Ahn'kahet
Project Lore Editor
Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom is the second and final part of the Azjol-Nerub set of instances. Located in western Dragonblight, Ahn'kahet is reccommended for level 73-75 characters. It contains many types of enemies, including undead, spiders, giants, elementals, and humanoids. It has four bosses and an additional boss on heroic mode bringing the total to five. As such, it is a much longer instance than Azjol-Nerub. As with all Wrath of the Lich King instances, heroic mode is available once a character is level 80.
Ahn'kahet is mostly straight forward. Initially, groups will enter through the main archway, and can then choose to go either left or right once inside the small structure. Both directions lead to the first boss, and both have about the same amount of trash. If heading left, continue outside of the walled structure and turn to the right to head to the small stairway that heads up to the next archway in the wall. Here you will see the first boss in the instance, Elder Nadox.
Once Nadox is dead, go through the archway to the left (facing his spawn point from the room he was in) down the stairway. Here you will see a couple of platforms with crystals that you must deactivate by right clicking on them in order to engage the second boss. Clear your way to these, watching for fast moving patrols on the ground level. Use the crystals and head up the stairway to where Prince Taldaram awaits.
Once Taldaram is taken care of, go through the small door behind where he was standing and down the cave. Once you have emerged from the cave, you can jump off the platform to the left in order to go towards the optional extra boss that only spawns on heroic. His area also contains trash that drops an item to start a quest, and the quest is to kill more of the trash. This item is available on both normal and heroic mode, so if you have not yet done the quest head down and do it even if you are on normal mode. If you are on heroic mode, clear most of the trash and engage Amanitar.
Once you have finished with the fungal area, head back to where you came from. Coming from the platform, pick either the left or right side and head along the pool to Jedoga Shadowseeker. Be careful with some of these pulls, because you can easily be overwhelmed with adds if you aren't careful. Once the platform that she is hovering over is cleared, she will land and engage your party.
Head back along the pool and head to the large ramp upwards that leads to the final boss, Herald Volazj. Again, some of the pulls can be a little tricky on the way up, so take some time to avoid pulling adds. The faceless ones are all single pulls and are very straightforward kills. Next, get ready for Herald Volazj.
The main idea here is to kill the Ahn'kahar Guardians as quickly as possible. As soon as your party sees the boss emote that signals its arrival, have the tank pick it up and the DPS burn it down. During this time swarmers may get out of control, so clean them up before returning to the boss.
No strategy changes here.
When Prince Taldaram spawns the flame spheres, be sure to avoid them, of course. When he vanishes, it can be useful to stack up on one spot so that the melee DPS can immediately engage him when he starts casting Embrace of the Vampyr.
No major changes on heroic, the same strategy can be used.
Upon engaging Amanitar, many mushrooms will spawn around the area, both Healthy Mushrooms and Poisonous Mushrooms. They will continuously spawn and despawn about every 30 seconds. Avoid killing the poisonous ones, as they will spawn a poison cloud. Stay near the healthy ones and kill them to gain a damage buff. Other than that, be very careful if the tank gets Mini, since it will drastically increase the amount of damage taken.
Three time throughout the fight (at 25% intervals) Jedoga will become immune to all damage and will float into the air. At this time she calls for a volunteer to step forward. If the volunteer reaches her and she is able to drain from it, Jedoga will gain Gift of the Herald, which increases her damage by 200%. It is imperative that the DPS kills the volunteer as quickly as possible, since for lesser geared groups, this buff can mean a wipe. It is possible to kite her in the event that she does get the buff, but try to avoid it at all costs.
All damage increased. Party members need to be extra careful with Cyclone Strike and Thundershock, and run out immediately to avoid them.
This is one of the most unique fights in Wrath of the Lich King. The key here is to get through the insanity phases. Each party member will have four enemies to kill, assuming a full party. All forms of crowd control will work against the enemies and the healer should be killed first or crowd controlled and saved for last. AoE classes can often group the enemies up and AoE them down, as they do not have excessive health. Once you have killed all four enemies that you see, you will join another party member's vision if they have not finished yet.
No major changes, but all damage and health is increased.
Azjol Nerub is the kingdom of the Nerubians, who were conquered by the Lich King when he came to Northrend. Ahn'kahet is a deeper area that contains many mysteries such as the Faceless Ones, who are servants to the Old Gods. These types of enemies are also encountered deep underneath the Icecrown Citadel. Jedoga Shadowseeker is a leader of the Twilight Hammer, a cult that worships Old Gods. Yogg Saron, an Old God, is imprisoned in Northrend, inside Ulduar. What could all of this mean?
Ahn'kahet is mostly straight forward. Initially, groups will enter through the main archway, and can then choose to go either left or right once inside the small structure. Both directions lead to the first boss, and both have about the same amount of trash. If heading left, continue outside of the walled structure and turn to the right to head to the small stairway that heads up to the next archway in the wall. Here you will see the first boss in the instance, Elder Nadox.
Once Nadox is dead, go through the archway to the left (facing his spawn point from the room he was in) down the stairway. Here you will see a couple of platforms with crystals that you must deactivate by right clicking on them in order to engage the second boss. Clear your way to these, watching for fast moving patrols on the ground level. Use the crystals and head up the stairway to where Prince Taldaram awaits.
