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Latest on this boardRaid Finder wing 4, The Tomb of Ula’tek, opened — all eight bosses can be queued. · 8 Sept 2026Method’s Mythic guide updated · 3 Oct 2026Ula’tek eased on Heroic and Mythic: Spectral Coils −20%, the stage 3 adds −20% health, and Serpent’s Bite needs three soakers at any raid size. · 6 Oct 2026

By GamGem ResearchLast updated 7 Oct 2026

World of Warcraft · The Venomous Abyss

The Coiled Altar Heroic & Mythic guide

Raid · Midnight · Season 2 · boss 7 of 8 · The Coiled Altar

Patch 12.1 · Curse of Ula’tekGuide: Method · Purke, 2026-08-22 ↗

Difficulty

Coiled Altar on Heroic: Hero 4/6 · 315

Verified 2026-10-07 · item levels: Icy Veins · fight: Method

PhasePhase 1: Serpent’s BargainPull
Mechanic 1 of 14Toxic DelugeMove
What it doesCoalesced Venom globules appear and pulse raid Nature damage until destroyed.
Your answerCarriers step on globules and bring them to the middle pile, never standing near others.
If missedAt 0% Zul’jan bursts every globule left, giving the raid Venom Rupture stacks.
You:

What repeats?

  1. 1. Phase 1: Serpent’s Bargain · PullZul’jan alone in one spot; venom globules are carried to a pile and cleared by Sever.
  2. 2. Phase 2: Usurper’s Reprisal · Zul’jan reaches 0%Malacrass joins: mind-controlled players, fixating ghosts, Spiritcackle adds and shields.
  3. 3. Intermission: The Claimed Vessel · Phase 2 pushed to 0%Soulbinding: Zul’jan takes double damage and heals himself; Malacrass is immune.
  4. 4. Phase 3: Coiled Union · After the intermissionBoth bosses active and linked; Phase 1 and Phase 2 abilities layered together.

The loop: Phase 1 repeats Toxic Deluge: globules spawn, carriers pile them mid-room, the Sever tank clears the pile; Phase 2 opens on Dreadmarch.

Next three

  • Sever — Aim it through the globule pile and swap tanks every cast.
  • Guillotine — Two groups of 5+ alternate at the purple corner marker, then gate out of the zone it leaves.
  • Dreadmarch — Break the shields with AoE at once and grip back anyone close to the edge.

What happens when? · Phase 1: Serpent’s Bargain

Toxic Deluge: Carriers step on globules and bring them to the middle pile, never standing near others.

When do tanks swap?

Swap every Sever in Phase 1, then on Soul Sever, Blighted Sever and Corrupted Toxin stacks.

  • Point Sever through the globule pile and swap after every cast.
  • After Fangs of the Coiled Altar, expect a melee spike from Twinfang Toxin; step off Noxious Ground.
  • Phase 2: Soul Sever clears the parked ghosts; swap on its stacks.
  • Phase 3: Blighted Sever clears globules and ghosts; swap on its stacks and on Corrupted Toxin.

Where do I stand?

  1. Stay stacked behind the boss all fight, returning to the same marked formation each phase.
  2. Phase 1: keep clear of the Axegrinder axes that roam the arena for a minute.
  3. Phase 2: move boss and raid to each Spiritcackle; ghosts are parked in the middle.
  4. The Phase 2 push knocks everyone back from the boss, so stand toward the middle.
  5. Phase 3 Dreadmarch: raid moves to the opposite side; ghosts and globules go to the middle.

Setup on Heroic: 2 tanks · 5 healers · 13 DPS (six healers in larger raids). From Method’s guide, 2026-08-22.

Where the guide disagrees

  • When does the intermission start?The guide does not say in numbers; the page writes it as the guide frames it — once phase 2 is pushed through.

What does each role do?

