Warlord Zon’ozz HC

Welcome to Dragon Soul Heroic mode for Warlord Zon’ozz. In this guide, I will run you through everything you need to know about how to best utilize your Resto Shaman spells and abilities for a healing showdown.

I don’t like the fact Blizzard felt we had to fight 2 bosses in the same room. I always feel I’ll either get oozes to spawn or tendons and vice versa. Its disorienting to be in the exact same environment but whatever. Thank you Blizz.

Zon’ozz on heroic features one main difference that will brighten your day. Remember those adds that spawned during black phase? What? You were too busy healing like crazy/ dpsing like crazy/tanking like crazy to remember? I have excellent news for you!They were there! And guess what! You get to fight them in heroic version. Excited? No? You’re more like me then. Hard audience. I’ll just get right to the point.

While the ping pong phase remains almost the same ( my suggestion will be to go for 5/5/5 then kill / kill / kill ) be prepared for even more damage to the tank and get ready to deal with the Disrupting Shadows  debuff that now not only deals damage to the affected raid member but also to all raid members within 10 yeards.If and when you get it, it move out of range and dispell.Rule of thumb.

Tip. If you don’t have an addon to display range Blizzard has its own.Input the following in chat to get yours to pop out.
/range 10

In regards of the new adds that will spawn.

Claw of Go’rath is a large tentacle that must be tanked. If not tanked, this tentacle will deal massive amounts of damage to the raid, causing a fast wipe. 1 Claw spawns in 10-man difficulty. The Claw of Go’rath deals very low damage, and does not need a proper tank. Plate wearing DPS players and Feral Druids can perform this task.
Flail of Go’rath is a small tentacle with little health. It deals damage to random raid members and performs a knockback on players within 15 yards of it. 2 Flails spawns in 10-man difficulty.
Eye of Go’rath simply deals damage to random raid members. 5 Eyes spawn in 10-man difficulty.

Although you should take a look in the videos below for more info on how to handle these adds, my raid has the following strat. As soon as Black phase begins everyone should stack on the Claw .This way healers can lay down all their aoe heals while the tank will take upon the task to tank both the Claw and Zon’ozz. As for the dps assignments. 2 dps will take the closest Flail to their side while another 4 dps divided in 2 groups will take the closest eye to their side. Once those 3 are dead, the group that got the Flail down will split from the group taking one healer with them in order to kill 2 remaining eyes on their side, one of the other 2 dps split to the opposite side to deal with another 2eyes with yet another healer and the last 2 dps along with the last healer will remain in the middle (should be melee) in order to take down both the claw and dps the boss as much as possible. Rince and repeat 3 times. On the forth pop Heroism , stack on the Claw again ( the tank still needs to tank both of them ) ignore all adds and dps down the boss. Needless to say it’s yet another dps intensive fight and healer likewise.

Preparation

For a more in depth analysis of exactly all Zon’ozz old abilities I suggest reading the following guides.

1. Guides for Normal Zon’ozz

Warlord Zon’ozz 10Man Normal by Type H for Heals
Warlord Zon’ozz 10Man Normal And Heroic by IcyVeins

TIP : Always watch some videos beforehand to be in the know.

2.Videos for Heroic Zon’ozz

Warlord Zon’ozz 10Man Heroic Dragon Soul FATBOSS
Warlord Zon’ozz 25Man Heroic Dragon Soul LearnToRaid

Suggested Raid Composition

1 Tank – 3 Healers – 6 Dps

Gear and Reforging Check

For this fight any mastery oriented gear will do, mainly since during Black phase the Black Blood of Go’rath   debuff that exists in normal mode works slightly differently. In heroic mode, this debuff gains stacks, and deals damage to the raid based on the amount of stacks it has (around 4,000 Shadow damage per second per stack). Each tentacle that is alive (Claw, Flail and Eye) applies one stack of the debuff. Killing the tentacles is required in order to lessen the raid-wide damage .It is important to note that the debuff does not deal damage to the raid outside of the Black Phase, but it maintains stacks based on how many tentacles are still alive during this time. When the next Black Phase starts, these stacks will be added to the stacks of the newly spawned tentacles, resulting in higher damage. What this means is that the whole raid will take huge amounts of damage that will bring each member to its feet, namely for the most part of the phase below 50% of their health.Shaman mastery healing here will work wonders while you are progressing, feel free to change to haste after your first kills.

Equip your talent tree with Telluric currents to get mana back as well as do damage before the Black phase and Focused Insight to be able to amplify your healing throughput.
Remove points from your ghost wolf since for this fight you probably will be called to dispel a lot so put some talents to your Improved Cleanse Spirit and Cleansing Waters. Don’t be scared to lose your instant wolf. You will only be running a short distance and at that point you will be sporting Spiritwalker’s Grace anyways.

Below is an example of how your character should look like. Gear, reforging, talent tree and glyphs included.

CharDev Example with 397 gear and reforge details

Haste in this example is as close to 916 as it gets. I’ve removed all extra haste to amplify my spirit and mastery needs.Also the only time you will really need haste will have heroism and spiritwalkers grace to compensate.

Mastery should above 20 or as close to it as possible for the extra healing it will provide you for when your raid hits all time lows. Mastery is a must in this fight since while in Black phase your raid will always be below 50% of health.

Spirit is little above 3800 (counting the proc from  Heart of Unliving) in order to have plenty to meet your needs.

All items used are from Normal Dragon Soul.

As always, if your gear is different just apply the rules above for potential reforges.

