Shadowlands Mythic Plus – Ultimate Guide

Everything you need to know about Mythic Plus dungeons: Keystones, mob affixes and tactics as well as rewards and loot.

Shadowlands Mythic plus basics

The majority of dungeons have several well-known levels of difficulty: normal, heroic and mythic. The “Legion” expansion brought us a peculiar combination of a time run challenging mode and proving grounds scenario with its difficulty level increasing but added a new component – affixes.

In contrast to previous trials, here one might get appropriate equipment; the quantity and item level of it depends on the mythic Keystone level a player has and on the time required to complete the dungeon. All this makes this mode close to an unending resource of getting desirable loot.

The majority of dungeons have several well-known levels of difficulty: normal, heroic and mythic. The “Legion” expansion brought us a peculiar combination of a time run challenging mode and proving grounds scenario with its difficulty level increasing but added a new component – affixes.

In contrast to previous trials, here one might get appropriate equipment; the quantity and item level of it depends on the mythic Keystone level a player has and on the time required to complete the dungeon. All this makes this mode close to an unending resource of getting desirable loot.

And so we’ve got

• Different levels of difficulty;
• Weekly affixes, the number of which depends on keystone level;
• Time run;
• Equipment rewards;
• Mythic Score rewards.

A player has to be inside a mythic dungeon to activate this mode. There is a Font of Power at the very entrance that requires a Keystone of the concrete dungeon. The item’s tooltip shows the level of a dungeon and affixes of this week. A player can get a Keystone by killing bosses in regular mythic dungeons or as loot in a weekly chest in your capital city (notice that such a Keystone will be one or two levels lower than the highest mythic+ dungeon you completed the previous week). After completing a mythic+ dungeon the Keystone changes its level from -1 up to +3. The dungeon required also usually changes because the item generates once again, but still, there is a small chance to remain the same.

Basic regulations

• A player cannot change talents or specialization after activating the Keystone, but can always exit the dungeon to do it. In case the party wants to summon such a person into an activated dungeon with the Warlock’s help, the following must be noted: there will be two summons needed – one to get a player inside the dungeon and the second to get him to the group’s location;
• There is no way to invite new party members into an activated dungeon, even to replace the ones that have left for some reason;
• Battle resurrections work the same way as they do in raids. All players with such an ability share a common cooldown for it. There is only one charge ready for use at the very beginning. The second one will become available only ten minutes later. The cooldown time is also ten minutes;
• To complete a dungeon, a party has to kill all the bosses and the stated number of mobs;
• Every dungeon has its time limit. If a group passes a dungeon within the requested time (+1), the Keystone will get one additional level and the loot will have one item more. The system is similar to a challenge mode in previous expansions, where “bronze” is +1, “silver” is +2 and “gold” is +3. .
• If the group cannot complete the dungeon in time, the Keystone will lose one level;
• BfA Seasonal system still in place. Each Season has its own Seasonal Affix;
• Affixes distribution will be changed to the following: Tyrannical or Fortified are now primary and occur on every Keystone level 2. Keystone levels from 4 to 7 have the same affixes they had before. The seasonal affix will appear on Keystone level 10;
• Loot ilvl depends only on the level of the Keystone. Not timed key rewards you with 2 items. Completing Keystone in time will reward your team with an additional item;
• Each level of the key above 15 gives additional 40% for an extra item in the end of the dungeon.

Affixes

Affixes are additional abilities to the foes a group may come across in dungeons. These abilities may cause the mechanics changes or the enemies’ power increasing. The higher the level of certain dungeons, the more affixes a group will get. There might be four affixes active at a time, three of them change every week, while a seasonal one remains for a much longer period of time.

The first affix occurs on the first Keystone a player gets, and this is a Tyrannical or Fortified affix.

 Tyrannical

Boss enemies have 40% more health and inflict up to 15% increased damage. Taking into consideration the fact that the incoming damage and the health of every single creature in dungeon increase no matter what in accordance with the dungeon level, this affix may turn regular fights with bosses into two or even three minute action. In addition, some abilities start to deal an extremely high damage, and that can lead to a wipe for unprotected groups of players.

• It’s recommended to decide who will use personal or group protective skills beforehand.
• It is also advisable to maximize health limits to avoid one-shot deaths.

 Fortified

Non-boss enemies have 20% more health and inflict up to 30% increased damage. Avoid pulling several packs of mobs at the same time while completing high level mythic+ dungeons.

• It’s better to have a plan for using mass stuns and interruptions for concrete targets.
• Also don’t be shy to help a tank to “kite” mobs (freezing, slowing, etc.).

 Sanguine

When slain, non-boss enemies leave behind a lingering pool of ichor that heals their allies for 5% of their health per second, while players are damaged for 15% of their maximum health every second.

