Entries in Lore (80)
Patch 3.3: The Lich King Is Out, Now What?
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[caption id="attachment_8982" align="alignright" width="251" caption="The Beginning Of The End"]
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Patch day is always a day spent killing time. We'll chew the fat on Ventrilo, play other games or twiddle our thumbs as we watch out download or install complete, wait for guildies to do the same, or do the return from the dead server resurrection spell. Basically, a ton of crap can, and usually does, go wrong. That's why whenever a major patch comes out I write the day off as a complete loss. Instead of expecting to play, I spend my free time getting in the mindset of the +1 increment to the patch version.
I am lucky enough to have a crew of solid players to run the new 5-man dungeon (or the threesome of 5-mans if you look at it that way) with. But like the 101st Airborne, we've had our sticks spread in the wind. No more than two people of the large group of friends (each with at least two geared level 80s) are in the same guild. Before I can begin hunting the Lich King, I must remedy my guild situation by hooking up with one of my many friends. I can't believe I'll be joining my fourth guild since Wrath of the Lich King launched.
Something far more fun to do during the downtime is to learn exactly who this Lich King fellow is. What did he do to deserve our absolute hatred? What foul acts did he commit that could join the Horde and Alliance together to fight a common enemy (again)? If you're scratching your head at the difference between the Lich King, Arthas and Ner'zhul, then you have a lot of reading to do. Here are some helpful links.
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Patch day is always a day spent killing time. We'll chew the fat on Ventrilo, play other games or twiddle our thumbs as we watch out download or install complete, wait for guildies to do the same, or do the return from the dead server resurrection spell. Basically, a ton of crap can, and usually does, go wrong. That's why whenever a major patch comes out I write the day off as a complete loss. Instead of expecting to play, I spend my free time getting in the mindset of the +1 increment to the patch version.
I am lucky enough to have a crew of solid players to run the new 5-man dungeon (or the threesome of 5-mans if you look at it that way) with. But like the 101st Airborne, we've had our sticks spread in the wind. No more than two people of the large group of friends (each with at least two geared level 80s) are in the same guild. Before I can begin hunting the Lich King, I must remedy my guild situation by hooking up with one of my many friends. I can't believe I'll be joining my fourth guild since Wrath of the Lich King launched.
Something far more fun to do during the downtime is to learn exactly who this Lich King fellow is. What did he do to deserve our absolute hatred? What foul acts did he commit that could join the Horde and Alliance together to fight a common enemy (again)? If you're scratching your head at the difference between the Lich King, Arthas and Ner'zhul, then you have a lot of reading to do. Here are some helpful links.
- Arthas Menethil - A quick synopsis from yours truly on Arthas. It was one of my early articles for PL, coming before Wrath launched, so we have learned a lot more about Arthas since then.
- Arthas Menethil - WoWWiki's article will complete the discussion for you.
- Arthas' & The Lich King's Enemies - A synopsis of who has beef with the frosty one. This article leads perfectly to...
- How Do You Want Arthas To Die? - Should he die? Then who gets to kill him? Is Arthas capable of redemption? Or will his soul be banished forever?
- Arthas: Rise of the Lich King - I'll stop short of reading the novel again, but if you haven't read it already, now is the perfect time to dive into the best Warcraft-branded book.
- Ner'zhul - The original Lich King, betrayer of the Burning Legion and tempter of Arthas. This orc started it all (and is no longer with us in body or spirit).
ICC Rogues' Gallery: Halls of Reflection
After conquering the Pit of Saron, you enter the final wing in the new 5-man dungeons. Halls of Reflection is the mysterious chamber where the wretched blade Frostmourne is held when it is not by the Lich King's side. And why would that be? Some have speculated that the sword is an entity of ancient evil unto itself. Levitating as it does over a pile of skulls while spiritual energy swirls around it, it's distinctively otherworldly. Perhaps even the Lich King wishes to maintain his distance from its influence at times.
Regardless of the reason, it is here you must travel to learn some of Arthas' deepest secrets. But said knowledge comes at a price, for the Lich King will not let you get away so easily.
Falric and Marwyn -- Heartbourne wrote a nice, lengthy piece on this pair which you I urge you to read if you want to know more about them, but it boils down to this: Falric and Marwyn are the Lich King's right-hand men. They served him when he was still Arthas, mowing down the innocent citizens of Lordaeron, and became his first two Death Knights when he was turned. In some ways, it's a bit of a disservice that they're relegated to stone-walling you in a 5-man dungeon, but they nonetheless serve an important roles as guards of the Scourge's most important artifact.
After an in-game cinematic event taking place in Frostmourne's chamber, the Lich King recovers the blade and commands Falric and Marwyn to do away with the intrunders (that's you, naturally). You will have to suffer through five waves of spectral guardians, who seem to mimic the basic Human units found in Warcraft III (both in dress and function), before you can Falric. This, alone, can be tricky if your tank isn't able to wrangle up the caster mobs who often appear across the room. It's easiest to stand in the hallway just outside the chamber and have the tank stand out front since the mobs will aggro to whoever is closest when they activate.
Falric is all about making you feel depressed, and without any bottles of Xanax on hand, you're just going to have to fight your way through it. Quivering strike is a melee attack that will reduce the tank's dodge chance by 20%, but the entire party should be on the lookout for the rest of his abilities. Impending Despair will cause an individual player to cower for 6 seconds (unless dispelled), while Defiling Horror will send everyone running for four as 2500-4000 damage ticks every second.
Finally, there's Hopelessness, which reduces your party's healing and damage done by 20/40/60% for each quarter of health Falric loses. Once you kill him, you only have a moment's respite before dealing with five more waves of spectral guardians and, finally, Marwyn.
Marwyn thinks it's better to corrupt the flesh than the mind and his abilities reflect as much. First, there's Well of Corruption, a void-zone-like effect that increases shadow damage taken by those who stand in it. He will also cast Corrupted Flesh, which can reduce nearby players' maximum health by 25% (50% on Heroic) for approximately 10 seconds. This means that tanks, especially, should be aware of Obliterate which can deal 20-30k damage when used.
The other thing your party needs to watch out for is Shared Suffering, which deals a significant amount of damage over time, the remainder of which will be shared amongst party members if you try to remove or dispell it.
With Arthas' closest confidants defeated, the doors open and you are free to proceed down the hallway.
The Escape -- The Escape is an interesting event which I don't want to spoil very much, but this is the first time in the game you're really able to go blow-to-blow with the Lich King. Of course, even if you can target and attack him, I wouldn't recommend it. He'll one-shot just about anybody who gets within range and with nowhere to go but the precipitous ridge outside, you'll have to hold off waves of attackers as your faction's hero (Jaina or Sylvanas) clears the way forward.
