[Hyelrazur]

Does Shade of Aran require a tank?

My grouping for Kara runs has been lacking on DPS. I am trying to help get our dps geared for 25-man content. I am wondering if it's possible to just pull MT and OT out just for him?

Thanks in advance.

[Armstrong]

You certainly don't need a tank on Aran himself. That said unless you have two warlocks or really good healing, having one or two people who can keep the elementals busy can help quite a bit if your group isn't overgeared for the encounter.

[Tattman2an]

Agree w/armstrong, the only people really worth subbing out for the tanks are 2 good locks or 2 good rogues....as long as you have enough people to interrupt Aran's spells is the important thing. Most tanks like to just throw on some dps gear and go to town on him, pummel to interrupt.

[suesse_llane]

I don't know if he's changed over the last year or so, but it at least used to be pretty useful to have him aggroed on a melee. He usually doesn't melee, but from time-to-time he will, and it's very nice to not have him running after some caster. The goal isn't damage reduction, but you want to keep him still. Therefore, melee shaman, cat, warrior dpsing, or rogue all work pretty well.

Also, I'd suggest keeping the prot warrior around if you have several physical damage characters in your raid. Keeping up sunder stacks is very easy when prot dpsing, and sunder is a huge dps boost. Also, prot warriors are great interrupts.

[dlongest]

He'll go melee if he's locked out of all 3 spell schools simultaneously.

Daniel

[fastidius]

OK so i had some experience with this last night......no he doesnt need a tank but the first person to engage may get a frostbolt and firebolt all at once....i took 3.5K then 5.5K and got owned. so send in a bear in cat gear who will swap back to dps or at least wear a sheild and spell reflect on engage hopefully it works on aran to some extent.

[rustyboy]

1. You can't spell reflect Aran

2. If your tank is a warrior, get him to get into his fury gear and spam devstate, heroic strike, whirlwind while interrupting frost bolts and fire blasts. If he has 1700+ AP, 25+ crit, decent amount of hit and armour penetration he will most likely out dps everyone in your group. Something which I have done in my last 2 kara's doing over 1,000 dps in full prot spec. This is the most friendly warrior fight around with low armour on the boss, a target that doesn't move and regular incoming rage for extra damage.

3. Do not interrupt Arcane Missiles so that he stays in the middle for the whole fight. If you interrupt all schools of magic he will melee the person highest on his unofficial aggro list.

4. 2 warlocks help but are not essential

5. The more melee the easier the fight

6. Remember to take off salvation and put on something to help out with the dps.

[gravelayer]

We have trouble on him as we are caster heavy. Sometimes no melee except for two tanks.
How important is keeping 490 defense up? I could really get my AP up if I was sure I didn't need to keep 490 defense.

[Shadevarr]

no need to keep defense at all. Aran is a tankless fight. As stated previously throw on your DPS gear and cut loose.

[Elyvern]

Like the other posters say, this is actually 1 raid fight where prot warrior can top the dps meters. Melee shines in this fight. Just go all out, stay in berserker stance and pummel the frostbolts and fireballs. When the elementals appear, concussive blow them, intimidating shout, it'll keep them off your squishies for a while.