Me getting owned.

Improved Arcane Explosion is overrated, Ice Block owns too much to pass up getting it ASAP. I know several mages that went full frost at 40, put the next 11 points in arcane, then the rest in frost. I have actually leveled up a mage full frost through the low levels, it's not that bad, really.

Frost is not as useful until you've got the gear at 60 to support the build. At lower levels it doesn't match up to fire. I've never put more than 21 points into arcane, and even now I'm something like 16/35 arcane/frost. IAE is definately not overrated, if you plan on doing any sort of PVP it's required, and usually if a mage is in a run to AOE, IAE is pretty much required as well. Sometimes I forget it normally has a casting time because I've had it instant ever since I could. Since, like I said before, I AOE grinded my way to level 50, IAE was a must for me. I've heard people say they AOE grind without IAE, and I don't think it would be at all hard, but any GOOD mage has evocation, and on the way to evocation they should pick up IAE anyway.

Simply put, there's absolutely no point in going full frost just to get Ice Block at lower levels, it's not worth the severe DPS loss, even if it IS a good talent(which I agree with, it's probably one of the best mage talents). The only exception to this is the common arcane/frost AOE build, I do indeed remember picking up Ice Block in my late 40s I believe, after going 16 into arcane and the rest into specific frost talents that are beneficial to AOEing. There's no way I could have lived without Improved Arcane Missiles or Improved Arcane Explosion or Evocation at lower levels, and clearcasting is a definate bonus. As it is currently, I can severely turn the tides in a battle, evocation is a LIFESAVER. I can evocate and bandage and I'm back to nearly full health and mana.

You don't get IAE on the way to Evocation. While it's true that frost is not as efficient at low levels, it's awesome once you get to 40 and go full frost. My frost build maximizes on shatter; you get great mana efficiency, and when you pair up with another frost mage, it's insane. I do have Evocation, but I always drop it between 40 and 51 for frostbite, etc.

Improved Arcane Explosion is overrated, Ice Block owns too much to pass up getting it ASAP. I know several mages that went full frost at 40, put the next 11 points in arcane, then the rest in frost. I have actually leveled up a mage full frost through the low levels, it's not that bad, really.

Imp'ed Arcane explosion is pretty much mandatory by about the Maraudon levels, if not earlier. ST and Mara both are substantially easier with a good AoE class, and since most parties bring a mage rather than a warlock, it's pretty obvious who's going to be doing the AoE'ing. Ice block isn't all it's cracked up to be outside of raid situations (Baron Geddon, anyone?) The fire tree offers tons more to help your levelling than the frost tree, unless you plan on AoE levelling in which case you want Imp Blizzard (Which was nerfed, btw) AS WELL AS Imp AE. Ice barrier is also utter shit in PvP, seeing as it's purge/dispellable. Honestly, if it weren't for Shatter, I wouldn't put anything in frost past Ice block. Hell, if MC/BWL didn't reduce the efficiency of a strong fire spec (Though curses and spell penetration help) I'd never have specced frost, it's just not worth the loss of all the damage potential.