Kel'Thuzad, Healer Guide
Updated 6 months, 1 week ago for patch 9.2.7 by Preston. View the change log.
This page covers a healer-focused strategy for Kel'Thuzad in Sanctum of Domination 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 will be alternative between stage one and stage two until the Remnant of Kel'Thuzad is killed, at which point stage three begins.
Stage One - Chains and Ice
This stage begins the encounter and ends each time Kel'Thuzad reaches 0% health. It begins again following stage two when the Remnant of Kel'Thuzad reaches 66% and 33% health.
- The tanks will be dealing with Ice Shard.
- The tanks will also be dealing with Soul Fracture, which applies three stacks of Soul Exhaustion.
- Each stack spawns a Soul Shard.
- Soul Shard
- Should be silenced by players with Oblivion's Echo, detailed below, to prevent Piercing Wail from dealing light damage to all players.
- When killed, removes one stack of Soul Exhaustion from the affected tank.
- Soul Shard
- Each stack spawns a Soul Shard.
- When targeted by Glacial Wrath, move away from other players to spawn the resulting Glacial Spike.
- Glacial Spike
- Slowly lose health over time.
- Upon death, Frozen Destruction deals light damage and then stacking light damage over time to all players.
- Glacial Spike
- When affected by Oblivion's Echo, move more than 10-yards away from other players to avoid silencing them. Move within 10-yards of any Soul Shards to silence them.
- Upon expiring, affected players spawns a Frostbound Devoted.
- Frostbound Devoted
- Fixates on random players.
- If allowed to reach a player, deals heavy damage to all players within 5-yards with Relentless Haunt.
- Frostbound Devoted
- Upon expiring, affected players spawns a Frostbound Devoted.
- Stack with the player targeted by Frost Blast to split the damage dealt. Players hit take light damage over time.
- Dispel the resulting Frozen Binds (magic).
- At 50% mana, during Dark Evocation, all dead players and Frostbound Devoted are resurrected. Resurrected players are hostile.
- At 0% mana, during Howling Blizzard, avoid the locations of blizzards and the expanding ice patches left behind.
- Each time stage one begins following stage two, Kel'Thuzad gains a stack of Necrotic Surge, increasing damage dealt as well increasing the amount of Glacial Wraths and Oblivion's Echoes.
- Additionally, all lesser enemies gain Necrotic Empowerment, increasing damage dealt and granting immunity to crowd control effects.
Stage Two - The Phylactery Opens
This stage begins each time Kel'Thuzad reaches 0% health and ends when the Remnant of Kel'Thuzad reaches 66%, 33%, and 0% health. It ends for the final time when the Remnant of Kel'Thuzad is killed.
- Players can enter the phylactery but must leave when Undying Wrath is cast when the Remnant reaches 66% and 33% health.
- Remnant of Kel'Thuzad, inside the phylactery.
- Must be brought to the next health breakpoint (66%, 33%, or 0%) in 45-seconds to interrupt Vengeful Destruction and prevent the critical damage dealt to all players.
- Don't stand in front to avoid Freezing Blast.
- Avoid the locations of Shadow Fissure.
- While below 33% health, avoid the Glacial Winds that emanate out from Remnant of Kel'Thuzad.
- All players take steadily increasing light damage over time from Sinister Miasma.
- Outside of the phylactery, several lesser enemies are summoned during this stage.
- Unstoppable Abomination
- Don't stand in front when it turns to cast Demolish.
- Soul Reaver
- Interrupt Banshee's Cry to prevent the light damage dealt to random players and to prevent the stacking increased damage effect from getting too high.
- Unstoppable Abomination
Stage Three - The Final Stand
This stage begins when the Remnant of Kel'Thuzad reaches 0% health and ends when Kel'Thuzad is killed for the final time.
- The tanks will be dealing with Ice Shard.
- Avoid the locations of Deep Freeze patches.
- Continue to stack with the player targeted by Frost Blast, which functions the same as stage one.
- Lesser enemies continue to be summoned during this stage.
- Unstoppable Abomination
- Don't stand in front when it turns to cast Demolish.
- Soul Reaver
- Interrupt Banshee's Cry to prevent the light damage dealt to random players and to prevent the stacking increased damage effect from getting too high.
- Frostbound Devoted
- Fixates on random players.
- If allowed to reach a player, deals heavy damage to all players within 5-yards with Relentless Haunt.
- Unstoppable Abomination
- All players take steadily increasing light damage over time from Sinister Miasma.
Mythic Differences
Stage One - Chains and Ice
- Kel'Thuzad begins the encounter with stacks of Necrotic Surge.
Stage Two - The Phylactery Opens
- Remnant of Kel'Thuzad, inside the phylactery.
- Run against the push of Foul Winds to avoid the edges of the phylactery.
- Shadow Fissures leave behind permanent Shadow Pools.
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
- during stage two, inside the phylactery
- during stage three
- Use Minor Cooldowns on
- Pre-heal Before (mainly for heal over time classes)
- Frozen Destruction
- stage two/entering the phylactery
- Potion of Spiritual Clarity use
- immediately following stage two, before mechanics ramp back up
- Other things to watch for
- You won't be able to heal players between the inside and outside of the phylactery in stage two.
Debuffs to Track
Major
- Frozen Binds (dispel, magic) should be dispelled immediately.
Minor
- Frost Blast causes players to need additional healing over time.
Useful Addons
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