
Blackrock Depths - Lower, Healer Guide
Updated 8 months, 3 weeks ago for patch 1.13 by Preston. View the change log.
This page covers healer-focused strategies for the Blackrock Depths - Lower dungeon. While it's tailored for healers, other roles may also find the information useful. If you have any suggestions or feedback, you can leave a comment below or tweet @PrestonDvorak.
This guide has been updated and maintained based on my own experiences as well as Dungeon Journal information. I'll continue to update it as-needed.
Best for players level 52-60.
While it's technically possible to access all of Blackrock Depths at one time, most players opt to do one of two sections. The Lower or Detention Block section is the first of the two.
This section allows players to obtain the Shadowforge Key by completing the Dark Iron Legacy quest. The key is used to unlock doors to access other parts of Blackrock Depths.
Bosses
Below are guides for the bosses in Blackrock Depths - Lower, including their abilities, healer notes, and addon settings.
High Interrogator Gerstahn
- Interrupt
Mana Burn to prevent the mana drain effect.
- Dispel
Shadow Word: Pain (magic) to prevent the damage over time.
- Purge
Shadow Shield to remove the damage absorption effect.
- Fears all players with
Psychic Scream.
Healing Notes
- Be aware of player positioning after
Psychic Scream, some players may end up our of range or line of sight.
Debuffs to Track
- Minor:
Shadow Word: Pain (dispel, magic)
- Buffs to Purge:
Shadow Shield
Lord Roccor
- Dispel
Flame Shock (magic) to prevent the damage over time.
- Can interrupt player casts with
Earth Shock.
Healing Notes
- Be aware of trash mobs nearby and patrolling through the area.
Debuffs to Track
- Minor:
Flame Shock (dispel, magic)
Houndmaster Grebmar
- Purge
Bloodlust to remove the increased attack speed effect.
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
Pummel.
- Reduces attack power of nearby players with
Demoralizing Shout.
Healing Notes
- Be aware of trash mobs nearby and patrolling through the area.
Debuffs to Track
- Buffs to Purge:
Bloodlust
Ring of Law
The Ring of Law features a pool of bosses from which one is chosen at a time in a gauntlet style event. Below are the possible bosses.
- Gorosh the Dervish
- The tank will be dealing with
Mortal Strike, receiving 50% less healing for the duration of the effect.
- Purge
Bloodlust to remove the increased attack speed effect.
- Stay at least 5-yards away during
Whirlwind to avoid the heavy damage.
- The tank will be dealing with
- Grizzle
- Eviscerator
- Applies
Vicious Rend to the tank.
- Interrupt
Shadow Bolt Volley to prevent the damage dealt to all players.
- Is immune to magic damage while
Anti-Magic Shield is active.
- Applies
- Ok'Thor the Breaker
- Interrupt or dispel
Polymorph (magic).
- Interrupt
Arcane Explostion if possible to prevent the light damage dealt to all players.
- Dispel
Slow (magic) to remove the reduced attack and casting speed effect.
- Interrupt or dispel
- Anub'Shiah
- Dispel
Curse of Tongues (curse) to remove the reduced cast speed effect.
- Dispel
Curse of Weakness (curse) to remove the reduced physical damage dealt effect.
- Purge
Demon Armor to remove the increased armor and resistance effect.
- Targets random players with
Banish, making them immune to damage, healing, and spell effects.
- Targets random players with
Enveloping Web, preventing them from moving or casting spells.
- Dispel
- Hedrum the Creeper
- Dispel
Baneful Poison (poison) to prevent the damage dealt over time.
- If no Poison dispel is available, when affected move at least 10-yards away from other players.
- Dispel
Paralyzing Poison (poison) to remove the stun effect.
- Immobilizes all players with
Web Explosion.
- Dispel
Healing Notes
- Anub'Shiah: Can be difficult depending on which players are affected by
Enveloping Web and
Banish at any one time.
- Overall, the bosses aren't particular difficult if interrupts and dispels are handled.
