The enigmatic, apostrophe-loving mantid remind me a bit of the aliens in the movie District 9 -- bug-like, unpleasant looking creatures that, despite appearing to be foreign and strange, harbor the same kinds of emotions and instincts as humans. And while the mantid don't have large puppy dog eyes to draw our sympathy like the prawns, they do have a rich and complicated history that simultaneously invokes sympathy and uncertainty.

The Klaxxi are fighting a war against their own people, attempting to restore sanity to the mantid by dethroning their fear-driven queen, while being regarded as heretics by the remaining dominated legions of their kin -- but can we really trust them? Our alliance with the Klaxxi may simply be a marriage of convenience, and as soon as the empress is dealt with and their house is in order the re-unified mantid may turn their sights back to the pandaren, and us.

For now, however, there are a few "evil" mantid champions that need to be dispatched, all of which share the following abilities:

• Blade Flurry – The bug will wildly jab and prod in a cone in front of itself, dealing massive damage to anyone caught in its swath.
• Tornado – Summons a tornado that travels in a circular path, triggering Harsh Winds for any players that get too close.
• Windsong – Buffs the mantid's attack and movement speeds and makes it immune to snares and roots.

To squash these bugs, lots of room will be required as you will need to keep clear of any tornadoes that spawn. Ranged classes will find kiting to be near impossible while Windsong is up, meaning that the majority of this fight will have to be conducted within melee range, unless you have a tank chum. Run through the mob when he begins to cast Blade Flurry if you're in melee range, otherwise just get the heck out of there.

You will find these buzzing bandits in the following zones:

• Gar'lok – Found in Dread Wastes, drops Eternal Warrior's Sigil.
• Kal'tik the Blight – Found in Vale of Eternal Blossoms, drops Bottled Tornado.
• Krax'ik – Found in Jade Forest, drops Needlefang Throatripper.
• Lith'ik the Stalker – Found in Townlong Steppes, drops Big Bag of Jewels.
• Nal'lak the Ripper – Found in Valley of Four Winds, drops Dynasty of Steel.
• Ski'thik – Found in Kun-Lai Summit, drops Rod of Ambershaping.
• Torik-Ethis – Found in Krasarang Wilds, drops Torik-Ethis' Bloodied Legguards.

Good hunting!

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Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.

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Tags: mantid, mists-of-pandaria, mists-of-pandaria-rares, rare, rare-spawns

Filed under: Mists of Pandaria