Updated!!! Legion Raid - Blood DK Style

[demonardvark 556]

Place holder for eventual post. Tips and tricks for the first two legion raids from DK tanking perspective. Could post things from beta here, might actually, however, until we see raid tuning and ability changes many things could be altered. So, I don't want to waste a lot of time.

Emerald Dream:

*general overall tip for emerald dream. purgatory is rather weak atm. It requires strong healer input to bring you back and can heavily cost them mana. Blood Mirror is a very strong survival choice and acts as a crude "oh crap" button. Bonestorm is good for dps checks but be careful as it comes at a survival cost, tldr, I recommend blood mirror for all fights*

Nythendra-

When targeted by volatile rot Wraith Walk is mandatory to get away fast enough. Once at drop spot AMS provides some damage reduction. 

Elerethe Renferal-

Tightening grasp is recommended talent for this fight. Great for rounding up the spiders if off tanking at that point. The guaranteed use of gorefiends grasp on demand is beneficial. 

Grabbing the shimmering feather is sort of mandatory, we move very slow so it helps us quickly get to next platform for boss tanking.

In mythic baby spiders need to be far from both, so tightening grasp is good for a snap death grip gorefiends combo to round em up.

Il'gynoth, Heart of Corruption-

Tentacle Dominators cast an ability called Nightmarish Fury, which does high physical damage that ramps up the more times it is cast. Since we have little mitigation we rely on healing it back up to spare healer mana, To help mitigate this dmg save up runic power, and keep boneshield stacks high before the cast, and then after about 50% of the cast is over or when at 50% health cast deathstrike to heal it back up. When they get several stacks  pop Vampiric Blood.

As a DK we excel at tanking the Nightmare Horror, as we have high health and active magic damage mitigation. if pushed we can tank 4 Eyes of Fate, while the damage we take still being within acceptable treshold. the 2nd use vampiric blood and then AMS for the 3rd. Use timers to be sure you done activate it too soon or too late.

Gorefiendsgrasp to collect all the ichor infront of the eye can be a strong  assest for the raid, even peeling a far away ichor of a healer can be extremely helpful

Ursoc-

On heroic, AMS plus wraith walk combo is good for moving out of Miasma and boss reposition. 

After roaring cacophony wraith walk away to avoid miasma altogether. 

Dragons of Nightmare-

Cenarius-

When tanking in last phase, save all CDS for Spear of nightmares. Pop Blood mirror, ams, DRW, literally everything to reduce damage and reduce the damage zones created. The less damage you take the better.

Death strike spamming before spear is also a decent idea for the big blood shield. Again, mitigate as much of that damage as possible. 

Xavius-

When tanking horror use Wraith Walk to move out of the giant aoe splash you can get if too corrupted.

Recommend tanking horror away from boss but still close to healer. So Xavius is tanked at 12 o clock, tank horror at 9 or 3 o clock.

The Nighthold:

Skorpyron-

Chronomatic Anomaly-

Trilliax-

Spellblade Aluriel-

Tichondrius-

Krosus-

High Botanist Tel'arn-

Star Augur Etraeus-

Grand Magistrix Elisandre-

Gul'dan-

[Desruc 15]

Hi i have been following abit on the sidelines and thought i would come with a few pointers i have experienced so far.

Mainly its il'gynoth that i have some contributing info, that i hope other DK tanks will find usefull.
1:
DK's biggest issue is the fact we have very little base mitigation, no block and low dodge chance, this really becomes apparent when tanking mobs like the tentacle Dominators. They cast an ability called Nightmarish Fury, which does high physical damage that ramps up the more times it is cast.

Since we have little mitigation we rely on healing it back up to spare healer mana, i found to help mitigate this dmg i would save up runic power, and keep boneshield stacks high before the cast, and then after about 50% of the cast is over or when at 50% health cast deathstrike to heal it back up.

When they get high stacks pop Vampiric Blood.

2:
As a DK we excel at tanking the Nightmare Horror, as we have high health and active magic damage mitigation.
if pushed we can tank 4 Eye of Fate, while the damage we take still being within acceptable treshhold.
the 2nd use vampiric blood and then AMS for the 3rd. Use timers to be sure you done activate it too soon or too late.

3:
Gorefiendsgrasp to collect all the ichor infront of the eye can be a huuuuuge!! assest for the raid, even peeling a far away ichor of a healer or so can be extremely helpfull.

These where some points i felt like could be highlighted.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Desruc

[demonardvark 556]

24 minutes ago, Desruc said:

Hi i have been following abit on the sidelines and thought i would come with a few pointers i have experienced so far.

Mainly its il'gynoth that i have some contributing info, that i hope other DK tanks will find usefull.
1:
DK's biggest issue is the fact we have very little base mitigation, no black and low dodge chance, this really becomes apparent when tanking mobs like the tentacle Dominators. They cast an ability called Nightmarish Fury, which does high physical damage that ramps up the more times it is cast.

