Shade of Aran

 
HP 849760 - Damage 2062-2992
Location  Guardian's Library, Karazhan

 
The Shade of Aran is one of the hardest and enjoyable Boss in Karazhan. He has a lot of abilities to counter and it requires a great deal of execution by the raid to get him down. Located in the Guardian's Library, with one door that closes and locks as soon as the fight begins, you have no way out...

Even though The Shade of Aran is an optional boss, defeating him is very helpful as a teleport to his room becomes available from Berthold <The Doorman>, and cancels all mobs respawn from the Curator to Aran .

1- Abilities 

Immune to Mind Numbing Poison, Curse of Tongues, and Silence

Spells:

- Frostbolt - Three second cast, 3500 to 4500 frost damage and four second slow. Interruptible
- Fireball - Two second cast, 3910 to 5290 fire damage. Interruptible
- Arcane Missiles - Inflicts 1260 to 1540 arcane damage every seconds for 5 seconds.(6300-7700 total). Interruptible
- Counterspell - Permanent AoE around Aran, prevents any spell from that school of magic from being cast for 10 seconds.

- Water Elementals
At about 40% health, the Shade of Aran summons four elite Water Elementals to protect him. With 13,000 health, they shoot a constant stream of Waterbolts for ~1000-2000 damage and despawn after 90 seconds.

- Mass Polymorph
At 20% mana or less (about 30k), Aran mass Polymorphs the entire raid, conjures some water, and starts drinking. After about ten seconds, the polymorph breaks and the fight resumes. If his drinking is interupted, Aran does a pyroblast for 7000-7500 fire damage on the whole raid.

All of Aran's basic spells target randomly any member of the raind, including pets. They have infinite range in the whole instance, even through walls.
All slowing and root effects are dispellable (magic), and can be broken by the usual methods.

It is possible to interrupt and lock out all his basic abilities to the point where he starts to use his melee attack. When meleeing, he uses a normal aggro table. This can cause problems, as he can move out of the center of the room and leave the raid out of position.

Special Abilities:

Aran has three special abilities that cannot be interrupted or locked out. He uses one of them randomly Every 30-35 seconds.

- Flame Wreath: Creates a circle of flames that will detonate if a player passes through it. Detonation causes 3238-3762 fire damage and knocks all effected targets into the air. Solution: During the circle phase, (about 10 seconds) NOBODY moves. Even the pets cannot move their tale!

- Blizzard: Large AoE that moves slowly clockwise around the room. Deals 1313 to 1687 frost damage every two seconds and slows movement speed by 65%, does not hit the center of the room.
Dispel chain of Ice and stay away from the blizzard. Stay ahead of it, it runs in circle so you have to keep moving. Always be aware of the Blizzard and nobody should take any damage.

- Magnetic Pull / Slow / Super Arcane Explosion: Pulls everyone to the center of the room and Slows them. This is followed by a ten-second cast Arcane Explosion that deals 9,000-11,000 damage in a 20 yard radius.

2- Preparation

Split everybody who can interrupt casts in 2 groups. Assign one of them to fireball and the other one to frostbolt. Shamans have the best interrupt, except when they heal as it makes it very difficult.  Rogue and Warriors are second best. Priest's silence does not work.
Make sure everyone has a health potion, helth stone and firedamage potion in case the Shade of Aran conjures water.

3- Strategy

Start the fight with anyone attacking him. Shade of Aran cannot be tanked the usual way, as he targets ramdom players and casts Fireball, Arcane Missiles and Frosbolt. Try to interruprt Fireball and Frosbolts as much as possible to prevent him to use his mana. Heal through Arcane missile attacks.
 While the basic spells are not very dangerous, the special abilities are deadly. Each raid member must pay attention which attack is upcoming; everybody needs to stay aware and could be attacked anytime. Once everybody learns how to move (or when not to move), the fight actually becomes rather easy.

When he pulls you to him, the arcane explosion is coming. In order to avoid it, run to the outer wall of the room as soon as possible, the Blizzard forces people towards the center (or the other side of the room), and Flame Wreath inhibits movement. Beyond this, casters want to stay outside the AoE silence and classes with spell interrupt abilities want to concentrate on what he's casting.

When Blizzard is cast, stay ahead of it, remember it goes clockwise around the room. Dispel anyone who gets hit by Chain of Ice so they can avoid Blizzard.

When Flame Wreath is cast, STOP MOVING !  Don't move at all until this phase is over (around 10 seconds).

If at any time Aran goes under 20% mana, he polymorphs the whole raid and drinks his conjured water. After he is done drinking, everyone gets Pyroblast for about 7,500 damage. Save your health potions and health stones for this if it happens. Use a fire resistance potion when he gets low on mana, if you have low hit points. Your interrupters should be on top of stopping Fireballs and Frostbolt, reducing the amount of mana Aran uses and the risk he uses this ability.

At 40% life, Aran summons 4 water elementals. They have a ranged attack and do about 1,500 damage. A warlock should be able to keep 2 of them under control with banish and fear. The remaining Water elementals should be controlled any way possible. Don't try to kill them,  they have too much life. Keep them from killing anyone for 90 seconds and they despawn.

If you can make it passed the elementals, you have good chances to succeed.

If Aran reaches 20% mana again after the first Mass Polymorph, he does not polymorph and pyroblast again. He just drinks a potion and continues.