The second of this week’s Healing Cataclysm Installments I’ll be going over Lost City of the Tol’vir. I’ll continue with the boss by boss rundown with any notable trash that you’ve come to expect. As a reminder, all gear linked is from normal for easier list compilation. Continue reading
This week will be my final set of Healing Cataclysm Installments, I’ll be starting off with Grim Batol. I’ll continue with the boss by boss rundown with any notable trash that you’ve come to expect. As a reminder, all gear linked is from normal for easier list compilation.
The second of this week’s Healing Cataclysm Installments I’m going to cover the old-new heroic Shadowfang Keep. 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 low-level gear is not relevant to this discussion.
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.
I’m back with my fourth Healing Cataclysm Installment in which we visit Stonecore. I’ll continue with the boss by boss rundown with any notable trash that you’ve come to expect. As a reminder, all gear linked is from normal for easier list compilation.
Corborus
This seems to be the hardest boss in this instance just because of the amount of “stuff going on”. Corborus has 2 phases, the first of which will be on the surface. In this first phase, the healer should be spread out but keep an eye the target of his Crystal Barrage to heal the initial damage. His other cast, dampening Wave, should be cleansed as it absorbs healing. During phase 2, Corborus will be underground. In this phase he will summon spider-like adds that need to be dps’d down so sticking near the tank may keep the worst of them off you. Corborus will also cause dust clouds from which he will periodically resurface doing Thrashing Charge.
Heroic Mode
In phase 1 adds will spawn from the Crystal Barrage that will move to the closest player and apply a debuff increasing damage taken, so stay spread out. In phase 2, Thrashing Charge will immediately kill the player that is hit, so stay out of the dust clouds.
Gear
Dolomite Adorned Gloves – Priest gloves
Notable Trash
Crystalspawn Giants cast a Quake effect that can be avoided by jumping just before the cast finishes.
Slabhide
This boss feels almost like a game of hide-and-seek around the Stalactites. Slabhide has two phases, ground and air. Both of these phases require you to stay out of the Eruption pools and don’t stand under the Stalactites. Unfortunately, the Stalactites cause quite a few line-of-sight issues, so having range indication selected in your UI is very important.
Heroic
After the initial air phase Slabhide will start casting Crystal Storm, an AOE effect that can be avoided by standing behind the stalactites dropped in the air phase.
Gear
Deep Delving Gloves – Druid Gloves
Rose Quartz Band – A good ring for any healer
Notable Trash
The ogre mobs leading up to the next boss will jump at a player causing damage to that person and any nearby players, so spread out as much as you can.
Ozruk
Ozruk is the tank skills fight, as the tank has to move out of the way of Shatter and Ground Slam effects. Just watch the health of any melee as his Elementium Spike Shield will put a damage over time effect on them.
Heroic
The key ability on heroic is Paralyze as it will immobilize everyone, but can be broken by damage. In heroic, the Elementium Spike Shield will clear the melee, so don’t cleanse the effect off of them. The ability the ranged and healers will need to watch for is: Elementium Bulwark
This spell will appear right when he yells “Break yourselves upon my body. Feel the strength of the earth!”. You want to cast a DOT spell at that time so that it will be reflected back at you to break his Paralyze.
Gear
Belt of the Ringworm – Paladin Waist
Tendrils of Burrowing Dark – May be useful to fill in temporarily
High Priestess Azil
When Azil is on the ground, the tank will be affected by Force Grip which immobilizes them, rendering them unable to pick-up adds, so healers should position themselves carefully. Secondly, the High Priestess summons a Gravity Well which is the key to this fight. Players should move out of Gravity Well immediately but just as importantly, should by their positioning try to bait Azil into casting these gravity wells in an area between Azil’s platform and where the upcoming packs of Devout followers will come from. During phase 2 when she is over the platform, Azil will summon large boulders to throw at players. A large cloud of dust will appear on the ground below the targeted player and they should move away from them to avoid being crushed by the boulder. Note these boulders will crush the Devout followers, so positioning is important here too.
Heroic
Nothing significantly different during heroic other than that everything hits harder.
Gear
Slippers of the Twilight Prophet – Priest Feet
Cowl of the Unseen World – Shaman Helm
Tear of Blood – All healers will want this for their second healing trinket
Prophet’s Scepter – Something to use as an off-hand until you get a better one
Book of Dark Prophecies – Really great relic until you can get the inscription one crafted
Useful Trash Drops
Wand of Dark Worship – Nice priest wand
I’m back with another Healing in Cataclysm Installment in which we visit Throne of the Tides. I’ll continue with the boss by boss rundown with any notable trash that you’ve come to expect. A reminder that most of my tips are from the perspective of a druid (my first to 85), but if there is anything in the fight that might be more difficult or easier for another healing class I’ll mention it in my discussion. All gear linked is from normal for easier list compilation.
