Tanks
- In phase One Burning Claws deals heavy damage and deals fire damage over 27 seconds. When this DoT ends, everyone takes 15% of the total DoT damage.
- In phase two Void Claws does similar, with the added effect that it reduces healing received by 25% for 18 seconds. When this debuff expires, it deals 40% of the damage to players within 20 yards.
- In phase three Void Blast does almost the exact same as Void Claws. This time the DoT lasts for 21 seconds and hits the entire raid unless they have gone into the shadow realm.
- Void Blast is also a frontal attack, so nobody should ever stand with the main tank.
- Taunt swap after each cast of these abilities.
Healers
- There are several burst sections in this fight
- Scorching Bomb deals heavy damage to the players who get them.
- Oppressive Howl being removed causes an AOE. If several players do this in one go it can be deadly.
- Glittering Surge deals massive damage to the raid.
- Desolate Blossom is a healing absorb. Spot heal these players as soon as the debuff appears.
DPS
- Kill the Null Glimmer adds before they become immune to crowd control.
- Picking up Astral Flare‘s gives a haste and movement speed buff. This stacks 10 times.
- Use Heroism/Bloodlust in phase three.
Phase One
The fight starts with Sarkerath casting Oppressive Howl onto all players. Phase one is all about staggering players removing this debuff before he reaches 70% health, or a certain amount of time passes. Players can remove this by getting hit by either Mass Disintegrate or Searing Breath. This needs removing from all players before the Glittering Surge cast otherwise they will take deadly damage. Removing them all at once isn’t wise due to each time one being removed, the raid will take a spike of damage from Echoing Howl. For this reason having 4-5 players remove it at a time is usually a good strategy.
Due to Scorching Bombs, having the ranged group stack close together around the sides and kite forward whenever the rest of the group moves forward, this ensures space for positioning as phase one continues. These almost always spawn near ranged players so this helps keep the area clear. When players are targeted by Mass disintegrate, they should stay still and have other players move out of the way, or into the way to cleanse Oppressive Howl.
Sarkerath will turn and face a random player and begin casting Searing Breath. When he does this he pulses it 3 separate times. Players only need to take one hit from this to cleanse Oppressive Howl, and taking more hits will cause a lot of additional damage for healers to worry about unnecessarily. For that reason, Disintegrate is often the spell chosen to be hit by.
Towards the end of the phase Sarkerath will cast Glittering Surge which will deal massive damage to the group and kill anyone with Oppressive Howl. Because the damage is naturally so high, your group should stack close together to help with AOE healing.
Phase Two
This phase begins by Sarkerath hitting all players with 10 stacks of Oblivion and sending them to the Emptiness Between Stars. This is a shadow realm that will kill the player if they are inside it for 25 seconds. To get out, players simply need to run over the 3 large white circles. Inside the Emptiness Between Stars are also Astral Flares, which are smaller white stars that give a haste and movement speed buff and stacks 10 times. It is a great idea whenever you are in the Emptiness Between Stars to collect 10 of these before leaving.
Sarkerath will target a player and fly to them with Abyssal Breath. Don’t stand in the way. When he lands adds will spawn that the tanks should pick up and drag through any nearby Desolate Blossoms. This will weaken them allowing players to more easily kill them. These need to be killed fast as they will become immune to interrupts and their cast is extremely damaging.
He will spawn Void Bombs that will explode after 20 seconds. If they aren’t dealt with, they will wipe the group. To deal with them you need to take them to the Emptiness Between Stars. To do this you need to get 10 stacks of Oblivion. These are gained easily by standing in a Desolate Blossom. Keep in mind Oblivion stacks hurt after 4-5, you want to cleanse them as soon as possible even if you don’t have a bomb. When you have gained 10 stacks, wait until the bomb explodes before returning, otherwise it will still explode on the group.
Sarkerath will occasionally cast Infinite Duress on a player. This debuff deals moderate damage for 18 seconds and can be cleansed. When it’s cleansed or expires it will cause a large knockback to all players. The raiders need to position themselves from the player with the debuff so they get knocked back and land on the platform. Because of this, the healers need to hold off on cleansing until they’ve seen everyone is in an okay position.
Phase Three
The phase starts by Sarkerath forming a very large circle that will deal deadly damage to anyone inside it and knocking players in the air. As he does this he also spawns several Astral Formations that will be used for multiple reasons during this phase. Ideally all players will stack for these, as they spawn at player locations and having them stacked up gives you more area to fight the boss.
Sarkerath will cast Embrace of Nothingness on a player. This is a multiple player soak that needs a good portion of the players inside. Straight after this Embrace of Nothingness drops to the floor and explodes again, this time no players should stand in it. Because the boss has a frontal swipe on the tank, having the tanks not soak this is often a preferred method so no one gets instantly destroyed.