Debuffs to Track
- Major:
Mortal Strike,
Polymorph (dispel, magic),
Curse of Tongues (dispel, curse),
Curse of Weakness (dispel, curse),
Slow (dispel, magic),
Paralyzing Poison (dispel, poison)
- Minor:
Vicious Rend,
Baneful Poison (dispel, poison)
- Enrages to Dispel:
- Buffs to Purge:
Bloodlust,
Demon Armor
- Buffs to Purge:
Theldren
This boss is summoned in the Ring of Law using Banner of Provocation while on the quest The Challenge, which is part of the Dungeon Set quest line.
- The tank will be dealing with:
Disarm, possibly leading to threat generation issues.
Mortal Strike, reducing healing received.
- Interrupt
Drink Healing Potion to prevent the healing.
- Stay at least 8-yards away to avoid
Frightening Shout and
Hamstring.
- Targets random players with
Intercept, dealing light damage and stunning for 3-seconds.
- Increases the attack power of enemies with
Battle Shout.
- Reduces the attack power of players within 10-yards with
Demoralizing Shout.
- Accompanied by four of the eight gladiators below, chosen at random with each instance reset.
- Shared Abilities
- Interrupt
Drink Healing Potion to prevent the healing.
- Interrupt
- Korv
- Stay at least 8-yards away to avoid
War Stomp.
- Kill any
Fire Nova Totem or stay at least 10-yards away to avoid the pulsing damage.
- Interrupt
Lesser Healing Wave to prevent the healing.
- Targets random players with
Purge, removing up to two beneficial spells or buffs.
- Stay at least 8-yards away to avoid
- Lefty
- The tank will be dealing with
Knockdown.
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
Snap Kick.
- Targets random players with
Five Fat Finger Exploding Heart Technique, causing the affected player to die if they take more than five steps while active.
- The tank will be dealing with
- Malgen Longspear
- Avoid the location of
Freezing Trap.
- Targets random players with
Multi-Shot, dealing moderate damage to up to three players.
- Targets random players with
Concussive Shot, reducing movement speed.
- Accompanied by his pet, Gnashjaw.
- Avoid the location of
- Rezznik
- Don't stand in front to avoid
Goblin Dragon Gun.
- Targets random players with
Dark Iron Bomb, dealing light damage and stunning for 4-seconds.
- Removes crowd control effects from enemies and heals them with
Recombobulate.
- Accompanied by an Arcanite Dragonling from
Summon Arcanite Dragonling.
- Arcanite Dragonling
- Don't stand in front to avoid
Flame Breath.
- Targets random players with
Flame Buffet (dispel, magic), dealing light damage and increasing fire damage taken.
- Don't stand in front to avoid
- Arcanite Dragonling
- Don't stand in front to avoid
- Rotfang
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid
Gouge and the interrupt from
Kick.
- Dispel
Slowing Poison (poison) on the tank and melee DPS to remove the increased time between attacks effect.
- Targets random players within 5-yards with
Kidney Shot, stunning them for 4-seconds.
- Periodically
Vanishes, removing all movement impairing effects.
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid
- Snokh Blackspine
- Stay at least 10-yards away to avoid
Blast Wave.
- Avoid the location of
Flamestrike.
- Interrupt or dispel
Polymorph (magic) to remove the incapacitating effect.
- Stay at least 10-yards away to avoid
- Va'jashni
- Interrupt
Flash Heal to prevent the healing.
- Purge
Renew to remove the healing over time effect.
- Purge
Power Word: Shield to remove the damage absorption effect.
- Dispel
Shadow Word: Pain (magic) to remove the light damage over time effecy.
- Interrupt
- Volida
- Don't stand in front to avoid
Cone of Cold.
- Stay at least 10-yards away to avoid
Frost Nova (dispel, magic).
- At low health, uses
Ice Block, becoming immune to all damage and effects.
- Don't stand in front to avoid
- Shared Abilities
Healing Notes
- Overall the fight will feel hectic due to all the additional enemies, but nothing should be particularly damaging. With focused DPS and/or crowd control, the fight should wind down quickly.
- When Rotfang is active, be aware of temporary threat loss if the tank is affected by
Gouge or
Kidney Shot
Debuffs to Track
- Major:
Polymorph (dispel, magic),
Slowing Poison (dispel, poison),
Mortal Strike,
Intercept,
Kidney Shot,
Gouge
- Minor:
Shadow Word: Pain (dispel, magic),
Flame Buffet (dispel, magic),
Frost Nova (dispel, magic)
- Buffs to Purge:
Power Word: Shield,
Renew
Bael'gar
- Applies
Magma Splash to the tank, dealing light damage over time.
