EC: Firebrand and Stormcaller (Hard Mode)

[thrakkemarn]

The knockback from the tank does NOT do damage, we use it to knock our groups into position under a shield on every single Defensive System. If people are dying after this it is either from getting hit by mortars or a lightning orb.

If you are having people die after getting hit by a DD, then they are almost certainly getting hit by the frontal cone attack from SC. It has a VERY wide attack range. There are 2 possible causes: either the tank is losing aggro and DPS are getting hit, OR the DPS are still slightly in front of SC. There is a very narrow window to get out from in front. Your tank on SC should be swinging the turret on SC in the opposite direction from where the DPS are running to avoid this.

We have noticed that your tank almost always has to taunt Stormcalller right after a Defensive Systems to ensure that the lightning orbs are dropping on your tank outside rather the on DPS inside the shields. This might be related to the potential threat drop people are seeing right after a DD.

However, I can confirm that it is NOT necessary to taunt after every DD. If your tank has enough aggro SC will continue to target him.

Finally, if you are getting hit with a Double Destruction on top of a Defensive systems there are 2 possible causes: either your DPS is simply too low for this fight, OR Firebrand is at lower hp than SC. MAKE SURE that Stormcaller is 5-10% ahead of Firebrand for the entire fight and it will go far smoother.

These are my observations after clearing this back to back on HM, once as DPS and once as a tank.

[AdamP]

(05-08-2012 10:55 PM)Fuhrerschein Wrote:  Tyvm this is great info. did you find you were able to beat the 2nd DD before every defensive system?

We didn't, on the first few tries, due mostly to me fucking up my rotation and getting below 60% energy in one phase (I'm a sniper). However, once myself and our best merc got our shit together, we beat it every time, people took barely any damage all fight, and we beat them with little issue. The only problem we ran into was that stormcaller was close to 10% behind firebrand when we came out of the final defensive systems phase, but as both myself and the merc are ranged we just tab targeted and evened them out.

(05-09-2012 02:37 AM)thrakkemarn Wrote:  Finally, if you are getting hit with a Double Destruction on top of a Defensive systems there are 2 possible causes: either your DPS is simply too low for this fight, OR Firebrand is at lower hp than SC. MAKE SURE that Stormcaller is 5-10% ahead of Firebrand for the entire fight and it will go far smoother.

Double destruction is cast on a timer, and the defensive systems phase is caused by EITHER tank reaching 80%, 60%, 40%, or 20%. Keeping your best DPS on EITHER tank helps avoid a second DD.

[Squishei]

You can easily skew your dps so that one hits 80% before the second DD. Just make up for it after the 4th shield phase by swapping some dps over.

[Squishei]

In addition. You really want to beat the second DD to beat the enrage timer. DDs come at 15/45 seconds of each phase. Defensive systems lasts 6+25+4 and there are 4 of them for a total of 140 seconds and 5 regular phase of 45 seconds (2nd DD), thus 225 seconds for a total of 365 seconds, 5 seconds over enrage.

I don't know if this has been discussed yet, but when firebrand dies, storm caller begins to spam a 0.5 second ultimate distruction that increases the next ultimate by 100% creating a soft enrage. When storm caller dies, firebrand begins to activate defensive systems (6 second cast). If allowed to go off, he takes 99% less damage for the duration of the phase (25 seconds) as usual but only spawns half the bubbles. If this happens you have to sacrifice half your raid to the missiles and then finish him off after the phase ends. This will probably make you hit enrage if allowed to go off.

[thrakkemarn]

Interesting. My experience of this fight has been DD > Incinerate > DD > Defensive systems repeated throughout the fight and VERY close together. I guess we are BARELY skimming by under the enrage >.<

But yes, the tanks DO need to die very close together, so make sure you shift DPS to compensate by the end.

[azazael]

Something my group has been running into is the 2nd DD every phase, just barely. I was wondering if we could stack 3 DD on Stormcaller and push it hard to ~15% (aka though all the Defensive Systems) and then switch the DD over to Firebrand to push it down to even before doing a final push. is there any reason why we couldn't do this?

[thrakkemarn]

Ok, so last night we switched it up a bit. We pushed DPS HARD on Firebrand, skipping the second DD in most phases. When we got Firebrand to 20% and the final Defensive Systems triggered, we swapped all DPS to Stormcaller and pushed him to 10%, then swapped all DPS back to Firebrand to completely kill him off and then finished the last ~8% on Stormcaller. Smoothest kill so far.

[AdamP]

(05-10-2012 09:24 PM)azazael Wrote:  Something my group has been running into is the 2nd DD every phase, just barely. I was wondering if we could stack 3 DD on Stormcaller and push it hard to ~15% (aka though all the Defensive Systems) and then switch the DD over to Firebrand to push it down to even before doing a final push. is there any reason why we couldn't do this?

In theory that works in my mind (if by DD you mean DPS). The downside would be that in the final phase, once stormcaller was under 20%, it would take some time to get firebrand to equal health, and in the meantime you'd still have to have 2 DPS standing on stormcaller eating the double destructions. Could work though.

[Squishei]

(05-11-2012 06:12 AM)AdamP Wrote:  

(05-10-2012 09:24 PM)azazael Wrote:  Something my group has been running into is the 2nd DD every phase, just barely. I was wondering if we could stack 3 DD on Stormcaller and push it hard to ~15% (aka though all the Defensive Systems) and then switch the DD over to Firebrand to push it down to even before doing a final push. is there any reason why we couldn't do this?

In theory that works in my mind (if by DD you mean DPS). The downside would be that in the final phase, once stormcaller was under 20%, it would take some time to get firebrand to equal health, and in the meantime you'd still have to have 2 DPS standing on stormcaller eating the double destructions. Could work though.

In my opinion you should do it the other way, if you like this strat. 3 dps on firebrand, and get the last dps and a healer to soak until <20%. But there's no reason a dps HAS to soak, it just can be more convenient.

[kornetmuse]

Hi,

I just thought about something for this fight.

Instead of swapping the tanks (and risk the dps with the DD to get back the aggro while the second tank construct his aggro on the new boss), is it possible for the tank on StormCaller to mass taunt the 2 bosses during the cast of the incinerate armor in order to get it and then the tank on firebrand takes it back.

I was wondering if the debuff is down on the boss who has the aggro at the begining or the end of the cast.

Even though, the incinerate armor cast is begining right after the DD if i remember well. So, maybe the tank on stormcaller can mass taunt the 2 bosses during this phase.
Stormcaller isn't dealing any dommages because of his cast so the aggro must be healable.

What do you think ?