As the inaugural challenge within the confines of the Crimson Hall wing at Icecrown Citadel, the Blood Prince Council encounter introduces an enthralling battle against three formidable San’layn princes: Prince Keleseth, Prince Valanar, and Prince Taldaram. Each prince boasts distinctive abilities, and the raid’s success hinges on their capacity to adapt to the ever-evolving dynamics of this multifaceted skirmish.
ABILITIES:
Invocation of Blood: One of the three princes is perpetually endowed with the Invocation of Blood. The two unattuned princes remain at a mere 1 HP, impervious to damage. The prince adorned with the Invocation of Blood is the only one with an actual health pool and is susceptible to harm. The Invocation of Blood is initially bestowed upon Prince Valanar and cyclically shifts to another prince at random intervals of 30 seconds.
Prince Valanar:
- Shock Vortex: Initiates a vortex of compelling force near an adversary, resulting in damage and the forceful expulsion of nearby foes.
- Kinetic Bomb: Summons a Kinetic Bomb that gracefully descends toward the ground, erupting upon impact. The bomb absorbs and transforms direct damage into energy, propelling it higher with each hit.
- Empowered Shock Vortex: Yields force vortices that affect all proximate adversaries, administering damage and forcibly displacing individuals within an approximate 12-yard radius of the target.
Prince Taldaram:
- Conjure Flame: Conjures a fiery sphere that travels through the air towards its target, erupting upon collision.
- Conjure Empowered Flame: Summons an empowered fiery sphere that advances toward the target, exploding on contact and inflicting fire damage upon nearby adversaries along its trajectory.
- Glittering Sparks: Douses adversaries in a cone of radiant sparks, igniting them with damage over time while hampering their mobility.
Prince Keleseth:
- Shadow Lance: Hurls a bolt of inky magic at an enemy, imparting Shadow-inflicted damage.
- Shadow Resonance: Summons a Dark Nucleus. These enigmatic entities feed upon their own energy, leading to their eventual self-annihilation. The closest target resonates with shadow, incurring damage while concurrently diminishing the Shadow damage received from all sources.
- Empowered Shadow Lance: Unleashes a formidable bolt of dark magic towards an enemy, resulting in substantial Shadow damage.
STRATEGY:
General: The encounter encompasses a solitary phase, bearing a 10-minute enrage timer. Three tanks are indispensable, and one of them may assume a ranged tank role (e.g., Warlock). In the 10-player mode, a single tank can manage both Valanar and Taldaram.
Prince Valanar:
- Valanar introduces Kinetic bombs that demand uninterrupted damage to forestall their grounding and subsequent detonation. Ranged DPS should prioritize the annihilation of these bombs.
- Beware of the Shock Vortex, and during the Empowered Shock Vortex, disperse to circumvent the mutual repulsion of fellow raid members.
Prince Taldaram:
- Taldaram assembles flaming orbs that relentlessly trail a randomly chosen raid participant. Players should assemble to mitigate the damage inflicted by these fiery menaces.
- When Taldaram attains empowerment, he propels Empowered Balls of Flame. Players must orchestrate their positions to dissipate the energy of these flames, thereby curtailing their destructive potential.
Prince Keleseth:
- Keleseth predominantly relies on ranged attacks, rendering him an ideal candidate for a ranged tank. This tank must derive shadow protection from the Dark Nuclei strewn about the chamber. Notably, these Dark Nuclei do not adhere to the conventional aggro mechanism; they single out the last assailant to strike them. Consequently, the designated tank must maintain the Shadow Resonance buff by appropriating these Nuclei.
TIPS:
- Meticulous positioning and vigilant awareness are paramount due to the panoply of mechanics exhibited by each prince.
- Healers should be primed to address instances of spike damage, particularly when the princes employ their empowered capabilities.
- DPS cohorts should remain adaptable in their targeting strategy, pivoting as necessary to engage Kinetic Bombs or the currently empowered prince.