7.4 Master Mode Red
The Master Mode version of the Red encounter is very different from the Hard Mode version of the fight. In Hard Mode, only flowers 1 and two will need to be activated. Most groups take the boss back to the starting location after the second flower is clicked to avoid any adds spawning. The flower buffs work differently in Master Mode. Activating the flower protection provides protection from red venom for 45". If players do not have flower protection, they will stack up very quickly and eventually die to the high damage. Battle respawning a player that has died in this fashion is futile, as they get back up with all of the stacks that they had. Any players losing their protection and stacking up past 3 stacks is pretty much a death sentence for the encounter. Stepping into any red puddles/getting hit by an acid blast will remove your flower protection and result in your death (usually).
My recommendation for a standard comp for this one is as follows:
1 Tank (shadow highly preferred)
1 DwT (Vanguard for bulls helpful [Hydros])
4 DPS (at least 1 Vanguard, 1 Sentinel) (1 Guardian is highly preferred)
2 Healers (though with good damage management this is solo healable.
There are 3 main buffs/debuffs to know for this fight
Festering Wounds - Reducing incoming healing. Applied 2 stack at a time. At 30 stacks, or the debuff expiring the tank explodes with AoE Force/Tech Damage. This will one shot the tank on 16 NiM Mode and must be DCD'd. In 8 mode it will knock 60%+ HP off your bar if not mitigated. Note that this debuff is applied to anyone in Red's cleave, not just the target.
Red Venom - Each stack causes damage over time to the afflicted player. Higher the stack the harder the DoT ticks. Vanguards and Sentinels can take advantage of their abilities that cause the player to deal more damage as they take small amounts of damage. The typical strategy for these classes is to get 2 stacks of Red Venom before stepping into the first flower protection field to pretty much keep a permanent 1 stack of red venom throughout the encounter.
Phosphiapse Corona Buff - Yeah, I call this the flower buff. As long as you have it, you will not gain stacks of red venom. It last for 45" and can be removed by stepping into the hydrochloric pools (pink puddles) or getting hit by acid jet. If you lose this buff and begin to stack, you are pretty much dead. Your best hope for the team not wiping is to advance to the next flower ahead of schedule and pop in early to get your buff back. This isn't always viable, so yeah, you're dead. Learn the lesson and do better next time.
The Fight Sequence
This is a fast-paced fight that requires rehearsal to get the steps down. There is 0 RNG at work here. Memorizing the steps and movements is key. If the designated player to "fetch" the bull cannot see it (common), either select another, or try having them turn away from where the bull spawns. Watch the mini map and when the bull's red dot comes close, turn around and it should render in. For us, bull 2 almost never appeared if the players were looking at it. I always keep my camera facing flower 3 until it gets close. This seems to solve the issue. It is always better to put a player on bulls that can reliably see them. We suspect select or older graphics cards may not be rendering them correctly.
The Tank opens the fight and immediately heads into the flower buff circle to get their stack of protection.
The Tank then moves across to the far side of the opening area to get ready to drop the first circle
As soon as Red begins its 2.0" cast of hydrochloric pool, The Tank needs to side step out of the area and get ready for the first acid jet.
Acid jet comes next and should be pointed away. It is a 6.0" channeled attack. Standing in it for even a second or two is lethal.
The Tank needs to run (transcendence helpful) to the second flower position. The green stacks of festering wounds should be at 8-10 stacks now.
Be sure not to step in the hydrochloric pool on the ground. Entering into will immediately put 2 stacks of red venom on you and will tax the healers (and likely lead to a wipe).
With Luck and a bit of skill, the stacks of festering wounds will pop, be ready with your DCD but watch red. She has a bit of range to her attacks and can reapply festering wounds to you just as they are about to expire. If I see it is close, I try to run just a bit past the tanking position to allow them to explode before resuming tanking. If she reapplies them, the pattern of max stacking/auto exploding will be off and a bit more caution will be involved.
The rest of the group should continue to chase and DPS ready while heading to the flower #2, flower 2 gets popped just as the next channel of acid jet starts.
The Tank positions red to fire the next acid jet into the wall away from the flower. The flower is clicked as soon as red does acid jet. The Tank needs to step in to refresh their protection buff, then back track slightly back the way you came. (A Hydropool comes next and we need to drop it opposite of the way you need to go.
IF you failed to drop your stacks of festering wounds (green), you will be hitting 28 stacks right after red channels hydro pool. YOU CANNOT move through the group at 26+ stacks, you will blow up and kill the raid. Scoot back to where you were previously tanking red, 28 stack, DCD, Pop, then move. If you cleared your stacks, race around the bend as soon as HydroPool Channels.
The tank has now pulled red around the bend and is ready to acid jet the bull. The DwT/Tank task with getting the bull should have disengaged and be heading for the bull before red is taken around the bend.
