A Lurker's Guide to Soloing Garr
#1
Those that know me on the Stormrage server probably know already that I’m a bit of a nut. I raid with 2 guilds on Stormrage. My main guild has Sunwell on farm and the other is currently working on KJ. This basically means that until WotLK is released there really isn’t really going to be anything new for me to do. That’s why I decided to go back to old content after watching a movie online one night.

Ever since vanilla WoW I dreamed of my warrior having a Thunderfury. So why not make this dream a reality? Oh yeah, no one does MC anymore (and for good reason). But should I let that stop me? I did for the longest time, but then one night I stumbled upon an instructional video entitled “How to Solo Garr.” I was intrigued and watched intently. For a while I didn’t feel like I had the time to put the effort/gold into this task, especially with Thunderfury not very useful anymore. But then another friend in my warrior’s guild starting talking about wishing he had a Thunderfury and I told him about the video. That was when my boredom and insanity came to fruition. I would like to preface this by saying that all information that I am giving can be found in my resources listed below which is where I first learned what I will be saying below. This post is meant as my personal views and experiences. So now I present to you:

A Lurker’s Guide to Soloing Garr

What I will cover – Why, Basic Gearing Goals, Gearing/Gemming tips, Travel Tips, The Pull, The Fight Basics, My Gear Setup
What I won’t cover – Step by step directions for the path, in depth discussions/theorycrafting
The reason I am choosing to skip certain information is that it is well covered in a post that I will link later on.

Why Me?
Simple answer? Boredom. Long answer? As stated I always wanted a Thunderfury because of the unique and fun model and because it is a challenge to acquire. I like to push my limits from time to time and see what I’m capable of.

By the Numbers
In order to solo Gar you will need 102.4% avoidance and between 780-800 block value. This can be achieved in a number of different ways depending on what gear you have available to you.

These values should be achievable around the T5 gearing level. I found it best to look for items with a high block value on them and then figure out how to gem/enchant them for the avoidance. Block Value is generally harder to come by. If you are having trouble getting your block value high enough Check this link. I didn't include shields because all shields have block values. Here is a link to Shields with Block Values. You can sort by the block value and choose which is best for you.


It’s What’s Inside That Counts
In general +Defense and + Dodge rating gems are your best bet for increasing your avoidance. Similarly +Defense Enchants will give you the best bang for the slot.

You can also use Food (Warp Burger/Grilled Mudfish) and an elixir (Elixir of Major Agility) to help boost your numbers. Garr will remove any magic buffs, but can not remove your food and elixir buff.

You will also need at least 1 Invisibility Potion or Lesser Invisibility potion for each time you are running back to Garr. I’d suggest 2 per run back as it makes getting into the corner spot a lot easier. In total I generally bring 8-10.

Also, make sure to bring an extra shield for the trash mob just in case.


Please Feel Free to Move About the Cabin
Watch the video in my Resources section and familiarize yourself with the path. When you jump down at the first giants make sure to stay on that top ledge and wait for them to reset. You’ll need a small hop to get to the ledge and not fall in the lava.

Make sure to mark Corehounds. These guys were the #1 cause of my run backs. Be patient. Corehounds move slow and even though you’re 10 levels higher you need to be patient for them to path out of the way or you’ll be likely to agro them.

Make sure to take your invis pot as you reach the small spikes on the ground. Don’t cut it too close or you’ll agro the giants and won’t be able to use the invis pot. Take it as you’re getting to the spikes, no later. If you agro something that you don’t want to fight you can always jump in the lava and it will reset.

I find it easier to wait the 10 minutes for your Invisibility Potion timer to come back up and then run along the left wall into the corner safe spot. While I’ve successfully run in without an Invis pot it’s a lot more difficult.

Finally, bring a healer your first time going. Yes, it kinda kills the whole soloing aspect, but it will mean less run backs as they can
generally bail you out if you accidentally pull a mob.

