[5.0 Edition] The Druid Soloing Guide

[shammyhoho]

Gluth was soloable before lv 90, so it shouldn't be much of an issue surviving, you should be able to outdps it as well. The first boss of BWL got nerfed pretty good where it is fairly easy to solo for any class. They intentionally did that so people can farm out these raid pets.


In regards to the Black Temple, pvp geared guardian, that is all about your ability to outdps the soft enrage (the stacking bleed debuff). For alyazor, I don't know how much guardian dps you can pull even if you manage to get 25 stacks of the buff, I highly suggest feral spec if you dont have any moonkin gear. As mentioned before, you are gibbing yourself using pvp gear due to the lack of hit/exp on the gear.

Hmm wouldn't it be possible to tank the debuff?

[Williee]

Please be more descriptive, tank what debuff??? the Black temple boss you are stuck on bleed debuff? For that you are probably better off going feral to dps the fight down faster which will lower the total amount of stacks of bleed debuff since the fight is a lot shorter. As for Alyazor, what I said before about using a dps spec still sticks. Don't think guardian, even if you were pve ilvl500 can outdps that 3rd land.

[Braindwen]

Please be more descriptive, tank what debuff??? the Black temple boss you are stuck on bleed debuff? For that you are probably better off going feral to dps the fight down faster which will lower the total amount of stacks of bleed debuff since the fight is a lot shorter. As for Alyazor, what I said before about using a dps spec still sticks. Don't think guardian, even if you were pve ilvl500 can outdps that 3rd land.

You vastly underestimate the gains from being able to DPS through the ground phases. I'm typically almost done by the end of the first, though lately I just white hit in the air (maybe start DPSing when I'm up at 25 stacks ) and kill her solely on the ground (usually kill her during 2nd ground that way).

Besides, guardian at 0 vengeance pulls around what you'd expect from a DPS spec in DS gear at 85, and those were killing her just fine... and we're not at 0 vengeance on the ground, not by a long shot .

[shammyhoho]

You vastly underestimate the gains from being able to DPS through the ground phases. I'm typically almost done by the end of the first, though lately I just white hit in the air (maybe start DPSing when I'm up at 25 stacks ) and kill her solely on the ground (usually kill her during 2nd ground that way).

Besides, guardian at 0 vengeance pulls around what you'd expect from a DPS spec in DS gear at 85, and those were killing her just fine... and we're not at 0 vengeance on the ground, not by a long shot .

Wait, so you dps alysrazor ground phase or air phase? Do you dps her in bear or cat form while guardian spec? Also, i believe getting the buff haste rings can lower dps during air phoase because we are a melee class and we have to stick to her and at the same time get the buffs? Would it be possible for you to make a short step by step process on how to kill alysrazor? (eg phase one dps at ground as bear/cat, then phase 2 get haste buffs and dps etcetc, and then when she goes down you run to the hill etc)

Thank you

---------- Post added 2013-04-07 at 12:38 AM ----------

Please be more descriptive, tank what debuff??? the Black temple boss you are stuck on bleed debuff? For that you are probably better off going feral to dps the fight down faster which will lower the total amount of stacks of bleed debuff since the fight is a lot shorter. As for Alyazor, what I said before about using a dps spec still sticks. Don't think guardian, even if you were pve ilvl500 can outdps that 3rd land.

Yes, the bleed debuff on gurtogg bloodboil. Would it be possible to just go cat form and dps even if i am guardian spec with full malev pvp gear?

[Braindwen]

Wait, so you dps alysrazor ground phase or air phase? Do you dps her in bear or cat form while guardian spec? Also, i believe getting the buff haste rings can lower dps during air phoase because we are a melee class and we have to stick to her and at the same time get the buffs? Would it be possible for you to make a short step by step process on how to kill alysrazor? (eg phase one dps at ground as bear/cat, then phase 2 get haste buffs and dps etcetc, and then when she goes down you run to the hill etc)

Thank you

I just stay in bear. It's pretty much never worth it to go cat outside of using Heart of the Wild.
Her melee range is massive, so you can pick up the rings without ever worrying about not being close enough to hit her.
And finally, as guardian, just fly for the air phases, and stay in the arena on the ground for the tornadoes/burnout/reignition. Pick up some of the rings during the tornadoes to keep the buff rolling at 25 stacks, and otherwise just keep hitting Alysrazor. The only reason you leave the arena as the other specs is because the birds+Alys do too much damage to survive... but that's not even close to true as bear, it's pretty easy to just stay in and heal through the damage.

