How to run AQ40? AQ40 Raid Guide

Preparation

• Access: No attunement is required, but the server must complete the Ahn'Qiraj War Effort and Scepter of the Shifting Sands questline to open the Scarab Wall. The entrance is in southern Silithus at coordinates [27, 93]. From Cenarion Hold, head south, take the right path at the Scarab Wall, and ride up the stairs to the portal.
• Gear: Players should have rare and epic gear from Molten Core or Blackwing Lair. Nature Resistance (NR) gear is critical for bosses like Princess Huhuran and Viscidus due to heavy poison damage.
• Consumables: Stock up on Greater Nature Protection Potions, Major Mana Potions, Flasks of Supreme Power (for casters), Elixirs of Greater Agility (for melee), and Healthstones. Bring Bandages and Restorative Potions for poison cleansing.
• Raid Composition: A balanced 40-man raid includes:
  • 2–4 Tanks (Warriors, ideally with NR gear)
  • 8–12 Healers (Priests, Druids, Paladins, Shamans)
  • 24–30 DPS (Warriors, Rogues, Mages; Fire Mages shine here with new gear)
  • Optional: Warlocks for specific tanking roles (e.g., Twin Emperors)
• Reputation: Brood of Nozdormu reputation (start at Hated) is gained by killing bosses and turning in Qiraji Lord’s Insignia or Ancient Qiraji Artifacts. Honored reputation unlocks better rewards, including rings and Tier 2.5 gear quests.
• Season of Discovery Notes: AQ40 is tuned for 20–25 players in SoD Phase 6, with an optional Obelisk at the start to increase difficulty (disabling it adds the sanity mechanic and limits attempts for bonus chests every three bosses). Exalted reputation adds the Glyph of the Void affix, spawning Eye of C'Thun during fights, which casts a deadly chaining Eye Beam—spread out to avoid wipes.

Boss Encounters

AQ40 has nine bosses, with Viscidus, Princess Yauj, and Vem being optional. Below are strategies for each, in order of progression, with checkpoint details for SoD.

Checkpoint 1: The Prophet Skeram → Bug Trio → Battleguard Sartura

1. The Prophet Skeram
   • Abilities:
     • Arcane Explosion: High-damage AoE; spread out to reduce damage.
     • True Fulfillment: Mind controls players; prioritize interrupting or killing adds.
     • Split: At 75%, 50%, and 25% health, spawns two illusions with low HP but full abilities.
   • Strategy:
     • Split melee DPS into three groups to handle illusions. Identify the real Skeram (highest HP) and focus it.
     • Ranged DPS and healers stay spread out to mitigate Arcane Explosion.
     • Interrupt True Fulfillment with stuns or silences to prevent mind control chaos.
   • SoD Note: Watch for Eye of C'Thun if using Glyph of the Void; spread immediately when it spawns.
2. Bug Trio (Lord Kri, Princess Yauj, Vem) (Optional)
   • Abilities:
     • Lord Kri: Cleave (face away from raid), Toxic Volley (poison DoT, dispel), leaves a poison cloud on death.
     • Princess Yauj: AoE Fear (wipes aggro, even if resisted), self-heal (interrupt), spawns adds on death.
     • Vem: Charge, knockback; can be tanked in an alcove to simplify.
   • Strategy:
     • Kill order: Kri → Yauj → Vem. Pull Kri away to avoid poison cloud affecting the raid.
     • Tank Yauj far from the group to manage fear; interrupt her heals with Rogues (Kick) or Mages (Counterspell).
     • Use AoE to clear Yauj’s adds. Vem is straightforward; tank in an alcove to reduce knockback issues.
     • Dispel Toxic Volley quickly (Druids, Paladins, Shamans with Poison Cleansing Totems).
     • Horde: Use Tremor Totem for Yauj’s fear.
   • Note: Hunters can tame these Silithids for pets.
3. Battleguard Sartura
   • Abilities:
     • Whirlwind: Immune to stuns, clears aggro; adds also Whirlwind.
     • Fixate: Adds randomly target players for 5 seconds before returning to the tank.
     • Enrage: At 20% health, increases damage.
     • Thunderclap: Debuff on tanks, requires taunt rotation.
   • Strategy:
     • Spread the raid to avoid Whirlwind overlap. Assign Warrior tanks to taunt adds during Fixate phases.
     • Keep Sartura in place with a taunt rotation to manage aggro wipes.
     • Burn her down before Enrage becomes overwhelming. Coordinate AoE for adds if they fixate on squishy targets.

Checkpoint 2: Fankriss the Unyielding → Princess Huhuran → Twin Emperors

1. Fankriss the Unyielding
   • Abilities:
     • Mortal Wound: Stacking debuff reducing healing on tanks.
     • Spawn Worms: Summons adds that need AoE focus.
     • Silence: Periodic silence on random players.
   • Strategy:
     • Tanks swap on Mortal Wound stacks (4–5 stacks). Use Greater Nature Protection Potions to mitigate damage.
     • AoE down worm adds quickly to avoid overwhelming the raid.
     • Healers prioritize tanks and watch for silence; spread out to minimize its impact.
2. Princess Huhuran
   • Abilities:
     • Wyvern Sting: AoE sleep, dispellable.
     • Poison Volley: High-damage poison DoT, requires NR gear or potions.
     • Frenzy: Increases attack speed; use Tranquilizing Shot or interrupts.
   • Strategy:
     • NR gear is essential (200+ recommended). Pop Greater Nature Protection Potions before Poison Volley.
     • Dispel Wyvern Sting immediately (Priests, Druids). Hunters use Tranquilizing Shot on Frenzy.
     • Spread out to reduce AoE damage. Tanks maintain high threat to keep Huhuran focused.
3. Twin Emperors (Vek’lor and Vek’nilash)
   • Abilities:
     • Twin Teleport: Swap positions every 30 seconds.
     • Heal Brother: Heal each other if within 60 yards.
     • Blizzard (Vek’lor): Magic damage AoE; move out.
     • Explode Bug (Vek’nilash): Spawns explosive bugs; kite or kill.
     • Vek’lor is immune to physical damage; Vek’nilash is immune to magic damage.
   • Strategy:
     • Split the raid: melee on Vek’nilash, casters on Vek’lor, keeping them 60+ yards apart.
     • Assign Warlocks to tank Vek’lor (use Voidwalker or Felhunter for threat). Warriors tank Vek’nilash.
     • Move tanks and bosses after Twin Teleport to maintain distance. Kite or kill bugs quickly.
     • Coordinate DPS to kill both within 15 seconds of each other to avoid resurrection.

