Introduction
Hey everyone, and welcome to the Algeth’ar Academy M+ guide for season 4 of Dragonflight! In this guide I’ll be covering the abilities of all the trash mobs and bosses throughout the dungeon, as well as how I recommend you deal with them. I will also be including a recommended, PUG friendly route via the Mythic Dungeon Tools addon for anyone interested.
A bit about me, my name is Tactyks and I am an avid M+ player, achieving every 0.1% M+ title that has existed as well as competing in The Great Push in season 4 of Shadowlands. I also create M+ and Raid guide content on my YouTube and Twitch channels, so be sure to stop by and say hi!
If you are using the Mythic Dungeon Tools addon, you can import the recommended route using the following link: https://wago.io/nWsiNDaug
Dragonflight Stat Buffs
After using the jump platform to enter the Academy, you’ll see several different groups of Dragonflights who will give you a stat buff for the duration of the dungeon if you talk to them. You can only have one of these buffs active at a time but each player can pick their own, so choose whichever is best for your spec.
The stat buffs are as follows:
- Black Dragonflight: 5%
- CritBronze Dragonflight: 5% Haste
- Blue Dragonflight: 1100 Mastery
- Red Dragonflight: 5% Versatility
- Green Dragonflight: 10% Healing Taken
Video Guide
Overgrown Ancient Trash
Vile Lasher
- This mob is immune to CC
- Detonation Seeds spawns a swirly under every player, make sure to avoid these
Aggravated Skitterfly
- Tanks be aware of the stacking Agitation buff and Soothe if possible
- Darting Sting targets a random player, try not to be too far from the pack so these mobs can be efficiently cleaved
Overgrown Ancient Boss Fight
Tanks use a defensive for the Barkbreaker hit and physical damage amp.
When Germinate is cast stutter-step as a group around the boss to cluster the spawns of Hungry Lasher mobs so that they are easier to AoE down. Prioritize damage on these adds on every even spawn of them.
Avoid the Branch Out swirly and focus down the Ancient Branch add that spawns, keeping it interrupted in the process. When it dies make sure everyone stands in the Abundance circle that spawns to clear your Splinterbark debuff.
Burst Forth is cast at 100 energy, making all Hungry Lashers activate and have a chance to apply Lasher Toxin on their melees. Use a defensive for this party hit if needed, tanks get aggro on any remaining lasher mobs, and anyone with a poison dispel be ready to clear stacks of the debuff from them.
Crawth Trash
Guardian Sentry
- This mob is immune to CC
- Storm Slash targets the tank, use a defensive if needed
- Deadly Winds targets a random player, spawning a tornado that you need to avoid
- Make sure to run out of or line of sight the Expel Intruders AoE
Territorial Eagle
- Peck targets the tank and applies a stacking bleed, use a CC to stop casts and kite or use a bleed cleanse to clear stacks
Alpha Eagle
- Use an interrupt to prevent the Call of the Flock AoE enrage
- Gust frontals towards a random target, sidestep out of this effect
Crawth Boss Fight
Tanks make sure to have a defensive up for every Savage Peck hit and bleed, using externals and bleed cleanses when needed.
Avoid the Overpowering Gust frontal, targeted at a random player.
Loosely spread to not splash damage from Deafening Screech, and be prepared to use defensives when you get to higher stacks of Sonic Vulnerability.
At 75% and 45% health, Play Ball! is activated, spawning orbs around the room that can be thrown into either the Fire or Air goal. Once 3 orbs are thrown into a single goal, your stacks of Sonic Vulnerability are cleared, plus there is 1 additional positive and negative effect. Each goal can only be used a single time.
If thrown into the Goal of the Searing Blaze it triggers Firestorm, where the waves of swirlies continue for the remainder of the fight. I recommend triggering this goal first, activating the effect before the 4th cast of Deafening Screech (5th on higher Tyrannical keys).
If thrown into the Goal of the Rushing Winds it triggers Gale Force, where the patrolling tornados remain for the rest of the fight. I recommend triggering this goal second, activating this effect before the 8th cast of Deafening Screech (10th on higher Tyrannical keys).
