Lately, we've been encouraging guild members to plan far ahead and start collecting badges for (an inevitable resistance fight) a time they'll be necessary on a fire resistance fight. We assume this is primarly for Al'Ar, the phoenix first boss in Tempest Keep.

But some questions remain. How much is needed? Can you get away with decent blues? Does only a few tanks need Fr or the whole raid? Do you really even need it in the first place? People are still concerned with the nature sets from AQ/silithus - alot of that crafted stuff turned out completely un-necessary to make and ultimately useless for alot of classes. The difference here is your fire resistance set will be the result of hundreds of hours work - something you won't want to just buy mindlessly with your hard earnt badges. So I think its a fair question for people to ask 'why do I need it?'

In an effort to answer guildie questions I tried to search for some info on Al'ar and only came up with one spell he has: http://www.thottbot.com/s34121

So it basically looks like a fight with a huge stacking firemaw type pulsing aura. People have confirmed he turns into an egg when killed and is reborn. Going on warcraft 3 lore, you can only fully kill a phoenix when you destroy the egg, which itself only lasts for a few seconds vulernable before the phoenix is reborn.

From this spell, my guess is the fight involves simply several cycles of killing the phoenix to make him vulernable as an egg, dps'ing his egg (which would have tons of hp and require more than one cycle to fully kill) and repeating the process several times until you can finish off the egg - before the fire debuff stacks too high. Thats just a guess.

However, id love to know if anyone here has some other confirmed/solid info on the fight. I dont want strat or anything, just an idea of what abilities this boss might have. Is it just a pulsing vaelastrasz type aura? Does he shoot fireballs etc etc?

To help spur people along to work on collecting 100 badges over a few months, id like to be able to say people why exactly they will be so important by referencing the fight mechanics themself - and why simply having 'some blue resist gear' might not be acceptable. At the moment, I can understand peoples apprehension when we suggest you will need 100 badges of justice for an epic fire resistance set on a boss we 'barely know anything about'.

Anyone got some info that could help?

The ability you listed doesn't require you to have any FR.

Normally I'd dismiss a thread like this with "until you've tried the encounter, don't speculate, guess, or even post" but I do agree with the badge sentiment. I think it's telling that Void Reaver was killed, and Al'Ar was skipped for the time being.

As for fight details though, too early for that. You're going to have to zone in with a 25 man raid and try it for yourself I think -- even if it's something where you die quick a la Sapphiron with no FrR, you'll find out quick enough.

It's logical to assume at some point that FR gear from badges will be needed, so instead of actually spending the badges, just have people save the badges for now?

Have everyone gather the badges, look at the encounter and then decide if you need the fire resist gear *winks suggestively*

I completely agree with Gurgthock, it will be needed eventually somewhere, so people should be prepared. We had people farming badges for FR gear before we put serious attempts on magtheridon, even knowing it wasn't necessary for mag, because we knew it would be eventually.

I'm also curious where you saw the confirmation that Al'ar turns into an egg and is reborn when you kill him. Regardless of it's truth I haven't read anything about it and have read forums fairly regularly for a while.

edit: I see the comment on Wowwiki saying he goes to ashes and is reborn, but I wouldn't really consider that to be a confirmation, as Wowwiki doesn't give perfect information on everything.

Hmmm...I really can't think of anything in the game right now that stands out as needing fire resistance other then Al'ar and Kael...something in MtHyjal? Anyway, the hording of badges for the gear is NOT a bad idea, and I know it's the only stuff I am spending them on, since I don't have time for enough heroics =\

I think it was mentioned in the nihilum interview. Awake just said he doesn't like to die and turns into an egg after you bring him down but nothing was told about having multiple faces to down the egg though.

There's a myriad of arcane resistance with no real purpose.

heel did you down Void Reaver yet? If not, consider revising your post.

I still expect FR to matter in some fight because so far no epic resistance gear has been without a purpose in this game (as far as I know). Could also be Al'ar.

There isnt a myraid of arcane resist either. There's fire, and fire only.

Personally I believe firemaw was the most retarded combat design ever made, just because it required maximized fire resist on the main tank no matter how good your gear was. After the taunt changes it became less demanding. You fight Alar with no chance to los the buffet, that on every member, yeesh... However, epic fire resist gear is somewhat cheaper than epic frost or nature resist gear which is a good thing at least.