[80-81] Blackrock Caverns – Preview Guide

Blackrock is a curse word on the lips of many Vanilla faithful (including myself). So the developers though it would be a great idea to bring Blackrock Mountains back to life! And I have to level we you, after 4 years away from the place… I’m ready! Are you?

Previous to Cataclysm Blackrock Mountains was the home of some of Vanilla’s most memorable instances. You had;

• Blacrock Depths – Famous for taking multiple runs to complete, MC attunment
• Lower Blackrock Spire – Precursor to 60 raiding, BWL attunements galore
• Upper Blackrock Spire – Level 60 Super Dungeon; or Raid. 10 people, 1 Leeroy
• Molten Core – The pinnacle of many Vanilla raiding guilds, 35 person raid (40 if you could get ’em)
• Blackwing Layer – This 40person raid punished you just for entering, the 1st boss was far from “Gift loot”

If all of the above had just 2 things in common, it is this: 1. The run back to hell, was the run back from hell, and 2. This complex HAS to be one of the reasons that summoning stones were invented.

So now that Blackrock Mountains has given birth to a brand spanking new dungeon, and for the first time ever, Heroic mode dungeon.. What’s the scoop?

“Blackrock Caverns is a complex of tunnels created by Deathwing, that connects the mountain home of the Dark Iron dwarves with the Twilight Highlands, north-west of the Wetlands. It is populated by members of the Twilight Hammer.”
– wowhead

It is my assumption that from the Cinematic and the above mini intro to the dungeon, that Deathwing’s armor is infact comprised of dark iron, and the route between here and Twilight Highlands is a supply line and the home of Blackrock Caverns.

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum Level: 80
• Heroic Level: 85
• To use the Dungeon Finder, you have to have discovered the instance first
• 1 Tank, 1 Healer, 3 DPS (at least 1 CC- feels good to write this!)

How to get there
If you are a post vanilla player of wow, or like me, have tried oh so hard to purge the memory of Blackrock Mountains from your mind, then here is a little refresher for you. Blackrock Mountians can be reached from 2 zones (it’s THAT epic) Searing Gorge, and Burning Steppes. I used to tend to come in from Searing Gorge as to prepare myself for the epic run back (which became more epic when you fell down the holes into the cauldron) Below are some maps of how to get there:

Burning Steppes


Searing Gorge

The entrance is just off of the main ring in Blackrock Mountain on the non-jumping path to Blackrock Spire. Head to the eastern side of the ring to see the summoning stone for Blackrock Spire and follow the path. As it turns north there is a blockade blocking the way. Look right to see the instance line.
-wowwiki

The Lay of the LandImage from wowiki
Loading Screen

Known Quests
At this time there are Six quests for BRC. One is Exclusive to the horde, and the others appear to be for both factions.

This Can Only Mean One Thing…

• Horde Only
• Obtained in Mt. Hyjal
• Cookie crumb quest – 3490xp

The Twilight Forge

• Horde and Alliance (Speculation)
• Acquisition/Turn-in Unknown
• 32g 80s and 69,800xp

What Is This Place?

• Horde and Alliance (Speculation)
• Acquisition/Turn-in Unknown
• 32g 80s and 69,800xp

To the Chamber of Incineration!

• Horde and Alliance (Speculation)
• Acquisition/Turn-in Unknown
• 32g 80s and 69,800xp

Do My Eyes Deceive Me?

• Horde and Alliance (Speculation)
• Acquisition/Turn-in Unknown
• 32g 80s and 69,800xp
• Choice of Three Rewards | Finkle’s Twinkle | Beauty’s Cootie-ridden Blanket | Beauty Jr’s Collar

Ascendant Lord Obsidius

• Horde and Alliance (Speculation)
• Acquisition/Turn-in Unknown
• 32g 80s and 69,800xp
• Choice of Three Rewards | Acid-Eaten Vest | Diamond-Studded Helm | Raz’s Breastplate

Trash Stash
Here are some of the elite residents of BRC that will stand between your party, and the bosses.

Lucky, Buster, Runty and Spot
Core-hound puppies! with upto 353,276hp!
Abilities:
Lava Drool | Little Big Flame Breath

Conflagration
353,276hp
Abilities:
Heat Exhaustion | Immolate

Crazed Mage
387,450hp
Abilities:
Frost Nova | Frost Bolt | Icy Veins

Defiled Earth Rager
353,726hp
Abilities:
Bludgeoning Strike | Meteor

Evolved Twilight Zealot
774,900hp
Abilities:
Force Blast | Gravity Strike | Grievous Whirl | Shadow Strike

Incendiary Spark
154,755hp
Abilities:
Final Volley | Fireball

Quicksilver
294,034hp
Abilities:
Flame Buffet

Twilight Element Warden
294,034hp
Abilities:
Chain Lightning | Fireblast | Frostbomb

Twilight Flame Caller
154,755hp
Abilities:
Blast Wave | Call Flames

Twilight Obsidian Borer
154,755hp
Abilities:
Bore | Shadow Prison

Twilight Sadist
154,755hp
Abilities:
Heart-seeker Blade | Inflict Pain | Short Throw | Sinister Strike

Twilight Torturer
154,755hp
Abilities:
Red-Hot Poker | Inflict Pain | Shackles | Wild Beatdown

Twilight Zealot
123,804hp
Abilities:
Force Blast | Gravity Strike | Grievous Whirl | Shadow Strike

The Bosses in Order of Appearance

Romm’ogg Bonecrusher

1,340,370hp
Abilities:
Call for Help | Chains of Woe | Quake | The Skullcracker | Wounding Strike
Loot:
Manacles of Pain | Torturer’s Mercy | Shield of the Iron Maiden | Inquisition Robes | Skullcracker Ring

Corla, Herald of Twilight

1,340,370hp
Abilities:
Aura of Acceleration | Dark Command | Death Grip | Drain Essance | Evolution
Twilight Evolution
Loot:
Grace of the Herald | Corla’s Baton| Signet of Transformation

Karsh Steelbender

1,340,370hp
Abilities:
Cleave |
Loot:
Bracers of Cool Anger | Heat wave Leggigs | Quick Silver Amulet| Steelbender’s Masterpiece

Beauty

1,340,370hp
Abilities:
Beserker Charge | Flamebreak | Magma Spit | Terrifying Roar
Loot:
Kibble | Beauty’s Favorite Bone| Beauty’s Chew Toy

Ascendant Lord Obsidius

1,072,296hp
Abilities:
Stone Blow | Stop Heart | Thunderclap | Twilight Corruption
Loot:
Twitching Shadows | Witching Hourgalss | Raz’s Pauldrons | Clutches of Dying Light | Crepuscular Shield | Sandshift Relic | Willowy Crown

The boss fights do currently have strategy notes on them; but at this point this guide is merely a preview of what to expect from loot, health pools, abilities etc. Once cataclysm goes live I will revise this from a Preview to an Actual guide, and also eventually do a sister guide for the heroic encounter.

As this is Cataclysm content remember that all content in this guide is subject to change. I do encourage anyone who is in Beta to upload some pictures so I can replace my lovely place holder images (titters)

As usual I encourage any discussion and suggestions in the comment, as I will usually add them in should I deem it conducive.

As a bonus, with permission from Cynical Brit I have a Cataclysm Beta video walk-through.