• This ability can stack, so it’s very dangerous to stay in one spot with multiple corpses.
• In case there are any casters in a pack of mobs, try to delay your interruptions and knockback skills until some of the creatures die, so there is a possibility to drive the rest away from a pool.
• In case a group doesn’t have these skills, a tank may get away from the line of sight using walls, corners, and other obstacles. This will make mobs follow him and leave dangerous places as a result.

 Volcanic

While in combat, enemies periodically cast gouts of flame, each of which explodes in the two seconds after appearing and in a two-meter radius. If there were any players inside it will throw a player into the air. Such volcanoes erupt either close to a party member, or right beneath his feet. Each enemy casts one volcano once at about ten seconds. Note this ability affects only distant players, so if the whole group gathers in the melee zone there will be no volcanoes at all. But also remember, that even if everyone stays close to the boss and there is any mob spawning at a distance while in combat, the volcano will appear immediately.

 Quaking

Periodically, all players in a dungeon get the Quake effect, which covers a five-meter area, inflicting 20% of a player’s maximum health to all nearby allies after 2.5 seconds. It also interrupts spell casting, locking out spells for three seconds.

• Players should disperse while this affix is active, especially melee groups.

 Bolstering

When any non-boss enemy dies, its death cry empowers allies in 30 meters distance with a Bolster buff, increasing their maximum health and damage by 20%.

What to do with this ability:

• Try to avoid huge packs of mobs especially if there is a big difference in the number of health points among creatures in a pack.
• If all the enemies have the same number of health points and your group is able to finish them all together, there is nothing to be afraid of, don’t worry.
• Do not ever try to pull adds together with the boss while this affix is active. Even though this ability deals only with mobs, the boss will get the buff as well while in combat.
• If the group has stuck and experiences troubles try to equalize the mobs in health they got. But in case there still are any over-buffed foes – both the tank and healer must be ready to use protective skills. The whole group may reduce the incoming damage by using stuns (the majority of other controlling skills may not work with highly forced enemies). Players can also “kite” mobs if they have slowing abilities.

 Necrotic

All successful enemies’ melee attacks apply the debuff Necrotic Rot on a targeted party member that reduces healing and absorption received by 2%. It also inflicts damage over time. It lasts for 9 seconds and may be renewed. It stacks with each successful attack. The debuff fades, however, when a player leaves combat.

• Try to avoid combats with multiple foes, not to get a huge amount of debuff stacks.
• Consciously use AoE stuns to give tank an opportunity to get rid of all the debuff stacks without “kiting” – there must be a nine-second pause in receiving melee damage.
• Use “kite” strategy every once in a while.
• While having exhausting combats with bosses, damage dealers should sometimes switch the boss over to themselves to help a tank. Such talents as Force of Nature may also be very useful.

 Raging

All non-boss and their added enemies in dungeon enrage at 30% health remaining, dealing 75% increased damage until defeated.

• Save stuns until the end of concrete combat with each pack of mobs to have the chance to defeat them while controlling them. This might save someone’s life.
• Druids,Hunters and Rogues can dispel this effect.

 Explosive

This affix is very hard to deal with. While in combat, enemies periodically summon Explosive Orbs near them. These Orbs have a small amount of Health points and start to cast a steady ability as soon as they appear. It will detonate, dealing significant damage to the whole group in a 60 meters area if not destroyed.

• Explosive Orbs evade all damage caused by AoE abilities.
• They count as regular foes and may be looted to get some class bonuses if there are any.
• A player cannot use macros to target Orbs – this must be done manually.
• The amount of Health Points and the damage done depends on the Keystone level.
• The more enemies a party fights with, the more Orbs spawns, so don’t pull big packs of mobs.

 Grievous

This affix deals with healers mostly. When injured below 90% health, players will automatically get the Grievous Wound debuff, that deals damage equivalent to 2% of maximum health over three seconds. This effect may stack up to 5 times but fades away as soon as the target is healed above 90% health.

• The Effect deals physical damage.
• Blessing of Protection and Ice Block abilities can dispel this Effect.
• It’s important to give the healer time to heal all members of the group after each combat and to let them regain Mana, otherwise, the party may face lots of additional and unnecessary troubles.

 Bursting

When slain, non-boss enemies explode, causing all players to have a Burst debuff and to suffer 5% of their maximum health every 2 seconds. This effect stacks which means that killing multiple foes simultaneously may be fatal.

• Avoid defeating lots of mobs at one time.
• Don’t forget to give the healer a break. They need this to keep everyone safe and sound.
• This is Magic and so different immune skills can dispel stacks and prevent further casting.

Storming

While in combat, enemies periodically summon damaging whirlwinds that knock players.
Storming is a new Level 7 Mythic+ Affix added in Shadowlands. They exist for 10 seconds or unless one of the players won’t disarm it.

