Comprehensive Guide to Mastering The Stonecore in Cataclysm

The Stonecore, nestled within the elemental depths of Deepholm, challenges players of levels 82-84 in the Cataclysm expansion of World of Warcraft. You have 4 bosses to complete and a pile of trash so use crowd control as you go.

Corborus

Corborus, the massive subterranean worm, introduces mechanics that test both mobility and debuff management.

Dampening Wave: This ability places a healing absorption debuff on players, stacking and increasing in intensity, thereby necessitating prompt cleansing by healers to maintain their team.

Crystal Barrage: Targets random players, unleashing a barrage that deals significant physical damage and requires you to move immediately. Don’t get hit by this.

Strategy

Positioning: Players should spread out to minimize the group damage from Crystal Barrage. Quick lateral movements are crucial once targeted.

Debuff Management: Healers must prioritize the immediate removal of Dampening Wave to prevent the stacking effect, which can cripple the group’s healing.

Phase Transition: When Corborus burrows, the group must remain vigilant and mobile, dodging debris and killing the incoming adds efficiently. Watch out for him as he leaps out of the ground, deals damage and knocks you back. Make sure you avoid this as you navigate this phase. Pretty straight forward.

Slabhide

The stone dragon Slabhide introduces a dynamic battlefield with aerial phases and ground hazards.

Lava Fissure and Eruption: These abilities create dangerous areas on the ground, necessitating quick movement out of affected zones to avoid high fire damage.
Stalactites: Falling from the ceiling during Slabhide’s flight, these require players to watch for shadows on the ground and move out of those shadows accordingly.

Strategy

Continuously adjust your position to stay clear of Lava Fissures and under no circumstances stand directly under falling stalactites. Watch for shadows on the ground.

Aerial Phase: When Slabhide lifts off, break line of sight immediately to avoid the devastating effects of Crystal Storm. Use rock formations, stalactites, as natural shields. Just get behind it and line of sight the boss.

The tank should keep Slabhide facing away from the group to avoid frontal attacks like Sand Blast, while the rest of the group focuses on dodging ground effects. Don’t stand in bad, don’t get hit by the falling stones, move behind them in the air phase and just burn the boss the rest of the time.

Ozruk

Ozruk, a massive stone golem, tests the group’s ability to handle knockbacks and directional attacks.

Ground Slam and Shatter: These abilities require precise positioning to avoid massive damage and ensure survivability.

Paralyze is also cast right before shatter so be ready for it. This will stun you for 8 seconds.

Elementium Bulwark: Reflects spells, demanding timing and restraint from casters.

Strategy

Ground slam is a frontal cone that needs to be pointed away from everyone and the tank needs to move out of it quickly, and then everyone needs to spread out 15 yards from the boss so damage from Shatter doesn’t kill you.

Casters need to halt their attacks during Elementium Bulwark to avoid self-inflicted damage. This lasts for 10 seconds. He also has Spike Shield that gives melee attackers a 5 second stacking bleed so they need to stop attacking for this 10 seconds.

If you’re getting paralyzed and there is a shield up cast a dot on the boss to get some damage on yourself. Any damage will cancel paralyze so you’ll get released immediately.

Rinse and repeat!

High Priestess Azil

Azil combines the chaos of continuous add waves with powerful area control spells.

Gravity Well: Pulls in and damages all nearby players  within 10 yards, effectively used to control add waves.

Force Grip: Lifts and slams the tank, necessitating interrupts to prevent excessive damage.

Seismic Shard: She will pick up the shard and throw it at a party member.

Strategy

Use Gravity Wells strategically to pull in and kill the adds quickly, reducing the pressure on the group. Run to the other side of the well and get the adds to walk through it.

Assign specific players to interrupt Force Grip, ensuring the tank doesn’t get smashed around.

Maintain high mobility to dodge thrown rocks and position strategically around Gravity Wells to maximize their effect on enemies while minimizing harm to the group. Get your dps on the boss and burn, burn, burn while avoiding these mechanics and you got yourself a done dungeon.