Gruul

Gruul is the father of the gronn and a high damaging boss here in the Foundry. This is a heavy fight for the tanks and healers, requiring a moderate amount of positioning and a high degree of cooldown usage. Luckily Gruul stands in the center of the room allowing everyone to blast him nonstop for the entire fight. Considered one of the "easier" bosses in BRF.

The ability "Inferno Slice" is deadly. Gruul will use it numerous times throughout the battle. Any player caught in front of him will feel the slice tear through their health like a hot knife through butter. Even experienced tanks and durable players can find themselves one-hit-killed by Inferno Slice. Respect the slice and live to fight the battle. Before an Inferno Slice, players in front of Gruul should use a defensive CD and activate any absorb shields they have access to. This will keep you alive (hopefully).

**There are two core methods of handling Inferno Slice with Gruul:**

1. Tanks stack together and eat the Slice with any experienced+durable players
2. Tanks spread out and taunt the boss into the melee stack, spreading slice damage

I have found that method1 is more consistent and allows players to choose when they take extra damage. Typically with method1 there are a number of durable classes in the party (warriors, paladins, shaman, etc) who can help the tanks eat an Inferno Slice without dying themselves. These durable+experienced players will (use defensive CD) move in front of the boss with the tanks, eat the Inferno Slice, then move back into position behind Gruul. Accidents can happen with this method, but it is the most "organic" approach - not requiring a high level of coordination. Note that ***some classes have taunt abilities that can eat an Inferno Slice and save the tanks***! Examples include shaman's "Earth Elemental" and death knight's "Army of the Dead".

Monks have a fancy tech on this fight as well. Place the Ox Statue on one side, then cause it to taunt the boss a moment before Slice. The statue will eat the hit and nobody will take damage. It's an OP strategy. It also requires the DPS be nowhere near that statue or they will be slaughtered.

During the fight Gruul's attacks will cause the ceiling to begin collapsing. **The falling ceiling becomes a hazard marked by circular rocks**. Any player standing in these rocks will take damage and will be teased by the closest healer.

Midway through the battle, Gruul will begin a rampage where he will smash the ground causing all the terrain in front of him to become hazardous. All players must position themselves so they are not within the bounds of his rampaging ground smashes. Players can *run through the boss* to expedite their positioning. This is another battle where players should ensure they have the 10% speed boost cloak enchantment.

Gruul will affect the tanks with a debuff called "Overwhelming Blows" which stacks and steadily increases the damage taken by Overwhelming Blows. Tanks should swap threat when they have two'ish debuffs, so to avoid taking lethal damage suddenly.

Healers should be aware that ***Gruul has some unavoidable damage and that tanks will drop to low health after an Inferno Slice***. Absorb shielding healers and those with aoe damage reductions should employ these tactics liberally to ensure party success. Tanks are the most important role on this fight, save any battle rez for the tanks.

### **The Bosses of BRF**

1. Beastlord Darmac (entrance --> right turn --> in the hallway)
2. Operator Thogar (entrance --> right turn --> through hallway)
3. Iron Maidens (jump down into the water from Thogar)
4. Hans'gar and Franzok (entrance --> left turn --> down elevator)
5. Flamebender Ka'graz (follow path past Hans/Franz)
6. Kromog (in a chamber near Flamebender)
7. Oregorger (entrance --> right down past the rocks --> left at the fork)
8. **Gruul** (entrance --> right down past the rocks --> right at the fork)
9. The Blast Furnace (entrance --> right turn and keep going down past the rocks)
10. Blackhand (entrance --> straight forward --> up elevator)