mNo edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| + | {{this|the raid instance|the 2008 [[:Category:April Fools|April Fools]]|World of Warcraft: The Molten Core|the [[Warlock talent]]|Molten Core (warlock talent)}} |
||
| − | {{battle |
||
| + | {{infobox instance |
||
| − | |image= |
||
| + | |name=Molten Core |
||
| − | |name=A New Power in Lordaeron |
||
| + | |aka=MC |
||
| − | |prev=[[Dreadlord's Fall]] |
||
| + | |ss=Molten Core loading screen.jpg |
||
| − | |next=[[Into the Shadow Web Caverns]] |
||
| + | |caption=Molten Core loading graphic |
||
| − | |conflict=[[Legacy of the Damned]] |
||
| + | |loc=Inside [[Blackrock Depths]], [[Blackrock Mountain]] |
||
| − | |date= |
||
| + | |race={{RaceIconExt|CoreHound|Small}} [[Corehound]]s<br/> |
||
| − | |place=[[Ruins of Lordaeron]] |
||
| + | {{RaceIconExt|Lava|Small}} [[Lava elemental]]s<br/> |
||
| − | |result=Forsaken Victory |
||
| + | {{RaceIconExt|Fire|Small}} [[Fire elemental]]s<br/> |
||
| − | |side1=*Forsaken ([[Forsaken|Dissident]] faction) |
||
| + | {{RaceIconExt|Flamewaker|Small}} [[Flamewaker]]s<br/> |
||
| − | *Alliance |
||
| + | {{RaceIconExt|MoltenGiant|Small}} [[Giant]]s |
||
| − | *Ironforge Dwarves |
||
| + | |boss=[[Ragnaros (tactics)|Ragnaros]] |
||
| − | |side2=Scourge (Legion-loyalist faction) |
||
| + | |type=Raid |
||
| − | *Balnazzar's Forces |
||
| + | |level=60 |
||
| − | *Dreadlord Loyalists |
||
| + | |players=40 |
||
| − | *Dreadlord Insurgents |
||
| + | |key={{Quest|Attunement to the Core}} |
||
| − | |commanders1=*Dark Lady [[Sylvanas Windrunner]] |
||
| + | |bosses={{Molten Core}} |
||
| − | *[[Varimathras]] |
||
| + | |lockout=1 week |
||
| − | *[[Garithos|Grand Marshal Garithos]]† |
||
| − | |commanders2=*[[Balnazzar]] |
||
| − | *[[Morbent Fell]]† |
||
| − | *[[Ras Splinterspine]]† |
||
| − | |forces1=*1 [[Dark Ranger]] |
||
| − | *1 [[Dreadlord]] |
||
| − | *1 [[Dark Knight]] |
||
| − | Forsaken: |
||
| − | *[[Ghoul|Ghouls]] |
||
| − | *[[Crypt Fiend|Crypt Fiends]] |
||
| − | *[[Necromancer|Necromancers]] |
||
| − | *[[Banshee|Banshees]] |
||
| − | *[[Gargoyle|Gargoyles]] |
||
| − | *[[Obsidian Statue#Destroyer Form|Destroyers]] |
||
| − | *[[Abomination|Abominations]] |
||
| − | *[[Obsidian Statue|Obsidian Statues]] |
||
| − | *[[Frost Wyrm|Frost Wyrms]] |
||
| − | *[[Meat Wagon|Meat Wagons]] |
||
| − | *[[Skeleton|Skeleton Warriors]] |
||
| − | Alliance Remnants: |
||
| − | *[[Human]] [[Footmen]] |
||
| − | * Human [[Knight|Knights]] |
||
| − | * [[Ironforge]] [[Riflemen]] |
||
| − | * Ironforge [[Siege Engine|Siege Engines]] |
||
| − | * Ironforge [[Mortar Team|Mortar Teams]] |
||
| − | |forces2=*1 [[Dreadlord]] |
||
| − | *2 [[Lich|Liches]] |
||
| − | *[[Ghoul|Ghouls]] |
||
| − | *[[Crypt Fiend|Crypt Fiends]] |
||
| − | *[[Necromancer|Necromancers]] |
||
| − | *[[Banshee|Banshees]] |
||
| − | *[[Gargoyle|Gargoyles]] |
||
| − | *[[Destroyer|Destroyers]] |
||
| − | *[[Abomination|Abominations]] |
||
| − | *[[Obsidian Statue|Obsidian Statues]] |
||
| − | *[[Frost Wyrm|Frost Wyrms]] |
||
| − | *[[Meat Wagon|Meat Wagons]] |
||
| − | *[[Skeleton|Skeleton Warriors]] |
||
| − | *[[Felbeast|Felbeasts]] |
||
| − | *[[Doomguard]] |
||
| − | *[[Infernal|Infernals]] |
||
| − | |casual1=*Grand Marshal Garithos |
||
| − | *Many Alliance troops |
||
| − | *Moderate number of Forsaken |
||
| − | |casual2=*Ras Splinterspine |
||
| − | *Morbent Fell |
||
| − | *All remaining loyalists |
||
}} |
}} |
||
| − | {{Warcraft III}} |
||
| − | '''A New Power in Lordaeron''' is chapter 6 of the ''[[Legacy of the Damned]]''. It was the last battle between the [[Dreadlord]] [[Balnazzar]] and [[Lady Sylvanas Windrunner]] and her allies, for control of the [[Plaguelands]] and the Undead thereof. |
||
| + | The '''Molten Core''' is a level 60 raid dungeon located within [[Blackrock Mountain]], home to [[Ragnaros|Ragnaros the Firelord]]. It was one of two forty (40) player raid dungeons available upon release of ''World of Warcraft'', with the other being [[Onyxia's Lair]]. Considered the pinnacle of raiding achievement at the time, the Molten Core enticed adventurers to enter the instance in the search of realm glory. |
||
| − | ==Prelude== |
||
| + | Just before the re-opening of the [[Dark Portal]], [[Ragnaros]] - the land's fiery overlord - was cast down from his dark throne and returned to the firelands. [[Ragnaros]] now rages war on the world tree [[Nordrassil]]. |
||
| − | Having broken free of the [[Lich King]]'s waning power, Sylvanas had turned down the offer to rule the Plaguelands jointly with [[Balnazzar]], [[Varimathras]] and [[Detheroc]], as she considered this simply as another form of slavery. She gathered together a small army of free-willed Undead and defeated Varimathras, forcing him to pledge allegiance to her cause. The two of them marched upon Detheroc and [[Dreadlord's Fall|slaughtered]] both him and his retainers, sparing the life of his mind-slave [[Garithos|Grand Marshal Garithos]] so that he could bolster their forces with his remaining Alliance troops. In return for helping her attack Balnazzar, the last and most powerful Dreadlord, Sylvanas promised the egotistical commander control of Lordaeron. |