Once Taldaram is taken care of, go through the small door behind where he was standing and down the cave. Once you have emerged from the cave, you can jump off the platform to the left in order to go towards the optional extra boss that only spawns on heroic. His area also contains trash that drops an item to start a quest, and the quest is to kill more of the trash. This item is available on both normal and heroic mode, so if you have not yet done the quest head down and do it even if you are on normal mode. If you are on heroic mode, clear most of the trash and engage Amanitar.
Once you have finished with the fungal area, head back to where you came from. Coming from the platform, pick either the left or right side and head along the pool to Jedoga Shadowseeker. Be careful with some of these pulls, because you can easily be overwhelmed with adds if you aren't careful. Once the platform that she is hovering over is cleared, she will land and engage your party.
Head back along the pool and head to the large ramp upwards that leads to the final boss, Herald Volazj. Again, some of the pulls can be a little tricky on the way up, so take some time to avoid pulling adds. The faceless ones are all single pulls and are very straightforward kills. Next, get ready for Herald Volazj.
Elder Nadox
Abilities
- Blood Plague is disease cast on the main tank. Cleansable, so do so if possible. Otherwise not bad to heal through.
- Summons non-elite Ahn'kahet Swarmers. Kill them in AoE
- Summons Ahn'kahar Guardian - This will make all enemies in its line of sight immune to all damage until it is killed.
Strategy
The main idea here is to kill the Ahn'kahar Guardians as quickly as possible. As soon as your party sees the boss emote that signals its arrival, have the tank pick it up and the DPS burn it down. During this time swarmers may get out of control, so clean them up before returning to the boss.
Heroic
No strategy changes here.
Prince Taldaram
Abilities
- Conjure Flame Sphere - creates a moving ball above Prince Taldaram (three of them on Heroic mode) that will do AoE fire damage. Avoid these
- Vanish - He disappears. After a few seconds, he will re-appear behind a party member and start casting Embrace of the Vampyr. This does not clear DoTs that he has recieved.
- Embrace of the Vampyr - Immobilizes the person it is cast on and drains their life until Prince Taldaram takes 20,000 damage (40,000 on heroic). On heroic mode, this also reduces all healing recieved by the victim by 100%, so it is up to the DPS to break his target out of the embrace. Paladin's Divine Shield and Mage's Ice Block will free them from the effect.
Strategy
When Prince Taldaram spawns the flame spheres, be sure to avoid them, of course. When he vanishes, it can be useful to stack up on one spot so that the melee DPS can immediately engage him when he starts casting Embrace of the Vampyr.
Heroic
No major changes on heroic, the same strategy can be used.
Amanitar (Heroic Only)
Abilities
Strategy
Upon engaging Amanitar, many mushrooms will spawn around the area, both Healthy Mushrooms and Poisonous Mushrooms. They will continuously spawn and despawn about every 30 seconds. Avoid killing the poisonous ones, as they will spawn a poison cloud. Stay near the healthy ones and kill them to gain a damage buff. Other than that, be very careful if the tank gets Mini, since it will drastically increase the amount of damage taken.
Jedoga Shadowseeker
Abilities
- Cyclone Strike - Melee ranged whirlwind like ability. On heroic, low health melee will want to run out of it
- Thundershock - places a Nature AoE under the targeted party member. Anyone in the area should run out, it looks like a shaman's Thunderstorm ability on the ground, but lasts longer.
Strategy
Three time throughout the fight (at 25% intervals) Jedoga will become immune to all damage and will float into the air. At this time she calls for a volunteer to step forward. If the volunteer reaches her and she is able to drain from it, Jedoga will gain Gift of the Herald, which increases her damage by 200%. It is imperative that the DPS kills the volunteer as quickly as possible, since for lesser geared groups, this buff can mean a wipe. It is possible to kite her in the event that she does get the buff, but try to avoid it at all costs.
Heroic
All damage increased. Party members need to be extra careful with Cyclone Strike and Thundershock, and run out immediately to avoid them.
Herald Volazj
Abilities
- Insanity: Causes all party members to see individual hostile versions of their allies. These enemies should be killed, and once killed the party member can aid others in killing their visions.
- Mind Flay: Cast on the tank throughout the fight, it can be spell reflected for a good amount of damage on the boss.
- Shadow Bolt Volley - AoE shadow damage
- Shiver
Strategy
This is one of the most unique fights in Wrath of the Lich King. The key here is to get through the insanity phases. Each party member will have four enemies to kill, assuming a full party. All forms of crowd control will work against the enemies and the healer should be killed first or crowd controlled and saved for last. AoE classes can often group the enemies up and AoE them down, as they do not have excessive health. Once you have killed all four enemies that you see, you will join another party member's vision if they have not finished yet.
Heroic
No major changes, but all damage and health is increased.
Lore
Azjol Nerub is the kingdom of the Nerubians, who were conquered by the Lich King when he came to Northrend. Ahn'kahet is a deeper area that contains many mysteries such as the Faceless Ones, who are servants to the Old Gods. These types of enemies are also encountered deep underneath the Icecrown Citadel. Jedoga Shadowseeker is a leader of the Twilight Hammer, a cult that worships Old Gods. Yogg Saron, an Old God, is imprisoned in Northrend, inside Ulduar. What could all of this mean?
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