Since we have little mitigation we rely on healing it back up to spare healer mana, i found to help mitigate this dmg i would save up runic power, and keep boneshield stacks high before the cast, and then after about 50% of the cast is over or when at 50% health cast deathstrike to heal it back up.

When they get high stacks pop Vampiric Blood.

2:
As a DK we excel at tanking the Nightmare Horror, as we have high health and active magic damage mitigation.
if pushed we can tank 4 Eye of Fate, while the damage we take still being within acceptable treshhold.
the 2nd use vampiric blood and then AMS for the 3rd. Use timers to be sure you done activate it too soon or too late.

3:
Gorefiendsgrasp to collect all the ichor infront of the eye can be a huuuuuge!! assest for the raid, even peeling a far away ichor of a healer or so can be extremely helpfull.

These where some points i felt like could be highlighted.

awesome, thank you :D Will update the guide today with your suggestions, illy was in particular need of tips,

[Desruc 15]

6 minutes ago, demonardvark said:

awesome, thank you :D Will update the guide today with your suggestions, illy was in particular need of tips,

Nps :D
We tanks gotta help each other out.. if i find any more golden nuggets il be sure to share.

[Desruc 15]

Here i am again with a little pointer
 

For Cenarius during phase 2 when he casts spear of nightmares, DRW, AMS and Vampiric blood doesnt do anything to reduce the patch on the ground. Since none of tham acually reduce the amount of physical damage it does. .. by all means use Vampiric blood to help healers heal you back up again and AMS for the magic damage you might take from the zone afterwards tho.

 

What you want to do is spec into Blood Mirror and Rune tap, run tap will give you 25% reduced dmg everytime you need to soak a spear, drasticly helping to reduce the damage.

 

Phase 1 tanking the adds is optimal for a DK since we have 2 ranged taunts and since vampiric blood is on such a short cd it can be used for each force of nature.
Ams the dragons once they hit 50% health.
AMS can also be used to clear a few brambles in a tight run.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Desruc

[Aegis 27]

To add for cenarius, i've found something really really funny to use for when there's double dragons - speccing into blood mirror, tombstone, and the AMS talent, and basically when both dragons start hitting you, and you have 10 stacks of bone shield, pop all three together, and watch the dragon absolutely melt. it's kinda hilarious, and negates a big source of incoming damage - also, rune tap for cenarius is absolutely golden - when i used tombstone and rune tap together, my pool on the floor was miniscule. fun times.

[Aegis 27]

One thing to note for Il'gynoth. This is a messy and crude way to do it, but if needed, just run into the exploding ichors and grip further ones to you to save the dps. Speccing into tightening grasp on Il'gynoth is invaluable, cause if you also drop a d&d on the eye and pull the ichors in they also get slowed, giving dps more time to kill/aoe stun.

[demonardvark 556]

I see i've missed some comments, I need to update this XD

[Gerenna 0]

Hey, I main a Blood DK and tanking heroic Spellblade is an issue, do you have any tips?

[Shells 64]

On 5/11/2017 at 4:44 PM, Gerenna said:

Hey, I main a Blood DK and tanking heroic Spellblade is an issue, do you have any tips?

Hi @Gerenna

 

Which bit are you struggling with? Do you have any logs handy?

Are you pooling RP for Annihilate? Then popping VB and spamming DS?

Depends a bit on your gear and talents chosen on how you tackle her. Also, depends on what your co tank is doing. Some of the other tanks have it easier but we are still viable for heroic. How many artifact points do you have and whats your gear level at atm?

 

Here is the IV strategy, https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/spellblade-aluriel-strategy-tactics-normal-heroic

Also, sorry for the delay in getting back to you, been an odd week. 

[demonardvark 556]

On 5/13/2017 at 11:51 AM, Shells said:

Hi @Gerenna

 

Which bit are you struggling with? Do you have any logs handy?

Are you pooling RP for Annihilate? Then popping VB and spamming DS?

Depends a bit on your gear and talents chosen on how you tackle her. Also, depends on what your co tank is doing. Some of the other tanks have it easier but we are still viable for heroic. How many artifact points do you have and whats your gear level at atm?

 

Here is the IV strategy, https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/spellblade-aluriel-strategy-tactics-normal-heroic

Also, sorry for the delay in getting back to you, been an odd week. 

i meant to reply as well Ger but same excuse, was crazy week. As shells said telling us your specific problems will help our prognosis.

one of the big things though is I highly recommend rune tap for that fight specifically because of annihilate. before using it even when I was pooling rp and saving CDs, it would demolish me. Proper usage of rune tap really trivialized that mechanic for me. Also how far upgraded is your weapon? With more advanced weapon and the new artifact traits we are getting some really strong defensive love, especially with soul drinker.