||
| + | == Encounters == |
||
| − | Balnazzar was no fool; he had reinforced the former human capital extensively after ousting [[Arthas Menethil]], and had gathered a very large Undead army to defend it, as well as opening a Dimensional Gateway to summon Demonic reinforcements. He was outraged by his brother's treachery, and promised to respond to Detheroc's destruction in kind. |
||
| + | [[File:Mcbosses.jpg|thumb|Molten Core bosses]] |
||
| + | {{Seealso|Molten Core Loot}} |
||
| − | ==The Battle== |
||
| − | Sylvanas and Varimathras launched a frontal assault upon Lordaeron's walls whilst Garithos attacked from the rear. The latter was most displeased to find that his [[Ironforge]] reinforcements had gotten lost on the way to the battle; Garithos had to fight his way through the wilderness to lead them to safety. Despite the tensions between the racist commander and his Dwarven charges (who didn't think they were getting paid enough), this action added much needed firepower to Garithos's assault and the [[Alliance]] began to make headway against the Undead, forcing them back further and further into the city. |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Flamewaker|Small}} [[Lucifron]] |
||
| − | Likewise, despite the terrible magical powers Balnazzar brought to bear upon his foes, Sylvanas and Varimathras managed to storm the city gates and routed the Dreadlord's forces, defeating his two pet Liches and destroying his Dimensional Gateway before capturing Balnazzar himself. The rest of the Undead duly surrendered. |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|CoreHound|Small}} [[Magmadar]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Flamewaker|Small}} [[Gehennas]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Lava|Small}} [[Garr]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Fire|Small}} [[Baron Geddon]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Flamewaker|Small}} [[Shazzrah]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Flamewaker|Small}} [[Sulfuron Harbinger]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|MoltenGiant|Small}} [[Golemagg the Incinerator]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Flamewaker|Small}} [[Majordomo Executus]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|FireLord|Small}} [[Ragnaros (tactics)|Ragnaros]] |
||
| + | Upon successful completion of the encounters, all bosses drop [[tier 1]] set items - excluding Ragnaros, who drops [[tier 2]] leg items. In addition, trash mobs may drop Fiery Cores, Lava Cores, and Core Leather, which can be used to craft armor and weapons available with [[Thorium Brotherhood]] reputation. |
||
| − | ==Aftermath== |
||
| − | Sylvanas ordered Varimathras to kill Balnazzar, as a last test of the Dreadlord's loyalty to her. Despite his protests that the Nathrezim were forbidden to harm one another he eventually did so, or at least seemed to. Garithos then ordered them out of "his" city, and Sylvanas told Varimathras to kill him also, which he gladly did with no remorse. The remains of Garithos's forces were slain or fled. With this final victory, Sylvanas declared herself ruler of the Plaguelands, and renamed the free-willed Undead who had pledged themselves to her the Forsaken. |
||
| + | Notably, Molten Core includes some mechanics which forces players to fight the bosses in a specific order. For more information, see [[Molten_Core#Progression|below]]. |
||
| − | In fact, whether by accident or design Varimathras did not kill Balnazzar; he later resurfaced disguised as the leader of the [[Scarlet Crusade]]. Whilst [[Ras Splinterspine]] and [[Morbent Fell]] were defeated in this battle, they may have survived if their [[phylactery|phylacteries]] remained intact. |
||
| − | == |
+ | == Geography == |
| + | [[File:MoltenCore.JPG|thumb|The Molten Core in the [[TCG]].]] |
||
| − | This battle is part of the Scourge campaign of [[Warcraft III]] expansion pack [[The Frozen Throne]] - Chapter 6: A New Power in Lordaeron. It is the last mission which featured Sylvanas Windrunner and her followers. |
||
| + | The Molten Core consists of rock and lava, with the lava forming rivers, small lakes and "lavafalls". Other features are small volcano-like smoke vents, molten cracks in the walls and roof, occasional [[dark iron]] deposits, and [[the runes of warding]]. Most locations do not have specific names, causing the majority of the Molten Core to be called simply "The Molten Core". |
||
| − | [[Category:Battles|Lordaeron]] |
||
| + | |||
| − | [[Category:Campaign chapters]] |
||
| + | === Named subregions === |
||
| + | {| class="darktable" |
