Saturday, January 24, 2009

Achievement Raider, or "My Crappy, Wacky, But Happy Route"

Once you're at least level 70, you can solo a lot of the things required to fill up your "Dungeons & Raids" achievement bar. If you, like me, are too lazy to do the research for yourself and try to remember where things are, here's the sloppy plan I came up with (and, like most of my sloppy plans, I couldn't be bothered to write it on real paper instead of my blog).

Some directions left out because I haven't done them yet. Raid instances not included!

It'd be a fine time to do these instances while you're completing your Lunar Festival travels this week. :) I've heard that Elders will be inside some of them, too.

-------------------------

Who will be running these to show you it can be done?

Dustfire, though small, is a hefty 71 with beams of shadowy goodness. She goes into these dens of dirt and smudginess wearing T4 and badge gear from The Burning Crusade, not a single item replaced in Northrend. On her person, she carries plenty of water, a few of the best available mana and health potions, and a cute pink mount.

She starts this run with a meager 25/216 in "Dungeons & Raids" achievement points.

My husband, an 80 Death Knight, will be helping me on any boss above level 50, because there's a lot of stuff to get through, and I'm not going to waste time trying to solo some things as a cloth-wearer. If you don't feel like soloing a boss but don't have anyone to go with you, offering free runs to lower levels is a great way to get this stuff done. Just make sure someone in the group is willing to heal you. ^_^

-------------------------

The first rule of dungeon achievements is that the only requirement is to kill the last boss. Isn't that nice? So, really, we're not running into these places for a full clear, we're running in to skirt past all the trash and head straight to the last room.

The second rule of dungeon achievements is expediency. I'll be listing them in order of where they are, not their level, and you can start from either continent.

Eastern Kingdoms

Sunken Temple: Defeat Shade of Eranikus (50 Elite)
Where: Swamp of Sorrows, middle of the lake. (Map)
Inside:
How: Clear the trash -- he will pull all the dragons in the big room.

Stockades: Defeat Bazil Thredd (25 Elite)
Where: Stormwind City, the canals. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Deadmines: Defeat Edwin VanCleef (20 Elite)
Where: Southern Westfall. (Map)
Inside: Keep moving forward through all the rooms, past the bosses, kill patrols if you have to. In the molten room, skirt the edge to the left and there'll be a door with a boss in front of it. Ignore or kill the boss and keep going. In the final cavern, you'll see a pirate ship. VanCleef is in the cabin at the top, so follow the boardwalk up onto the ship, head right, then up and up. Can't miss him.
How: He has two adds. You're 70+. Just step on them.

Gnomeregan: Defeat Mekgineer Thermaplugg (28 Elite)
Where: Northwest Dun Morogh. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Uldaman: Defeat Archaedas (40 Elite)
Where: Northern Badlands. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Blackrock Depths: Defeat Emperor Dagran (56 Elite)
Where: Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes. (Map) Once in the mountain, go...
Inside:
How: Clear all the adds first. Light torches to keep them from respawning (?). Kill the boss.

Upper Blackrock Spire: Defeat 50 Rookery Whelps in 15 Seconds and General Drakkisah (60 Elite)
Where:
Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes. (Map) Once in the mountain, go...
Inside:
How:
AOE. Take a lot of it. Take your time gathering, because the timer for 15 seconds doesn't start until you kill the first one. Nuke them all down in one swoop.

Lower Blackrock Spire: Defeat Overlord Wyrmthalak (60 Elite)
Where:
Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes. (Map) Once in the mountain, go...
Inside:
How:

Shadowfang Keep: Defeat Arhmage Arugal (21 Elite)
Where: Silverpine Forest, by Pyrewood Village. (Map)

Scarlet Monastery Graveyard: Defeat Bloodmage Thalnos (32 Elite)
Where: Northeast Tirisfal Glades. (Map)
Inside: Head inward, up the stairs, and straight down into the crypt at the end.
How: Hit him a few times.

Scarlet Monastery Library: Defeat Arcanist Doan (35 Elite)
Where: Northeast Tirisfal Glades. (Map)
Inside: Keep going east until it dead-ends in a round room.
How: Kill.

Scarlet Monastery Armory: Defeat Herod (37 Elite)
Where: Northeast Tirisfal Glades. (Map)
Inside: Keep going through the connecting rooms until you get to the end.
How: Kill.

Scarlet Monastery Cathedral: Defeat Whitemaine and Mograine (40 Elite)
Where: Northeast Tirisfal Glades. (Map)
Inside: Head to the cathedral in back. They're on the platform right in front of you.
How: Kill all the adds inside the Cathedral. They will ALL pull when you pull the boss. Then kill him, she shows up and rezzes him, kill them both.

