Nefarian
Equip your goddamn Ony Cloaks before pulling!
Nefarian is a multi-phase boss. Like many other end-raid bosses in WoW, this encounter starts with trash waves. Once enough trash is killed, Nef will blanket the entire battlefield with a breath that kills anyone not wearing an Ony cloak. This breath does not hit the spot behind his throne - if you forgot your cloak, stay there after the pull until the breath is clear!
After breathing on the raid, Nef will land and phase 2 begins. He’s a typical dragon fight - tail whip, frontal breath, etc.
Nef will cast Veil of Shadow on the tank periodically. This is basically Mortal Strike, except it can be decursed.
He also Fears, so Fear Ward the tank.
At around 20% he’ll resurrect all of the trash that was killed in Phase 1, which will now swarm the raid as undead. Offtank should round them up, raid should cleave them down.
Class Calls
30 seconds into Phase 2 and every 30 seconds thereafter, Nef will pick a random class (any class available to that faction, not based on who’s actually in the raid) and there will be a themed mechanic involving that class that affects the raid. In SoM (and identical in SoD), each Class Call also has an extra secondary effect, where weapons will come out of players of that class and begin casting spells on the raid. These mechanics are:
Druids: All Druids are forced into Cat Form for the duration of the call.
- Extra Black Trial effect: Entangling Roots will roam around the battlefield and ensnare anyone they come into contact with.
Warriors: All Warriors are forced into Berserker Stance and take 30% increased damage for the duration of the call. If the main tank is a warrior, this can be extremely dangerous and will require plentiful healing to keep them up. Be mindful of threat.
- Extra Black Trial effect: 2H swords will roam and Whirlwind the raid.
Mages: Forces mages to cast Wild Polymorph into random raid members, polymorphing them.
- Extra Black Trial effect: Staves come out that cast Arcane Explosion on the battlefield.
Priests: Direct healing spells will instead apply stacks of Corrupted Healing on their target, damaging them instead of healing them. Only direct spells apply Corrupted Healing - Renew and PWS are safe.
- Extra Black Trial effect: Staves will roam the raid and cast Mind Flay.
Rogues: All Rogues are teleported and immobilized in front of Nefarian. The tank must turn the boss or our stealthy lads will perish.
- Extra Black Trial effect: Daggers will roam the raid and Slice and Dice.
Hunters: Weapon equipped in your Ranged slot is instantly broken. Hunters must unequip their weapons prior to any Class Call going out, and re-equip after the Call starts. Bring backup weapons just in case!
- Extra Black Trial effect: Bows come out that act like turrets, firing laser beams in lines that are clearly coreographed.
Warlocks: Each Warlock will summon 2 hostile Corrupted Infernals. These will stun and do damage to the raid. They’re weak, but immune to fire damage. Focus them down.
- Extra Black Trial effect: Staves will stand in place and cast AoE Death Coil projectiles that must be dodged.
Paladins: Forced to spam Blessing of Protection on Nefarian. Keep this ability on cooldown to ensure Nef doesn’t get bubbled.
- Extra Black Trial effect: Hammers come out of Paladins that roam the battlefield and cast Consecrate.
Shaman: Nefarian starts gaining Corrupted Totems, buffing him with Windfury and Fire Nova. Kill totems ASAP.
- Extra Black Trial effect: Lightning balls will bounce around and cause arcs in a small area wherever they land. Avoid the arcs.
The only Black Trial change for Nefarian is the addition of secondary effects to each Class Call, noted above.
Once Nefarian is dead, additional chests will spawn near his throne with any bonus loot applicable to you mentioned at the start of this guide.
See you in Ahn’Qiraj!
