Onyxia: Ranged DPS Perspective

If you are reading this article, you're probably about ready to shoot Onyxia with fire, ice, lightning, arcane, shadow, bullets, or arrows, and that's A-OK.

Prep:

Having a potion and possibly a healthstone handy. Turn down your graphics to the lowest settings, as Onyxia becomes very laggy with all the adds spawning.

Phase 1:

You're going to start Phase 1 by getting into position to do DPS.

Positioning may vary from raid to raid, but you either want to be well behind the dragon (around the lady's bust on the ground) or on the side of the dragon. (I prefer being up close by healers.)

Once your tank has adequate threat start nuking.

When you've burned her down enough, Onyxia will turn around and start walking south. Blow cooldowns, Heroism / Bloodlust, trinkets, etc and hit her as hard as you can.

Phase 2:

Your main job in Phase 2 is to not die.

Your other job in Phase 2 is to nuke Onyxia out of the air, pushing her down to 43-42% then slowing on things like dots and waiting for your raid leader to make the final "nuke her" call.

Your third job in Phase 2 is to AOE the whelps when your tank calls for it. DPSing before your tank calls for it will usually result in failure on your first job (not dying).

If you do not already have one, you should consider a macro that allows you to zoom your camera out much farther than normal.

How to not die:

1. Stay aware of Onyxia's position at all times. (I like to face her.)
2. Stack up on your whelp tank for Whelps.
3. Do not AOE the whelps until your tank calls for it.
4. If Onyxia deep breaths, move.
5. If Onyxia deep breaths during a whelp phase, try to move in the same direction your tank is.
6. If your health is low, pop a potion, a healthstone, or a bandaid. 3
7. Don't stand too close to the Onyxia Guards, they'll blastwave all over you and make you dead.

Once you have gotten the dragon to 40%, she will land. You should move away from the south part of the cave so she doesn't land on you and eat your face, hanging out on the east or west side of the cave is ideal.

Phase 3:

When Onyxia lands, Phase 3 begins. Your MT is going to grab the dragon and pull her north. Stay out of her way.

She fears.

Should an Onyxia Guard still be alive at the start of Phase 3, it is your job to burn it from your max range. The reason for having range handle this instead of Melee for Phase 3 is that Melee will get feared at inconvenient times and may die to the blastwave, where you're far away and are likely not going to meet that fate.

Do avoid her tail. If for some reason you get knocked into the whelp cave, say so. By doing so everyone knows what is going on and how to react (don't panic, kill the whelps).

Should whelps still be alive, you should also take care of those. Single target, kite, whatever you've got. If the whelps roflstomp the healers, it is a wipe, don't let that happen.

Once all adds are taken down you can go back into your Phase 1 positions and kill the dragon.

Tank and spank.

Enjoy your epics.