WoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gifWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/WoW Insider ShowEvery week, the WoW Insider Show brings you news and views from the World of Warcraft and the site that covers it all, WoW Insider. We introduce a panel of rotating guests, including bloggers from WoW Insider and other WoW blogs, and many popular personalities from around the WoW community. From the live listener chat and polls during the show, to the emails direct from listeners (reach us at theshow@wow.com), right on to the "meat" of the show -- in-depth discussion of the most popular news and posts on WoW Insider -- the WoW Insider Show is a terrific source of news and entertainment about what's going on with Blizzard and their World of Warcraft. Listen live every Saturday at 3:30 pm Eastern on our Ustream page (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wow-insider-show) or subscribe to the feed and let us know what you think by reviewing the show right here in iTunes.Solo the Chess Event with Tikari's Tricks of the Tradehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/solo-the-chess-event-with-tikaris-tricks-of-the-trade/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/solo-the-chess-event-with-tikaris-tricks-of-the-trade/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/solo-the-chess-event-with-tikaris-tricks-of-the-trade/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Oh, you want that pet in Kara The Chess Event SUCKS BUTT here's how to solo it
As an obsessive a big fan of battle pets, I was looking forward to everything patch 5.3 had to offer. Tons of battle pet changes, and the slew of new pets for the Raiding With Leashes II: Attunement Edition all had me especially excited. I zipped through The Eye and Serpentshrine Cavern hunting for the new pets, and emerged victorious with one. Huzzah! But on my way to Karazhan, I realized I'd need to solo the Chess Event to get to Prince Malchezaar, who also drops a pet.

I wiped a few times, but things turned around once I read through an excellent Chess Event soloing guide from WoW blogger Tikari of Tikari's Tricks of the Trade.

Keep in mind that even with a great plan, the Chess Event is still plagued with RNG issues. But knowing what to expect will hopefully keep your rage at bay.

Tikari lays out a simple set of moves -- with diagrams -- and priorities to give your king the best chance of surviving, which is the main goal. The event was nerfed to increase the delay between enemy moves, but keep a few tips in mind.
  • Move your king, and queen if you can, out of the fire immediately. Fire isn't a buff!
  • Attack the enemy king with your queen, using the Rain of Fire/Poison Cloud ability. Be sure to target the enemy king with the queen's main attack.
  • The Clerics seem to heal the enemy king more than I remember, but I kept them distracted with other pieces.
  • Medivh doesn't cheat as quickly as he did before, so you'll have time for about four moves before he does so the first time around. Be sure to at least give your king, ideally your queen as well, space to move. I was able to win in the end by moving backward out of fire, drawing the enemy king into it.
Good luck and be sure to check out Tikari's guide for all the details!

WoW InsiderSolo the Chess Event with Tikari's Tricks of the Trade originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>battle-petbattle-petschess-eventguideKarazhanpatch-5.3prince-malchezaarraiding-with-leashessolosoloing-chess-eventsoloing-karazhantikaris-tricks-of-the-tradeKristin MarshallFri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 ESTThrone of Thunder: Pinnacle of Storms Raid Finder bosses in 5 secondshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/throne-of-thunder-pinnacle-of-storms-raid-finder-bosses-in-5-se/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/throne-of-thunder-pinnacle-of-storms-raid-finder-bosses-in-5-se/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/throne-of-thunder-pinnacle-of-storms-raid-finder-bosses-in-5-se/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Throne of Thunder Pinnacle of Storms Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds
Huzzah! Pinnacle of Storms, the final wing of Throne of Thunder Raid Finder, is open this week, and that means you're almost done. If you're just venturing into ToT Raid Finder, we recommend you head over to our 5-second guides for the first, second, and third wings. This wing is mostly downhill in terms of difficulty, especially after the Durumu pre-nerfed maze business, but can still prove to be a challenge to Raid Finder champions clueless on strategy. And just for you, we've put together a quick guide for the final wing. We accept cookies and high fives. (Thanks Zhonya for the help!)

Iron Qon

Tank swap at two stacks of Impale. Stay off of fire, ice, or lightning lines on the ground throughout the fight, reposition the boss as needed. During the lightning phase, move out of and away from tornadoes once sucked in. Move the boss to the back of the room. Stay spread out during lightning phase. During ice phase, move to hit the boss on his unshielded sides. Stack in his final phase for healing.