||
| + | | [[Magmadar Cavern]] {{·}} [[Ragnaros' Lair]] |
||
| + | |} |
||
| + | |||
| + | === Map === |
||
| + | [[File:WorldMap-MoltenCore1.jpg|300px]] |
||
| + | {{clr}} |
||
| + | |||
| + | == Quests and Reputation == |
||
| + | === Gaining Entry === |
||
| + | There are four possible ways to enter Molten Core: |
||
| + | *By completing [[Attunement to the Core]] and thereafter being ported in by speaking with [[Lothos Riftwaker]], by jumping through the window next to him, or by jumping into the lava next to his location. |
||
| + | *By entering the portal in [[Blackrock Depths]]. |
||
| + | *By being teleported by a guild member via [[Have Group, Will Travel]]. |
||
| + | *Via a [[warlock|warlock's]] [[Ritual of Summoning]]. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Killing [[NPC]]s within Molten Core rewards reputation with [[Hydraxian Waterlords]]. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Prior to patch 3.0.8 the Hydraxian Waterlords offered a [[Hydraxian_Waterlords#Quests|quest chain]], eventually rewarding [[Aqual Quintessence]], which was at one point required to douse the Runes of the Firelord in order to summon Majordomo Executus and consequently, Ragnaros. Presently, defeating bosses will automatically douse their respective runes. |
||
| + | |||
| + | == History == |
||
| + | [[File:Warofthethreehammers.jpg|thumb|War of the Three Hammers.]] |
||
| + | |||
| + | The Molten Core was created during the [[War of the Three Hammers]] more than 300 years ago. Near the end of the war, Thaurissan, the leader of the [[Dark Iron Dwarves]], sought to summon a powerful fire elemental to defeat the combined forces of the Bronzebeard and Wildhammer clans. He was more successful than he could have imagined, as he released Ragnaros the Firelord from millennia of captivity under the [[Redridge Mountains]]. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Ragnaros destroyed the city of Thaurissan and created the volcano of [[Blackrock Mountain]]. He dwells there to this day with his elemental servants and the enslaved remnants of the Dark Iron dwarf clan. The burning lake where Ragnaros lies sleeping acts as a rift connecting to the plane of fire, allowing the malicious elementals to pass through. |
||
| + | |||
| + | {{wow-dungeons}} |
||
| + | :''The Molten Core lies at the very bottom of [[Blackrock Depths]]. It is the heart of [[Blackrock Mountain]] and the exact spot where, long ago in a desperate bid to turn the tide of the dwarven civil war, Emperor [[Thaurissan]] summoned the elemental [[Firelord]], [[Ragnaros]], into the world. Though the firelord is incapable of straying far from the blazing Core, it is believed that his elemental minions command the Dark Iron dwarves, who are in the midst of creating armies out of living stone. The burning lake where Ragnaros lies sleeping acts as a rift connecting to the plane of fire, allowing the malicious elementals to pass through. Chief among Ragnaros' agents is [[Majordomo Executus]] - for this cunning elemental is the only one capable of calling the Firelord from his slumber.'' |
||
| + | |||
| + | == Overview == |
||
| + | [[File:ragnaros2.jpg|thumb|Ragnaros and Executus, with player character shown for scale.]] |
||
| + | |||
| + | On release, Molten Core and Onyxia's Lair were the only 40 man instances in the game, thus Ragnaros was the first "game end boss." With the advent of [[Blackwing Lair]], [[Ahn'Qiraj]], [[Naxxramas]], and the raising of the level cap with the game's expansions, defeating Ragnaros has long since ceased to be the pinnacle of raiding success. However, prior to the Burning Crusade, slaying him was still considered a very important step in raid progression before engaging in more challenging content. It was the first raid encounter which required a concerted effort in acquiring massive amounts of a particular statistic (in this case, fire resistance). Moreover, the encounter was the first one to demand the extensive use of consumables, at least in the learning process and in the first few kills. As such, it was once a very important stage in the evolution of a raiding guild. |
||
| + | |||
| + | However, as of the [[Burning Crusade]] expansion, this is no longer the case, as this instance is largely obsolete with the introduction of Outland green items with superior stats to most of Tier 1 (and the fact that most higher instances are lower than 40 man, making them a much more practical way to go). It is now typically only run for the {{achievement|Molten Core (achievement)|Molten Core}} achievement, or by players seeking to craft {{item|Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros}} or {{item|Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker}}. |
||
| + | |||
| + | == Prerequisites and Quests == |
||
| + | [[File:Soloattune-bridge.jpg|thumb|Some of Ragnaros' minor minions waiting to welcome you into the Molten Core.]] |
