This week’s Healing Cataclysm Installment I’m going to cover the old-new heroics, starting with Deadmines. I’ll continue with the boss by boss rundown with any notable trash that you’ve come to expect. In this case all gear linked will be from heroic as level 19 gear is not relevant to this discussion.
Glubtok: Heroic
This is a “don’t stand in it” boss with 2 phases. In the first phase he has an aggro wipe so keep an eye on the targeted player and watch your threat when he blinks. The second phase is a moving phase. A few seconds into this phase, Glubtok will summon a rotating Fire Wall, centered around himself. Make sure you are on the same side of the Fire Wall as the tank so that they can pull the adds off you quickly. Move clockwise as the Fire Wall rotates and continue to stay out of fire and ice.
Gear
Vest of the Curious Visit – Druid chest
Notable Trash
The hallway leading up to this next boss contain Lumbering Oafs, they have an ability that will hit your tanks hard, so stay awake.
Helix Gearbreaker: Heroic
Helix and his Lumbering Oaf pal are the next boss, which is another “don’t stand in it” fight. Avoid the mines, which contain fuses indicating detonation. A few times during the fight the Lumbering Oaf will grab a random player and smash them against the wood pile on the far side of the room. When the target hits the pile the smashed player will take heavy damage. Helix himself will attach a Chest Bomb to a random player. The target should move away from other people, but be ready to heal through the fiery explosion and the falling damage. My guildies recommend standing under the log/beam in the center of the room so that the falling damage is reduced.
Gear
Gearbreaker’s Bindings – Paladin wrists
Old Friend’s Gloves – Shaman gloves
Foe Reaper 5000: Heroic
Healers should be standing up the ramp with the ranged dps. When Foe Reaper does his Harvest ability, wait until he marks the ground and run away from the mark. Don’t stand near the boss when he does the Overdrive ability, but slow reacting melee might take some damage. At about 30% the boss will use Safety Restrictions Off-line, so save your cooldowns for this time as the tank will get pounded. Additionally, the Prototype Reaper being used to kill adds can be healed by standing very close to the railing on the ramp, but generally won’t be needed.
Gear
Emberstone Staff – Two-handed staff, really better for the caster dps
Admiral Ripsnarl: Heroic
Ripsnarl is a “kill the adds” boss, that requires quick reaction times from the dps. Ripsnarl will gain a stacking buff Thirst for Blood; when it reaches 20, the tank is going to need most of your attention. Make sure you are stacked up with the dps behind the boss, as he has a charge and swipe that will do some damage. At 75%, 50%, and 25% he will disappear from sight, a thick fog will appear and Vapors will begin spawning. This is usually a good opportunity to top people up and regen mana as the damage incoming should be reduced.
Gear
Nothing here for healers, except maybe a ring for caster dps offspec.
Captain Cookie: Heroic
Captain Cookie is a “Food Fight”. Cookie throws two types of food on the deck of the ship, good food and bad food. Eating the bad food will give you a stack of Nauseated. Stay away from the AoE produced by the bad food, unless you are clicking on it to eat it. Eating the good one will remove a stack, or if you have no stacks, buff you with stacking Satiated. There are several strategies for this fight, if your group uses an approach in which you’ll be eating the food, make sure you have a 2 to 3-stack of Satiated, this increases your haste sufficiently to keep up with the healing but not so much that you run out of mana too quickly. If your group is using the stacking approach with the tank eating the bad food, then grab some of the good food if it won’t disturb the tank’s strategy and keep the tank topped up as they will be running in and out of the AoE going after the bad food.
Gear
Corsair’s Overshirt – Priest Chest
Cookie’s Stirring Rod – One of 2 heroic wands available to priests
Vaness VanCleef: Heroic
The final fight of the instance is a 5 Phase Gauntlet of “Nightmares” followed by the fight with Vanessa. There is a lot to do in this fight, but you will generally have time to sit down and mana-up just before the next phase. The first phase, starts with you hanging upside down over oil, click on the steam valves around the “pot” and the group will be released. Phase 2: Glubtok’s Nightmare is a run down the ramp, jumping off the right side of the ramp at one point and fighting Glubtok’s image at the doorway. Don’t stand in the fire and dodge the falling ice. Phase 3: Helix’s Nightmare includes spider adds, so stick with the group and be prepared to draw all of the spider adds due to healing aggro. Phase 4: Foe Reaper Nightmare starts with rotating rods of lightning reminescent of Super Mario. At the end of the tunnel the Foe Reaper’s image will appear, so stay near the door as it’s a safe zone. Phase 5: Ripsnarl’s Nightmare is a “race” to kill the worgens and Ripsnarl’s image before the admiral’s family is killed. Defeat each group, then run to the next group up the ship. The admiral’s family can be healed. At the top of the ship you can sit down and top-off mana before the Vanessa fight. At 50%, 25%, and just as she is about to die, Vanessa will set off explosives on the ship. Five ropes will appear on the side of the ship opposite to the one you came from; you need to click a rope in order to avoid death. It helps to assign ropes to players before engaging the boss as time is critical when they appear. At 25% Vanessa will stop summoning adds but will start hitting harder with Backslash and Deadly Blades.
Gear
Book of the Well Sung Song – Druid, Shaman, and Paladin Relic
Guildmaster’s Greaves – Paladin boots
Shackles of the Betrayed – Shaman wrists
Cowl of Rebellion – Druid helm
Daughter’s Hands – Priest gloves
Armbands of Exiled Architects – Priest bracers
Green Bar Spec 