Continue reading Throne of Thunder: Pinnacle of Storms Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds

WoW InsiderThrone of Thunder: Pinnacle of Storms Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>in-5-secondsiron-qoniron-qon-guideLei-Shenlei-shen-guidelfrpatch-5.2pinnacle-of-stormsraid-finderthrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-raid-guidetwin-consortstwin-consorts-guideKristin MarshallThu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:00 ESTThrone of Thunder: Halls of Flesh-Shaping Raid Finder bosses in 5 secondshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/throne-of-thunder-halls-of-flesh-shaping-raid-finder-bosses-in/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/throne-of-thunder-halls-of-flesh-shaping-raid-finder-bosses-in/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/throne-of-thunder-halls-of-flesh-shaping-raid-finder-bosses-in/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Throne of Thunder Halls of FleshShaping Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds
The third wing of Throne of Thunder Raid Finder was unlocked this week after a short break from the last one. After our previous 5-second guides to the first and second wings, how could we abandon you now? You've almost made it through. If you thought the beasts in the Forgotten Depths were rough, just wait until you meet your new friends in the Halls of Flesh-Shaping. Here's a quick rundown to quickly share with your Raid Finder buddies (thanks for the help Lucid guildies!).

Durumu the Forgotten

There will be a tank swap, taunt at around 4 stacks of Serious Wound. Step into Life Drain to intercept. During phase two, the raid should split itself between the yellow, red, and blue cones. Move each cone around until the three fog adds are revealed, and kill them. Move out of Force of Will and pools on the ground. During the third phase, be patient and navigate the purple maze while keeping ahead of the death beam. In the maze, stuff on the ground hurts, so stick to the cleared melee or ranged path. Tip: Point your camera downward to better view the cleared maze pathing.

Primordius

Kite the boss to prevent him from picking up too many Living Fluids, and kill them. Tank swap at around seven Malformed Blood stacks and avoid dragging him over the purple Volatile Pools. Only tanks should stand in front of the boss. Collect the red Mutagenic Pools on the ground dropped by Living Fluids to become mutated, DPS the boss. Avoid the red pools when you are mutated.

Continue reading Throne of Thunder: Halls of Flesh-Shaping Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds

WoW InsiderThrone of Thunder: Halls of Flesh-Shaping Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>dark-animusdark-animus-guidedurumuDurumu-the-Forgottendurumu-the-forgotten-guidehalls-of-flesh-shapingin-5-secondslfrpatch-5.2primordiusprimordius-guideraid-finderthrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-raid-guideKristin MarshallWed, 03 Apr 2013 20:00:00 ESTThrone of Thunder: Forgotten Depths Raid Finder bosses in 5 secondshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/throne-of-thunder-forgotten-depths-raid-finder-bosses-in-5-seco/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/throne-of-thunder-forgotten-depths-raid-finder-bosses-in-5-seco/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/throne-of-thunder-forgotten-depths-raid-finder-bosses-in-5-seco/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Throne of Thunder Forgotten Depths Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds
The second wing of Throne of Thunder Raid Finder was just unlocked this week, so get ready to queue. After our last 5-second guide to the first wing, we couldn't just leave you hanging without a second! After being thrown down to the Forgotten Depths, you'll be introduced to a few beastly bosses -- be prepared. Here's a quick rundown perfect for sharing with your Raid Finder comrades (thanks for the help Thugmuffins!).

Tortos

One tank on Tortos, the other on Vampiric Cave Bat duty. Don't stand in Rockfall. Healers be ready to top the raid after Quake Stomp. Kill priority is bats, Whirl Turtles, then boss. Be sure to kick one of the turtles into Tortos to interrupt his Furious Stone Breath. Although you can mostly survive the breath on Raid Finder difficulty, make your healer's life easier by interrupting.

Megaera

Note: You will have to kill the three Eternal Guardians around the cave and ring their bells to spawn the boss.

Tank the two active heads facing away from the center, and don't tank the same head twice in a row to avoid debuffs stacking too high. The raid should stack in the center during Rampage for AoE heals. Kite the beam out of the raid if you're targeted with Torrent of Ice. Run out of the raid for a Cinders dispel. Run away from the Acid Rain. Kill order of the heads in this difficulty isn't too important, just rotate -- green, red, blue will work fine.

See Ji-Kun's quick strategy after the break!

Continue reading Throne of Thunder: Forgotten Depths Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds

WoW InsiderThrone of Thunder: Forgotten Depths Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>forgotten-depthsin-5-secondsji-kunji-kun-guidelfrmegaeramegaera-guidepatch-5.2raid-finderthrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-raid-guidetortostortos-guideKristin MarshallThu, 21 Mar 2013 15:00:00 ESTThrone of Thunder: Last Stand of the Zandalari Raid Finder bosses in 5 secondshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/14/throne-of-thunder-last-stand-of-the-zandalari-raid-finder-bosse/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/14/throne-of-thunder-last-stand-of-the-zandalari-raid-finder-bosse/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/14/throne-of-thunder-last-stand-of-the-zandalari-raid-finder-bosse/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Throne of Thunder Last Stand of the Zandalari Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds
The first wing of Throne of Thunder Raid Finder has opened this week, so it's time to slay a few bosses. Maybe you're ready to queue up right this second. In fact, with the staggered release schedule, you're probably very ready. No time to read through our full guides, or need a short explanation ready for other players? Here's a quick reference perfect for copy and pasting into chat, because we love you.

