Post your stupid deaths here.

[MongoJerry]

In that case I shouldn't have died because thundering strike does AoE on every attack and it is what pulled me in then poof.

I know attacking them is the way to go, because that is what I normally do.

I'm confused, because you said this:

I thought I could string them out enough so I activated them and started running.

So, I'm picturing you running in to aggro them and then running away... and that makes me think that's the reason they exploded on you. If you hadn't run away and hit them instead, I think you would have been fine.