In this article, we explain what the best statistics are for Fire Mages (WoW 4.3), how the class benefits from each of them, and what your reforging strategy should be. We also detail what the various caps are and why they should be attained. The statistics priority is important as it influences reforging strategies as well as itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

Make sure to check our Gear Optimisation Guide, which serves as a support guide for this article. The other articles of our Fire Mage guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

1. Basics↑top

The stat priority for a Fire Mage is:

1. Intellect;
2. Hit Rating (until 17%);
3. Haste Rating (until soft haste cap, see below);
4. Critical Strike Rating;
5. Haste Rating (after soft haste cap);
6. Mastery Rating.

If you are unsure what the optimal reforging strategy is for this priority, please refer to the reforging section of our Gear Optimisation Guide.

2. Getting a Better Understanding↑top

2.1. Statistics Explanations

Intellect is your most important stat, which provides the most benefit; you should look for this stat in all of your upgrades, as point for point it surpasses any other stat. It provides you with Spell Power and a higher mana pool, and increases your critical strike chance.

Hit Rating is your second most important stat as it determines your chances to miss a target when casting a spell. Once you have reached the spell hit cap, at 17%, it is no longer necessary to increase your Hit Rating.

Critical Strike Rating increases your chance to critically hit, which in turn increases your chances to proc Hot Streak and to get Ignite from a Pyroblast! (for Combustion).

Haste Rating influences the cast speed of your spells. It also influences the frequency of the ticks for Living Bomb, Pyroblast!, and Combustion.

Mastery Rating increases the damage of your DoTs ( Flashburn). It is your worst stat by far.

2.2. Caps

As for all caster classes, after 17% hit chance, additional Hit Rating becomes useless. Draenei require 1640 Hit Rating to reach the hit cap, while other races need 1742 Hit Rating.

2.2.1. Soft Haste Cap

There currently is some debate in the community as to what the best stat is between Critical Strike Rating and Haste Rating. The answer seems to be: it depends on your character's gear level. If, like us, you are not very much into theorycrafting, you can base your priorities on haste caps. Haste caps refer to particular values of haste which increase the number of ticks of your DoTs:

• At 5% spell haste, you get 11 ticks on Combustion, instead of 10.
• At 12.5% spell haste, you get 5 ticks on Living Bomb and Pyroblast!, instead of 4.
• At 15% spell haste, you get 12 ticks on Combustion, instead of 10.
• At 25% spell haste, you get 13 ticks on Combustion, instead of 10.
• At 37.5% spell haste, you get 6 ticks on Living Bomb and Pyroblast, instead of 4.

If you can easily reach 25% spell haste, then this should constitute your soft haste cap. Otherwise, 15% will be your spell haste cap. When considering your soft haste cap, do not forget to take into account the 5% spell haste raid buffs ( Moonkin Form from Balance Druids, Mind Quickening from Shadow Priests, or Wrath of Air Totem from Shamans).

• Before you reach the 25% or 15% spell haste cap, consider Haste Rating just as important as Critical Strike Rating.
• After you have reached the 25% or 15% spell haste cap, consider Critical Strike Rating more important than Haste Rating.

2.2.2. Soft Haste Cap Tables

In the tables below, you will find the amount of Haste Rating you need to reach the 15% soft haste cap and the 25% soft haste cap, respectively. It is assumed that you benefit from the 3% haste bonus given by your Netherwind Presence talent.

For the amount of Haste Rating, we give different values, depending on whether you benefit from the 5% Spell Haste Raid Buff, whether a Warlock cast Dark Intent on you, and whether you are a Goblin ( Time is Money). If you have the Tier 13 2-piece bonus, then simply remove 500 Haste Rating from the values we give.

The following table gives you the amount of Haste Rating you need to reach the 15% soft haste cap (15.0086% to be precise).

+5% Spell Haste Raid Buff?	Dark Intent?	Goblin?	Haste Rating Needed
NO	NO	NO	1494
NO	NO	YES	1352
NO	YES	NO	1077
NO	YES	YES	940
YES	NO	NO	813
YES	NO	YES	678
YES	YES	NO	416
YES	YES	YES	285

The following table gives you the amount of Haste Rating you need to reach the 25% soft haste cap (25.078% to be precise).

+5% Spell Haste Raid Buff?	Dark Intent?	Goblin?	Haste Rating Needed
NO	NO	NO	2745
NO	NO	YES	2591
NO	YES	NO	2292
NO	YES	YES	2143
YES	NO	NO	2005
YES	NO	YES	1858
YES	YES	NO	1574
YES	YES	YES	1431