- Avoid the impact location of
Summon Spawn of Bael'Gar, spawns a Spawn of Bael'Gar.
Healing Notes
- Be sure Spawns of Bael'Gar are kept under control.
Debuffs to Track
- Minor:
Magma Splash
Lord Incendius
- Immune to most bleed effects and poisons.
- The tank will be dealing with
Mighty Blow.
- Dispel
Curse of the Elemental Lord (curse) to remove the reduced fire resistance effect.
- Avoid the impact location of
Fiery Burst.
- Avoid the impact location of
Fire Storm and the resulting fire patch.
Healing Notes
- The fight can get out of control without a Curse dispel for
Curse of the Elemental Lord, but if players are dodging spells properly you should be fine.
- The tank needs to be careful not to get knocked off the platform by
Mighty Blow.
Debuffs to Track
- Major:
Curse of the Elemental Lord (dispel, curse)
Fineous Darkvire
- Deals extra damage to the tank with
Holy Strike.
- Interrupt
Holy Light to prevent the healing.
- Purge
Seal of Reckoning to prevent the healing.
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
Kick.
- Grants nearby enemies reduced physical damage taken with
Devotion Aura.
Healing Notes
- The tank will be taking significant damage throughout the encounter.
- Be aware of nearby enemies if your group elected not to clear all the trash mobs.
Debuffs to Track
- Buffs to Purge:
Seal of Reckoning
Trash Mobs
Below are notes for the trash mobs in Blackrock Depths - Lower. Blackrock Depths - Lower has a relatively open layout in most places. The trash below is ordered as if you're completing the bosses in the order they're listed above.
- Throughout the instance, Humanoid enemies will attempt to run away in fear when at low health. Be prepared to slow and snare them.
Entrance thru High Interrogator Gerstahn
-
- Anvilrage Footman
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
Kick.
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
- Anvilrage Guardsman
- Can
Disarm the tank, possibly leading to threat generation issues.
- Applies
Sunder Armor to the tank, reducing armor.
- Can
- Anvilrage Overseer
- Increases the attack speed of nearby enemies with
Haste Aura.
- Increases the attack speed of nearby enemies with
- Anvilrage Warden
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
Shield Bash.
- Targets random players with
Hooked Net, dealing light damage and rooting them in place.
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
- Blazing Fireguard
- Bloodhound
- Applies
Rend to the tank, dealing light damage over time.
- Interrupt
Dire Growl to prevent the reduced strength and agility effect.
- Applies
- Twilight's Hammer Torturer
- Dispel
Wracking Pains (curse) to remove the periodic stun effect.
- Dispel
Shadow Word: Pain (magic) to prevent the damage over time.
- Dispel
- Anvilrage Footman
High Interrogator Gerstahn thru Lord Roccor/Houndmaster Grebmar
- This area contains Anvilrage Footman, Anvilrage Guardsman, and Bloodhounds, detailed above.
- Fireguard
- Interrupt
Fireball to prevent the damage dealt to the tank.
- Interrupt
Houndmaster Grebmar thru Ring of Law
- During the first wave of the Ring of Law, you can fight the following trash mobs:
- Borer Beetle
- Applies
Pierce Armor to the tank, greatly reducing armor.
- Dispel
Putrid Enzyme (disease) to remove the increased nature and shadow damage taken effect.
- Applies
- Burrowing Thundersnout
- Interrupt
Lizard Bolt to prevent the damage dealt to the tank.
- Dispel
Disjunction to remove the increased spell damage taken.
- Stay at least 10-yards away to avoid
Thunder Clap (dispel, magic).
- Interrupt
- Cave Creeper
- Dispel
Creeper Venom (poison) to removed the increased physical damage taken effect.
- Dispel
Poison (poison) to prevent the light damage over time.
- Dispel
- Dark Screecher
- Dispel
Aural Shock (curse) from casters to remove the reduced casting speed effect.
- Stay at least 10-yards away to avoid the silence from
Sonic Burst (dispel, magic).
- Dispel
- Deep Stinger
- Dispel
Barbed Sting (poison) from melee DPS to remove the reduced attack speed effect.
