Welcome to another Mage guide for 5.0.5! I’ll update it if changes occur in later patches, but till then – I hope it helps!

 Gems:

Meta gem:

Arcane: Burning Primal Diamond
Fire: Burning Primal Diamond
Frost: Burning Primal Diamond

Red or Prismatic socket: 

If under hit cap, and willing to sacrifice a Red socket for hit – Arcane, Fire and Frost: Precise Primordial Ruby or Perfect Precise Pandarian Garnet - (Precise Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter and really need Hit rating)

Otherwise,

Arcane: Brilliant Primordial Ruby or Perfect Brilliant Pandarian Garnet – (Brilliant Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter)
Fire: Potent Vermilion Onyx or Perfect  Potent Tiger Opal
Frost:  Brilliant Primordial Ruby or Perfect Brilliant Pandarian Garnet – (Brilliant Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter)

Yellow socket:

Arcane: If socket bonus is less than 60 Intellect, go with a Brilliant Primordial Ruby or Perfect Brilliant Pandarian Garnet (Brilliant Serpent’s Eye, if you’re a  Jewelcrafter). If over 60 Intellect, go with Artful Vermilion Onyx / Perfect Artful Tiger Opal
Fire:  Smooth Sun’s Radiance or Perfect Smooth Sunstone – (Smooth Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter)
Frost: If socket bonus is less than 60 Intellect, go with a Brilliant Primordial Ruby or Perfect Brilliant Pandarian Garnet (Brilliant Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter). If over 60 Intellect, go with  Artful Vermilion Onyx / Perfect Artful Tiger Opal

Blue socket:
(For me, I’d use blue sockets for my Hit rating needs, if any) 

If under hit cap, and willing to sacrifice a Blue socket for hit – Arcane, Fire and Frost: Rigid River’s Heart or Perfect Rigid Lapis Lazuli - (Rigid Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter and really need Hit rating)

Otherwise, personally, unless the socket bonus is at least 60 Intellect (possibly 60 Crit if Fire, but I’d go with the Intellect threshold):

Arcane: Brilliant Primordial Ruby or Perfect Brilliant Pandarian Garnet - (Brilliant Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter)
Fire: Potent Vermilion Onyx or Perfect  Potent Tiger Opal
Frost:  Brilliant Primordial Ruby or Perfect Brilliant Pandarian Garnet - (Brilliant Serpent’s Eye if you’re a Jewelcrafter)

If the bonus is at least 60 Intellect (or 60 Crit if you decide for it as Fire):

Arcane: Veiled Imperial Amethyst or Perfect Veiled Roguestone
Fire: Piercing Wild Jade or Perfect Piercing Alexandrite
Frost:  Veiled Imperial Amethyst or Perfect Veiled Roguestone

Enchants:
(ordered from best to not-as-good) 

Helm:
None. Helm enchants are no longer in the game!

Shoulders:

Arcane, Frost and Fire:
Secret Crane Wing Inscription (if you’re a Scribe)
Greater Crane Wing Inscription
Crane Wing Inscription

Back: 

Arcane, Frost and Fire:
Lightweave Embroidery (if you’re a Tailor)
Enchant Cloak – Superior Intellect

Chest:

Arcane, Frost and Fire:
Enchant Chest – Glorious Stats

Wrists:

Arcane, Fire and Frost:
Fur Lining – Intellect (if you’re a Leatherworker)
Enchant Bracer – Super Intellect

Also remember to add on your Socket Bracer enhancement if you’re a Blacksmith!

Hands:

Arcane:
Enchant Gloves – Superior Mastery
Enchant Gloves – Greater Haste
Enchant Gloves – Expertise (if you need Hit rating)

Fire and Frost:
Enchant Gloves – Greater Haste
Enchant Gloves – Superior Mastery
Enchant Gloves – Expertise (if you need Hit rating)

Don’t forget to attach your Synapse Springs if you’re an Engineer, or Socket Gloves enhancement if you’re a Blacksmith!

Belt:

Arcane, Fire and Frost:
Living Steel Belt Buckle

Legs:

Arcane, Fire and Frost:
Greater Cerulean Spellthread = Master’s Spellthread (if you’re a Tailor)
Cerulean Spellthread

Feet:

Arcane:
Enchant Boots – Pandaren’s Step
Enchant Boots – Greater Haste

Fire and Frost – if you don’t want Pandaren’s Step, simply go for:
Enchant Boots – Greater Haste

Ring:

Arcane, Fire and Frost: 
Enchant Ring – Greater Intellect (if you’re an Enchanter)

Main hand weapon or staff:

Arcane, Fire and Frost:
Enchant Weapon – Jade Spirit
Enchant Weapon – Elemental Force
Enchant Weapon – Windsong

Off-hand: 

Arcane, Fire and Frost:
Enchant Off-Hand – Major Intellect

Phew! There we have it. All three Mage trees accounted for. I hope it helps some of you, and if I’ve made an error please do let me know

Thanks for reading!

