Bomb and Shields

[zhengma]

MoP introduced several types of mobs with frontal shields. Examples including Emperor's Courage in MSV, Essences of Corruption (small adds) in the DPS test during the Norushen fight, certain mobs in Proving Ground (DPS), and some Ordos cattles on Timeless. My question is: how do these shields protect them with Mage Bombs?

Consider specific scenarios:
1. Mob A and B are within 10 yards of each other, facing each other. A has a frontal shield while B doesn't. B is suffering from a Nether Tempest while there's nothing on A. Will A be hurt?
2. Same as #1, except B (the dotted) has a shield and A does not.
3. Same as #1, except both have shields now.
4-6. Same as #1-#3, but LB or FB is used.
7. If I am facing a mob, and he's facing me with a shield, will I be able to put a Bomb on him?

If the 4 types of mob I enumerated doesn't react samely, focus the discussion on the Norushen fight.

Thanks in advance.

[Wumbology]

IIRC:

Scenario 1: if A is facing B, the secondary NT DoT will be reflected. If A is not facing B it should suffer full damage.

Scenario 2: if the dot is applied to A before the shield is raised, it will continue to tick and deal damage as normal. A's shield does not affect B, so B will take normal damage.

Scenario 3: same as scenario 1; if the shield is facing the dotted mob, the damage will be deflected.

Scenario's 4-6: unsure. My assumption would be that since the aoe's are untargetted, the damage would still be dealt? Just a guess. Feel free to correct me here.

Last answer: No.

Hope this helps!

[Komma]

Not sure about LB or Frost Bomb, but I know that if you use AE and the mob is facing you, it's immune. LB and Frost Bomb might be the same case.

[zhengma]

During my recent progressions on H Norushen, I've been arranged among the first tested batch in each pull, but I feel huge pressure inside, much of which comes from the shields. Even Glyph of Rapid Displacement + Blazing Speed seem not enough for me to deal it, and I almost always use up my minute, but it might be that I'm doing it terribly wrong.

Should I still attempt to DoT everything up the moment I enter the test?

Should I put down MI to draw fire, blink across the room and do it from the behind of them all?

[Soggs]

You play frost I assume from your signature.

So some specific tips:
- You can freeze the big add and a small one down there for additional FoF Charges.
- Use FO on the big add to generate FoF charges, you can kite the add for a moment, it is stationary during its cast
- Put your elemental on a small add and position yourself so that the add is in between, the elemental will shoot the back of the add and ignore the shield
- Dot things up
- Deep Freeze + Ice Lance spam could work too

Do not move unless the small adds turn or the big adds casts.

[zhengma]

You play frost I assume from your signature.

So some specific tips:
- You can freeze the big add and a small one down there for additional FoF Charges.
- Use FO on the big add to generate FoF charges, you can kite the add for a moment, it is stationary during its cast
- Put your elemental on a small add and position yourself so that the add is in between, the elemental will shoot the back of the add and ignore the shield
- Dot things up
- Deep Freeze + Ice Lance spam could work too

Do not move unless the small adds turn or the big adds casts.

Thank you for your detailed suggestions.

I did most of my Normal Norushen kills with Frost, and switched to Arcane when I started H Norushen progression. (The reason is sillier than you may thought: this is one of the few fights in SoO that I can anticipate where my next RoP should go). I'll describe how I do it in both specs, so that you and others can tell me why the test is not over fast enough.

Frost:

0. If I'm not in the first batch, try to reserve some FoF and BF before entering;
1. Touch the orb to enter the test;
2. stay at the entry point and FO towards the big add and use up all my instant-cast procs;
3. stay at the entry point and attempt to NT all small adds (but some must have missed, as it seems small adds can shield up within 4 or 5 GCD after I enter);
4. Pop my MI to draw fire;
5. Blink to the back of a nearest small add and immediately start attacking. Unglyphed WE will stay where I was, hence pincer the small add;
6. Nuke it, use up the instant-cast procs first. If it turns and faces me, order my WE to stay on it while I myself move on;
7. Repeat 5 and 6 until over.

Arcane:

0. Always get 4 charges before entering;
1. Put an RoP 180 degree across the orb, then touch the orb to enter the test;
2. Stay at the entry point and pop MI to draw fire;
3. NT all small adds;
4. Blink into the RoP and immediately start attacking the nearest small add. MI will stay where I was, hence pincer the small add, AE the big add once if the charges are expiring;
5. Nuke it, use up my AM then keep throwing Blast. If it turns and faces me, move on if MI is still up, otherwise run through it;
6. Repeat 4 and 5 until over.

The biggest problem is, FoF and Brain Freeze (I usually have plenty of both in the test) don't have the problem of "add turns when the castbar has run halfway". It's not only about wasting a GCD, it somehow has a strong negative psychological impact on me, and the psychological effect influence the remaining test, the remaining fight and even lasts into the Sha of Pride fight.

[zhengma]

And yes, the first thing I learn from the reply of Soggs is: I should let my WE Freeze more during all fights. Currently I only use that on Immersus splits and Dark Shaman oozes.

There are some "medium mobs" that I don't know if they're susceptible to Freeze, such as 14-point mobs in Spoils of Pandaria.

[Soggs]

I think the bosses in Spoils are immune to Freeze but just try to Freeze something you lose next to nothing from it. You can freeze both adds on Sha. The adds on Galakras. Adds on Nazgrim. The big add on Sha and adds on Nazgrim can be Deep Freezed and then nuked down with Ice Lance.

The small adds on Norushen have a set timer when they turn. If you have Problems with the Test on Norushen, you can take a more fail safe approach. Nuke the big add first. Then focus on one small after another. Stand really close to them, so you can quickly switch to their backs, when they turn.