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Naxxramas Runbook

Quick-reference encounter strategies for raid leaders

Spider WingPlague WingAbomination WingMilitary WingFrostwyrm Lair
🕸️Frostwyrm Lair Trashtrash▾
Mob Types
Guardian of Icecrown90kBlood Tap — drains HP and heals itself
Frost Wyrm300kFrost Breath — frontal cone frost damage + slow, Icebolt — random player encased in ice block
  • ◆Guardian of Icecrown packs — tank and burn, dispel Blood Tap▶
    Guardian of Icecrown packs — tank and burn, dispel Blood Tap if possible. Blood Tap drains player HP and heals the Guardian, making fights drag out if left unchecked.
  • ◆Frost Wyrms — face away from raid, break Icebolt targets free▶
    Frost Wyrms must be faced away from the raid because Frost Breath is a frontal cone dealing frost damage and applying a slow. Break players out of Icebolt ice blocks quickly — they take damage while encased.
SapphironSapphironboss▾
Sapphiron
HP: 3,300,000
None
Tanks: 1-2Healers: 10-12Frost Resistance gear for all raid members (100+ unbuffed minimum). Frost Resist aura/totem mandatory.
⚠️Frost Resistance highly recommended (at least 100+ unbuffed for all raid members). The constant Frost Aura + Frost Breath combo is the #1 wipe cause.
Boss Abilities
Frost Aura~1,200 frost damage every 2 seconds to entire raid — constant throughout fight.
Life Drain5-target chain heal on himself for ~3,500 per target, heals Sapphiron.
BlizzardGround-targeted AoE, ~2,000 frost damage/sec, moves slowly across room.
Icebolt (Air Phase)Marks 2-3 players and encases them in ice blocks after 3 seconds.
Frost Breath (Air Phase)Massive AoE frost damage raid-wide, only survivable by hiding behind ice block players.
  • ◆Ground phase — spread out, avoid Blizzard, healers counter Frost Aura▶
    Spread out to minimize Blizzard overlap. Healers must continuously counter the constant Frost Aura damage (1,200 every 2 sec to entire raid). Dispel or interrupt Life Drain if possible — it heals Sapphiron significantly.
  • ◆Air phase — hide behind ice-blocked players to survive Frost Breath▶
    Every 45 seconds, Sapphiron takes flight. He targets 2-3 players with Icebolt — they get frozen into ice blocks. Then he casts Frost Breath — massive AoE that kills anyone NOT behind an ice block. Everyone must immediately run behind an ice-blocked player to line-of-sight Frost Breath. After Frost Breath, Sapphiron lands and the ground phase resumes.
  • ◆Frost Resistance gear is essential▶
    Frost Resistance gear is essential to survive the constant Frost Aura ticking on the entire raid. All raid members should have at least 100+ Frost Resistance unbuffed. Frost Resist aura from paladins and Frost Resistance totem from shamans are mandatory.
Kel'ThuzadKel'Thuzadboss▾
Kel'Thuzad
HP: 3,200,000
Phase 1 (first 3-5 min) — waves of Soldiers, Abominations, Soul Weavers, and Banshees. Phase 3 (at 40% HP) — 5 Guardian of Icecrown adds spawn.
Tanks: 4+ (1 for KT, 3+ for Phase 1 adds and Phase 3 Guardians)Healers: 10-12Fight has 3 distinct phases. Phase 1 is add management, Phase 2/3 is the real fight.
⚠️Shadow Fissure is an instant kill — when you see the red circle on the ground, move IMMEDIATELY. You have about 4 seconds.
Boss Abilities
Frost BoltSingle target ~5,000 frost damage, interruptible.
Frost Bolt Volley~3,000 frost damage to entire raid.
Shadow FissureVoid zone on ground — 4 sec warning (red circle), then ~100,000 shadow damage — instant kill.
Mana DetonationRandom mana user explodes dealing ~2,000 damage to nearby players.
Frost BlastEncases a player + nearby players in an ice block for 4 sec, dealing ~26% max HP per second — must be healed through or they die.
Mind ControlUp to 2 players mind controlled at once.
Guardians of Icecrown (Phase 3)At 40% HP, 5 Guardians of Icecrown (90k HP each) join the fight. Must be off-tanked.
Phase 1 Add Types
Soldiers of the Frozen WastesLow HP undead — AoE them down. Come in large waves from the alcoves.
Unstoppable AbominationsHigh HP — must be tanked. Hit hard and take a while to kill.
Soul WeaversRanged casters — kill priority. Dangerous if left alive to free-cast.
BansheesRanged undead adds that join the waves.
  • ◆Phase 1 — stand at the outer ring, do NOT go to the center▶
    DO NOT go to the center of the room during Phase 1. Stand at the outer ring. Waves of undead come from the alcoves — Soldiers (low HP, AoE them), Abominations (high HP, tank them), Soul Weavers (ranged casters, kill priority), and Banshees. After ~3-5 minutes, the adds stop and Phase 2 begins.
  • ◆Phase 2 — tank Kel'Thuzad in the center, interrupt Frost Bolt, dodge Shadow Fissure▶
    Kel'Thuzad himself attacks. Tank him in the center. Interrupt Frost Bolt (the single-target one). Move out of Shadow Fissure immediately — the red circle on the ground means death in 4 seconds. When someone gets Frost Blast (ice block), ALL healers switch to healing them through it (~26% max HP per second for 4 seconds). CC or quickly kill mind-controlled players. Spread out slightly so Mana Detonation doesn't chain.
  • ◆Phase 3 (40% HP) — off-tank 5 Guardians while burning Kel'Thuzad▶
    At 40% HP, 5 Guardians of Icecrown spawn (90k HP each) and must be off-tanked. All Phase 2 mechanics continue. Burn Kel'Thuzad while managing the Guardians — do not let the Guardians run loose in the raid.