So Dulfy suggests the tanks use barrels to take care of the adds between mass barrages. We spent a couple hours tonight trying this and failing, mostly because it always ended up where a 2nd DPS was eating scatterguns due to one of the tanks running barrels.

Then we watched their kill video... and it appears the tanks didn't run barrels at all, simply used taunts to hold threat on the adds, let the healers heal through it, and used mass barrage to clean up when possible.

So which is it? I'm guessing 2nd way is the way to go?

So Dulfy suggests the tanks use barrels to take care of the adds between mass barrages. We spent a couple hours tonight trying this and failing, mostly because it always ended up where a 2nd DPS was eating scatterguns due to one of the tanks running barrels.

 

Then we watched their kill video... and it appears the tanks didn't run barrels at all, simply used taunts to hold threat on the adds, let the healers heal through it, and used mass barrage to clean up when possible.

 

So which is it? I'm guessing 2nd way is the way to go?

So, in previous iterations of the fight, the adds didn't hit quite as hard, so it was doable to heal through the damage until the next Mass Barrage. While you can do that now, it's sort of the hard way.

Use the barrels as a tanking tool to move the adds. Don't use them the instant the adds come out. Tank them naturally, and only after you've established threat and if Mass Barrage is a long way off and if Scatter Blaster is a ways off, then you can use the barrel to move the adds to the purple circle. Once you've done that, do a tank swap. Because of the timing on things, you shouldn't have use more than three-ish barrels (depending on DPS), since Mass Barrage comes out fairly often.

a) You have a good chance of killing the adds every other wave if you use the last few circles of the Barrage to cover the spawn area (first few will dissapear too early so don't make this mistake).

b) Although there are alternative strategies where you do adds without barrels (highly not recommended, this tends to stress healers the most), as well as have a DPS run barrels (slows down your DPS so you have to consider how strong your other 3 DPS really are), I don't recommend these. The normal tanks alternating picking up barrels is fine. Your tanks need to aggressively taunt off each other throughout the fight, especially throughout the first minute, with DPS aggro dropping on cooldown starting from the moment the initial taunts wear off.

OK, maybe you guys can clear something else up for me then...

Here's my perspective of the opening of the fight as a melee DPS. We start, go hard, off tank goes to grab the first barrel about 20 seconds in, and scatter blast starts. Now from MY perspective, it appears to alternate between me and the tank that is tanking Bulo. To me this suggests that either the off tank needs to establish better threat before grabbing the barrel, OR there is a mechanic that does not allow the barrel runner to be targeted by scatter blast.

However, the main tank claims that his ignore debuff means that he is not being hit by scatter blast at all (even if visually on my screen it seems to be targeting him), and its actually alternating between the barrel tank and myself. In which case it seems the only answer is to absolutely not have tanks run barrels during scatter blast.

So which is it? How does the ignore debuff work exactly (I haven't tanked this fight yet), and is scatter blast hitting a DPS during barrel runs a fault of the tanks not establishing enough threat, or is it simply a no-no to run barrels during scatter blast?

I'm sure we could probably easily clear it with DPS running the barrels if enrage isn't an issue, but I want to actually understand how the mechanic works.

OK, maybe you guys can clear something else up for me then...

 

Here's my perspective of the opening of the fight as a melee DPS. We start, go hard, off tank goes to grab the first barrel about 20 seconds in, and scatter blast starts. Now from MY perspective, it appears to alternate between me and the tank that is tanking Bulo. To me this suggests that either the off tank needs to establish better threat before grabbing the barrel, OR there is a mechanic that does not allow the barrel runner to be targeted by scatter blast.

 

However, the main tank claims that his ignore debuff means that he is not being hit by scatter blast at all (even if visually on my screen it seems to be targeting him), and its actually alternating between the barrel tank and myself. In which case it seems the only answer is to absolutely not have tanks run barrels during scatter blast.

 

So which is it? How does the ignore debuff work exactly (I haven't tanked this fight yet), and is scatter blast hitting a DPS during barrel runs a fault of the tanks not establishing enough threat, or is it simply a no-no to run barrels during scatter blast?

 

I'm sure we could probably easily clear it with DPS running the barrels if enrage isn't an issue, but I want to actually understand how the mechanic works.

The scatter blaster (At least from what I have seen) goes between the two highest threats. So right before the offtank goes to grab a barrel they should taunt and have the main tank take back the boss, and then the offtank should taunt again when the adds have been dealth with.

The scatter blaster (At least from what I have seen) goes between the two highest threats. So right before the offtank goes to grab a barrel they should taunt and have the main tank take back the boss.

