Highmaul - Protection Paladin Tips and Tricks

[Fouton 266]

This thread is for tips and tricks for each of the fights in Highmaul. Advice will be added to the main post as it is available. Please feel free to leave any advice you've learned from doing the fights.

 

Currently I've only completed the first two bosses from a slow raid night, so more information will be coming.

 

 

Kargath Bladefist

 

Basic Info:

This fight can be 2 tanked or 3 tanked. Personally I found it much easier with 3 (since tanks are close in value to DPS anyways). If you have 3 tanks you can just taunt off each other after each impale, while the 3rd tank always goes up and never tanks Kargath. With 2 tanks, you'll find the debuffs can be a bit awkward in timing if you're continuing with 1 stack, but you can manage it. There will be some times where you're forced into taking 2 stacks, but as long as the off tank is taunting the second they come down, the main tank should never have to hit 3 stacks.

 

There are two different mechanics that will knock you back, so never tank Kargath facing any of the 4 fire pillars. You don't want it to suddenly activate behind you and be thrown into it by impale. Also, when Chain Hurl is coming, he slams the middle with a knockback, so either be slightly out of the middle, or make sure to be lined up to avoid the pillars with that as well.

 

Paladin Tips and Tricks:

For tanking impales, you'll always want to use some sort of cooldown. Line up your Guardian of Ancient Kings with Impales that you don't have a good duration of Shield of the Righteous for. You can also store up to 5HP and use 2 Shield of the Righteous right before the impale and have half the Impale mitigated.

 

Another tip is that you can cast Hand of Protection on someone is targeted by Berserker Rush to give them 10 seconds of extra time to reach a fire pillar. This will almost always save your runner (unless they fail to reach a pillar). (may be nerfed)

 

Talents and Glyphs:

Clemency is a useful talent to have, so you can use more Hand of Protections on players with Berserker Rush. (If this doesn't work anymore, use Unbreakable Spirit for more DPs)

 

The rest of the talents are up to you to use optimally and comfortably. Since you're not tanking 100% of the time, I would recommend Holy Avenger and Seraphim, since they offer the most damage reduction in bursts, especially when combined together.

 

You should also glyph Divine Protection, and Hand of Sacrifice. Focused Shield is also good for a tank who stays below, but if you're heading up top, do not glyph it.

 

 

 

The Butcher

 

Basic Info:

This fight is very straight forward for tanking. There are two debuffs that hurt, and there's a cleave mechanic that requires a minimum of 2 tanks in front of the boss. If you are 2 tanking, you'll want to tauntswap at 2 stacks of The Tenderizer. By the time this hits, everything you had should wear off. You can taunt sooner if your stacks drop, and its recommended to do so to minimize damage. Be sure to say something if you plan to taunt so your other tank doesnt waste a CD.

 

Paladin Tips and Tricks:

This fight has no real tips that I have found. Just tank it and pop CDs when you feel the need. Try to always have something active for the second application of The Tenderizer, as it does a fair amount of damage. (Shield of the Righteous would be best)

 

Talents and Glyphs:

I have yet to find any priorities in this, so stick to the leading abilities. This means you'll probably want Divine Purpose for it's constant usefulness. Seraphim will put out more damage if you have more than 2 tanks, but if it's just the two of you, you will want to be Holy Shield to be able to block more damage from The Tenderizer.

 

 

 

Tectus

 

Basic Info:

The mechanics of this fight are very simple. You'll want to stack them all together on normal/heroic (regardless of what any guide says) and cleave, however still focus 1 Shard down, then all 4 motes, before working on the next. This means you'll have multiple adds, so try to break up the tanking so that you have them evenly spread out, for less spiky damage on a specific tank. I recommend facing them 90 degrees from where your ranged are, so that melee who like to stand behind bosses aren't standing in the red bubbly death when it spawns.

 

An important thing I've noted from doing this fight is that when each mob dies and spawns it's lesser form, it leaves a large pile of sand which actually blocks the animation of the small spires that occur throughout the fight. For this reason, as Tectus is about to die for the first time, we pull him close to the outside of the room, so his dirt patch is away from the middle, and then we tank everything else back into the center, so melee can see the spires happening.

