Magmaw DPS Strategy Guide

Table of Contents

• +1. General Overview
  • 1.1. Normal Phase
  • 1.2. Mounting Phase
  • 1.3. Impale Phase
• 2. Normal Phase
• 3. Mounting Phase
• 4. Impale Phase
• 5. Final Considerations

Introduction

This guide is intended to provide a comprehensive description of the encounter with Magmaw in Blackwing Descent. It is mostly targeted to DPS who desire to have a short but detailed overview of what is expected of them during that fight.

This guide is updated for World of Warcraft WoD 6.1.2.

This Magmaw encounter is fairly simple and straightforward for DPS players. Tasks involve mostly correct positioning and switching to adds in order to AoE them.

The Magmaw encounter consists of two phases which alternate throughout the fight until the boss is dead, henceforth referred to as the Normal Phase and the Impale Phase. This encounter is unique in that the Impale Phase must be triggered by the raid at certain fixed intervals of time, a third "Mounting Phase", where it is possible to do so.

The first Normal Phase lasts 90 seconds, all subsequent Normal and Impale Phases lasting 30 seconds.

• Be correctly positioned for Pillar of Flame and if your raid's strategy requires you to switch locations at range, do so in a timely fashion.
• Damage Magmaw, but be ready to quickly switch to Lava Parasites and use AoE slows, snares and stuns as well as do a lot of damage to them if you are a ranged class.

• If assigned to do so, mount Magmaw and chain him to the spike on the ground in front of him.

• Use personal DPS cooldowns on Exposed Head of Magmaw, and do as much damage as you possibly can.

For DPS players, the Normal Phase presents the most difficulty, though it is not difficult as such. The only real concern in this phase is proper positioning for Pillar of Flame and switching to and DPSing the resulting Lava Parasites.

In 10-man, if your raid strategy is to be stacked in melee range, then Pillar of Flame should be of no concern to you and you can focus freely on damaging Magmaw and then damaging the Lava Parasites.

In 25-man, you will most likely need to stand at melee range if you are a melee class and at range if you are a ranged class. Ranged classes will have to move out of Pillar of Flame twice after the pull and before the first Impale Phase as well as once or twice per each Normal Phase after that.

In addition to this you will have to avoid being damaged by Massive Crash. Magmaw will announce where this will be cast through Ignition. Therefore, if the half of the room in which you are standing becomes engulfed in fire, simply move to the other half immediately to avoid damage.

All of Magmaw's other abilities in this phase are of no concern to you and as such will not be mentioned.

This phase will occur 90 seconds after the pull and generally a good way to tell when it is about to happen is to simply watch for Ignition. Indeed, Magmaw will cast Ignition and a few seconds later slump forward and become mountable.

During this phase, 2 raid members in 10-man and 3 in 25-man will have to mount him and use an ability (number 1 and the only ability on the vehicle action bar) to chain Magmaw to the spike present on the ground in front of him.

If you are assigned to this task, you must ensure that you are in melee melee range of the boss and are prepared to mount him (by right clicking his model) and use your chaining ability at the same time as the other people who have mounted him.

Failure to chain simultaneously or altogether will not impale Magmaw and will instead lead to a large amount of tank and raid damage which will likely cause a wipe.

If you are not assigned to this task, then the Mounting Phase presents no real concern for you and you should continue to damage the boss.

During this phase Magmaw is stunned and does not cast any of his abilities. He is also no longer targetable, but a new enemy appears instead, called Exposed Head of Magmaw. It takes 100% extra damage and as such this is the time for using DPS cooldowns.

This phase lasts 30 seconds after which Magmaw will return to his Normal Phase. It is important to note that the main tank loses all aggro of Magmaw during this phase causing Magmaw to attack anyone else in melee range until taunted, so it is advised that you step away from him until he is once again being tanked.

This encounter is not difficult for DPS players and as long as you are able to avoid Pillar of Flame, you have mastered the fight to a great degree. Players having to mount and chain Magmaw have more responsability, but the task is rather simple.