Jin'rokh the Breaker

Tanks have a swap, watch out for the Static Wound debuff and be ready to taunt. Everyone else stand in the pools unless they're electrified, step out and stack near the boss during Lightning Storm. If you're targeted by the Focused Lightning, run away, and don't electrify the pools.

Horridon

One tank on the boss, the other on adds -- switch after each door so Triple Puncture doesn't stack too high. The adds cast debuffs, so healers be ready to dispel. Stay away from Horridon's head and tail. Kill Dinomancer adds first and stay out of stuff on the ground. Click the Orb of Command when it appears. After the door phase, War-God Jalak will spawn. Off-tank and burn him, continue on the boss.

Council of Elders

Tanks focus on swapping Frost King Malakk before reaching 15 stacks of Frigid Assault. Prioritize killing adds: Loa Spirits and Living Sands. If there are no adds, DPS the empowered boss -- it'll be big and purple. Offing Sul first is usually easiest. Priestess: interrupt Wrath of the Loa, kill spirits. Frost King: stack on the player with Frostbite. Kazra'jin: avoid charges, use damage-reduction cooldowns on Overload. Sul: interrupt Sand Bolt, kill adds, don't stand in Quicksand.

If you want a more in-depth look of the bosses in the first wing of the Throne of Thunder, check out our complete guides:

WoW InsiderThrone of Thunder: Last Stand of the Zandalari Raid Finder bosses in 5 seconds originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>council-of-elderscouncil-of-elders-guidehorridonhorridon-guidein-5-secondsjinrokh-the-breakerjinrokh-the-breaker-guidelast-stand-of-the-zandalarilfrpatch-5.2raid-finderthrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-raid-guideKristin MarshallThu, 14 Mar 2013 14:00:00 ESTPatch 5.2 guide to the Throne of Thunderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/patch-5-2-guide-to-the-throne-of-thunder/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/patch-5-2-guide-to-the-throne-of-thunder/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/patch-5-2-guide-to-the-throne-of-thunder/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Horridon picture
The Thunder King is risen! Today, hordes (and alliances) of characters are flocking to the Isle of Thunder to take part in the hotly-anticipated new content. Many of you will be jumping straight into the new raid as well, and in the spirit of being prepared, WoW Insider has got you covered. Check out our Throne of Thunder write-ups and go in swinging!
The ultimate last boss of 5.2, Ra-den, is locked behind a heroic-mode defeat of Lei Shen and that encounter remains a closely-guarded secret -- for now. Happy patch 5.2 everyone, and happy raiding!

WoW InsiderPatch 5.2 guide to the Throne of Thunder originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>5.2boss-fightsbossescouncil-of-elders-guidedark-animus-guidedinosaursdurumu-the-forgotten-guidehorridon-guideiron-qon-guideji-kun-guidejinrokh-guidejinrokh-the-breaker-guidelei-shen-guidemegaera-guidepatch-5.2patch-5.2-raidsprimordious-guidethrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-boss-guidethrone-of-thunder-guidethrone-of-thunder-raid-guidetortos-guidetwin-consorts-guideSarah PineTue, 05 Mar 2013 14:00:00 ESTPatch 5.2 PTR: Primordiushttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/patch-5-2-ptr-primordius/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/patch-5-2-ptr-primordius/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/patch-5-2-ptr-primordius/#commentsFiled under: ,

Patch 52 PTR Primordius
Your raid will run into Primordius in the later stage of the Throne of Thunder. Poor Primordius seems to be a saurok of some sort. The Dungeon Journal indicates that this is the chamber where the mogu first created or modified them. Check out the Know Your Lore column that Matt Rossi wrote a while ago about the subject.

I always thought these guys were annoying. Now you've got another chance to put one of the main saurok fellas to rest for good. Expect to be overwhelmed the first few times you try this. It'll end up being a little confusing simply because of all the different abilities, buffs, and debuffs involved.

