Return to Angmar: Barad Gularan

This is a guest post by Azz of http://wizzardofazz.blogspot.com. He graciously wrote up his experience in Barad Gularan for our little site. Enjoy!

Merric and Goldenstar have been gracious enough to allow me to be a guest blogger this week.  I really hope this post is up to par with their usual flair for LOTRO.  Well, let’s dive right in!

Barad Gularan:

Barad Gularan (BG) is an ancient tower of the Witch-king.  It is located in Nan Gurth in north-eastern Angmar.  It is quite unmistakable should you venture into this region.  You are actually sent here at the beginning of Volume 1, Book 9.  After your initial visit four quests to complete in the BG instance will become available to you in Gath Forthnir.

This instance is fairly short.  Running it on-level (lvl 50) it can be completed in about 2 hours.  With sixties it can be completed as fast as 3-45 minutes if everyone one is familiar with it.  The mechanics of the instance are very straight forward.  The Angmarim are trying to summon a Rogmul (Udunion) and you are sent there to prevent it.

As you enter the fortress you are first met by Gularan Warriors.  These warriors are animated suites of armor.  When they are destroyed a Tormented Horror spawns from their corpse.  These mobs are everywhere in here.  At level 50 taking one or two is fairly routine, but more than that can easily become trouble. After a few pulls of Warriors you encounter the first mini-boss, Forvengwaith.  This fight is not too difficult.  Have the dps focus on him, and an offtank scoop up his adds when they arrive.  At half health he will begin to summon Forvengwaith’s adds.  If they reach him they will heal him for approximately 5000 morale.  After he is defeated get the loot and head to the east.

Now you will start to see Gularan Caretakers and Protectors.  It is important that you take down the protectors first as the caretakers will share their damage with the protectors and make for a very long fight.  Keep following this path until you reach the first sorceress, Afraig. When the fight starts she will run back into a group of adds and they will begin to attack.  She will also summon spirits, so have a champ continuously clobber her as the rest take down the adds.  After the adds are down, she should fall fairly fast.  From her you will get the Scroll of Ruin, which is required for the final boss fight.  Moving on you will encounter a few more mobs until you enter the throne room.  In here you will fight the Cargul, Castellan Wisdan.

This fight is a classic tank and spank.  Have everyone, but the off-tank dps him down.  The off-tank will scoop up his adds and “entertain” them until Wisdan falls, then just clean up the adds.  Here you will get the barter piece for the Angmar armor set as well as the Horn of Anor.  The horn is also used in the final boss fight.

From there you head around through a few more mobs until you reach the second sorceress, Coblaith.  She follows the same mechanic and strategy as Afraig.  After she is dead, you loot her and get the Staff of Dark Shadows.  It is the last piece you need to defeat the final boss.  After she is dead just clean up the remaining mobs and you are ready for the final fight.

Mulvuire and Udunion
(Credit given to  Lotro-wiki)

In preparation for this fight you should have the following:

• Staff of Dark Shadows
• Horn of Anor
• Scroll of Ruin
• 20x Pure Flask of Conhuith on each player (5x-10x if you are lvl 60+)
• 20x Pure Healing Draught on each player (5x-10x if you are lvl 60+)
• Pure Healing Salve and Pure Conhuith Salve can be used to save party members with Afflictions whose potions are on cooldown.
• +4 or +5 Edhelharn Token (Hope Token)
• Lore-master with Proof Against All Ills slotted to help remove Affliction through Flame
• Minstrel and/or Captain prepared to use fear-removing skills for Affliction through Shadow

The fight will unfold as follows.

Udúnion engages after Múlvuirë has been defeated. He is shackled in place by a Bound in Fire debuff until he has lost approximately 10,000 morale, when he says “Enough! Flames unbind me. Shield me from the Light!”

As soon as he has broken these bonds, he can move around and also begins to cast his signature abilities. In order to interrupt his casting, the appropriate item must be used. These items are Staff of Dark Shadows, Horn of Anor and Scroll of Ruin, obtained from Afraig, Coblaith and Castellan Wisdán. They must each be used at a different Seal (glowing runed circles in the west, north and east of the room), depending on the ability that Udúnion calls out. Players who stand on one of the Seals to interrupt him will receive a Vulnerable debuff, which greatly increases their chance to become affected by an “Affliction”. For this reason, do not stand on top of a Seal when it is not absolutely necessary.

The Affliction is a debuff that can randomly appear on any member of the fellowship throughout the battle. It appears most commonly on anyone who is or has recently been affected by Vulnerable. The icon looks like an eye with a black pupil, surrounded on the outside by either red or purple, the former representing an Affliction through Flame and the latter an Affliction through Shadow. The affected player must pay attention to this detail since Pure Flask of Conhuith and Pure Healing Draught share their cooldown. Minstrels, Lore-masters and Captains should also be prepared to use their wound- or fear-removing abilities. Once the debuff appears on a player, they have 10 seconds to cure it. If it is not cured in time, it will result in the instant defeat of the affected player.

Strategy positioning overview.

It is recommended to have three ranged damage (ie. hunter, lore-master) members in the fellowship. This allows for Udúnion to be tanked just north of the “Immolation Zone” while all possible signature abilities are covered easily. The Immolation Zone is the middle area of the room that causes an Immolated effect on players standing within it, so it is not a good idea to fight him there. The Minstrel should have the Horn of Anor, and be positioned just below the North Seal. Two ranged damage members, one with a Staff of Dark Shadows, should stand slightly north of the West Seal. The last should have the Scroll of Ruin, and stand slightly north of the East Seal. With this positioning, the Minstrel will be able to reach all members of the fellowship with heals.

Once Udúnion makes a signature ability call-out, the appropriate player should step onto their Seal, activate their item, and then step back out of the circle into position. This must be done within approx. five seconds after the call-out. During this time it is likely that the player who stepped onto the Seal has received an Affliction debuff, and it will need to be cured as soon as possible.

Immolation Zone:

• Immolated (Resistance: Wound (52)) – Does 184 Fire damage every 2 seconds for 30 seconds. Affects any players standing within the area (shown on the strategy positioning overview).

Common Abilities:

• Shadow Vulnerability (Resistance: Fear) – Randomly cast at targets. Lowers shadow damage mitigation by 10% for 45 seconds.

Afflictions:

• Affliction through Flame (Resistance: Wound (52)) – Instantly defeats the player if the 10 second timer expires. Target cannot Block, Parry or Evade.
• Affliction through Shadow (Resistance: Fear (52)) – Instantly defeats the player if the 10 second timer expires. Target cannot Block, Parry or Evade.

Note: For Captains, Last Stand does not save you from the debuff.

Signature Abilities: (approx. 5-second cast time)

If all goes well and the strategy is executed properly, Udúnion will be interrupted when casting all his signature abilities, and no members of the fellowship will be defeated due to an Affliction. Within about 5 minutes, his morale will be beaten into dust, and the great terror within Barad Gúlaran will be no more.

This instance does not have a lockout timer, so feel free to go back and enjoy the time here, I know I certain have, and will.