Zero Kara

The Elder ventured a little further into Kara Sunday night, with three PuGs - including a US Marine in Japan playing a Rogue, an Orc OT, and the very helpful Shammy Kaneo who came armed with the awesome Windfury totem (hurry up Rahj!).

Our first stop was the accursed Shade of Aran, who is MC's latest nemesis. A very interesting PvP style fight - no agro table - where everyone needs to be right on top of what is going on, particularly with what Aran is casting. He casts various AoE spells that require specific responses - either charging out of the room to avoid his Arcane Explosion, or staying deadly still whilst being engulfed in flames from his Flame Wreath.

He also constantly casts Frostbolt, Fireball, and Arcane Missiles, so the interrupts have to keep coming. Even once you're on top of all that, at 40% health he summons some helpers, who aren't all that powerful but have a fatal attraction to clothies. And, to finish it off, at 20% mana he polymorphs the entire raid before Pyroblasting everyone for 7000 damage. Nice.

Shade try #17

We had about 5 tries at it, backing up from a similar number the last few Sunday nights. He just won't go down. We were really close, once in particular when we seemed to have the adds under control before Aran sneaked a totally unfair non centred Arcane Explosion out that wiped four of us instantly ftl.

Eventually, with much gnashing of teeth, we decided to press on and at least pick up some loot from Chess. Which we did - though the boots went to one of the PuGs, and the legs were pally plate! Aargh. DE.

Our knowledgeable chup-frying NZ-based Shammy knew Prince, so we decided to step up and try him. It was getting late, but it was pretty great to start poking ahead into new areas.

Up to Prince

On top of Kara

Without too much trouble we were soon faced with the big guy himself.

Watching The Prince

Very xool. Our first go we did pretty well, given we had no real idea what to expect. Unfortunately a particularly badly placed Infernal meant our melee DPS was out of action for most of the fight, leading to the may-as-well-be-a-wipe. The second try went pretty well too, but again it wasn't to be.

So a grand total of zero bosses down! But strangely it still felt like quite a satisfying run, as progress was being made, and these bosses should be hard. Aran really has to go though. Make it so.