Questions about tanking Alex Savage

[RikkuMagnus]

Hello everyone this is my first post on the official forums so if this isn't the right place to post questions let me know.

I am a level 60 Dark Knight and I have just formed a static and we are getting ready to enter Alexander (Savage) Floor 1. What sort of tips can you give me as a dark knight to make sure I am doing it properly. Also, we are assuming I'll be main tank because the other Tank is a warrior.

What are some good things to know about the fight?

Thanks in Advance

-RM

[Risvertasashi]

Well, for a start, there's two bosses after phase one so the WAR will have to tank too. Tank-specific... Hypercompressed Plasma is the main thing to watch out for. It will oneshot you without mitigation.

[Abbul_Stonecleaver]

Giant post incoming.. Trying the edit thing..

IMO it is best to keep Oppressor where he is facing north. During phase 1 the group should burn him hard.. But let your party get used to the timing before you swap out of Grit. Royal Fount (the cleaves) hurt.

At start of Phase 2 there will be a siren. Let OT wait a GCD or so and Provoke Oppressor and pull him slightly north. You will then run to the south part of arena and .5 will come to you. .5 copies Oppressor's enmity at the time of siren.

Once in position, there is little to worry about for a fair bit of time. Make sure you place Resin appropriately. Once Photon Spaser I believe it's called (the long huge vertical line ae) comes out, be prepared for pain. Both Oppressors will do Prey on someone each, then they will each Royal Fount their tank, then they will do their tank buster, Hypercompressed Plasma.

After HCP it's pretty easy going for a bit until Gunnery Pod (raid wide ae) and then another Royal Fount.

HCP and Royal Fount are both magical damage which is why Drk is considered beastly at mitigation here. I don't know how easy it is to time Dark Mind for any of the Royal Founts as I do not play Dark Knight, but I would assume it can be up for the Royal Fount and HCP combo.

The boss will eventually jump, handle that mechanic, make sure to keep bosses separated very far. Then phase 2 repeats.

Until you start killing quicker and skipping phases, there will be 3 HCP busters over the fight, 2 minutes apart. I'm sure a Drk can tell you exact CD usage, but I would guess something like your Sentinel equivalent (the 30% mitigation CD) + DA Dark Mind + the Rampart equivalent (20% mitigation CD) for first and third. Second buster you can use Living Dead maybe.. And have War Holmgang the first buster.

Delirium is good in this fight too btw to limit your boss's magic damage output.

For learning, make sure to use a lot Grit uptime. Once you and especially healers are comfortable, it is safe for most of the fight to be out of tank stance if your healers agree. Don't force it until your group is ready for that though. Learn mechanics before you worry about enrage.