That's what I assumed, I'll have to ask our tanks tonight how they were doing it, we got into it a bit last night debating over why it was always targeting me, with one of the tanks suggesting a DPS should just be prepared to pop cooldowns for it >_>

That's what I assumed, I'll have to ask our tanks tonight how they were doing it, we got into it a bit last night debating over why it was always targeting me, with one of the tanks suggesting a DPS should just be prepared to pop cooldowns for it >_>

lrn2aggro drop

And when I'm tanking it I taunt fluff like nobody's business just to be safe, because if that goes through the raid well... not bueno

lrn2aggro drop

 

And when I'm tanking it I taunt fluff like nobody's business just to be safe, because if that goes through the raid well... not bueno

Oh I do though I tend to try to save mine strategically since its also got the sonic barrier utility, the problem is our main tank (who is a GREAT tank, don't get me wrong) is very stubborn about using taunts to build threat, he only ever wants to use them for actual swap mechanics

What we've been doing is assuming a DPS is going to get it, and me speccing for 5 second reflect, but that still doesn't save me cause the 2nd scattergun I don't have reflect for... but I didn't think a DPS was supposed to be eating it anyways lol

Oh I do though I tend to try to save mine strategically since its also got the sonic barrier utility, the problem is our main tank (who is a GREAT tank, don't get me wrong) is very stubborn about using taunts to build threat, he only ever wants to use them for actual swap mechanics

 

What we've been doing is assuming a DPS is going to get it, and me speccing for 5 second reflect, but that still doesn't save me cause the 2nd scattergun I don't have reflect for... but I didn't think a DPS was supposed to be eating it anyways lol

Yeah… Taunts are an important part of the threat mechanics in this game. Vital, really. I taunt fluff like nobody's business on this fight, even though I in no way require taunts to hold agro. It's worth taunt bouncing a bit between the two tanks to get extra threat and to push the off tank up on the agro table. Or you can just ensure that the off tank taunts before scatter blaster.

Oh I do though I tend to try to save mine strategically since its also got the sonic barrier utility, the problem is our main tank (who is a GREAT tank, don't get me wrong) is very stubborn about using taunts to build threat, he only ever wants to use them for actual swap mechanics

 

What we've been doing is assuming a DPS is going to get it, and me speccing for 5 second reflect, but that still doesn't save me cause the 2nd scattergun I don't have reflect for... but I didn't think a DPS was supposed to be eating it anyways lol

Tanks have to be 1st and 2on on the aggro table on this boss.

If they are not they are not doing their job at this fight ( GREAT or NOT )

Tanks have to be 1st and 2on on the aggro table on this boss.

If they are not they are not doing their job at this fight ( GREAT or NOT )

This - if your tank refuses to use taunts to keep their place on the aggro table while managing the mechanics like the barrels, they need to be replaced as they are not at all a 'great' tank (holding threat is their job, and taunts are one of their tools).

Also the Dulfy video is only good for giving you a general overview of the fight and the basic mechanics. The damage on the PTS video is much lower than live, and if you go in expecting damage to be in line with the video, you are in for a world of hurt.

Lastly, like a number of fights in the new Ops, there is a lot of RNG, some you can control, some you cannot. Control what you can, but being prepared to shift on the fly to deal with whatever the encounter throws your way is key.

I'm finding that when I tank this the adds don't always go after me with the barrel until I run all the way over to them and jump around in the middle for a bit. is that normal? If so, how do I get to the adds without risking a scatter blaster cleaving the dps?

You need to get close to the adds with the barrel before they'll start attacking you. After that you can click the barrel off.

Your DPS will want to stand on the opposite side of the boss from the adds.

Like Shoony is saying. Tauntfluff and just have a tank battle DPS won't rip anymore.

Have done the fight on SM multiple times now and aggro on the boss is NO problem anymore. What is a problem is that the dps are ending up to be in between me and the boss when I get the booze. This is however something to learn for both sides. I think the suggestion of grabbing the adds during mass barage might make it cleaner.

Regarding the question of a DPS picking up the barrel vs a tank. Having a DPS pick it up is NOT the best option but the easiest option (and therefore maybe the best).

Having a tank doing the barrel job means less incoming damage overall and more DPS on the boss which makes the boss dead faster which again means less incoming damage/chance to screw up stuff.

After reviewing some video of 8 man HM Bulo that was made before the patch on the 16th of December, we noticed that things, at least for us, hit ALOT harder after the patch.

For example, before the 16th patch

barrel throw ~7k-12k

scatter blaster ~ 8k-12k

load lifters~8k-12k each

circles~10k-15k a tick.

