The Nighthold Raid Guide: Entrance, Rewards, Bosses

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks:
  • One tank focuses on Skorpyron, the other on adds.
  • Tanks must manage Arcane Tether (break by moving 10 yards) and avoid Arcanoslash damage.
• Damage Dealers:
  • Strong AoE/cleave classes for add management.
  • Classes with burst cooldowns for Exoskeletal Vulnerability phases.
• Healers:
  • High raid healing output to handle Crystalline Fragments and Shockwave damage.
  • Cooldown management for Exoskeletal Vulnerability transitions.

Tips:

• General:
  • Stay within the decorative circle to avoid pulling unnecessary adds.
  • Use Crystalline Shards to block Shockwave (stand close for Broken Shard debuff).
• Tanks:
  • Skorpyron tank: Keep boss facing consistent to avoid Arcanoslash hitting raid.
  • Adds tank: Gather and position adds for cleave damage.
• DPS:
  • Focus on adds during Call of the Scorpid.
  • Save cooldowns for Exoskeletal Vulnerability.
• Healers:
  • Watch for Crystalline Fragments damage after Exoskeletal Vulnerability.
  • Be ready to heal players knocked into adds by Shockwave.

Strategy:

• Phase 1 (100%-75%):
  • Tank Skorpyron in the center.
  • Adds tank gathers Crystalline Scorpids and brings them to the boss for cleave.
  • Avoid Shockwave by hiding behind Crystalline Shards.
  • Break Chitinous Exoskeleton to trigger Exoskeletal Vulnerability.
• Phase 2 (75%-50%):
  • Repeat Phase 1 mechanics.
  • Watch for FocusedBlast and move out of its path.
  • Use raid cooldowns for Crystalline Fragments damage.
• Phase 3 (50%-25%):
  • Continue managing adds and avoiding mechanics.
  • Save Bloodlust/Drums for the final Exoskeletal Vulnerability.
• Phase 4 (25%-0%):
  • Burn boss during final Exoskeletal Vulnerability.
  • Healers use cooldowns to handle increased damage from Infused Exoskeleton.

Bloodlust/Drums:

During the final Exoskeletal Vulnerability phase (25% health).

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong active mitigation and mobility (e.g., Protection Paladin, Blood DK).
• Healers: Classes with strong raid-wide healing and cooldowns (e.g., Holy Priest, Restoration Shaman).
• DPS: Classes with strong burst damage and interrupts (e.g., Fire Mage, Demon Hunter).

Tips:

• Tanks:
  • Monitor Chronometric Particles stacks and swap before reaching 10.
  • Use Temporal Charge to interrupt Power Overwhelming.
  • Position the boss near Waning Time Particles for cleave damage.
• Healers:
  • Focus on healing Time Release shields (prioritize red > yellow > green).
  • Use cooldowns during Power Overwhelming and Temporal Orbs.
• DPS:
  • Prioritize killing Waning Time Particles and Fragmented Time Particles.
  • Interrupt Warp Nightwell casts.
  • Move away from the raid if targeted by Time Bomb.

Strategy:

1. Phase Management:
   • Adapt to Passage of Time changes (Normal, Slow, Fast).
   • Save DPS cooldowns for Temporal Smash vulnerability windows.
2. Add Control:
   • Kill Waning Time Particles immediately upon spawn.
   • Use AoE stuns and interrupts to control Fragmented Time Particles.
3. Tank Mechanics:
   • Swap tanks before Chronometric Particles stacks reach 10.
   • Use Temporal Charge to interrupt Power Overwhelming.
4. Healing Priorities:
   • Focus on Time Release shields and tank healing during high-stack phases.
   • Use raid cooldowns during Power Overwhelming and Temporal Orbs.
5. DPS Priorities:
   • Burst down adds and focus on boss during vulnerability phases.
   • Avoid standing in Burst of Time and Temporal Orbs.

Bloodlust/Drums:

During Power Overwhelming to quickly burn down Waning Time Particles.

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong active mitigation and cooldowns (e.g., Protection Paladin, Blood DK).
• Healers: Classes with strong raid-wide healing and cooldowns (e.g., Holy Priest, Restoration Druid).
• DPS: Classes with high mobility and burst damage (e.g., Demon Hunter, Mage, Rogue).