Scholomance Section 1: Defeat Ras Frostwhisper (62 Elite)
Where: Western Plaguelands, on the island of Caer Darrow. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Scholomance Section 3: Defeat Darkmaster Gandling (61 Elite)
Where: Western Plaguelands, on the island of Caer Darrow. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Stratholme Living Side: Defeat Balnazzar (60 Elite)
Where: Northwest in the Eastern Plaguelands. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Stratholme Undead Side: Defeat Baron Rivendare (60 Elite)
Where: Northwest in the Eastern Plaguelands. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Kalimdor

Blackfathom Deeps: Defeat Aku'mai (24 Elite)
Where: Northwest Ashenvale, on the coast. (Map)
Inside: Keep moving southeast, there are almost no branches. The altar room will be in the very dead end tip of the instance.
How: Light the braziers one at a time if you don't have aoe. Kill the mobs that spawn. Once they're all dead, the doors will open and you head to the boss. No tricks, just smush her.

Ragefire Chasm: Defeat Taragaman the Hungerer (16 Elite)
Where: Orgrimmar, Cleft of Shadow. (Map) When running through The Drag to get to the deeper sections of Org (Valley of Wisdom/Honor), there will be a branch off the path that leads down into the Cleft of Shadow. Just look for it. There should be a sign, too.

Wailing Caverns: Defeat Mutanus the Devourer (20 Elite)
Where: Nortwest Barrens, southwest of Crossroads. (Map)

Razorfen Kraul: Defeat Charlga Razorflank (27 Elite)
Where: Southern tip of the Barrens. (Map)

Razorfen Downs: Defeat Amnennar the Coldbringer (37 Elite)
Where: Southern tip of the Barrens. (Map)

Dire Maul East: Defeat Alzzin the Wildshaper (58 Elite)
Where:
Middle of Feralas. (Map)
Inside: Kill Zevrim Thornhoof and talk to Old Ironbark.
How: Clear the plants first. Halfway through, he'll summon imp adds.

Dire Maul West: Defeat Immol'thar (61 Elite)
Where: Middle of Feralas. (Map)
Inside:
How:

Dire Maul North: Defeat King Gordok (62 Elite)
Where: Middle of Feralas. (Map)
Inside: Key to open courtyard door.
How:

Maraudon: Defeat Princess Theradras (48 Elite)
Where: Central west Desolace. (Map)

Zul'Farrak: Defeat Chief Ukorz Sandscalp (46 Elite)
Where: Northern Tanaris. (Map)
Inside:
How:

7 comments:

  1. We did Mara and the Princess not too long ago. Looooooooooooooong run, but we were running low level guildies through for a full clear. Great leveling gear in there for some. Beautiful dungeon, though. Solo, someone at 70-80 could probably make it to Princess in 30 minutes or less, if you can find her. Bring a map. :)

    Dire Maul is a great time to gather a few Pallys or Locks that need their mount quest. It's an awesome quest, and though it's not necessary any more, it's well worth doing. DM is a fairly interesting run for a 70, all by itself. (Stop in the arena for a shot at the Orb of Deception, though it drops off at least one boss inside, west i think, as well.)

    -Fri

    ReplyDelete
  2. Razorfen Downs:
    Take the right fork just inside the instance, spiral up to the center, kill Amnennar and *ding!* achievement accomplished!

    It is worth noting, especially for enchanters, that RFD is probably the best instance for gathering the small radiant shards which are used in both fiery weapon and boots - minor speed. Both are popular enchants and at least on Dentarg server the shards sell for 10-15 gold each. Scarlet Monestary and Uldaman both also have bosses who drop items which disenchant into small radiant shards, but RFD has the most that are the quickest to farm. Of the five bosses you can meet in the instance, only Plaguemaw the Rotting drops items that disenchant into a lower level shard. And you have to do an escort quest for him to spawn.

    The other four all have drops that disenchant into small radiant shards and sometimes Amnennar drops two of them.

    I have also noted that as a level 59 resto-Druid who can stealth past all the trash, it takes me 15-20 minutes to hit Glutton, Amnennar and Mordresh. It takes another 15 minutes or so to beat Tuten'kash because I have to clear the room she's summoned into, hit a gong three times to summon her and the first two hits bring waves of mobs to clear. YMMV, especially as a level 70+ that can clear things faster or if your ratio of trash time to boss time is different because you don't stealth. But if you're anything like me, unless it takes you 10-12 minutes to clear those first three bosses (so you risk hitting the instance lockout timer), it's probably more efficient to just leave the instance after the first three bosses, reset it and get another 3-4 shards in the same time it would take to get just the one from Tuten'kash.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wailing Caverns:
    You have to defeat the four Druid of the Fang bosses (Lady Anacondra, Lord Cobrahn, Lord Pythas, Lord Serpentis), return to the instance entrance and start an escort quest in order for Mutanus to spawn. From there, though, just follow the Tauren your escorting, protect him as he completes a couple of rituals and get your achievement.

    Anacondra and Cobrahn are easy to find. Anacondra is in the first big cavern area. She has four potential spawn points, but just walk around the chasm and you'll see her in one of them. To get to Cobrahn, jump into the chasm and head west (left coming from the instance entrance) and just follow the path.