[shammyhoho]

I just stay in bear. It's pretty much never worth it to go cat outside of using Heart of the Wild.
Her melee range is massive, so you can pick up the rings without ever worrying about not being close enough to hit her.
And finally, as guardian, just fly for the air phases, and stay in the arena on the ground for the tornadoes/burnout/reignition. Pick up some of the rings during the tornadoes to keep the buff rolling at 25 stacks, and otherwise just keep hitting Alysrazor. The only reason you leave the arena as the other specs is because the birds+Alys do too much damage to survive... but that's not even close to true as bear, it's pretty easy to just stay in and heal through the damage.

Sorry to ask again, but this strat also works even if i have full malevolent pvp gear, right? I think you mentioned that full malev pvp gear is kind of close to same ilvl pve gear or a bit lower?

[Braindwen]

Sorry to ask again, but this strat also works even if i have full malevolent pvp gear, right? I think you mentioned that full malev pvp gear is kind of close to same ilvl pve gear or a bit lower?

It should. You get a ton of haste and crit just because of the buff, so rage should be pretty much limitless and you can spam SD/FR.

And as long as you're surviving and hitting buttons on the ground phases, DPS shouldn't be too much of an issue.

[shammyhoho]

It should. You get a ton of haste and crit just because of the buff, so rage should be pretty much limitless and you can spam SD/FR.

And as long as you're surviving and hitting buttons on the ground phases, DPS shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Alright, il try it this week bro, thanks for the info! Oh also, care to share your armory?

[Braindwen]

Alright, il try it this week bro, thanks for the info! Oh also, care to share your armory?

/points at Signature

[shammyhoho]

Finally killed gurtogg as guardian spec with malev pvp gear. Did well with other bosses but got stuck with illidari council, they keep on healing and i cant seem to interrupt the heals of the priest. Is there another way to go through this boss without bursting them down? I cant seem to down them fast :|

[Tidezen]

Finally killed gurtogg as guardian spec with malev pvp gear. Did well with other bosses but got stuck with illidari council, they keep on healing and i cant seem to interrupt the heals of the priest. Is there another way to go through this boss without bursting them down? I cant seem to down them fast :|

Council I did as feral (470ish ilvl), had to just burst down everyone. The problem with interrupting the healer is a little RNG: the pally will randomly place a phys-immune bubble on her (or another member) which makes the interrupt impossible. It helps to have a focus-macro for skull bash, because she seems to get bubbled less if you're not actively attacking her. This is in the case if you can't burst her down fast enough.

Happily Illidan's much easier

[shammyhoho]

Council I did as feral (470ish ilvl), had to just burst down everyone. The problem with interrupting the healer is a little RNG: the pally will randomly place a phys-immune bubble on her (or another member) which makes the interrupt impossible. It helps to have a focus-macro for skull bash, because she seems to get bubbled less if you're not actively attacking her. This is in the case if you can't burst her down fast enough.

Happily Illidan's much easier

I dont think i can burst him down because im only using guardian spec plus my gear is only pure malev tank gear (for rated bg purposes). :|

[ArchaicSentinel]

Alysrazor was soloable back in Cata near the end. You needed around full LFR gear or normal mode DS to do it.

Strat: Clear Rhyolith's Ramp (ie: end the neverending trash gauntlet)

Go bear: aggro the 2 casters in Alysrazor's room. Trail the firepath onto them. Then drag the fire path over to the nests and use that to clear the nests. Then proceed to drag the fire trail over to the birds.

Handling Alysrazor:
Spec into Heart of the Wild:

Go Cat or Moonkin to dps. Fly up and get as many rings as you can. When she does the tornado phase, fly out to Rhyo's ramp, pop Heart of the Wild and start spam healing the living crap out of yourself. When she comes down, you will have to probably pop a big defensive when she starts wailing on your face for a brief moment. She'll then take off.

Key things to note for this strat: If you're feral, and this is done PROPERLY, you can have up to 2 ground phases if you time and manage your cooldowns properly and how you deal with the tornado phase (ie: exit the first tornado phase as late as possible so you take less dmg from the AoE). If you have around the ilvl to do ToT LFR, then you should easily be able to bring her down before the 2nd tornado phase.


