The Draigoch raid was added with the Rise of Isengard expansion, and it has become fairly popular. I've attempted this fight 4 times and completed it twice.
Originally, the instance was intended to be released with the May 2011 update (Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador), but was pushed back because of technical issues.
The back story for the raid is that Draigoch is one of the remaining Great Dragons of Middle Earth, and he's worshiped by the Dunlending tribes.
Although the raid is related to the Rise of Isengard, Draigoch's lair is actually located in Enedwaith. It's in the far east, beyond the Serpent Halls in Thror's Combe (the landscape beyond the Mysterious Relic has changed: there was previously a wall, which has been removed. There is now a valley in the Misty Mountains, with an entrance into the lair. Be forewarned: the area is patrolled by level 75 Dunlendings, so players who are on-level with Enedwaith should exercise caution.
The raid becomes available at level 75, but requires a prerequisite quest that starts in Galtrev. Once you've discovered the lair, you can enter and attempt to defeat the dragon.
The raid can be completed on Tier 1 or Tier 2. Tier 2 is available if the raid has 13-24 players, and Tier 1 is available if the raid has 12 or fewer players. The game automatically sets the tier, and there is no difference in the fight. Completing T2 grants the title "Born From Ashes". Completing T1 grants the title, "Bathed in Fire"
There is also a challenge. There are a series of 12 special Fellowship Maneuvers that do special damage to the dragon. The challenge is to complete all 12 in the raid; for this reason, the group should include a Burglar, who can reliably trip the FMs. Completing the challenge grants the title "Manoeuvre Master".
The idea of the raid is to start with 24 people to learn the mechanics and gradually whittle the group to 12. However, most people just jump in with 12. It is possible to complete the three deeds (T1, T2, and Challenge) in one raid. Completing the three deeds grants the title "The Red".
Now, for a discussion of the fight.
When you first enter the lair, you run down a passage. Draigoch senses your intrusion, and flies up, looking through openings in the walls. If he spots you, he breathes fire through the opening - and you're instantly dead. At the end of the passage, there's an opening covered with a thin bit of rock. Once enough people stand on this capstone, it breaks (stopping Draigoch from firing on other folks in the opening passage) and the groups falls into Draigoch's Lair proper.
The group splits into two parts: a DPS group and a tank group. The tank group contains a tank and a healer. The DPS group contains everyone else. You don't fight Draigoch as a whole, but deal with his individual parts: head, paws, and body. Since the raid is split into 2 groups of six, there will be 4 members who are strictly DPS; the other six includes a burglar, and should handle the Fellowship Maneuvers.
The tank manages the dragon's head, and the DPS group deals with the four paws. There are 3 phases to the fight. Phase 1 and 2 are similar, with the group running around a series of corridors on the outskirts of the dragon's horde. He periodically switches position, and the group has to follow along. The tank usually calls out the direction the group must take.
Once the paws are defeated, Draigoch falls to the floor, and his body become vulnerable. This is when the burglar can trip the FMs. Once he recovers, the group must run back to the safety of the corridors and the fight repeats itself.
Originally, the instance was intended to be released with the May 2011 update (Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador), but was pushed back because of technical issues.
The back story for the raid is that Draigoch is one of the remaining Great Dragons of Middle Earth, and he's worshiped by the Dunlending tribes.
Although the raid is related to the Rise of Isengard, Draigoch's lair is actually located in Enedwaith. It's in the far east, beyond the Serpent Halls in Thror's Combe (the landscape beyond the Mysterious Relic has changed: there was previously a wall, which has been removed. There is now a valley in the Misty Mountains, with an entrance into the lair. Be forewarned: the area is patrolled by level 75 Dunlendings, so players who are on-level with Enedwaith should exercise caution.
The raid becomes available at level 75, but requires a prerequisite quest that starts in Galtrev. Once you've discovered the lair, you can enter and attempt to defeat the dragon.
