How do YOU handle dungeon Boss fights?

pnellesen · May 2013

I've kind of reached a wall in my Dungeoning: Mad Dragon (level 34 version). I've tried this one twice now, first at level 31, then at level 34, and both times we've breezed through to the boss fight, then wiped at the end. (Both attempts were pugged)

How do you handle the insane number of adds that focus almost exclusively on the Cleric? What powers do you mainly use? I've suggested to the group that they concentrate on the adds when they appear, especially the binding imps, but even so I'm getting utterly swarmed and can do nothing except kite and chain-chug pots until I'm knocked down and taken out by the fire burst AOEs that every caster seems to throw my way. Divine Sunburst helps some, but they're usually right back on me well before the cooldown is up for the next one.

Just looking for some suggestions/strategies for this one, it's the first real challenge I've come up against as a Cleric, and it feels like I'm doing something wrong. I've tried the unequip/re-equip trick at the start of the dungeon, and while it may reduce the aggro a little, the sheer number of mobs appears to make any threat reduction due to that irrelevant.

Thanks for any constructive replies

kattefjaes · May 2013

You're not doing anything wrong, you're pretty much left with chain potting, kiting and firmly suggesting that your team mates consider hitting some adds occasionally rather than being hypnotised by pretty damage numbers on the boss.

angrysprite · May 2013

I haven't played that particular dungeon... but one thing I've learned already is that boss fights are not always about the BOSS. Always take out mages and wizards if they ever appear. A lot of times half the adds are from THEM.

**********Possible Spoiler: Lair of the Mad Dragon**********

I understand (through hearsay) that this is especially true in Lair of the Mad Dragon: take out the wizards that appear then you can kill the dragon.

patsi912 · May 2013

Ohh lol how I love this dungeon. The first group was when I was level 30 ( I've actually focussed on Crit on my gear and pretty much no defense stats so far other than a little recovery ) and it was a desaster .. I don't know how many times we died , and after one attempt at the last boss when we finally got there , the group actually dissolved.
Then I had another group shortly after , and it was magnificient !
The fighting up to the last boss was rather easy this time , and the tank was a guardian fighter that knew his way around.
We tried one time with the GF tanking the boss , but wiped not so long after engaging .
Then we tried it another way , where the rogue would tank the boss and the GF would get the ads , and the two CW would bomb the ads to oblivion . Was a close call because I almost ****ed up with all the imp dragons on me at one point , but with that tactic we actually succeeded !
I used sunburst 3, healing hands 2 and Forgemasters-something 1 (in Divinity to heal the rogue) aside from the usual astral seal on everything i could put it on with holy fervor and the +ap skill (or holy lore for +heals )..forgot the name , sorry !
So you're not doing anything wrong i think ! Was told that the boss at the end is HAMSTER , and yeah ...the ads are just crazy .
HTH & greets
edit; oh forgot ; daylies i use are hallowed ground when theres too much on me and I got the ap up , and sanctified ground in every other case whenever my ap are full.

rynyth · May 2013

I spend the majority of the fight on my back dead, while watching the rest of the group try and kill the boss because no one wishe's to handle adds.

So far it's been a very good tactic, because when ever they grumble about me being dead I give them the same reason every time..

Either eventually the add's situtation will be addressed, the Aggro situtaiton witll be sorted, or people will learn to hit some mobs other then the boss.

faustasdm · May 2013

If your team ignores adds then good luck on any boss after mad dragon. I'd say that one is a turning point from faceroll to a little more strategy.

visinji · May 2013

I do take a break from my cleric, every so often. I was playing my 30'ish level CW and jumped in a group for some dungeons. They were having some problems and were blaming the single cleric that they had (all were in a guild). After loading into the first dungeon, I noticed that none were really helping the healer with adds. If he ran up close to the boss area, they would eventually hit the adds. In a pug, as a dps and/or cc, I usually gauge how the group is with keeping the clerics protected. Here I noticed nobody really thought about it so I made it my mission to do just that. I spent the whole time basically guarding him with everything I could throw into the adds on him. We made it, wipe free, to the end. The group congratulated him for "finally doing his job." I felt bad for the guy and since they were a guild, I didn't feel it was my place to say how they should run their dungeon delves. But I did send a whisper to the cleric and told him exactly what I did and I suggested that he share this info with his guildies. I haven't talked to him since but I hope things got better there on out.

groborthir · May 2013

In short: Get used to offtank adds as a devoted cleric.

athlonpp · May 2013

visinji wrote: »

I didn't feel it was my place to say how they should run their dungeon delves. But I did send a whisper to the cleric and told him exactly what I did and I suggested that he share this info with his guildies.