As stated in the prior section, you will need Invisibility Potions. This means farming ghost mushrooms and Sungrass. I suggest going to the cave at Skull Rock in Hinterlands. There are 3 Ghost Mushroom nodes that respawn ~ every 15 minutes. There’s almost never anyone there which makes them pretty easy pickings.


Why Don’t You Come Up and See Me Sometime
The pull is pretty straight forward. Position yourself properly in the corner, making sure that your back is inaccessible to the adds. Make sure that you have any Food/Elixir buffs that you need. Then simply gun pull or shield pull. If you can’t reach Garr you can just shoot one of his adds.


THERE WAS A FIRE FIGHT!
The fight is pretty simple really. As long as you’re positioned correctly all you need to do is attack Garr. You should take no damage at all.

If an add does get behind you, don’t panic. Use a top down view and try to reposition yourself a little bit. It can be a little fickle sometimes but you can still have a successful run even if you’re a little out of position at the start.

If you have a healer with you make sure that they don’t do anything until you are certain you have agro one all adds (either through Thunderclaps or Consecration). They won’t need to be positioned perfectly in the corner but should stay tight in the corner so they don’t agro a Corehound.

Around 5 minutes into the fight Garr will start to explode his adds. This is the only point you will take any damage (unless you had an add get behind you earlier on). You will resist most of the explosions but you will occasionally take 2-4k damage from an exploding add. A health potion should be enough to keep you vertical. Pallies can also Bubble + Bandage or throw themselves a heal/LoH if desperate.

Once the adds are all down it’s a simple matter of not falling asleep.


This is Why I’m Hot
My Garr Gear Set
Warcrafter doesn’t calculate the meta gem block bonus properly. I suggest manually calculating your Block Value in excel. I also use an Elixir of Major Agility to cap out my avoidance.


The Fruit of my Labors
Last tuesday on only my 2nd week I proudly received this!
[Image: garrbinding792.jpg]
I'm not sure if the drop rate has really been increased or not, but since starting 2 weeks ago I've seen 1 on my 2 runs, 1 on the first run with a pally friend and 0/2 with another warrior friend.


Resources
How to Instructional Video
moduspwnens’ thread on soloing garr
Plate Armor with Block Value
Level 61-70 shields
My character planning site of choice
Another character planing site

Upcoming:
A Lurker's Guide to 5-manning Geddon
Currently enjoying liberating the land of Sanctuary

[Image: arethor.jpg]
Stormrage - US (Inactive)
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#2
Great guide.:lol:

If you can't get exactly 102.4% and the requisite Block Value, it's still possible -- especially for a paladin, who can Judge Light for extra healing. If you're a warrior, make sure you have as many health potions as you can carry (the fight lasts 20-40 min if you actively DPS Garr the entire time; for a paladin it takes about six times as long -- ~2½-3 hours; bring extra shields!), as well as the Figurine of the Colossus.

The 102.4% (or close to it) is more important if you go that route, as you can cover up for missing BV via healing. You'll still need over 600 BV to make this feasible, though.

You can get up magic buffs after he has cast the ability once, as it takes a while before he can use it again. If you have any drums and the like, you can use them then.

The first one to accomplish this was Xav of <Premonition>, who came up with the process.:)
Earthen Ring-EU:
Taelas -- 60 Human Protection Warrior; Shaleen -- 52 Human Retribution Paladin; Raethal -- 51 Worgen Guardian Druid; Szar -- 50 Human Fire Mage; Caethan -- 60 Human Blood Death Knight; Danee -- 41 Human Outlaw Rogue; Ainsleigh -- 52 Dark Iron Dwarf Fury Warrior; Mihena -- 44 Void Elf Affliction Warlock; Chiyan -- 41 Pandaren Brewmaster Monk; Threkk -- 40 Orc Fury Warrior; Alliera -- 41 Night Elf Havoc Demon Hunter;
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#3
Quote:You can get up magic buffs after he has cast the ability once, as it takes a while before he can use it again. If you have any drums and the like, you can use them then.