||
| + | |||
| + | While technically there are no prerequisites to enter Molten Core through its entrance at the bottom of Blackrock Depths, every Core raider will want to complete the {{quest|Attunement to the Core|Attunement to the Core}} quest to enable the shortcut at the bottom of Blackrock Mountain. This quest is given at level 55 by [[Lothos Riftwaker]] who is located just outside The Quarry, on the way to [[Blackrock Depths]]. Once attuned you can access Molten Core by talking to Lothos again. When dead (as ghost) you also have the possibility to jump into the lava near Lothos. This can also be done by living players if they have a way to slow fall, or by jumping first onto the small ledge in the pillar on the right as you enter the main chamber of Blackrock Mountain, healing, then jumping down, back toward the wall of the lava pit, to cover the remaining distance to the platform below. |
||
| + | |||
| + | There are very few quests that involve the Molten Core. The only significant quest chain is the [[Hydraxian_Waterlords#Quests|Hydraxian Waterlords]] chain, which can be started by a visit to [[Hydraxian Waterlords|Duke Hydraxis]] off the coast of Azshara. Completing this quest chain will require killing one of each of the trash mobs in the Core, and then defeating the four [[Flamewaker]] bosses in Molten Core (Lucifron, Gehennas, Shazzrah, and Sulfuron Harbinger). In addition, all the trash mobs and bosses in Molten Core provide Hydraxian Waterlord reputation. The final reward options for this quest chain are {{loot|rare|Tidal Loop}} or {{loot|rare|Ocean's Breeze}}, both rare rings with high Fire Resistance. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Before Ragnaros can be summoned, the raid must defeat Majordomo Executus. Majordomo Executus will only appear if the raid douses the seven runes that are located near certain bosses in the Molten Core. Prior to [[Patch 3.0.8]], the runes could only be doused with the use of [[Aqual Quintessence]] (which can only be acquired by speaking with [[Duke Hydraxis]]), or via the use of [[Eternal Quintessence]] (usable once per hour, and which can be obtained from [[Duke Hydraxis]] when a player reaches Revered status with the [[Hydraxian Waterlords]]). With the introduction of [[Patch 3.0.8]], killing the boss that is associated with a rune will now automatically douse the rune. |
||
| + | |||
| + | === Raid Mechanics === |
||
| + | Molten Core is a [[raid]] instance. This means that it is on a strict timer schedule, which resets once a week, and once a character has been "saved to the instance" by killing a boss, that character cannot enter a different instance of Molten Core that week. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Each of the bosses in Molten Core has a very specific [[Molten Core Loot|loot table]], which includes the [[Tier 1]] armor pieces as well as a number of other epic-quality items. |
||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Progression ==== |
||
| + | As stated, the Molten Core includes several mechanics which forces players to fight the bosses in a specific order. These mechanics are: |
||
| + | *[[Tome of Tranquilizing Shot]] - this tome (now obsolete) was once necessary for defeating [[Magmadar]]. As such, [[Lucifron]] (who dropped the tome) had to be killed before Magmadar. Part of the reason was also that Lucifron is located before Magmadar. |
||
| + | *[[The runes of warding]] - most bosses in Molten Core guard runes which must be deactivated in order to summon [[Majordomo Executus]]. This means that these bosses must be defeated before Executus becomes available. |
||
| + | *It's possible to fight Baron Geddon without getting too close to Shazzrah, but it's tricky to fight Shazzrah without getting too close to Baron Geddon. |
||
| + | *While it's possible to jump down to [[Golemagg the Incinerator]]'s location from the ridge behind him, the fiery cracks on it and the fall damage will often kill players before they get to defeat him. When walking around, players often defeat [[Sulfuron Harbinger]] on the way. |
||
| + | *Ragnaros is summoned by Majordomo Executus, who will only agree to do so when he is defeated. As such, Majordomo Executus must be defeated before Ragnaros. |
||
| + | *The trash mobs in Molten Core provide Fiery Cores, Lava Cores, and Core Leather, which can be used with recipes earned at high levels of [[Thorium Brotherhood]] reputation to craft epic armor and weapons. It is generally the case that a raid progressing through Molten Core will use these Cores to craft Fire Resistance armor, which will allow the melee DPS of the raid to survive the final encounters with Majordomo Executus and Ragnaros. |
||
