Guide:Fraenir of Jormag Strike Mission Strategy Guide

Introduction

This guide provides tips and strategies for the third strike mission and how to defeat the Fraenir of Jormag in the Sanctum Arena of Bjora Marches. This mission is simple enough to not require a specific group composition. However, if your group is struggling, the guidelines in the Guide:Introduction to Raiding will apply here as well. Check out the glossary page if you're not familiar with a term used in this guide.

The encounter will start when the first player approaches the Fraenir. Throughout the fight, players will receive a small amount of damage every three seconds from .

Strategy

Phase 1 (100%)

Torrent of Ice

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

A series of moderately-sized AoEs cascade out from the center of the arena, dealing heavy damage and freezing any player (or minion) hit. A frozen player can break out of the ice themselves, or other players can attack the block of ice encasing them. Each AoE creates an ice block where it impacted, and if multiple targets were hit, multiple blocks will be created. This attack cannot be avoided with blocks, evasion, or invulnerability, and will be repeated approximately every 30 seconds. The position the ice hits is the same every time.

As the pattern this attack hits is the same every time, it may be helpful to place markers on safe locations so that people can stack there. The location under the boss is safe for most of the fight, but he can occasionally move so it will not always be so.

Icequake

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

Following , the Fraenir of Jormag will leap to the edge of the arena. He transforms into a raven as he leaps back to the center and hangs in the air for a few seconds before slamming down. This impact creates a shock wave that deals heavy damage and knocks players down. Additionally, any blocks of ice remaining from will shatter, dealing moderate damage in the area. The shock wave can be jumped, blocked or evaded, and Stability will prevent the knockdown.

The Fraenir of Jormag will (usually) start the encounter with these two skills and repeat the pattern approximately every 30 seconds. As the boss immediately leaps back to the center of the platform during , it is not worthwhile chasing him when this attack begins.

For most of the rest of the phase, the Fraenir will alternate between:

Dagger Strike – a conal attack in front of the Fraenir that deals moderate damage and inflicts Vulnerability.

Flare of Ice – the Fraenir spins, creating three sets of four AoEs nearby that deal moderate damage if they hit. Each set of AoEs is larger and further away from the Fraenir than the previous set but deal the same damage.

After , the Fraenir will typically use and Flare of Ice, followed by:

Frozen Missile

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

The Fraenir of Jormag targets a random player with a large arrow indicator. The targeted player gains a small timer icon above their head and when full (two seconds), the Fraenir will launch a bolt of ice, launching any players hit and dealing heavy damage. The missile is a projectile, so projectile defense is effective, and the attack can also be blocked or evaded. repeats approximately every 10 seconds.

The Fraenir will only attack targets in melee range (within 175 units) with and Flare of Ice. If there are targets at range (600 units or further), he will use Raven Leap to a random ranged target, dealing heavy damage in an AoE when he lands. He will remain at this new location until he uses or Raven Leap again. This means that if players remain between 175-600 units, the Fraenir will not perform any attacks other than , , and .

The Fraenir will follow this basic pattern until he reaches 75% health.

Phase 2 (75%)

At 75% health, the Fraenir of Jormag appears to perform . However this time an Icebrood Construct will erupt from the floor at 100% health and will cycle through attacks in a very similar manner to the Icebrood Construct strike.

Ice Shock Wave

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

The Icebrood Construct slams its left arm down, creating an that deals a moderate amount of damage and knocks players back. The shock wave can be jumped or blocked. At the same time, a cone of small AoEs will hit the opposite side of the Icebrood Construct.

Ice Arm Swing

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

Following , the Icebrood Construct sweeps its right arm across half the arena, dealing heavy damage and knocking players back.

Seismic Crush

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

Following Ice Arm Swing, the Icebrood Construct will raise its left arm and gain a defiance bar. If it is not broken it will slam the arm down, creating a shock wave that deals heavy damage but can be jumped, blocked or evaded. At the same time, a multitude of AoEs will appear around the boss that deal a small amount of damage. The defiance bar does not regenerate.

If the defiance bar is broken, the Icebrood Construct will play a long recovery animation. Many groups will have the DPS to phase the boss to 70% before this animation completes, and will therefore have to wait for a long period where the boss is invulnerable but still plays out the entirely of the recovery animation and then the phase transition animation. Because of this, it may be recommended to simply ignore the defiance bar in order to prevent this extra long invulnerability period.

Icebrood Construct has three patterns of attack:

1. (front) → Ice Arm Swing → → Rotate anti-clockwise
2. (behind) → turn around → Ice Arm Swing → → Rotate anti-clockwise
3. → Rotate anti-clockwise

The first two patterns will be (1) followed by (2). After this, the Icebrood Construct will cycle between the patterns (1) → (3) → (2).

If the defiance bar during is broken, the Icebrood Construct will repeat pattern (1), then resume from where it left off.

The Icebrood Construct will begin facing east, and if every defiance bar is broken, the safest place to stack will be behind it (west). If the defiance bar is not broken, the safest location will be to move to the location that hit, after the shock wave has passed.

Phase 3 (70%)

When the Icebrood Construct reaches 70% health its left arm will shatter, revealing the Fraenir of Jormag dangling inside. Shortly after, it will collapse before spinning around and knocking players back.

Ice Flail

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

The Icebrood Construct sweeps its right arm across half the arena, dealing heavy damage and knocking players back. At the same time, the Fraenir of Jormag will fire out several ice blocks that players can destroy. Note that the lingering ice effect does not do anything. If this attack hits any of the ice blocks previously created, they will turn into Icebrood Elementals.

For fast groups, the Icebrood Elementals are unlikely to be a problem. For slower groups that may have a lot being created, it is recommended that they are pulled into the boss to be cleaved down with skills such as Epidemic, or that the ice blocks be cleaved down before they can be turned into elementals.

Frigid Fusillade

VideoService "gfycat" not recognized.

Following , players near on the left side of the Icebrood Construct will be targeted by a series of AoEs. Each quickly fills with color and deals a moderate amount of damage to all players within it when it hits. This can occur up to three times in quick succession. At the same time, several AoEs appear around the boss, dealing moderate damage to any players that they hit. The targeted AoEs are projectiles fired by the Fraenir, so they can be countered with projectile defense.

The simplest way to deal with Frigid Fussilade is to move to the right side of Icebrood Construct immediately after .

After Frigid Fusillade, the Icebrood Construct will rotate anti-clockwise and start the pattern again with .

Phase 4

Once the Icebrood Construct is destroyed, it will shatter totally and the Fraenir of Jormag leaps back onto the platform, releasing a shock wave that deals a small amount of damage. The Fraenir will be at 25% health, and otherwise, this phase plays out the same as phase 1.