This page covers a healer-focused strategy for the Xavius in The Emerald Nightmare. 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.

Right now, this guide is largely based on Dungeon Journal information. It will be updated with more specific information as raids are released. Some tooltips will also not work yet because the spells are not in the Wowhead database.

General Mechanics and Abilities

Normal and Heroic

This fight has several stages as well as some unique mechanics. I've done my best to order them in an intutive manner.

Nightmare Corruption Mechanic

During the entire fight, you will be contending with Corruption, which players gain from various mechanics. Some are avoidable, others are not. Each mechanic will be explained in its Stage section below.

• At 33 points of Corruption, colossal Nightmare creatures will manifest from the player's mind.
• These cast Corruption: Crushing Shadows and you should try to move far away from the impact area.
• At 66 points of Corruption, the player will be affected by Corruption: Unfathomable Reality
• At 100 points of Corruption, the player will gain a damage and healing buff called Corruption: Descent into Madness. When this buff expires, they will turn into a Creature of Madness and become hostile.

The Dream Mechanic

When Xavius reaches 95% and 60% health, the Dream of Ysera will put half of the group into a dream state and Dream Simulacrum copies are created of the affected players. 

• Any Corruption the affected players would gain is instead applied to the Dream Simulacrum copy. 
• When a Copy reaches 100 Corruption, the player will awaken.
• Any cooldowns used as a Copy will be reset when you awaken from the Dream Simulacrum, except for Blood Lust/Heroism.

Stage 1 - descent into madness

Stage 1 happens when Xavius is between 100% and 65% health.

• Tanks will be affected by Darkening Soul. The tank should move away from the group and this should be dispelled at around 3 stacks.
• If you're affected with Nightmare Blades, you and the other player who's affected should move out of the group, to the side of the room or designated drop area. The Nightmare Blades will travel in a straight line between the two of you and continue off an infinite distance.
• Manifest Corruption will damage all players and spawn a Corruption Horror add.
• The add will cast Corrupting Nova, so you should avoid standing too close and gaining Corruption.
• Avoid standing in  front of the add or you can be hit with Tormenting Swipe.
• Avoid standing in Lurking Eruption, this will spawn a Lurking Terror.
  • Players in the Dream Simulacrum should intercept the Lurking Terror and take Tormenting Infection.
• If you're affected by Tormenting Fixation, run away from the add to avoid Tormenting Infection.

Stage 2 - from the shadows

Stage 2 happens when Xavius is between 64% and 30% health.

• Tanks will now be affected by Blackening Soul, which functions similarly to Darkening Soul from Stage 1. When this debuff is dispelled it will also trigger Blackened.
• Continue to avoid Nightmare Blades.
• On Heroic difficulty, when you're affected by Bonds of Terror, run to the player you're linked to.
• Be prepared to stand in Corruption Meteor if you're currently one of the players with Dream Simulacrum. The damage and Corruption from the Meteor will be split between all players it hits.
• On Normal, we had the entire group soak the Meteor, whether they were a Dream copy or not. 
• At 100 energy, Xavius will use Call of Nightmares to summon an Inconceivable Horror.
• The add will put Dark Ruination on Xavius, damaging the group and applying 5 Corruption to each player over the duration.
• When an Inconceivable Horror dies, it leaves behind a pool of Tainted Discharge. Players with Dream Simulacrum will need to soak the pool to prevent another add from spawning.

Stage 3 - world of darkness

Stage 3 happens when Xavius is between 29% and 0% health.

• Blackening Soul will contine to affect players.
• Continue to avoid Nightmare Blades.
• Be prepared to stand in Corruption Meteor if you're currently one of the players with Dream Simulacrum.
• Xavius will periodically use Writhing Deep which will summon several Nightmare Tentacles around him.
• The Nightmare Tentacles will use Nightmare Bolt on random players.

Mythic Differences

The information below covers the new abilities and strategies introduced in Mythic difficulty. In addition to new things, you can expect all previous abilities to hit significantly harder.

All Stages

• The Dream Simulacrum buff is no longer given out automatically and at random. At 95%, 80%, 60%, and 45% five green pillars will spawn towards the edges of the room at semi-random locations. Five players must go stand in these pillars until they expire, at which point those players gain Dream Simulacrum. 
• The same players cannot soak the pillars multiple times, so you will need to assign four separate groups to soak.
• If a pillar isn't soaked, an additional Corruption Horror will spawn at that location.

Stage 1 - descent into madness

• Lurking Terrors will also use Tormenting Detonation. Avoid standing near them when kiting or intercepting the fixate.

Healing Strategy

As with every other role in this fight, healing revolves largely around managing your Corruption. There isn't too many abilities that should require large amounts of healing if they are handled properly.

• Generally, you should only dispel Darkening Soul and Blackening Soul when you have Dream Simulacrum.

Stage 1 - descent into madness

• Be prepared for the massive damage from Manifest Corruption. This may require use of a group-healing cooldown.

Stage 2 - from the shadows

• Players soaking Corruption Meteor may need moderate healing.
• While Dark Ruination is active, the group will need significant healing. Use of a group-healing cooldown may be required.
• On Heroic difficulty, players affected by Bonds of Terror will need light to moderate healing.

Stage 3 - world of darkness

• Random players will be hit by Nightmare Bolt and need light to moderate healing.

 Debuffs to Track

Below are debuffs you should track on your raid frames.

• Darkening Soul will need to be dispelled when you have Dream Simulacrum.
• Blackening Soul will also need to be dispelled when you have Dream Simulacrum.
• Bonds of Terror will require players to need additionaly light to moderate healing.

 DBM Settings

Below are the DBM settings I'll be using for Cenarius. 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 abilities, which will be added to this guide soon.

Healer DBM settings for Xavius

 Videos

Heroic, Restoration Druid PoV

Below is a video of me and my guild defeating Xavius on Heroic difficulty. There is no commentary, only game sounds.

Mythic, Restoration Druid PoV

Below is a video of me and my guild defeating Xavius on Mythic difficulty. Again, there is no commentary, only game sounds.

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