Spires of Ascension, Healer Guide
Updated 1 year ago for patch 9.2.7 by Preston. View the change log.
This page covers healer-focused strategies for the Spires of Ascension dungeon 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 as well as Dungeon Journal and combat log information. I'll continue to update it as-needed.
Bosses
Below are guides for the bosses in Spires of Ascension, including their abilities, healer notes, and addon settings.
Kin-Tara
- When Kin-Tara or Azules is killed, the other Enrages, increasing damage dealt and granting access to other abilities, detailed below.
- On Mythic, avoid the Deep Connection beam between the two bosses.
- Kin'Tara
- Don't stand in front to avoid Overhead Slash.
- Dispel Dark Lance (magic) to prevent the light damage over time dealt to random players.
- While Kin-Tara is in the air, when targeted by Charged Spear, move at least 5-yards away from other players to drop the resulting Ionized Plasma pool.
- If Enraged, Charged Spear is used even while Kin-Tara is on the ground.
- Azules
- Avoid the path of Attenuated Barrage orbs.
- If Enraged:
- Avoid the impact path of Maw-Touched Venom and the resulting pools.
- Targets random players with Insidious Venom (dispel, magic), dealing light damage over time.
Healing Notes
- Keep the tank near full health so they can survive Overhead Slash.
- If either boss is killed long before the other, be prepared for the increased damage dealt to all players overall. Both due to the enrage effect and the additional abilities.
Debuffs to Track
- Minor: Dark Lance (dispel, magic), Insidious Venom (dispel, magic), Deep Connection
Addons
Ventunax
- Avoid Shadowhirls left behind when Ventunax uses the abilities noted below, as well as the resulting Dark Bolts they emit.
- Targets random players with Dark Stride, dealing moderate damage over time and leaving behind a Shadowhirl.
- Don't stand in front of the boss when he turns to cast Blinding Flash.
- During Recharge, Shadowhirls emit additional Dark Bolts.
Healing Notes
- The longer the encounter lasts the harder healing will get as Dark Bolts get harder to avoid.
Debuffs to Track
- Major: Dark Stride
Addons
Oryphrion
- Stay at least 8-yards away from the tank to avoid Charged Stomp and the moderate damage over time from Charged Anima (dispel, magic).
- When targeted by Purifying Blast, stay at least 8-yards away from other players.
- When Empyreal Ordnance is cast, move as far away from Oryphrion as safely possible to drop the resulting Anima Field.
- Upon reaching 0% Anima, Drained increases Oryphrion's damage taken and prevents the use of abilities.
- Channels Recharge Anima, gaining Anima over time and turning all Anima Fields into Coalesced Anima
- Coalesced Anima is pulled towards Oryphrion.
- Players must intercept the Coalesced Anima, which triggers Anima Surge, dealing light damage to all players within 5-yards.
- On Mythic, this also deals stacking light damage over time.
- Any Coalesced Anima that reaches Oryphrion triggers Overcharge Anima, granting 5 Anima and dealing light damage to all players.
- Channels Recharge Anima, gaining Anima over time and turning all Anima Fields into Coalesced Anima
Healing Notes
- Use cooldowns as-needed during Recharge Anima while players are intercepting Coalesced Anima orbs.
Debuffs to Track
- Major: Purifying Blast, Charged Anima (dispel, magic)
- Minor: Anima Surge
Addons
Devos, Paragon of Doubt
During this encounter, players will be alternating between the two stages.
Stage One - Head On
This stage begins the encounter and ends when Devos reaches 70% and 30% health. It begins again when Devos is hit by the Archon's Spear.
- Don't stand in front of the boss when she turns to cast Run Through.
- Avoid the locations of Abyssal Detonation.
- On Mythic, this hits all players no matter where they are. Move to the Archon's Bastion shield to mitigate the damage.
- When affected by Lost Confidence (dispel, magic), move away from other players to drop the resulting Lingering Doubt pool.
Stage Two - To the Skies
This stage begins when Devos reaches 70% and 30% health and ends when Devos is hit by the Archon's Spear.
- Devos takes to the skies, throwing the Archon's Spear into the Anima Conduit, dealing moderate damage to all players with Unleashed Anima.
- All players gradually gain stacks of Lingering Doubt, dealing increasing light damage over time.
- Run against the force of Slipstream and Backdraft to avoid falling off the platform and the Lingering Doubt pools.
- Run over Raw Anima orbs to pick them up, then return them to the Anima Conduit to unlock the Archon's Spear.
- Hitting Devos with the Archon's Spear forces her back to the ground.
Healing Notes
- Dispel Lost Confidence (magic) in a controlled manner.
- Use cooldowns as-needed during stage two.
Debuffs to Track
- Major: Lost Confidence (dispel, magic)
- Minor: Lingering Doubt
Addons
Trash Mobs
Below are notes for the trash mobs in Spires of Ascension. Spires of Ascension is a relatively linear dungeon. The trash below is ordered as if you're completing the bosses in the order they're listed above.
Entrance thru Kin-Tara
- Forsworn Vanguard
- Don't stand in front to avoid Sweeping Blow.
