Gearing for Azgalor/Archimonde

[Elotin]

Going to try and keep it short.
We are a guild that cleared SSC/TK in around a month where most of the members already had done some MH/BT exept me and a few others. I got into the guild just as they started SSC/TK since i had all the 2.3 badge loot and some t4. This was all well and good for TK/SSC but when we started in MH i started to notice the bosses hits like a freaking truck but i still managed to MT Azgalor in mostly t4/kara gear and some badge loot to 25%. Now we used the weekend to go SSC/TK to try and gear me up for MH and i actually got 4 pieces of t5 and our badge vendor opened up yesterday so i got the belt and legs since i have heard expertise is supposed to be pretty imba and id like to reduce parries on azgalor(heard rumors he does not haste after parry but no confirmation).

Now onto the real deal. Should i go for my EH gear or avoidance gear. Thanks to the new badge loot i can get almost 28% dodge unbuffed and 17% parry and that compared to what i had last time we tried him is nearly a 10% increase. in my EH gear i got around 17k hp unbuffed(tauren ftw) and 22% dodge and 16% parry. Armory link: The World of Warcraft Armory (http://armory.wow-europe.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Grim+Batol&n=Elotin)

Would be nice with an answer since ive tried reading up as much as i can but my raiding experience as a tank is not that great yet

[Taowlie]

My take on these bosses is that, you need to get to a good level of avoidance, 50-60%, while still remaining >20k health. The HP wont be nearly as bad for you since youre tauren, but I think I MTd Azgalor with 55% avoidance, around 21k hp and only 6 healers. Another thing to recognize is for these new progression bosses, you should definitely have an imp, and possibly devotion aura. They help alot, and shouldnt be scoffed at.

[Elotin]

Thanks alot for the answer il just bring all my gear along and see how i can get it to be as good as possible since he hits like a truck. Il remember to get a devo aura and imp

[Jericho]

Your gear looks pretty good to me for both Az and Archi. I went into Hyjal wearing 2 piece t4 and the nightbane shield. I did have 52% avoidance but ... you had good avoidance and decent health. Azgalor is still a boss that hits extremely hard and is much easier tanked by your guild's bear if he is well geared enough.

Your gear is more than good enough to do the job though. Especially with the changes they made to his Rain of Fire range. The biggest thing to remember on a fight like Azgalor is that after the first 90 seconds you shouldnt have to be pushing high TPS to keep your ceiling 40k+ higher than your nearest ranged DPS. Its the most boring fight in t6 imo (I still remember the video of a MT going to use the restroom during theencounter). Disengaging during silence is your biggest advantage as is a high expertise level. Parry hasted attacks is during silence are the biggest reasons for wipes. The encounter is hilariously easy if you can manage your threat while disengaging during silence.

All in all... Azgalor = Avoidance above anything else. Archimonde is a bit more about EH. Avoidance is high on your list, but remember that its virtually impossible to keep an imp up for you due to Air Burst on the warlock. The new changes to Archi may make it possible if you tank him in a spot near a "wall" I guess. However, your gear right now is good enough. I would say that the biggest thing you can do right now for your tanking gear besides picking up the new MgT trinkets is upgrade your weapon. The best weapon for you The Brutalizer is off a boss you should already be farming.

[Aughban]

i don't have any archi experience so i don't know the gear requirements but your gear is fine for azgalor, just make sure to hit F1 or T (assuming you haven't rebinded these keys) on a silence or you could get wtfpwnt from a parry. Take plenty of pots and nightmare seed (unless you have alot of locks).

Augh

[maddfez]

I've found high avoidance with 20k+ hp to work well for Archimonde. I think my character model had me at 61% avoidance unbuffed. We haven't killed him yet....lots of 20% craters...but MT survival has been fine.

[Elotin]

Thanks for the help guys.. Got azgalor and Archi in one night:)

[maddfez]

Thanks for the help guys.. Got azgalor and Archi in one night:)

wtb guild members that don't crater at 20%.....

[Elotin]

Was last try of the night and everything clicked til 15% but i just popped shield wall and last stand while the healers focused on the raid and he went down

[Ulantor]

Just starting Hyjal but not worried about myself on Anatheron, but looking at Kaz and beyond. When you say you ar at 55-60% avoidance are you including base miss chance and additional miss from defence?

When I use my avoidance gear I'm at 43-44 dodge/parry but will really need to work on it to get that high.

What are the best avoidance pieces for this level? I have the Moroes trink, VR Bracers, Maiden neck, Tidewalker ring, new badge chest, 2.3 badge belt, 2.3 badge gloves. I can get the new badge legs and eventually ring. What opther peices should I look for?

[Kavtor]

T5 Hat, Kael'thas gloves, Supremus Shoulders, Akama boots, etc.