Continue reading
In my second Healing Cataclysm Installment we visit Vortex Pinnacle. I’ve selected it as the second Healing 101 instance because from a heroic standpoint it is probably easier than Throne of the Tides. I’ll continue with the boss by boss rundown with any notable trash to watch out for as a healer (there is always that one nasty trash mob that will take you completely by surprise). A reminder that most of my tips are from the perspective of a druid (my first to 85), but if there is anything notable that might be more difficult or easier for another healing class I’ll note it in my discussion. All gear linked is from normal for easier list compilation.
Grand Vizier Ertan
This boss fight feels like a game of hokey-pokey, with “Put all the party inside…put all the party outside…”. Ertran summons a ring of whirlwinds that the party needs to stand inside of when they expand outward and outside of when they collapse inward. Finally, the Lightning Bolt ability jumps between party members and produces some AoE damage to watch.
Heroic Mode
Not really a significant difference between normal and heroic besides higher damage numbers to heal through.
Gear
Not much for healers, but possible upgrades if needed:
Stratosphere Belt – Priest Waist
Fallen Snow Shoulderguards – Shaman Shoulders
Biting Wind – Main Hand Weapon
Altairus
Probably the most difficult to understand boss in the encounter due to the visualization of the “wind”. The main mechanic of the fight is for the dps and healer to stand “upwind” of the dragon. The buff you want to look for is: 
The wind moves across your screen in clouds, that you want to reach you before they reach the dragon. My poor scribbled version based on a quickcap from a random web-video to highlight just how difficult it is to recognize the clouds:
Finally, the Chilling Breath doesn’t seem to do a lot of damage as long as the rest of the party stays behind the dragon. This is also the location of 2 orbs for the Extra Credit Bonus Stage achievement so guild groups may want to grab the orbs for the achievement before giving it a serious attempt.
Heroic
There are now multiple whirlwinds to knock party members all over the place. Hopefully, by this time your party knows how to stay away from whirlwinds otherwise they may be knocked right off the platform (resulting in death). Continue staying upwind of Altairus and it’s quite possible to do this boss with just a tank and healer (but it’ll take 10-20 minutes).
Gear
Mantle of Bestilled Winds – Druid shoulders
Amulet of Tender Breath – Healing Neck
Notable Trash
There are a couple of trash pulls in which a “Grounding Field” is present, one of which can be really damage intensive if your party doesn’t have any ranged silence abilities available.
Also, the Skyfall Stars have a really large aggro radius and do a considerable amount of damage if not killed quickly.
Asaad
Surprisingly easy boss if the party is paying attention to his abilities. When Asaad begins casting Unstable Grounding Field, the entire party (including tank) need to run to that area and stand within the triangle formed by the lightning. During that time Asaad will be casting Supremacy of the Storm, inflicting massive damage to anyone standing outside the grounding field. Finally, Chain Lightning does not seem to be avoidable so just expect some AoE damage incoming, although spreading out helps minimize it.
Heroic
Same abilities and dance, but Asaad now casts an ability called Static Cling which roots players and needs to be cleansed quickly, although not before he begins casting Unstable Grounding Field. Druids can shapeshift out of it and some other classes may be able to remove the debuff from themselves (ask your paladin, warlock, and warrior friends how comfortable they feel about using their tricks).
Gear
A couple of spell hit pieces drop here, so if you don’t have a caster dps in the group they may serve as a temporary upgrade:
Lunar Halo – Paladin Helm
Leggings of Iridescent Clouds – Priest Legs
Ring of Frozen Rain – Another good ring if you still need to upgrade
Shadow of Perfect Bliss – A DPS Back
Captured Lightning – A DPS Relic
Additional Zone Drop Gear
Rainsong – A great healing trinket
No it’s not directly healing related but most folks trying for the Rock Lover achievement will understand my pain.
In the last 12 days Great-father Winter has brought to me…
One more level towards 85 on my priest.
Two max level professions (Alchemy and Herbalism).
Three Caytaclysm heroic instances completed.
Four Critter’s loved for To All the Squirles Who Cared For Me
Five percent more experienced gained while leveling in the guild.
Six guild levels achieved.
Seven more levels on my new goblin (first non-healer I’ll level from 1).
Eight days of family for the holidays.
Nine more characters to create in the form of a new account (I always leave one character slot as a bank toon).
Ten Archeology artifacts closer to Illustrious Archeology.
Eleven more blogs added to my feedreader.
Twelve wonderful days hanging out with my WoW family!
A wonderous Winter’s Veil to you…
I’ll do this in a boss by boss rundown with any notable trash to watch out for as a healer (there is always that one nasty trash mob that will take you completely by surprise). Most of my perspective is as a druid healer, but if there is anything notable that might be more difficult or easier for another healing class I’ll note it in my discussion.
Green Bar Spec 