World of Warcraft™

Edit: Throwing the guide up top (credit to BaneofTruth, post #4):

Either way, the best thing for him to do is send a tell to the other tank in the raid and ask him/her for direction. A simple "hey I'm new to this encounter, could you tell me what I need to do to OT?" usually covers it. Also, get him to download DBM or another bossmod, it will pop up with notifications.

General rule in DS: Taunt at 3 stacks.

1st boss: Taunt on 3 stacks, don't stand in black stuff, pop cooldowns prior to stomp. If you're OT'ing and the MT has decent avoidance, there's a chance that you'll never have to taunt--the debuff stacks tend to fall off.

2nd boss (left): No tank switch needed unless MT splats. The general strat I've seen in RF is the MT just tanks, the OT chases the bubble around.

3rd boss (right): Taunt on 3 stacks, pop cooldowns as much as possible. You can help dps down the slime (raid leader should call the color), but be mindful of out-ranging healers if you're still debuffed.

4th 'boss' (using the term boss loosely for Hagara): If OT'ing, try to look pretty and get some damage in. If MT'ing, don't tank in the middle. Don't tank in the middle. Don't tank in the middle. Move out of Focused Assault as soon as it pops up, then move back in as soon as it cancels. Tank the lightning add near a pillar/orb, don't get hit by ice.

5th boss: You have an extra action button. You will get a debuff. Click the button when you have ~2 seconds left on the debuff. Click it again when Ultrax has ~2 seconds left on casting Hour of Twilight. Taunt when the other tank uses this button to 'fade' the debuff off.

6th boss: Phase1... Tank adds close, move into purple swirls. Phase2: Taunt on 3 stacks, don't stand in ground slam, don't stand in black circles.

7th 'boss': DPS should kill ONE tentacle per move. Tank the Amala add that pops out near the north wall, as close as you can get. Have the OT bring the Blood adds over. DPS should take the Amala add down to ~30% health before killing 9 Bloods. Each blood drops a red puddle, moving the Amala over it allows it to absorb the puddle. 9 puddles=9 stacks=add starts to hurt a lot (pop cooldowns), DPS should finish it off. Rinse repeat 3 times.

8th boss: Start on Thrall's platform (#3). A tentacle pops up from the back, tank it. Swap tanks (taunt) when the other tank gets the Impale debuff. Taunt as fast as possible. Use cooldowns liberally. Tank little Blood adds that pop up in the raid, I try to pull them close to the claw to spread AoE damage. Help dps down the tentacle sprouts. Repeat this 4 times (platform 3 > 2 > 1 > 4). Then jump back over to platform 3. Help dps down the non-moving tentacles that sprout up, tank the two big adds that pop up. Each tank should tank 1 add, these adds HURT. Use cooldowns. Repeat until DW is dead.

On a side-note, does anyone else find it funny that the easiest fight has the longest explanation?

Original post (by me):

I've tried searching, and went through 3 pages of stuff. Nothing seems to cover actual boss strats, so please forgive me if I missed it and feel free to link it here.

I have a son who's trying to tank LFR (who's not tanked max level before) and he got vote-kicked after 3 bosses. Just tryin to help him out.

Thanks.

Thanks to all who contributed, this would make a good sticky.

Icy Veins has really awesome guides that offer a tank perspective. I'll break down some of the basic stuff for you, too. Honestly, LFR isn't difficult for tanks - just ensure you keep aggro and taunt when necessary.

Siege of Wyrmrest:

Morchok: You'll need two tanks on this fight. Position the boss about where he is standing before pull so crystals don't spawn too close to him. Watch for Crush Armor. Taunt off the other tank when he has about 4 stacks (some tanks can take more). Other than that, get behind the falling rocks when Black Blood occurs and that's it.

Zon'ozz: In LRF, this is purely a one tank, tank and spank fight. Just use defensive cooldowns for the AoE in the second phase when everyone stacks. The trash is the harder thing, imo. Make sure dps kills the eye first, while one of the tanks takes the Claw.

Yor'shaj: Probably want to 2 tank this. Watch for Void Bolt, and taunt at about 4 stacks depending on the damage the other tank is taking. If the raid keeps the yellow ooze up, use defensive cooldowns as the boss attacks harder and faster. Take a look at Icy Veins for what the rest of the oozes do, but someone knowledgeable in the raid group should take over calling these out for the group.

Hagara: Trash will require 2 tanks, but boss can be one tanked. Tank the boss out of the middle so when she does her special abilities, it's easier to move out. She will cast Focused Assault on her current target (the tank) very frequently. Just back out of this; you need to get distance from her. When she does her specials, on lightning phase, pick up the elemental add that spawns and drag it to one of the conducting pillars. Dps should kill it and the raid should all run the same way around the room to conduct the lightning to the remaining pillars. If it's an ice phase, just avoid the moving ice walls.

