Xavius

Changelog

23/08/2016 article added

Lore

Once a powerful mage, and a councilor to Queen Azshara, Xavius forged a pact with Sargeras to enable the Legion’s first invasion of Azeroth. Cursed and tormented in the wake of that defeat, Xavius plots vengeance against the world from within the Rift of Aln. Those who venture into the Nightmare will face the full extent of his power, and his true form—a grotesque and distended monstrosity.

Quick Tips

The fight against Xavius has 3 phases, during which you need to kill adds and perform a number of tasks, all the while keeping your Corruption level low.

Most of Nightmare Lord Xavius's attacks inflict Corruption on their victims. As a player gains more Corruption, they become increasingly vulnerable to the power of the Nightmare, eventually losing control entirely and be mind controlled at maximum Corruption.

Players' only hope lies in the power of Ysera, who puts many of them into a deep sleep and forms a Dream Simulacrum of those players. When their Simulacrum perishes, the affected player will awaken, and any Corruption gained by their Simulacrum dissipates harmlessly.

Everyone

Players affected by Dream Simulacrum should protect non-dreaming players by handling any abilities that spread Corruption.

Tanks:

Nightmare corruption (corruption mechanics)

When the encounter begins, players will be given an alternate bar which tracks their Corruption levels. Corruption is gained from several of Xavius's abilities, and at certain thresholds, players will begin to 'hallucinate' new mechanics that only they can see or be affected by.

It is important to avoid gaining Corruption at too fast a rate, as these additional mechanics deal heavy damage on top of the already hectic fight.

33 corruption

At 33 Corruption or higher, players will see Dread Abominations appear in the shadows at the edges of the encounter area.

66 Corruption

Smaller pink swirls will spawn in random locations around the encounter area every few seconds, after 3 seconds, a plume of Nightmare flames will erupt from these locations and deals moderate damage to players within 6 yards of the eruption

100 Corruption

After these 20 seconds, the player gains Corruption: Madness, and becomes mind-controlled, transforming into a Creature of Madness and attacking players

While mind-controlled player's health is increased by 150% and is immune to all CCs except stuns

A player who transforms must be killed but this takes dps and healing away from the boss and increase the likely of a wipe.

Some sources of Corruption are unavoidable, but most can be avoided if the raid executes the strategy properly

It is likely that some players will reach 100 Corruption during the final phase of the fight, because it is a race-against-time burn phase

If it happens take advantage of the 20-second Corruption: Descent into Madness buff and focus DPS on Xavius to attempt to kill him before being mind-controlled.

Main abilities

Darkening soul

A dispellable dot placed on the tank. Dispelling the debuff will grant 10 corruption to the dispeller as well cause the tank to explode, dealing damage to anyone nearby

Lurking eruption

An add will spawn underneath a random ranged player, dealing high damage to anyone within 6 yards. The add then will fixate a target until it reaches a player. When it does reach a player it will explode, dealing a large amount of damage and applying 20 corruption to them

Nightmare blades

A debuff applied to 2 players. At the end of the debuff, a large straight wall of blades will race across the room intesecting the points where the two players were

Tormenting swipe

Corrupting nova

An aoe which deals damage and applies 5 nightmare corruption to anyone within its range

Corruption meteor

A debuff placed on a player which will call down a meteor when it expires. The meteor deals high damage and applies 40 corruption. Both damage and corruption are equally spread between all players hit by the meteor

Bonds of terror

A debuff which links 2 players and deals high ticking damage. Players can move within 3 yards of each other in order to remove the debuff

Call of nightmares

Several inconceivable horror adds spawn around the room and travel towards Xavius. Upon reaching him they will channel into him causing xavius to pulse damage and corruption onto the raid.

Tainted discharge

A large pool of goo that will reform into an inconceivable horror unless soaked. Soaking the pool will deal damage and apply nightmare corruption to the player.

Nightmare infusion

Xavius empowers his melee attacks, causing them to generate 5 corruption per hit for 30 seconds.

Blackening soul

A dispellable dot which will cause the dispeller to gain 10 corruption. The dispelled player will also gain a debuff which increases damage taken by 150%. A pool of tainted discharge will also spawn at the location of the dispelled player.

Nightmare bolt

A cast which deals a small amount of damage and applying 3 corruption to a random player.