This page covers a healer-focused strategy for Sludgefist in Castle Nathria in Shadowlands. 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 with the encounter, combat log information, and Dungeon Journal information. I'll continue to update it as-needed.

General Mechanics and Abilities

Normal and Heroic

• The tanks will be dealing with Giant Fists, forcing both tanks to be stacked on each other and taking damage at the same time.
• When affected by Chain Link, stay within 12-yards of the player you're linked to for the duration of the debuff to avoid the fatal damage from Shattering Chain.
• On Heroic, stack with the player affected by Chain Slam to split the damage taken.
• At 100% Rage, a tank will be targeted by Hateful Gaze and moving so there is a pillar between them and Sludgefist.
  • Avoid the path between Sludgefist and the targeted tank to avoid the fatal damage from Heedless Charge.
  • If a pillar is hit, a stack of Crumbling Foundation is applied to all players, dealing stacking light damage over time for the rest of the encounter.
  • If a wall is hit, Collapsing Foundation deals heavy damage to all players for the rest of the encounter.
  • Upon hitting a pillar or wall, Destructive Impact deals moderate damage to all players and stuns Sludgefist, increasing damage taken for 12-seconds.
• Stay at least 20-yards away to avoid Destructive Stomp.
  • The tanks will be dealing with positioning so this doesn't destroy any pillars.
• Avoid the impact locations of Falling Rubble and the resulting Stonequakes.
• Deals moderate damage to all players and knocks them back with Colossal Roar.
• At 30% health, gains Gruesome Rage, increasing damage dealt and attack speed.

Mythic Differences

• Destructive Impact now triggers Fractured Boulder.
  • The impact location of Fractured Boulder must be soaked by at least one player, multiple players will split the damage taken.
  • Subsequent impact locations of Fractured Debris must also be soaked.
  • Soaking an impact applies Crushed, making subsequent soaks likely fatal while the debuff is active.
  • If any impact isn't soaked, Fractured Impact deals heavy damage to all players.
• At least four players must be hit by Chain Slam to prevent Sludgefist from gaining Vengeful Rage, greatly increasing damage dealt and attack speed.
  
  • Players hit take light damage over time from Chain Bleed.
• During Seismic Shift, stay at least 4-yards away from other players.

Healing Notes

Quick Notes, All Difficulties

The notes below mostly pertain to progression difficulty, meaning if you out-gear the difficulty you're on or use extra healers they may not apply.

• Use Major Cooldowns on
  
  • Destructive Impact
• Use Minor Cooldowns
  
  • on Colossal Roar
  • as-needed as damage from Crumbling Foundation increases
• Pre-heal Before (mainly for heal over time classes)
  • Destructive Impact
  • Colossal Roar
  • Chain Slam (especially if you know which players are helping soak)
• Potion of Spiritual Clarity use
  • likely just after a Destructive Impact
• Other things to watch for
  • While Gruesome Rage is active, both tanks will need significant healing and external defensive cooldowns.
  • Avoid casting just before Colossal Roar finishes casting.
  • The damage dealt over the encounter will slowly ramp up, conserving mana early on may be necessary.

Debuffs to Track

Major

• (Heroic) Chain Slam causes players to need additional healing.
• (Optional) Hateful Gaze doesn't require the player to need additional healing if handled properly, but seeing the debuff can act as another early warning for the damage to come.

Minor

• (Mythic) Chain Bleed causes players to need additional healing.

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Useful Addons

Below are the DBM settings I'll be using for Sludgefist in Castle Nathria. You can set them up however you'd like, but these ones should work well as a starting point. Some settings may be Mythic only.

Healer DBM Settings for Sludgefist

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