Mage Spell Rotations(updated for 4.2)
This is a listing of the best rotations for mages to use to do high DPS. Rotations for mages are different depending on why mage tree you are focused on. Some of these trees with be priority based relying on proc's to determine what to cast. A lot of the rotation information found on the elitistjerks.com site under the mages forum. Those guys know their stuff.
The best rotations to cast for each class are as follows:
Arcane Mage Spell Rotation:
Well rotation is a little different for arcane mages than most trees as arcane mages spell rotation is highly dependant on evocation. There are 3 phases:
The Burn Phase - The burn phase occurs when when evocation is available, you arcane blast untill you are low enough in mana that using your Mana Gem will put you back at full, then you blow all of your cool downs doing damage till you are at 35% mana.
The Regen Phase - When you hit 35% mana pop evocation to get your mana back as close as possible to 100%.
The Conserve Phase - When evocation is done you are in the conserve phase, this rotation is dependant on how good your gear is, most will be able to use a Arcane Blast X4 + Arcane Missiles rotation but if your gear is too low you will not be able to cast as many Arcane Blasts before Arcane Missiles, try to keep you mana between 85%-100%. Remember to take advantage of your clearcasting proc's. This phase will last till all of your cool downs and Evocation are back, then you are ready for another burn phase.
Fire Mage Rotation:
1-2 mobs:
Living Bomb(keep this up),
Fireball -this is what you are casting mainly you will only be casting scorch if you are low on mana in the place of this
Pyroblast when Hot Streak procs.
Don't forget to use flame orb when you can as it adds a lot of damage.
3+ mobs:
Living Bomb x3,
Blast Wave
Flamestrike spam, You can replace with blizzard
Dragon's Breath for CC if groups turn on you.
When Solo'n mobs when leveling you can just Pyroblast, Fireball, Fire Blast as an opener(on small mobs), most are dead by this point but if they are not then cc them with dragon's breath then pyro if they have a lot of health left, if not just use whatever is needed to kill them. Make use of your instant spells and proc's to get things down quick. Remember you can always cc again with frost nova or blink out if there is trouble. Also mirror image is a great spell for dealing with elite bosses.
Frost Mage Rotation:
At the start of a fight you should start off with:
Freeze, Deep Freeze, Mirror Image,Frostfire Orb, then to the priority rotation.
Frostfire Orb - if cooldown is up. This is a hight DPS spell you want to use when available.
Deep Freeze - if cooldown is up and Fingers of Frost had proc'd.
Frostfire Bolt - if Brain Freeze has proc'd and Fingers of Frost has proc'd.
Ice Lance - if Finger of Frost has proc'd.
Freeze - if cooldown is up, Deep Freeze cooldown is up, and Finger of Frost is not active.
Frostbolt - This is what you will be spaming most of the fight the other spells are dependant on cooldowns and procs.
Make sure Frostfire Orb is always up whenever it is off of cooldown. You will be spaming frostbolt and interrupting that spam for Frostfire Bolt if Brain Freeze procs or Frostfire Bolt/Ice Lance when Finger of Frost is active. It is best to save Brain Freeze-Frostfire Bolts for a Fingers of Frost proc. Use Freeze to make a Fingers of Frost proc whenever you can when you have Deep Freeze active.