Meanwhile, the Lich King lumbers slowly towards you with his sword drawn. If he gets close, you can kiss your party goodbye when he casts Fury of Frostmourne, dealing a whopping 1 million damage to all players. However, if you do manage to escape, be prepared for a really cool cinematic event straight out of the best action movies!
And that's it. You're done until you decide to venture into Icecrown Citadel, itself. With the 5-man dungeons of the Frozen Halls now out in the wild you can experience all of these encounters for yourself! Enjoy!
Falric and Marwyn -- Heartbourne wrote a nice, lengthy piece on this pair which you I urge you to read if you want to know more about them, but it boils down to this: Falric and Marwyn are the Lich King's right-hand men. They served him when he was still Arthas, mowing down the innocent citizens of Lordaeron, and became his first two Death Knights when he was turned. In some ways, it's a bit of a disservice that they're relegated to stone-walling you in a 5-man dungeon, but they nonetheless serve an important roles as guards of the Scourge's most important artifact.
After an in-game cinematic event taking place in Frostmourne's chamber, the Lich King recovers the blade and commands Falric and Marwyn to do away with the intrunders (that's you, naturally). You will have to suffer through five waves of spectral guardians, who seem to mimic the basic Human units found in Warcraft III (both in dress and function), before you can Falric. This, alone, can be tricky if your tank isn't able to wrangle up the caster mobs who often appear across the room. It's easiest to stand in the hallway just outside the chamber and have the tank stand out front since the mobs will aggro to whoever is closest when they activate.
Falric is all about making you feel depressed, and without any bottles of Xanax on hand, you're just going to have to fight your way through it. Quivering strike is a melee attack that will reduce the tank's dodge chance by 20%, but the entire party should be on the lookout for the rest of his abilities. Impending Despair will cause an individual player to cower for 6 seconds (unless dispelled), while Defiling Horror will send everyone running for four as 2500-4000 damage ticks every second.
Finally, there's Hopelessness, which reduces your party's healing and damage done by 20/40/60% for each quarter of health Falric loses. Once you kill him, you only have a moment's respite before dealing with five more waves of spectral guardians and, finally, Marwyn.
Marwyn thinks it's better to corrupt the flesh than the mind and his abilities reflect as much. First, there's Well of Corruption, a void-zone-like effect that increases shadow damage taken by those who stand in it. He will also cast Corrupted Flesh, which can reduce nearby players' maximum health by 25% (50% on Heroic) for approximately 10 seconds. This means that tanks, especially, should be aware of Obliterate which can deal 20-30k damage when used.
The other thing your party needs to watch out for is Shared Suffering, which deals a significant amount of damage over time, the remainder of which will be shared amongst party members if you try to remove or dispell it.
With Arthas' closest confidants defeated, the doors open and you are free to proceed down the hallway.
The Escape -- The Escape is an interesting event which I don't want to spoil very much, but this is the first time in the game you're really able to go blow-to-blow with the Lich King. Of course, even if you can target and attack him, I wouldn't recommend it. He'll one-shot just about anybody who gets within range and with nowhere to go but the precipitous ridge outside, you'll have to hold off waves of attackers as your faction's hero (Jaina or Sylvanas) clears the way forward.
Meanwhile, the Lich King lumbers slowly towards you with his sword drawn. If he gets close, you can kiss your party goodbye when he casts Fury of Frostmourne, dealing a whopping 1 million damage to all players. However, if you do manage to escape, be prepared for a really cool cinematic event straight out of the best action movies!
And that's it. You're done until you decide to venture into Icecrown Citadel, itself. With the 5-man dungeons of the Frozen Halls now out in the wild you can experience all of these encounters for yourself! Enjoy!
ICC Rogues' Gallery: Pit of Saron
After conquering the Forge of Souls, a portal leads you into the shivering, frosty air of the Pit of Saron. Considering that this is largely an outside dungeon, one might wonder why the Lich King's saronite mining operation doesn't seem to appear on the overworld. Shouldn't you have been able to fly right over it before? Oh well, it wouldn't be the first time Blizzard's played spatial shenanigans with Azeroth, especially where dungeons are concerned.
Three terrible bosses stand before you and the final wing of the Frozen Halls. Can you defeat them and rescue the princess?
Forgemaster Garfrost -- The main section of the Pit of Saron is shaped roughly like a giant triangle, with you entering at the top. The path to the left leads to Krick and Ick, but in my experience on the PTR, most groups follow the one to the right and tackle Garfrost first. Feel free to ignore the giant, floating, demonic skull in the center of the pit as you clear your way to the boss. It may look creepy, but it poses no threat to your party.
It's hard to imagine that Garfrost is a "Forgemaster" of any sort, as surely any tools of the size seen here would just end up all fumbly in his boulder-sized fists. Big, dumb, and brutish does not exactly inspire confidence in the production of fine weapons and armor. But what this twenty-foot-tall abomination is good at is hauling around gigantic chunks of Saronite pulled out of the mine.
And he's not afraid to hurl them at you if you get too close. Utilizing this mechanic correctly is the crux of winning the fight against the Forgemaster. You see, Garfrost constantly pulses an area-of-effect debuff called Permafrost that causes (what else?) Frost damage to stack up on your party members. Every once in awhile, he'll target a player and toss some Saronite their way, which you want to avoid at first because it deals damage when it lands. But once it has done so, using the boulder as cover for a few seconds will allow Permafrost to wear off until you step out from behind it again.
In short, there's really no way to completely avoid Permafrost, but when the stacks get too high, you need to put a rock between yourself and the boss or the healer is going to have a hell of a time keeping up.
At 66%, he enters phase two, in which he will leap over to one of his forges and create a weapon that gives him increased Frost damage. He also earns the ability to send a wave of icy cold water in a cone in front of him.
At 33%, he'll repeat the process and forge a mace that enhances his damage even further, and he'll begin to use Deep Freeze, which slows the movement speed of a chosen target and deals massive Frost Damage after about 14 seconds.
Kill Garfrost and the slaves you rescued along the way will join you and arm themselves with the leftovers.
Krick and Ick -- Make your way along the far-side of the pit and under the cliff, towards the domain of the next boss. Krick is a wormy, little leper gnome sporting a Dayglo pink mohawk, who commands his minions from atop his mount: an unsurprisingly witless zombie named Ick. Together, they oversee the Scourge who haul things to and from the mining pit.
This is not an exceptionally difficult fight as long as you remember to keep moving. Nearly every ability that this diabolical duo has requires you to dance around the battlefield.
The pair will randomly pursue players from time to time, and if you've ever done the Big Bad Wolf version of the Opera Event, you'll be familiar with the tactics required here. Of course, this being a 5-man boss instead of a raid one, Ick is not nearly as fast as his lupine counterpart, but if he does reach you, it could still spell instant death.