From what I understand, they have absolutely no clue how things work in this game and also aren't trying to learn. So I'm fairly sure they'll deny/refuse it even if he told them. I would've stomped them with words in /party if I were you.

marzattakz · May 2013

What worked for our group in our second attempt at Mad Dragon at around the same level was to ignore the Hellfire Magus's completely. You'll only have two of them at a time if you don't dps them down and their ground targeted AOE's are easy enough to avoid. Pick someone with good movement to tank the Dragon or have your guardian fighter do it if you're lucky to have one.

IMPS are priority targets, followed by Erenyes, followed by anything else. When the Shock Trooper spawns he can't be CC'd so be sure people are clearing IMPS off the Cleric so you're able to move freely.

It is a ROUGH fight on or slightly above level for a Cleric, you're gonna be moving alot as such gaining Divinity becomes troublesome so best to go with Brand of the Sun and Astral Seal as at-wills, Forgemaster's Flame for a decent DOT or burst heal in (d) mode, Healing Word kept on cooldown so YOU have the benefit of the regeneration and Sunburst for knockback, supplementary healing and action point gain. For dailies take Hallowed Ground and Flame Strike, use at your discretion, sometimes it's better to clear the adds faster instead of dropping HG for the mitigation.

Brand and Seal everything you can, kite while throwing out Healing Word, (d) Forgemasters on the Dragon if the tank needs topping up, (d) Forgemasters on one of the tougher adds chasing you if you're getting hit too hard and Sunburst when on cooldown for the heal or (d) knockback if your divinity gain can support it.

It also helped alot in the later phases when the Dragon starts throwing out the large amount of static aoe on the floor to agree that everyone excluding the main tank moves in the same direction, decide together if it's clockwise or anti-clockwise.

ausdoerrt · May 2013

With aggro as is, the group has to babysit the cleric for such fights. If they don't help you, they're a bad group. The easiest way to win this fight is to have one person tank the boss (GF or TR usually) facing away from the group, then the rest of the group kill ALL adds before they touch the boss.

As a DC, bring Forgemaster and cast empowered as often as you can, bring 20-30 large pots, kite if all fails. Also, the DC is a leader class, so coordinate the group to kill most troublesome mobs first both through chat and by marking them with your skills. Heal yourself first, let others heal through pots and Astral Seal. My preferred loadout for this fight (and most fights so far) was: Holy Fervor+Divine Fortune, Lance of Faith+Astral Seal, Daunting Light+Forgemaster+Healing Word, Flame Strike+Guardian. DL+FS for clearing adds, FF for self-healing and clearing fat adds, AS+HW for spot-healing of the party.

31 may be a bit early for this, it's a challenging fight. Don't fret, the next dungeon is much easier, though I suggest winning this one, as it's a reward on its own.

mageofsin · May 2013

This is a tough fight so dont worry too much come back when you can get into the epic if you cant face doing it again

My Cleric is level 60 with 10.1kGS and for me this fight is completely horrible.

My skills are Sun Burst (great at building action points as you get swarmed and also knocking back), FF, AS. Dailys are flame strike and hallowed ground. Normally the GF burns the boss while i keep him up with FF in divinity. I use astral shield and pull all aggro for the other guys to kill the adds while in the shield area. Flame strike pretty much kills all the little guys in one hit allowing the TR and CW to finish up. All the while just use Astral seal and flames on the boss to keep the GF up even more ignoring the adds for the most part.

Seems to work pretty well and we have done it a few times, although it does seem like they are baby sitting you...they would die without you! (maybe

)

kattefjaes · May 2013

marzattakz wrote: »

It also helped alot in the later phases when the Dragon starts throwing out the large amount of static aoe on the floor to agree that everyone excluding the main tank moves in the same direction, decide together if it's clockwise or anti-clockwise.

I'd love it if most groups were capable of this- most don't seem to read the chat at all, or maybe don't have the English skills to grasp such concepts as "dragon" or "clockwise".

mievh · May 2013

groborthir wrote: »

In short: Get used to offtank adds as a devoted cleric.

I'd say main tank. I'm placing first on "Damage taken" simply too much.

How do YOU handle dungeon Boss fights?

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