frost Power:  Translates to about +15 more Frost Damage.  This is uniquely useful to the Mage and even more useful to a Twink Mage in PvP
• Arcane Elixir:  Gives a massive boost in spell damage and finally there is a decent Battle Elixir for casters!

Guardian Elixirs

• Elixir of Greater Intellect: A very good choice if you can get it, as it offers an even higher bonus to Intellect than Arcane Intellect at this level.
• Elixir of Fortitude:  Not a single character in all of WoW has ever complained about having more health.  You shouldn’t either.
• Mighty Troll’s Blood Potion:  This one is great to pop right before a long fight.  It helps mitigate damage to you and let’s your Healer take it a bit easier.
• Elixir of Greater Defense:  More armor is always a good thing, especially in these quantities.
• Gift of Arthas: Hard to come by and somewhat situational with respect to the resistance, but definitely worth the defensive proc.  Being able to disease opponents is very useful in PvP.
• Elixir of Water Walking This one might only be useful when running away from something, but when you can walk on water and your opponents can’t you’ll be glad you bought this.

Potions

• Lesser Stoneshield Potion: One thousand extra armor?  Yes, you can easily find a situation where this is useful.
• Invisibility Potion: Makes you invisible.  What’s not to love?
• Swiftness Potion: No matter what bracket you’re in, no matter what class you play, this potion will never not be useful in some way in PvP and in CTF it is invaluable.
• Restorative Potion: Expensive, but worth the price and extremely utilitarian.  You can just keep this in your back pocket just in case and rest easy, knowing you have an answer for almost every debuff.
• Jungle Remedy: You might have to spend a lot of time farming these, or a bit of gold buying them, but they are worth it.
• Magic Resistance Potion:   If 50 resistance in all schools of magic doesn’t seem like enough to you, you are wrong.  This potion is perfect for when every caster on the field is flinging different colored light at each other.
• Dreamless Sleep Potion:  Makes you vulnerable for a awhile but pretty much completely restores your health and mana.  Good to use right after a some kind of mass CC has just occurred, like Psychic Scream, or Fear.
• Wildvine Potion:  Kind of a gamble, but might be worth having for when things are really down and out.
• Superior Healing Potion:  The healing potion is a staple of adventurers everywhere.  Use it in good health.  Heheh.
• Superior Healing Draught:  Not as effective as the above, but plentiful and cheap.  You can only use them in BGs though.
• Greater Mana Potion: An absolute must have for all casters.  Make sure you have at least a couple of these before ever even heading out.

Scrolls

• Scroll of Protection III: Use this when you don’t have an Elixir of Defense.
• Scroll of Intellect III: Use this when you don’t have a Mage who can give you Arcane Intellect.
• Scroll of Spirit III: Use this when you don’t have a Priest who can give you Divine Spirit.
• Scroll of Stamina III: Use this when you don’t have a Priest who can give you Power Word: Fortitude.

Use all of them if you are alone, because they are cheap and why not?

Team Buffs

Arcane Intellect should always be on, end of story.  All classes want Power Word: Fortitude and the health it gives.  Mark of the Wild raises all of your stats a little and stacks with most buffs.  Blessing of Kings does kind of the same thing as Mark of the Wild, only a bit better and only for Alliance players.

Other Consumables

• Rumsey Rum Black Label: Being a little tipsy is a small price to pay for an extra 15 Stamina.
• Minor Wizard Oil:  These things are great, because imbues will stack with weapon enchantments. So if you’re a caster, get this on your weapon.
• Dragonbreath Chili: As stated above, this is a great little added boon that you can get easily if you cooking skill is high enough.
• Spider Sausage: Again, make sure you have some of this sausage before heading out there.  The well fed buff shouldn’t be ignored.

You made it to the end!  In doing so, have acquired all of the knowledge you require to make the perfect level 39 Twink Mage.  Use this newfound wisdom to bring honor to your name, victory to your allies and woe to your enemies.  Let them taste the cold bight of your Frost, the searing flames of your Fire and the uh…magical…mystery…of your arcane!  Have fun!