Between pursuitis, Ick will cast poison-based spells. One causes the wretched goo to appear on the ground under players (hint: stay out of it, the tank should also probably be kiting the boss around) and the other is a nova-type spell meaning that everyone should be running out of range.
Occasionally Krick will become fed up with his zombie pal's incompetence and decide to get in on the action by, in typical Gnome fashion, conjuring up a menagerie of mines that will randomly spawn for several seconds in the area. They start as small bubbles on the ground and continually grow until they pop, causing damage. Since they have a slightly larger range than the graphic implies, it's hard to completely avoid getting hit, but you can still minimize the pain by paying attention to where they spawn and moving away from the larger groups.
Once Ick is felled, you can practically one-shot Krick, who will give up the secret location of Frostmourne before he perishes (or, in the Horde's case, is force-strangled by Sylvanas!).
Scourgelord Tyrannus -- Blizzard had big plans for the Lich King with Wrath. They realized they had made a mistake with Illidan in Burning Crusade, who stayed holed up in Black Temple and refused to engage the player more than once or twice until they entered his inner sanctum. As a result, you come face-to-face with Arthas multiple times and even delve into his back-story as you quest and raid your way throughout Northrend. Scourgelord Tyrannus serves as a sort of microcosm of this philosophy, as he taunts you from the beginning of the Pit of Saron to the very end. As a result, you really want to give him a good old sock in the jaw once you confront him on the precipice overlooking the mine.
Unfortunately, Tyrannus is not that much of a challenge. While he does have a few tricks up his sleeve, it's fairly easy to tank-and-spank this fight with a minimum of kiting due to the Scourgelord's Frostwyrm mount, Rimefang, spitting ice from above. You just have to make sure your healer is up to the challenge. If not, then you should strategize more effectively as I detail below.
Tyrannus' abilities are primarily focused on dealing extra damage to the tank. He hits relatively hard for a 5-man dungeon boss, and that only increases when he is Empowered (increases damage by 75-100%, depending on difficulty) or uses Forceful Smash, which can cause a sudden, massive spike in damage. Just as well, Overlord's Brand will be cast on random players. If those players are DPS, their hits will be mirrored onto the tank, and if those players are healers, their spells will also affect the boss for the duration of the debuff. Needless to say, if you're a damage-dealer suffering from Overlord's Brand, stop what you're doing because you might kill the tank.
Rimefang will fly around overhead, untargetable, shooting down frostbolts which leave icy patches on the ground. These patches can deal damage and reduce movement speed, but can also be used to slow down the Scourgelord while he is Empowered if you don't think the tank/healer can bear the brunt of it. Just as well, Tyrannus will occasionally command Rimefang to target a specific player, not long after which that player will be frozen for several seconds. It's important for this player to maintain his distance from others, or they will become entombed, as well.
Once you kill Tyrannus, Rimefang will fly away (don't worry, he'll get his later on in Icecrown Citadel).
With the knowledge of Frostmourne's location in hand, it's time to head off to the Halls of Reflection.
Forgemaster Garfrost -- The main section of the Pit of Saron is shaped roughly like a giant triangle, with you entering at the top. The path to the left leads to Krick and Ick, but in my experience on the PTR, most groups follow the one to the right and tackle Garfrost first. Feel free to ignore the giant, floating, demonic skull in the center of the pit as you clear your way to the boss. It may look creepy, but it poses no threat to your party.
It's hard to imagine that Garfrost is a "Forgemaster" of any sort, as surely any tools of the size seen here would just end up all fumbly in his boulder-sized fists. Big, dumb, and brutish does not exactly inspire confidence in the production of fine weapons and armor. But what this twenty-foot-tall abomination is good at is hauling around gigantic chunks of Saronite pulled out of the mine.
And he's not afraid to hurl them at you if you get too close. Utilizing this mechanic correctly is the crux of winning the fight against the Forgemaster. You see, Garfrost constantly pulses an area-of-effect debuff called Permafrost that causes (what else?) Frost damage to stack up on your party members. Every once in awhile, he'll target a player and toss some Saronite their way, which you want to avoid at first because it deals damage when it lands. But once it has done so, using the boulder as cover for a few seconds will allow Permafrost to wear off until you step out from behind it again.
In short, there's really no way to completely avoid Permafrost, but when the stacks get too high, you need to put a rock between yourself and the boss or the healer is going to have a hell of a time keeping up.
At 66%, he enters phase two, in which he will leap over to one of his forges and create a weapon that gives him increased Frost damage. He also earns the ability to send a wave of icy cold water in a cone in front of him.
At 33%, he'll repeat the process and forge a mace that enhances his damage even further, and he'll begin to use Deep Freeze, which slows the movement speed of a chosen target and deals massive Frost Damage after about 14 seconds.
Kill Garfrost and the slaves you rescued along the way will join you and arm themselves with the leftovers.
Krick and Ick -- Make your way along the far-side of the pit and under the cliff, towards the domain of the next boss. Krick is a wormy, little leper gnome sporting a Dayglo pink mohawk, who commands his minions from atop his mount: an unsurprisingly witless zombie named Ick. Together, they oversee the Scourge who haul things to and from the mining pit.
This is not an exceptionally difficult fight as long as you remember to keep moving. Nearly every ability that this diabolical duo has requires you to dance around the battlefield.
The pair will randomly pursue players from time to time, and if you've ever done the Big Bad Wolf version of the Opera Event, you'll be familiar with the tactics required here. Of course, this being a 5-man boss instead of a raid one, Ick is not nearly as fast as his lupine counterpart, but if he does reach you, it could still spell instant death.
Between pursuitis, Ick will cast poison-based spells. One causes the wretched goo to appear on the ground under players (hint: stay out of it, the tank should also probably be kiting the boss around) and the other is a nova-type spell meaning that everyone should be running out of range.
Occasionally Krick will become fed up with his zombie pal's incompetence and decide to get in on the action by, in typical Gnome fashion, conjuring up a menagerie of mines that will randomly spawn for several seconds in the area. They start as small bubbles on the ground and continually grow until they pop, causing damage. Since they have a slightly larger range than the graphic implies, it's hard to completely avoid getting hit, but you can still minimize the pain by paying attention to where they spawn and moving away from the larger groups.
Once Ick is felled, you can practically one-shot Krick, who will give up the secret location of Frostmourne before he perishes (or, in the Horde's case, is force-strangled by Sylvanas!).
