Among all the current ten affixes in DragonFlight, one of the most painful is the bolstering affix. It’s painful not only for PuGs but also for professional teams because it breaks most strategies. It affects big pulls, pulls with bosses, and requires coordinated and careful runs from all gamers. When combined, for example, with the Fortified affix, it breaks the week, and sometimes, it’s much simpler to not play the week than to suffer each time when non-boss enemies die in the pre-pull of the next pack!
So, right here, right now, for nothing at all, you’re learning all about the bolstering affix in DragonFlight Season and all the following seasons.
- What is the Bolstering affix? Definition and explanation.
- How to truly play this affix and avoid suffering in keys higher than 20+.
- What are the MDI tricks within 30 yards?
- Who can dispel the Bolstering affix, and is it really possible to dispel the Bolstering affix in the current World of Warcraft expansion?
- Why shouldn’t you pull the pack with a boss on any key when this affix is active?
- Which WeakAuras (WA) can help you stay alive with the Bolstering Affix?
- What routes should you use from MDT, specifically designed for the Bolstering affix?
- How many stacks can tanks like Protection Warriors survive?
And many other different questions, all about this piece of pain in the World of Warcraft Mythic+ season. Please note this important fact: This article was designed during the World of Warcraft: DragonFlight Season 3. But if you read it later, or maybe in a new season, most things, sources, and sentences about how to play this affix will still be true. All that may change are some details. Also, it’s a part of our extensive compendium about Mythic+ seasons in World of Warcraft.
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What is Bolstering Affix
Bolstering affix in dungeons is like a rallying cry to remaining enemies when a non-boss enemy falls in combat. Picture this: a mob dies, and its death cry echoes, bolstering nearby enemies with increased strength and temporarily increasing maximum health. These bolstering stacks accumulate, making remaining enemies tougher, more formidable.
It’s a challenge for the group – tanks, healers, and melee players alike – to strategically manage enemy kills. As mobs stack strength, the dungeon transforms, each trash enemy’s fall reshaping the battlefield. In this high-stakes boss encounter, crowd control effects, mass dispel, and smart heals become crucial.
So, catch the list of must dodge things while the Bolstering Affix is:
- Minimize trash stacking.
- Prioritize target selection.
- Coordinate crowd control.
- Manage healer resources.
- Adapt to increased difficulty.
- Plan combat strategically.
- Utilize area-of-effect (AoE) wisely.
- Communicate with party members.
- Time ability usage effectively.
- Monitor enemy health levels.
- Adjust positioning frequently.
- Consider keystone level impact.
- Assess risk of additional pulls.
- Optimize damage output.
- Be aware of surroundings.
Each defeated enemy reshapes the dynamic, a dance of death and power, pushing players to adapt and overcome.
This list of things to control, looks is very terrifying, but, chill man, chill, we have a strategies, and MDI tricks in what to do, how to play, and how to pass high keys, when this affix is come to the common mortals.
How To really play Bolstering affix
So, on the first view, the affix looks much simpler than all other affixes. I mean, on the first view, all you need, is do not pull big packs. Hehe… Sounds easy. Buut…
There’re always Fire mages with their Combustion pulls. There’re always druids with their horrible cleave misspulls. There’s always survival hunters, who are want to pull more.
There’re always, pseudo-mdi players, who are strive to pull their own routes, each time, when you play pugs. There’re always a fight between meta, and smooth dpsers.
There’re always pathetic dialogs, about, pull more, we can’t do this on tyrannical without overpulling. And there’s always that random bastard, which is dying when you already pull the next pack, and he’s become the monster.
Of course, since the Affix was realized, it was nerfed, and for now the timer of bolstering is much shorter, but just imagine that situation, when there’s a little small caster who left on the final, becomes higher, and wipe all the group, just with one random dot. Sounds like a good idea, to skip this week.
So, instead of obvious things, like “do not pull more”, just use the MDT routes, with prioritizing mobs on the week. The prioritizing is very important.
The reason is simple, you can’t kill all the mobs in the same time, all the time, it’s the ideal situation. In the reality all is a bit more tough. That’s why on the end, you always have to leave the melee mob, who do not have any extra abilitites, and which you can kite away. Also it been good, if you can purge him, or CC, or something else.
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Ah, also, some mobs which are under CC (polymorph exactly) may be not affixed by Bolstering. In high keys, this trick people use, when you have an important mob to kill later, or if you do not have enough kicks and dispels, for controlling all the group.
But as in many other ways, here’s a little nuance. If you have a melee cleave DPS, like Fury War, who can’t control his damage range, this will not work. That’s why still be careful.
So by this, you’re learnt, in how the “Do not pull many mobs at the time” transformed to the:
- Kill mobs in the same time, if you could.
- Kill the mobs in proper priority if you could.
