Gul'dan Strategy/Tactics for Normal/Heroic

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Contents
  • 2. Lore
  • 3. Outline
  • 4. TL;DR
    • 4.1. Tanks
    • 4.2. Healers
    • 4.3. DPS
  • 5. Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp
  • 6. Changelog
• +Abilities
  • 1. Outline
  • 2. Phase One: The Council of Elders
    • 2.1. The Eye of Aman'Thul
    • 2.2. Liquid Hellfire
    • 2.3. Fel Efflux
    • 2.4. Hand of Gul'dan
      • 2.4.1. Fel Lord Kuraz'mal
      • 2.4.2. D'zorykx the Trapper
      • 2.4.3. Inquisitor Vethriz
  • 3. Phase Two: The Ritual of Aman'Thul
    • 3.1. The Eye of Aman'Thul
    • 3.2. Liquid Hellfire
      • 3.2.1. Empowerment
    • 3.3. Bonds of Fel
      • 3.3.1. Empowerment
    • 3.4. Eye of Gul'dan
      • 3.4.1. Empowerment
    • 3.5. Hand of Gul'dan
    • 3.6. Fel Scythe
  • 4. Phase Three: The Master's Power
    • 4.1. Eye of Gul'dan
    • 4.2. Storm of the Destroyer
    • 4.3. Well of Souls
      • 4.3.1. Soul Siphon
      • 4.3.2. Soul Corrosion
      • 4.3.3. Black Harvest
      • 4.3.4. Flames of Sargeras
    • 4.4. Fel Scythe
• ×Normal/Heroic Strategy/Tactics
  • 1. Phase One: The Council of Elders
  • 2. Phase Two: The Ritual of Aman'thul
  • 3. Phase Three: The Master's Power
  • 4. Changelog

General Information

On this page, you will find a working strategy to defeat Gul'dan in The Nighthold for both Normal and Heroic modes, which usually only differ by the tuning of the boss.

Here, we assume that you have read our descriptions of the abilities for this encounter.

The other pages of our Gul'dan guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

The raid should be lightly spread on the same side of the platform during this phase. Gul'dan will be active and engage the raid directly for just over 30 seconds while spawning his Shadow Council via Hand of Gul'dan.

DPS and Healers need to pay close attention to the Liquid Hellfire timer and correctly make use of their extra abilities. Healers should coordinate the use of at least 2 Scattering Fields for each impact of Liquid Hellfire, and the raid should stack within them to reduce their damage taken to an absolute minimum. DPS should be careful not to use their Time Dilation buffs right before a Liquid Hellfire cast as they will lose it due to the Fire damage.

All players should pay special attention to the timer on Fel Efflux. Gul'dan will target a random player before casting Fel Efflux; be attentive to his current facing when this cast occurs. The Fel Efflux beam deals extremely high damage per second to anyone caught within it, so it is best to avoid it entirely whenever possible.

As the Shadow Council spawns from the Hand of Gul'dan casts, all DPS should switch off of Gul'dan and prioritize the adds, as killing them faster will speed the beginning of the next phase. Inquisitor Vethriz spawns second, and should be given highest priority once he is alive, as his abilities are the most threatening and disruptive to the raid. Fel Lord Kuraz'mal should be dealt with second, with the raid cleaning up D'zorykx the Trapper last. Overall damage is more important here than focus fire, meaning all DPS should feel free to cleave as much as possible between the three. Healers should be ready to quickly dispel Drain when it is cast, and everyone should keep an eye out to avoid Fel Obelisks and Anguished Spirits. Tanks should have the Resonant Barrier ready for Shatter Essence and Soul Harvest.

Continue to avoid Liquid Hellfire. Once Empowered Liquid Hellfire begins, avoid the space confining flame patches created.

Bonds of Fel should be quickly dealt with. Nearby DPS and healers should collapse on the shackled player as they are breaking their bond. Scattering Field can be helpful for further reducing this damage.

When Eye of Gul'dan is cast, the Eyes must be focused down immediately to avoid Duplicate casts. The group should be very loosely spread to avoid splash damage, particularly when the Eyes are empowered, as the Fire damage will cancel the Time Dilation effects of nearby damage dealers.

Dreadlords spawned from Hand of Gul'dan should be immediately burned down by all available DPS. Carrion Wave must be interrupted, though each successive interrupt will add a stack of Fervor, adding a clock to their healthbar.

Tanks should find a comfortable level of Fel energy to split Gul'dan's Fel Scythe. The Fel Energy will creep higher during the time the Dreadlords are alive, so cooldowns maybe be necessary when the Scythe is triggered.

Continue to deal with the Empowered Eye of Gul'dan in the same fashion as the previous phase. They should be prioritized by damage dealers before they have time to Duplicate.

The raid must quickly escape the Storm of the Destroyer, as it deals higher damage the more it grows.

When the Well of Souls is spawned, players should all take responsibility soaking Soul Corrosion stacks to minimize the raid damage from Black Harvest. Healers should have cooldowns ready for Black Harvest, and they should also be ready to quickly remove the healing absorb applied by Soul Siphon.

When a player is marked by Flames of Sargeras, all nearby players must get away quickly or they will take heavy damage and spawn Desolate Ground patches.

Tanks should find a comfortable level of Fel energy to split Gul'dan's Fel Scythe. The Fel Energy will creep higher during the time the Dreadlords are alive, so cooldowns maybe be necessary when the Scythe is triggered.

• 24 Jan. 2017: Rewrote Phase 1 strategy based on first week of Heroic raiding.