Tips:

• General:
  • Avoid standing in the center of the room to prevent Arcane Seepage from interfering with mechanics.
  • Use Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp at the start of the fight.
  • Stay aware of phase transitions and adapt to mechanics accordingly.
• Tanks:
  • Swap after 2 stacks of Arcane Slash.
  • Kite Trilliax around the room to avoid Arcane Seepage buildup.
• DPS:
  • Eat Toxic Slice cakes during The Cleaner phase.
  • Stay close to your partner during Arcing Bonds.
  • Destroy Scrubbers casting Cleansing Destruction.
• Healers:
  • Focus healing on players with Toxic Slice stacks.
  • Use raid cooldowns during The Maniac phase to handle Mana Rupture and Annihilation.

Strategy:

Phase 1: The Cleaner

• Mechanics:
  • Toxic Slice: Eat cakes to prevent them from triggering Cleansing Rage.
  • Sterilize: Move away from the raid to avoid pulsing damage.
• Tips:
  • Assign players to eat Toxic Slice cakes.
  • Use Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp here for maximum DPS.

Phase 2: The Maniac

• Mechanics:
  • Mana Rupture: Random damage to half the raid.
  • Arcing Bonds: Stay close to your linked partner.
  • Annihilation: Avoid the spinning laser by staying on Trilliax’s side.
• Tips:
  • Clump for AoE healing during Mana Rupture.
    Move carefully during Annihilation to avoid the laser.

Phase 3: The Caretaker

• Mechanics:
  • Succulent Feast: Eat to gain a shield for soaking Cleansing Destruction.
  • Tidy Up: Destroy Scrubbers before they cast Cleansing Destruction.
• Tips:
  • Assign players with shields to destroy Scrubbers.
  • Use Sterilize to drain Scrubbers’ Mana and delay their explosion.

Bloodlust/Drums:

At the start of the fight during The Cleaner phase.

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks:
  • Classes with strong active mitigation (e.g., Protection Paladin, Blood Death Knight) to handle Annihilate.
  • A third tank is required for Mythic difficulty to handle the Fel Soul.
• Healers:
  • Classes with strong AoE healing (e.g., Restoration Druid, Holy Priest) to manage Mark of Frost and Searing Brand.
  • Classes with raid cooldowns (e.g., Holy Paladin, Restoration Shaman) for Detonate: Arcane Orb.
• Damage Dealers:
  • Classes with strong burst AoE (e.g., Frost Mage, Destruction Warlock) to quickly kill adds.
  • Classes with interrupts (e.g., Rogue, Shaman) to handle Pyroblast from Fiery Enchantments.

Tips:

• General:
  • Stay spread out during Arcane Phase to avoid Arcane Orb damage.
  • Stack tightly during Fire Phase to minimize Searing Brand spread.
  • Use defensive cooldowns liberally for Mark of Frost and Searing Brand.
• Tanks:
  • Swap at 2 stacks of Annihilated.
  • Position Aluriel away from ground effects (e.g., Pool of Frost, Burning Ground).
• Healers:
  • Focus on players with Mark of Frost and Searing Brand.
  • Use raid cooldowns during Detonate: Arcane Orb.
• DPS:
  • Prioritize killing adds quickly (e.g., Icy Enchantments, Fiery Enchantments, Arcane Enchantments).
  • Interrupt Pyroblast from Fiery Enchantments.

Strategy:

Phase 1: Frost

• Mark of Frost:
  • Spread out to avoid splash damage.
  • Transfer the debuff by colliding with another marked player when Frostbitten stacks are high.
• Detonate: Mark of Frost:
  • Move away from Pool of Frost patches.
• Animate: Mark of Frost:
  • Gather and AoE down Icy Enchantments.

Phase 2: Fire

• Searing Brand: Targeted players should move to the side to avoid knocking others back.
• Detonate: Searing Brand: Spread out to minimize splash damage.
• Animate: Searing Brand: Gather and AoE down Fiery Enchantments quickly.

Phase 3: Arcane

• Arcane Orb: Spread out to avoid damage from multiple orbs.
• Detonate: Arcane Orb: Move as a group to avoid Arcane Fog patches.
• Animate: Arcane Orb: Gather and AoE down Arcane Enchantments.