- Do not pull with the boss.
- Purge.
- Kite.
- CC.
But want a joke? It’s sounds a bit rude, but the much more effective advice in how to play with a new affixes, like afflicted cry, or with bolstering, or with any other piece of pain, is simple — do not play pickup groups. Play with your friends, with a discord. In cause the coordination for not-meta classes, add much more effectiveness, than damage from a meta class in wrong hands and ill heads.
MDI Tricks
Ok, as you know, you can’t pull more enemies than usual, in cause effect stacks will kill you. But there’re some tricks, which are using in the MDI, or their using in the keys, close to high. Please note the following thing — these tricks are suitable for 24—27 keys. When you’re play the keys higher than 28, up to 32, more depends on your personal strategies, which are about coordination between you and nearby allies, not about the random advices from internet. GOTCHA?
So, the tricks, which are help to push the higher keys with a Bolstering affix without any sufferings:
- Balance your group for non-stop pulling instead of bursting classes. Will perfectly smooth for a troubleshooting the bolstering. Like, play Marksman, with a fury warrior, with for example affliction warlock. These are can create you a smooth damage, which is not depend on the bursting.
- If you have CC, which can manually stop the part of group in the 30 yards away from dying non boss enemies, you can pull bigger. For example, blizzard can help you.
- Time to time, the affix may be partially dispelled by enrage dispels (tranquilizing shot, or druid soothe), buuut…. There’s a nuance. You can cut only one stack of the Bolstering, and the final result depend on the patch and the season, in cause the Blizzard, adds and removes this possibility, depends on their mood.
- Never pull Thrash with a boss. In cause the Bolstering perfectly buffed the Bosses health. Exactly, if it’s a tyrannical. But to be honest, it doesn’t mean is this tyrannical, or fortified, the +20% to health for each stack, and the extra damage, may cost you a key!
Non-stop pulling instead of big pulls
When tackling the Bolstering affix, think about gearing your group more towards a non-stop, smooth-cruising damage deal rather than just banking on those big bursty moments. You know, like bringing in a Marksman Hunter, a Fury Warrior, and maybe an Affliction Warlock into the mix. These champs can dish out consistent damage that doesn’t spike wildly. This way, when a non-boss enemy bites the dust, you’re not suddenly dealing with a pumped-up mob getting beefier from the Bolstering stacks.
| Class | Spec | DPS Type | Damage Profile |
| Hunter | Marksman | Ranged | Consistent |
| Warrior | Fury | Melee | Consistent |
| Warlock | Affliction | Ranged | DoT (Damage over Time) |
| Mage | Arcane | Ranged | Consistent |
| Druid | Balance | Ranged | Consistent |
| Monk | Windwalker | Melee | Consistent |
| Rogue | Assassination | Melee | DoT (Damage over Time) |
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Imagine you’re in a dungeon, right? Each trash pack you face is like a ticking time bomb with this affix. You gotta be slick, making sure you’re whittling down enemies evenly. If one mob goes down and its death cry buffs the heck out of its nearby cronies, you’re gonna have a bad time. So, with a balanced crew that keeps the damage even, you avoid giving these mobs their Popeye moment with that spinach – aka Bolstering stacks.
30 yards for all non boss enemy dies
When dealing with the Bolstering affix in dungeons, always keep the crucial 30-yard range in mind. This is the radius within which fallen enemies will buff their buddies. So, play it smart: when you’re taking down trash mobs, make sure you’re not accidentally powering up other enemies lurking just within that 30-yard danger zone.
Here’s a table of AoE crowd control abilities from various classes that can be particularly useful in managing mob groups in dungeons, especially considering the Bolstering affix and the critical 30-yard range:
| Class | Ability | Effect | Range/Radius |
| Mage | Blizzard (with Frost talent) | Slow | ~30 yards |
| Hunter | Freezing Trap | Root | ~10 yards |
| Druid | Mass Entanglement | Root | ~30 yards |
| Shaman | Capacitor Totem | Stun | ~8 yards |
| Priest | Psychic Scream | Fear | ~8 yards |
| Warlock | Shadowfury | Stun | ~8 yards |
| Monk | Leg Sweep | Stun | ~5 yards |
| Death Knight | Gorefiend’s Grasp | Group Pull | ~15 yards |
| Paladin | Blinding Light | Disorient | ~10 yards |
| Rogue | Smoke Bomb | Vision Reduction | ~8 yards |
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These abilities can help you control and separate groups of enemies, making it easier to manage the Bolstering effect by preventing unintentional buffs to distant mobs. For instance, using Mage’s Blizzard or Druid’s Mass Entanglement can be especially effective in controlling enemy positioning within or beyond the 30-yard Bolstering range.
