This page covers a healer-focused strategy for Sun King's Salvation 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

During this encounter players must heal Kael'thas while fending off Sire Denathrius' forces.

• High Torturer Darithos is present to begin the encounter.
  • When targeted by Greater Castigation, move at least 6-yards away from other players.
• Ministers of Vice will join throughout the encounter.
  • Rockbound Vanquisher
    • The tanks will be dealing with Vanquishing Strike and gaining stacks of Vanquished.
    • Deals light damage to all players with Concussive Smash.
      • Each use grants a stack of Reverberation, increasing the damage of subsequent Concussive Smashes.
  • Bleakwing Assassin
    • When targeted by Crimson Flurry, move at least 8-yards away from other players.
    • At low health, casts Return to Stone, healing back to full health if not killed before the cast finishes.
  • Vile Occultist
    • Interrupt or dispel Vulgar Brand (magic) to prevent the increased damage taken effect.
    • Deals light damage to random players with Scornful Blast.
    • Teleports to random locations with Door of Shadows.
  • Soul Infuser
    • Channels Soul Infusion, damaging Kael'thas.
      • If the Shade of Kael'thas (detailed below) is active, this heals Kael'thas instead.
  • Pestering Fiend
    • Stay at least 3-yards away from other players to minimize the damage from Shattering Ruby.
    • On Heroic, upon death, stay at least 7-yards away to avoid Fragmentation.
• Various Infusing Essences will become available throughout the encounter to assist in healing Kael'Thas.
  • Vile Occultist
    • Upon death, drops an Essence Font.
      • Essence Font
        • Loses health over time at an increasing rate due to Cracked Reservoir. At 0% health the Font is lost.
        • At 100% health, triggers Essence Overflow, healing Kael'thas.
  • Soul Infuser
    • Upon death, leaves behind an Infuser's Orb. Clicking on the Orb grants a stack of Infuser's Boon, increasing healing done for 15-seconds.
  • Soul Pedestals are located around the room.
    • Soul Pedestal
      • Clicking on a Pedestal channels Soul Infusion, sacrificing health to heal Kael'thas over 15-seconds.
        • Additionally, applies Drained Soul, preventing the use of Soul Pedestals for 1-minute.
• When Kael'thas reached 40% and 90% health, a Shade of Kael'thas spawns.
  • Shade of Kael'Thas
    • Kael'thas cannot be healed while the Shade is active due to Reflection of Guild.
    • Shade of Kael'Thas leaves the fight again when brought to 45% and 0% health.
    • Avoid the Smoldering Remnants pools left behind by various abilities (noted below).
    • Don't stand in front of the Shade to avoid Fiery Strike.
      • The tanks will be dealing with stacks of Burning Remnants.
    • Stack with the player affected by Ember Blast to split both the damage dealt and the stacks of Lingering Embers applied.
      
      • This leaves behind Smoldering Remnants pools.
    • At 100% Energy, avoid the Blazing Surge cone targeted on a random player.
      • This leaves behind Smoldering Remnants pools.
    • Reborn Phoenix
      • Fixate on a random player.
      • Stay at least 6-yards away from the Phoenix to avoid Smoldering Plumage.
        • This leaves behind Smoldering Remnants pools.
      • At 0% health, Phoenix Embers gradually heals the Phoenix back to full health again.
      • Disappear when the Shade of Kal'thas is killed.

Mythic Differences

• Kael'thas
  • Periodically gains a Cloak of Flames shield, absorbing incoming healing.
    • While active, avoid the impact locations of Unleashed Pyroclasm
• Shade of Kael'thas
  • Reborn Phoenix
    • No longer disappear when the Shade is killed.

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
  
  • to heal Essence Fonts and Kael'thas directly, especially with stacks of Infuser's Boon
• Use Minor Cooldowns
  
  • on Ember Blast
  • to heal Essence Fonts and Kael'thas directly
• Pre-heal Before (mainly for heal over time classes)
  • Concussive Smash
• Potion of Spiritual Clarity use
  • likely while Shade of Kael'thas is active and Kael'thas cannot be healed.
• Other things to watch for
  • Be careful not to heal any Essence Fonts while the Shade of Kael'thas is alive as the healing will be absorbed.
  • If Vulgar Brand (dispel, magic) is not interrupted, dispel it from the tanks quickly.

Debuffs to Track

Major

• Dispel Vulgar Brand (magic) quickly if it's not interrupted.
• Several abilities cause players to need additional healing.
  • Crimson Flurry
  • Ember Blast
• Several abilities cause the tanks to need additional healing:
  • Burning Remnants
  • Vanquished

Minor

• Several abilities cause players to need additional healing over time.
  • Lingering Embers
  • Greater Castigation

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Useful Addons

Below are the DBM settings I'll be using for Sun King's Salvation 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.

DBM Settings

Healer DBM Settings for Sun King's Salvation

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