    To get to Pythas and Serpentis, head east up the chasm (right coming from the instance entrance). Turning left every time you have a choice may not be the fastest route, but I think it works. Otherwise you'll just have to wander for a while. Even with a map (http://www.wowhead.com/?zone=718) it can be a challenge because of how the path winds up and down across itself. In any case, they're stationary, so if you wander for while you'll eventually run into them.

    Wailing Caverns is the only instance I know of where you can find an armor set until you're in the 50-ish level range. I think the Embrace of the Viper set is cool looking, in a hard core kinda' way you'd expect from someone who dresses in leather, especially with the right shoulder armor and a shirt to provide continuity between the chest and shoulders.

    Gloves: random drop off Druid of the Fang mobs. BoE, so check AH.
    Chest: Lord Pythas
    Legs: Lord Cobrahn
    Boots: Lord Serpentis
    Belt: Lady Anacondra

    The belt appears to be a very rare drop. I had to kill Anacondra about 50 times before I got it.

    The set does not actually include shoulders, but the Talbar Mantle (reward at the end of the quest you can pick up from an item Mutanus drops) and the Slime Encrusted Pads (sometimes dropped by Mutanus) both look good. The boss Skum can drop the Glowing Lizard Scale Cloak which is a small green cape that goes well with the set. Lord Pythas can drop a mace called the Stinging Viper that looks absolutely awesome with the set. Personally, I like the green linen shirt with it, but if you really want to stand out, the pink mageweave looks good too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Blackrock Depths
    A clarification on lighting the torches.

    I think you're talking about the Lyceum?

    Before you can light the torches, you have to find torchbearers, kill them and loot their torches. Twice. Use them to light each of the large torches located on pedastals to one side of the room. That opens doors to a hallway before the throneroom.

    Nothing stops the Lyceum mobs from respawning. On approximately a 20 second timer.

    Before you get that far, though, you'll have to get through the back door of the Grim Guzzler. Talk to the barkeeper on the second floor, buy his Dark Iron Ale. A dwarf named Rocknot will take six of them (two at a time) and start a riot that prompts Phalanx to knock the door down.

    The Ale is also used to get a jubling pet at the Darkmoon Faire. So you can sell it for a nice markup in the AH. And get a pet for yourself, too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Zul'Farrak
    Just soloed this for the first time last night! Woo Hoo! (level 59 resto-druid)

    Move through the instance to the end where you will find an area with a large pyramid type structure on the west side. Roughly opposite the pyramid (east/southeast) there is a large painted door that leads to Chief Ukorz. You cannot open the door. The only person who can is a goblin being held prisoner at the top of the pyramid. So kill the boss at the top, loot his key, open the cages.

    Opening the cages initiates a long, exciting event. The prisoners move out to the top of the steps and a large crowd of trolls spawn at the bottom. The trolls come up the stairs in waves (mixed elite/non-elites level 43-44ish) where you and the group you have freed from the cages fight them. Eventually the group you freed moves down the stairs and fights more trolls there, including two bosses who spawn during the fight at the top of the stairs.

    The goblin must survive the fight or you can't open the door leading to Chief Ukorz.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hope you don't mind that I'm pitching in my 2 cents where I have it. I've recently been running through some of what I could solo, too, so I thought I'd help out where I could. If you'd rather have just your own advice here, let me know and I'll stop.

    Scarlet Monestary, Library.
    In the room with Arcanist Doan there is a box which contains the Scarlet Key. Loot that box. You need the key in order to unlock the Armory and Cathedral doors. If I understand correctly, it also unlocks the living side of Stratholme.

    There are books on the Well Read achievement list scattered throughout the library, including in many of the side rooms you may be tempted to bypass if you're intent on just hitting Doan, getting the Scarlet Key and getting out. I didn't keep count, but I think I found about 10.

    Scarlet Monestary, Armory.
    Herod will periodically execute a special whirlwind attack during which he cannot be damaged. Just step back out of range, let it run its course, then continue.

    After the fight, some 20 or so low 30s non-elites charge in. They have very little health. As a level 59 resto-druid they died to one or two ticks of my hurricane. If you're interested in loot, they drop mostly copper and wool, or maybe silk, but still have a chance to drop greens and BoE blues. One of 'em dropped a Bearded Boneaxe for me last night. Which is one of the better level 20-29 bracket one-handed axes and should, therefore, sell nicely.

    Scarlet Monestary Cathedral.
    If you can stealth or are high enough to walk through without aggroing, you can bypass all the trash in the hallways and courtyards, but like you say, kill everything in the Cathedral chapel itself or they'll aggro when you attack Mograine.

    Mobs in the chapel are packed pretty tightly and run. If you can kill them in an instant (or near instant) attack or two, that's not a problem. Neither is it a problem if you can survive aggroing half the chapel at a time. However, if it is a problem (and it was a problem for me), just clear the courtyard outside the chapel and you can then pull the chapel mobs to the courtyard to give them more options to run without pulling adds and/or give yourself more time to kill them on the run.

    ReplyDelete
  7. :) No, it's fine. Saves me from having to re-run a few things, though I might eventually anyway. I can just be lazy for now. XD

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.