by JR Cook - 11 years ago     show comments

The third wing of LFR has been out for a week now, and while it’s only three bosses, they are on a different level to the previous two wings. Each encounter is going to require you to lift your game a step, as you’ll have some pretty important tasks to deal with in each of the battles. But never fear, BlizzPro is here to make sure you’ve got the word up on what you’ll need to watch out for in each encounter to help your group get through it successfully.

MALKOROK

General advice: In the main phase, damage is effectively permanent. Healing creates a “bubble” on you that can take damage and be healed back, but any damage to your actual health will not be healed back. A raid leader throwing down markers where the explosions will be is almost mandatory. Put down a marker in the middle of each Arcing Smash, then make sure the raid moves away from them following the third Arcing Smash, as those same areas will explode when he casts Breath of Y’Shaarj. Make sure somebody is standing in each purple pool. For phase 2, everybody stack up in front of the boss for the cleave damage and run out when you get the debuff.
Tanks: Swap at 12 stacks. You shouldn’t need to worry about purple pools, but if you are not currently tanking him then go for it. Try to make sure melee can still fight the boss without getting hit by Breath of Y’Shaarj.
Healers: Don’t hold back during P1, as there’s constant damage going out so you shouldn’t overheal much. Wait until people clear the group before dispelling.
DPS: Stand in the purple pools. Move away from Smash/Breath. Use any falling speed abilities when you get knocked up to prevent damage. Run out of the group when you get the debuff in P2.

SPOILS OF PANDARIA

General advice: The raid is going to need to split up into two groups. One starts at the front right gate (as you enter the hall) and one at the back left. Balancing DPS will be important here, but if one group is miles ahead it is possible to take the hook over to the other side to help out. In the mantid zone, you will get an extra action button to place bombs. Try to move away to an unused part of the room before doing so. Stand in the red beams.
Tanks: You’ll generally be leading the box opening. Start with the green crates for the buff, then open one large along with small boxes, which you can continue to open as they die. Once the first big box is down, move onto the second one, continuing to open small boxes. Depending on how many small ones you open, move onto the medium sized boxes, as well as some more small ones, until you reach the max energy.
Healers: Dispel the many effects on your group.
DPS: Focus down large adds first. Interrupt/purge/spellsteal what you can. On mogu side, try to burn Burial Urns quickly.

THOK THE BLOODTHIRSTY

General advice: Everybody except tanks stack up on his leg for AoE healing. Thok will automatically transition to his second phase at 80%, 55% and 30%. If he starts chasing you, run down the hall or to the other end of the room (hall is better if you can get there).
Tanks: To play it safe, swap at two stacks in first phase, two stacks in second phase (poison), four stacks in third phase (frost) and two stacks in final phase (fire). If you have better gear or don’t feel threatened you can delay the swaps on all except frost phase. Once the add is killed, click him to pick up the key and unlock the cage. Generally you will unlock poison first (front left), frost second (front right), and fire last (back right). He is in theory one-tankable if you significantly overgear the fight. OT stay with the rest of the raid so you don’t get stacks early.
Healers: Do your best to heal despite the constant interrupts. Keep an eye out for people with the debuff in poison phase.
DPS: Watch your cast times to not get interrupted. Keep out of the dinosaur’s way when he’s being kited. Switch to anybody that gets frozen in frost phase.

Don’t miss our guides to part one or part two.