Beth'tilac as Retribution

The next boss in my series on Retribution in Firelands in Beth'tilac. This spidery villain may seem simple, but her abilities, while straightforeward, can be devistating to an unprepared raid. Whether above the web or below it, Beth'tilac provides an interesting test for any Ret Paladin, looking to move further into the Firelands. As with all posts on bosses in Firelands, I will assume you already have knowledge of the strategy and mechanics of the fight. For information on this fight and more, visit learntoraid.com for the best guides on the web.

NORMAL: Beth'tilac on normal is a relatively trivial and fun encounter for a melee. Assuming you are not part of the top-web crew, your job on the bottom will be to dps down the drone, and assist in bringing down the spinners. Keep Hand of Reckoning handy during this initial phase to get those spinners on the ground. Your ranged will thank you. Feel free to pop cooldowns when starting to DPS the drone down, they will be up again by the time Beth drops down. Using Holy Radiance and Divine Protection during her AOE dmg phases can give your healers a bit of a breather as well. If you are going up, be sure to watch your initial aggro, and to keep an eye on your feet. Few things are as embarrassing as getting hit by a giant meteor and flung to the ground. Depending on how fast you get up each phase you may have CD's up for each but I suggest splitting AW and Zealotry between web phases 1 and 2, allowing you to deal of decent burst to Beth each phase but also allowing your CD's to be up for the final burn. As always, find out in advance when your group is blowing Hero, and adjust your CD's accordingly. Be sure to hit that lightwell and use those healthstones as the second phase progresses. If your groups' DPS is suffering, your heals will have work to do.

HEROIC: The fight isn't much different for melee on heroic, though be sure to express your sympathy with your ranged brethren. If the Drone fixates on you, be sure to position it in a position that is convenient to DPS it in, namely the center, and also not pointing at the raid, in order to avoid its spew. Its amazing to me how people think that dragging a Drone all across the room is helping to burn it down. The web phase is identical to normal mode. You will have similar time windows in which to use your CD's, so be aware of the clock as you want them available for the P2 burn but should use them to their fullest in the early phases as well. When Beth drops down for P2, be sure to stack up with the raid and use as many damage reduction or healing CD's you have, while being sure to DPS to your fullest. This phase can be a significant gear/ability check for the rest of the instance so if you are reaching it regularly, you know you need only improve that DPS and/or healing. Pop your CD's and potion in accordance with Heroism for the maximum benefit and work that aggravating arachnid down.