Tanks
  • Point Sever through the globule pile and swap after every cast.
  • After Fangs of the Coiled Altar, expect a melee spike from Twinfang Toxin; step off Noxious Ground.
  • Phase 2: Soul Sever clears the parked ghosts; swap on its stacks.
  • Phase 3: Blighted Sever clears globules and ghosts; swap on its stacks and on Corrupted Toxin.
Healers
  • Poison-dispel Venomfang in Phase 1.
  • Have a raid cooldown (AMZ, Darkness, Spirit Link) for the Phase 1 push.
  • Intermission: watch raid health and slow down fragment blocks if it dips.
  • Phase 3 damage is very high; save healer cooldowns for each Defilement.
Damage dealers
  • Hero/Lust in the Soulbinding intermission while Zul’jan takes 100% more damage.
  • AoE the Dreadmarch shields off fast and kick Wail of Terror late in the cast.
  • Break the Eternal Nightfall shield to stop the channel.
  • Phase 3: cleave both bosses evenly; after the first Defilement, stop handling orbs.

Who does what? ✎

raid slots, not names

What changes by difficulty?

Raid Finder
Veteran 4/6 · 289
Normal
Champion 4/6 · 302
Heroic
Hero 4/6 · 315
Mythic
Myth 9/6 · 344

On Mythic

  • A gear check first; fewer melee make the phase 2 Spiritcackle adds easier.
  • Five Virulent Mutations come with each Toxic Deluge; clear them before the next. Purple orbs never touch others.
  • Guillotine 1 takes six soakers, Guillotine 2 two tanks and three immunities — protect the target both times.
  • Phase 2: break each Spiritcackle shield with two overlapping Gloombombs; never let two ghosts touch.
  • Intermission: each Fragment of Malacrass that gets to Zul’jan restores 10% of his health, so intercept them in sets.
  • Phase 3 ends on a clock: the next Defilement of the Coiled Altar works as the enrage, so the kill must come first.

If it goes wrong?

Toxic Deluge
At 0% Zul’jan bursts every globule left, giving the raid Venom Rupture stacks.
Guillotine
Fewer than 5 soakers means a deadly Execution on the raid.
Manifestation of Dread
A ghost that reaches its target applies Dreadmarch again.
Spiritcackle
At 100 energy it can’t be interrupted and fears the whole raid.
Gloombomb
Soul Fragments not collected in time kill the player.
Grim Guillotine
Fewer than 5 soakers means a deadly Grim Execution.

Practise: where do I go?

Toxic Deluge — what does the raid do?

Ask about this boss

Start from:

Every mechanic, in order

for healer

  1. Toxic DelugePhase 1: Serpent’s BargainMoveCoalesced Venom globules appear and pulse raid Nature damage until destroyed.

    Your job: Carriers step on globules and bring them to the middle pile, never standing near others.

  2. SeverPhase 1: Serpent’s BargainTankLarge Physical cone; adds 200% Sever damage taken for 45 seconds and destroys globules it hits.

    Your job: Not your job — the tanks handle it.

  3. GuillotinePhase 1: Serpent’s BargainSoakAn axe splits heavy armor-ignoring damage within 9 yards; soakers get +500% Guillotine taken.

    Your job: Two groups of 5+ alternate at the purple corner marker, then gate out of the zone it leaves.

  4. DreadmarchPhase 2: Usurper’s ReprisalAddsMalacrass shields several players and marches them to the edge to jump off.

    Your job: Not your job — melee and ranged handle it.

  5. Manifestation of DreadPhase 2: Usurper’s ReprisalMoveGhosts from freed players fixate someone, creep while unwatched and freeze when faced.

    Your job: Fixated players lead their ghost to the middle and face it until Soul Sever clears it.

  6. Soul SeverPhase 2: Usurper’s ReprisalTankShadow cone: stacks 200% Soul Sever taken, adds a DoT, wipes ghosts and applies Gravebound.

    Your job: Not your job — the tanks handle it.

  7. SpiritcacklePhase 2: Usurper’s ReprisalKickAdd that casts Wail of Terror, a 5-second raid fear, and chips the raid passively.

    Your job: Not your job — melee and ranged handle it.

  8. GloombombPhase 2: Usurper’s ReprisalSpreadThree players explode after 5 seconds, hitting within 15 yards and applying Gravebound.

    Your job: Move away from the group, then step on your Soul Fragments before 15 seconds run out.

  9. Eternal NightfallPhase 2: Usurper’s ReprisalKickMalacrass shields in Veil of Twilight, channeling heavy raid Shadow damage and a healing absorb.

    Your job: Not your job — melee and ranged handle it.

  10. SoulbindingIntermission: The Claimed VesselCooldownZul’jan heals 2% max health per second for 35 seconds but takes 100% more damage.

