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I'm doing ~+15 keys or so. I know I'm performing mechanics. I've looked at all the different guides, suggested talent specs, watched streams, etc, but I'm almost always coming in under melee dps - rogue, ret pally, etc. Am I missing something, or is that just the way it is right now? Frost mage is supposed to be pretty strong.

I've tried to run with Freezing Rain a few times as I've seen a lot of high-rated mages do, but that seems extremely dependent on large and strategic pulls. Most of my runs are pugs. I typically go back to splitting ice, because it seems more consistent.

I would appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks,

Skardd

/bump

but I'm almost always coming in under melee dps - rogue, ret pally, etc. Am I missing something, or is that just the way it is right now

While I main Frost mage (ilvl 417)- I also have an Outlaw rogue (412) and my Outlaw rogue always outdoes my Frost mage on large packs but not so much on boss fights (also depends on boss fight. Moving a lot will cause lower dps).

The meta for high end + keys is slanted heavily towards Rogue/WW Monk/Warrior and DH. You likely wont be able to outdo those classes on all fronts... they are just tuned ridiculously right now.

Im sure you are pulling your weight - that seems to be all pugs care about.

I personally just keep Splitting Ice - its consistent and does fine on boss fights.

Only recently started doing m+15's in time hoping to push higher next season. I find at that level way more than in the lower ones i tend to prefer splitting ice as well. Its tricky to compete with melee some weeks but overall i tend to do fine (18-22k dps overall depending on stuffs) something i have been doing to help with movements is i use ice floes instead of double blink - i bound it to my mouse side button and generally try (not very successfully) to use the trick where if you cast it just before a spell goes off you get an extra use out of it. (avoid during quaking weeks its terrible)

Other thing that i have found useful before is to log my m+ runs and run em through wowanalyzer. yes its not always ideal but i find it very usefull for pointing out glaring mistakes / oversights i make.

If you play with the Orb Build, you can burn packs hp bars like nothing.
Just go for :
-Bone Chilling
-Chain Reaction
-Freezing Rain
-Thermal Void
And try to stack Compact Ice as azerite traits.
Ideally, you want to pull big packs of mobs, and that's hard to do in +14ish.
Wait a bit for the tank to build up aggro, then Orb, Blizzard, Nova, Frost Cone, Pet Nova, then blizzard again. Once you used your second blizzard, just use all your procs.
The bigger the pack is, more you can use Orb.
We tend to forget that frost mage deals more damage when the target is frozen. With your nova and your pet's nova, you add 2 more freeze, which cause your blizzard, orbs and frost cones to crit. And if by chance, the pack is big enough for you to send multiple orbs at the same time, you'll easily reach 100k.
I do like to keep my IV for Reaping (except if the boss is right after).

I hope I could be of use