Wipe recovery

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Wipe recovery is recovering from a wipe without having to have characters run back to their corpses from the graveyard.

Wipe recovery is especially important in instances where the corpse run is long and where new patrols may have spawned between the instance portal (where resurrection happens) and the place inside the instance where the wipe took place. (Some of the situations discussed below are technically not wipe prevention since not every character died – i.e. it was not a total wipe. However, they will save a run back from the graveyard.)

Typically in Wrath of the Lich King raids, such as Ulduar or The Eye of Eternity wipe recovery is considered unnecessary, as the time to run back and rebuff is just as short, if not shorter, than using wipe recovery to resurrect a raid of 25 players. Wipe recovery functions such as a Shaman's Reincarnation are used instead during a boss fight, instead of being used as wipe recovery. However, wipe recovery in 5man dungeons is still useful, or when raiding while there is server instability issues (such as the "World Server Is Down" error).

Things to consider in recovering from a wipe

• Most wipe recovery strategies require the recoverer (the person who is going to resurrect the others) to die in a 'good spot'. A 'good spot' is a spot that is away from nearby mobs, one where the mobs will not aggro the recoverer as soon the recovery process begins.
• Most of the methods below have a limited window of time between when the person doing wipe recovery dies and the process of wipe recovery begins. Combat must be concluded before this time expires.
• The wipe recoverer should always resurrect other classes capable of assisting with resurrection first.
• If wipe recovery is available, everybody should try to die in a place where they can easily found by a resurrecter. Nobody should release unless specifically being told to do so.

Overview

The following abilities allow wipe-recovery:

• Shamans can use Reincarnation.
• Warlocks have Soulstones.
• Druids can use Rebirth.
• Night Elf Druids and Priests can use Shadowmeld.
• Any character who is able to drop out of combat (Hunter, Rogue, Mage, Night Elf) which also has learnt Engineering can use Goblin Jumper Cables, Goblin Jumper Cables XL or Gnomish Army Knife.
• The Darkmoon Card: Twisting Nether can give a 10% self-rez capability to any character.
• Using the Guild perk obtained at a level 25 guild: Mass Resurrection

Method by Class

Shaman

• Shamans are the only class capable of solo wipe recovery, by using Reincarnation and Ancestral Spirit.
  • 30 minute cooldown (can be reduced to 15 minutes with Improved Reincarnation)
  • Infinite window, the shaman must only take care to die in a safe spot

Warlock

• Warlocks can grant a resurrect-capable party member a wipe recovery ability by using Create Soulstone. This must be set up before the recoverer is dead.
  • 15 minute cooldown, requires a Soul Shard, a warlock may only have one active at a time, expires after 15 minutes.
  • If the soulstoned character dies, the soulstone will be consumed in any event and the Warlock must wait until the cooldown is over to make another.
  • 6 minute window to use the soulstone after death.

See Create Soulstone for details.

Druid

• Druids can use Rebirth on a rez-capable party member (paladin, shaman, priest, or another druid).
  • 10 minute cooldown, requires a reagent.
  • Cast on a dead party member.
  • Rebirth is normally used as a combat rez, but if the target player delays accepting until combat is over and all mobs are back to safe positions, it can be used for wipe recovery. This method of wipe recovery is rare and many players are not aware of it and unless briefed beforehand will accept the raise immediately, not understanding the purpose.

• Any druid can use cat form stealth if a wipe is obvious at the pull. However, for this, the druid must start in stealth and not enter combat.
  • Any resurrect capable character that hasn't yet entered combat can run away and stay out of combat if the pull goes bad, the ability to stealth simply makes it easier.

Engineering

Any class with the ability to leave combat at will which has learnt Engineering at a sufficiently high skill level can use Goblin Jumper Cables (33% chance), Goblin Jumper Cables XL (50% chance) or a Gnomish Army Knife (66% chance) to rez someone who can resurrect. All types of jumper cables share a 30 minute cooldown.

Hunter

• Hunters have Feign Death
  • 30 second cooldown
  • Can be resisted by mobs
  • 6 minute window once FD is activated

Rogue

• Rogues can use Vanish
  • 3 minute cooldown (2 with subtlety talents)
  • Can be resisted (by some boss mobs)
  • Can get discovered by another mob and attacked thus losing stealth
  • DoTs will break stealth which may allow aggro again.
    • A Dwarf rogue who is taking DoT from poison, disease, or bleed can use the Stoneform racial ability first to remove those DoTs and then Vanish.
    • All rogues lvl 66 or higher can use Cloak of Shadows to remove magical DoT's and then vanish
  • AoEs which hit the Rogue will also cancel Vanish/Stealth
  • 'Unlimited' window due to successful vanish leaving the Rogue in stealth mode.

Mage

• Mages of level 68 or higher have Invisibility
  • 5 minute cooldown
  • 3s cast time
  • Can be resisted or ignored (by some mob types)
  • Will be broken by any combat-related action or event (including receiving damage)
  • 20s window after Invisibility is fully effective, very good timing required

Night Elf

• All Night Elf characters can use Shadowmeld to remove themselves from combat.
  • 2 minute cooldown
  • DoTs will break the effect.
  • AoEs which hit the night elf will also break the effect.
  • Does not always work. Occasionally, the boss//mobs will find them and kill them anyway.

Darkmoon Card: Twisting Nether

• The Darkmoon Card: Twisting Nether gives a 10% chance on death to offer a 'Twisting Nether' option to the holder.
  • If that person is not capable of resurrecting another party member, this doesn't help a lot for recovery.
  • It is a trinket and, as such, must be equipped when the person dies.
  • If it is equipped on a Shaman whose Reincarnation is currently not on cooldown, it will not proc.