In World of Warcraft, Mages are a great class to use. The Mage is the perfect class for you if you prefer distance fighting rather than hand to hand combat. Mages use formidable spells for offensive battles, often killing their enemies in 1 round. They don't rely on brute strength, using more mind power. Armor is more limited to cloth making again making them vulnerable to close range attacks. So a Mage should concentrate more on progressing defensive spells.
   Similar to Shaman, you as a Mage will mainly be shadow attackers, fighting from a distance. At early levels, you will see a big disadvantage in being a Mage. The lack of good armor, weak offensive spells make it easy for you to get killed in early stages. Don't be put off by this, as the Mage will gradually become a force to be reckoned with in higher levels.
   The first few levels, your only weapons will be wand and some staves so learn this skill.
   Fire, Frost and Arcane are three main types of spells used by a Mage. You'll find using the Fire spell to be particularly effective if attacking from a distance. You should go with the Frost spell for close combat situations. Arcane spells suit the more mundane situations like traveling, healing, CC or bluffing other players. It's no surprise that Fire spells works more effectively against enemies. If you manage a first attack, blast your enemies normally mortally wounding if done right. And for close combat, the Frost spell works wonders. The ice blast can render them frozen in matter of moments whilst use of the Arcane spell can work well with more passive tasks, like healing and traveling.
Another fantastic spell is sustenance. It is great to be out on a grand adventure to not have to worry about food or water. You'll definitely be the golden character from your group party. Food and water is vital for regeneration so you'll have an important role in supplying the demand. However, remember to only summon food as and when required. If you choose to exit the game, you won't be able to store or retrieve any unused food.
   The talents of the Mage centre around the three spell groups mentioned above. You can use a talent calculator to determine which set of talents are best suited to your particular needs and playing style. These can vary greatly and can make quite a difference when it comes to how well you play the game.
   Polymorph is extremely effective at stunning enemies. You have to be cautious when stunning enemies as their HP will be regenerating. You have to be quick to finish them off less you find the tables turned against you. It works more effectively on humanoids and beasts.
   These spells offer an incredible force and can easily stop an enemy when used properly. Note that you should keep your distance and apply any defensive spells on your character. Also note that your mana and health will gradually deplete as you use spells, so you should learn to ration these two effectively.
   Enchanting, Herbalism and Alchemy are the top three professions for a Mage. If you want, feel free to have a bit of fun by doing the Cooking or Fishing professions. A good secondary profession to have is Tailoring since you will need to make cloth armor.
   You can acquire better weapons like daggers and swords as you advance in levels. You should take advantage of these as they will come in useful when there is no time to cast a spell if you suddenly find yourself ambushed.
   Together with being able to summon food and drink and the skill for CC, Mage's ability to polymorph come into play at this stage and all groups need at least one Mage in order to succeed.
   Working within Mage's limitations and focusing on its strengths are the secret to winning with it. You should focus on learning spells and skills that suit the class and worry about money making professions later in the game.
   These attributes make the Mage a vital player in the endgame. It is undeniable that the high level Mage is one of the more superior classes in Wow. Their spells can afflict incredible damage in a short space of time, and it is certainly worth the investment to level Mages up to see their awesome power whilst they may appear weak at low levels.