Azjol-Nerub, Healer Guide
Updated 1 year ago for patch 3.4.1 by Preston. View the change log.
This page covers healer-focused strategies for the Azjol-Nerub dungeon in Wrath of the Lich King. 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 Azjol-Nerub, including their abilities, healer notes, and addon settings.
Krik'thir the Gatewatcher
- The encounter begins with three waves of enemies, consisting of one mini-boss and two lesser enemies.
- Mini-boss Shared Abilities
- Dispel Infected Bite (disease) to remove the increased physical damage taken and light damage over time effect.
- Targets random players with Web Wrap, incapacitating them until the Web Wrap is killed.
- Watcher Silthik
- Dispel Poison Spray (poison) to remove the light damage over time effect.
- Watcher Gashra
- Soothe Enrage to remove the increased attack speed and physical damage dealt effect.
- Watcher Narjil
- Incapacitates all players with Blinding Webs.
- Lesser Enemies
- Anub'ar Skirmisher
- The tank may take extra damage from Backstab.
- Anub'ar Shadowcaster
- Interrupt Shadow Bolt to prevent the light damage dealt to the tank.
- Stay more than 10-yards away to avoid Shadow Nova.
- Anub'ar Warrior
- Anub'ar Skirmisher
- Mini-boss Shared Abilities
- Krik'thir the Gatewatcher
- Interrupt Mind Flay to prevent the light damage over time dealt to the tank.
- Dispel Curse of Fatigue (curse) to remove the reduced movement, casting, and attack speed effect.
- Periodically summons many Skittering Swarmers, which deal light melee damage to players they attack.
Healing Notes
- Use cooldowns as-needed, especially if no dispels are available for Poison Spray (dispel, poison) or Curse of Fatigue (dispel, curse).
Debuffs to Track
- Major: Infected Bite (dispel, disease), Web Wrap, Web Wrap, Curse of Fatigue (dispel, curse)
- Minor: Poison Spray (dispel. poison)
- Enrages to Soothe: Enrage, Fixate
Addons
Hadronox
To begin this encounter, players must kill the three Anub'ar Crushers while Hadronox makes its way out of the tunnel. Ideally, you should also wait for Hadronox to most of the lesser enemies it's fighting.
- The tank will be dealing with Pierce Armor, reducing armor.
- Dispel Leech Poison (poison) to remove the health leeching effect.
- If a player dies with this effect active, Hadronox heals for an additional 10% health.
- Avoid the locations of Acid Clouds.
- Pulls players into melee range with Web Grab.
Healing Notes
- If no poison dispel is available, use cooldowns as-needed to deal with Leech Poison (dispel, poison).
Debuffs to Track
- Major: Pierce Armor
- Minor: Leech Poison (dispel, poison)
Addons
Anub'arak
- Don't stand in front to avoid Pound.
- Avoid the impact location of Impale.
- Summons up to eight Carrion Beetles with Carrion Beetles.
- Deals light damage over time to all players with Leeching Swarm.
- At 75%, 50%, and 25% health, submerges and waves of lesser enemies spawn.
- Four Anub'ar Assassins spawn two at a time.
- One Anub'ar Guardian and one Anub'ar Venomancer will spawn.
- Anub'ar Assassin
- The tank may take extra damage from Backstab.
- Anub'ar Darter
- Target random players with Dart, dealing light damage over time.
- Anub'ar Guardian
- The tank will be dealing with the following abilities:
- Sunder Armor, reducing armor.
- Extra damage from Strike.
- The tank will be dealing with the following abilities:
- Anub'ar Venomancer
- Interrupt or dispel Poison Bolt (poison) to prevent the light damage over time effect.
- Dispel Poison Bolt Volley (poison) to remove the light damage over time effect.
Healing Notes
- Use cooldowns as-needed during Leeching Swarm, or for Poison Bolt Volley (dispel, poison) if no poison dispel is available.
Debuffs to Track
- Minor: Dart, Poison Bolt Volley (dispel, poison), Poison Bolt (dispel, poison)
Addons
Trash Mobs
Below are notes for the trash mobs in Azjol-Nerub. Azjol-Nerub has a relatively linear layout. The trash below is listed as if you're completing the bosses in the order they're listed above.
Entrance thru Krik'thir
- Anub'ar Warrior
- Anub'ar Webspinner
- Anub'ar Skirmisher
- The tank may take extra damage from Backstab.
- Anub'ar Shadowcaster
- Interrupt Shadow Bolt to prevent the light damage dealt to the tank.
- Stay more than 10-yards away to avoid Shadow Nova.
- Skittering Infector
- Upon death, stay more than 5-yards away to avoid Acid Splash.
Krik'thir thru Hadronox
- Anub'ar Crusher
- Anub'ar Crypt Fiend
- Dispel Infected Wound (disease) to remove the increased physical damage taken effect.
- Targets random players with Crushing Webs, rooting them in place and dealing light damage over time.
- Anub'ar Champion
- Anub'ar Necromancer
- Interrupt Animate Bones to prevent Animated Bones from being summoned, which deal light melee damage to players they attack.
- When possible, interrupt Shadow Bolt to prevent the light damage dealt to the tank.
Hadronox thru Anub'arak
- To begin this section, players make their way down Hadronox's tunnel before jumping in a hole and falling down into the water below.
- Anub'ar Prime Guard
- Dispel Mark of Darkness (magic) or stay more than 5-yards away from other players when affected to avoid chaining the damage dealt.
- Gradually increases its damage dealt while reducing player's damage dealt with Drain Power.
Trash Debuffs to Track
- Major:
- Magic Dispel: Mark of Darkness (dispel, magic)
- Disease Dispel: Infected Wound (dispel, disease)
- Incapacitating: Web Wrap
- Minor:
- Damaging: Acid Splash, Crushing Webs, Rend
- Enrages to Soothe: None
- Buffs to Purge: None
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