- Dispel
Slowing Poison (poison) from melee DPS to remove the reduced attack speed effect.
- Hits the tank and the player closest to the tank with
Cleave.
- Dispel
- Dredge Worm
- Interrupt or dispel
Venom Spit (poison) to prevent the light damage over time.
- Dispel
Dredge Sickness (disease) to remove the reduced attributes effect.
- Dispel
Poison (poison) to prevent the light damage over time.
- Interrupt or dispel
- Borer Beetle
Ring of Law thru Bael'gar
- This area includes Blazing Fireguards, and Bloodhounds, detailed above.
- Anvilrage Medic
- Interrupt
Prayer of Healing to prevent the healing on all nearby enemies.
- Interrupt
Heal to prevent the healing.
- Interrupt
- Anvilrage Officer
- The tank will be dealing with
Backhand.
- Interrupt
Holy Light to prevent the healing.
- Immune to damage while
Divine Shield is active.
- The tank will be dealing with
- Anvilrage Soldier
- Hits the tank and the player closest to the tank with
Cleave.
- Hits the tank and the player closest to the tank with
Bael'gar thru Lord Incendius
- This area includes Anvilrage Guardsman, Anvilrage Medic, Anvilrage Officers, Anvilerage Soldiers, and Blazing Fireguards, detailed above.
- Doomforge Arcanasmith
- Interrupt
Arcane Explosion to prevent the light damage dealt to all players.
- Interrupt
- Doomforge Craftsman
- Avoid the impact location of
Bomb.
- Avoid the impact location of
- Doomforge Dragoon
- Hits the tank and the player closest to the tank with
Cleave.
- Stay at least 10-yards away from other players to mitigate the damage dealt by
Explosive Shot.
- Hits the tank and the player closest to the tank with
- Fireguard Destroyer
- Deals moderate damage to all players with
Fireball Volley.
- Deals moderate damage to all players with
- Shadowforge Citizen
- Applies
Sunder Armor to the tank, reducing armor.
- Hits the tank and the player closest to the tank with
Cleave.
- Interrupt
Heal to prevent the healing.
- Stay at least 10-yards away to avoid
Frost Nova (dispel, magic).
- Applies
- Shadowforge Peasant
- Can
Disarm the tank, possibly leading the threat generation issues.
- Interrupt
Heal to prevent the healing.
- Avoid the impact location of
Throw Dynamite.
- Can
- Twilight Bodyguard
- The tank will be dealing with
Fist of Ragnaros.
- Purge
Seal of Sacrifice to remove the reduced damage taken effect.
- Stay at least 5-yards away to avoid the interrupt from
Pummel.
- The tank will be dealing with
- Twilight Emissary
- Interrupt
Arcane Explosion to prevent the light damage dealt to all players.
- Purge
Fury of Ragnaros to remove the increased damage dealt effect.
- Avoid the location of
Blizzard.
- Stay at least 10-yards away to avoid
Frost Nova (dispel, magic).
- Interrupt
- Weapon Technician
- Stay at least 10-yards away from other players to mitigate the damage dealt by
Explosive Shot.
- Deals moderate damage to up to three players with
Multi-Shot.
- Stay at least 10-yards away from other players to mitigate the damage dealt by
Lord Incendius thru Fineous Darkvire
- This area includes Doomforge Craftsman, detailed above.
- Warbringer Construct
- The tank will be dealing with
Skull Crack.
- The tank will be dealing with
Trash Debuffs to Track
- Major:
Sunder Armor,
Wracking Pains (dispel, curse),
Pierce Armor,
Putrid Enzyme (dispel, disease),
Creeper Venom (dispel, poison),
Sonic Burst (dispel, magic),
Barbed Sting (dispel, poison),
Dredge Sickness (dispel, disease),
Backhand,
Sunder Armor,
Fist of Ragnaros
- Minor:
Immolate (dispel, magic),
Rend,
Shadow Word: Pain (dispel, magic),
Thunder Clap (dispel, magic),
Poison (dispel, poison),
Venom Spit (dispel, poison),
Frost Nova (dispel, magic),
Frost Nova (dispel, magic)
- Enrages to Dispel: None
- Buffs to Purge:
Seal of Sacrifice,
Fury of Ragnaros
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