Scourgelord Tyrannus -- Blizzard had big plans for the Lich King with Wrath. They realized they had made a mistake with Illidan in Burning Crusade, who stayed holed up in Black Temple and refused to engage the player more than once or twice until they entered his inner sanctum. As a result, you come face-to-face with Arthas multiple times and even delve into his back-story as you quest and raid your way throughout Northrend. Scourgelord Tyrannus serves as a sort of microcosm of this philosophy, as he taunts you from the beginning of the Pit of Saron to the very end. As a result, you really want to give him a good old sock in the jaw once you confront him on the precipice overlooking the mine.
Unfortunately, Tyrannus is not that much of a challenge. While he does have a few tricks up his sleeve, it's fairly easy to tank-and-spank this fight with a minimum of kiting due to the Scourgelord's Frostwyrm mount, Rimefang, spitting ice from above. You just have to make sure your healer is up to the challenge. If not, then you should strategize more effectively as I detail below.
Tyrannus' abilities are primarily focused on dealing extra damage to the tank. He hits relatively hard for a 5-man dungeon boss, and that only increases when he is Empowered (increases damage by 75-100%, depending on difficulty) or uses Forceful Smash, which can cause a sudden, massive spike in damage. Just as well, Overlord's Brand will be cast on random players. If those players are DPS, their hits will be mirrored onto the tank, and if those players are healers, their spells will also affect the boss for the duration of the debuff. Needless to say, if you're a damage-dealer suffering from Overlord's Brand, stop what you're doing because you might kill the tank.
Rimefang will fly around overhead, untargetable, shooting down frostbolts which leave icy patches on the ground. These patches can deal damage and reduce movement speed, but can also be used to slow down the Scourgelord while he is Empowered if you don't think the tank/healer can bear the brunt of it. Just as well, Tyrannus will occasionally command Rimefang to target a specific player, not long after which that player will be frozen for several seconds. It's important for this player to maintain his distance from others, or they will become entombed, as well.
Once you kill Tyrannus, Rimefang will fly away (don't worry, he'll get his later on in Icecrown Citadel).
With the knowledge of Frostmourne's location in hand, it's time to head off to the Halls of Reflection.
ICC Rogues' Gallery: Forge Of Souls
Welcome back to the Rogue's Gallery, readers! I know I said that I would wait until the next wing of the Icecrown Citadel raid dungeon was released to update this column, but I figured you might also want a quick run-down of the bosses found in the 5-man instances, as well. I'll be covering them over the next three days, hopefully leading into the release of Patch 3.3, itself.
As you're probably aware by now, these 5-mans need to be tackled in the proper order to progress. You can't access one without having cleared and completed the quests in the others before it, and the first place you must go is the Forge of Souls. The Forge is home to a pair of rather... interesting bosses who oversee the operation of the soul grinders that, well, grind souls. Why souls and how do they grind them? Who knows, but it sure sounds malevolent doesn't it?!
Bronjahm -- Who better to greet you at the doorstep of Icecrown Citadel than the jive-talking, boot-sliding Godfather of Souls? No, not James Brown, but you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference. Well, aside from being able to conjure up a giant storm of spirits, of course. While none of these bosses are going to truly tax players, it's still worth learning some of their tricks, and Bronjahm does have a handful up his sleeves. Everyone needs to be aware of his aforementioned Soulstorm ability, which creates a vortex of ectoplasmic turbulence dealing damage to anybody unlucky enough to wander into its path.
Soulstorm's area of effect is donut-shaped, meaning you want to stay in the "hole" near Bronjahm. This doesn't seem tough at first, but once you're there, he'll start fearing players left and right, sending them uncontrollably into the spiritual spiral. If there's a Shaman in the party, make sure they throw down a Tremor Totem.
Magic-users have even more to fear from the Godfather of Souls, whose heroic-mode skill Magic's Bane will cause anyone with in range to suffer the spell's normal damage plus that equal to half of the player's total mana. This ability should not kill anyone at max health, as it has an upper limit of 10,000 damage (15,000 on Heroic), but it can still cause some trouble.
The last thing you really need to look out for is Bronjahm's Corrupt Soul, which drains health from a random player and creates a gem that the boss can use to heal himself. DPS needs to kill the soul fragment as soon as possible.
Devourer of Souls -- While not quite as "comedic" as the Godfather, the Devourer of Souls is strange in its own special way. Based roughly on the Reliquary of Souls from Black Temple, this floating, three-faced monstrosity is probably one of the weirdest-looking bosses in the game.
As you might assume from the boss' design, she can quickly rotate between several different attack modes, meaning that players really need to be on their toes during this fight and change their strat accordingly. Here are the three principal abilities you need to watch out for:
Bronjahm -- Who better to greet you at the doorstep of Icecrown Citadel than the jive-talking, boot-sliding Godfather of Souls? No, not James Brown, but you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference. Well, aside from being able to conjure up a giant storm of spirits, of course. While none of these bosses are going to truly tax players, it's still worth learning some of their tricks, and Bronjahm does have a handful up his sleeves. Everyone needs to be aware of his aforementioned Soulstorm ability, which creates a vortex of ectoplasmic turbulence dealing damage to anybody unlucky enough to wander into its path.
Soulstorm's area of effect is donut-shaped, meaning you want to stay in the "hole" near Bronjahm. This doesn't seem tough at first, but once you're there, he'll start fearing players left and right, sending them uncontrollably into the spiritual spiral. If there's a Shaman in the party, make sure they throw down a Tremor Totem.
Magic-users have even more to fear from the Godfather of Souls, whose heroic-mode skill Magic's Bane will cause anyone with in range to suffer the spell's normal damage plus that equal to half of the player's total mana. This ability should not kill anyone at max health, as it has an upper limit of 10,000 damage (15,000 on Heroic), but it can still cause some trouble.
The last thing you really need to look out for is Bronjahm's Corrupt Soul, which drains health from a random player and creates a gem that the boss can use to heal himself. DPS needs to kill the soul fragment as soon as possible.
Devourer of Souls -- While not quite as "comedic" as the Godfather, the Devourer of Souls is strange in its own special way. Based roughly on the Reliquary of Souls from Black Temple, this floating, three-faced monstrosity is probably one of the weirdest-looking bosses in the game.
As you might assume from the boss' design, she can quickly rotate between several different attack modes, meaning that players really need to be on their toes during this fight and change their strat accordingly. Here are the three principal abilities you need to watch out for:
- Mirrored Soul: The Devourer will place a debuff on players that damages them as they DPS the boss. Unlike similar abilities, it seems that the damage done still hurts the mob, instead of merely being reflected.
- Unleash Souls: A pack of wraiths will be summoned to deal area-of-effect damage to players. The swarm doesn't hurt much, but they can't be targeted either, so it's imperative to run out of range if it becomes too much for the healer to handle.