| + | *These factors, in addition to the layout of Molten Core, usually causes players to kill the bosses in this order: Lucifron → Magmadar → Gehennas → Garr → Baron Geddon → Shazzrah → Sulfuron Harbinger → Golemagg the Incinerator → Majordomo Executus → Ragnaros. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Powerful players (level 70-80+) can fight the eight first bosses in any way they prefer. It's also possible to skip Lucifron. |
||
| + | |||
| + | == Expansion Relevance == |
||
| + | With the arrival of ''[[World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade]]'' the popularity of the Molten Core took a turn for the worse, with items available in the expansion superior in quality to that of the Molten Core or any of the other forty player instances at the time. However, frustration with the hours-long instance duration were alleviated, allowing players to power through the Molten Core in record time - trivializing content. New abilities and better gear reduced the numbers of players needed to complete Molten Core from 40 to below 10. |
||
| + | |||
| + | In ''[[WOTLK|Wrath Of the Lich King]]'', it is possible for some classes to solo Molten Core. The classes doing this are usually Paladins and Death Knights, but Hunters, Shamans, Warlocks and Warriors have also managed to single-handedly defeat bosses. |
||
| + | |||
| + | In ''[[Cataclysm]]'', new abilities and equipment allows players to become several times as powerful as in WOTLK. This allows classes that were previously not able to solo Molten Core, such as Rogues, to do. Indeed, while unconfirmed, it is likely that all players with Cataclysm-quality items and abilities (beyond level 80) are able to solo Molten Core with little difficulty. |
||
| + | |||
| + | == Resources == |
||
| + | * [[Core Leather]] (Skinning [[Core Hound]]s, 310 skinning required) |
||
| + | * [[File:Inv ore mithril 01.png|16px]] [[Dark Iron Deposit]] (230 mining required) |
||
| + | * [[Fiery Core]] |
||
| + | * [[Lava Core]] |
||
| + | * [[Sulfuron Ingot]] |
||
| + | |||
| + | == Dungeon Denizens == |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|CoreHound|Small}} [[Core hound]]s |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|FireLord|Small}} [[Elemental lord]] (one, [[Ragnaros]]) |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|Fire|Small}} [[Fire elemental]]s |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|Flamewaker|Small}} [[Flamewaker]]s |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|Grell}} [[Imp]]s |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|Lava|Small}} [[Lava elemental]]s |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|MoltenGiant|Small}} [[Molten giant]]s |
||
| + | |||
| + | === Specific Mob Names === |
||
| + | *[[Core Hound]] |
||
| + | *[[Core Hound Pack]] |
||
| + | *[[Firelord]] |
||
| + | *[[Flame Imp]]s |
||
| + | *[[Lava Annihilator]] |
||
| + | *[[Lava Pack]] |
||
| + | **[[Lava Reaver]] |
||
| + | **[[Lava Elemental]] |
||
| + | **[[Flameguard]] |
||
| + | **[[Firewalker]] |
||
| + | *[[Lava Surger]] |
||
| + | *[[Molten Destroyer]] |
||
| + | *[[Molten Giant]] |
||
| + | |||
| + | == Guides == |
||
| + | * How to solo [[How to solo Attunement|Attunement to the Core]] |
||
| + | * [http://wow.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=167&meid=78 Molten Core strategy guide] including all bosses |
||
| + | * [http://www.wow-inner-sanctum.org/Web/forums/11/ShowForum.aspx Inner Sanctum's Molten Core Strategy Guide] |
||
| + | * [http://www.ceejbot.com/blog/space/The+pocket+guide+to+Molten+Core The Pocket Guide to Molten Core] |
||
| + | * [http://conquest.teamgbu.com/strats/moltencore/why.php Conquest guide] |
||
| + | |||
| + | ==Patch changes== |
||
| + | *{{Patch 4.2.0|note=The [[Core Hound|core hound packs]] before [[Magmadar]] have had their size increased. }} |
||
| + | *{{Patch 1.7.0|note=Bind on Equip Bracers and Belts in Molten Core now drop more often.}} |
||
| + | *{{Patch 1.6.0|note= |
||
| + | **The loot tables in Molten Core have been revised slightly. |
||
| + | **Characters that die and release in the Molten Core will now receive a minimap corpse marker and arrow that will lead them to the window next to Lothos Riftwaker in Blackrock Mountain. }} |
||
| + | *{{Patch 1.5.0|note=Additional new raid items have been added to the treasure lists for bosses in Molten Core.}} |
||
| + | *{{Patch 1.4.0|note= |
||
| + | **Molten Core boss creatures have all received some new items on their loot tables. |
||
| + | **Most of the non-class set items that dropped from Molten Core have had their effective levels increased, resulting in higher DPS weapons, and/or better stats and effects. |
||
| + | **The loot tables for some of the Molten Core bosses have been improved so they drop an additional epic item per kill. |
||
| + | **Prior to this patch, Molten Core boss creatures could drop items from one of two different tiered sets for every character class. The loot tables have been changed so Molten Core bosses will now only drop items from the lower tier class sets. However, some of the items from those sets were not previously dropping in Molten Core. These missing class set items will now drop in Molten Core, allowing players to complete their lower tier class sets.}} |
