World of Warcraft: Shadowlands pre-expansion 9.0.1 update brings with it a multitude of class changes, and the stomach was no exception. Many classes will find some of their most popular abilities that were removed many expansions ago, and their skill acquisition adjusted due to the huge level reduction introduced in this same update.
Not all classes received massive tweaks, but Mage certainly saw a good amount of class changes (although Frost received the fewest changes). Below is the full list of class changes made to Mage in the Shadowlands pre-expansion Update 9.0.1. For the full patch notes, be sure to check out the link here, where additional class changes are listed.
Mage - Shadowlands Update 9.0.1 Class Changes
GENERAL
- Mirror Image is no longer a Talent and is learned by all Mages at level 44. Mirror Image damage is greatly reduced, Frostbolt is added to all Mirror Images, and while your images are active, damage taken are reduced by 20%. If you take direct damage, one of your images will dissipate.
- All Mages can now use the following abilities:
- Arcane Explosion – Causes an explosion of magic around the caster, inflicting Arcane damage to all enemies within 10 yards.
- Frostbolt – Launches a bolt of frost at the enemy, causing frost damage and slowing movement speed by 50% for 8 seconds.
- Fire Blast – Blasts the enemy for fire damage
- The following talents have been adjusted:
- New Talent: Focus Magic – Increases the target's chance of being critically hit with spells by 5% for 30 minutes. When the target critically hits, your chance to be critically hit with spells is increased by 5% for 10 seconds. Cannot be cast on self. One target limit.
- Shimmer cooldown increased to 25 seconds (was 20 seconds).
- Rune of Power now places a Rune of Power on the ground for 15 seconds (was 10 seconds) and has an additional effect: Casting Arcane Power, Combustion, or Chilled Veins will also create a Rune of Power at your location.
- Ring of Frost incapacitate duration in PvE increased by 50% and has an additional effect – When incapacitation expires, enemies are slowed by 65% for 4 seconds.
ESOTERIC
- New Ability: Alter Time – Alters the time structure, returning you to your current location and health when you cast a second time, or after 10 seconds. Effect negated by long distance or death.
- Mastery: Savant now has an additional effect - Increases all other Arcane damage.
- Clearcasting now has additional effects – Stacks up to 3 times and causes your Arcane Missiles to fire 1 additional missile.
- Arcane Power cooldown reduced to 2 minutes (was 3 minutes).
- Touch of the Magi is no longer a talent and is learned by all Arcane Mages at level 33. Touch of the Magi has been redesigned – Applies Touch of the Magi to your current target, accumulating 25% of the damage you deal to the target for 8 seconds, then explode for that amount of Arcane damage dealt to the target and reduces damage dealt to all nearby enemies. Generates 4 Arcane Charges on cast and has a 45 second cooldown.
- Arcane Power no longer has a global cooldown.
- The following talents have been adjusted:
- New Talent: Master of Time (replaces Mana Shield) – Reduces Alter Time cooldown by 30 seconds. Alter Time resets Blink's cooldown when you return to your original location.
- New Talent: Arcane Echo (replaces Charged Up) – Direct damage you deal to enemies affected by Touch of the Magi causes an explosion that deals Arcane damage to 8 nearby enemies.
- Amplification allows Arcane Missiles to fire 2 additional missiles when Clearcast (instead of 1).
- Resonance damage per target hit with Arcane Barrage increased to 15% (was 10%).
- Temporal Anomaly now grants Time Warp for 6 seconds and no longer grants 4 Arcane Charges.
- Nether Storm now deals reduced damage to secondary targets.
- PvP Talent Changes:
- Rewind time has been removed.
FEU
- Mastery: Ignite now causes your Phoenix Flames to spread your Ignites to 8 nearby enemies. Ignite no longer spreads to a nearby enemy every 2 seconds.
- Phoenix Flames is no longer a Talent and is learned by all Fire Mages at level 19. Now Phoenix Flames has a 25 second cooldown (down from 30 seconds), increased damage by 15%, and no longer guarantees no longer a critical hit.
- Improved Pyrotechnics is now Fireball (Rank 2).
- Phoenix Flames now deals reduced damage to secondary targets.
- The following talents have been adjusted:
- New Talent: From the Ashes (Passive) – Increases Mastery by 2% for each charge of Phoenix Flames off cooldown and your direct damage critical hits reduce its cooldown by 1 second.
- Blast Wave damage increased by 5% and duration increased to 6 seconds (was 4 seconds).
- Alextrasza's Fury now always critically strikes and increases critical strike damage by 50% and has an additional effect - Damage dealt by your next Pyroblast or Flamestrike is increased by 35%.
- Ignite now reduces the remaining cooldown of Combustion by 1,5 seconds (was 1 second).
- Pyroclasm now increases Pyroblast bonus damage by 250% (down from 225%).
- Living Bomb now deals reduced damage to secondary targets.
GEL
- Flurry now reduces the target's movement speed by 80% (was 70%).
- Icy Veins no longer has a global cooldown.
- Frozen Orb now limited to 8 targets.
- The following talents have been adjusted.
- Frigid Winds additional movement speed reduction is now 10% (was 15%).
- Ice Nova now deals reduced damage to secondary targets.
