Phase 3 Findings

[Alhazad]

Hi guys. Sorry the Ony run didn't go better. Phase 1 and 2 seem down pat, it's 3 that we need to tackle now.

My observations from Phase 3

Taunt and similar abilities do nothing; the only way to get aggro is to establish it the old fashioned way, either by damage or abilities that produce threat (sunder, revenge, etc.)

When preparing her fear, the ground will shake for 2-3 seconds.

When her fear is active, she tends to switch targets whoever is NOT feared... IF her main target is feared. If her main target is not feared (he resisted it, broke it, etc), she remains on him.

When her fear expires AND if she switched targets to someone who was not feared, she appears to then snap back to whomever was on top of her aggro list (hopefully a tank).

To break the initial Phase 3 Starter Fear, I use a trinket that gives me 30 seconds of fear immunity. This is usually long enough to also be immune to her second fear in Phase 3.

To break the other fears in Phase 3, I can only use Berzerker Rage, which requires a switch to Berzerker Stance, a pop of the Zerker Rage, and then a quick switch back to Def stance. This isn't difficult, but the timing is. She's batting me around all over the place, so I cannot always see the ground start to shake before her fear goes off. ALSO: Her fear intervals are not predictable. Zerker rage lasts 10 seconds, and then has a cooldown of 30 seconds. This is enough to be immune to one fear or break one fear, but Onyxia can easily follow up with another fear 5, 10, or 15 seconds later before the ability is ready again.

Tremor totems... I couldn't tell if they were helping. They did seem to bring me out of the fear early on occasion.

I think we have our Phase 1, 2, and transition from 2 to 3 down... the tank/tanks can get aggro. It's then a matter of reducing the times the tank is affected by fear, or breaking fear. :/

Maybe I should stick to the Core.

[Martok]

Well, I don't know what we were doing wrong.

I do know the tremor totems were working lovely on the first two attempts when I was dropping them in my group. I didn't drop them after though, as something was said about making sure Al is the first one to break fear.

It is frustrating as hell, but we've made progress every week I think. We got phase 2 down, just that NASTY phase 3.

Perhaps we are lacking on DPS? I wish my warlock was keyed for Ony....I honestly think that could make the difference is a few more DPS-ers

[Huato]

It seemed my tremor totem did not work during the encounter...I was feared the entire time every time that I had it down, and I was in Al's group the entire night...When we're fighting Magmadar I can tell it breaks it, but with Onyxia, I have yet to notice it truley break the fear...it may be timing too. The Tremor totem works on pulses, so it may be pulsing at the wrong time too.

DPS...I'm not sure in phase 3...this is something I need to research. She's skittish enough in phase 3 with her aggro target that increasing DPS may be too dangerous. She jumps from target to target too damned easy as is.

After reading about the 8 man group that downed her, I'm guessing that it was a slow and steady endurance fight where they propped up the MT and let him keep aggro the entire time.

Anyhow, input is appreciated, and I am also going to research Phase 3 more. We have 1 and 2 down very well now!

ok, Phase 3 like phase 1...easy does it:

The positioning is the same as phase 1 but much tighter due to the exploding lava cracks. Remember, it's now okay to bunch together again so cluster up and stay off the cracks. Melee stay as far away as you can off the cracks. Ranged people hug the wall away from the cracks.

Be careful not to get too far in front of her along the wall. The MT will slowly be moving her north, don't go too far north and get hit by the fire breath. Keep your back away from the eggs incase you are knocked back.

Whelp groups get a break because there are very few whelp spawns as long as no one gets knocked into the eggs just like phase 1. They need to be positioned further away from the eggs so they aren't feared into them. Near the leftmost/rightmost R spots on the above map.

"Plan":

Big dragon lands, MT is waiting under her with rage, slaps her in the face, and questions her mother's sexual orientation. Nobody else is attacking and the MT has agro.

MT moves to the phase 1 position but mindful of cracks in the floor now.

It's likely that the MT will get feared and lose agro before he's in position. Assuming the MT has enough agro she will chase him around while he's feared. If she doesn't, #2 on her agro list is promised a swift death. If she fire breaths a bunched up side while the MT doesn't have agro the run is over.

The MT is going to lose agro more than once because he gets feared, teleported, knocked around, and downright violated by her special attacks. Stop attacking, get ready to move to avoid fire breaths/eggs, and move back into position for attacks when she is back on the MT pointed north.

Beyond the floor exploding with lava, being feared into the lava, the MT losing agro or changing positioning often, and everyone being very low on survivability, this is exactly like phase 1. Mind your DPS and position. Deal with the whelps. Let the MT tank and keep him alive at all costs. If the MT dies even at 5% the raid is over.

Anything that can do damage should be focused on balancing DPS and surviving. Anyone that can heal should be healing the MT. If your priests say the MT is under control backup healers should be keeping DPS alive.

At around 5% her damage output will go up noticeably (by 25-30% I'd guess) and pretty much everyone in the raid who can heal should be spamming their fastest ones on the MT. Like I said, if the MT dies at any point the run is almost certainly over.

Don't die.

Reduce the dragon's life to 0% calmly and steadily. Keep things under control.

[Maube]

Al dont let it get you down!

Dont forget... once we figured out Geddon's Gimmick, we were able to get it down!

Dont let poor morale get you down =) You are one of the best Tanks I know! We are lucky to have you =) just dont let yourself be beaten by Ony's Pyschological Warfare!

[Huato]

Yeah, we will get her...look at it this way..Mirk likes to violate everything he can, yet she still violates him on a regular basis