While I’m working my way to 90, I thought I’d look ahead and see what kind of gear I’d need for my Mage for both Fire and Frost.

This is the (in my opinion, and through what I’ve researched) the Pre-Raid Best in Slot for a Fire Mage, ordered from best to not-as-good (I don’t want to say worst, because it’s not that bad) in each slot.
Note: I won’t be including VP pieces as those are gated and can take varying amounts of time to unlock depending on how lazy you are at your dailies. 

Stat priority: Int > Hit (15%) > Crit > Haste > Mastery
15% hit = 5100 Hit rating
Draenei, Gnomes who have a dagger or sword equipped, and Humans who have a sword equipped  need only 4760 Hit rating

If you are below the Hit cap, and have an item with both Crit and Haste on it, reforge Haste to Hit, or if an item with Mastery and either Haste or Crit, reforge Mastery to Hit. If you have an item with Hit and either Haste or Crit, I personally would reforge Haste into Crit, and leave Crit alone,  not reforging it to Haste.

Head:

Lightweight Retinal Armor – Made by Engineers (requires 600 in Engineering to make,) – Level 87
Whitemane’s Embroidered Chapeau – High Inquisitor Whitemane in Heroic Scarlet Monastery
Barovian Ritual Hood – Jandice Barov in Heroic Scholomance (Reforge Mastery to Crit, unless you’re at 15% or more Hit, then reforge Hit)

Neck:

Mindbreaker Pendant – Sha of Doubt – Heroic Temple of the Jade Serpent
Pendant of Precise Timing - Saboteur Kip’tilak - Gate of the Setting Sun (If at hit cap, reforge Hit to Haste)
Temperature-Sensing Necklace – Flameweave Koegler – Heroic Scarlet Halls (Reforge Mastery to Haste)
Anarchist’s Pendant – Instructor Chillheart – Heroic Scholomance

Shoulders:

Shoulders of Engulfing Winds – Raigonn – Gate of the Setting Sun
Forgotten Bloodmage Mantle – Thalnos the Soulrender – Heroic Scarlet Monastery (Reforge Mastery to Haste)
Whisperwind Spaulders – Wing Leader Ner’onok – Siege of Niuzao Temple (Reforge Mastery to Crit)

Cloak:

Cape of Entanglement – Liu Flameheart – Heroic Temple of the Jade Serpent
Cloak of Cleansing Flame – Gekkan – Heroic Mogu’shan Palace (Reforge Mastery to Haste)
Scorched Earth Cloak – Brother Korloff – Heroic Scarlet Monastery (If under 15% Hit, reforge Mastery to Crit. If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)

Chest:

Spelltwister’s Grand Robe – BoE – Made by Tailors (requires 600 Tailoring) (Reforge Mastery to Crit)
Robes of Fevered Dreams – Taran Zhu – Heroic Shado-Pan Monastery
Robes of Koegler – Flameweaver Koegler – Heroic Scarlet Halls (If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Haste) 

Wrists: 

Deadwalker Bracers – Rattlegore – Heroic Scholomance (If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Haste)
Bracers of Displaced Air – Ook-Ook – Heroic Stormstout Brewery (Reforge Mastery to Crit)

Hands: 

Spelltwister’s Gloves – BoE – Made by Tailors (requires 600 Tailoring) (Reforge Mastery to Crit)
Bomber’s Precision Gloves – Striker Ga’dok – Gate of the Setting Sun
Gloves of Enraged Slaughter – Sha of Violence – Heroic Shado-Pan Monastery (Reforge Mastery to Crit)
Conflagrating Gloves – Haiyan the Unstoppable / Kuai the Brute / Ming the Cunning – Heroic Mogu’shan Palace (If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)

Waist:

Girdle of Endemic Anger – Lorewalker Stonestep – Heroic Temple of the Jade Serpent (If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Haste)
Incineration Belt – Darkmaster Gandling – Heroic Scholomance (If under 15% Hit, reforge Mastery to Crit. If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)

Legs:

Leggings of Unleashed Anguish – Lilian Voss – Heroic Scholomance
Leggings of the Frenzy – Commander Ri’mok – Gate of the Setting Sun (Reforge Mastery to Crit)

Feet:

Soulbinder Treads – Xin the Weaponmaster – Heroic Mogu’shan Palace
Scarlet Sandals – Armsmaster Harlan – Heroic Scarlet Halls (If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Haste)

Ring: 

Alemental Seal – Yan’Zhu the Uncasked – Heroic Stormstout Brewery
Triune Signet – High Inquisitor Whitemane – Heroic Scarlet Monastery (Reforge Mastery to Haste)
Ring of Malice – Taran Zhu – Heroic Shado-Pan Monastery (Reforge Mastery to Crit)
Signet of the Hidden Door – Thalnos the Soulrender – Heroic Scarlet Monastery (If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)
Eye of the Tornado – Master Snowdrift – Heroic Shado-Pan Monastery (If under 15 Hit, reforge Mastery to Crit. If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)