- Wailing Souls: This laser-like "scream" will sweep the a portion of the room, causing high amounts of damage to anybody standing in front of the Devourer. This ability lasts for quite awhile, so make sure to get behind her and DPS away from the beam while you have the chance.
Icecrown Citadel To Feature Cinematic
Game Informer's Phil Kollar recently sat down to talk with Blizzard's Jeff Kaplan. Also known as Tigole, the former World of Warcraft Lead Game Designer actually spends most of his time on the company's next MMO project, but he nonetheless has some interesting experience to share. The four-page interview covers a lot of ground, and even though none of it is necessarily new, there is at least on pertinent piece of information we should be aware of going forward: we can expect to see another Wrathgate-style cinematic event play out somewhere in Icecrown Citadel!
"Cutscenes will always be something that we use sparingly, yes. We never want to interrupt gameplay too frequently or for too long of a period of time. The Wrathgate cutscene was a big experiment for us. It was our first foray into in-game cutscenes in World of Warcraft. I don’t think we’ve fully refined how we want cutscenes to work with future World of Warcraft content. We debate like crazy. We debate the length, we debate the frequency, and we have a lot of theories, but Blizzard is a really iterative development house. I think what’s going to have to happen is that you’ll see more cutscenes come into the game for us to really refine our strategy with them. We definitely have an eye toward more cutscenes, but at the same time, we don’t want to become just a cutscene game. Even before Cataclysm, in patch 3.3, there’s going to be a really exciting cutscene moment that’s going to be our next experiment with that."I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out what said cinematic might pertain to. Oh, I don't know, maybe the most important moment in World of Warcraft up until this point, perhaps? And I think it's the right choice, because unlike the felling of some of the game's other villains, there are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up involving multiple characters. To have such important events taking place while your raid passes out loot just sort of kills the impact. Don't you agree? I also find it interesting how conflicted they seem to be over cutscenes. This is the sort of thing most game developers go through: how do you let the players experience the story? Now while that's more important for a contained, single-player experience, WoW's core game is expansive and involving enough to reward the player with a cutscene every once and while and not make them feel like they're watching a film. What do you think, readers? Would you like to see more Wrathgate-style cinematics in the game? If so, how far do you think Blizzard should take it?
Thassarian Manga In Stores Now
Tokyopop has released a new World of Warcraft-themed manga focused on the life (and subsequent unlife) of Thassarian, aptly titled Death Knight. You may know him as one of the quest givers from the Death Knight starting area, and he's also the resident Ebon Hold representative on Alliance gunship, "The Skybreaker."
Indeed, as the first of his order to be released into the Alliance's care, he plays an important, if curiously muted, role in the lore. If you were ever curious to delve further, the manga intends to lift the veil on Thassarian's past.
It begins as the Lich King forces his newest lieutenant to strike down an innocent woman, highlighting the inner turmoil every Death Knight seems to suffer from, and then quickly moves into a flashback of Thassarian's life as a young farm boy where he's either trading blows with his troublesome sister or his fellow soldiers.
As any ambitious conscript in the Alliance army no doubt desires, Thassarian expresses his intentions to move up through the ranks and become a commander, but is threatened with the possibility of being a career grunt.
The 23-page preview ends there, but it should be interesting to see how things develop from there and how he interacts with Arthas. Is he turned against his will or does he embrace the power the Lich King promises? And how does he manage to hold onto his latent humanity in the process?
I suppose we all know how the story eventually ends, but I still like this format. As a stand-alone volume, I hope this manga sets a precedent for extended, visual biopics of our favorite Warcraft characters.
Death Knight features 192 pages of Dan Jolley's storytelling and art by Rocio Zucchi. It should be in stores now for an MSRP of $10.99.
ICC Rogues' Gallery: Storming The Citadel
As of this posting, we still don't know precisely when Patch 3.3 is going to drop (could be tomorrow, could be next month). But we do know that people are going to be packed like sardines in the doorway of Icecrown Citadel once it does, and thought it might help if you knew exactly what you would be up against if you manage to make it past the portal (and the patch-day server issues). Project Lore presents to you the Rogues' Gallery, the first edition of which will cover the first four bosses that you will face whilst Storming The Citadel.
Lord Marrowgar -- At the beginning of the testing phase, this marrow monstrosity wasn't much different from the big old bone guards you see running around outside. Now he looks more like the leavings on your plate after a night of all-you-can-eat wings. As the front gatekeeper of Icecrown Citadel, Marrowgar's imposing visage will be staring you down the moment you enter the dungeon, with only a few trash pulls and a small battalion of Ashen Verdict soldiers (okay, Tirion Fordring and some of his best buds) between you and his mighty axe. Marrowgar may seem like the manifestation of Death himself, but take heart, he's hands down the easiest boss in the Citadel (and as the first, that may not be terribly surprising).
That doesn't mean you won't have to play hard, though. Marrowgar has a handful of menacing abilities that, like any boss, can quickly wipe your raid if aren't paying attention. Melee players will learn to loathe his Bone Storm, which is likely the largest whirlwind effect yet seen in the game. He'll spin like an over-sized top for awhile, shifting across the room and laying down a cross-pattern of Coldflame which inflicts 9000 frost damage per second. Even casters will have to be on the move during this phase. Once Marrowgar's rampage ends, it's time to strike. His Saber Lash deals 300% melee damage to the target and his nearest allies, meaning you might want to have more than one tank on the boss to soak up the extra damage. The only other thing to watch out for -- and it's admittedly a big one -- is his Bone Spike which can, in theory, impale multiple players at once.
Once defeated, Lord Marrowgar will shatter in an explosion of bone and the ice blocks will melt, allowing you to progress further into the dungeon.
Achievements:
Lady Deathwhisper -- Lady Deathwhisper awaits at the far end of the Icecrown Citadel's first level, though looking at her, you'd be hard pressed to find anything feminine about the vile lichess. Deathwhisper's job is to convert and prepare new recruits in the Lich King's service, and she's not afraid to use test the skills of her freshest meat on the next group of heroes that enter her sanctum. As you might guess, this is a fight focused on handling various cultist adds, which you'll have to fight in both normal and re-animated forms.
They come in two flavors: the Cultist Adherent and the Cultist Fanatic. The former is more of a caster-type and features normal ranged spells, curses, and powerful area-of-effect spells. The latter features melee attacks such as a cleave and an ability that absorbs healing on the afflicted player. Both can buff themselves (and perhaps each other).
Deathwhisper, herself, features the usual set of lich-like spells. You've got your Frostbolts, your Shadowbolts, your Death and Decay... but she's not afraid to use her silver tongue (or lack thereof) on your raid members, either. Her Dominate Mind ability not only charms a player for up to 12 seconds, it also boosts their damage 200% and healing 500%!
