Anub’arak Boss Strategy Guide

Looking for more amazing Trial of the Crusader strats? Check out our complete Crusaders’ Coliseum Boss Strategy Guides!

Anub’arak is the fifth and final boss in the Trial of the Crusader instance.  For this encounter in Trial of the Crusader, you’ll basically need to know how to use Anub’arak’s abilities against him.  If you can keep him from burrowing, you’ll avoid one set of attacks which can really do a lot of damage.  Let’s start out this Anub’arak boss strategy guide with a look at his abilities.

Hit points: 19.77 million
The Loot: Tier 9, ilevel 232 items

Anub’arak Boss Strategy Guide: The Abilities

Leeching Swarm

• Leeches 20% of your health per second
• Takes at least 250 health points
• Hits multiple party members at once
• 50,000 yard range
• 1.5 second cast

Nerubian Burrower

• Spawns 2 at a time
• 50% physical damage debuff
• Stacks

Permafrost

• Reduces movement speed in a given area by 80%
• Instant cast
• The result of hitting down a frost sphere
• Protects your party members from some of the other attacks if you play it right.

Pursued by Anub’arak

• Anub’arak chases a raid member
• 50,000 yard range
• Lasts a minute
• Instant cast

Pursuing Spikes

• 2,828 to 3,172 damage
• Physical damage
• Left by Anub’arak when he starts to pursue a raid member
• Tosses you up in the air
• Armor does NOT affect this attack
• Cannot penetrate Permafrost
• Instant cast
• 4 yard radius

Submerge

• Anub’arak burrows into the ground
• 2.5 second cast

Summon Scarab

• A Swarm Scarab emerges

Impale

• 11,310 to 12,690 damage
• Physical damage
• Ignores armor
• Doesn’t penetrate Permafrost

Anub’arak Boss Strategy Guide: Step by Step Boss Fight Tactics

1. Start by tanking Anub’arak right in the middle of the ground.  Use one main tank on the boss when this encounter begins.  Save one off-tank for the Nerubian Burrowers, which will start to pop up during the first part of the encounter.
2. Watch for the frost spheres floating above your heads.  Shoot down a bunch in the middle of the area, right under the place where you’re tanking Anub’arak.  You’ll start to see plenty of Permafrost on the ground then, which will keep Anub’arak from being able to burrow.  This is a good thing!
3. Make sure one healer is assigned only to heal your main tank.  Anub’arak hits VERY hard.  Assign two other healers for DPS and the off-tank.  Also split your DPS into teams.  The majority will target Anub’arak, and you’ll need about three others to help the off-tank with the Nerubian Burrowers.  Kill ALL the Nerubian Burrowers before Anub’arak reaches 30% health.
4. If you’re unable to keep Anub’arak from burrowing, then have one or two ranged DPS focus on knocking down plenty of frost spheres.  The larger the Permafrost area is on the ground, the fewer party members will be hit by his Impale ability.
5. When Anub’arak burrows, he’ll also start to pursue one of your party members.  That player should make sure he’s ALWAYS on top of a Permafrost area to keep from getting impaled.
6. The final phase of the encounter begins when Anub’arak is down to 30% health.  Basically you’ll see a constant cast of Leeching Swarm when this part of the encounter starts, so healers need to be ready.  They’re going to have to bite the bullet and heal the whole party through Leeching Swarm because it doesn’t end until you’ve defeated Anub’arak.
7. Don’t over-heal during this final part of the Anub’arak encounter.  Healers need to keep all party members alive, but if they over-heal, then they’re just extending the encounter because Anub’arak gains life while party members lose it.

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide

Looking for more amazing Trial of the Crusader strats? Check out our complete Crusaders’ Coliseum Boss Fight Strategy Guide!

The Faction Champions are the third encounter in Trial of the Crusader.  Put your PvP hats on and get scrappy, because the bosses in the Faction Champions encounter act just like PvP arena teams.  Let’s start this Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide with a closer look at each of the possible champions you’ll face.  Alliance teams will face Horde champions, and Horde teams will face Alliance Champions.  Here’s a breakdown of the champions.  Your team will face any 10 champions from this list (depending on faction) in the 25-man version of the Faction Champions Boss encounter.

