Mythic Gruul Simplified Strategy

[Galice]

Killed him weeks ago, but thought I'd share this to possibly help out some people first coming on the fight or having any issues. Nobody cares that you have killed it and if it's easy for you now with the strategy you repeatedly used and wiped with for day(s). I assume everyone has full knowledge of the encounter. This strategy is meant for people who have not yet completed the encounter, as it is perfectly viable to just do it the 'normal' way. I usually wrote guides on maintankadin during ToT, such as solo tanking Megaera. I have not this expansion or for awhile, but this is the most pristine strategy for minimizing slices and raid damage. I will explain why later.


NEW (READ THIS):
Pros: No group goes over 1 stack of slice, and only 8 slices with one being completely immuned (the raid thus only takes a total of 7 slices, as opposed to 9). With gear, this shouldn't be too critical, but it may help a guild struggling by reducing the healing requirement.

1. 3 groups split evenly to the left, right, and behind the boss. Tank is in front of the boss.
2. 2 tanks - one tank starts on Gruul, the other taunts each slice into each group going left -> back -> right. The slice taunting tank keeps it after the third slice, and now becomes the one tanking Gruul in front of the boss. The other tank becomes the one taunting slices now into left -> back -> right (for a total of 6 slices now), and then the tank roles switch again.
3. 7th slice can be SOLO SOAKED (immunity taunt by a paladin, zen med by a brewmaster, etc.). Doing it on the 7th one will mess up his slicing timer and force him to totally SKIP a 9th slice.
4. For the last slice (the 8th slice), taunt it to the left.

For the intermission, if you gain threat right after an overhead smash, the boss will fixate on the tank for a period of time and cause him to do nothing. This will get more repeatable each week as the tank gets more familiar, but again this is not necessary to complete the encounter.

OLD (OBSOLETE DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE WITH NERFS):
What you get from this strategy:

• Only 8 total slices (down from 9), with two being immuned (of which one of these is solo soaked as opposed to group soaked).
• Only 2 tanks, allowing an extra DPS to beat the enrage.
• The raid never taking more than 2 slice debuffs for increased safety.

What you require to do this strategy:

• 2 tanks capable of solo soaking at least one slice (immunity, heavy damage reduction with externals, etc.)
• 4 additional players capable of surviving a slash with a tank (This could be 3, but 4 is safer.) These player classes are suited to rogues and mages who can drop their slice debuffs with Cloak of Shadows and Greater Invisibility, but other roles may apply.

Strategy:
1. Form 2 groups with players split evenly as usually done on Heroic. Form a 3rd group which will be the "invulnerability group" that is capable of moving behind the boss to soak with the tank. These players will also ideally be in the 2 main groups, and can drop stacks and move to this position when needed (i.e. mages, rogues).

2. Follow this rotation:
First tank taunting 3 slices:
Slice #1/#2: Tank #1 in Group #1
Slice #3: Tank #1 in Group #2
Second tank taunting 4 slices:
Slice #4: Tank #2 in Group #2
Slice #5: Tank #2 Group #3 (rogue/mage/invuln group behind boss)
Slice #6: Tank #2 in Group #1
Slice #7: Tank #2 IMMUNITY (bubble or solo soak ability) in front of the boss (SOLO SOAK). Note any player can do this. A holy paladin or ret paladin could taunt and do it if need be because of tank issues. The key here is you WANT Gruul to hit less than 4 players, and 1 immunity player is obviously the safest.
Third tank taunting 1 slice:
Slice #8: Tank #1 in Group #2

3. Survive the rampage. It is possible to bug Gruul out by taunting/attacking him as a tank after he Smashes, having him fixate on you and do nothing for a period of time. Nonetheless, just survive and don't stand in bad.

4. Repeat.

This is a total of 8 slices only, instead of 9, and one is immunity. Thus you have two less slices hitting the raid, and nobody in the raid ever goes over 2 stacks besides the tanks who don't really matter if you do it right. Repeat this on Rotation #2/#3. The reason for this order is solo soaking on the 7th slice messes up his ability timer and he skips a slice.

Rarely I have seen him use a 9th slice, if he does, then Ardent Defender, bring it to a group with low stacks, or just survive. 5% of the time or lower has he ever 9th slice if done properly. I do this every week.

Hope this helps someone. This strategy puts more responsibility on the tanks rather than the majority of the raid, and requires them to communicate for external CDs in the event they are getting trucked. Overwhelming blows may not drop during Rampage, but the damage shouldn't be an issue if you coordinate properly.


-Galiks/Galice @ Kil'jaeden

Edit: As a note to those posting who have already killed this: thanks to the majority of you for your feedback! I'm sure after you wiped on it for a night(s) and are now just pure experts on this fight, you also have tried to help other guilds rather than just make snarky remarks to those who try.

