Loatheb Down (Priest) Perfecting the Timing

[vertigo7]

All right everybody. Pretty much, the parts of this guide are:
1. The spec that I use and why.
2. The loot Loatheb drops that you might need.
3. The layout of Loatheb's moves.
4. The layout of the fight in general.
5. How to perfect your timing.

1.
Personally, I use an Imp DS spec that goes deep into holy for the instant casts and clearcasting. This is my spec.
23/48/0

Yes, I realize it is a bit homemade, but it fits my playing style and gear. It especially helps in this fight because of the instant cast heals almost guaranteed. I'll get to that later.

2.
This part is simple. The only loot you'll really need from Loatheb are right here.
Spaulders of the Lost Conquerer- T7 Shoulders

and some off-spec dps stave:
Sulfur Stave

3.
The moves that Loatheb does are as follows: Necrotic Aura This is by far the main aspect of this fight. It reduces all healing done by 100% for 17 seconds, and he casts it every 20 seconds. This leaves you 3 seconds to heal out of every 20 seconds.

Deathbloom. This is the opposite of lifebloom, where it does 200 damage every second for 6 seconds, then bursts for 1200 at the end. He casts this every 30 seconds, but you don't really need to worry about this that much because of the low damage.

Finally: Inevitable Doom. He begins casting this every 30 seconds and then ends up casting it every 15 seconds. Again, what you'll be doing will override this, don't worry too much about it.

4.
The general fight is as follows: The tank can tank him most anywhere, I'm used to him tanking right in front of the gate where you enter.

Everyone should stack on top of the tank, and start destroying the boss. Ranged stay at minimum range. Pretty much, everyone try to be as close as possible.

During the fight, spores will continuously spawn and float towards you. They do no damage and have 1200 health. When they are killed (as soon as possible), they give a "debuff" that grants the nearest 5 people 50% extra critical strike chance for 2 minutes. This should always be on the entire raid, pretty much.

Other than that, it is a tank-n-spank. No adds (that do damage), no fears, no mind control. Pretty simple... except for the debuff for no healing.

5.
The timing. The hardest part of this fight, and the only reason that a group wipes on this. If you miss one bunch of healing, the entire raid will most likely die, because thats 40 seconds of non-healing right there with Deathbloom and Doom.

This is what I found to be the most useful. My haste is very low, but it shouldn't matter TOO much. If you're unsure about the exact timing, cut it low. You'd rather miss a flash heal than a Prayer of Healing in this fight.

What I do for about 12 seconds of the 17 seconds of no healing is... nothing! Absolutely nothing. You can wand him, melee him, dance in the corner, or if you really are having trouble, bubble him with PW:S, as this helpful thread shows: PW:S and Loatheb

Then, at 6 seconds, I cast a renew on the dot. This means that it will tick the second the healing goes on and RIGHT before it goes off. That throws on the global cooldown, which comes off at 5 seconds.

I then wait for 2 seconds, or you can put a PW:S if you really want to. When the counter reaches 3, I wait for 1 more second until the MOMENT it hits 2. I then start spamming Prayer of healing, which has a 2.86 cast for me. Adjust it according to your haste. If you have a 2.6 second cast, wait another half second.

WHILE PoH is casting, start SPAMMING Circle of Healing.

If you did it right, your PoH will hit as soon as it starts working, followed by your Circle of Healing. If you refer to my spec, you will see that if you crit with the PoH or CoH, you have a 50% chance to make your Flash Heal instant... (the no mana doesn't matter because so much OO5SR goign on in the fight).


Seems unreliable? Here's the trick:
You have 50% extra crit rating from the spores. That means that you will crit on probably 3 of the 5 people your PoH hits, as well as 3 of 5 that the CoH hits. With a 50% chance to get a free flash heal, you will almost ALWAYS get a free flash heal.

After the Circle of Healing goes off, you have another global cooldown for one second. As the global cooldown is going down, spam BINDING HEAL. Yes, not flash heal, BINDING HEAL.

The reasons are these:
1. It will top you off after the PoH and CoH if those had not already.
2. It has the same cast as flash heal, about the same heal, and is NOT affected by Surge of Light.

If you just casted flash heal, you would immediately hit it, followed by a global cooldown, and no time to cast any other heal. If you cast binding heal, followed by an instant flash heal, you will get two off.

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed the guide, and happy Naxx hunting for all you priests!

[pwn_able]

Seems unreliable? Here's the trick:
You have 50% extra crit rating from the spores. That means that you will crit on probably 3 of the 5 people your PoH hits, as well as 3 of 5 that the CoH hits. With a 50% chance to get a free flash heal, you will almost ALWAYS get a free flash heal.

I don't know about this in 25 man.
Usually, the DPS are in separate groups from the healers, so that the DPS can get the buff, not the healers. You could always ask to be put in the groups, I guess.

[infotech1]

spores effect the 5 closest people on 25, nothing to do with groups, and if your not getting your healers + 50% crit your pretty crazy

[vertigo7]

spores effect the 5 closest people on 25, nothing to do with groups, and if your not getting your healers + 50% crit your pretty crazy

This. It has nothing to do with groups, and because the buff lasts 2 minutes with a steady stream of spores, there should never be a time when almost everyone has the crit buff.


EDIT: /sigh. 200 views and 2 comments... again. If you have a comment, POST IT. If you don't like it, tell me what to improve. If you like it, say something.

[t('.'t)]

I can't say this would really work for 25, however as a holy cookie cutter 14/57/0 Holy priest I have successfully solo healed 10 man Loatheb with 2 tanks, myself, and 4 dps. At 3 seconds with necrotic Prayer of Healing, then Circle of Healing. It rocks Bubbling anyone during Necrotic Aura if they are dropping too fast.

[Canizzz]

Nice guide you got, shame no use for me, but I would give you cookie, if I would have one ;/ Because it seems you have been using some time for this one :P

[vertigo7]

Thanks for the replies, guys. And yes, I did take some time on this, which is why it's annoying that less than 5 people have responded in like 2 days when some random leecher doing a C&P repost x1000 actually gets rep for the threads.... anyways.

Enough rant. Thanks for the feedback >.<

EDIT: Now over 350 views with 4 comments. Please, PLEASE, send back feedback. There's no reason not to, it takes 15 seconds, and it lets me know what's good and bad in the post. If it helps you, then post. Thanks.