Arcane feels truly awful to play

[Timberpond-argent-dawn]

Arcane has been my main spec since Legion; I fell in love with the updated spell effects, the overall class fantasy and, at the time, the rotation. In BFA it stayed relatively the same and in SL with the covenants we got one new ability we had to implement.

“Alright” I thought “I can manage that, what’s one new spell” despite the fact that I still preferred the older versions.

But now looking at even the easy mode section on Icy Veins you’re asking me to weave Shifting Power, Rune of Power, Radiant Spark AND Nether Tempest into my rotation to be viable.

Rune of Power, I realise, is being removed come 10.1.5 but still, with all due respect; are you kidding? Arcane used to be a pretty intuitive and well designed spec and now people are meming about how complicated it is.

It’s such a shame dude

[Nakamura-outland]

oh we talking pve… makes sense.

[Minnji-eonar]

Yeah the class design of chuck all the talents we can think of into a tree and see whats happens hasn’t worked well for any mage spec tbh. Roll on 10.1.5 and hopefully they can make something fun.

[Ciri-defias-brotherhood]

The irony is that arcane used to be very fun, many complained about it being a 1 button spec but you actually had to properly manage mana and it was a blast.

Compared to current where you have to weave a jersey, whilst spinning around in a washing machine and doing advanced algebra to do decent dps and 1 single mistake will make you fall flat on the dps meters.

[Gerikee-ragnaros (Gerikee)]

Pressing 5 spells in order is only hard if you have serious issues. Stop pretending that arcane has some really insane rotation.

[Ciri-defias-brotherhood]

Who is pretending, by all means list the rotation you use 100% of the time for every situation as arcane and then add in how it works whilst dancing around like a fruitcake trying to avoid all the aoe and affixes.

[Gerikee-ragnaros (Gerikee)]

You need to avoid affixes and mechanics with every class. Arcane is pretty mobile at least, so usuallly it’s easy.

[Timberpond-argent-dawn]

I loved pummeling targets with arcane blast during burn phases, especially with the updated visuals and sound effects, it felt as though you were pounding your enemies into submission with magic, and dumping your clearcasting procs into your enemy felt like you were opening the flood gates of magic and letting loose, but now arcane missiles is only worth casting to get Nether Precision stacks and our whole rotation is less about relentless hard hitting arcane blasts and more about fitting as much bs into Touch of the Magi and Radiant Spark as you can.

And don’t even get me started on Nether Tempest; arcane has NEVER been a dot spec and now you’re asking me to maintain some unsatisfying maintenance ability? It doesn’t even last for the full duration of Touch of the Magi.

It sucks, and it’s all in the name of, what, burst? Mobility? I liked being a turret even if it meant that fights with lots of movement were a pain in the backside.

The rotation is so janky now

-Cast Evocation oh but not a full one just until you have 5 charges of Siphon Storm, no we haven’t made the cast quicker or otherwise made sure that you reach 5 stacks by the end of the channel

-Cast Radiant Spark and fit 3 Arcane Blasts in its window, no not 2, not 5 you moron only 3 UNLESS its a mini burn in which case you obviously do 4 come on now don’t be an idiot.

-Cast Arcane Surge which is actually a super welcome ability compared to Arcane Power

-Make sure to apply Nether Tempest which is not only a dot but one that will run out mid Touch of the Magi, super satisfying right

-Cast a SECOND mark type spell in the form of Touch of the Magi but wait dumbass make sure you cram a Arcane Barrage in before that

-Finally instead of intuitively spending your Clearcasting stacks and going wild with Arcane Missiles only cast Arcane Missiles ONCE, and then follow it up with 2 Arcane Blasts and make sure your clearcasting procs run out before you get to spend them all because you have to weave back and forth

I dunno it just doesn’t feel very natural to me, it seems like the spec has become less and less about actually managing your mana and more and more about making the most of what are essentially colossus smash windows.