Fathom-Lord Karathress Strategy Guide

Introduction
Fathom-Lord Karathress is situated in the north of the Serpentshrine Lair instance. Before you could reach him you must clear a lot of trash. He drops the tier 5 legs.

Raid Setup
The encounter needs a lot of healing, so you should take 8-9 healers. If you have problems keeping the raid alive just invite another healer. You should have at least 3 protection skilled warriors as well as two other warriors or feral druids. It is also important that you bring a minimum of two warlocks.

Shadow priests are very useful here. They can group heal the raid with Vampiric Embrace and also provide a lot of mana to the other healers, especially the Paladins.

All in all you should take a mixed damage setup.

Gear Requirements
Despite the high amount of magical damage in the fight, you don't need any special resistance potions or equipment for this encounter.

Tanks
All tanks should have a flask, because they will experience a lot of burst damage. The Karathress and Tidalvess tanks should use every available potion or buff that avoids HP loss. Stoneshield potions and Nightmare Seed will help a lot!

Melee DPS & Ranged DPS
Make sure that you have brought enough healing potions and bandages with you, so the healers can concentrate on the tanks. You will catch a lot of damage but healing is rare in this fight. As the encounter has a 10 minute enrage you should use a lot of damage potions, particularly on early kills.

Healers
This fight is definitely a gear check for healers, as they will face a lot of damage on the tanks and the raid. Consumables and potions are needed to avoid going out of mana during this fight. You should also consider using Flasks of Mighty Restoration. Build special groups for healers where they get assistance from the shadow priests.


Boss Abilities

Fathom-Lord Karathress
1,700,000 HP

Shadow Bolt
Every 10 seconds he casts a Shadow Bolt that will damage one single target for 50% of its total HP. This ability looks like five Shadow Bolts spinning in the air, but always coming down on a single target. It will cause damage equal to exactly 50% of the target's HP. It can be completely resisted, but not partially.

Enrage
After 10 minutes Fathom-Lord Karathress will enrage and one-hit everyone.

Melee Strength
At the beginning of the fight one healer is sufficient to heal the boss' tank, but once Karathress gains the buff "The Beast Within" his damage will increase enormously. He then hits the Main Tank for about 6,000 damage.


Fathom Lord Karathress swimming
Fathom-Guard Sharkkis (Hunter)
855,000 HP

Multishot
Causes approximately 2000-3000 damage on three players.

Viper Sting
This works much like the hunter ability. It drains about 3000 mana and can not be dispelled. Do not underestimate it.

Summon Pet
Sharkkis summons a pet that is either an elemental or a beast. If it's an elemental you can Banish it easily. Otherwise it should be tanked.

The Beast Within
Turns red and increases damage by 30%. His pet also goes into a rage, causing 50% additional damage for 18 sec.

Melee Strength
Sharkkis deals moderate damage to the tank. It should be no problem for 1-2 healers. If his add is tanked the healers might have more problems. The pet deals at least as much damage as he does, so pay attention to your tank's HP!


Fathom-Guard Tidalvess (Shaman)
840,000 HP

Shaman Abilities
Tidalvess has nearly all the damage spells that a player shaman has, including Windfury, which is very nasty for the tank, and a Frost Shock that hits for about 6,000.

Shaman Totems
He summons several totems:

# Spitfire Totem - Deals 2250-3500 damage to multiple targets in the raid. It should be destroyed as soon as it spawns.
# Cleansing Totem - Can safely be ignored.
# Earthbind Totem - Can safely be ignored.


Fathom-Guard Caribdis (Priest)
885,000 HP

Water Bolt Volley
This is a 45 yard area of effect spell which deals 2700-3250 damage.

Heal
A single target heal that does not depend on line of sight or range. It can be cast on any of the mobs, inluding Karathress and Caribdis himself. It heals for approximately 20-30% of the target's total HP. It can and should be interrupted by the tank, and also any melee DPS on Caribdis at the time. Ranged classes with interrupts should save them for Heals cast after Tidal Surge (see below).

Tidal Surge
Caribdis stuns all players within a 10 yard range every 15-20 seconds. They will be frozen in an ice block for 3 seconds but they still receive damage and don't lose aggro during that time. This ice block is problematic, because melee are unable to interrupt Caribdis' Heal spell during this time. To counter this, a shaman needs to stand outside the 10 yard range of this ability, and be ready to cast Earth Shock on Carabdis should he attempt to cast Heal after a Tidal Surge.