Warning: Always inform your group leader, when you will use those things, by a voice chat, or in game chat, if you’re not in the Discord!
Dispell the affix
You can’t just dispel it like a bad dream, but there’s a little wiggle room with enrage abilities. Here’s the scoop: when a non-boss enemy bites the dust and buffs its nearby pals with that Bolstering stack, you can’t just nuke all those extra stacks off. But, if those stacks got an enrage component, certain abilities can dispel that bit.
The catch? You can only strip away one stack at a time, and only with specific enrage-removing abilities. So, what’s the better move? Crowd control (CC), my friend. Keeping those mobs in check often beats trying to dispel your way out of trouble.
And now, a quick table of abilities that can dispel enrage, giving you a fighting chance against those Bolstering-stacked mobs:
| Class | Ability | Effect |
| Hunter | Tranquilizing Shot | Dispel Enrage |
| Druid | Soothe | Dispel Enrage |
| Rogue | Shiv (with Numbing Poison) | Dispel Enrage |
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These are your go-to moves for chipping away at those Bolstering stacks when they’re all riled up. Remember, though, strategy is king. Sometimes it’s better to keep the mobs under control than to try and dispel every boosted baddie you face. Stay sharp and play smart
Do not pull the pack in a boss fight
When you’re up against a boss with the Bolstering affix, remember this golden rule: Don’t yank in extra trash packs. Pulling extra mobs is like playing with fire – it only takes a couple of bad moves for things to get real spicy, real fast. Your tank’s gonna have a nightmare on their hands, and your healer will be sweating buckets trying to keep everyone’s health bars from dropping faster than a lead balloon. It’s a surefire way to make a tough boss fight straight-up impossible.
Every extra mob you pull is another chance for the boss and their crew to get temporarily buffed, jacking up their damage and max health. That means more work for your tank, more frantic healing, and a lot more dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodging for everyone else. So, keep it simple, focus on the boss, and save the heroics for the after-party. Defeat the boss first, then clean up the trash. That’s how you ace Bolstering without breaking a sweat!
The Addons for Bolstering Affix
Ok, we spend a lot of your time, about what to do with a bolstering affix. Oh, we’re so scarry. How to live. How to dodge, how to push the keys higher than usual.
- WeakAuras: Customize to track Bolstering stacks.
- Mythic Dungeon Tools (MDT): Plan routes and identify affected enemies.
- Plater Nameplates: Visualize Bolstering stacks on enemy nameplates.
These addons are great for managing Bolstering in Mythic+ dungeons, offering visual cues and strategic planning tools. Also if you need, we have more information about all the addons for current expansion in wow.
The WeakAuras for Bolstering Affix
So, The finally — here’s the thing, which you’re waiting for, all the previous dull paragraphs. The links for a worthy WeakAuras, which are help you with a bolstering.
| Name | Commentary |
|---|---|
| Bolstering stacks _ GnomeTW (/Raging/Inspiring/Sanguine) | Essential for visualizing the Bolstering affix impact, this tool illuminates the battleground by tracking the bolstering stacks and icons on nameplates, helping to manage the maximum health increase of remaining enemies. Especially in melee range, it aids in prioritizing which trash mobs to target, ensuring nearby allies don’t get overwhelming boosts from a non-boss enemy’s death cry. |
| Jan’s Bolstering/Sanguine Helper | A strategic companion, marking the highest health mob within a pack, crucial for every week’s run, especially during a fortified week. It guides players to focus attacks efficiently, conserving time and cooldowns by highlighting the most resilient enemies left, preventing the bolstering affix from escalating out of control and safeguarding the player’s maximum health. |
| Bolstering | Offers a straightforward pathing guide for Atal’dazar, turning what could be a nightmare in the first room into a non-issue, even at keystone level 14. It helps teams plan around the bolstering affix, ensuring that non-boss enemies are dealt with in a manner that doesn’t excessively strengthen their nearby allies with temporary maximum health boosts. |
| Number of Bolsters on target v1.0.0 DF-WEAKAURA | This WeakAura goes beyond the basics by displaying the exact number of Bolster stacks on a target, a critical asset for managing the bolstering affix. It empowers teams to make informed decisions in real-time, optimizing their approach to mitigate the risk of bolstering nearby enemies and protecting the player’s maximum health against unforeseen spikes in damage. |
| Bolstering/Storming – Petko | A versatile tool that manages multiple affixes, including Bolstering, ensuring teams are well-equipped to face the challenges of melee range and beyond. By keeping track of bolstering stacks and navigating through knockback effects and volcanic plumes, groups can save precious time and deploy defensive cooldowns more effectively, preserving the player’s maximum health throughout the dungeon. |
| Bolstering stacks _ GnomeTW (/Raging/Inspiring/Sanguine) | A second mention for its invaluable utility, this WeakAura assists in tracking not only the Bolstering affix but others as well, reinforcing its indispensability for every week’s dungeon runs. It provides a clear overview of remaining enemies’ bolstered states and assists in strategic planning around death knights in Kings Rest, turning potential setbacks into manageable encounters. |
| Jan’s Bolstering Helper (but it’s a skull in hopes of a 10 IQ dps weakaura u know) | Injects a dose of humor while marking mobs, enhancing DPS awareness and making management of the Bolstering affix more approachable. It shines in scenarios where prioritizing targets is key, helping to mitigate the bolstering effect on remaining enemies and ensuring that each non-boss enemy’s death contributes to the team’s success rather than escalating the difficulty of the encounter. |
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MDT Bolstering | The compromise routes for Bolstering affix
Look, let us be honest with yourself. These routes are designed by the next criteria:
- Their popular.