    Your job: Not your job — melee and ranged handle it.

  11. Fragment of MalacrassIntermission: The Claimed VesselSoakOrbs drift to Zul’jan, each healing him 3%; blocking one hits the raid with stacking Spirit Erasure.

    Your job: Stand in their paths, spread out and stagger blocks; skip a soak if the raid is too low.

  12. SoulboundPhase 3: Coiled UnionCooldownThe two bosses are linked; if one dies first, the other gains 100% attack speed and damage.

    Your job: Not your job — melee and ranged handle it.

  13. Grim GuillotinePhase 3: Coiled UnionSoakShadow version of Guillotine; the soak debuff also adds a healing absorb.

    Your job: Same 5-soaker rule and spacing as Phase 1; the first group goes to the corner.

  14. Defilement of the Coiled AltarPhase 3: Coiled UnionHealHeavy raid hit with a healing-absorb barrier; Defiled Ground pools absorb your healing.

    Your job: Have healer cooldowns ready for each cast and stay off the Defiled Ground.

One card for the raid

The Coiled Altar · Heroic · Phase 1: Serpent’s Bargain
NOW: Toxic Deluge (Move) — Carriers step on globules and bring them to the middle pile, never standing near others.
NEXT: Sever (Tank) — Aim it through the globule pile and swap tanks every cast.
NEXT: Guillotine (Soak) — Two groups of 5+ alternate at the purple corner marker, then gate out of the zone it leaves.
Setup: 2 tanks · 5 healers · 13 DPS (six healers in larger raids) · Bloodlust: The intermission after phase 2
gamgem.com · from Method’s guide

How fresh is this?

Method — Heroic guide
2026-08-22
Method — Mythic guide
2026-10-03
Raid rows checked
2026-10-07
Ula’tek eased on Heroic and Mythic
2026-10-06
Raid Finder wing 4, The Tomb of Ula’tek, opened — all eight bosses can be queued.
2026-09-08
Patch 12.1.5
2026-10-13

Sources

The Coiled Altar video guides — Heroic & Mythic

plays in YouTube's own player
Normal & Heroic
Mythic

Each video is the channel’s own upload; a guide is filed under a boss or dungeon only when its own title names that one and no other. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play, and nothing is re-hosted.

Loot from The Coiled Altar

16 items · Blizzard API, read 2026-10-09 · top keys: +16–23 keys, US+EU, week of Oct 6–14 (Blizzard API)

The Coiled Altar — quick answers

What kills groups on The Coiled Altar?

Clear every venom orb, soak Guillotine with five or more, and free the players Dreadmarch mind-controls in phase 2.

What is the Coiled Altar fight order?

Phase 1 repeats Toxic Deluge: globules spawn, carriers pile them mid-room, the Sever tank clears the pile; Phase 2 opens on Dreadmarch.

What raid setup does Coiled Altar need on Heroic?

2 tanks · 5 healers · 13 DPS (six healers in larger raids). Poison dispels; interrupts; big raid cooldowns for the pushes.

When do you use Bloodlust on Coiled Altar?

The intermission after phase 2.

How do tanks swap on Coiled Altar?

Swap every Sever in Phase 1, then on Soul Sever, Blighted Sever and Corrupted Toxin stacks.

What changes on Mythic Coiled Altar?

A gear check first; fewer melee make the phase 2 Spiritcackle adds easier. Five Virulent Mutations come with each Toxic Deluge; clear them before the next. Purple orbs never touch others. Guillotine 1 takes six soakers, Guillotine 2 two tanks and three immunities — protect the target both times. Phase 2: break each Spiritcackle shield with two overlapping Gloombombs; never let two ghosts touch. Intermission: each Fragment of Malacrass that gets to Zul’jan restores 10% of his health, so intercept them in sets. Phase 3 ends on a clock: the next Defilement of the Coiled Altar works as the enrage, so the kill must come first.

What item level does The Coiled Altar drop?

Coiled Altar drops Raid Finder 289 · Normal 302 · Heroic 315 · Mythic 344 — item level by difficulty, before upgrades.

Is The Coiled Altar a tier boss?

No — Coiled Altar drops no class-set piece; the set comes from Sentinels, Lost Explorers, Vashnik, Sszorak, Twin Fangs, Ula’tek.