 

 

Paladin Tips and Tricks:

There's hardly anything special throughout the fight, so just make sure to pop CDs if you feel you're tanking more adds than you should, until your co-tank picks up their fair share. Otherwise try to pop CDs when your tank healer has to start running, or when it will help the consistency of your damage intake. Don't put big CDs on upheaval, since you take more damage from actual melees.

 

Talents and Glyphs:

Since you are always tanking, I would recommend Unbreakable Spirit, Holy Shield, and Divine Purpose. If you have any other preferences, you will likely be equally fine using them instead.

 

You will want to glyph Divine Protection for this fight, and make sure to not glyph Focused Shield. After that, normal glyphs are expected.

 

 

 

Brackenspore

 

Basic Info:

The main thing you'll need to worry about is facing Brackenspore away from the group, while also moving him to the beneficial mushroom you plan to use. (Green for Infested Spores, Blue for all other times). Don't worry about getting the buff yourself though, since there's hardly enough room for it.

 

Paladin Tips and Tricks:

You'll quickly find that Necrotic Breath is your only real danger throughout the fight. It'll kill pretty much anyone its faced at, so you need to take it alone, and pop a cooldown. Divine Protection is best for this, since its up every 30 seconds, and takes 40% of the damage. If you fairly injured when it is cast, you'll need to ask for external CDs, or use Guardian of Ancient Kings with Divine Protection.

 

Talents and Glyphs:

You'll almost always be tanking, so Holy Shield, Divine Purpose, and Unbreakable Spirit are 3 recommended talents. Speed of Light will also help you quickly position Brackenspore between breaths if you ever have to move.

 

Do not glyph Divine Protection for this fight. Other glyphs are normal. You could pick Focused shield, but there will be times where you can use the cleave, so it's really a personal choice and dependent on you raid. I found several times I had 2 mobs stacked, so I benefited from avoiding the glyph.

 

 

 

Twin Ogron

 

Basic Info:

There's no tank swap for this fight, but instead two bosses, Pol and Phemos. Most groups tend to tank them in the center, but it can really be done anywhere if you find a position that seems to give your raid an advantage. When tanking Pol, there's really nothing you have to worry about, except avoiding Phemos' whirlwind, and Pol's Shield Charge. Basically you will tank him where instructed at all times, and you don't chase him out when he charges. When tanking Phemos, you have to make sure you wont be hit by Pol's Shield Charge as well, since the knockback can cause Phemos to move while casting Enfeebling Roar, which could wipe the raid. The other thing you will have to do is pull Phemos out 30 yards or so, to make sure Whirlwind hits no one else. Be sure you don't pull him towards your ranged, and instead find a clear area so no one is hit. Probably best to designate an area to pull him beforehand, so no one runs there.

 

Paladin Tips and Tricks:

Sadly there's pretty much nothing tricky to this fight as a tank. You'll be taking consistent damage the whole fight, except when hit by Enfeebling Roar, which should be a small damage taken increase for less than 30 seconds. When this happens pop a steady cooldown to outlast the debuff, and go about your normal business. You might also need pop a CD for pulverize during one of the Enfeebling Roars, to make sure you don't take excessive damage when it goes out.

 

Talents and Glyphs:

You'll want Glyph of Divine Protection since it's mostly a physical fight. Though, if you find you're bad at the fire, unglyphing it and using it during high stacks of the fire debuff will be extremely useful. Otherwise you'll want the standard talents, such as Divine Purpose and Holy Shield.

 

 

 

Ko'ragh

 

Basic Info:

This fight will have 2 different parts for tanking. One where you're doing practically nothing, and another where you're taking heavy add damage. You'll want to bring Koragh out to the outer section of the room at first, and make sure no one is back along the wall from your tanking position. You'll be getting a debuff that AoEs out from you, and the best way to handle it is be taunted off of, and run along that wall to make sure you don't hit anyone. The second portion involves tons of adds spawning, in which you need to pull into the greenish-purple runes on the ground that silences, so that the adds don't explode when they die. This part is where you will be taking most of your damage, so avoid standing in the runes until you have to. You can also tank the adds in the runes while you stand on the outside of it, just at the edge, so try to do that.

