Deep Frost + Imp CS (17/0/44)

Survivability of Frost plus extreme control with Improved Counterspell. The Water Elemental still gives you controlled burst without becoming a glass cannon. Overall one of the strongest mage PvP builds that currently exist.

Arcane (17)

Talent Description
Arcane Subtlety2/210 Spell penetration for 2 points. Not the best, but certainly not the worst anymore.
Arcane Focus3/5Helps against CS and Polymorph resists, better than getting partial Improved Arcane Missiles.
Improved Arcane Missiles0/5Too mana inefficient and with focus having an internal cooldown, no longer worth picking up.
Wand Specialization0/2Complete waste of points.
Magic Absorption4/5Not a bad filler talent. Slightly improves mana efficiency and really there isn't much else to take.
Arcane Concentration5/5Excellent mana efficiency spell. Helps you keep going even when you are basically out of mana.
Magic Attunement0/2Can have a use if you play 2s or 3s without a healer, but will usually be purged so why spend the points?
Arcane Impact0/3You will rarely use Arcane Blast or Arcane Explosion, not worth it.
Arcane Fortitude1/1Decent amount of armor for just one talent point. I always pick this up in a Imp CS build.
Improved Counterspell2/2This talent is the reason why you go 17 arcane. Pick it up then move to frost.

Frost (44)

Talent Description
Frost Warding0/2Not a terrible talent, but no room in this build.
Improved Frostbolt5/5Decreases casting time and increases overall dps. Must have talent.
Elemental Precision0/33% mana is not enough to make a large difference and you should be at the 3% hit cap from gear so the decreased hit is unneccesary.
Ice Shards5/5Brings your crits up to 200%, increases your overall burst, do not pass up.
Frostbite3/3Great talent, increases defense by helping you get distance on melee and increases your offense by creating more shatter opportunities.
Improved Frost Nova2/2Keep your nova up more often which is nice. Mainly, a must have as a prereq for shatter.
Permafrost0/3Good talent for helping maintain control, but unfortunately no room for it in this build.
Piercing Ice3/3Increases our ability to burst, and scales well.
Icy Veins1/1Personal bloodlust when used offensively, helps proc frostbite to get melees off you if used defensively.
Improved Blizzard0/3Rarely useful and definitely no room in this build for it.
Arctic Reach2/2Increases range and more importantly radius, helping you control the battle much more effectively.
Frost Channeling0/3Increases mana efficiency but I don't believe there is room for it in this build. In addition, you usually run out fo mana due to no frost spells and mana drains anyways.
Shatter5/5Arguably one of the most important frost talents. This is what helps give frost burst on demand.
Frozen Core0/3Trash.
Cold Snap1/1Resets all your frost cooldowns. Must have.
Improved Cone of Cold0/3No room for it in this build. You will often end up only using Rank 1 for the snares.
Ice Floes0/2Handy for the CoC and Ice Barrier reduction, but no points to spare.
Winter's Chill5/5With detect magic removed, this is now a must have talent to help give you poly protection.
Ice Barrier1/1Damage absorption and the only way to get pushback protection as frost. Must have.
Arctic Winds5/5Increased damage and survivability. No reason not to take this.
Empowered Frostbolt5/5Helps with frostbolt damage which increases shatter combos and burst.
Summon Water Elemental1/1The WE is incredible. Increased damage, keeps people in combat, extra nova that can be used for a shatter combo. Excellent talent.

Contributors

Tyveris, Masochism
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