This strategy is written for World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (TBC 2.4.3), the Karazhan raid for 10 players. Mechanics and numbers match the fight on the Moonwell server.
The fifth boss of Karazhan, 10-player raid, needs two tanks. A fight against the clock: the raid kills the flares and burns the boss during Evocation windows. Main danger: living flares pile up, and at 10 min the fight ends in a wipe.
Before the fight
The Curator patrols the hall and spots players from about 60 yd: watch his path while clearing trash. Arcane and poisons do not work on him, nor does taunt; his mana cannot be drained or burned. Do not pull him onto the stairs: the fight resets there. The raid stands spread out along the walls.
Flares
From 11 sec, every 11 sec, the boss spends 10% of his mana to summon a flare: Astral Flare, 13,273 HP, immune to crowd control and taunt. A second later it flies to a random player other than the tank and casts Arcing Sear every second: 675–825 Arcane damage to the nearest player within 10 yd and two players next to him, 30% weaker per jump. Kill each flare before the next one.
Hateful Bolt
Hateful Bolt from 15 sec, every 15 sec: 1-sec cast, cannot be interrupted, 4,435–5,999 Arcane damage. It hits the next player after the threat leader within 45 yd and in line of sight. The second tank holds this spot on the threat list.
Evocation
The tenth flare uses up all his mana. At 110 sec, then every 119 sec, Evocation: for 20 sec the boss is stunned, takes 200% more damage and does not attack, and there are no flares or bolts. Finish off the flares and burn the boss with every cooldown.
15% to the end
Below 15% Arcane Infusion: each hit adds 1,500–2,500 Arcane damage, Hateful Bolt every 7 sec, no more flares or Evocation. If the threshold is crossed during Evocation, the channel stops at once. This is where you need Bloodlust. At 10 min Astral Deconstruction: +500% Arcane damage taken for the whole raid, which ends the fight.
Tanks
The second tank attacks the boss from the start of the fight and holds the second spot on threat.
Healers
A dedicated healer on the second tank. During Evocation the boss does not attack: regain mana.
DPS
Flare first, then the boss. Watch threat during Evocation: triple damage means triple threat, and there is no taunt.
Common mistakes
- A flare is not killed within 11 sec: arcs from two flares at once hit the raid, and the healers burn mana.
- The raid is stacked: Arcing Sear hits three players at once.
- A cloth DPS ends up second on threat: Hateful Bolt takes up to 6,000 from him.
- A DPS pulled threat during Evocation: after the window the boss hits him.
Abilities, loot and map: boss card