Requiem Downs Archimonde

Congrats to Requiem for killing Archimonde for the first time ever last Saturday night. I actually attended the joyous event and was present for the landmark kill.

Interestingly enough, we killed Archimonde after eleven wipes. Some of those first attempts were rock solid. I remember one in particular we had Archie down to 25% before the chain-reaction deaths ensued. Other tries merely inconvenienced Archie as he made quick work of the raid and then returned back to defiling the World Tree.

Before the attempts, leadership chanted the mantra, "Archimonde isn't a dps race." Indeed, the key to this fight, similarly to Vashj and Kael, is every member keeping themselves alive. Personally, there were some attempts I got so penned in by fire, my dps dipped below 400; I think at those points, healers were dealing more damage than I was. But it was more important that I stay alive than uber pwn Archie.

Leadership also pointed out that the fight is an "idiot check." Which is to say, as long as you pay attention, you should be able to keep yourself alive. Among the failed attempts, I admit I displayed some idiocy. I'm really good at using my Tears of the Goddess, but one time I tried to time my fall to land without taking any damage, I misjudged, and cratered into the beautiful countryside. Other times, I died not from idiocy but from the bad timing of converging events. Archie periodically aoe fears. He also randomly Grips a member. Archie Gripped me right at the start of the aoe fear. I uncontrollably ran away from the raid and the raid decursers, and consequently ticked to death. Another time, I was running from the demonic fire (I swear I had two or three trails chasing me some attempts) when another patch spawned right on top of me. The debuff burns like a sonabitch and quickly earns you scathing rebukes from leadership and healers. In those cases, fate makes you look more stupid than you really are.

The demonic fire is the key pain-in-the-ass to this fight. I can deal with the air bursts and running to a mage for Grip decursing is usually easy enough too. The aoe fear is easy to either patiently wait for it to end or pop the 2 minute trinket. But the demonic fire meanders around the battlefield with a mind all its own. Two or three trails can blaze simultaneously and it's all too easy to get cut off from the rest of the raid. On the later attempts, I panned my camera out and made sure to cut left or right with the rest of the raid herd. I don't think anyone died our successful attempt and staying together probably had something to do with that success.

The fight is a hell of a ride and I am pumped as all get out that we got it done. Requiem has officially cleared Mount Hyjal. The Friday night team got Mother Shazz done to an impressive 8%, so she'll die tonight.

Woot Requiem!