- Forsworn Mender
- Interrupt or purge Forsworn Doctrine to prevent the healing over time.
- Purge Imbue Weapon to remove the additional damage dealt effect.
- Forsworn Castigator
- Interrupt or dispel Burden of Knowledge (magic) to remove the moderate damage over time effect.
- Forsworn Goliath
- Interrupt Rebellious Fist to prevent the moderate damage dealt to all players.
- Break the damage absorption shield while Recharge Anima is being channeled to interrupt the cast.
Kin-Tara thru Ventunax
- This area also includes Forsworn Goliaths, detailed above.
- Forsworn Stealthclaw
- The tank will be dealing with light damage over time from Rake.
- Kyrian Dark-Praetor
- Don't stand in front during Swift Slice.
- Etherdiver
- Dispel Insidious Venom (magic) to remove the stacking light damage over time effect..
- Avoid the impact locations of Maw-Touched Spittle and the pools left behind.
- Forsworn Skirmisher
- Deals light damage to random players with Hurl.
- Forsworn Champion
- Interrupt or purge Forsworn Doctrine to prevent the healing over time.
- Purge Infuse Weapon to remove the additional damage dealt effect.
- Forsworn Inquisitor
- Interrupt or dispel Internal Strife (magic) to prevent the damage dealt to nearby players.
- Forsworn Squad-Leader
- Avoid the impact location of Impact and the Residual Impact pool left behind.
- Don't stand in front when Crashing Strike is cast.
- Greatly reduces the damage taken by all enemies with Inspiring Presence
Ventunax thru Oryphrion
- This area also includes Forsworn Goliaths, detailed above.
- Forsworn Helion
- Avoid the impact location of Impact and the pool left behind.
- Avoid the path of Crescendo when it's cast, which flies out from the front, back, and either side.
- Deals light damage over time to all players with Menacing Presence.
- Forsworn Warden
- Interrupt Greater Mending to prevent the healing done to all enemies.
- Purge Bless Weapon to remove the additional damage dealt and healing effect.
- Forsworn Justicar
- Interrupt or dispel Forced Confession (magic) to prevent the damage dealt to nearby players.
- Forsworn Usurper
- Deals light damage to random players with Hurl.
Oryphrion thru Devos, Paragon of Doubt
- Lakesis / Klotos / Astronos
- When each of these dies, they pass their abilities on to any that remain alive due to Fates Intertwined.
- Lakesis
- Don't stand in front when Diminuendo is cast.
- Gradually increases the damage taken by all players with Oppression.
- Klotos
- Avoid the impact location and the subsequent cone effect of Diminuendo.
- Deals stacking light damage over time to all players with Aura of Intimidation.
- Astronos
- Avoid the impact location of Charged Spear and the Ionized Plasma pool left behind.
- Additionally, avoid the orbs periodically emitted by the Ionized Plasma pool.
- Avoid the impact location of Charged Spear and the Ionized Plasma pool left behind.
Trash Debuffs to Track
- Major:
- Magic Dispel: Burden of Knowledge (dispel, magic), Internal Strife (dispel, magic), Forced Confession (dispel, magic)
- Minor:
- Magic Dispel: Insidious Venom (dispel, magic)
- Damaging: Rake
- Enrages to Soothe: None
- Buffs to Purge: Imbue Weapon, Forsworn Doctrine, Infuse Weapon, Bless Weapon
Trash Addons
Mythic+ Notes
Below are notes that pertain to high mythic+ levels and certain affixes. What constitutes a high mythic+ level will depend on your gear and group, so if you out-gear a particular mythic+ level these notes may not apply. The notes are grouped by affix but are in no particular order.
- Tyrannical
- Oryphrion
- Players affected by Purifying Blast may need external defensive cooldowns to survive.
- Oryphrion
- Fortified
- No exceptional interactions noted yet!
- Sanguine
- The following enemies can be difficult to move due to their preference for casting spells. Be ready with knock backs and interrupts.
- Kyrian Dark-Praetor
- Forsworn Inquisitor
- Forsworn Justicar
- Forsworn Goliath
- Will not move while channeling Recharge Anima,
- The following enemies can be difficult to move due to their preference for casting spells. Be ready with knock backs and interrupts.
- Bolstering
- Forsworn Goliath
- Should probably be killed first, or carefully killed at the same time as other enemies.
- Forsworn Goliath
- Grievous
- No exceptional interactions noted yet!
- Raging
- Several enemies should be soothed quickly due to their persistent damage over time effects.
- Forsworn Helion
- Lakesis
- Klotos
- Astronos
- Several enemies should be soothed quickly due to their persistent damage over time effects.
Videos
Mythic 17 +1 Clear, Restoration Druid PoV
Below is a video of me clearing Spires of Ascension on Mythic 18 difficulty in time for a +1 upgrade during Season 1 of Shadowlands.
Mythic 0 Clear, Restoration Druid PoV
Below is a video of me clearing Spires of Ascension on Mythic 0 difficulty.
Comment on Spires of Ascension, Healer Guide