Preparation Tips and Tricks

Make sure your weapon is imbued with Earthliving Weapon enchant and your Water Shield is up . Put Earth Shield on the tank and try to keep it up at all times .Start overhealing the tank so that your well spent Ancestral Healing talent points will proc that wonderful 10% damage reduction and 10% maximum health pool increase. After you see you can’t climb more on their health cast riptide on him. As long as riptide is ticking the stacks will never drop thus securing the tank an extra 10% damage reduction and health pool increase throughout all the fight.

Fight starting in 5..4..3..2..1. Pull.’

 TIP. Depending on what healers your raid is sporting your assignment will differ. Below is my view of the fight from my POV so my spells are adjusted accordingly. I’m stationed in between the melee pile and the ranged pile for 3 reasons.

  First so I can spot heal the tank if needed while I’m keeping my earth shield on him  and also provide support for the melee pile (with healing but also with dispelling)  whilst I am also responsible to take care of my ranged team. (Not as scary as it sounds. Restoration shamans are amazing at multitasking like this. ) 

Second so I am close enough to roll lightning bolts at the boss to regain my mana as this is the only time you will be allowed to do that. 

Third so I am close to enough to spam the shocking spell of my choice to take advantage of my Focused Insight talent and amplify my heals.

Run in and drop your totems at your position after the tank pulls. If you run in before the tank you risk engaging the boss .

TIP. Relocate for the unfortunate event that the Void of the Unmaking spawns towards your direction since it may bounce of your totems. Relocate yourself accordingly allowing the ranged pile to assume your position in that case.

At this point there is no significant damage going out, help the tank healer with the tank, refresh your riptides to members that need it and roll some lightning bolts at Zon’ozz. As soon as you see the Void spawning you have few seconds to

1.Shock the boss with any shocking spell of your choise and

2.Depending on where you see the ball is heading lay a healing rain under the feet of the ranged pile. This way your healing rain will be 30% stronger.Yes I can’t stress this enough, all it’s ticks will be 30% stronger so consider your GCD well spend.

Ping Pong Phase.

While in this phase make sure there is a healing rain under the ranged pile at all times always enhanced with any shocking spell. So cast it on cool down . Cast riptides on CD also and if you feel your melee pile needs more love cast chain heals to an non riptided member.Turn your attention to the tank and make sure he survives Psychic Drain and is topped off after. Since you keep rolling your riptides on CD and chain healing the melee pile your tidal waves will be up to give you 30% more crit chance to your healing surges and 30% faster greater healing waves. So if you are unsure of your tank cast 2 healing surges at him to keep him alive long enough so you can cast your greater healing wave at ease.

Note. Your tank healer will probably be on top of this so you won’t need to stress as much. Use this time to cast lightning bolts if you can.

Black phase.

As soon as black phase starts the boss will automatically teleport in the middle of the room. At this point there is some dead time where you need to run to your location which is stacked under the Claw with the rest of the raid. You should :

1. Make sure your tanks earth shield has enough stacks, if its under 4 refresh it on the run.

2.Spam once Unleash life on the tank and spam any shocking spell at the boss to activate your Focused Insight proc and pop your Spiritwalker’s Grace. Immediately start casting healing rain at the stacking location.By the time you are finished casting you’ll already be there.

3.In accordance with your fellow healers this is the time to drop your spirit link totem. You can only drop it every other Black phase so either you’ll be called to drop it on 1rst and 3rd adds or 2nd and 4rth.

4.Drop mana tide totem to regain mana while you’re casting and keep dropping it on cd after this. Like spirit link totem it will be back for a black phase again.

5.Shock the claw or the Zon’ozz and cast another healing rain at the melee pile.

Note.Remember. You will be called to dispel Disrupting Shadows every now and then.Remember to check if your raid member is in a safe 10 yards radius before you do.

Now depending on your assignment you will be either staying with the melee pile or called to heal a ranged group that will split after the first adds are down.

Melee group assignment

Shock either the Claw or Zon’zz and cast healing rain on CD. Keep your riptides rolling on whichever member needs it and keep the tank up with greater healing waves. As always if you see any member running low especially the tank cast 2 healing surges to secure them quickly before you lay a bigger spell. Occasional chain heals might help although they are not my preferred spell for this situation.

Ranged group assignment 

Transfer your earth shield to any ranged of our team. You heal more any member that you have earth shielded via this talent Nature’s Blessing . Spot heal them with healing surges and greater healing waves.

TIP.Keep your riptides rolling on CD. Yes the GCD is always worth it.Not only they will have a HOT on them to keep them going but this way you’ll always get to keep your tidal waves up making your greater healing waves 30% faster and give your healing surges 30% chance to crit. Overall win win.

Once the Black phase is over relocate to your original assigned position. Top off any member needed. If its ranged pile lay a healing rain, if its melee chain heal or spot heal of your choice.Remember to earth shield the tank if it has either run out or you had it on a ranged member. Assume your “healing rotation” since at this point effectively you are at the beginning of the fight again. Rinse and repeat 4 times.

Fourth set of adds.

 As soon as the 4rth series of adds spawn  pop Heroism and stack on the Claw again .Everyone at this point will ignore all adds, except for the tank that will still need to tank both the Claw and Zon’ozz. This will be very intense healing phase seeing as the adds will keep damaging your raid constantly until the boss dies. Your mastery is going to help you with this phase keep casting healing rains at your location and chain heal in between. Hopefully you will have enough mana to keep you going until its over.

This concudes this guide for the Warlord Zon’ozz HC healing showdown. Enjoy the fight and happy looting!