Trash: There are two trash pulls before Magmaw. The first is very simple, but the second requires two tanks. (REAL tanks - we learned the other night that hunter pets can't fill in here). Each tank will pull a mob to one end of the room, with the healers and dps in between, kind of like so:
Tank - Mob - Melee - - - Squishy People - - - - Mob - Tank
The mobs will periodically swap targets, charging at the most distant player from them. Ideally, this means they ping pong between tanks. As soon as your target runs off, pop a cooldown (I use Cardboard Assassin first, then Guardian of Ancient Kings) and weather a beating while incapacitated. After they drop, its time to slap the worm around...
Fight Peparation:
-Glyphs. Glyph of Divine Protection is nice to mitgate fire damage. Unless you're add tanking, use Focused Shield. If you are add tanking, Dazing Shield and Hammer of the Righteous are excellent, and you may even get some use from Consecration.
-Spec. If you're maintanking, go for 2/2 Guardian's Favor, reducing your Hand of Protection to a 3 minute cooldown. Add tanks can instead take 2/2 Hallowed Ground.
Magmaw: Magmaw is a giant lava worm, and he wants to eat you. And you're going to let him, probably four or five times!
The first decision your raid has to make is how your group is going to handle a set of adds in this fight. Periodically, a bunch of worms spawn. These can be AoE'd down, or tanked and killed more slowly. My favorite tactic has been having a Protection Warrior tank them all, and chaining Victory Rushes together. He tends to massively outdps the rest of the raid.
Assuming you're the main tank (unless your fellow tank is a Paladin as well, you should be on this fight!) you'll be standing next to Magmaw, away from the rest of the raid. The first phase, for you, is tank and spank. Go ahead and use Wings right off the bat, as the two minute cooldown is perfectly timed for a nicedps phase later.
Eventually, Magmaw will cast Mangle, lifting you in the air and trying to eat you (I WARNED YOU!). This is a very heavy damage phase... unless you are a Protection Paladin. Both Hand of Protection and Divine Shield render you immune to the damage here. They won't last the entire phase, but hitting one automatically really trivializes things. I would rotate HoP, DS, HoP (talented to a 3 minute cooldown, it will be up in time for the third mangle) and then Guardian of Ancient Kings or healer coolowns for the fourth Mangle.
While in the air, you can target Magmaw's Exposed Head, dealing lots of extra damage. This phase ends when two of your raid members use chains to impale Magmaw, bringing the head in to reach of your raid. Everyone piles on dps here; pop Wings and join in! About 2 seconds before the head goes back up, move to your original position and prepare to taunt Magmaw (the body, not the head) as you won't have aggro. Then the cycle begins again, until Magmaw dies!
Now, some strategies call for a tank swap after the Exposed Head phase, as the Mangled tank has a -50% armor debuff, but I've nevr found it that important. YMMV, though.
Loot: The best piece of gear from Magmaw is the Symbiotic Worm, a trinket with gobs of Stamina and a huge amount of Mastery that can proc when you're under 35% health. You want this early on, though you may replace it if you get to the point that the proc sends you over the block cap. The other tanking item, Molten Tantrum Boots, are very nice, but a bit behind the Dragonmaw/Wildhammer rep reward boots. Use these until you grind the rep.
Off-spec, Akirus the Worm-Breaker is an excellent Retribution mace. The Breastplate of Avenging Flame is also excellent, for Holy. Both are extremely well itemized for your off-spec sets. No other pieces are worth dabbling in.
Next Time: Omnotron Defense System!
Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.9
