Thursday, May 13, 2010

ICC encounter tips - Storming the Citadel

Herewith a summary of warlock-specific tips for each encounter, regular and heroic. Naturally, this is from the perspective of the strategies used by <Insight> [US-Medivh], but you're a warlock. You're smart. You will adapt. I'm also concentrating on Affliction and Meta/Ruin (raid buff) Demonology, since that's how I raid. Advice for non-heroic still holds for heroic, except where noted.

Lord Marrowgar

Affliction: you can pretty much ignore the Bone Storm: self-heals have the extra damage covered, especially if you're using a quick Drain Life to refresh NMIC-ed Corruption during the storm. Move out of fire, win. If your raid likes to have Marrowgar tanked in a specific spot, place your circle accordingly, but you shouldn't be moving much. If there's a convenient Bonespike Graveyard at the 35% transition point, then use Seed of Corruption twice (at most) then refresh your trinketed Corruption.

Demonology: you can ignore the Bone Storm, too, thanks to Soul Link and your handy Felguard. Time your Metamorphosis and Immolation Aura for the Bonespike Graveyard. Even if it's Not Your Job™ to nuke the Bone Spikes, use one to trigger Decimation.

Lord Marrowgar - Heroic

Neither spec can ignore the Bone Storm on heroic, the incoming damage is too high. Run.

Affliction: if 3 spikes are ever clumped, tab-spam Seed of Corruption on them. Again, drain to keep your trinketed Corruption up on Marrowgar, although you're more likely to be tap-draining for the refresh only, while you take care of the spikes. If your raid DPS is high enough that you can stay on the boss full time, lucky you.

Demonology: Metamorphosis is more useful during Bone Storm, both for reducing the damage you take, and for increasing your burst on the spikes. If you get a convenient clump charge/immolation aura will be win.

Lady Deathwhisper

Position your circle before engaging at the 30-yard range limit from Lady Bugfucknuts at a roughly 70° angle to her, so you can cast at her and at the left side adds without having to move much. Shadow Ward her Death and Decay in Phase 1, save it for shade explosions in Phase 2. Set up a Howl of Terror rotation with any other warlocks for the mind controls. Have fear hot-keyed (I use Grid and Clique to fear MC-ed raid members.)

Affliction: Your raid leader should leave you on the crazy cult lady full-time, or get a stern talking-to. Be careful on the phase transition; you may want to hold off Shadow Bolt spam for a rotation or two.

Demonology: If you're not getting to spam Soul Fire on two out of three adds on your side and at least three Soul Fires on Lady Barking-mad with every wave, you're doing it wrong. Be very careful on the phase transition.

Lady Deathwhisper - Heroic

Save Soulshatter for as late as possible into Phase 2. Good luck. We position the Loopy Lady at the bottom of the entrance stairs for P2 (avoiding LoS issues from her pillars, more room to avoid ghosts, melee on the P2 adds, ranged on the boss). It's even more important to avoid ghosts in P2; I find that dropping my circle on the stairs is best, since it's often less populated.

Affliction: Turn off Spell Lock if it's going to screw up your raid's Frostbolt interrupt rotation. Have it hot-keyed so it's ready if they need an external interrupt.

Demonology: Turn off Cleave, and turn off Charge in P2. A passive Felguard will charge/stun to interrupt opportunistically, and while that's great for interrupting the Adherents, it can screw with your tanks' interrupt rotation, which is bad. Very bad. Shadow Ward and Fear are essential hear - redundant CC on the MC targets is good.

Gunship

Dot the shit out of the axe-throwers, don't rip aggro on the boat, try to get in a cannon, go nuts.

Demonology: You should totally be in a cannon. Metamorphosis prevents use of the rocket pack and the cannon. Have your hearthstone hotkeyed and stop-cast hearth to break out of Metamorphosis early if you have to jump or blow the boat up.

Gunship - Heroic

Ditto. Enjoy your free 277 loots.

Deathbringer Saurfang

Affliction: If your raid leader doesn't have you on the boss full-time, s/he's doing it wrong. Preferably in melee range. If you do get to be in melee range, as usual you should save Soulshatter for as late as possible, and don't be shy about calling for Salv if you need it.

Demonology: Every round of Blood Beasts is a Decimation proc on Saurfang. Go nuts.

Deathbringer Saurfang - Heroic

Same deal. Adds are more troublesome. Don't get hit. Drop your circle during the RP lead-in, positioned such that any beast that's coming for you will have to change direction to reach you, and by the edge of the balcony.

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