Vexamus Trash
Corrupted Manafiend
- Mana Void targets a random player, use an interrupt or CC to prevent the cast
- Surge targets a random player and can also be prevented with an interrupt or CC, but is a lower priority
Spellbound Battleaxe
- Severing Slash targets the tank, use any spare CCs to stop this cast or a defensive if needed
Arcane Ravager
- Vicious Ambush leaps towards the furthest player, line of sight the cast to prevent the charge or stay close to the pack so this mob can be efficiently cleaved
- Immediately after charging, the Rift Breath frontal will be aimed at the tank, be sure to sidestep out of this effect
Arcane Forager
- Vicious Lunge targets a random player, this can be dangerous in packs that have multiple foragers so try and use a CC to stop or desync the casts
Spellbound Scepter
- Use a CC to prevent the Mystic Blast cast
Unruly Textbook
- Monotonous Lecture channels on a random player, use an interrupt or CC to stop the cast, and if one goes through use a magic dispel to remove the sleep
Vexamus Boss Fight
Throughout the fight the boss will spawn multiple Arcane Orbs around the room which need to be soaked before they reach the boss, otherwise Vexamus will gain energy and do a large party hit. Note that soaking an orb gives you the stacking Oversurge magic debuff, so you may need to let this fall off or get dispelled before soaking multiple orbs. Tank players can get a few stacks before it becomes problematic.
Tanks make sure to point the Arcane Expulsion frontal away from the group and use a defensive. I recommend tanking near one side of the ring, allowing you to easily soak multiple nearby Arcane Orbs while still facing the boss towards the outside of the room.
Mana Bombs targets 3 random players, try to move towards the outside of the room if you are chosen as the Corrupted Mana puddle dropped on expiration lasts for 1 minute. Also, since this deals high ticking damage, try to avoid soaking orbs while you are debuffed, and use a defensive if needed.
At 100 energy the boss will cast Arcane Fissure, dealing party damage, knocking players back, and spawning a 4yd swirly under every player every 1s for 3s. Avoid these swirlies and use a defensive here if needed, especially if this cast happens near a cast of Mana Bombs.
Echo of Doragosa Trash
Algeth’ar Echoknight
- Use a CC or outrange the Astral Whirlwind channel
Spectral Invoker
- Arcane Missiles targets a random player, use an interrupt or CC to stop the channel
- Astral Bomb targets a random player, you can use spare interrupts or CCs on this, however the explosion also damages mobs so you can use it to your advantage.
Ethereal Restorer
- Celestial Shield buffs a random mob, use a CC to stop the cast or purge the effect
Echo of Doragosa Boss Fight
On pull the boss will cast Unleash Energy, dealing party damage and spawning 2 Arcane Rifts in front of her. Because of this I recommend pulling the boss away from her initial spawn point and using the entrance side of the room initially until these rifts despawn after 2 minutes.
Being hit by abilities outside of Unleash Energy will cause you to gain stacks of Overwhelming Power, which will erupt at 3 stacks spawning an Arcane Rift wherever you are, so it’s important to be aware of your stacks and try to place good rifts that don’t cut off the path for the group.
Outside of just being area denial, Arcane Rifts will also shoot out 4yd orbs of Uncontrolled Energy which you should avoid.
Energy Bomb will debuff a random player, dealing damage to anyone within 8yds of them on expiration or dispel, so make sure this player moves away from the group before that happens.
Healers make sure players are topped so the random target Arcane Missiles don’t finish anyone off.
Avoid the Astral Breath frontal, targeted at a random player.
Occasionally the boss will pull all players in with Power Vacuum then do a 20yd AoE which you need to run out of. Make sure you are positioned such that you don’t get pulled through any Arcane Rifts when this happens.
Algeth'ar Academy Mythic+ Dungeon Route
When you first get into the dungeon, make sure you pickup whatever Dragonflight buff your spec wants, then make your way down the right path towards the Overgrown Ancient. This first pull can be split into 2 if you aren’t comfortable pulling everything at once. It can be easier to group and AoE down if the party stays relatively close to the tank to help with threat and reduce jump distance of the stingers.
After defeating the ancient, make your way towards the jump jets at the far side of the room, which bring you to the Guardian Sentry mini boss. After that mob is defeated you can continue towards Crawth’s platform, defeating 3 waves of eagles to start the boss encounter.
Once Crawth is slain you can head back to the Guardian Sentry platform, this time taking the jump jets towards Vexamus, where your path is just a straight line towards the boss arena. Note that when pulling Arcane Ravagers in this area, it can be beneficial to tank them such that one player can be away from the group near a line of sight spot, allowing them to cancel the Vicious Ambush cast entirely.
From there make your way back through the start of the dungeon towards the Overgrown Ancient area, where you are now able to make your way towards the final boss. Be careful of the patrols outside the bosses room and wait for a good time to move in such that you don’t pull anything extra, then finish off the Echo of Doragosa!