- There’re teams which are passes high keys on bolstering weeks.
- These routes, are not for mega pushes, their balanced for smooth pushing.
- In these routes are no extreme, like pushing mobs with bosses.
| Dungeon | Commentary |
| Dawn of the Infinite: Galakrond’s Fall | Keep an eye on those dragonkin minions when a non-boss enemy dies. Bolstering stacks mean beefier foes, so balance your pulls! |
| Dawn of the Infinite: Murozond’s Rise | Time-travel with a twist! Focus on single targets to avoid bolstering nearby enemies. Manage your pulls carefully. |
| Darkheart Thicket (from the Legion expansion) | Forest frenzy with Bolstering! Use line of sight and dispels to manage mobs as their health increases. |
| Black Rook Hold (Legion) | Castle chaos with Bolstering! Tight spaces mean more strategic pulls. Prioritize mob control and watch those stacks! |
| Waycrest Manor (Battle for Azeroth) | Haunted house, bolstered baddies. Narrow corridors challenge your mob management. Quick feet and sharp pulls needed. |
| Atal’Dazar (Battle for Azeroth) | Zandalari zaniness with extra bolstering. Open spaces, but manage pulls to avoid buffing bosses and minions. |
| Everbloom (Warlords of Draenor) | Nature’s fury, Bolstering style. Keep moving, use crowd control, and manage those Bolstering stacks effectively. |
| Throne of the Tides (Cataclysm) | Underwater vibes with a Bolstering twist. Manage positioning and pulls carefully, and be ready for buffed up mobs. |
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Hope this helps you to push high keys on bolstering.
Conclusion
Tackling the Bolstering affix in WoW is like juggling fire – it’s all about precision, timing, and a bit of guts. Whether you’re diving into a boss fight, handling a pack of mobs, or planning your next pull, remember: every non-boss enemy’s death cry boosts the challenge. It’s a dance of strategy where every fallen enemy temporarily amps up the remaining ones, beefing up their health and stacking the pressure.
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Your game plan? Balance your team with smooth DPSers, keep those Bolstering stacks in check, and use every crowd control trick in your book. And hey, let’s not forget the power of addons like WeakAuras, MDT, and Plater to keep those stacks visible and manageable.
Conquering the Bolstering affix in WoW demands a strategic dance where every non-boss enemy’s demise critically shifts the battlefield dynamics. Each time a non-boss enemy dies, its death cry echoes through the dungeon corridors, not just as a mournful farewell but as a rallying call to nearby allies. This death cry significantly bolsters the maximum health and strength of nearby allies, temporarily increasing their threat level and challenging the party to adapt swiftly.
This affix emphasizes the precision in managing enemy packs. With each non-boss enemy that dies, the subsequent death cry empowers its nearby allies, temporarily increasing their maximum health and making them more formidable foes. Parties must meticulously plan their attacks to ensure that non-boss enemies are evenly targeted to mitigate the effects of this death cry, thus saving time and resources.
In a level 14 dungeon, where the stakes are already high, the Bolstering affix adds an extra layer of complexity. Here, players must navigate the battlefield with heightened awareness, ensuring that the death cry of a fallen non-boss enemy doesn’t lead to an insurmountable challenge by overly strengthening nearby allies. The importance of crowd control and targeted damage becomes paramount, as does the strategic use of abilities to mitigate the impact of volcanic plumes and other environmental hazards.
Moreover, the presence of afflicted souls within these dungeons brings an additional depth to the challenge. These entities, much like the bolstered enemies, thrive on the chaos of battle. Their ability to complicate encounters further emphasizes the need for a cohesive strategy that accounts for every death cry, every bolstered enemy, and every volcanic plume that threatens to engulf the party.
In the end, it’s about smart plays, not just hard ones. Keep your cool, focus on strategy, and remember: Bolstering isn’t just a test of strength, it’s a test of wit and will. So gear up, gather your group, and get ready to show those dungeons who’s boss.