||
| + | *{{Patch 1.3.0|note= |
||
| + | **Players who have completed the Molten Core discovery quest can now port directly to the zone, bypassing Blackrock Depths. |
||
| + | **Fixed an issue that was causing the first Firelord to stop moving. |
||
| + | **Line of Sight checks removed from many creature abilities in Molten Core. }} |
||
| + | *{{Patch 1.2.0|note=If you die in Molten Core, you will now be able to retrieve your corpse at the Blackrock Depths instance line.}} |
||
| + | |||
| + | ==External links== |
||
| + | <!-- Read http://www.wowpedia.org/Wowpedia:External_links before posting your links here. |
||
| + | Links that do not conform to the rules will be DELETED. |
||
| + | Repeat violations may result in a BAN. |
||
| + | Have a nice day. :) --> |
||
| + | {{Elinks-zone|2717|armory=1}} |
||
| + | |||
| + | {{Dungeons|World of Warcraft}} |
||
| + | [[fr:Cœur du Magma]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Blackrock Mountain]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Molten Core| ]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Caves]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Instances]] |
||
Revision as of 15:35, 18 September 2011
- This article is about the raid instance. For the 2008 April Fools, see World of Warcraft: The Molten Core. For the Warlock talent, see Molten Core (warlock talent).
| Molten Core | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC | |||||||
 Molten Core loading graphic | |||||||
| Location | Inside Blackrock Depths, Blackrock Mountain | ||||||
| Race(s) |
File:IconSmall CoreHound Small.gif Corehounds | ||||||
| End boss | Ragnaros | ||||||
| Instance info | |||||||
| Type | Raid | ||||||
| Advised level | 60 | ||||||
| Player limit | 40 | ||||||
| Key | Attunement to the Core | ||||||
| Lockout timer | 1 week | ||||||
| |||||||
The Molten Core is a level 60 raid dungeon located within Blackrock Mountain, home to Ragnaros the Firelord. It was one of two forty (40) player raid dungeons available upon release of World of Warcraft, with the other being Onyxia's Lair. Considered the pinnacle of raiding achievement at the time, the Molten Core enticed adventurers to enter the instance in the search of realm glory. Just before the re-opening of the Dark Portal, Ragnaros - the land's fiery overlord - was cast down from his dark throne and returned to the firelands. Ragnaros now rages war on the world tree Nordrassil.
Encounters
Molten Core bosses
- See also: Molten Core Loot
- File:IconSmall Flamewaker Small.gif Lucifron
- File:IconSmall CoreHound Small.gif Magmadar
- File:IconSmall Flamewaker Small.gif Gehennas
- File:IconSmall Lava Small.gif Garr
- File:IconSmall Fire Small.gif Baron Geddon
- File:IconSmall Flamewaker Small.gif Shazzrah
- File:IconSmall Flamewaker Small.gif Sulfuron Harbinger
- File:IconSmall MoltenGiant Small.gif Golemagg the Incinerator
- File:IconSmall Flamewaker Small.gif Majordomo Executus
- File:IconSmall FireLord Small.gif Ragnaros
Upon successful completion of the encounters, all bosses drop tier 1 set items - excluding Ragnaros, who drops tier 2 leg items. In addition, trash mobs may drop Fiery Cores, Lava Cores, and Core Leather, which can be used to craft armor and weapons available with Thorium Brotherhood reputation.
Notably, Molten Core includes some mechanics which forces players to fight the bosses in a specific order. For more information, see below.
Geography
The Molten Core in the TCG.
The Molten Core consists of rock and lava, with the lava forming rivers, small lakes and "lavafalls". Other features are small volcano-like smoke vents, molten cracks in the walls and roof, occasional dark iron deposits, and the runes of warding. Most locations do not have specific names, causing the majority of the Molten Core to be called simply "The Molten Core".
Named subregions
| Magmadar Cavern · Ragnaros' Lair |
Map
Quests and Reputation
Gaining Entry
There are four possible ways to enter Molten Core:
- By completing
[30D] Attunement to the Core and thereafter being ported in by speaking with Lothos Riftwaker, by jumping through the window next to him, or by jumping into the lava next to his location. - By entering the portal in Blackrock Depths.
- By being teleported by a guild member via
[Have Group, Will Travel]. - Via a warlock's
[Ritual of Summoning].
Killing NPCs within Molten Core rewards reputation with Hydraxian Waterlords.
Prior to patch 3.0.8 the Hydraxian Waterlords offered a quest chain, eventually rewarding 
[Aqual Quintessence], which was at one point required to douse the Runes of the Firelord in order to summon Majordomo Executus and consequently, Ragnaros. Presently, defeating bosses will automatically douse their respective runes.