Continue reading Patch 5.2 PTR: Primordius

WoW InsiderPatch 5.2 PTR: Primordius originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>5.2patch-5.2primordiusptrraidthrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-raid-guideMatt LowMon, 25 Feb 2013 19:00:00 ESTPatch 5.2 PTR: Crushing the Council of Eldershttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/23/patch-5-2-ptr-crushing-the-council-of-elders/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/23/patch-5-2-ptr-crushing-the-council-of-elders/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/23/patch-5-2-ptr-crushing-the-council-of-elders/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Patch 52 PTR Crushing the Council of Elders

Thought you saw the last of Gara'jal in Mogushan Vaults, did you?

Yeah, so did I. Mogu'shan Vaults was merely a setback!

The Council of Elders is the third encounter in the Throne of Thunder. I surmise it's the whole leadership of the Troll empire right there looking to stop your raid team from progressing any further into the compound.

As you can guess, this encounter is the first council-type encounter of the raid. They'll have to handle the various abilities and spells that the Council is dishing out while slowly whittling them all down. They don't have a shared pool so you do you have your work cut out for you. Now there are going to be a ton of things going on but your raid should be able to pick up on the different abilities without too much of a hassle.

Continue reading Patch 5.2 PTR: Crushing the Council of Elders

WoW InsiderPatch 5.2 PTR: Crushing the Council of Elders originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 23 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>council-of-elderskazrajinmalakkmarlipatch-5.2-ptrraidraid-guidesulthrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-raid-guideMatt LowSat, 23 Feb 2013 20:00:00 ESTPatch 5.2 PTR: Killing Throne of Thunder's Dark Animushttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/patch-5-2-ptr-killing-throne-of-thunders-dark-animus/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/patch-5-2-ptr-killing-throne-of-thunders-dark-animus/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/patch-5-2-ptr-killing-throne-of-thunders-dark-animus/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Patch 52 PTR Deanimating the Dark Animus
Dark Animus is the ninth boss in the Throne of Thunder, followed by Iron Qon, Twin Consorts, and Lei Shen. It's preceded by some fairly stern trash, and on entering the room players are greeted by the image seen above. It's all a tad confusing to the uninitiated, but what you're essentially fighting against is that red, gloopy substance. The story goes as follows:
During his reign, Lei Shen labored to build a mechanical servant that would defend his citadel without fear. When this experiment failed, rage took hold of the Thunder King. He poured this negative emotion into his next, amd most successful creation: the Dark Animus. To this day, the ornate construct observes its duty, empowered by the mysterious substance at the heart of all the Mogu flesh-shaping experiments.
This fight is definitely one of the most interesting ones I've attended on the PTR. Again, I was privileged to join Lore from TankSpot and his guild Months Behind for testing on my restoration shaman.

The fight begins with the spherical blob you see in the center of the room. It will not aggro onto nearby players until struck, but when aggroed, it will explode, activating a number of the smallest robots visible above by powering them with Anima.

Continue reading Patch 5.2 PTR: Killing Throne of Thunder's Dark Animus

WoW InsiderPatch 5.2 PTR: Killing Throne of Thunder's Dark Animus originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>dark-animusfeaturedpatch-5.2patch-5.2-ptrthrone-of-thunderthrone-of-thunder-raid-guidewow-patch-5.2wow-patch-5.2-ptrOlivia GraceTue, 05 Feb 2013 14:00:00 ESTTankspot takes a look at the Council of Eldershttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/01/15/tankspot-takes-a-look-at-the-council-of-elders/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/01/15/tankspot-takes-a-look-at-the-council-of-elders/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/01/15/tankspot-takes-a-look-at-the-council-of-elders/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Council of Elders is the third boss in the Throne of Thunder raid, but the first that was open for testing on the PTR. Tankspot took a look at the encounter and put together a video that explains some of the mechanics involved with what looks like an incredibly complex fight. The video above is for the 10-man normal mode version of the encounter, and because this is the PTR, abilities and effects shown in the video may change over time.

Each Elder in the Council has their own set of abilities, and the fight requires three tanks to pull off successfully. But it's not that easy, of course. Also present in the fight is the pesky spirit of Gara'jal, last seen in Mogu'shan Vaults. Gara'jal will possess each Elder in turn, changing the Elder's abilities and making the fight just that much more hectic for players.

This fight has a very heavy emphasis on target swapping between both the various Elders, and the adds that those Elders spawn. Players must attack the Elder that is possessed by Gara'jal -- otherwise a raid-wide AoE will quickly stack to unmanageable heights and overwhelm the raid. In order to force Gara'jal to swap to another Elder, players must DPS the possessed Elder down by 25%.

Keep in mind that this is the first round of PTR testing for this particular encounter. There will doubtless be small changes and tweaks as the PTR moves on. If you'd like to participate in PTR testing, be sure to keep an eye on the official PTR forums for scheduling information regarding the different encounters in Throne of Thunder.

Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.