During this phase, Void Bombs will still appear and need dealing with in the same way. There are now also white swirls that appear all over the floor that usually need dodging, but if you need to get to the Emptiness Between Stars, standing in these gives 5 stacks of Oblivion and makes it very easy to get to the shadow realm.
The last ability the boss does in this phase is Scouring Eternity. This is telegraphed by light blue lines on the floor where the Astral Formations are. Players simply need to stand on any of these lines, to keep them safe from the supernova that Sarkerath is casting. Players who don’t do this, or aren’t in the Emptiness Between Stars will die.
This phase will continue to cycle with increased mechanic overlap the longer it goes on. As this is the phase with the most mechanics, using Heroism/Bloodlust in this phase is usually the best choice. Once Sarkerath is down you have completed Aberuss.
Glossary
Oppressing Howl
At the beginning of phase one Sarkerath roars, debuffing all players. This increases the damage taken from Mass Disintegrate, Searing Breath and Glittering Surge. When removed it triggers Echoing Howl.
Mass Disintegrate
A copy of Sarkerath appears that attacks a few players after 6 seconds causing a beam of energy between the copy and the players. This damages anyone in between. IF the player has Oppressing Howl, it is removed and applies the Disintegrated debuff.
Disintegrated
Reduces movement speed by 25% and causes small arcane damage every 5 seconds during phase one.
Searing Breath
Sarkerath turns to face a random player and casts a frontal cone fire breath after 3 seconds. This deals moderate damage and applies a DoT dealing light fire damage every second for 12 seconds. He repeats this 3 times and this debuff stacks. If the player has the Oppressing Howl debuff it is removed and the Seared debuff is added.
Seared
Causes moderate fire damage every second until phase one ends.
Glittering Surge
An 8 second channel that deals heavy damage to the group. If the player has Oppressive Howl, they will be stunned and take deadly damage every second for 12 seconds.
Scorching Bomb
Some players are marked with large circles that deal damage every second for 12 seconds. After the debuff expires, it will explode dealing heavy damage to all players within 12 yards.
Burning Claws
Deals massive physical damage to the current target and heavy fire damage every second for 27 seconds. When it expires it explodes dealing 15% of the damage done to all players.
Emptiness Between Stars
Sends everyone to the shadow realm reducing damage taken by 99%. If the player is still there after 20 seconds they die. Collecting 3 mind fragments will return the player to reality.
Astral Flare
The shadow realm has many small stars floating. When players collect one they gain a buff for 5% haste and 10% movement speed for 23 seconds. This effect stacks 10 times.
Oblivion
Being hit by most void related abilities in phase two and phase three add a stack of this debuff. This causes a small amount of shadow damage and stacks. When a player reaches 10 stacks they will get Emptiness Between Stars and enter the shadow realm.
Void Bomb
During phase two and phase three Sarkerath will spawn Void Bombs near players. After 20 seconds they will explode dealing deadly damage for 4 seconds. If a player runs over one they will pick it up. Entering the Emptiness Between Stars and letting it explode before returning prevents it dealing damage to the raid group.
Abyssal Breath
Sarkerath flies towards a player breathing void energy below him as he flies. When he lands Null Glimmers spawn where he started flight from.
Ebon Might
Whenever Sarkerath casts an ability, all adds have their damage and movement speed increased by 15%. If an add reaches 10 stacks, they become immune to crowd control and interrupts.
Desolate Blossom
These large purple flowers periodically appear under players feet. They deal damage and apply a healing absorb to any player or add that passes through them.
Void Claws
Deals massive physical damage to the current target and heavy shadow damage every 2 seconds for 18 seconds. It also reduces the healing received while active by 25%. When this expires, deals 40% of the damage dealt to anyone within 20 yards.
Cosmic Ascension
Sarkerath flies through a portal then reappears smashing the floor dealing deadly damage and knocking players back.
Astral Formation
Asteroids hit the platform dealing heavy damage when they land and moderate damage every 2 seconds to anyone who stands in the puddle they leave.
Scouring Eternity
A supernova spawning from the tear in reality. The Astral Formations will have lines that glow to indicate where to stand during this ability to stay safe.
Embrace of Nothingness
Targets a random players, causing them to take deadly damage after 8 seconds. This damage is split by any player within 12 yards. When this erupts it will suck in any Astral Formations that are inside it’s radius.
Void Slash
Deals massive physical damage in a frontal cone and heavy shadow damage every 2 seconds for 21 seconds. reduces healing the target receives by 25%. When this expires it deals 40% of the damage it did while active to everyone in the raid.
Infinite Duress (Heroic)
A DoT put on a random player that deals heavy damage every 3 seconds for 18 seconds. When cleansed, or expired, This causes a knockback from the players location.
