Tanking crib sheet – ICC Lower Spire

It doesn’t take a lot of looking to find boss guides on the internet, and TankSpot does a great job of providing videos and walkthroughs. There aren’t a lot of guides that specifically outline the key things you should be watching for on each fight though (positioning, etc), which is what I’m hoping this list will remedy. I’m going to start with the ICC bosses since they’re the most ‘relevant’, and then work my way through ToC (heroic and regular), Ulduar, and then finally Naxx. I include the earlier raids simply because there are many who are just now trying their hands at tanking, and it’s a different perspective than if you DPS’d or healed in the past.

Each write-up will include tips for both an MT and an OT – with an emphasis on Paladin tanks in particular, and a focus on 10 man versions of the boss (as I haven’t done 25 ICC yet, and don’t know if I ever will).

Lord Marrowgar

· MT and OT stack together in front of the boss to share a SaberLash type cleave. Nobody else should be here.

· Sacred Shield on a squishy raid member when he does his Bonestorm whirlwind. HoP will remove the DOT if it's critical.

· OT should be prepared to taunt if the MT’s taunt misses after a Bonestorm. It is a complete agro reset, so any DoTs or HoTs rolling will get his attention.

· Use Hand of Reckoning or Avengers Shield to help with the impale. It's not a huge hit, but it's still DPS.

· Don’t stand in the fire. It will target one player then move out in 4 directions. The room can get quite full in a hurry.

· Try and position Marrowgar directly opposite the door to give the raid the most room to spread out.

Lady Deathwhisper

· Adds will spawn from the left and right side of the room. Watch out for Deformed Fanatics – they move slow and hit like raid bosses. Keep agro and kite them around while your ranged burn them down.

· Keep Frost Aura up (Shadow Aura if no priests available).

· The MT will get a stacking debuff that reduces threat generated, so taunt off them when they get 3 or 4 stacks.

· Death and Decay will be all over the floor, try to move her out of it by LOSing her around her platform.

· Be ready to HoP a clothie if a Fanatic (deformed or otherwise) gets loose – as they’ll one shot them.

· Tank Deathwhisper at the bottom of her platform to prevent LoS issues when you’re moving from her Death and Decay.

The Gunship

· One tank (I recommend a bear if you have one, simply because it’s hilarious) will use a rocket pack and jump to the other ship. Mauradin (or Saurfang) will have to be picked up and tanked. They get a stacking buff, so be prepared to jump back as soon as the mage dies. Don’t jump before your DPS goes though, remember – first in, last out.

· OT will be looking for a portal on their own ship. Three adds come out, so just drop your consecrate and be ready to pick up the three adds (they don’t all come at once). They don’t hit hard, I generally do this fight in my heroic build/gear.

Deathbringer Saurfang

· Position Saurfang right on his steps (or just below them) facing the gunship.

· Watch your use of Consecrate/HotR as his Blood Beasts will agro in it and start hitting you – which is bad.

· Tanks swap whenever Rune of Blood is out on the current tank. Taunt quickly, as his self heals are pretty impressive.

· If there aren’t enough slows in the raid, HoJ or AS the Blood Beasts to buy the ranged more time to burn them down.

· Save cooldowns for the sub 30% mark when he goes into a Frenzy.

Next week I’ll put out the crib sheet for ToC (regular and heroic), as well as the Ulduar information. If we actually get the Plagueworks on Tuesday, I’ll try and have that by Wednesday so it’s still fresh and useful.