Bloodlust/Drums:

At the start of the fight to maximize DPS during the first phase.

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong active mitigation and mobility (e.g., Protection Paladin, Blood DK).
• Healers: Classes with strong raid-wide healing and dispels (e.g., Restoration Druid, Holy Priest).
• DPS: High burst AoE and single-target damage dealers (e.g., Fire Mage, Demon Hunter, Affliction Warlock).

Tips:

• Carrion Plague:
  • Designate a specific area for players with Carrion Plague to stand.
  • Avoid spreading the debuff via Seeker Swarm by keeping non-affected players away.
• Feast of Blood:
  • Tanks must kite Tainted Bloods 30+ yards from Tichondrius to prevent healing.
  • Use AoE stuns and burst damage to kill Tainted Bloods quickly.
• Echoes of the Void:
  • Spread the raid evenly behind Fel Spires to avoid destroying them.
• Illusionary Night:
  • Dodge Carrion Nightmare by stepping out of telegraphed zones.
  • Prioritize killing Phantasmal Bloodfangs for Essence of Night buffs.
• Brand of Argus (Heroic+):
  • Detonate deliberately in designated areas to minimize raid damage.
• Mythic Specifics:
  • Use immunities to soak Seeker Swarm for Carrion Plague targets.
  • Ensure all players obtain Essence of Night or they will die.

Strategy:

Phase 1: Lord of the Nathrezim

• Carrion Plague:
  • Affected players move to a designated area.
  • Non-affected players avoid this area to prevent Seeker Swarm spread.
• Feast of Blood:
  • Tank swap on debuff application.
  • Kite Tainted Bloods away from Tichondrius to prevent healing.
  • DPS focus on killing Tainted Bloods quickly.
• Echoes of the Void:
  • Hide behind Fel Spires to avoid damage.
  • Spread the raid evenly to prevent spire destruction.

Phase 2: Shadow of Terror

• Carrion Nightmare:
  • Dodge telegraphed zones to avoid damage and stuns.
• Phantasmal Bloodfangs:
  • Kill as many as possible to collect Essence of Night buffs.
  • Prioritize strong DPS and healers for buffs first.
• Essence of Night:
  • Grants 30% increased damage/healing and mana regeneration.
  • Ensure all players obtain a buff before the phase ends (Mythic requirement).

Add Management (Heroic/Mythic):

• Felsworn Spellguards: Kill quickly; avoid dropping Nether Zones in critical areas.
• Sightless Watchers: Prioritize killing; healers must dispel Burning Soul carefully.
• Volatile Wound: Move to the edge of the room to drop Nether Zones safely.

Bloodlust/Drums:

During the final Phase 1 (third repeat) when the most dangerous adds (Felsworn Spellguards and Sightless Watchers) spawn.

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong active mitigation (e.g., Protection Paladin, Blood DK) to handle Slam and Searing Brand.
• Healers: Classes with strong raid-wide healing cooldowns (e.g., Restoration Shaman, Holy Priest) to manage Slam, Orb of Destruction, and Burning Pitch damage.
• DPS: High single-target DPS classes (e.g., Affliction Warlock, Marksmanship Hunter) to meet the tight enrage timer.

Tips:

• General:
  • Use Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp at the start of the fight.
  • Always be aware of the bridge’s destruction and move back before the 3rd Slam on each segment.
  • Assign players to soak Burning Pitch pools to minimize add spawns.
• Tanks:
  • Swap at 5-7 stacks of Searing Brand.
  • Soak the first two Slams on each bridge segment but avoid the 3rd.
  • Keep one tank in melee range to prevent Isolated Rage.
• DPS:
  • Focus on single-target damage on Krosus.
  • Interrupt and kill Burning Embers quickly.
  • Run to the back of the bridge if targeted by Orb of Destruction.
• Healers:
  • Use cooldowns to recover from heavy damage events like
  • Slam and Orb of Destruction.
  • Soak distant Burning Pitch pools to prevent adds.

