Surge of Darkness - Empowers the caster with dark might, increasing physical damage by 100% but reducing movement speed by 55%, for 10 sec. 3 second cast time.
Searing Flames - Deals 13875 to 16125 Fire damage to all enemies within 100 yards, superheating their armor and reducing its ability to protect them by 75% for 10 sec. 2 second cast time.
Shadow Crash - Fires a shadow missile at a target, dealing 11310 to 12690 Shadow damage to all enemies near the impact point and knocking them away. After impact, leaves an energy field that lingers for 20 sec, increasing magical damage dealt by 100%, increasing casting speed by 100%, reducing healing done by 75%, and reducing mana costs by 70%. Instant cast.
Mark of the Faceless - Inflicts an ancient malediction on a target, siphoning 5000 health every 1 sec. from enemies near the target, for 10 sec. Instant cast.
Aura of Despair - Prevents mana regeneration from nearly all natural sources. Aspect of the Viper, Judgements of the Wise, Shamanistic Rage, and Spiritual Attunement remain at least partially effective. Also reduces melee attack speed by 20%. Instant cast.
Saronite Vapors
Destroying a Saronite Vapor will place a green cloud on the ground allowing players to exchange life for mana. Killing a Saronite Vapor means you cannot attempt the hard mode - the Saronite Vapors combine once all 8 have spawned into the Saronite Animus (the hard mode).
Saronite Animus
9 Million Health and only present on hard mode (no Saronite Vapors killed).
Profound Darkness - Inflicts 500 damage to all enemies, and increases Shadow damage taken by 10% per application. Instant. Stacks very quickly - every 2s?
Setup
Main Tank (General Vezax) - Warrior/Druid preference due to their ability to charge. This is very useful following the ability Surge of Darkness, see strategy section below for details.
Off Tank (Saronite Animus) - Feral Druid preference due to their ability to play in full DPS gear up until the point they are required to tank, maintaining crit immunity and reasonably high hp.
Positioning
Positioning and movement remains the same throughout the encounter.
The boss is kited from EAST to WEST -> WEST to EAST repeat. This fits very well with the spawning of the Saronite Animus which spawns just before General Vezax is due to be kited back towards his original start point (EAST). The timeline looks like this:
Pull -> General Vezax tanked on his original position -> Surge of Darkness -> General Vezax kited WEST -> Surge of Darkness -> General Vezax kited EAST -> Surge of Darkness -> General Vezax kited WEST -> Surge of Darkness -> General Vezax kited EAST -> Surge of Darkness -> General Vezax kited WEST -> Surge of Darkness -> General Vezax kited EAST -> TOWARDS SARONITE ANIMUS
... General Vezax and the Saronite Animus continue to be kited in this way until the encounter is over.
Ranged DPS are split into 2 groups and assigned either side of the bosses kiting path (NORTH and SOUTH).
Melee DPS and healers move with General Vezax.