The raid can be completed on Tier 1 or Tier 2. Tier 2 is available if the raid has 13-24 players, and Tier 1 is available if the raid has 12 or fewer players. The game automatically sets the tier, and there is no difference in the fight. Completing T2 grants the title "Born From Ashes". Completing T1 grants the title, "Bathed in Fire"
There is also a challenge. There are a series of 12 special Fellowship Maneuvers that do special damage to the dragon. The challenge is to complete all 12 in the raid; for this reason, the group should include a Burglar, who can reliably trip the FMs. Completing the challenge grants the title "Manoeuvre Master".
The idea of the raid is to start with 24 people to learn the mechanics and gradually whittle the group to 12. However, most people just jump in with 12. It is possible to complete the three deeds (T1, T2, and Challenge) in one raid. Completing the three deeds grants the title "The Red".
Now, for a discussion of the fight.
When you first enter the lair, you run down a passage. Draigoch senses your intrusion, and flies up, looking through openings in the walls. If he spots you, he breathes fire through the opening - and you're instantly dead. At the end of the passage, there's an opening covered with a thin bit of rock. Once enough people stand on this capstone, it breaks (stopping Draigoch from firing on other folks in the opening passage) and the groups falls into Draigoch's Lair proper.
The group splits into two parts: a DPS group and a tank group. The tank group contains a tank and a healer. The DPS group contains everyone else. You don't fight Draigoch as a whole, but deal with his individual parts: head, paws, and body. Since the raid is split into 2 groups of six, there will be 4 members who are strictly DPS; the other six includes a burglar, and should handle the Fellowship Maneuvers.
The tank manages the dragon's head, and the DPS group deals with the four paws. There are 3 phases to the fight. Phase 1 and 2 are similar, with the group running around a series of corridors on the outskirts of the dragon's horde. He periodically switches position, and the group has to follow along. The tank usually calls out the direction the group must take.
Once the paws are defeated, Draigoch falls to the floor, and his body become vulnerable. This is when the burglar can trip the FMs. Once he recovers, the group must run back to the safety of the corridors and the fight repeats itself.
Phase 2 adds additional mechanics, but it mostly affects the tank group. The DPS group repeats their efforts from Phase 1. Obviously, I've never tanked the fight, so I'm not sure what the mechanics are.
In Phase 3, the group moves onto the treasure horde. Again, it's a repeat: the DPS group takes on each paw, until he falls to the floor. Because of certain bugs, it is generally not a good idea to trip FMs during this phase. This phase can be chaotic, and being out of position can mean death. The gold is on fire, and Draigoch periodically leaps up, and the group has to stand on a certain spot. There's also a lot of distributed damage, so the group must be standing on top of one another (this is true during the entire fight - it is a good idea to mark your DPS lead, and then everyone can move on top of the marked individual. The more tightly grouped the DPS folks are, the less likely anyone will die).
In Phase 3, the group moves onto the treasure horde. Again, it's a repeat: the DPS group takes on each paw, until he falls to the floor. Because of certain bugs, it is generally not a good idea to trip FMs during this phase. This phase can be chaotic, and being out of position can mean death. The gold is on fire, and Draigoch periodically leaps up, and the group has to stand on a certain spot. There's also a lot of distributed damage, so the group must be standing on top of one another (this is true during the entire fight - it is a good idea to mark your DPS lead, and then everyone can move on top of the marked individual. The more tightly grouped the DPS folks are, the less likely anyone will die).
I found the fight to be fairly choreographed. With the right group leader, it's fairly easy to complete, but it is an endurance fight. You're only out of combat for around 30 seconds at a time - there are no breaks long enough to allow you to grab food or to go to the bathroom. The key is to listen, move when you're told to move, and stay as close together as possible.
The rewards, however, are worth it. There's an amazing cloak, not to mention a Worn Symbol or Celebrimbor (in addition to one for completing the deed).
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