ToC - 2 Dec 2009

Very very good run. First time we cleared ToC with zero wipes, and in under an hour. We also got the Salt and Pepper achievement!

We then went back and killed Mimiron and got the Keepers of Ulduar achievement! (I also got the finished Ulduar achievement as Mimiron was the only 10 man boss I hadn't done previously).

Was good to see most of the loot going to someone, only two pieces got disenchanted.

Next week, Rezolute is not available due to exams. We will need Adinara doing the offtanking. We are up to the trash for General Vezax now, so go read up that strat (written on this site). On Wednesday, Rezolute may or may not come.

And also apparently Icecrown might be released. If it is, we will go and check out the first bosses as the instance will be released in stages, so we might as well. If we wipe horribly, we can go back and finish the ToC before bedtime.

The week after next will be our last week raiding before the holidays. But Rez and I are keen to run some five mans (there will be three new instances in icecrown) and maybe an odd ToC if we can scrape enough replacement members.

Summer break

We're going to be taking a break from raiding for three weeks in December/January.

Last day of raiding will be 16 December 2009, and the first day back will be 12 January 2010.

I'm taking most of that time off work, so I'll probably still be keen to run some things, but some people will not be available.

Ulduar - 1 Dec 2009

Well, it was quite an enjoyable night, but completely success-free.

I believed that Azador would be back, but apparently his internet died again, and Rezolute was called into work at the last minute. We spent about an hour looking for replacements, tried even a pugger on the first attempt but his internet died also!

We finally got Swifty in on his mage.

Then we proceeded with six more attempts without success. We did improve markedly on each attempt though, the final few showed such improvement that no one was dying on the first three phases. Our best and most frustrating attempt was 1%!

Next time, I guess.

Have a look at the combat logs link - they have new "analyze" options in the drop down, all sorts of nifty information.

General Vezax

General Vezax is one of the few bosses in Ulduar that don't change phases. He will remain the same during the entire encounter. His hard hits and the specifics around the mana regeneration during the encounter makes him a test for tanks and casters. Melee DPS have easy time for once.

There are few things to watch out during the fight. People outside melee range might be targeted by Shadow Crashes - these need to be avoided until they land, after which ranged DPS can enter the puddles left behind for extra damage and reduced mana cost. Healers should avoid those at all times.

Mark of the Faceless is the other debuff to watch out for. Anyone affected with it should run away from any nearby players, since they heal Vezax.

Searing Flames should be interrupted every time, and Vezax should be either kited during the Surge of Darkness, or his damage should be countered by a defensive cooldown.

In addition to all this, Vezax's Aura of Despair will eliminate all mana regeneration from the fight. One ranged DPS person will need to destroy the floating Saronite Vapors and mana users will need to stand in the green puddles left behind to replenish mana. Keep in mind, the buff damages the caster as it restores mana, so step out of the pool at 5-6 stacks. Melee DPS won't have such trouble, but their attack speed will be reduced by 20% by the aura.

Abilities

Aura of Despair - Prevents most mana regeneration methods. Melee attack speed is reduced by 20% for all raid members as well.

Shadow Crash - Shoots a shadow missile towards a random target (preferring ranged), inflicting 11,310 to 12,690 Shadow damage to the target and anyone in 10 yd radius. A dark puddle spawns under the area of impact, increasing magical damage by 100%, decreasing casting speed by 100%, healing done and mana cost by 75%.

Mark of the Faceless - Applies a Mark of the Faceless to a random raid member (preferring ranged), causing them to drain 5,000 hit points every 1 second, for 10 seconds, from other nearby players. Vezax will heal for 20 times more health than he has drained (100,000 for every 5,000).

Searing Flames - Inflicts 13,875 to 16,125 Fire damage to everybody in the room, and reduces their armor by 75%. Must be interrupted.

Surge of Darkness - Increases Vezax's damage by 100%, but decreases his movement speed by 55%, for 10 seconds. Cast every 60-70 seconds.

Hard Mode

Saronite Barrier - Reduces all damage taken by 99%. Cast if 6 Saronite Vapors spawn and not a single one of them is destroyed. Vezax will also summon a Saronite Animus. The Barrier disappears when the Animus dies.

Saronite Animus - Casts Profound Darkness frequently, which does 750 Shadow damage to the entire raid and increases the Shadow damage taken by 10%.

If you allow all 6 Saronite Vapors to spawn without killing them, and while Vezax is still alive, a Saronite Animus will spawn. The Animus will make Vezax immune to damage (but he will not cast Searing Flames). The spawning of the Animus is considered the beginning of the hard mode.

Defeating the Animus is the only way to make Vezax vulnerable again.

Substitutes

Azador's internet is still broken and still no word from Adinara.

We'll get Toch to fill in on Tuesday in Ulduar, and Yasmin will come to help out also. Both Toch and Yasmin can't make it on Wednesdays, but I can ask Skullmantis and Woggie to come along to ToC.