Tank 2 should turn and position the bull perpendicular to red. I recommend Tank 2 come around the trees in the area and position their back to the wall just on the team's side of the trees. Tank 1 will have red pointed down the path toward the bull. Red will acid jet and disable the bull's armor and help nuke it down. Tank 2 needs to get out of the way of the acid jet fast. They can use stuns to help hold the bull in place. They need to keep the bull away from the tank, so that they do not get punted back and turn red 180 degrees around.
The Tank clicks on flower 3 as soon as they arrive and to get their stack of protection refreshed. They point red away from the flower/into the wall here, as Red will be acid jetting again shortly after the adds spawn. (if you were able to clean your stacks earlier, this is where you will be hitting 28 stacks. Be ready with your Force/Tech DCD) As soon as Red acid jets, she will hydro Pool next. The tank should move behind the group, near where the pull was being held (close enough to gap close back to red).
As soon as the channel for Hydrochloric pool starts, The tank gap closes back to Red and runs around the bend over to flower 4. I nestle myself between flower 4 and a tree beside of it, pointing red's next acid jet into the wall behind me. The team has about 12-14 seconds of "down time" here to burn the boss and catch up. The healers should click on the flower as the buff expires (which is around the start of acid jet). As acid jet comes out, The tank moves back toward the flower 3 location to prepare for the next HydroPool. Dangerous adds spawn here and MUST be the DPS's Primary focus. Vanguards should cycle their AoE stuns. DPS and healers should use defensives liberally if they have an add on them.
The designated DwT/Tank will be hunting for the incoming bull. For me, it liked to blink into existence right in the middle of the group. As soon as you can see it, wrangle it under your control and use a knock back resist to keep from getting jostled around while you move it into position. I put it behind red, with my back to the wall, nearish the 5th flower. As soon as the Tank gets hit with Hydrochloric pool, they need to spin red around almost 180 degrees and acid jet the bull. The timing is tight and both the tanks/the raid need to be paying attention to boss positioning, the conal from acid jet and keeping the bull stunned to keep it from kicking everyone around. This is the first major fail point of the raid.
The Tank will also be hitting 28 stacks and needs to be careful. It is common for red to apply the 28th stack, then channel hydropool causing the 30th stack not to come out immediately (we detonate on 30 stacks). Careful DCD timing is critical.
As soon as red acid jets, The Tank should head to Flower 5, the DPS kill the bull, healers click on the flower, The Tank gets their stack of projection refreshed and runs like mad into the cave. Predation/transcendence is king here.
More adds spawn as your team enters the cave. DPS must smash the adds. Do not try to follow red, it is safer to stay near the entrance of the cave/the flower and deal with the adds vs chase red and let the adds kill your teammates. The tank will pull red all the way to the other exit to the cave (the side closest to the pit when moving from start to the boss). The bull will move into the Acid Jet. As soon as the Acid Jet starts, the Tank needs to run through red and head to the far side of the cave (not on the flower, but next to it, in prep for the next Hydro Pool.
As the bull comes into the Acid Jet, the designated DwT/Tank needs to taunt the bull and bring it into the cave, stunning it as it approaches. DPS need to help stun and kill it quickly while continuing to deal with any remaining adds.
The Tank stands ready and away from the flower for Hydro Pool. As HydroPool goes out, flower 6 should be clicked (watch the buff, it may need to be sooner or later than the hydropool. (our festering wounds will likely explode here at lower stacks as we wait for red to come to us).
An acid jet comes next, I take red with me into the flower, keeping her aimed at the back wall of the cave. As soon as acid jet starts, I head behind her toward the center of the cave.
Another Acid Jet will be coming next, as will the next bull. The Tank should bring Red near to the mouth of the cave and stand ready to aim red a bit. The designated DwT/Tank should be finding the bull and getting it on course for red's acid jet attack. (we will be 28 stacking on festering wounds at this point. Watch your stacks and DCD away from the group.)
As soon as Acid jet finishes, the Raid kills the bull. The tank needs to step away, taking red away from the group in preparation for the next Hydro Pool. I drop this along the ride side wall just outside of the cave. Be certain not to place this one en route to flower 7.
After Hydro Pool goes out, the tank takes red to flower 7, either the tank or designated player activates flower 7. After refreshing their stack, the tank should point red away from the flower and get ready for another acid jet.
As soo as the Acid jet finishes, take Red over to the wall just before flower 8. A HydroPool will be coming next.
A bull will be spawning just after the hydro pool comes out and red will be firing its acid jet again. The bull can approach from a number of different angles here. I find it helpful here to have the team call out to me which way the bull is approaching so I know which direction to move to aim the next acid jet. Same process as before. DwT/Tank taunts the bull, red jets it, dps kill it.
IF red is not already dead, move to flower 8 and get ready for the next mechanic. Its either a pool or an acid yet. If you are using timers, watch them and plan where you should go next. Remember to keep clicking flowers to keep your buffs. Should your team need it, there is a 9th flower. We kill red before the 8th flower 9/10 times.
Videos coming soonish