After the 16th patch

barrel throw ~20k-30k

scatter blaster ~ 20k-30k

load lifters~20k-25k each

circles~20k-30k 1 tick

Also, we have noticed that adds are not spawning until after mass barrage is done and all circles from it have dissipated. We realize that there are 2 spawns of adds per 1 mass barrage, but we basically have to deal with 2 spawns of adds without a mass barrage to kill one spawn....and the adds hit harder than they did. We have even been able to predict where the adds will spawn based on where Bulo is.

If he is in the starting position or the short jump left or right of starting position, they will spawn up top. If he is far right, adds will spawn on the right door, and if he is far left they will spawn on one of the left doors. But again, they are not spawning till after mass barrage is over and gone so the only circle that may or may not still be there to kite them into is the one left by the purple circle, but that isn't always there either.

We also realize that this is a very mechanic heavy fight, and positioning is key. However, the bottom line is that there is just, what seems to be,way too much damage going out for our healers to keep everyone up. It honestly feels like the difficulty is set to 16 man hm even though it is only on 8 man hm....and yes, we are sure it is on 8 man hm.

IDK, food for thought. Anyone who is having trouble might wanna look into this as well. Compare some of your raid video to that of videos made before 12-16-2014 and see if you see the same difference in outgoing damage as we are.

Use the barrels as a tanking tool to move the adds. Don't use them the instant the adds come out. Tank them naturally, and only after you've established threat and if Mass Barrage is a long way off and if Scatter Blaster is a ways off, then you can use the barrel to move the adds to the purple circle. Once you've done that, do a tank swap. Because of the timing on things, you shouldn't have use more than three-ish barrels (depending on DPS), since Mass Barrage comes out fairly often.

Hey, KBN, any other tips on how to mitigate the insane damage that Bulo HM is doing since december 16th's patch? As the last comment says, the damages are way too high. Also, how do you deal with the ignored debuff? I'm not sure about how the scatter shots work, but my tanks are saying they are taking 28k hits.

Also, any tips for jugg and assassin tanks specifically?

I have killed it multiple times now, also since 16th and this is how the groups I where in have done it mostly.

Melee DPS or Tank moves out at 10seconds, rest of raid stacks on top of boss.

Tanks have to taunt in the first minute of the fight on CD to ensure number 1 and 2 on the threat table.

One Vanguard uses the shielding utility for the group because of a high risk that the first barrel will hit the group. This is desired because all of the dmg gets reflected ;-)

If the tank gets the first barrel timing of taunts and masstaunts is vital but if its pulled of correctly its quite nice. Lets say Tank 1 gets the barrel. He starts tanking right and does the pull. Tank 1 taunts at about 5seks, mass taunts just before moving out and after picking up the barrel he taunts again (there is a small window to get abilites of after picking it up).

Tank 2 needs to taunt accordingly right after Tank 1 so that the boss stays on Tank 2 most of the time.

Then the first damage spike comes in: The scatter blast.

If you see stacks on the tanks prepare for the hard hits ... Tanks need to use CDs and healer need to focus them. The first one is nasty because Tank 1 is coming back from barrel duty and Tank 2 gets the Lores while scatter blast is happening. After Tank 1 returnes he needs to taunt instantly because Tank 2 needs to move out and reveives additional damage from the lores.

As Shadow or Guardian: Rescilience and reflect work on the Lores and on the Load Lifters.

For the subsequent groups of adds:

2nd wave needs to be killed by mass barage ... Get the tanks to place the last 2 circles of mass barrage to place them on the possible spawning points of the adds and enjoy (If more then one add survives you need to deal with them with a barrel)

3rd wave is quite wonky with the timing. They will come approx. at 2min into the fight. Deal with them with a barrel to be save. DPS needs to do this, Tanks are asked to mass taunt the adds before the barrel carrier comes by and pics them up to reduce damage on healers.

4th wave should be clearable with a mass barrage, but the timing since tuesday is a bit of so we dealt with it with a barrel.

5th wave: Mass barrage.

Never have one person pick up more then one barrel. The consequence would be -1000% accuracy, which is hillarious but it will let you miss all taunts as tank and will tank your dps to a dead ones.

Spreading out after the first purple circle is the key to reduce the damage and healers and DPS have to be carefull to be nowhere near the spawn points of the boss or outside of it.

Tanks need to move according to the barrel carriers to not hit them with a scatter blast!

DPS is not an issue with this fight so play it save and you will be fine ;-)

I hope this helps with a few HM kills.