An in-depth stat priority list for Arcane Mages with each stat ordered in terms of performance. Arcane Mage has the same stat priority as the other Mage specializations, relying on valuable stats such as Spell Critical Strike Chance, Spell Power, and Intellect.

Stat Priority

1. Hit Chance
2. Spell Critical Strike Chance
3. Raw Spell Power (Frost Damage Spell Power/Arcane Damage Spell Power)
4. Intellect
5. Spirit
6. Mp5
7. Stamina

Hit Chance is the most important stat for Arcane Mage to ensure that their spells reach their targets! The cap for Spell Hit Chance in WoW Classic is 16%, with Mages having a far easier time reaching it due to the Elemental Precision talent, automatically receiving 6% as a result. Mages need to acquire the rest of the 10% Hit Chance from their gear, making it far easier when compared to other Caster specializations. In the first phases, the Hit Chance cap is impossible to acquire without dampening the other stats, however, later on, the cap can easily be reached.

Spell Critical Strike Chance is a stat that allows your spells to land critical hits, dealing 150% damage! This stat can be considered just as important as Spell Power in terms of overall performance. Arcane Mages can gain an increased Spell Critical Strike Chance and Spell Critical Strike Damage through several talents such as Improved Arcane Explosion, Arcane Instability, Ice Shards, and even Shatter, depending on the build they’re playing. Since Arcane Mage uses Frostbolt as its primary spell, you will always benefit from having another Mage run the Winter’s Chill effect in your group, for an even higher Spell Critical Strike Chance.

Spell Power is the second most important stat for Arcane Mages, empowering all of their spells! The stat is split into Raw Spell Power and its subcategories (Frost Damage Spell Power & Arcane Damage Spell Power). Raw Spell Power is the preferred variant, however, Frost Spell Power is also viable since you will use Frostbolt as the primary spell. You may also choose to use Arcane Damage Spell Power if you plan on running AoE Dungeon runs to improve Arcane Explosion as much as possible. You will want to stack as much Spell Power as possible without dampening other important stats such as Spell Critical Strike Chance or Intellect, preferring items that have a mix of all 3 stats instead of a single stat.

Intellect is a stat that increases a Mage’s Mana Pool and Spell Critical Strike Chance. Every point of Intellect increases Mana while every 59.5 points of Intellect increases Spell Critical Strike Chance by 1%. The stat acts as the primary stat for the class/specialization, often being stacked as much as possible without dampening Spell Power and Spell Critical Strike Chance. There is no active cap to how much Intellect you can acquire but stacking as much Intellect as possible is favorable since you will consume a lot of Mana due to the Arcane Power effect.

Spirit is a stat that increases your Health & Mana regeneration while out of combat. Through the Arcane Meditation talent, Arcane Mages can use Spirit to keep their Mana Pool healthy, especially when combined with Mage Armor. Spirit follows the MP5 rule, meaning that each tick is recuperated every 2 seconds.

Mp5 is a stat that grants Mana Regeneration every 5 seconds, with each regeneration happening every 2 seconds. The regeneration is called “tick” and works similarly to Spirit, granting Arcane Mages the chance to keep a healthy Mana Pool when combined with Arcane Meditation and Mage Armor.

Stamina is a stat that increases your Health Pool! This stat for Arcane Mages can be mostly ignored, however, some Stamina is required to avoid becoming a Glass Cannon.