In the next patch of World of Warcraft, players will fight against Jaina Proudmoore. The mechanics of the fight can already be observed on the PTR.
One of the biggest content updates of World of Warcraft Patch 8.1 Tides of Vengeance is the raid Battle for Dazar’Alor. The final fight of the Horde is against none other than Lady Jaina Proudmoore, and the Alliance must also face Jaina in a “flashback” scene. Some guilds have already been able to try the mechanics of the fight on the PTR.
Phase 1: The fight begins on the high seas, on a ship. At the start, players primarily need to avoid Jaina’s frost spells while simultaneously firing ballistae at approaching ships to prevent additional enemies.
Transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2: Once Jaina reaches 60% health, the transition to Phase 2 begins. Jaina freezes a large part of the sea, trapping the ship. Players need to move from the ship to the frozen ice surface and locate Jaina in low visibility conditions.
Phase 2: As long as players stand on the ice surface, they accumulate a stackable debuff that deals increasing frost damage. Once they reach 20 stacks and fall below 80% health, the affected player is encased in an ice block, which the raid must destroy. At the same time, the Kul Tirans will shoot at the raid. Players need to use the shots so that the bullets hit ammunition crates (which were previously floating in the water and are now frozen). This creates a heat source that temporarily removes the frost debuff.
Transition from Phase 2 to Phase 3: At around 30% health remaining, Jaina begins to create a massive frost area that continues to expand. Players must break through various walls and defeat frost elementals while slowly making their way to Nathanos Blightcaller. This is somewhat reminiscent of the escape from the Lich King in the Halls of Reflection in Wrath of the Lich King.
Phase 3: The final phase resembles a “soft enrage” because players no longer have heat sources and are gradually frozen by their frost aura, encasing them in ice blocks. Frozen players must be freed quickly, as Jaina will cast a devastating spear on the ice block shortly thereafter. The trapped individual is highly likely to be killed (about 240,000 damage). Additionally, Jaina summons copies of herself that replicate some of her attacks.
At 5% health remaining, the fight against Lady Jaina Proudmoore ends, and she escapes – such is the life of a mage.
Jaina hates Berserk: A particularly amusing detail in the boss fight is that, because Jaina is not merely “any trash mob” but a clever mage, she knows how the heroes of Azeroth fight. As soon as the raid uses Berserk (or Heroism, Time Warp, etc.), she locks herself in an ice block for 20 seconds, rendering her untargetable. This thus nullifies a large part of the Berserk effect.
Please keep in mind that the information is still based on the PTR. The boss fight may change before the release.
How does the fight against Jaina sound to you? Does it seem like a cool encounter? Or does it not do justice to the “Daughter of the Sea”?
By the way, Jaina has some special loot in mythic mode: the coolest mount in World of Warcraft!
