Highmaul: Kargath Bladefist

For Mistweavers, the Warlords of Draenor starts off strong as we take on Kargath Bladefist in a gladiator arena that perfectly matches our unique healing talents. Every raid should want a Mistweaver for this fight, because in this fight we shine like never before.

This guide will present strategies for Mistweavers to take on Kargath Bladefist in Normal and Heroic mode.

Fight Summary

In general, I recommend every healer review the information in the Dungeon Journal, or read up on the fight at Icy Veins. However, I will summarise the fight from the Mistweaver perspective:

• Be prepared to Fistweave 90% of this fight.
• Use Life Cocoon for every second Impale, if possible.
• Swap to Serpent Stance for Beserker Rush; heal his target if they kite poorly.
• Make sure you are healing the stands group after every chain hurl.

In Depth Commentary

Mistweavers are extremely strong on this fight specifically because of our ability to do tons of damage while still doing effective healing to a small group. Mistweavers excel in the stands after chain hurl, and you want to be sent up there every time.

While in the stands, take maximum effect of your Vital Mists (by spending exactly five chi between casts) to maximize your healing output while Fistweaving. If Touch of Death is available, use it immediately (don’t take the glyph; it’s worth spending 3 Chi on). Keep hold of your revival for while in the stands; you can use it to assist healers on the ground, or to make up for an unexpected burst of damage on your own party. Don’t hesitate to use it if only 4 people need it, this fight is not a healing check, and your ability to keep the stand team alive is more important than reserving this cooldown for later.

While not in the stands, focus on doing as much damage to the boss as possible while still maintaining your buffs from Tiger Palm and Blackout Kick. Don’t worry about your Vital Mists stacks while you’re on the ground; you won’t run out of mana in this fight while Fistweaving.

Use Xuen the White Tiger during Heroism (which should be at the pull), and whenever you will be able to put him on the boss after that. He isn’t needed for the stands. You will, however, need to put Life Cocoon on a tank whenever you can for the second stack of Impale. The second Impale is incredibly deadly to your tanks, and if a major healing cooldown is not provided, you risk losing a tank to its massive damage. The Impales are timed such that you should get off your Life Cocoon for every one, but you may wind up missing and only using it on every fourth. Never use it to mitigate the damage of a first impale; it’s never worth it.

Conclusion

This fight is both a fun and satisfying encounter, for Mistweavers. The promise of the “Melee Healer” is alive and well in this fight, and even if you don’t top any of the meters, you’re going to have a fun time in a niche that was uniquely designed for our class. Don’t let any other healer bully you out of the stands; explain why you’re best at it, and show your raid just how awesome your class is!

If you have any questions or comments on this article, please feel free to leave them below.