Are you certain that he's getting vote-kicked for not knowing the fights and not for another reason?

Either way, the best thing for him to do is send a tell to the other tank in the raid and ask him/her for direction. A simple "hey I'm new to this encounter, could you tell me what I need to do to OT?" usually covers it. Also, get him to download DBM or another bossmod, it will pop up with notifications.

General rule in DS: Taunt at 3 stacks.

1st boss: Taunt on 3 stacks, don't stand in black stuff, pop cooldowns prior to stomp. If you're OT'ing and the MT has decent avoidance, there's a chance that you'll never have to taunt--the debuff stacks tend to fall off.

2nd boss (left): No tank switch needed unless MT splats. The general strat I've seen in RF is the MT just tanks, the OT chases the bubble around.

3rd boss (right): Taunt on 3 stacks, pop cooldowns as much as possible. You can help dps down the slime (raid leader should call the color), but be mindful of out-ranging healers if you're still debuffed.

4th 'boss' (using the term boss loosely for Hagara): If OT'ing, try to look pretty and get some damage in. If MT'ing, don't tank in the middle. Don't tank in the middle. Don't tank in the middle. Move out of Focused Assault as soon as it pops up, then move back in as soon as it cancels. Tank the lightning add near a pillar/orb, don't get hit by ice.

5th boss: You have an extra action button. You will get a debuff. Click the button when you have ~2 seconds left on the debuff. Click it again when Ultrax has ~2 seconds left on casting Hour of Twilight. Taunt when the other tank uses this button to 'fade' the debuff off.

6th boss: Phase1... Tank adds close, move into purple swirls. Phase2: Taunt on 3 stacks, don't stand in ground slam, don't stand in black circles.

7th 'boss': DPS should kill ONE tentacle per move. Tank the Amala add that pops out near the north wall, as close as you can get. Have the OT bring the Blood adds over. DPS should take the Amala add down to ~30% health before killing 9 Bloods. Each blood drops a red puddle, moving the Amala over it allows it to absorb the puddle. 9 puddles=9 stacks=add starts to hurt a lot (pop cooldowns), DPS should finish it off. Rinse repeat 3 times.

8th boss: Start on Thrall's platform (#3). A tentacle pops up from the back, tank it. Swap tanks (taunt) when the other tank gets the Impale debuff. Taunt as fast as possible. Use cooldowns liberally. Tank little Blood adds that pop up in the raid, I try to pull them close to the claw to spread AoE damage. Help dps down the tentacle sprouts. Repeat this 4 times (platform 3 > 2 > 1 > 4). Then jump back over to platform 3. Help dps down the non-moving tentacles that sprout up, tank the two big adds that pop up. Each tank should tank 1 add, these adds HURT. Use cooldowns. Repeat until DW is dead.

On a side-note, does anyone else find it funny that the easiest fight has the longest explanation?

Bane covered the last four pretty well so I won't add those on.

The only thing I would add is on Blackhorn (6th boss), I think the adds still put a debuff on the tank so make sure every time a Dreadblade/Slayer drop, you take the opposite of the one you had before. Example: Dreadblade - Slayer - Dreadblade.

Best of luck.

12/15/2011 08:19 AMPosted by Baneoftruth

Are you certain that he's getting vote-kicked for not knowing the fights and not for another reason?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there wasn't much other reason. I took a little bit getting used to amalgamation positioning, and while I was learning, people were heaping no end of abuse on me. Probably the only reason I didn't get kicked is that I was there with a fair number of guildies who would've countervoted. It only took me maybe a minute or two to get the hang of the fight, but that amount of time was enough to get accused of being an idiot, not following directions, not understanding English, etc.

Wonderful, you guys are great. Thank you so much!

12/15/2011 08:24 AMPosted by Kerath

Are you certain that he's getting vote-kicked for not knowing the fights and not for another reason?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there wasn't much other reason. I took a little bit getting used to amalgamation positioning, and while I was learning, people were heaping no end of abuse on me. Probably the only reason I didn't get kicked is that I was there with a fair number of guildies who would've countervoted. It only took me maybe a minute or two to get the hang of the fight, but that amount of time was enough to get accused of being an idiot, not following directions, not understanding English, etc.

Exactly this. I've seen tanks take MASSIVE abuse (and vote kicks; just saw one tank win a roll but not pick it up and get vote kicked) in LFR.

