Balance Druid DPS Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible Raid Guide — Season 4

Below, you can find class and spec-specific advice for every fight in Aberrus. If you are looking for a general overview of the Raid that is not spec-specific, check out our dedicated Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible guides.

On this page, you will find Balance Druid specific information to deal with each boss in the Aberrus raid. These are not complete encounter guides, but rather provide specific tips for doing the bosses as a Balance Druid.

This page assumes that you already understand most of the mechanics of each encounter. These can be found on the full raid guide, so what is contained here are details specifically tailored toward Balance Druid and what you can do to deal with each fight as best as possible.

All recommendations are progression-based tips and will not necessarily be the best for an overall DPS ranking.

As of now, there is no information on potential mechanical changes to the bosses that are empowered by the Season 4 Awakened raid change. This page has been updated using the most recent talent choices as some things may have changed since the raid was cleared previously.

 
• We recommend the standard single-target build. For this boss, passive  movement speed on the general tree is preferred.
 
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Cooldowns should be used on pull and on cooldown thereafter. Barkskin should be used at each Boss Health threshold, especially when targeted with a beam.

Not much changes on Mythic to be noted.

For more information, please refer to our Kazzara guide.

 
• We recommend the single target build with Starfall and   Aetherial Kindling. If you can not cleave both targets from the  center of the room, swap to the fully single target build with Nature's Balance  and Warrior of Elune as well.
 
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Cooldowns should be used on pull and then on cooldown thereafter. Use Wild Charge to get the far soaks.

On Mythic, use Barkskin when you are clearing every boss swap.

For more information, please refer to our Amalgamation Chamber guide.

 
• We recommend the Starfall talent build for this boss on Mythic.  On Heroic and below, take single target talents.
 
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Cooldowns should be used on pull and then on cooldown thereafter. Use Barkskin when target with spells such as Rending Charge or when you have high stacks of Unstable Essence.

On Mythic, you use your first set of Cooldowns with Bloodlust at 1-minute when the second boss becomes active. You may get a second one after, but it is a short fight. If you are using Bloodlust on pull, you can cooldown there instead. If there are limited cleave opportunities, swap to single target talents.

For more information, please refer to our Forgotten Experiments guide.

For more information, please refer to our Assault of the Zaqali guide.

 
• We recommend the Starfall talent build for this boss
 
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Your cooldowns should be used on pull and then on cooldown thereafter. Barkskin should be used on Catastrophic Slam. Single target down the Magma Mystic with Starsurge until the shield breaks.

Not much changes on Mythic to be noted.

 
• We recommend the single target talent build for this boss. We also  recommend an extra defensive class tree for Mythic.
 
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Use cooldowns on pull and on cooldown thereafter. Barkskin should be used when targeted with Searing Slam, when soaking Doom Flames, or during intermission as necessary.

On Mythic, the damage intake is intense. Barkskin should be used during Overcharged clears after Charged Smash. Ursine Vigor is especially useful in the final phase for each Charged Smash.

Tips to be available upon raid release.

For more information, please refer to our Rashok the Elder guide.

 
• We recommend the Starfall talent build for this boss. You should  take Typhoon to help control adds if needed. If not, you can take  better defensive options, such as an extra point in Well-Honed Instincts.
 
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Use cooldowns on pull and on cooldown thereafter. Barkskin should be used on Blast Wave when you are affected by Unstable Embers. Astral Power should be saved to Starfall Dragonfire Golems that spawn. Focus on the far mobs that are not going to be cleaved down when running through the boss.

On Mythic, the boss is very similar to heroic but requires better position and routing from the tanks. Damage intake is high across the board, and defensives should be used liberally. Any damage overlaps with Blast Wave are the most dangerous on Mythic.

For more information, please refer to our Zskarn guide.

 
• We recommend the single target talent build for this boss.
 
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Cooldowns should be used on pull and on cooldown thereafter. Barkskin can be used on Lava Ejection. Wild Charge can be used to negate the knockback from Overpowering Stomp.

On Mythic, the boss is a tight DPS check and the damage that can kill you is largely combined with the rotting damage from Searing Heat. Avoid going into Bear Form, but still take an extra point in Well-Honed Instincts. The key to the fight is pooling Astral Power for the Movement, which happens periodically in short bursts.

For more information, please refer to our Magmorax guide.

 
• Depending on the tuning of this boss and your raid composition, you may  want to take full single target talents or Starfall. We are currently  recommending more progression-oriented talents which would involved helping  to cleave the adds in the final phase.
 
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Use cooldowns on pull and the on cooldown thereafter. If you are going to Bloodlust Phase 3, you can save your second usage for that instead. Barkskin should be used when targeted with Volcanic Heart or with Umbral Annihilation. Do not cleave enemies while affected by Corruption. Save Astral Power for the Phase 2 Adds to burn them down quickly. New Moon charges can help with generation and focus damage on these adds.

On Mythic, finding the right ways to live each Volcanic Heart set is the key to performing well. We recommend 2 points in Ursine Vigor as the short downtime going Bear Form brings is acceptable for the extra safety it provides.

In the final phase, you can Starfall the Abberations that spawn, but should not go overboard fully DoTing them if they will not live. The last phase is still an important DPS check. Use Wild Charge to make it to your soak and Bear Form to survive Ebon Destruction.

For more information, please refer to our Neltharion guide.

 
• We recommend the Starfall build for this boss without   Aetherial Kindling. You can also run full single target talents to  push the boss in phase 2 if the adds are not a problem.
 
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Use cooldowns on pull and then on cooldown thereafter. If you are killing the boss quickly, save your second cooldown for Phase 2. Balance Druids can do the Void Bomb if needed. Regardless of Void Bombs, try to line going down into the void realm with a high Primordial Arcanic Pulsar stack count. Stampeding Roar can be cast before phasing below to give all party members movement speed to collect their buffs.

On Mythic, your damage intake in phase 1 is the highest of the fight. Alternate Barkskin and potentially healing potions to stay alive where the rest of the fight will be much safer to live.

In phase 2, depending on your raid composition and Awakened tuning, the adds may require some additional help through DoTing and Starfalling. Your cooldowns will be up for the second add set and then can be used again in the final phase. Do not hesitate to just use your cooldowns as you may not get a full usage if you wait for a good time.

For more information, please refer to our Scalecommander Sarkareth guide.