[Deleted]

We did it with

group 1 > 1 > 2 > 3 > 3.

1 and 3 being the big groups and 2 being immunity group. No one ever went to 3 stacks, no solo soaking for tanks and no clue how you would even get the 9th slice unless you have it hit a group of less than 4 people making him gain a lot of energy. Had 4 people + tank taking the slice on immunity group.

For the immunity: Mages (evanesce), Rogues, Hunters. Can easily do 2 slices each time (3rd and 8th slice).

[Galice]

We did it with

group 1 > 1 > 2 > 3 > 3.

1 and 3 being the big groups and 2 being immunity group. No one ever went to 3 stacks, no solo soaking for tanks and no clue how you would even get the 9th slice unless you have it hit a group of less than 4 people making him gain a lot of energy. Had 4 people + tank taking the slice on immunity group.

For the immunity: Mages (evanesce), Rogues, Hunters. Can easily do 2 slices each time.

Gruul usually does 9 slices... I guess sometimes he does 8 for whatever timing reason, but usually he does 9.

[Moshots]

2-2-1-2-2 is just as easy. the solo soaking is kinda just a fix if your healers are horrible and to be honest going into transition with only 2 stacks isn't that much healing anyways as long as you have a tranq/revival for transition. Good work though.

[Galice]

2-2-1-2-2 is just as easy. the solo soaking is kinda just a fix if your healers are horrible and to be honest going into transition with only 2 stacks isn't that much healing anyways as long as you have a tranq/revival for transition. Good work though.

Correct. As stated, the strategy is to reduce the slice count on the raid due to healer/raid issues. If you could do it the other way, go for it. As with your rotation, you're dealing with 9 slices, as with here there is 8 slices and one is solo soaked.

[Moshots]

Correct. As stated, the strategy is to reduce the slice count on the raid due to healer/raid issues. If you could do it the other way, go for it. As with your rotation, you're dealing with 9 slices, as with here there is 8 slices and one is solo soaked.

ours is probably 8 too. 2-2-1-2-1 I'm just in group 1 and not a healer so I pay no attention other than to the fact we have 3 groups.

[Galice]

ours is probably 8 too. 2-2-1-2-1 I'm just in group 1 and not a healer so I pay no attention other than to the fact we have 3 groups.

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...ability=162322

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...in&ability=642

9. You actually have holy paladins taunt your 9th slice and immunity it.

[Clrg]

We use a similar strat, none of the groups get 3 stacks ever, our monk solo soak some of them and one with 2 rogues and 1 hunter and him. you need to do this kind of strat right and know what are you doing, otherwise you are going to wipe a lot.

[theyanger]

I'm not sure why you think immune players don't count as soaking. They do. It's been a part of our strat the entire time to use a group of immunities with a tank. It's purely based on the number of targets it's trying to hit.

http://youtu.be/c0Tx2j4I2lQ?t=1m1s

That link, 1 minute in, 5th slash if it doesn't work. That's 5 immune players.

[Galice]

I'm not sure why you think immune players don't count as soaking. They do. It's been a part of our strat the entire time to use a group of immunities with a tank. It's purely based on the number of targets it's trying to hit.

http://youtu.be/c0Tx2j4I2lQ?t=1m1s

That link, 1 minute in, 5th slash if it doesn't work. That's 5 immune players.

You are correct. Just goes against the constant claims of my own raid when we tried this... I guess they constantly just didn't simply get in.

Nonetheless, this doesn't change the method or intent of the strategy I listed. As you also saw in that video, he also did 9 slices. The entire point of what I've said is he will do 8 slices, with two being immuned. Three less slices (two immune + 1 less in general) could mean a world of difference for those guilds struggling.

As a side note, this boss obviously isn't hard at all to some guilds anymore (especially if you wipe on it about 40 times collectively over the first 2 nights even though you most likely did PTR and have a stacked raid with a surplus of players like Vigil does), but the purpose of this listing is to possibly help a more casual guild kill this boss in a safer way for them.

[Deleted]

I mean, you could also just make the by-now trivial throughput checks and 2-tank, 2-group it with groups rotating every 3rd slice. It was eminently doable with 5 healers the first week and has only gotten easier since.

The only reason not to do it, really, is if you think your players can't pull 90-95% of what their class is capable of, because realistically that's all the 2-tank, 2-grp strat takes.

[Galice]

I mean, you could also just make the by-now trivial throughput checks and 2-tank, 2-group it with groups rotating every 3rd slice. It was eminently doable with 5 healers the first week and has only gotten easier since.

The only reason not to do it, really, is if you think your players can't pull 90-95% of what their class is capable of, because realistically that's all the 2-tank, 2-grp strat takes.

If it's so trivial, why does a guild that completely outgears it (your guild) still wipe on it as of last reset? Oh because their tank (you) died.