Spiteful

All non-boss enemies will spawn a spirit after death. These spirits will chase the non-tank players. Each second they lose about 8% of their health. However, they have a very strong melee attack so watch out.

 Inspiring

Some of the non-boss enemies in dungeons can have this buff. The buff generates an aura that prevents all crowd control effects on the affected enemies. However, the mob itself with Inspiring isn’t immune to CC.

Seasonal Affix

This Affix will be present only on Keystone Level 10 and higher and will change to a new one every raiding season. Right now Tormented Affix is active, but it will change as soon as Patch 9.2 comes out.

Tormented

This affix puts 4 lieutenants of the Jailer in the dungeon. Each of them is a specific difficult enemy. By defeating them you’ll be able to empower yourself with anima powers.

1. Incinerator Arkolath is a fire caster. You must interrupt his Inferno cast which requires 2 people at least with a 15 cooldown on the kick. He also spawns the void zones and has an aura with constant fire damage;
2. Oros Coldheart – is a frost caster with several abilities. Biting Cold is a dangerous debuff that can be avoided with immunity abilities. Otherwise requires a lot of healing. Frost Lance is a narrow cone of ice that deals a lot of damage and knockback players;
3. Soggodon the Breaker is able to grip everyone right under his legs and trap everyone with chains. These chains should be killed ASAP or otherwise, the Soggodon will smash you if you won’t get out in time.
4. Executioner Varruth – this one is the most annoying for the healers. He has an aura that reduces healing for your party by 50%. He also can choose a target and hit it hard with his charge.

Useful Items

• Potion of the Hidden Spirit – an invisibility potion to skip unnecessary packs
• Drums of Deathly Ferocity if you don’t have classes with Bloodlust/Heroism;
• Field Repair Bots can be very helpful in dungeons where you can mount up;
• Ultimate Gnomish Army Knife sometimes can save the day after wiping. Resurrection with a knife doesn’t count as battle resurrection. However, it gives no guarantees that you will resurrect your target;
• Disposable Spectrophasic Reanimator – requires engineering but with this item you can revive your teammate.

Useful Classes

Here we would like to focus on the most useful abilities in Mythic+ of each class.

Rogue – Shroud of Concealment, Vanish, Sap, Blind, Cloak of Shadows and abilities.

Warlock – Create Healthstone, Demonic Gateway, Soulstone, Shadowfury, Fear, Banish, Devour Magic.

Hunter – Aspect of the Turtle, Primal Rage, Tar Trap, Concussive Shot, Freezing Trap, Tranquilizing Shot, Binding Shot, Feign Death.

Priest – Power Word: Fortitude, Mass Dispel, Dispel Magic, Power Word: Barrier, Mind Control, Mind Soothe, Power Infusion.

Mage – Time Warp, Polymorph, Arcane Intellect, slowing abilities for Frost Mages such as Blizzard, Ice Block, Invisibility, Spellsteal.

Death Knight – Death Grip, Gorefiend’s Grasp, Anti-Magic Zone, Anti-Magic Shell, slowing abilities like Chains of Ice.

Demon Hunter – Sigil of Misery, Chaos Nova, Darkness, Netherwalk, Imprison, Consume Magic, Spectral Sight.

Monk – Leg Sweep, Ring of Peace, Paralysis.

Warrior – Battle Shout, Storm Bolt, Rallying Cry,  Intercept, Shockwave, Spell Reflection.

Paladin – Hammer of Justice, Repentance, Blessing of Sacrifice, Aura Mastery, Divine Shield, Blessing of Protection, Lay on Hands, Blessing of Freedom.

Shaman – Capacitor Totem, Hex, Thunderstorm (Elemental specialization), Spirit Link Totem (Restoration specialization), Earthbind Totem, Purge and Reincarnation.

Druid – Rooting abilities, Typhoon, Ursol’s Vortex (Restoration Druids), Mighty Bash, Soothe.

Racial Bonuses

Arcane Torrent – Blood Elf racial ability. Removes one beneficial effect from all enemies within 8 meters and restore 3% of your Mana. It’s very useful in BfA dungeons.

War Stomp – Tauren racial ability. Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 meters for 2 seconds. This is an additional AoE stun, rather short but effective.

Shadowmeld – Night Elf racial ability. This ability is very useful when there is a need to evade the pack of mobs or to survive while the whole group dies.

Light’s Judgment – Lightforged Draenei racial ability. A very useful skill, because it inflicts a huge amount of damage on packs.

Loot

Players will get three items if they complete the time run dungeon condition. Players will get two items in case they won’t be able to do that.
There is a point in completing dungeons with Keystones Level 15 and higher because there will be a 40% chance to get an additional item.

If the time run conditions were not accomplished, players get one item less.

Great Vault – Weekly chest

Players get an item as a reward for the previous raiding week. The item level depends on the highest level dungeon you have completed that week.