Trinket:

Relic of Yu’lon – BoE – Darkmoon Serpent Deck – Made by Scribes
Vision of the Predator – Striker Ga’dok – Gate of the Setting Sun
Flashfrozen Resin Globule – Vizier Jin’bak – Siege of Niuzao Temple (If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)
Ghost Iron Dragonling – BoE – Made by Engineers (525 skill), but does not require Engineering to use
Quilen Statuette – BoA – Made by Archaeologists (Refoge Mastery to Crit)

Main Hand Weapon: 

Firescribe Dagger – Xin the Weaponmaster – Heroic Mogu’shan Palace
Melted Hypnotic Blade – Flameweaver Koegler – Heroic Scarlet Halls (Reforge Mastery to Haste)
Necromantic Wand – Rattlegore – Heroic Scholomance (Reforge Mastery to Haste)

Off-hand:

Inscribed Jade Fan – BoE – Made by Scribes (requires 600 Inscription) (If under 15% Hit, reforge Mastery to Crit. If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)
Bottle of Potent Potables – Hoptallus – Heroic Stormstout Brewery (Reforge Mastery to Crit)
Umbrella of Chi-Ji – BoA – Made by Archaeologists (Reforge Mastery to Crit)

Staff:

Headmaster’s Will – Darkmaster Gandling – Heroic Scholomance (If over 15 Hit, reforge Hit to Haste)
Inscribed Serpent Staff – BoA – Made by Scribes (requires 600 inscription) (If under 15% Hit, reforge Mastery to Crit. If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit) 
Staff of Trembling Will – Sha of Doubt – Heroic Temple of the Jade Serpent
Greatstaff of Righteousness – High Inquisitor Whitemane – Heroic Scarlet Monastery (Reforge Mastery to Haste)
Wort Stirring Rod – Yan-Zhu the Uncasked – Heroic Stormstout Brewery (If under 15% Hit, reforge Mastery to Crit. If over 15% Hit, reforge Hit to Crit)

There you have it – Hope it helps!

A Worthy Opponent completed!

Okay, so it’s not that exciting, but seeing NPCScan go off still gets my heart racing a little – wondering if perhaps this time, with this kill, I’ll get something my character can use instead of mail or plate, or even one of their unique drops!

I managed to kill Qu’nas – a Mogu elite down in Krasarang Wilds. 
Sadly he didn’t drop his level 87 BoE epic pants – Qu’nas Apocryphal Legplates – but he did drop a pretty useless mail helm that was Bind on Pickup, and a green bag of goods that did contain 2 motes of harmony – so it wasn’t a total loss! I’m still a good ways behind my Priest in terms of rares  killed (I think he’s around 1/3rd killed) but it’s definitely a lot more.. exciting doing it as a Mage.

Finally getting to grips with Frost Bomb, and I’m doing 20-22k dps consistently in the last two Dungeons that I did. I also hit 87, but that was around halfway through the second one.

Slow, but sure, progress to 90!

As far as levelling is concerned, it’s really wearing me down.

Why? Well, my Mage – Teinai – will be my third character that I’ll have gotten to 90, though why I chose to level a Rogue first and Priest second still escapes me. On the other hand, getting my Priest to 90 gives my Mage access to a 610 Enchanter and 600 Tailor, who just learned the Golden Lotus honoured tailoring recipes! Two 476 items await Teinai for when he hits 90, as well as having easy access to the enchants and spellthread! Brilliant!

In terms of professions, my Mage has 600 Inscription.. and 1 Jewelcrafting. Yeah.. 1. I mean, sure, I’ll have cheap shoulder enchants (equating to +320 intellect) but that second profession will have to be levelled up at some point. Whether or not I want to sit down, farm up ore and buy gems to get it to at least 500 before I hit 90 is up in the air. It’s fairly boring.

It’s taking me a bit longer than I’d have liked to get used to including Frost Bomb into my levelling “rotation” (… I use the term rotation lightly because honestly, it’s me hitting the button for whatever’s proc’d at the time and then later realising, often when the mob is at 50% or lower, that I forgot to use Frost Bomb). I’m doing around 16k dps when I remember to use the spells that I should, and it’s not TOO bad, in the end. Wearing a bunch of iLvl 372-384 greens so I’m not walking around in luxury. I wish I was – there are some really nice BoEs up on the Auction House that have an iLvl of 450, but only require level 85.

Not looking forward to doing all the rep again! I mean, at least I won’t be silently growing hatred for my Mage like I have my Priest – main reason is that it’s frustrating for me to play as Shadow, and I do it in my iLvl 463 Holy Gear. Yeah, both use similar gear but not the same. That element of damage is missing. Really, really missing. From my Priest, I mean. Not saying all Priests are like that! – and I openly admit that I’m really bad at playing a Shadow Priest.
Okay the point I initially wanted to make was: Dailies. Again. Noooooooooooooooooo.