As far as Warbringers go:

Here's one KEY aspect. USE A PVP TRINKET. They'll fear you about once when you don't have the PvP trinket available. During this fear, be sure to either pop SI or Might of Ursoc/Renewal followup after the fear ends. Use barkskin for fears as much as possible. I've never had an issue facetanking warbringers but with 20 mil HP they take a VERY long time to die (over 8-9 minutes).

[Williee]

Ya I don't use a pvp trinket, however I can face tank non fearing ones jokingly. The fear ones as the user above said, you have to play it very carefully. Issues with fear besides taking damage from the warbringer hitting your back are
1. chances of you resetting him if you get feared too far
2. lazy like me and leave things up around him, get feared and aggro them (the perodatdal [spelled wrong] and possibly warscouts)
3. getting feared into vengeful spirit or/and thundering crush
From my experience, any combo without fear is a joke. The worst combo I think can be fear + vengeful + thundering just because thundering crush hitting you will chunk you 1/3 or more of your health.
I use feline swiftness which allows me move around a lot better, cenarion ward which overall heals me a lot more, mass entanglement for rooting vengeful spirits, incarnation, tier 5 is whatever you like, and nature's vigil for the last tier which provides you overall most sustained healing.

I do not think the pvp trinket is necessary as a dps trinket will help provide a little more dps to push that 20 mil hp faster.

Aka, if you need more dps, and luck provides you so, farm the warbringer in dreadwaste only as you will have a helpful damage buff.

[Deleted]

They'll fear you about once when you don't have the PvP trinket available.

Once o.O

When I am doing them on my Death knights I still get feared about once every warbringer. And I have Ams (45 sec cd) and lichborne (2 min?). Am I missing something here?

[Braindwen]

Capacitive Primal Diamond is stupid. I mean I'm fairly sure it's bugged in a positive way for guardian right now, but still, that+a 522 weapon was a good 15-20% DPS increase for me.

Which basically means every cata boss (except BH, I've never tried there, and I guess technically Sinestra although she's heroic-only... though I haven't given her any tries either.) is doable on at least normal mode now. A few of the ones I found most enjoyable will be uploaded as videos soon(™). Today saw new kills of most of DS (Hagara through Madness), Maloriak, and Nefarian. I'm sure plenty of them would have been doable in much lesser gear, though, had I been willing to skip around and/or put more time into Hagara.

In addition H Cho'gall down, so Sinestra is now available at least. But I'm kinda tired of soloing atm (and my maul-spamming hand hurts), so that'll have to wait. It looked feasible at least.

[coocoo]

What kinda numbers are you seeing with that Capacitive meta? (not having luck with drops so far, so it's still just a pipedream for me)

[Braindwen]

Logs of a full clear of Firelands (after a bad raid night ) with the meta on:
http://www.worldoflogs.com/reports/r...92q/dashboard/
Ranging from about 8 to 18% of my damage based on the amount of AoE going on, vengeance, and the haste buffs from Alysrazor (more AoE=lower % damage, more vengeance=higher % damage, haste=higher % damage).

In terms of DPS, it alone was doing ~16k DPS on Baleroc.

As I said, I'm fairly certain it's bugged in a good way for Guardian atm. It looks like it's using the feral procrate, which means it's proccing about 70% more often than it should. Of course, I'll happily use that bug for soloing, because even if it does get nerfed eventually, it's nothing a few ilvls of gear won't fix right up .
http://theincbear.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=959 (posts towards the end of the first page detail a little more why I think it's bugged).

---------- Post added 2013-04-21 at 02:19 PM ----------

<Deadly Boss Mods> Heroic (10) - Sinestra down after 9 minutes and 45 seconds!

And I tried BH and got Argaloth and Occu'thar, meaning the only living boss, and the pinnacle of soloing in Cataclysm is...
Alizabal.
Lol. She's not going to die for a long time, since her largest damage source counts as friendly fire=no vengeance .

[Deleted]

snip

Have you done LK 25 heroic? I'm interested to now if it's possible for Guardians at a similar ilvl to DK's and Paladins.

[Braindwen]

Have you done LK 25 heroic? I'm interested to now if it's possible for Guardians at a similar ilvl to DK's and Paladins.

Yeah. Tried it around 515 ilvl (504 weapon), killed it in two tries. First was a wipe to shadow traps (lol...), 2nd was berserk at 13% but an easy finish post-berserk.
With capacitive+522 weapon, I really can't imagine I'd hit the berserk again.

I didn't put much time into maximizing DPS, so I'd imagine it's doable in less gear with some vengeance soaking/better play.