The Whirlwind
A whirlwind is generated which moves around the fight area. It has considerable range and can easily interfere with groups on the other mobs. It pushes the players up in the air for about 3-6 seconds and gives a debuff that reduces casting time. It looks like the arena whirlwind but does not deal any damage.


Killing The Adds

The Kill Order

1. Fathom-Guard Sharkkis (Hunter)
2. Fathom-Guard Tidalvess (Shaman)
3. Fathom-Guard Caribdis (Priest)
4. Fathom-Lord Karathress

Every time an add dies, Karathress gains a new ability.

When Sharkkis the Hunter dies, Karathress will gain "The Beast Within". This ability buffs his melee DPS.

When Tidalvess the Shaman dies, Karathress will gain "Spitfire Totem". This totem, which was previously placed by the shaman, is now placed by the boss himself.

When Caribdis the Priest dies, Karathress will gain "Tidal Surge". It is the exact same ability Caribdis has.


Positioning and Fight



Fathom Lord Karathress Raid Positions


1. The Pull


There is nothing special about the pull. The tanks will run towards the the four mobs and hunters pull the adds to their tanks. It's no tragedy if you haven't got enough hunters for all three tanks. The tanks can also pull the adds on their own. Make sure that the tank of Tidalvess gets a Misdirection pull, however.

Karathress is tanked by the the main tank (best gear). The second best geared warrior tanks Tidalvess; he can nearly one-hit a tank with his Windfury ability, so he will need a lot of attention from the healers (see "Healing the Tidalvess Tank" at the end of this guide). Caribdis should be tanked by a third warrior, who can Pummel the Heal ability. A warlock must keep Curse of Tonques on Caribdis to facilitate this. Sharkkis can be tanked by a feral druid or a protection tank. He will be focused on by the DPS first, so his tank has to produce a lot of aggro quickly. Another druid tanks the pet of Sharkkis.

Fathom Lord Karathress Raid Positions


2. Fighting Sharkkis


Sharkkis is the first target. He is tanked by a protection warrior or a feral druid. If he spawns a non elemental add, you must tank that too. Therefore a feral druid should equip his tank gear and tank the add if it's a beast. If it is an elemental, he can switch to cat form and deal damage to Sharkkis whilst a warlock keeps it Banished.

It is important that the priest (Caribdis) is successfully interrupted throughout all of the fight, whether he is being focussed by DPS or not. You can't afford to lose time in this fight because of the enrage timer.

You may also have problems with Tidalvess during this stage. Refer to the section, "Healing the Tidalvess Tank" at the end of this guide for a full discussion of possible solutions.

Healers should keep the whole raid above 50% HP at all times, otherwise they can be one-shotted by Karathress' Shadow Bolt ability. Bandages and consumables should be used by DPS classes to aid in keeping their own health up.

Fathom Lord Karathress Raid Positions


3. Fighting Tidalvess


After Sharkkis dies the DPS moves on to Tidalvess. He is the next target and will deal a lot of damage to the raid. Until this point the tank of Tidalvess and his healers were being hit by the Firespit totems and healing through the damage, but now you can't ignore the totem any longer. If you don't damage it the raid will take too much damage. It must be focused by ranged DPS as soon as it spawns. It will help your healers' mana a lot!

Karathress now deals more melee damage because of the buff "The Beast Within". But the two healers should still be able to handle the damage easily.

After Tidalvess is dead, you should split the healers as it is shown on the picture.

Fathom Lord Karathress Raid Positions


4. Fighting Caribdis


When Tidalvess dies, Karathress gains the "Spitfire Totem" ability. Now the Fight gets really nasty. The healers on the main tank will face a lot more damage now. As you see on the picture you can now kite Karathress in the room, so that the Spitfire Totem stands out of range of the main tank and his healers. Do not kite him in the middle of the room, or anywhere near the raid. Also, the DPS damaging Caribdis will be taking a lot of damage now. The damage from the Water Bolt Volley needs to be healed up. Some healers (but not all!) can stand outside of the range of the water bolts and heal the raid. Caribdis should be killed as quickly as possible!

Fathom Lord Karathress Raid Positions


5. Fighting Karathress


Now you should consider the enrage timer. If you have enough time for the final stage, you should kill the Spitfire Totems as soon as they spawn. If you are running out of time, you should focus Karathress and ignore the totem. It will put considerably more strain on the healers, but you can save a lot of time and thus DPS Karathress much faster.