Checkpoint 3: Ouro → Viscidus → C’Thun

1. Ouro (Optional)
   • Abilities:
     • Sand Blast: Massive AoE damage; hide behind Ouro to avoid.
     • Submerge: Burrows and spawns scarabs; reappears after 30 seconds.
     • Enrage: At 20% health, increases damage.
   • Strategy:
     • Position the raid behind Ouro to avoid Sand Blast. Tanks face him away from the group.
     • AoE down scarabs during Submerge. Use NR potions for poison damage from adds.
     • Burn Ouro quickly after Enrage to minimize raid damage.
2. Viscidus (Optional)
   • Abilities:
     • Freeze: Requires 20 Frost hits to freeze, then 75 melee hits to shatter.
     • Poison Volley: High-damage poison; NR gear required.
   • Strategy:
     • Requires heavy Frost damage (Mages with Frostbolt, Shamans with Frost Shock). Stack NR gear (200+).
     • Freeze Viscidus with 20 Frost hits, then melee DPS shatters him. Repeat until dead.
     • Use Greater Nature Protection Potions and cleanse Poison Volley.
     • Skip if your raid lacks sufficient Frost damage.
3. C’Thun
   • Abilities:
     • Phase 1: Eye Beam (chains to nearby players, spread out), spawns Eye Tentacles (AoE silence).
     • Phase 2: Spawns Giant Claw Tentacles (high melee damage), Giant Eye Tentacles (Eye Beam), Flesh Tentacles in stomach (kill to escape).
     • Dark Glare: One-shot AoE in a cone; rotate raid to avoid.
     • Weakened State: Every 45 seconds, C’Thun is vulnerable for 45 seconds (max DPS window).
   • Strategy:
     • Phase 1: Spread raid in a circle around the room to avoid Eye Beam chaining. Kill Eye Tentacles quickly to prevent silence overlap.
     • Phase 2: Tanks handle Giant Claw Tentacles. DPS kill Giant Eye Tentacles. Players swallowed by C’Thun enter the stomach; kill Flesh Tentacles to escape.
     • Rotate the raid to avoid Dark Glare (assign a callout leader). Maximize DPS during Weakened State.
     • SoD Note: Post-nerf C’Thun (no tentacles during Weakened State) is easier, but the Eye of C’Thun (Glyph of the Void) can wipe the raid if not spread out.
     • Use Qiraji Resonating Crystals (mounts) to move faster in the large room.

Trash Mobs

• Vekniss Warriors: Summon small adds on death; AoE them down.
• Vekniss Guardians: Knock up tanks; face them against walls to reduce knockback.
• Qiraji Brainwashers: Mind control and Mind Flay with fear; prioritize killing them.
• Vekniss Soldiers: Fast respawns; clear quickly to avoid overwhelm.
• Scarab Gauntlet: Long corridor with heavy trash; pull carefully and use crowd control (CC).
• Tips: Use Greater Scarab Coffer Keys to open Large Scarab Coffers for scarabs and idols. Save Qiraji Lord’s Insignia for reputation turn-ins.

Loot and Rewards

• Tier 2.5 Gear: Requires tokens (dropped by bosses), 10 scarabs, and 2 idols per piece. Turn in to NPCs (Vethsera, Kandrostrasz, Andorgos) after Skeram. Examples:
  • Helm: Skeram, Huhuran
  • Chest: C’Thun
  • Shoulders: Twin Emperors
• Qiraji Resonating Crystals: Mounts (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow) usable only in AQ40, dropped by bosses.
• Notable Items:
  • Vanquished Tentacle of C’Thun: Trinket, summons tentacles.
  • Shard of the Fallen Star: Trinket summons meteors.
  • Base of Atiesh: Component for legendary staff.
• Reputation Rewards: Brood of Nozdormu rings improve with reputation (Honored, Revered, Exalted).
• SoD Additions: Improved Tier 2.5 set bonuses and new loot; check boss-specific loot tables.

Tips for Success

• Coordination: AQ40 requires tight teamwork. Use voice comms for callouts (e.g., Dark Glare, Eye of C’Thun).
• NR Gear: Prioritize for Huhuran, Viscidus, and C’Thun. Craft or farm NR gear from Maraudon or other sources.
• Optional Bosses: Skip Viscidus if lacking Frost DPS. Skip Bug Trio or Ouro if time-constrained or undergeared.
• SoD Checkpoint System: Killing bosses in order (per checkpoint) unlocks bonus chests. Failing a checkpoint locks out future bonuses.
• Mounts: Use Qiraji mounts to navigate the raid faster, especially for C’Thun’s large room.

Conclusion

AQ40 is a step up from Molten Core and Blackwing Lair, demanding strategy, gear, and coordination. Focus on NR preparation, manage trash carefully, and execute boss mechanics precisely. With practice, your raid can conquer C’Thun and claim epic rewards. Good luck, and may the Brood of Nozdormu favor you!
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