WoW InsiderTankspot takes a look at the Council of Elders originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>council-of-eldersfrost-king-malakkGarajal-the-Spiritbinderhigh-priestess-marlikazrajinpatch-5.2patch-5.2-ptrpatch-5.2-raidssul-the-sandcrawlertankspotthrone-of-thunderAnne StickneyTue, 15 Jan 2013 19:00:00 ESTRaid Rx: Healing through Gara'jal and Spirit Kingshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/10/raid-rx-healing-through-garajal-and-spirit-kings/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/10/raid-rx-healing-through-garajal-and-spirit-kings/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/10/raid-rx-healing-through-garajal-and-spirit-kings/#commentsFiled under: ,

Raid Rx Garajal and Spirit Kings
Every week, Raid Rx will help you quarterback your healers to victory! Your host is Matt Low, the grand poohbah of World of Matticus and a founder of Plus Heal, a discussion community for healers of all experience levels and interests.

A few weeks ago, Joe wrote a piece about personal survivability on my blog. After healing some raid finder and pug runs, I wanted to help echo his sentiment. Whenever there's a new expansion, there's always additional abilities, bosses, and so forth. There's new players picking up the game and old players returning. It bears some reminding that you absolutely should help look after yourself.

Your class has talents that helps you live.

Use them!

Continue reading Raid Rx: Healing through Gara'jal and Spirit Kings

WoW InsiderRaid Rx: Healing through Gara'jal and Spirit Kings originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredgarajalguidehealinghealing-guidehow-to-healmogushan-vaultsraidraid-guideraid-healingraiding-guidespirit-kingswow-guidewow-healingwow-raid-guidewow-raid-healingMatt LowSat, 10 Nov 2012 14:00:00 ESTRaid Rx: Healing through Fenghttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/raid-rx-healing-through-feng/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/raid-rx-healing-through-feng/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/raid-rx-healing-through-feng/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Raid Rx
Every week, Raid Rx will help you quarterback your healers to victory! Your host is Matt Low, the grand poohbah of World of Matticus and a founder of Plus Heal, a discussion community for healers of all experience levels and interests.

We'll get into healing tips for Feng momentarily but I wanted to examine the state of raiding healers.

It's been a couple of weeks since Mogu'shan Vaults opened up for raids. We've got another week and a few days to go before Heart of Fear and Terrace of Endless Springs open. A quick cursory glance at the preferred healers show that monks are the class to be right now. They appear to be dominating at the 25 level while in normal 10s, we're seeing additional representation from shaman and paladins. Priests have received some minor hotfixes. Prayer of Healing and Prayer of Mending was buffed by an additional 25% not too long ago.

5.1 is introducing another set of changes to priests:
No additional healing changes have been announced for the other classes yes, but I'd expect some more tweaks coming down the road.

Continue reading Raid Rx: Healing through Feng

WoW InsiderRaid Rx: Healing through Feng originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>bossfeaturedfengguidehealinghealing-guidehow-to-healmogushan-vaultsraidraid-guideraid-healingraiding-guidewow-guidewow-healingwow-raid-guidewow-raid-healingMatt LowFri, 19 Oct 2012 17:00:00 ESTRaid Rx: Getting started with healing Mogu'shan Vaultshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/06/raid-rx-getting-started-with-healing-mogushan-vaults/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/06/raid-rx-getting-started-with-healing-mogushan-vaults/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/06/raid-rx-getting-started-with-healing-mogushan-vaults/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Raid Rx Getting started with healing Mogu'shan Vaults
Every week, Raid Rx will help you quarterback your healers to victory! Your host is Matt Low, the grand poohbah of World of Matticus and a founder of Plus Heal, a discussion community for healers of all experience levels and interests.

Raids are out! If you're anything like me, you spent a good chunk of week 1 powering to 90 as fast as possible. With raids open in the second week of Mists of Pandaria, you are no doubt in the process of preparing to step inside Mogu'shan Vaults! Today we'll cover some of the pre-raid items you should be doing before taking on the Stone Guard.

Yes, we'll be going over Stone Guard healing tips, too!

Reputation grinds: Blizzard has generously nerfed the reputation requirements when it comes to purchasing select gear. Now you only need to be revered to purchase those delicious valor level items. If you managed to cap out your valor last week, you have the ability to pick up a neck piece from the Klaxxi (provided that you have been diligent with their dailies). As a bonus, many of these quests provide those Lesser Charm of Good Fortune which gives you an extra chance at loot in any raid difficulty level.