History
War of the Three Hammers.
The Molten Core was created during the War of the Three Hammers more than 300 years ago. Near the end of the war, Thaurissan, the leader of the Dark Iron Dwarves, sought to summon a powerful fire elemental to defeat the combined forces of the Bronzebeard and Wildhammer clans. He was more successful than he could have imagined, as he released Ragnaros the Firelord from millennia of captivity under the Redridge Mountains.
Ragnaros destroyed the city of Thaurissan and created the volcano of Blackrock Mountain. He dwells there to this day with his elemental servants and the enslaved remnants of the Dark Iron dwarf clan. The burning lake where Ragnaros lies sleeping acts as a rift connecting to the plane of fire, allowing the malicious elementals to pass through.
From the World Dungeons page on the official World of Warcraft Community Site:
- The Molten Core lies at the very bottom of Blackrock Depths. It is the heart of Blackrock Mountain and the exact spot where, long ago in a desperate bid to turn the tide of the dwarven civil war, Emperor Thaurissan summoned the elemental Firelord, Ragnaros, into the world. Though the firelord is incapable of straying far from the blazing Core, it is believed that his elemental minions command the Dark Iron dwarves, who are in the midst of creating armies out of living stone. The burning lake where Ragnaros lies sleeping acts as a rift connecting to the plane of fire, allowing the malicious elementals to pass through. Chief among Ragnaros' agents is Majordomo Executus - for this cunning elemental is the only one capable of calling the Firelord from his slumber.
Overview
Ragnaros and Executus, with player character shown for scale.
On release, Molten Core and Onyxia's Lair were the only 40 man instances in the game, thus Ragnaros was the first "game end boss." With the advent of Blackwing Lair, Ahn'Qiraj, Naxxramas, and the raising of the level cap with the game's expansions, defeating Ragnaros has long since ceased to be the pinnacle of raiding success. However, prior to the Burning Crusade, slaying him was still considered a very important step in raid progression before engaging in more challenging content. It was the first raid encounter which required a concerted effort in acquiring massive amounts of a particular statistic (in this case, fire resistance). Moreover, the encounter was the first one to demand the extensive use of consumables, at least in the learning process and in the first few kills. As such, it was once a very important stage in the evolution of a raiding guild.
However, as of the Burning Crusade expansion, this is no longer the case, as this instance is largely obsolete with the introduction of Outland green items with superior stats to most of Tier 1 (and the fact that most higher instances are lower than 40 man, making them a much more practical way to go). It is now typically only run for the 
Molten Core achievement, or by players seeking to craft 
[Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros] or 
[Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker].
Prerequisites and Quests
Some of Ragnaros' minor minions waiting to welcome you into the Molten Core.
While technically there are no prerequisites to enter Molten Core through its entrance at the bottom of Blackrock Depths, every Core raider will want to complete the Attunement to the Core quest to enable the shortcut at the bottom of Blackrock Mountain. This quest is given at level 55 by Lothos Riftwaker who is located just outside The Quarry, on the way to Blackrock Depths. Once attuned you can access Molten Core by talking to Lothos again. When dead (as ghost) you also have the possibility to jump into the lava near Lothos. This can also be done by living players if they have a way to slow fall, or by jumping first onto the small ledge in the pillar on the right as you enter the main chamber of Blackrock Mountain, healing, then jumping down, back toward the wall of the lava pit, to cover the remaining distance to the platform below.
There are very few quests that involve the Molten Core. The only significant quest chain is the Hydraxian Waterlords chain, which can be started by a visit to Duke Hydraxis off the coast of Azshara. Completing this quest chain will require killing one of each of the trash mobs in the Core, and then defeating the four Flamewaker bosses in Molten Core (Lucifron, Gehennas, Shazzrah, and Sulfuron Harbinger). In addition, all the trash mobs and bosses in Molten Core provide Hydraxian Waterlord reputation. The final reward options for this quest chain are [Tidal Loop] or [Ocean's Breeze], both rare rings with high Fire Resistance.
Before Ragnaros can be summoned, the raid must defeat Majordomo Executus. Majordomo Executus will only appear if the raid douses the seven runes that are located near certain bosses in the Molten Core. Prior to Patch 3.0.8, the runes could only be doused with the use of [Aqual Quintessence] (which can only be acquired by speaking with Duke Hydraxis), or via the use of 
[Eternal Quintessence] (usable once per hour, and which can be obtained from Duke Hydraxis when a player reaches Revered status with the Hydraxian Waterlords). With the introduction of Patch 3.0.8, killing the boss that is associated with a rune will now automatically douse the rune.
Raid Mechanics
Molten Core is a raid instance. This means that it is on a strict timer schedule, which resets once a week, and once a character has been "saved to the instance" by killing a boss, that character cannot enter a different instance of Molten Core that week.
