Arcane Mage does not rely on crits like Fire Mage, instead, it provides steady DPS, and does not suffer from RNG like Fire, however, in end game fire will provide in most cases higher DPS.

Stats for Arcane Mage Wotlk

Stat priority

11% hit cap* > Spell Power > Haste (1350) > Crit > Intellect > Spirit

Arcane Mage Stats Overview

*Hit Cap

For a caster, the hit cap is 17%, with 6% from [Precision]&[Arcane Focus] and 3% from other classes debuffs, 8% is the hit rating necessary to hit with spells, however, if there is no Shadow priest or Balance Druid present on the raid, the amount needed is still 11%.

Spell Power

Spell power is the best stat for an arcane mage after hit, the spell power will increase the damage of each spell, this will be even more beneficial as haste and crit increases.

Haste

Haste reduces the global cooldown by a small amount and increases the speed of the casts, after 1350 the cast time will be below the Global Cooldown, and it won’t be beneficial.

Critical Strike

Critical Strike increases the chance to do a critical strike for double damage.

Intellect

Intellect increases the mana pool and the critical strike chance, however, most of this stat will come from the gear itself.

Spirit

Spirit increases the critical chance by a small amount via Molten Armor, still not optimal but better than haste after 1350.

Stats Breakdown without increasing effects

33 hit rating ≈ 1% to hit

33 expertise rating ≈ 1 expertise

33 haste rating ≈ 1% haste

45 critical chance ≈ 1% critical chance

1 stamina ≈ 10 Health

1 intellect ≈ 15 mana

167 intellect ≈ 1% critical chance

1 agility ≈ 1 attack power

1 strength ≈ 2 attack power

1 critical chance ≈ 84 agility

14 Armor Penetration ≈ 1% Armor ignore