Firemaw Guide: Strategy, Abilities, Loot (Updated for the Season of Mastery)

Last updated Today at 09:39 by Abide 1 comment

Firemaw is the fourth boss you will encounter in Blackwing Lair, and can be found in the room right after Broodlord Lashlayer. Firemaw is also the first of the three drakes that you will kill leading up to the dragon himself, Nefarian.

New to the Season of Mastery version of this encounter is an additional set of Nature-based lightning mechanics.

1.

Firemaw Summary by Role

1.1.

Tanks

  • You will want at least 2 tanks.
  • Positioning is key. Get in correct positions and do not move. You will want to hold the boss with your back into a corner since he does a knockback ability.
  • Your tanks should taunt swap every time the knockback happens. This is not an exact timing, but gives the other tank time to reset their stacks.
  • While not required, it is highly recommended that your tanks use Onyxia Scale Cloak Icon Onyxia Scale Cloak. This cloak will protect you from a large portion of the fire damage that Firemaw's Shadow Flame IconShadow Flame breath does, which can potentially save your life.
1.2.

Healers

  • The tanks will get a stacking damage taken debuff, so make sure to keep them topped.
  • Make sure to position yourself correctly to be able to LoS when needed. You should also make sure not every healer is LoSing to drop stacks at the same time, rotate who is LoSing.
1.3.

DPS

  • Watch your debuff stacks and make sure to LoS to drop them at 5-6 stacks.
  • Optimize boss damage otherwise, but remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no reason to take chances with the debuff. A dead DPS does no DPS.
2.

General Tips for Firemaw

  • Getting the boss positioned correctly is the most important part of the fight. Have your tank pull the boss to the corner next to the gate right outside the room where you just fought Broodlord Lashlayer. The tanks will want to wedge themselves into the corner here, which will negate the knockback ability while also giving the raid plenty of places to LoS to drop their debuff stacks when needed.
  • Everyone else in the raid should watch their stacks carefully. Make sure to LoS the boss to drop your stacks when you are at 5-6 stacks.
3.

Strategy for Firemaw

Similar to Broodlord Lashlayer, positioning is everything for Firemaw. Firemaw has one main mechanic, which is the stacking debuff that he puts on everyone in LoS of him called Flame Buffet IconFlame Buffet. If the boss is in a static position with the tanks facing the boss into a corer, facing away from the raid, then 90% of your work is done. The rest of the fight involves just making sure your raid plays it safe and patiently runs out of LoS to drop their stacks at around 5-6. This fight does not need to be fast, but everyone just needs to not die. Make sure your tanks are swapping to give the other tanks chances to reset their stacks, and you should have no problems brining Firemaw down.

4.

Important Abilities

Firemaw
  • Flame Buffet IconFlame Buffet is a stacking debuff that causes the person afflicted to take more fire damage from subsequent Flame Buffet applications. This only hits people in line of sight of the boss, so when someone is at 5-6 stacks they should run out of LoS around a corner, wait however long is necessary to drop their stacks, and then run back to keep hitting the boss.
5.

Loot from Firemaw

5.1.

Tier 2 Loot

Item Slot Class
Handguards of Transcendence Icon Handguards of Transcendence Hands Priest
Bloodfang Gloves Icon Bloodfang Gloves Hands Rogue
Gauntlets of Wrath Icon Gauntlets of Wrath Hands Warrior
Gauntlets of Ten Storms Icon Gauntlets of Ten Storms Hands Shaman
Dragonstalker's Gauntlets Icon Dragonstalker's Gauntlets Hands Hunter
Judgement Gauntlets Icon Judgement Gauntlets Hands Paladin
Nemesis Gloves Icon Nemesis Gloves Hands Warlock
Netherwind Gloves Icon Netherwind Gloves Hands Mage
Stormrage Handguards Icon Stormrage Handguards Hands Druid
5.2.

Shared Loot with 3 Drakes (Firemaw, Ebonroc, Flamegor)

Item Slot
Drake Talon Cleaver Icon Drake Talon Cleaver Two-Handed Axe
Drake Talon Pauldrons Icon Drake Talon Pauldrons Shoulder
Rejuvenating Gem Icon Rejuvenating Gem Trinket
Ring of Blackrock Icon Ring of Blackrock Finger
Taut Dragonhide Belt Icon Taut Dragonhide Belt Waist
Shadow Wing Focus Staff Icon Shadow Wing Focus Staff Staff
5.3.

Non-Tier Loot

Item Slot
Black Ash Robe Icon Black Ash Robe Chest
Claw of the Black Drake Icon Claw of the Black Drake Fist Weapon
Cloak of Firemaw Icon Cloak of Firemaw Back
Firemaw's Clutch Icon Firemaw's Clutch Waist
Legguards of the Fallen Crusader Icon Legguards of the Fallen Crusader Legs
Natural Alignment Crystal Icon Natural Alignment Crystal Trinket (Shaman-only)
Primalist's Linked Legguards Icon Primalist's Linked Legguards Legs
Scrolls of Blinding Light Icon Scrolls of Blinding Light Trinket (Paladin-only)
6.

Other Blackwing Lair Guides

If you were looking for a full guide for the Blackwing Lair raid, or would like to know what other loot is available from its bosses, see the links below.

7.

Changelog

  • 18 Nov. 2024: Page updated for Classic Anniversary.
  • 06 Aug. 2024: Guide reviewed and updated.
  • 07 Feb. 2022: Updated for Season of Mastery Phase 3.
  • 10 Feb. 2020: Guide added.
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