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...pe=damage-done

Please stop with the demeaning remarks. This strategy is meant for newer guilds that don't raid a lot to kill bosses and out-gear it like yours does (but still wipes).

[IAmJakub]

I think this is quite helpful, thank you for the write up Galice

[Deja Thoris]

If it's so trivial, why does a guild that completely outgears it (your guild) still wipe on it as of last reset? Oh because their tank (you) died.

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...pe=damage-done

Please stop with the demeaning remarks. This strategy is meant for newer guilds that don't raid a lot to kill bosses and out-gear it like yours does (but still wipes).

Talking down to everyone is kinda his way. I'm not trying to excuse it but most people on the pala forums just live with it the way you live with a puppy that shits all over the lounge. Regardless, nice strat ty! Mouthbreathing noobs like me that can't perform at 90% of my classes potential will find it very handy!

[Deleted]

Not sure if bug or stealth nerf, but Inferno Slice debuff (on non tanks) now only lasts 30 seconds. So with 3 camps you can just play 1-1-1. Free.

[Deleted]

Not sure if bug or stealth nerf, but Inferno Slice debuff (on non tanks) now only lasts 30 seconds. So with 3 camps you can just play 1-1-1. Free.

We are approaching this fight and I don't understand why people aren't doing this either? I must be missing something?

I even looked at a log from over a week ago, and the debuff was 30 seconds, with slices coming 12-13 seconds apart, meaning 1-1-1 is just fine. Yet everybody still seems to be doing double stacks and soak groups and such. Is there any reason you cannot now do 1-1-1 with 2 large groups and 1 small soak group?

[nightfalls]

As a side note, this boss obviously isn't hard at all to some guilds anymore (especially if you wipe on it about 40 times collectively over the first 2 nights even though you most likely did PTR and have a stacked raid with a surplus of players like Vigil does), but the purpose of this listing is to possibly help a more casual guild kill this boss in a safer way for them.

I'm sure the others are the only ones giving "demeaning remarks" and that everyone here but you would be the ones that are directly guild, armory, and progression-bashing.

More seriously, just because a guild "wipes" on the boss and hence obviously has some difficulty with the general strategy doesn't necessarily mean that your strategy will be easier or result in less wipes for them.

So yeah, I can definitely see what you've posted being a strategy and won't dispute it's a working one, what I'm less convinced of especially after the replies is whether it's objectively the "best" one.

As others put, maybe it is depending on your group especially since it shifts responsibility to different players (in this case, tanks/immunity group vs. rest of raid).

[theyanger]

If it's so trivial, why does a guild that completely outgears it (your guild) still wipe on it as of last reset? Oh because their tank (you) died.

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...pe=damage-done

Please stop with the demeaning remarks. This strategy is meant for newer guilds that don't raid a lot to kill bosses and out-gear it like yours does (but still wipes).

Wow, defensive much? It's like this strategy is your baby and you think it's being attacked. chill out.

TBH, speaking as someone that has been in those 'lower' tier guilds plenty of times in my life, the best strats for those guilds are the least complex ones, not always the 'easiest'. Having moving pieces in your groups is a much larger failure point for those kinds of guilds than the actual number requirements this many weeks into the tier.

As pointed out, it looks like the debuff was lowered from 40 to 30 seconds at some point, making it possible to just do 1-1-1 three group strats, which is clearly simpler than even yours. I haven't personally tried it, but confirmed that it was working differently looking at my stream from tonight and I don't see why it wouldn't work. You post the number of attempts we spent on a boss or the number of wipes another guild has, as though it somehow means their strategies were so much harder? that's ridiculous, I don't know about PraiseTheSun but we wipe every week because of people getting hit by stupid stuff, not because of slashes or two tanking. Any number of slash strats are uncomplex and easy to execute, and most of the wipes involved on this boss should be number checks or failures to avoid a giant brown line on the floor.

We are approaching this fight and I don't understand why people aren't doing this either? I must be missing something?

I even looked at a log from over a week ago, and the debuff was 30 seconds, with slices coming 12-13 seconds apart, meaning 1-1-1 is just fine. Yet everybody still seems to be doing double stacks and soak groups and such. Is there any reason you cannot now do 1-1-1 with 2 large groups and 1 small soak group?

It certainly looks like you could. Most guilds probably didn't even look at their debuffs anymore, it used to be 40.

[Inveracity]

Killed him weeks ago, but thought I'd share this to possibly help out some people first coming on the fight or having any issues. Nobody cares that you have killed it and if it's easy for you now with the strategy you repeatedly used and wiped with for day(s).

Trust me, with your lisp, no one cares that you killed him weeks ago either. Bounce from server to server for realm firsts some more.

[Wilderness]

We didn't need a thread from the beginning of march bumped just to toss around insults, and there are already other threads on Gruul active in the forum.