I necro tanked this with 80 necro, 80 chanter and 80 wizard with 3 cleric merc on Vaniki. I can confirm project Iksar illusion is the key. Clicky Skele illusion (AoN) did NOT work.
Mercs can cast thru walls. Someone told me to park team on other side of wall, agro it, and just let merc nuke it to death.
I haven't tried this, cuz I just burn him where he stands. Mercs usually die, and one of my team usually bites it, when they get the blob man illusion dot on them. Once, we all died ... and no update, which sucks. Oh and I've tried him with everyone illusioned and the dot went right thru it, and I've done it without illusions and the dot never hit us. I've done this one about ~20 times or so. Once I saw illusions didn't block it, I haven't tried illusions since.
Confirmed - still works as of 7 / 27 / 2011 - literally JUST finnished this and as chanter i had to project illusion on everyone. . wont work on mercs though.
no longer can u put up a illusion and have the AE blocked.... will still go through with any kind of illusion.... ench/clicky/shaman wolf/druid.... none of them.... have tried them all.... none work
His AE does not hit you if you have an illusion on, the illusion component can't overwrite I think. I projected illusions onto party members and each of us was immune to the AE after that. The mercs were still hit, and I tried it with both NDT and Boon of the Garou for them since I can't project normal illusions onto them, be forewarned on their behalf. The fight became much easier after that. :-)
I can agree 100% with the above statement. My group was this with illys they had on: 88 Shadowknight - Froglok Clicky 86 Shaman - Dark Elf Clicky 87 Warrior - Dark Elf Clicky 87 Necro - Lich Spell *HE GOT THE DOT* T5 Merc(SK) - Dotted T5 Merc(War) - Dotted
Seriously though if you dot, and spot heal the fight is not even worth the worry.
Appears that it must be a clicky illusion. I cast Group Pact of the wolf with my shammy just before engage and everyone but the bard got the dot (bard had clicky air elemental illusion on)