It's about a 10 second window that you have to work with between pulses.
Currently enjoying liberating the land of Sanctuary

[Image: arethor.jpg]
Stormrage - US (Inactive)
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#4
I was pretty sure he only did it once every 20 seconds? I've never actually done it, though.
Earthen Ring-EU:
Taelas -- 60 Human Protection Warrior; Shaleen -- 52 Human Retribution Paladin; Raethal -- 51 Worgen Guardian Druid; Szar -- 50 Human Fire Mage; Caethan -- 60 Human Blood Death Knight; Danee -- 41 Human Outlaw Rogue; Ainsleigh -- 52 Dark Iron Dwarf Fury Warrior; Mihena -- 44 Void Elf Affliction Warlock; Chiyan -- 41 Pandaren Brewmaster Monk; Threkk -- 40 Orc Fury Warrior; Alliera -- 41 Night Elf Havoc Demon Hunter;
Darkmoon Faire-EU:
Sieon -- 45 Blood Elf Retribution Paladin; Kuaryo -- 51 Pandaren Brewmaster Monk
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#5
Quote:I was pretty sure he only did it once every 20 seconds? I've never actually done it, though.
It may be 20 but I'm pretty sure it was 10 seconds when I've done it. I was on my shaman one of the times and remarked about getting 10 seconds of heroism.
Currently enjoying liberating the land of Sanctuary

[Image: arethor.jpg]
Stormrage - US (Inactive)
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#6
Thanks for posting this Arethor - now to look at my sets...
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#7
I've been adding and updating a few things and may continue to do so over the next few days depending on if I think of anything else useful to put in.
Currently enjoying liberating the land of Sanctuary

[Image: arethor.jpg]
Stormrage - US (Inactive)
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#8
You forgot the most important part:
Telling a buddy of yours about your plan, having him offer to help because he LOVES doing zany crap like this, and then NEVER going when he's able to help out, knowing that he'd be dying to.

Cough.

-Bolty
Quote:Considering the mods here are generally liberals who seem to have a soft spot for fascism and white supremacy (despite them saying otherwise), me being perma-banned at some point is probably not out of the question.
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#9
Quote:You forgot the most important part:
Telling a buddy of yours about your plan, having him offer to help because he LOVES doing zany crap like this, and then NEVER going when he's able to help out, knowing that he'd be dying to.

Cough.

-Bolty
No, that's Geddon. Bringing a buddy kinda negates the claim of solo, no? We killed Geddon again last night, this time with 5 instead of 6. It still seems insane to me that 1 or even 5 people are killing bosses that wiped 40 man raids pre-TBC.
Lochnar[ITB]
Freshman Diablo

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"I reject your reality and substitute my own."
"You don't know how strong you can be until strong is the only option."
"Think deeply, speak gently, love much, laugh loudly, give freely, be kind."
"Talk, Laugh, Love."
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#10
Quote:You forgot the most important part:
Telling a buddy of yours about your plan, having him offer to help because he LOVES doing zany crap like this, and then NEVER going when he's able to help out, knowing that he'd be dying to.

Cough.

-Bolty

I'll be making a run soon. >.>
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#11
Quote:You forgot the most important part:
Telling a buddy of yours about your plan, having him offer to help because he LOVES doing zany crap like this, and then NEVER going when he's able to help out, knowing that he'd be dying to.

Cough.

-Bolty
Clearly you need to sleep less and stay up later. We were done by ~1 AM last night. That's not too late =P
Currently enjoying liberating the land of Sanctuary

[Image: arethor.jpg]
Stormrage - US (Inactive)
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#12
Quote:Clearly you need to sleep less and stay up later. We were done by ~1 AM last night. That's not too late =P

It's late to people that get up at 5:(
ArrayPaladins were not meant to sit in the back of the raid staring at health bars all day, spamming heals and listening to eight different classes whine about buffs.[/quote]
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