All boss abilities listed first, step by step boss strategy at the very bottom of page

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Gorgrim Shadowcleave (Horde) or Tyrius Duskblade (Alliance)

Hit Points: Hit Points: 2.419 million or Hit Points: 1.935 million (depending on which ones you draw)

Loot: Tier 9 rewards

Frost Death Knight

Death Coil

• 5,550 to 6,450
• Shadow damage
• For friendly targets, heals 8,325 damage

Frost Strike

• 80% weapon damage
• 200 frost damage

Icy Touch

• 3,834 to 4,166 frost damage
• 1,388 to 1,612 damage (through Frost Fever) every 3 seconds
• Reduces attack speed by 14% for 15 seconds

Chains of Ice

• Reduces movement speed to 5%
• Target gets 10% of movement speed back every second for 10 seconds

Death Grip

• Pulls you to him and forces you to attack him for 3 seconds

Icebound Fortitude

• Immunity to stun effects
• Reduces damage taken by 45%
• Lasts 12 seconds

Strangulate

• Silences you for 5 seconds
• 180 shadow damage

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Birana Stormhoof (Horde) or Kavina Grovesong (Alliance)

Balance Druid

Wrath

• 5,170 to 5,830 damage
• Nature damage

Starfire

• 8,258 to 9,742 damage
• Arcane damage

Moonfire

• 2,300 to 2,700 damage
• Arcane damage
• Also adds 4,000 damage over time for 12 seconds

Faerie Fire

• Decreases your armor by 15%
• Lasts 40 seconds
• Takes away your steal ability

Insect Swarm

• Decreases chance to hit by 3%
• 16,650 damage over time for 12 seconds
• Nature damage

Entangling Roots

• Roots you to the ground
• 1,576 damage over time for 10 seconds
• Can be interrupted

Cyclone

• Throws you in the air, effective silences you

Barkskin

• Reduces damage by 40%
• Lasts 12 seconds

Force of Nature

• Summons 3 treants
• Lasts 30 seconds
• Treant hit points: 40,740

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Erin Misthoof (Horde) or Melador Valestrider (Alliance)

Restoration Druid

Nourish

• 83,250 to 96,750 instant healing

Lifebloom

• 7,540 to 8,460 healing over time
• 9,250 to 10,750 healing when it finishes

Rejuvenation

• 2,775,500 healing over time for 15 seconds

Regrowth

• 56,700 to 63,300 healing instant
• 129,500 healing over time for 21 seconds

Thorns

• 463 to 537 damage
• Nature damage
• Lasts 10 minutes

Nature’s Grasp

• Causes Entangling Roots when you hit him
• 1 charge
• Lasts 45 seconds

Barkskin

• Reduces damage by 40%
• Lasts 12 seconds

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Ruj’kah (Horde) or Alyssia Moonstalker (Alliance)

Hunter

Shoot

• 6,800 to 9,200 damage
• Physical damage

Steady Shot

• 150% weapon damage

Aimed Shot

• Adds 3,000 ranged damage
• Reduces healing by half
• Lasts 10 seconds

Explosive Shot

• 3,626 to 4,374 damage
• Fire damage
• Adds damage over time for 2 seconds

Wyvern Sting

• Puts you to sleep for 8 seconds
• 2,460 damage over time
• Nature damage
• 6 seconds

Wing Clip

• Reduces movement speed by half
• Lasts 10 seconds

Frost Trap

• Creates an ice slick which slows movement speed of nearby players by half
• Lasts 30 seconds

Disengage

• Allows the hunter to leap backwards, out of the fight

Deterrence

• Increases parry chance 100%
• 100% chance to deflect spells
• Lasts 5 seconds

Claw

• Damage dealt by Ruj’kah’s pet cat
• 2,063 to 2,937 damage
• 186,970 hit points for the pet cat

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Ginselle Blightsinger (Horde) or Noozle Whizzlestick (Alliance)

Arcane/Frost Mage

Arcane Blast

• 9,250 to 10,750 damage
• Arcane damage
• Increases damage of all Arcane spells by 15%
• Increases mana cost of Arcane Blast by 200%
• Stacks up to 3 times
• Lasts 10 seconds
• Cancels if any other Arcane damage spell is cast

Arcane Barrage

• 8,075 to 8,925 damage
• Arcane damage

Arcane Explosion

• 5,280 to 5,720 damage
• Arcane damage
• 10 yard radius

Frostbolt

• 8,788 to 10,212 damage
• Frost damage
• Slows movement speed by 40% for 9 seconds

Frost Nova

• 365 to 415 damage
• Frost damage
• Freezes you for 8 seconds

Blink

• Frees him from restraints
• Teleports 20 yards forward

Counterspell

• Silences one school of magic from any raid member for 8 seconds

Polymorph

• Changes you into a sheep
• Makes you wander for 10 seconds
• Silences you

Ice Block

• Protects the mage from all attacks for 5 seconds
• Keeps you from attacking
• 30 second cooldown

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Liandra Suncaller (Horde) or Velanaa (Alliance)

Holy Paladin

Flash of Light

• 56,550 to 63,450 instant healing

Holy Light

• 85,140 to 94,860 instant healing

Holy Shock

• 48,000 to 52,000 healing

Cleanse

• Removes 1 poison effect, 1 disease effect, and 1 magic effect

Hand of Freedom

• Grants immunity to movement impairing effects for 10 seconds

Hand of Protection

• Protects a party member from physical attacks for 10 seconds

Hammer of Justice

• Stuns for 6 seconds

Divine Shield

• Protects from all damage and spells
• Reduces damage dealt by half
• Lasts 12 seconds
• 2 minute cooldown

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Malithas Brightblade (Horde) or Baelnor Lightbearer (Alliance)

Retribution Paladin

Crusader Strike

• 110% weapon damage

Divine Storm

• 110% weapon damage
• 8 yard range
• Affects up to four players

Seal of Command

• Chance for melee attacks to deal extra damage
• 1,384 to 1,616 damage
• Holy damage

Judgement of Command

• 6,650 to 7,350 damage
• Holy damage

Repentance

• Incapacitates for 10 seconds

Hand of Protection

• Protects a party member from physical attacks for 10 seconds

Hammer of Justice

• Stuns for 6 seconds

Avenging Wrath

• Increases all damage and healing by 20%
• Lasts 20 seconds

Divine Shield

• Protects from all damage and spells
• Reduces damage dealt by half
• Lasts 12 seconds
• 2 minute cooldown

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Caiphus the Stern (Horde) or Anthar Forgemender (Alliance)

Priest

Dispel Magic

• Removes 2 harmful spells from a party member
• Removes 2 beneficial spells from one of your raid members
• 40 yard range
• Instant cast

Psychic Scream

• Causes you to flee for 8 seconds

Penance

• 9,390 to 10,610
• Instant healing and healing over time for 2 seconds

Power Word: Shield

• Absorbs 9,713 to 11,287 damage
• Lasts 30 seconds

Mana Burn

• Destroys 2,246 to 2,374 mana
• 3 shadow damage

Flash Heal

• 18,500 to 21,500 instant healing

Renew

• 46,250 healing over time
• 15 seconds

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Vivienne Blackwhisper (Horde) or Brienna Nightfall (Alliance)

Shadow Priest

Dispel Magic

• Removes 2 harmful spells from a party member
• Removes 2 beneficial spells from one of your raid members
• 40 yard range
• Instant cast

Dispersion

• Reduces damage taken by 90 percent
• Regenerates 6% mana per second for 6 seconds
• Unable to attack while this spell is cast

Mind Blast

• 5,670 to 6,330 damage
• Shadow damage
• 1.5 second cast

Mind Flay

• Inflicts Shadow damage
• Reduces movement speed for 3 seconds

Psychic Horror

• Makes you drop your weapons for 10 seconds
• Makes you tremble for 3 seconds

Psychic Scream

• Causes you to flee for 8 seconds

Shadow Word: Pain

• Inflicts shadow damage every 3 seconds
• Lasts 15 seconds

Silence

• Keeps you from casting spells for 5 seconds

Vampiric Touch

• 27,000 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 15 seconds

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Maz’Dinah (Horde) or Irieth Shadowstep(Alliance)

Rogue

Hemorrhage

• Increases physical damage dealt up to 75
• 110% weapon damage
• Lasts 15 seconds

Fan of Knives

• Causes 90 % weapon damage
• 10 yard radius

Blade Fury

• Increases attack speed 20%
• Attacks strike other nearby opponents
• Lasts 15 seconds

Eviscerate

• 7,000 to 9,000 damage
• Physical damage

Blind

• Makes you wander for 10 seconds

Cloak of Shadows

• Removes all harmful spell effects
• Increases chance to resist spells by 90% for 5 seconds

Shadowstep

• Steps through the shadows and reappears behind you

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Thrakgar (Horde) or Shaamul (Alliance)

Shaman

Bloodlust

• Increases all attack speeds of all party members by 30%
• Lasts 40 seconds

Riptide

• 9,600 to 10,400 instant healing
• 20,815 healing over time for 15 seconds

Hex

• Changes you into a frog
• Keeps you from attacking or casting spells

Lesser Healing Wave

• 18,670 to 21,330 instant healing

Cleanse Spirit

• Removes 1 poison effect, one disease effect, and 1 curse effect

Earth Shield

• Makes your attacks heal instead
• Happens once every few seconds
• 6 charges
• Lasts 2 minutes

Earth Shock

• Heals 46250 over time
• Lasts 15 seconds

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Broin Stouthorn (Horde) or Shaabad (Alliance)

Melee Shaman

Bloodlust

• Increases all attack speeds of all party members by 30%
• Lasts 40 seconds

Earth Shock

• Heals 46250 over time
• Lasts 15 seconds

Lava Lash

• 100% off-hand weapon damage
• Increased by 25% if his off-hand weapon is enchanted with Flametongue

Stormstrike

• A two-weapon attack
• Increases the next four sources of Nature damage by 20%
• Lasts 12 seconds

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Harkzog (Horde) or Serissa Grimdabbler (Alliance)

Warlock

Fear

• Causes you to run away
• Lasts 10 seconds

Corruption

• 18,000 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 18 seconds

Unstable Affliction

• 13,875 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 15 seconds
• 24,975 damage and silences you if you dispel it

Curse of Agony

• 24,000 damage over time
• Shadow damage
• Lasts 24 seconds

Curse of Exhaustion

• Cuts movement speed in half
• Lasts 12 seconds

Hellfire

• 5,500 damage per second to you
• 1,500 damage to him
• Fire damage
• Lasts 15 seconds

Searing Pain

• 3,660 to 4,330 damage
• Fire damage

Shadow Bolt

• 7,560 to 8,440 damage
• Shadow damage

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: Narrhok Steelbreaker (Horde) or Shocuul (Alliance)

Warrior

Overpower

• Deals weapon damage + 35
• Can only be used after you dodge

Intimidating Shout

• Makes you cower in fear for 8 seconds
• 8 yard radius

Retaliation

• Instant counterattack to any melee attack
• Lasts 12 seconds

Disarm

• Disarms you for 10 seconds

Sunder Armor

• Reduces your armor by 4%
• Lasts 30 seconds
• Stacks up to 5 times

Shattering Throw

• Reduces your armor by 20%
• Lasts 10 seconds

Bladestorm

• Whirlwind attack for 1 second
• Lasts 8 seconds

Charge

• Stuns you for 1.5 seconds

Mortal Strike

• Deals weapon damage plus 380
• Reduces healing effects cast on you by half for 10 seconds

Faction Champions Boss Strategy Guide: The Basics

1. Start by deciding which team member you’re going to take out, and target your enter party on that one.  Use crowd control tactics on the others until the one you’re working on dies.  As with all PvP arena strategies, always take out the healers first.
2. Make sure you take out the healing shaman (Not the melee shaman) first.  Thrakgar and Shaamul spam the heals almost non-stop, so once this character is out of the fight, things will get slightly easier.
3. Take out your melee DPS characters after the healers.  The rogue may be easiest to kill because he wears leather.
4. The warrior should also be one of the first ones you take out after the healers.  His combination of stunning abilities and high DPS makes him very dangerous.
5. Also watch out for several of the Faction Champions to gang up on one of your party members.
6. The Faction Champions cannot be mind controlled.
7. Don’t clump together.  Make the Faction Champions move around a lot to target various party members.
8. Assign two party members to do distractions.  They should help keep the healers alive, especially calling out when the Faction Champions are all targeting one of the healers at once.

Best Level 80 Instances

There are over 20 level 80 instances in World of Warcraft, but not all of these high level dungeons are worth spending your time on.  The best high level instances will really help you gear up for your end game.  Running level 80 dungeons is all about getting better and better gear so you can go further in the game.  Let’s take a look at the top five best level 80 instances.

Best Level 80 Instances #1: Trial of the Crusader (normal version) or Trial of the Grand Crusader (heroic version)

One of the newest dungeons also tops our list of best high level instances.  Trial of the Crusader includes five sets of bosses, of which two include three bosses at a time, and one is a PvP-type of encounter which pits your group against the opposite faction.  Trial of the Crusader is our number one best high level instance because of the awesome drops.  You’ll find plenty of new Tier 9 loot items when you run Trial of the Crusader.

Best Level 80 Instances #2: Trial of the Champion (heroic mode)

Our #2 best level 80 instance is almost as great as our number one.  You might just want to run Trial of the Champion over and over as often as you can because of the crazy epic drops in this high level instance.  Every single drop in this high level dungeon is epic, so you’re sure to end up with some great items at the end.  However, this level 80 instance is certainly not easy.  You’ll earn every bit of that epic gear you pick up in this high level instance.

Best Level 80 Instances #3: Vault of Archavon

Number two on our list of best high level dungeons includes the Vault of Archavon, or VoA, as you might see it called in chat windows.  In this level 80 dungeon you have a little wider variety of items.  Boss #1 is Archavon the Stone Watcher, who drops Tier 7 and Deadly Gladiator gear.  Boss # 2 in this high level instance drops Tier 8 items and Furious Gladiator gear.  Koralon the Flame Watcher is boss #3, and he drops Tier 9 items.

Best Level 80 Instances #4: Ulduar

An instance that’s pretty much a classic for all level 80 characters now is Ulduar.  This high level dungeon is pretty much a rite of passage for all level 80 characters.  It’s one of the first ones you’ll do when you hit level 80, but don’t write this instance off after you’ve been level 80 for a while.  Out of the 14 encounters you’ll find in Ulduar, ten of them have hard settings, which fall between normal and heroic modes.  In fact, the only time you’ll see Algalon the Observer is if you run the hard mode of the Ulduar instance.  Item levels for gear dropped in Ulduar range from 219 in normal mode up to 239 in both heroic and hard modes.  Ulduar definitely remains on our list of best high level instances and is worth a second (or 10th or 20th) look.

Best Level 80 Instances #5: Naxxramas

Yes, Naxx still belongs on our list of the top five best level 80 instances.  This is another level 80 classic instance, and gear drops in this one will start to add to your collection of level 80 gear.  The gear you’ll pick up in Naxxramas will push you further forward in your end game, allowing you to complete some of the higher level instances so you can get even better gear.  Naxx itself is a marathon high level instance made up of five areas, and you’ll defeat many bosses by the time you reach the end.  Loot dropped in the Naxx instance will be Tier 7 and Tier 7.5 raid sets.  You’ll also pick up a total of 16 Emblems of Conquest when you run this high level instance.

Stay tuned for strategy guides on the next two high level instances: Onyxia’s Lair (coming in Patch 3.2.2) and Icecrown Citadel (further down the road)