Varimathras is a single-phase encounter, BUT the room cycles between several elemental states that have various effects on the raid. There are very few mechanics on this fight, BUT he prevents all healing, so mistakes can cost us a great deal.
Varimathras' Cell
We'll engage Varimathras in his prison cell, which is the arena for the fight. The cell cycles through several elemental states, all of which deal constant magic damage to the raid.
First Elemental Phase: Torment of Flames. During this phase we will take ticking fire damage.
Second Elemental Phase: Torment of Shadows We'll take ticking shadow damage every second. This state persists until the end.
Note: on Heroic, there are two more elemental phases, called Frost and Fel, which are placed between the Flames and Shadows phases.
Varimathras' Abilities
Misery: Prevents all healing taken by the player for 7 seconds after they suffer shadow damage, AND increases all physical damage received by 200%.
Alone in the Darkness: Any time a raid member gets further than 8 yards of another player, Varimathras strikes them with Alone in the Darkness, which does moderate shadow damage.
Shadow Strike: anti-tank attack. Hits the active target and anyone else within a 15 yard cone.
Dark Fissure: Targets ranged and healers, spawning 3 rifts under random players. Does moderate damage and then explodes, damaging anyone still in the rift.
Marked Prey: targets a random player, charging toward them after a 5-second delay and dealing moderate damage. Market Prey strikes the first target it comes into contact with, and knocks back whomever is hit.
STRATEGY
Positioning:
* Tanks move the boss out of the center and tank him toward the back of the room. This gives healers and ranged more space. Tanks stay together even on the pull.
* The inactive tank should stand to the side of the boss, to avoid the cone attack, but within 8 yards of the active tank to avoid triggering Alone in the Darkness.
* Tanks should taunt after every Shadow Strike, and swap positions.
* Players must remain within 8 yards of each other, even at the moment of the pull. Ranged should form two stacks, one at either side of the room. These stacks should move together. One person in each group will get a raid marker and will direct the movement of the group. If a fissure spawns, the group will move together to get out of it.
* A designated melee player should soak every Marked Prey (basically, this means stand in the line and intercept the attack). Rogues are good as they can use Feint and Elusiveness to mitigate a lot of the damage.
* One ranged group should form up in a loose line behind the soaker to ensure that the melee soaker who is knocked back by Marked Prey is never more than 8 yards from other raid members.
* Healers top players off quickly when their Misery debuffs expire, as it's likely that they'll be getting Misery again shortly.
We'll use Bloodlust on the pull.
Varimathras' Cell
We'll engage Varimathras in his prison cell, which is the arena for the fight. The cell cycles through several elemental states, all of which deal constant magic damage to the raid.
First Elemental Phase: Torment of Flames. During this phase we will take ticking fire damage.
Second Elemental Phase: Torment of Shadows We'll take ticking shadow damage every second. This state persists until the end.
Note: on Heroic, there are two more elemental phases, called Frost and Fel, which are placed between the Flames and Shadows phases.
Varimathras' Abilities
Misery: Prevents all healing taken by the player for 7 seconds after they suffer shadow damage, AND increases all physical damage received by 200%.
Alone in the Darkness: Any time a raid member gets further than 8 yards of another player, Varimathras strikes them with Alone in the Darkness, which does moderate shadow damage.
Shadow Strike: anti-tank attack. Hits the active target and anyone else within a 15 yard cone.
Dark Fissure: Targets ranged and healers, spawning 3 rifts under random players. Does moderate damage and then explodes, damaging anyone still in the rift.
Marked Prey: targets a random player, charging toward them after a 5-second delay and dealing moderate damage. Market Prey strikes the first target it comes into contact with, and knocks back whomever is hit.
STRATEGY
Positioning:
* Tanks move the boss out of the center and tank him toward the back of the room. This gives healers and ranged more space. Tanks stay together even on the pull.
* The inactive tank should stand to the side of the boss, to avoid the cone attack, but within 8 yards of the active tank to avoid triggering Alone in the Darkness.
* Tanks should taunt after every Shadow Strike, and swap positions.
* Players must remain within 8 yards of each other, even at the moment of the pull. Ranged should form two stacks, one at either side of the room. These stacks should move together. One person in each group will get a raid marker and will direct the movement of the group. If a fissure spawns, the group will move together to get out of it.
* A designated melee player should soak every Marked Prey (basically, this means stand in the line and intercept the attack). Rogues are good as they can use Feint and Elusiveness to mitigate a lot of the damage.
* One ranged group should form up in a loose line behind the soaker to ensure that the melee soaker who is knocked back by Marked Prey is never more than 8 yards from other raid members.
* Healers top players off quickly when their Misery debuffs expire, as it's likely that they'll be getting Misery again shortly.
We'll use Bloodlust on the pull.