 

Paladin Tips and Tricks:

While tanking the adds, use a CD to help you survive if you have a bundle focused onto you. The problem is that the runes tick for a lot per second, so you'll also want to use Divine Protection for those if you plan to stand in them while the adds die. You'll probably want external cooldowns at this part (not aoe CDs, those are useful for when orbs hit).

 

You should also use some sort of self healing CD on every Expel Shadow, to make sure you arent swiftly killed while the healers are unable to give you heals.

 

Talents and Glyphs:

Do not glyph Divine Protection. You'll probably want to be Seraphim/Holy Avenger to make the add phases easy, since the boss barely ever melees you. It's probably best that you don't do the 'normal' Seraphim usage where you rotate all your CDs, but instead save CDs for adds while using Seraphim normally (but making sure to also have it up for adds).

 

 

 

Imperator Mar'gok

 

Basic Info:

There's a bundle of phases in this long fight, but not much changes between them. You'll want to taunt swap somewhat often, not just on the Mark. Make sure you run out with it, except for the one that roots you, in which case everything needs to be moved away from you. As for the transitions, you'll just pick up adds and tank em in the middle of the room, and kill them somewhat spaced out.

 

Paladin Tips and Tricks:

You'll want to use Speed of Light to run out with Mark, to give yourself more time to be positioned correctly. Note that you cannot Hand of Freedom the root from Mark of Chaos: Fortification, so save yourself the effort. There's not many trinkets, other than popping CDs for painful moments, so just use your CDs when the boss has high stacks, or if you've messed up a mechanic.

 

Lights Hammer will also give you a good group healing advantage for all the pulses, and when adds are dying at the end. Note that you don't want to kill the adds in transition all together, so if you're using this, make sure its not with other people AoEing.

 

Talents and Glyphs:

Speed of Light, Fist of Justice, Unbreakable Spirit, Light's Hammer (AoE healing for pulses, AoE Damage for adds).

[Fouton 266]

Feel free to post your own tips and tricks. They will be added if I feel they make a positive difference in comparison to what I've posted.

 

Also feel free to discuss the current tips and tricks, along with the formatting of the post. I've added significantly more detail to this making it more of a read, so let me know if this is more helpful, or just too much to read.

[Fouton 266]

Note: While testing Hand of Purity on Kargath, I couldn't confirm if it was really working. I was taking 50% damage when its up (it says 80% to dot + 10% flat) so I'm unsure as to what was really reducing my damage. I probably had some sort of external, along with the 10% flat it gives.

[Fouton 266]

Fully filled the boss list! If I'm missing any useful advice, let me know!

[Envec 1]

Note: While testing Hand of Purity on Kargath, I couldn't confirm if it was really working. I was taking 50% damage when its up (it says 80% to dot + 10% flat) so I'm unsure as to what was really reducing my damage. I probably had some sort of external, along with the 10% flat it gives.

 Posted Dec 12th on the blue forums

"Hand of Purity should no longer incorrectly reduce damage taken from periodic effects that shouldn't be reduced."

 Might have something to do with it.

[Fouton 266]

It was before that, and that hotfix says its making sure it doesn't do that with other mechanics. Guess Blizz really doesn't want HoP to be useful beyond minor dots and a 10% CD

[Lev 0]

While off-tanking the Buther, i pull my bubble and Hand of Protection from time to time.

As far as i can tell, the other tank did not drop any lower than usual nor die, so it seems to be a valid way to relieve the healers for a few seconds.

 

Edit1: Maybe i'll try to pop my hand of Sacrifice for the active Tank next time as well (since healers will usually not stop healing me during bubble time, unless i'd tell them)

 

Edit2: Here is a log of a recent kill

http://www.worldoflogs.com/reports/l2zh5k3d6yf4fsh5/overview/?s=616&e=887

When i look at "The Cleaver (damage)" i can clearly see a drop in incoming dps at 675 and at 750.

Not so sure right not, but these should be the two times, i used HoP and SS.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Lev