Strategy:

• Phase 1 (First Bridge Segment):
  • Tanks soak the first two Slams.
  • Players soak Burning Pitch pools to prevent Burning Embers.
  • Dodge Fel Beam by moving to the safe side of the bridge.
  • Targeted players run to the back of the bridge for Orb of Destruction.
• Phase 2 (Subsequent Bridge Segments):
  • Repeat the mechanics, but be mindful of the shrinking space.
  • Move back before the 3rd Slam destroys the bridge segment.
  • On the final segment, stack in the opposite corner of the Orb of Destruction target.
• Add Management:
  • Kill Burning Embers quickly to avoid raid damage.
  • On Mythic, prioritize killing Accelerated Burning Embers before they Burnout.

Bloodlust/Drums:

Use at the start of the fight to maximize DPS during the first bridge segment when the raid has the most space and can focus entirely on Krosus.

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong active mitigation and cooldowns (e.g., Protection Paladin, Blood DK).
• Healers: Strong single-target healers for tank healing (e.g., Holy Paladin, Discipline Priest).
• DPS: Classes with strong cleave, multi-DoT, and mobility (e.g., Affliction Warlock, Fire Mage, Havoc Demon Hunter).

Tips:

• Damage Dealers:
  • Avoid Controlled Chaos and Solar Collapse.
  • Kill Parasitic Lashers quickly and kite them if targeted.
  • Stagger Plasma Sphere deaths to avoid lethal Plasma Explosion damage.
  • Spread out to minimize Chosen Fate and Pillars of Night damage.
• Tanks:
  • Swap at 7 stacks of Recursive Strikes.
  • Position bosses together for cleave damage but avoid stacking during Flare.
  • Move bosses out of Grace of Nature pools.
• Healers:
  • Dispel Parasitic Fetter carefully.
  • Use raid cooldowns for Plasma Explosion and Controlled Chaos.
  • Focus healing on Call of Night and Toxic Spores targets.

Strategy:

Phase 1 (100%-75% Health):

• Abilities:
  • Solar Collapse: Run out of the expanding rings.
  • Parasitic Fetter: Dispel and kill spawned Lashers quickly.
  • Controlled Chaos: Move away from the growing explosions.
• Tank Swap: At 7 stacks of Recursive Strikes.

Phase 2 (75%-50% Health):

• Solarist Tel’arn joins the fight.
• Abilities:
  • Summon Plasma Spheres: Kill one quickly, the second after the first debuff expires, and let the third die naturally.
  • Flare: Tanks should not stack.
• Tank Positioning: Keep bosses together for cleave damage.

Phase 3 (50%-0% Health):

• Naturalist Tel’arn joins the fight.
• Abilities:
  • Call of Night: Non-debuffed players must stand near debuffed players to soak damage.
  • Grace of Nature: Move bosses out of the healing pool.
  • Toxic Spores: Avoid and use immunities to clear if necessary.

Bloodlust/Drums:

Start of Phase 3 (50% health), as it is the most complex and dangerous phase.

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong magic damage mitigation (e.g., Paladins, Druids).
• Healers: Classes with strong AoE healing and cooldowns (e.g., Holy Priests, Restoration Druids).
• DPS: Classes with strong single-target and cleave/AoE capabilities (e.g., Mages, Warlocks, Rogues).

Tips:

• Phase 1:
  • Spread into 3 groups for Absolute Zero mechanics.
  • Icy Ejection targets must run to the edge to avoid Shatter damage.
• Phase 2:
  • Spread out to avoid Fel Ejection pools.
  • Tanks use Fel Impact to clear Felflame pools.
• Phase 3:
  • Stack behind the boss for healing efficiency.
  • Use Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp during Thing That Should Not Be spawns.
  • Turn away from Witness the Void to avoid Fear.
• General:
  • Avoid overlapping mechanics (e.g., Chilled with Absolute Zero).
  • Use defensive cooldowns for Ejection mechanics.

Strategy:

• Phase 0:
  • Stay stacked to handle Coronal Ejection.
  • Tanks mitigate Starburst damage.
• Phase 1:
  • Tanks handle Gravitational Pull by running to marked spots for Comet Impact.
  • Use 3 groups to clear Absolute Zero.
  • Icy Ejection targets run to the edge to Shatter.
• Phase 2:
  • Spread out to minimize Fel Ejection damage.
  • Tanks use Fel Impact to clear Felflame pools.
  • Avoid Fel Nova by running away from the boss.
• Phase 3:
  • Stack behind the boss to handle Voidburst and Voidlings.
  • Focus Thing That Should Not Be immediately.
  • Chain healing cooldowns as Voidburst spreads.