Crushing the putrescent proselytizer activates a lift on the side of the hall, which will take you outside the citadel to the Rampart of Skulls...
Achievements:
Gunship Battle -- Even in the face of their greatest foe yet, the tenuous partnership between the Horde and Alliance is constantly being tested. The Gunship Battle is evidence of that tension as both factions attempt to beat the other to the upper spire of Icecrown Citadel. Instead of milling about aimlessly in the skies of Northrend (as they have been for the last year), both Ogrim's Hammer and The Skybreaker will finally get their chance to shine.
This is not necessarily a hard fight once you've got the basic tenets under control, but the gimmicks employed are fun! I could've amused myself with the rocket pack on the PTR for hours, but the encounter had to start sometime. After cutting a path through both the Lich King's minions and NPCs of the opposing side, you'll reach your faction's airship. If you're Alliance, your forces are commanded by the dwarf Muradin Bronzebeard. If you're Horde, it's the Orc Elder Saurfang (who plays an even bigger part in the lore of the next boss).
Starting the battle causes your Gunship to lift off from the dock and head upwards, where it eventually sidles up next to the other pirate-style and the cannonballs start flying. Like the last fight, add control is pretty important here, but it's more of a defensive measure than an offensive one. The goal is not to defeat the opposing leader, but to cripple their airship, so killing adds becomes a measure to keep your raid from being overrun.
The basic flow of battle goes something like this: bomb the crap out of opposing faction, using the cannons mounted on the side -> once a quarter of the enemy ship's health has been lost, they'll send out a Mage -> the Mage freezes your cannons -> you send a boarding party over using rocket packs to kill said Mage -> your boarding party comes back. This is repeated until one side's health is reduced to zero, and you'll need to keep some of your party members on the deck of your own ship the entire time to pick up and whittle down the adds.
Once the enemy explodes into a fire-y ball of fire, a war chest opens up on your ship for loot and you dock on the next level of the citadel. Of course, despite what happens to either ship, the story dictates that both actually make it to the upper spire. However, in the way of both factions stands an imposing foe...
Achievements:
Deathbringer Saurfang -- The Wrathgate was only a setback! But unlike Kael'Thas' wussified turn in Magister's Terrace, the younger Saurfang is arguably much more powerful after being risen from the dead than that pansy Blood Elf ever was. While the ultimate fate of Alliance hero Bolvar Fordragon is still up in the air (he's being tortured as you enter Icecrown Citadel), Elder's son has been given the Death Knight treatment and the job of ass-kicking gatekeeper.
As the final boss of the first content release, he's far from a push-over and, arguably, presented the greatest challenge to anybody who encountered him on the PTR. Fighting against Deathbringer Saurfang can roughly be described as running into a brick wall. The kind of brick wall that, despite exuding a strong sense of structure and steadfastness (as most walls do), you have a hard time actually connecting with. You just sort of find yourself sprinting towards it and tripping over your own feet before you get there, but your face is hurt and bleeding as if you did make contact. Oh, and did I mention that should you manage to chip some of the stone of with your bruised and fleshy body, that it has an unhealthy (for you) habit of regenerating that lost concrete?
This is a roundabout way of saying that Deathbringer is one tough mother and that on the PTR he both had an extraordinarily high dodge rate and most of his abilities healed him in one way or another. He also summons adds like every 15 seconds. While some people will no doubt continue to clamor for Icecrown Citadel to be released all at once, I have a feeling that Saurfang will keep most guilds veeerrrryyy busy until the next wing is available.
The inevitable defeat of Deathbringer serves as both an appropriate bookmark in your ICC raiding career and the lore associated with some of Azeroth's greatest heroes.
Achievements:
Lord Marrowgar -- At the beginning of the testing phase, this marrow monstrosity wasn't much different from the big old bone guards you see running around outside. Now he looks more like the leavings on your plate after a night of all-you-can-eat wings. As the front gatekeeper of Icecrown Citadel, Marrowgar's imposing visage will be staring you down the moment you enter the dungeon, with only a few trash pulls and a small battalion of Ashen Verdict soldiers (okay, Tirion Fordring and some of his best buds) between you and his mighty axe. Marrowgar may seem like the manifestation of Death himself, but take heart, he's hands down the easiest boss in the Citadel (and as the first, that may not be terribly surprising).
That doesn't mean you won't have to play hard, though. Marrowgar has a handful of menacing abilities that, like any boss, can quickly wipe your raid if aren't paying attention. Melee players will learn to loathe his Bone Storm, which is likely the largest whirlwind effect yet seen in the game. He'll spin like an over-sized top for awhile, shifting across the room and laying down a cross-pattern of Coldflame which inflicts 9000 frost damage per second. Even casters will have to be on the move during this phase. Once Marrowgar's rampage ends, it's time to strike. His Saber Lash deals 300% melee damage to the target and his nearest allies, meaning you might want to have more than one tank on the boss to soak up the extra damage. The only other thing to watch out for -- and it's admittedly a big one -- is his Bone Spike which can, in theory, impale multiple players at once.
Once defeated, Lord Marrowgar will shatter in an explosion of bone and the ice blocks will melt, allowing you to progress further into the dungeon.
Achievements:
- Storming The Citadel (10/25/Heroic) -- Defeat the first four bosses in Icecrown Citadel.
- Boned (10/25) -- Defeat Lord Marrowgar without any raid member remaining impaled for more than 8 seconds.
Lady Deathwhisper -- Lady Deathwhisper awaits at the far end of the Icecrown Citadel's first level, though looking at her, you'd be hard pressed to find anything feminine about the vile lichess. Deathwhisper's job is to convert and prepare new recruits in the Lich King's service, and she's not afraid to use test the skills of her freshest meat on the next group of heroes that enter her sanctum. As you might guess, this is a fight focused on handling various cultist adds, which you'll have to fight in both normal and re-animated forms.
They come in two flavors: the Cultist Adherent and the Cultist Fanatic. The former is more of a caster-type and features normal ranged spells, curses, and powerful area-of-effect spells. The latter features melee attacks such as a cleave and an ability that absorbs healing on the afflicted player. Both can buff themselves (and perhaps each other).
Deathwhisper, herself, features the usual set of lich-like spells. You've got your Frostbolts, your Shadowbolts, your Death and Decay... but she's not afraid to use her silver tongue (or lack thereof) on your raid members, either. Her Dominate Mind ability not only charms a player for up to 12 seconds, it also boosts their damage 200% and healing 500%!
Crushing the putrescent proselytizer activates a lift on the side of the hall, which will take you outside the citadel to the Rampart of Skulls...
Achievements:
- Storming The Citadel (10/25/Heroic) -- Defeat the first four bosses in Icecrown Citadel.
