Anub 25 Hard Mode

[Slotter]

My guild is currently attempting 25man Hard Mode Anub and I was curious what spec other locks are using on this fight? My guild leader is asking for affliction due to P3 and the self healing capabilities, but destro is so much more potent, especially for the AoE required during P1 and P2.

I was curious if meta might be a viable option? I hate demonlogy but for this fight and the raid buff?

[gherkin]

Your gm is an idiot. P3 is about properly healing, not about healing in general. Holding steady at 20% or so hp, which is relatively easy to do for any class with HOTs.

The hard part of this fight is the dps. If you can't get Anub down to 30% before you run out of ice, you die. Combine this with the add's insta-gibbing people if not properly controlled, and you have yourself a hard mode boss.

You should be Destruction with Shadowfury to stun interrupt the adds.


Demo is mandatory only if you don't have an elemental shaman and have more than 5 casters, yourself included. Immolation aura is amazing combined with rain of fire. Use it on the first set of adds so you have more dps time on the boss before the second ones appear.

[Slotter]

Appreciate the advice, makes perfect sense. I didn't feel comfortable with affliction because you're right, it's a total DPS race. We're usually at 70-72% when he goes under the first time and under 45% the second time, so we're on pace but ya.

So, if we have two locks, should we both go demon and alternate meta or one of us destro/SF ??

[gherkin]

You're on pace. One of you go Demo for the buff. The great thing about this fight is that Demo will keep pace with Destruction (but destruction will win). I take it you don't have an elemental shaman.

Whoever can manage Decimation weaving should go Demo. Meta is really just another trinket, and you should pop immolation aura as soon as you pop Meta. The difference in your spell power won't make much of a difference to individual dps, but your ability to play the spec will.

[Slotter]

We actually do have an ele shammy but I think the reason we failed last night was our lack of mages in the raid

Appreciate the tips. I've never raided as demonology though...

[gherkin]

Then don't go Demo. The dps gain of an Demo lock while having an Elemental shaman is not worth it until fully decked out in 245 gear.

A lack of mages won't break you. Everyone should have an aoe.

[Asatar]

Firstly everyone is being kept too high if they're on 20%. Aim to get everyone at around 700-900 hp unless they have PC. Our non-demo lock found a MASSIVE dps increase going from affliction to destruction, and had no problems keeping himself alive. Go destro.

Also you dont need Shadowfury. If you're using a warrior to tank the adds (which you should) then shockwave is more than enough. Theres no need to stun the adds at the Shadow Strike cast time providing your interrupters aren't shit.

[Notnicebb]

I tried this fight as Destruction first and was pulling around 6-7k dps. I specced into Meta and had better results 7k-8500 dps. The faster those adds go down the more the raid can dps the boss so u can get to p3 faster. I'd go Meta tbh, it's one of the only fights it out performs destruction.

[fwe]

Actually I enjoy doing anub HM as affliction.

Corruption the 4 adds and spam seed on anub. You go OOM in 10 seconds but it's still fun. Plus the scarab damage is nothing short of epic.

[Carger]

Curious, currently we are having all our warlocks spec demo for anub 25m HM so there can potentially be up to 3 meta locks in raid at once...I understand the aoe is nice but is the aoe dps that much higher to compensate for the single target dps loss from not having 2 destro locks instead and only 1 meta lock? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Bakis]

Untill u downed him, all locks should go meta cos its simply the most aoe and the best bet untill you'r guild got the fight under control.