Overview
Arcane is no longer a tree you take only to boost Fire or Frost: it is a damage spec in its own right. Its core is 
Arcane Blast, a talent available from level 20. Each cast adds a stack, up to 4: it raises the damage of your next other spell by 10%, but increases the cost of the next Arcane Blast by 175%.
Missile Barrage, a talent that needs more than 11 points, makes 
Arcane Missiles free and faster to channel: they become the efficient way to spend your stacks. In dungeons, 
Arcane Explosion is your highlight, helped by the threat reduction of 
Arcane Subtlety, especially behind a Paladin tank.
Your damage depends heavily on fight length and on your mana: the goal is to end every fight nearly empty. The spec levels poorly, because its spells are expensive; most players level as Frost or Fire. At level 20 on the beta, all three Mage specs rank in tier S, thanks to their area damage.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Real burstArcane Power and the critical damage talents, expected at max level.
- A simple loopBuild up, then spend.
- Rewards mana managementThe goal: end every fight nearly empty.
Weaknesses
- Running out of manaGoing dry costs you a lot.
- Weak levelingVery dependent on your wand.
- Tied to fight lengthYour damage varies with fight length and raid kill speed.
Read the details
You have a simple loop, build up then spend, that rewards good mana management. At max level, 
Arcane Power and the critical damage talents promise strong burst.
On the other hand, running out of mana costs you a lot. Leveling relies heavily on your wand, and your damage varies with fight length and your raid’s kill speed.
Key spells
Key talents
Wand Specialization (2 ranks)+25% wand damage. At level 20, your wand nearly matches Arcane Missiles.- 1% hit per rank, 5% at most.
- Arcane Subtlety (2 ranks)Less threat on your Arcane spells and a little spell penetration.
- Clearcasting procs after your damage spells.
- The core of the spec, from level 20.
- +6 yd range, mostly a path talent.
- 50% of your mana regeneration while casting at max rank.
Rotation and priorities
Single target:
- Priority 1:Arcane BlastUp to 2 or 3 stacks. At 4 stacks, your mana bar empties in about two cycles.
Several targets: 
Flamestrike pre-cast, a costly option, then spam Arcane Explosion.
While leveling: 
Fireball to pull from range, then your wand to finish.
In dungeons, save your wand for small packs of 1 or 2 mobs and your mana for large packs of 4 or 5. Use 
Evocation and your mana racials often, even for a small gain.
Stats
- 1Intellect
- then 2Spell power
- then 3Spirit
Order to be confirmed: the exact priority is not settled yet.
No order is established. At level 20, look for Intellect, spell power and Spirit; crafted pieces give plenty of them.
Leveling
At level 20: Wand Specialization 2/2, 
Arcane Focus 3/5, Arcane Subtlety 2/2 rather than the last 2 points of 
Arcane Concentration, for dungeon threat, then Arcane Blast. With 5 Legacy points, finish Arcane Focus, useful in Shadowfang Keep, then Arcane Concentration, and take Missile Barrage.
Buy or craft a wand for your level: wands are very strong early.
Changes compared to Classic
- New talent, 2.5 s cast, 4 stacks at most.
- New talent, free and faster Arcane Missiles.
- New version, reduced threat and spell penetration.
- New range talent.
- 50% instead of 15%.
- +100% critical damage on your Arcane spells.
- 1% hit per point.
- Its ranks no longer overlap in the same spot.