Consumables: Have you been leveling your cooking and farming abilities with the Tillers? If not, Megan has a great introductory guide. We're looking to become Master of the Steamer due to their spirit food. For potions, arm yourself with stacks of Potion of Focus. Look for the safe periods in a fight where you can use these without getting interrupted. Finally, expect to spend some money on Flask of Falling Leaves. Gold Lotus prices are typically going to be really high. But you'll want that extra regen.

Continue reading Raid Rx: Getting started with healing Mogu'shan Vaults

WoW InsiderRaid Rx: Getting started with healing Mogu'shan Vaults originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredguidehealinghealing-guidehow-to-healmogushan vaultsMogushanVaultsraidraid-guideraid-healingraidingraiding-guidestone guardStoneGuardwow-guidewow-healingwow-raid-guidewow-raid-healingMatt LowSat, 06 Oct 2012 18:00:00 ESTHealing Mogu'shan Vaults Part 1 in the raid finderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/healing-mogushan-vaults-part-1-in-the-raid-finder/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/healing-mogushan-vaults-part-1-in-the-raid-finder/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/healing-mogushan-vaults-part-1-in-the-raid-finder/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Raid Rx Healing Mogu'shan Vaults part 1 in LFR ANY
Every week, Raid Rx will help you quarterback your healers to victory! Your host is Matt Low, the grand poohbah of World of Matticus and a founder of Plus Heal, a discussion community for healers of all experience levels and interests.

Imagine my delight when I realized that the raid finder in the Mists of Pandaria beta was available for testing. The only instance available at the moment is Mogu'shan Vaults, but heck, who cares? I've been dying to get more practice in. I must've waited around 50 or so minutes before we had enough players to jump in. There were times where we had two tanks, six healers, and 11 DPSers. Other times we had 17 DPSers, 6 healers, and no tanks!

The raid finder for Mogu'shan Vaults has been split into two parts. You can't access the second half of it until you clear out the first three bosses in the first half.

There are some spoilers after the cut. Consider yourself warned!

Continue reading Healing Mogu'shan Vaults Part 1 in the raid finder

WoW InsiderHealing Mogu'shan Vaults Part 1 in the raid finder originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredguidehealinghealing-guidehow-to-healraid-guideraid-healingraiding-guidewow-guidewow-healingwow-raid-guidewow-raid-healingMatt LowMon, 13 Aug 2012 09:00:00 ESTArcane Brilliance: How to solo Magtheridon for fun and transmoghttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/05/arcane-brilliance-how-to-solo-magtheridon-for-fun-and-transmog/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/05/arcane-brilliance-how-to-solo-magtheridon-for-fun-and-transmog/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/05/arcane-brilliance-how-to-solo-magtheridon-for-fun-and-transmog/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Magtheridon gets mad
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. In good news, the most esteemed archmage Christian Belt has escaped from the alternate timeline where he was forced to perpetually watch reruns of Fox Van Allen's appearance on The Price is Right. The bad news is that this means this is Josh Myers' last mage article for a while, but he had fun while it lasted!

My mage wasn't level-capped when Magtheridon was relevant content. I was a resto shaman, content to spam my one PUG raid night a week spamming four ranks of Chain Heal on other people. I still remember those days fondly, as they were my first exposure to "real" raiding. Also, Magtheridon's Lair was considerably easier than tier 4's other 25-man raid, Gruul's Lair, and the only way to get access to your tier four chestpiece.

I first learned Magtheridon's Lair was soloable at level 85 by managing to do it on my hunter, because pet classes are overpowered (though the ones with self-healing are even more so -- I'm looking at you, Megan O'Neill!). Speaking of potent self-healing, I followed with my blood death knight, and then conquered the pit lord with my enhance shaman. The natural next choice would have been to take a warlock or maybe a feral druid, but I wanted a challenge. Also, Magelam was craving a Crystalheart Pulse-Staff, so he was my fourth choice. I ended up spending about two hours last November perfecting my strategy and have since been able to down him consistently whenever I want a quick 50 gold and some level 70 epics to sell.

Continue reading Arcane Brilliance: How to solo Magtheridon for fun and transmog

WoW InsiderArcane Brilliance: How to solo Magtheridon for fun and transmog originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 05 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredguide-to-mageshellfire-channelershow-to-magtheridonmage-guidemage-infomage-solos-magtheridonmage-talentsmagtheridonmagtheridons-lairsoloing-as-a-magesoloing-magesoloing-magtheridonsoloing-tier-fourwow-magewow-mage-infowow-mageswow-magtheridonJosh MyersSat, 05 May 2012 14:00:00 ESTThe Light and How to Swing It: The Fall of Deathwing, ret edition, part 2http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/the-light-and-how-to-swing-it-the-fall-of-deathwing-ret-editio/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/the-light-and-how-to-swing-it-the-fall-of-deathwing-ret-editio/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/the-light-and-how-to-swing-it-the-fall-of-deathwing-ret-editio/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Every week, WoW Insider brings you The Light and How to Swing It for holy, protection and retribution paladins. Seasoned ret paladin Dan Desmond is here to answer your questions and provide you with your biweekly dose of retribution medicine. Contact him at dand@wowinsider.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!

