Ayamiss the Hunter Guide: Strategy, Abilities, Loot
Ayamiss the Hunter is the fifth boss in the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj, and the third and final of the optional bosses. This is also the most difficult fight in AQ 20.
Ayamiss is the most difficult fight in the raid, due to the healing required and the reliance on your ranged DPS to manage Phase 1 correctly. Make sure you bring plenty of Nature Resistance to deal with the Poison damage!
Ayamiss the Hunter Summary by Role
Tanks
- You will want two tanks to deal with picking up the small adds that spawn and to taunt swap to drop Poison stacks in Phase 2.
- During Phase 1, you will not be able to tank the boss, so focus solely on picking up small adds.
- Stacking nature resistance is a great option on this fight.
Healers
- In Phase 1, the ranged DPS will be tanking the boss, since she will be in the air. Make sure to watch them so they do not die.
- This can be a healing intensive fight, since the boss deals Nature damage to the entire raid with Stinger Spray, so make sure your healers are ready with consumables, as the fight can be on the longer side, depending on your DPS.
DPS
- Only ranged DPS can attack the boss in Phase 1 while she is airborne, thus the ranged will be tanking the boss as well. The best option here is to juggle aggro, so once a ranged has aggro, they can stop attacking until they lose aggro again.
- Melee DPS should be stacked on the altar to be ready for the sacrifice mechanic the entire fight. Always prioritize killing the larva over the boss.
- For ranged, having some extra nature resistance is a good idea on this fight.
- Make sure to help AoE the smaller add groups that spawn.
General Tips for Ayamiss the Hunter
- The boss will sometimes teleport a player to the altar, binding them to it to be sacrificed. A larva will spawn near the altar, running at the bound player. Melee should always be stacked near the altar, ready to turn and kill the larva before it reaches the player. If the larva does not die, the player will die and an even worse add will spawn that could easily result in a wipe.
- The boss will drop to the ground at 70% health. Ranged DPS are in charge of attacking and tanking the boss in Phase 1, and then tanks will want to hold the boss in Phase 2.
- Small groups of adds will spawn periodically and tanks will need to pick them up while they get AoEd down.
Strategy for Ayamiss the Hunter
Ayamiss the Hunter is a two phase encounter that will stress your healers and ranged DPS. Throughout the fight, Ayamiss will deal poison damage to the entire raid with her Stinger Spray. Nature resistance is your friend here, either through Hunter/Shaman auras or through gear. The boss will also deal stacking nature damage to her main target, which, in Phase 1, will be a ranged DPS, since she is airborne until she reaches 70% health. Your ranged DPS will want some extra nature resistance and attention from your healers to deal with this, but mainly will need to not tank the boss for too many stacks. The best option is for them to juggle the boss by stopping their attacks once they get aggro, allowing someone else to take the boss. This will continue until Phase 2 begins at 70% health, where the boss will drop to the ground and the tanks can pick her up for the remainder of the fight.
Throughout both phases the boss will spawn small groups of adds than can be AoEd down while your tanks pick them up. The main mechanic of the fight, however, is Ayamiss' sacrifice mechanic. In the room where you fight her, there is an altar where she will periodically teleport one member of your raid to it to be sacrificed. The sacrifice target will be bound there, unable to move until they are either saved or sacrificed. When the player is teleported, a Larva will spawn on one side of the altar. All of the melee DPS should be stacked on the altar for the entire fight, specifically so they can quickly kill the Larva whenever it spawns. When the Larva spawns, it will fixate on the bound sacrifice target, killing them if it is allowed to reach them. If they die, a larger add will spawn that must be tanked, and can easily result in a wipe. Killing the Larva whenever it spawns is paramount, and should be the melee DPS' primary focus during the fight. They will be able to attack the boss during Phase 2, but killing the Larva will still be their main job.
Changelog
- 18 Nov. 2024: Page updated for SoD P6 & Classic Anniversary.
- 06 Aug. 2024: Guide reviewed and updated.
- 23 Jun. 2020: Guide added.
This guide has been written by Abide, TBC veteran for nearly a decade. Abide is a Warrior tank and multi-class expert currently playing on Faerlina as Horde. You can find him in the the Icy Veins Discord. You can also see him live on Twitch.
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