Bloodlust/Drums:

During the first Thing That Should Not Be spawn to burn it down quickly and minimize Witness the Void casts.

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong mobility and interrupt capabilities (e.g., Demon Hunter, Warrior).
• Healers: Classes with strong raid-wide healing and cooldowns (e.g., Holy Priest, Restoration Shaman).
• DPS: Classes with strong single-target and cleave damage, and interrupts (e.g., Fire Mage, Assassination Rogue).

Tips:

• Time Zones: Use Slow Time and Fast Time zones strategically to manipulate mechanics like Arcanetic Rings and Conflexive Burst.
• Add Priority: Focus on killing Recursive Elementals first, then Expedient Elementals.
• Soaking: Assign players with defensive cooldowns to soak Spanning Singularity pools.
• Bloodlust/Drums: Use at the start of Phase 1 to reduce Arcanetic Ring casts or save for Phase 3 for maximum DPS during the hardest phase.

Strategy:

• Phase 1:
  • Dodge Arcanetic Rings by using gaps created by Slow Time and Fast Time zones.
  • Soak Spanning Singularity pools with defensive cooldowns.
    Tanks swap at 3-4 stacks of Ablation.
  • Use Bloodlust/Drums here if your group struggles with Phase 1 mechanics.
• Phase 2:
  • Catch Epocheric Orbs to reduce raid damage.
  • Delphuric Beam targets should move close to Elisande to minimize raid damage.
  • Tanks swap after Ablating Explosion is applied; the debuffed tank should run away before it detonates.
• Phase 3:
  • Manage Conflexive Burst by staggering detonations using
  • Slow Time and Fast Time zones.
  • Interrupt Ablative Pulse to avoid stacking debuffs on tanks.
    Use Bloodlust/Drums here if not used in Phase 1.

Bloodlust/Drums:

Use twice if possible (start of Phase 1 and end of Phase 3).

Preferred Classes:

• Tanks: Classes with strong active mitigation (e.g., Protection Paladin, Blood Death Knight).
• Healers: Classes with strong raid-wide healing and dispels (e.g., Restoration Druid, Holy Priest).
• DPS: High burst damage for mini-bosses and Eyes of Gul’dan (e.g., Fire Mage, Demon Hunter).
• Utility: Classes with interrupts (e.g., Rogues, Shamans) for Dreadlord’s Carrion Wave (Heroic+).

Tips:

• Phase 1:
  • Avoid Fel Efflux and Hand of Gul’dan.
  • Ranged stack for Liquid Hellfire; healers use Scattering Field.
  • Tanks rotate Resonant Barrier for Shatter Essence.
  • Kill Inquisitor Vethriz quickly to minimize Gaze of Vethriz eyes.
• Phase 2:
  • Tanks stack every 11-12 seconds to trigger Fel Scythe at low energy.
  • Ranged stack 10 yards behind Gul’dan for Bonds of Fel.
  • Nuke Eye of Gul’dan adds immediately; use Time Dilation.
• Phase 3:
  • Spread for Empowered Eye of Gul’dan and Flames of Sargeras.
  • Soak Well of Souls to reduce Black Harvest damage.
  • Use healing cooldowns for Black Harvest.

Strategy:

• Phase 1:
  • Focus on mini-boss mechanics: Shatter Essence, Soul Vortex, and Gaze of Vethriz.
  • Stick to one side of the room to keep the other side clear for movement.
• Phase 2:
  • Manage Bonds of Fel by breaking chains into melee/ranged groups.
  • Position Gul’dan in the center; ranged stack for Liquid Hellfire.
    Prioritize killing Eye of Gul’dan adds.
• Phase 3:
  • Spread for Empowered Eye of Gul’dan and Flames of Sargeras.
  • Soak Well of Souls evenly to distribute Soul Corrosion stacks.
  • Use Time Stop Fields from Nightorbs to survive Visions of the Dark Titan (Mythic).

Bloodlust/Drums:

Use early to burn down mini-bosses and bypass mechanics in Phase 1.