This is it, guys and girls. This is the moment we have all been training for while hitting that poor target dummy in Orgrimmar, because only repeatedly bashing a plank of wood will truly prepare you to square off against a dragon as epic as the big DW. So pick up your weapon, your bag of tricks, and your handful of cooldowns -- it's time to kill Deathwing the Destroyer.

Spine of Deathwing

I remember when there was wild speculation on what the Deathwing fight in Dragon Soul would actually look like. The devs announced that we would jump on him for part of the fight, and my strange brain secretly hoped that we would start at his tail and work our way up, maybe chopping off his legs and wings into a giant container of dry rub so the Titans could come on down and throw it on a massive barbecue. Honestly, we should have done that with Onyxia so she couldn't be resurrected 14 times!

Continue reading The Light and How to Swing It: The Fall of Deathwing, ret edition, part 2

WoW InsiderThe Light and How to Swing It: The Fall of Deathwing, ret edition, part 2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>class-helpDan DesmondDanDesmonddeathwingdragon soulDragonSoulfeaturedguideguide-to-paladinsguide-to-palliesguide-to-pallysJoystiqmadness-of-deathwingpaladin-guidepaladin-infopaladin-retribution-the-light-and-how-to-swing-itpaladin-talentspally-guidepally-infopally-talentspatch-4.3raidingret paladinsRetPaladinsretribution-paladin-the-light-and-how-to-swing-itspine-of-deathwingtalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.3wow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-paladinwow-paladin-infowow-paladinswow-pallywow-pally-infowow-patchwow-patch-4.3wow-patch-4.3-newswow-patch-newswow-talent-guideDan DesmondWed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 ESTThe Light and How to Swing It: The Fall of Deathwing, ret edition part 1http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/-fall-of-deathwing-ret-paladin-part-1/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/-fall-of-deathwing-ret-paladin-part-1/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/-fall-of-deathwing-ret-paladin-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Every week, WoW Insider brings you The Light and How to Swing It for holy, protection and retribution paladins. Seasoned ret paladin Dan Desmond is here to answer your questions and provide you with your biweekly dose of retribution medicine. Contact him at dand@wowinsider.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!

Well, here we are, the first two of the final four bosses of the expansion. That is, we think Deathwing is the final boss of the expansion -- it is still unclear whether Blizzard will pull another We're not done with the next expansion yet! raid on us like it did in Wrath with Ruby Sanctum. Regardless, we have a raid that needs a conclusion and a guide to go along with it, so let's get started!

Please note that this guide, like many others I have written, is for the normal version of each encounter. Some mechanics, like Fading Light and Twilight Sappers, either work differently or have been removed on the Raid Finder difficulty.

Ultraxion

I really wish I had more to say about this fight, but Blizzard isn't having it. Simply put, Ultraxion is this raid's Patchwerk with the addition of a button. Yes, you really do just stand in one place, run your rotation train on him, and hit a button when the situation calls for it. I honestly wish there were more to this fight, but there it is.

Continue reading The Light and How to Swing It: The Fall of Deathwing, ret edition part 1

WoW InsiderThe Light and How to Swing It: The Fall of Deathwing, ret edition part 1 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>blackhornclass-helpDan DesmondDanDesmonddragon soulDragonSoulfeaturedguideguide-to-paladinsguide-to-palliesguide-to-pallyspaladin-guidepaladin-infopaladin-talentspally-guidepally-infopally-talentspatch-4.3ret paladinsRetPaladinsRetribution-paladinretribution-paladin-the-light-and-how-to-swing-ittalenttalentsultraxionwarmaster-blackhornworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.3wow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-paladinwow-paladin-infowow-paladinswow-pallywow-pally-infowow-patchwow-patch-4.3wow-patch-4.3-newswow-patch-newswow-talent-guideDan DesmondWed, 18 Jan 2012 16:00:00 ESTWoW Insider's guide to Warlord Zon'ozzhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/wow-insiders-guide-to-warlord-zonozz/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/wow-insiders-guide-to-warlord-zonozz/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/wow-insiders-guide-to-warlord-zonozz/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ready Check helps you prepare yourself and your raid for the bosses that simply require killing. Check back with Ready Check each week for the latest pointers on killing adds, not standing in fire, and hoping for loot that won't drop. Questions, comments, or something you would like to see? Email me at tyler@wowinsider or message me on Twitter @murmursofadruid.