- Full House (10/25) -- Defeat Lady Deathwhisper with at least five different types of Cultists active at the time of her demise.
Gunship Battle -- Even in the face of their greatest foe yet, the tenuous partnership between the Horde and Alliance is constantly being tested. The Gunship Battle is evidence of that tension as both factions attempt to beat the other to the upper spire of Icecrown Citadel. Instead of milling about aimlessly in the skies of Northrend (as they have been for the last year), both Ogrim's Hammer and The Skybreaker will finally get their chance to shine.
This is not necessarily a hard fight once you've got the basic tenets under control, but the gimmicks employed are fun! I could've amused myself with the rocket pack on the PTR for hours, but the encounter had to start sometime. After cutting a path through both the Lich King's minions and NPCs of the opposing side, you'll reach your faction's airship. If you're Alliance, your forces are commanded by the dwarf Muradin Bronzebeard. If you're Horde, it's the Orc Elder Saurfang (who plays an even bigger part in the lore of the next boss).
Starting the battle causes your Gunship to lift off from the dock and head upwards, where it eventually sidles up next to the other pirate-style and the cannonballs start flying. Like the last fight, add control is pretty important here, but it's more of a defensive measure than an offensive one. The goal is not to defeat the opposing leader, but to cripple their airship, so killing adds becomes a measure to keep your raid from being overrun.
The basic flow of battle goes something like this: bomb the crap out of opposing faction, using the cannons mounted on the side -> once a quarter of the enemy ship's health has been lost, they'll send out a Mage -> the Mage freezes your cannons -> you send a boarding party over using rocket packs to kill said Mage -> your boarding party comes back. This is repeated until one side's health is reduced to zero, and you'll need to keep some of your party members on the deck of your own ship the entire time to pick up and whittle down the adds.
Once the enemy explodes into a fire-y ball of fire, a war chest opens up on your ship for loot and you dock on the next level of the citadel. Of course, despite what happens to either ship, the story dictates that both actually make it to the upper spire. However, in the way of both factions stands an imposing foe...
Achievements:
- Storming The Citadel (10/25/Heroic) -- Defeat the first four bosses in Icecrown Citadel.
- I'm On A Boat! (10/25) -- Claim victory in the Gunship Battle without any raid member visiting the enemy gunship more than once (I bet you never thought you'd be here).
Deathbringer Saurfang -- The Wrathgate was only a setback! But unlike Kael'Thas' wussified turn in Magister's Terrace, the younger Saurfang is arguably much more powerful after being risen from the dead than that pansy Blood Elf ever was. While the ultimate fate of Alliance hero Bolvar Fordragon is still up in the air (he's being tortured as you enter Icecrown Citadel), Elder's son has been given the Death Knight treatment and the job of ass-kicking gatekeeper.
As the final boss of the first content release, he's far from a push-over and, arguably, presented the greatest challenge to anybody who encountered him on the PTR. Fighting against Deathbringer Saurfang can roughly be described as running into a brick wall. The kind of brick wall that, despite exuding a strong sense of structure and steadfastness (as most walls do), you have a hard time actually connecting with. You just sort of find yourself sprinting towards it and tripping over your own feet before you get there, but your face is hurt and bleeding as if you did make contact. Oh, and did I mention that should you manage to chip some of the stone of with your bruised and fleshy body, that it has an unhealthy (for you) habit of regenerating that lost concrete?
This is a roundabout way of saying that Deathbringer is one tough mother and that on the PTR he both had an extraordinarily high dodge rate and most of his abilities healed him in one way or another. He also summons adds like every 15 seconds. While some people will no doubt continue to clamor for Icecrown Citadel to be released all at once, I have a feeling that Saurfang will keep most guilds veeerrrryyy busy until the next wing is available.
The inevitable defeat of Deathbringer serves as both an appropriate bookmark in your ICC raiding career and the lore associated with some of Azeroth's greatest heroes.
Achievements:
- Storming The Citadel (10/25/Heroic) -- Defeat the first four bosses in Icecrown Citadel.
- I've Gone and Made A Mess (10/25) -- Defeat the Deathbringer before Mark of the Fallen Champion is cast five times.
The High Inquisitor: On the Longevity of Food and Feasts
Welcome to The High Inquisitor, where Project Lore pokes fun at all those crazy, unexplained WoW impossibilities. While the answers to these great mysteries of Azeroth often are a matter of game mechanics, here we're less interested in that aspect, and more interested in exploring our own unique brand of lore that could happily provide explanations.
Each installment, the inquisitor will attack a previously unanswered question and attempt to explain the unknown. But she won’t rest until all plausible explanations are explored. The best, most probable comment(s) will be highlighted with the next edition’s inquisition.
Looks like it's time for another High Inquisition, and just in time for the Pilgrim's Bounty festivities. In commemoration of the food that we'll all be cooking and eating this week in-game, let's ask a question that may leave you wondering whether you should have actually just eaten that 37th slice of Pumpkin Pie.
But first, a quick look back at the last inquisition, where we questioned whether spirit healers are inhibiting the progression of the world by bringing everyone back to life time and time again. Many of our readers seemed puzzled by my question, and for that I can only blame myself. Yes, even the High Inquisitor gets writer's block from time to time, and I don't believe I gave a solid enough example from which you all could draw your own conclusions.
Here's one: The spirit healer actually is looking toward the end-game, where players have to have earned a certain amount of fighting experience (what we like to call level 80) to take down the ultimate big bad. If the spirit healer didn't bring back all those creatures that we kill along the way to that quest, then everyone else wouldn't be able kill them and also get experience. It can be a troublesome loop at times, but it works.
And here's another way to phrase it, as said by Innosinned :
...So, the question remaining is, do the enemies have a Spirit Healer? We don’t really know much about Spirit Healers, I think. Maybe they only choose to resurrect those who do good in this world. Maybe we players are allowed to linger as spirits and find our bodies back, because we are needed for a future goal, like beating the Lich King or whatever comes after he is dead.Well put, my friend! And now onward to this special, food-inspired edition. Straight to the question this time: What in the crazy world of Azeroth makes our food stay good for so long? During this week's special Pilgrim's Bounty festivities, we make a lot of food. And, as expected, leftovers can only stay good for so long. Once all your event-inspired foods are made, they only have a duration of seven days. The same was true of our Trick-or-treat goodies, too.
But they are the exception to the rule in Azeroth. For some reason, be it magic, really good preservation, or otherwise, most of our food and feasts have no expiration date. Think about that Fish Feast that we all partake in before a raid. Do you really know how old it is?
Who knows how long the chef may have held on to those Musselback Sculpin, Glacial Salmon and Nettlefish before combining them with Northern Spices to create that tasty (and power-boosting) feast. Once the concoction was made, how long did it sit in his bank or bags before he used it? And wouldn't you think chefs (and their bottomless bags) must really stink while carrying all that food around?!
