WoW Cataclysm - Nefarian Boss Guide
Nefarian, the notorious son of Deathwing, is remembered for his terrifying experiments aimed at creating chromatic dragons by merging the essences of Azeroth's various dragonflights. His dark ambitions led him to Blackwing Lair, where he ruled with an iron fist, conducting gruesome experiments and wreaking havoc on those who opposed him.
Despite his eventual defeat and death in Blackwing Lair at the hands of brave adventurers, Nefarian's story did not end there. His father, Deathwing, brought him back to life, charging him with the task of continuing his sinister work. Reanimated and more determined than ever, Nefarian resumed his efforts to corrupt and manipulate the dragonflights, perpetuating the legacy of his family's malevolence.
Nefarian's return marked a renewed threat to Azeroth, as he once again sought to dominate and bend the world to his will. His resurrection served as a grim reminder of the enduring danger posed by Deathwing's lineage and the relentless pursuit of power that defined them.
Nefarian's Encounter Mechanics
General Mechanics
Electrocute: Throughout the battle, every time Nefarian loses 10% of his health, he releases a massive crackle of lightning, dealing 72,765-74,235 Nature damage to all players.
Stage One:
Nefarian reveals the undead form of his sister, Onyxia, and the two dragons attack the raid.
Children of Deathwing: When Nefarian and Onyxia are within 50 yards of each other, they attack 100% faster.
Nefarian's Abilities
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Hail of Bones: Before landing, Nefarian summons Animated Bone Warriors. Each summoning inflicts 23,987-26,512 Shadow damage to nearby players. In 25-player raids, more warriors are summoned.
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Shadowflame Breath: Inflicts 35,000 Shadowflame damage in a 60-yard long, 60-degree cone, and fully recharges the energy of any Animated Bone Warriors in the area.
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Tail Lash: Sweeps his tail at enemies in a 60-degree cone behind him, dealing 17,500-22,500 Physical damage and stunning them for 2 seconds.
Animated Bone Warriors: Summoned early in Stage One, these skeletons have an energy bar that depletes over time. They collapse when out of energy but can be recharged by Shadowflame Breath or Shadowblaze. They grow more powerful over time, with increased damage (100%) and movement speed (10%), stacking over time.
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Empowering Strikes: The Animated Bone Warriors grow more powerful over time, increasing their damage dealt by 200% and their movement speed by 15%. This effect stacks.
Onyxia's Abilities
- Electrical Energy: Onyxia gains energy over time, increasing more rapidly when Nefarian casts Electrocute. If she reaches full energy, she triggers Electrical Overload, killing all players.
- Lightning Discharge: Discharges electricity, dealing 23,400-24,600 Nature damage to targets within 60 yards.
- Shadowflame Breath: Inflicts 35,000 Shadowflame damage in a 60-yard long, 60-degree cone, and fully recharges the energy of any Animated Bone Warriors.
- Tail Lash: Sweeps her tail at enemies in a 60-degree cone behind her, dealing 17,500-22,500 Physical damage and stunning them for 2 seconds.
- Electrical Overload: If Onyxia reaches full energy, she deals 855,000-1,045,000 Nature damage to all players.
Stage Two
Upon Onyxia's death, Nefarian fills the room with magma, leaving only three platforms untouched. He then summons a Chromatic Prototype on each platform.
Chromatic Prototype: Each platform spawns a Chromatic Prototype that casts Blast Nova.
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Blast Nova: Inflicts 34,800-45,200 Fire damage every 2 seconds to all enemies.
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Shadowflame Barrage: While flying, Nefarian breathes Shadowflame at random players, dealing 16,200-19,800 Shadowflame damage.
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Explosive Cinders: While flying, Nefarian occasionally targets random players with Explosive Cinders, coating them in explosive residue that inflicts 2000 Fire damage every 2 seconds. The residue detonates after 8 sec., inflicting 42750-47250 Fire damage to players within 10 yards.
Stage Three
Once the Chromatic Prototypes are defeated, the lava subsides, and Nefarian lands to finish the battle.
Nefarian's Abilities
- Shadowflame Breath: Inflicts 35,000 Shadowflame damage in a 60-yard long, 60-degree cone, and fully recharges the energy of any Animated Bone Warriors.
- Tail Lash: Sweeps his tail at enemies in a 60-degree cone behind him, dealing 17,500-22,500 Physical damage and stunning them for 2 seconds.
- Shadowblaze Spark: Creates a shadowy blaze that spreads quickly, dealing 35,000 Shadowflame damage to all enemies within 4 yards and reanimating any Animated Bone Warriors.
Animated Bone Warriors
Reanimation: In Stage Three, Animated Bone Warriors can be reanimated. They have an energy bar that depletes over time but can be recharged by Shadowflame Breath or Shadowblaze.
- Empowering Strikes: These skeletons grow more powerful over time, increasing their damage dealt by 100% and movement speed by 10%, with stacking effects.