Fathom Lord Karathress Raid Positions



Class Comments

Healers
(priests, druids, paladins, shamans)

# Your biggest problem will be the death of several players throughout the fight. So you must adjust the healing as you go. If there is simply not enough healing you should invite another healer. You will have big problems healing the tank of Tidalvess. Make sure that your best geared and most experienced healers heal this tank.
# Before Karathress gains "The Beast Within", one healer should be able to heal him (so you can send one MT healer to the Hunter until he dies).
# When the MT kites Karathress between the two positions, his healers should get maximum range on him so that they won't be hit too much by new totems.
# Keep in mind that every person in the raid should stay above 50% HP because of Karathress' Shadow Bolt ability.
# Watch out for the whirlwind and make sure that it doesn't kick both healers of a tank simultaneously into the air.

Fathom Lord Karathress in profile
Tanks
# Use Nightmare Seed or Fel Blossom to prevent your death in critical situations. Also use Stoneshield Potions and Flasks! They are expensive, but not at all a waste of money.

All Damage Dealers
# Use healing potions and bandages. Every heal on you is one that is missing on a tank. Don't forget your health stones!
# Try to stand in line of sight and range of the healers.
# Use damage potions and consumables to increase your DPS.

Rogues
# After Sharkkis dies you will face mobs that have been tanked by a warrior for minutes, so you can, and should, do your full DPS on these mobs.
# You will have some problems with Caribdis, because of his Tidal Surge ability. Nonetheless you should pay attention to his healing cast, which you can easily kick when you are not frozen.
# When the Spitfire Totem is focussed by the ranged DPS, keep damaging the mob and don't waste your combo points. Tempus Fugit!

Hunters
# Use your pets to deal as much damage as possible, but don't expect any heals on them.

Warlocks
# One warlock should stay near Caribdis at all time to curse him with Curse of Tongues. This is very important in order to allow the tank to successfully Pummel his heals.
# You should place an imp near the main tank and the tank of Tidalvess to push their hitpoints.
# Other warlocks should sacrifice their pets to get more DPS.

Fathom Lord Karathress
Mages
# Mages usually don't have many HP. If you have problems staying alive, try to push your gear to get more hitpoints. Use your Fire Ward ability at Tidalvess and Karathress, and your Frost Ward ability at Caribdis.

Shamans
# Use your ability Heroism, when the raid is damaging Tidalvess. He must be killed quickly, because he and his Spitfire Totems deal too much damage to the raid.

Shadow Priests
# Allways keep Vampiric Embrace and Vampiric Touch up on your target. It will help your group a lot, especially the healers.

Misc Tips
# The hunter add should be tanked for a few seconds by the druid even if it is an elemental. Otherwise, it will one-hit a player when the Banish breaks.
# If the MT and his healers have problems with the kite positions you can simply establish a third position near the Tidalvess tank spot.


Appendix: Healing the Tidalvess Tank
With the Spitfire Totems dealing significant AoE damage and the potent Frostshock and Windfury abilities, Tidalvess can be a very challenging mob to heal through while Sharkkis is being killed. There are various suggested solutions listed here, and you may have to experiment a little to find which one suits your raid and your healers the best.

Take More Healers
The simplest solution is to take one or more extra healers, but the raid DPS also needs to be high enough to kill Karathress before he enrages.

Move Healers Down
You can situate the healers of the Tidalvess tank in the south, next to the healers of the Caribdis tank. One Caribdis healer can then heal all the healers for both adds while the Tidalvess tank healers concentrate solely on their tank.

Dedicated Healer for Tidalvess Healers
Place a healer further out from Tidalvess, out of range of the Spitfire Totem, but within range of the Tidalvess healers.

If the Tidalvess healers are being externally healed such that they can focus on the tank, it is useful if they are paladins. They should have the Light's Grace talent so that they can cast Holy Light in two seconds. Paladins are very strong single target healers at the moment and they will do a great job on the Tidalvess tank. You can also count on a good priest healer for the Tidalvess tank, because Power Word: Shield and Prayer of Mending can also be very effective.

Kill Tidalvess First
It is possible to kill Tidalvess before Sharkkis, but this is not recommended and causes a whole host of new problems which are not addressed in this guide.

Tank Tidalvess On Top of Sharkkis
It can be done, but it's not popular. By tanking the adds together, you can focus DPS on the Spitfire Totems that spawn whilst killing Sharkkis, or you can simply let them hit the raid. The damage from the totems can only hit 5-6 people, so if a totem fires 2-3 times in fast succession, it won't hit the same single target each time and kill them.A lot more damage will be dealt to the raid as a whole, though.