Unlike the other encounters in Dragon Soul, Warlord Zon'ozz only requires a single tank. For cooldown purposes, it is possible to bring in a second tank; however, there isn't too much of a need to do so. Per usual, you will want to have around five to six healers. Switch your off tank for an additional healer if you feel that would help. Your DPS should be a solid mix of both ranged and melee; there does need to be a solid balance of both. Healers should be split among the DPS, with tank healers staying with the melee.

Abilities

Zon'ozz doesn't have all that many abilities, but he's still a hands-on encounter. Most of your time will be spent watching the Void of Unmaking and bouncing it back and forth. Healers will focus more on clearing away Disrupting Shadows. For once, tanks probably have the easiest time on this encounter, only really having to watch out for a single ability that occurs about once per phase or so.

Continue reading WoW Insider's guide to Warlord Zon'ozz

WoW InsiderWoW Insider's guide to Warlord Zon'ozz originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>dragon-souldragon-soul-guidedragon-soul-raidfeaturedguideguide-to-raid-leadingleadershippatch-4.3raid-guideraid-leaderraid-leader-guideraiding-guideraidswarlord-zonozzwarlord-zonozz-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.3wow-guidewow-guide-to-raid-leadingwow-patchwow-patch-4.3wow-patch-4.3-newswow-patch-newswow-raid-leaderwow-raidingwow-raidszonozzzonozz-guideTyler CarawayFri, 09 Dec 2011 17:00:00 ESTWoW Insider's guide to Morchokhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/wow-insiders-guide-to-morchok/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/wow-insiders-guide-to-morchok/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/wow-insiders-guide-to-morchok/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ready Check helps you prepare yourself and your raid for the bosses that simply require killing. Check back with Ready Check each week for the latest pointers on killing adds, not standing in fire, and hoping for loot that won't drop. Questions, comments, or something you would like to see? Email me at tyler@wowinsider or message me on Twitter @murmursofadruid.

Greetings raiders, and welcome to WoW Insider's raid boss strategy guides! With the release of 4.3 and the new Dragon Soul raid, we're finally onto the last bastion of evil in this expansion. Finally we are given the chance to face down Deathwing himself and end his destructive madness. Before we can reach this cataclysmic destroyer, though, we'll first have to break the siege upon Wyrmrest Temple and battle our way through the most powerful minions the Destroyer has in his arsenal.

The first of this is Morchok, a giant earth elemental that is assaulting the front gates, as it were, of the Temple itself. Although not challenging for the first encounter of the raid, this pile of rocks isn't going down without a fight. Are you prepared to break yourselves upon his body? (Oh, wait ... that's a different encounter, isn't it?)

Continue reading WoW Insider's guide to Morchok

WoW InsiderWoW Insider's guide to Morchok originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Dragon-soul-guideDragon-Soul-Morchokdragon-soul-raidfeaturedguideguide-to-raid-leadingleadershipMorchokMorchok-guidepatch-4.3raid-guideraid-leaderraid-leader-guideraiding-guideraidsworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.3wow-guidewow-guide-to-raid-leadingwow-patchwow-patch-4.3wow-patch-4.3-newswow-patch-newswow-raid-leaderwow-raidingwow-raidsTyler CarawayFri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:00 ESTThe Light and How to Swing It: Retribution in the Firelands, part 1http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/retribution-paladin-firelands-part-1/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/retribution-paladin-firelands-part-1/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/retribution-paladin-firelands-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Every week, WoW Insider brings you The Light and How to Swing It for holy, protection and retribution paladins. This week, Dan Desmond walks you through the Firelands.

Firelands has been out for a couple of months now. Many have gotten their hands dirty fighting against the minions of Ragnaros; a few have even beaten the elemental lord himself. But many more are just rolling up their sleeves, waiting for their friends and guildmates to get bored of playing in the sun (seriously, it's going to be there for another 5 billion years -- I think you can play a little Warcraft here and there and it won't mind). Well then, what better place to start than at the beginning?

Continue reading The Light and How to Swing It: Retribution in the Firelands, part 1

WoW InsiderThe Light and How to Swing It: Retribution in the Firelands, part 1 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>class-helpfeaturedfirelandsguideguide-to-paladinsguide-to-palliesguide-to-pallyslord-rhyolithpaladin-guidepaladin-infopaladin-talentspally-guidepally-infopally-talentsragefaceretribution-paladinretribution-paladin-the-light-and-how-to-swing-itrhyolithriplimbshannoxtalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-paladinwow-paladin-infowow-paladinswow-pallywow-pally-infowow-talent-guideDan DesmondWed, 31 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST