Onyxia
Level ?? boss · Main cave past the Onyxian Warder tunnel; tank her at the north wall
Three-phase 40-player dragon fight: ground, then air with whelps, Fireball and Deep Breath, then ground again with a raid-wide fear.
- Flame BreathNot in front
Fire cone in front of her for 3063 to 3937 damage.
- CleaveNot in front
Hits her target and the players closest to it in front of her.
- Wing BuffetNot in front
Damages players in a cone in front of her and knocks them back.
- Knock AwayTank
Hits the tank and knocks it back. Guides agree it also cuts that player's threat by 25%.
- Tail SweepNot behind
Hits players in a cone behind her and knocks them back, sometimes into a whelp cave.
- FireballSpread out
Phase 2: fire from the air on a random player that splashes players nearby. It wipes the target's threat.
- Deep BreathMove
Phase 2: after she takes in a deep breath, she breathes fire in a line across the room. Run to the side of its path.
- Onyxian WhelpKill adds
A big wave pours from the side caves as she lifts off, then smaller waves. Eggs hatch more if you walk near them.
- Bellowing RoarResistance
Phase 3: a short cast that fears the whole raid. Feared healers can't heal and feared players can run into eggs.
- EruptionMove
Phase 3: right after each roar, lava bursts from the cracks in the floor. Stay off the cracks.
- Phase 1100–65%
Ground fight. The tank holds her at the north wall facing away. Everyone else stands on her flanks, clear of Flame Breath, Cleave and Tail Sweep, and holds damage back while threat builds.
- Phase 265–40%
She flies over the room casting Fireball and Deep Breath while whelps pour in. Spread out, burn her with ranged damage, kill the whelps and stop shortly before 40% so the tank can take her back.
- Phase 340–0%
She lands and uses her ground attacks again, plus Bellowing Roar and Eruption. Let the tank rebuild threat, keep the tank fear-proof and stay off the floor cracks and away from the whelp caves.
Run past her and pull her to the north wall, facing away from the raid. She ignores taunts, so build threat with damage and Sunder Armor. Off tanks gather the whelps for AoE. Be fear-proof and rebuild threat when she lands.
Split odd and even groups onto her two flanks, never in front or behind. Spread in phase 2 and heal Fireball targets. In phase 3 keep everyone topped off: feared healers can't cast. Plan Fear Ward and Tremor Totem.
Wait until the tank has a threat lead, then hold back in phase 1. Fire damage does nothing: she is immune. Burn her in phase 2, kill your assigned whelps, then stop before 40% so she lands on the tank.
- Druid · your class
Heal from her flank. In phase 3, keep Rejuvenation on the tank so heals still tick while healers are feared. Save Rebirth for a tank or healer lost to Deep Breath.
- Hunter · your class
Keep Track Dragonkin on in phase 2 and call her spot before Deep Breath. Feign Death shortly before she lands at 40% so she picks the tank, not you.
- Mage · your class
Cast Frostbolt; she is immune to fire. On whelp duty, Frost Nova the whelps the off tank gathers and hit them with Arcane Explosion. Fire Ward soaks part of a Fireball.
- Paladin · your class
Run Fire Resistance Aura if assigned; in Forever it covers raid members within 30 yards. She is taunt-immune, so don't plan on Seal of Fury's Judgement taunt.
- Priest · your class
Fear Ward the main tank before she lands. Every priest has it in Forever, but it now has a 3 min cooldown: rotate several priests so a fresh ward meets each roar.
- Rogue · your class
Attack from her flank; Tail Sweep throws anyone behind her. Kill whelps in phase 2 if assigned. Feint once she lands at 40%; Forever doubles its threat cut.
- Shaman · your class
Drop Tremor Totem by your party before she lands; it only reaches party members within 30 yards. In Forever, Totemic Projection moves it when your group shifts.
- Warlock · your class
Cast Shadow Bolt and Corruption; she is immune to fire, so skip Immolate and Searing Pain. In Forever, keep Bane of Agony plus one Curse such as Curse of the Elements.
- Warrior · your class
Taunt fails on her: hold her with Sunder Armor. In phase 3, use Berserker Rage in Berserker Stance as she casts the roar; Forever's Tactical Mastery keeps 10 Rage.