6th boss: Phase1... Tank adds close, move into purple swirls. Phase2: Taunt on 3 stacks, don't stand in ground slam, don't stand in black circles.

ground slam = shockwave
if its a big purple swirly w/ the emote then pop a cd if not many people are standing in it.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there wasn't much other reason. I took a little bit getting used to amalgamation positioning, and while I was learning, people were heaping no end of abuse on me. Probably the only reason I didn't get kicked is that I was there with a fair number of guildies who would've countervoted. It only took me maybe a minute or two to get the hang of the fight, but that amount of time was enough to get accused of being an idiot, not following directions, not understanding English, etc.

LFR groups tend to have the patience of a 3 year old, and a maturity level to match.

Exactly this. I've seen tanks take MASSIVE abuse (and vote kicks; just saw one tank win a roll but not pick it up and get vote kicked) in LFR.

I don't know if LFR has more angry adolescents in it, or that you're simply more likely to get one or more in a 25 man pug, but I think because there is exactly one mechanic in the whole of LFR that can out right kill a dps, many of them must assume that it is the same for tanks. That it took me a couple tries to figure out the timing on Ultraxion on the first week it was available in LFR was an intolerable insult to one fellow in my group. I have a thick skin and a quick finger on the ignore button, but I pity the folks who are using LFR for their first taste of raid tanking. Honestly, I think raid tanking is more fun than the tanking in LFR and I wonder if LFR is a good stepping stone to "real" tanking.

12/15/2011 08:19 AMPosted by Baneoftruth

5th boss: You have an extra action button. You will get a debuff. Click the button when you have ~2 seconds left on the debuff. Click it again when Ultrax has ~2 seconds left on casting Hour of Twilight. Taunt when the other tank uses this button to 'fade' the debuff off.

Does nobody have to stay in Hour of Twilight in an LFR?

12/15/2011 10:46 AMPosted by Qoma

5th boss: You have an extra action button. You will get a debuff. Click the button when you have ~2 seconds left on the debuff. Click it again when Ultrax has ~2 seconds left on casting Hour of Twilight. Taunt when the other tank uses this button to 'fade' the debuff off.

Does nobody have to stay in Hour of Twilight in an LFR?

I'm 99.9% certain that you do need at least one person out, I guess I should have indicated that. Of course, there's always at least 4 dps who stay out and eat the damage anyway.

actually in LFR nobody has to soak the hour. The aspects never take dmg from it in that difficulty level. Its pretty lolzers

12/15/2011 11:07 AMPosted by Cryotube

actually in LFR nobody has to soak the hour. The aspects never take dmg from it in that difficulty level. Its pretty lolzers

Perfect.

12/15/2011 11:07 AMPosted by Cryotube

actually in LFR nobody has to soak the hour. The aspects never take dmg from it in that difficulty level. Its pretty lolzers

Hm... I guess I was accidentally correct in my summary then. Great success.

7th 'boss': DPS should kill ONE tentacle per move. Tank the Amala add that pops out near the north wall, as close as you can get. Have the OT bring the Blood adds over. DPS should take the Amala add down to ~30% health before killing 9 Bloods. Each blood drops a red puddle, moving the Amala over it allows it to absorb the puddle. 9 puddles=9 stacks=add starts to hurt a lot (pop cooldowns), DPS should finish it off. Rinse repeat 3 times.

Here's another one. Does Deathwing not roll in LFR?

This is a great mini guide btw - thanks for doing it. As someone who hates random grouping into something I don't already know, I've avoided the 2nd half of LFR until I've nearly killed every boss on normal with my friends.

This is a great mini guide btw - thanks for doing it. As someone who hates random grouping into something I don't already know, I've avoided the 2nd half of LFR until I've nearly killed every boss on normal with my friends.

I literally just threw it together from memory while nom'ing on lunch, it would need to be cleaned up before I'd consider it a 'guide' >.> But glad you like it.

Does Deathwing not roll in LFR?

My first time through on release night I swear he did roll... but I have yet to see him roll since.

he rolls .. it just takes a massive effort and coordination to herd most of the cats to perform that complex action of clumping in a wound spot.

12/15/2011 12:03 PMPosted by Qoma

Here's another one. Does Deathwing not roll in LFR?

He tends to not roll, but certainly can. There's no reason to make him and if you move back to the center then he'll level out and be fine.

Deathwing will roll during Spine in LFR if more people stand on one side than on the other. This will cause everyone on the "heavy" side to be knocked off, pretty much forcing you to wipe for a restart.

SJ

Love the info and encouragement in this thread. Thank you all. Edited original post to include the guide. This would make a good sticky.