This page covers a healer-focused strategy for The Council of Blood 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

This encounter alternates between stage one and the intermission each time a boss is reduced to 50% health.

Stage One - The Council

This stage begins the encounter and ends when a boss is reduced to 50% health. It begins again following ~20-seconds in the intermission.

• All players take steadily increasing damage over time throughout the encounter from Oppressive Atmosphere.
• Each boss gains a new ability once one or both other bosses have been killed, noted below.
• Castellan Niklaus
  • The tanks will be dealing with positioning to prevent the other bosses from gaining Unyielding Shield.
  • Avoid the path between Niklaus and the player targeted by Tactical Advance.
  • With one other boss killed, stand in the Unstoppable Charge cone to split the damage dealt.
  • With both other bosses killed, Castellan's Cadre summons two Veteran Stoneguards.
    • Veteran Stoneguard
      • Fixate on random players.
• Baroness Frieda
  • The tanks will be dealing with stacks of Drain Essence, reducing maximum health.
  • Interrupt Bolt of Power to prevent the damage dealt.
  • Avoid the impact locations of Anima Fountain.
  • With one other boss killed, stand with the player affected by Scarlet Letter to split the damage dealt.
  • With both other bosses killed, Dredger Servants summons several Begrudging Waiters.
    • Begrudging Waiter
      • Deal light damage to random players with Throw Food.
• Lord Stavros
  • The tanks will be dealing with positioning to keep Evasive Lunge from hitting other players.
  • Avoid the paths of Waltzing Venthyr's Waltz of Blood as they quickly move across the room.
  • With one other boss killed, when affected by Dark Recital, move within 8-yards of the player you're linked to while continuing to move around near them.
  • With both other bosses killed, Dancing Fools summons several Waltzing Venthyr.
    • Waltzing Venthyr
      • Regenerate health over time and are immune to area of effect damage due to Rhythm of Revendreth.
      • Stay at least 10-yards away from these to avoid Waltz of Blood.
        • The area size is smaller the lower the Venthyr's health.

Intermission One - The Danse Macabre

This intermission begins each time a boss is reduced to 50% health and ends after ~20-seconds.

• Players must move to their designated position to perform the Danse Macabre.
  • Players that fail to reach their designated position in 8-seconds are killed.
  • Once in position, use the Vehicle Skill Bar hotkeys to mimic the directions shown on screen.
    • Failing a direction stuns the player for 30-seconds .

Mythic Differences

Stage One - The Council

• When affected by Dancing Fever (dispel, disease) move at least 8-yards away from other players.
• Castellan Niklaus
  • Upon death, Afterimage of Castellan Niklaus continues to target players with Tactical Advance.
• Baroness Frieda
  • Upon death, Afterimage of Baroness Frieda continues to use Anima Fountain.
• Lord Stavros
  • Upon death, Afterimage of Lord Stavros continues to use Dark Recital.

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 Scarlet Letter/Unstoppable Charge
  • as-needed as damage from Oppressive Atmosphere increases
• Use Minor Cooldowns
  
  • as-needed as damage from Oppressive Atmosphere increases
• Pre-heal Before (mainly for heal over time classes)
  • Scarlet Letter
  • Unstoppable Charge
• Potion of Spiritual Clarity use
  • likely just after an intermission
• Other things to watch for
  • I'll update this section as soon as possible.

Debuffs to Track

Major

• Drain Essence reduces the tank's maximum health.
• Scarlet Letter causes players to need additional healing.
• Dark Recital can cause players to need additional healing.
• (Mythic) Dancing Fever (dispel, disease) can be dispelled when the player is 8-yards away from other players.

Minor

• Tactical Advance causes players to need additional healing.
• Fixate can cause players to need additional healing.

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Useful Addons

Below are the DBM settings I'll be using for The Council of Blood 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.

• Council of Blood DBM settings will be added as soon as possible.

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