Can You Do Patchwerk With 2 Tanks? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, absolutely! Patchwerk, the first boss of the Construct Quarter in Naxxramas, can be defeated with two tanks on both the 10-person and 25-person difficulties. While it’s most easily done with three tanks on the 25-person version, using just two is entirely viable and often preferred by experienced groups aiming for faster clears. This approach requires a strong understanding of the fight mechanics and coordination among the raid, especially the tanks and healers. The key to success with two tanks lies in efficiently managing Hateful Strike, Patchwerk’s devastating ability.
Understanding Patchwerk’s Mechanics
Before diving into the specifics of two-tanking Patchwerk, it’s essential to understand his key mechanics:
- Melee Attacks: Patchwerk delivers frequent and hard-hitting melee attacks on his main tank every second, dealing between 20,000-27,000 physical damage.
- Hateful Strike: This ability hits every 1.2 seconds and targets the player with the highest health out of the top two or three (depending on raid size) players with the highest threat, who are also within melee range and not currently the main tank. Hateful Strike deals approximately 80,000 damage and significantly contributes to threat generation.
- Enrage Timer: Patchwerk has a 5-minute (300-second) enrage timer, meaning your raid has a limited time to defeat him.
- Slime River: Located in the fight area, the slime river can be used by melee DPS to lower their health, if needed, to avoid being targeted by Hateful Strike.
Two-Tanking Strategy: Focusing on Hateful Strike
The core challenge of using two tanks on Patchwerk is managing the Hateful Strikes. When using three tanks, the Hateful Strikes are absorbed by the two off-tanks, alleviating pressure on the main tank. With two tanks, one tank assumes the role of the main tank (MT) taking Patchwerk’s basic melee attacks, and the second becomes the designated off-tank (OT). The OT’s primary responsibility is to take all the Hateful Strikes.
Here’s how to manage Hateful Strike in a two-tank setup:
- Aggro Control: The MT must maintain absolute top aggro on Patchwerk, ensuring he is the target of his basic melee attacks and not the OT. This can be achieved by proper threat generation at the start of the fight and throughout the encounter.
- Health Management: The OT must maintain the highest health out of the top three (or two in 10-man) threat holders, in order to get hit by the Hateful Strikes. This generally means using cooldowns, self-healing, or healing assistance to ensure they are always above the other players’ health.
- Threat Management: The OT must also be in the top three threat holders to be a valid target for Hateful Strike. This can be achieved through aggressive threat generation during the fight.
- Defensive Cooldowns: The OT needs to utilize defensive cooldowns strategically to mitigate the immense damage from Hateful Strikes. This is crucial for their survival and the raid’s overall success.
- Healing Assignment: Healers need to be aware that the OT will be taking most of the hateful strikes and prioritize healing the OT.
Why Choose Two Tanks?
While three tanks are considered the safer and more traditional option, there are several reasons why a raid might opt for a two-tank strategy:
- Increased DPS: Reducing a tank allows the addition of an extra DPS, potentially speeding up the kill and increasing the chances of beating the enrage timer.
- Efficiency: With proper execution, two-tanking is often faster and smoother for experienced groups who are well-geared and confident in their abilities.
- Gear Optimization: If your raid is lacking a viable third tank or has tanks who are more geared, two-tanking can be a better option to maximize your raid potential.
- Challenge and Variety: For some groups, the two-tank strategy adds a bit of excitement and offers a different way to approach the encounter, keeping the fight from getting stale.
Preparation and Considerations
Before attempting a two-tank kill, make sure your raid is prepared:
- Tank Gear: Tanks should have a good amount of health and defense. While the old article mentions a minimum of 540 defense, prioritize health, especially on the OT. Defensive cooldowns and other damage mitigation are vital.
- Healer Coordination: Healers need to focus on the tank taking the hateful strikes, anticipating and managing the predictable damage intake.
- DPS Control: DPS players must manage their threat and be careful not to pull aggro from the main tank.
- Communication: Effective communication is paramount for tanks and healers. Calls on cooldowns and health statuses are crucial for a successful kill.
Two-Tanking Patchwerk is entirely achievable
Two-tanking Patchwerk is not just a niche strategy; it is a practical and common method for many groups, especially once gear levels improve and raid coordination is solid. By carefully managing threat, health, and defensive cooldowns, and by employing skilled healing strategies, your raid can successfully down Patchwerk using two tanks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How many tanks are optimal for Patchwerk 25-man?
While the “easiest” is with three tanks, it is very common to see 2 tanks used. Using two is a viable strategy, especially when the raid is more geared.
2. What is the key to two-tanking Patchwerk?
The key is in effectively managing Hateful Strike. The off-tank (OT) must consistently maintain the highest health among the top three threat holders and use defensive cooldowns to mitigate the damage.
3. How does Hateful Strike work?
Hateful Strike targets the player with the highest health out of the top 3 (or 2 in 10-man) players with the highest threat within melee range, who are not the current main tank.
4. How much damage does Hateful Strike do?
Hateful Strike deals approximately 80,000 physical damage. This damage is predictable and occurs every 1.2 seconds.
5. What is the main tank’s priority on Patchwerk?
The main tank’s primary focus is to maintain top aggro on Patchwerk so that the OT receives the Hateful Strikes.
6. What stats are important for tanks on Patchwerk?
Tanks should focus on having high health and adequate defense. Defensive cooldowns are also extremely important.
7. How should healers handle healing a two-tank Patchwerk?
Healers must anticipate and focus on the off-tank, who will be taking the Hateful Strikes. This requires strong healing coordination and awareness.
8. How many healers are generally needed for Patchwerk?
The exact number of healers can vary, but a common setup on 25-man is around 5 healers, with assignments split between the tanks. On a 10 man, 2-3 is usually enough.
9. Is it possible to do Patchwerk with fewer healers?
Yes, with sufficient gear and skill, it’s possible to do Patchwerk with fewer healers, especially in two-tank setups where the MT is taking a predictable amount of damage.
10. How much health should tanks aim for in Naxxramas?
While specific numbers can vary with gear, the old article suggested 25,000 health and 500 defense to start. However, focus more on health, especially for the OT who will take Hateful Strike. Aim for as much health as you can.
11. What should DPS do in this fight?
DPS players need to monitor their threat and be careful not to pull aggro from the main tank. The OT needs to maintain the higher health for hateful strike.
12. Is Patchwerk a gear check?
Yes, Patchwerk is often considered a gear check due to his raw damage output and the need for tanks to withstand a substantial amount of damage.
13. What is the ideal tank composition for a two-tank strategy?
Any two tank classes can work, but having an OT with good damage mitigation is important. Death Knights and Paladins often excel in this role.
14. Does Patchwerk have an enrage timer?
Yes, Patchwerk has a 5-minute (300-second) enrage timer, making it important to have adequate DPS.
15. Can you do Naxx 10 and 25 on the same week with the same character?
No, you can only defeat each raid boss once per week per character. To do both 10 and 25-man in the same week, you’ll need to do it on different characters.