One plausible explanation: those spices - be they mild spices, northern spices, hot spices, soothing spices, holiday spices -- you get the point -- must have some kind of mystical preserving power that keeps our food delicious and safe-to-eat forever. But then what about the recipes that no longer call for said spices?
Or perhaps its not the ingredients we use, but the skill with which they are prepared. Maybe those cooking trainers are a strict bunch who won't pass on their recipes unless the trainee learns the secret of how to make the food last during wartime.
Whatever the case, this is one week during which we'll all have plenty of freshly-prepared food. Eat up, while you can! And while you're at it, share your own thoughts on Azerothian foods in the comments section below. Happy Turkey-time!
3.3: Official Shadowmourne Preview
As cool as it would be to get your hands on the Lich King's wretched blade, Frostmourne, it remains far too powerful and evil for the average hero to withstand its influence (never mind that you've killed more world-destroying threats at this point than any NPC to date). Nonetheless, there must be some weapon out there strong enough to equal the sword's might. Enter the defiled axe: Shadowmourne.
The weapon was first revealed at BlizzCon 2009, and now that 3.3 is knocking on the door, Blizzard felt it was time to set up a preview page dedicated to one of the latest legendary items in the game (the other being Quel'Delar, though at this point, it doesn't carry the classic orange name-tag).
According to the site, Shadowmourne doesn't technically "exist." You won't find it laying in a cave or a forgotten treasure chest somewhere. Instead, the dire blade is nothing more than a theory, a remnant of arcane knowledge hidden deep within the recesses of Darion Mograine's mind. But he's convinced that Tirion Fordring's Ashbringer simply isn't enough, and that Shadowmourne may prove to be the true key to taking down the Lich King.
In order to do this, a player seeking the axe's power will have to accomplish a variety of tasks which includes collecting souls and shards of the Frozen Throne itself. Indeed, it's shaping up to be an undertaking similar to that of Val'anyr, where muliple runs through Icecrown Citadel will be required to gather all the materials necessary for forging the blade.
But, once created, what of its power? A weapon nearly as corrupted as Froustmourne itself must still be wielded by a righteous warrior, and who's to say that Arthas himself couldn't control it just as easily as he does his currently favored blade? It's sure to be a sought-after piece of a gear for those who are capable of handling it...
But this is only a mere overview of what's to come. If it is more stirring questions and information about the lore and formation of Shadowmourne you seek, please check out the official preview at Blizzard's World of Warcraft Community Site.
The weapon was first revealed at BlizzCon 2009, and now that 3.3 is knocking on the door, Blizzard felt it was time to set up a preview page dedicated to one of the latest legendary items in the game (the other being Quel'Delar, though at this point, it doesn't carry the classic orange name-tag).
According to the site, Shadowmourne doesn't technically "exist." You won't find it laying in a cave or a forgotten treasure chest somewhere. Instead, the dire blade is nothing more than a theory, a remnant of arcane knowledge hidden deep within the recesses of Darion Mograine's mind. But he's convinced that Tirion Fordring's Ashbringer simply isn't enough, and that Shadowmourne may prove to be the true key to taking down the Lich King.
In order to do this, a player seeking the axe's power will have to accomplish a variety of tasks which includes collecting souls and shards of the Frozen Throne itself. Indeed, it's shaping up to be an undertaking similar to that of Val'anyr, where muliple runs through Icecrown Citadel will be required to gather all the materials necessary for forging the blade.
But, once created, what of its power? A weapon nearly as corrupted as Froustmourne itself must still be wielded by a righteous warrior, and who's to say that Arthas himself couldn't control it just as easily as he does his currently favored blade? It's sure to be a sought-after piece of a gear for those who are capable of handling it...
But this is only a mere overview of what's to come. If it is more stirring questions and information about the lore and formation of Shadowmourne you seek, please check out the official preview at Blizzard's World of Warcraft Community Site.
PTR 3.3: Deathbringer Raid Encounter [Video]
Deathbringer is one of the few remaining fights not previously tested on the PTR, and perhaps for good reason! The lore surrounding this fight connects right back to one of Wrath of the Lich King's most iconic events. If you've experienced it yourself, then you probably already know which one I'm referring to. If not, please be aware that there are spoilers ahead. Not only will I mention them in passing, but the recording captures the cinematic event that leads up to the encounter, as well.
[caption id="attachment_8447" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Elder Saurfang, straight after an intense Gunship Battle."]
[/caption]
If there's something to be said, it is that Saurfang is one tough mother. The attempt you'll find in video form below was only one of four that our meager group managed to squeeze in during the testing period (woeful disconnects and people randomly leaving because they don't seem to understand what a test is) was our best, and even then we could barely make a dent in his health.
You see, the main mechanic of this fight is Deathbringer's ability to both dish out a lot of damage and heal himself in the process. It's like fighting a super-charged Blood-spec Death Knight, and considering what Saurfang has been turned into, that's not such a far-fetched comparison.
In addition to this, you'll have to put up with some Blood Beast adds, whose attacks are both painful, and funnel some of their own damage back to their master in the process. After they start spawning, they will continue to do so throughout the fight ever 15 seconds or so. Dealing with them, as well as keeping DPS on the boss, will no doubt be the key to winning this fight. Check out what I managed to capture below:
[/caption]
If there's something to be said, it is that Saurfang is one tough mother. The attempt you'll find in video form below was only one of four that our meager group managed to squeeze in during the testing period (woeful disconnects and people randomly leaving because they don't seem to understand what a test is) was our best, and even then we could barely make a dent in his health.
You see, the main mechanic of this fight is Deathbringer's ability to both dish out a lot of damage and heal himself in the process. It's like fighting a super-charged Blood-spec Death Knight, and considering what Saurfang has been turned into, that's not such a far-fetched comparison.
In addition to this, you'll have to put up with some Blood Beast adds, whose attacks are both painful, and funnel some of their own damage back to their master in the process. After they start spawning, they will continue to do so throughout the fight ever 15 seconds or so. Dealing with them, as well as keeping DPS on the boss, will no doubt be the key to winning this fight. Check out what I managed to capture below:
Whether it was due to a bug or just over-tuning, I'm not entirely sure, but Saurfang also had an insane dodge chance, certainly above and beyond that of the average boss. Though we failed to kill him, I feel that we were in good company. It seems that few, if any, groups managed to down the Deathbringer in this round of testing. If he goes up again, I fully anticipate Blizzard changing a few things.
Nonetheless, he could end up being one of the toughest fights in Icecrown Citadel, and a good gateway encounter that leads into the second part of the dungeon.