Each of the bosses in Molten Core has a very specific loot table, which includes the Tier 1 armor pieces as well as a number of other epic-quality items.
Progression
As stated, the Molten Core includes several mechanics which forces players to fight the bosses in a specific order. These mechanics are:
[Tome of Tranquilizing Shot] - this tome (now obsolete) was once necessary for defeating Magmadar. As such, Lucifron (who dropped the tome) had to be killed before Magmadar. Part of the reason was also that Lucifron is located before Magmadar.- The runes of warding - most bosses in Molten Core guard runes which must be deactivated in order to summon Majordomo Executus. This means that these bosses must be defeated before Executus becomes available.
- It's possible to fight Baron Geddon without getting too close to Shazzrah, but it's tricky to fight Shazzrah without getting too close to Baron Geddon.
- While it's possible to jump down to Golemagg the Incinerator's location from the ridge behind him, the fiery cracks on it and the fall damage will often kill players before they get to defeat him. When walking around, players often defeat Sulfuron Harbinger on the way.
- Ragnaros is summoned by Majordomo Executus, who will only agree to do so when he is defeated. As such, Majordomo Executus must be defeated before Ragnaros.
- The trash mobs in Molten Core provide Fiery Cores, Lava Cores, and Core Leather, which can be used with recipes earned at high levels of Thorium Brotherhood reputation to craft epic armor and weapons. It is generally the case that a raid progressing through Molten Core will use these Cores to craft Fire Resistance armor, which will allow the melee DPS of the raid to survive the final encounters with Majordomo Executus and Ragnaros.
- These factors, in addition to the layout of Molten Core, usually causes players to kill the bosses in this order: Lucifron → Magmadar → Gehennas → Garr → Baron Geddon → Shazzrah → Sulfuron Harbinger → Golemagg the Incinerator → Majordomo Executus → Ragnaros.
Powerful players (level 70-80+) can fight the eight first bosses in any way they prefer. It's also possible to skip Lucifron.
Expansion Relevance
With the arrival of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade the popularity of the Molten Core took a turn for the worse, with items available in the expansion superior in quality to that of the Molten Core or any of the other forty player instances at the time. However, frustration with the hours-long instance duration were alleviated, allowing players to power through the Molten Core in record time - trivializing content. New abilities and better gear reduced the numbers of players needed to complete Molten Core from 40 to below 10.
In Wrath Of the Lich King, it is possible for some classes to solo Molten Core. The classes doing this are usually Paladins and Death Knights, but Hunters, Shamans, Warlocks and Warriors have also managed to single-handedly defeat bosses.
In Cataclysm, new abilities and equipment allows players to become several times as powerful as in WOTLK. This allows classes that were previously not able to solo Molten Core, such as Rogues, to do. Indeed, while unconfirmed, it is likely that all players with Cataclysm-quality items and abilities (beyond level 80) are able to solo Molten Core with little difficulty.
Resources
- [Core Leather] (Skinning Core Hounds, 310 skinning required)
- Dark Iron Deposit (230 mining required)
- [Fiery Core]
- [Lava Core]
- [Sulfuron Ingot]
Dungeon Denizens
- File:IconSmall CoreHound Small.gif Core hounds
- File:IconSmall FireLord Small.gif Elemental lord (one, Ragnaros)
- File:IconSmall Fire Small.gif Fire elementals
- File:IconSmall Flamewaker Small.gif Flamewakers
- Imps
- File:IconSmall Lava Small.gif Lava elementals
- File:IconSmall MoltenGiant Small.gif Molten giants
Specific Mob Names
- Core Hound
- Core Hound Pack
- Firelord
- Flame Imps
- Lava Annihilator
- Lava Pack
- Lava Surger
- Molten Destroyer
- Molten Giant
Guides
- How to solo Attunement to the Core
- Molten Core strategy guide including all bosses
- Inner Sanctum's Molten Core Strategy Guide
- The Pocket Guide to Molten Core
- Conquest guide
Patch changes
- Patch 4.2.0 (2011-06-28): The core hound packs before Magmadar have had their size increased.
- Patch 1.7.0 (2005-09-13): Bind on Equip Bracers and Belts in Molten Core now drop more often.
- Patch 1.6.0 (2005-07-12):
- The loot tables in Molten Core have been revised slightly.
- Characters that die and release in the Molten Core will now receive a minimap corpse marker and arrow that will lead them to the window next to Lothos Riftwaker in Blackrock Mountain.
- Patch 1.5.0 (2005-06-07): Additional new raid items have been added to the treasure lists for bosses in Molten Core.
- Patch 1.4.0 (2005-04-19):
- Molten Core boss creatures have all received some new items on their loot tables.
- Most of the non-class set items that dropped from Molten Core have had their effective levels increased, resulting in higher DPS weapons, and/or better stats and effects.
- The loot tables for some of the Molten Core bosses have been improved so they drop an additional epic item per kill.
- Prior to this patch, Molten Core boss creatures could drop items from one of two different tiered sets for every character class. The loot tables have been changed so Molten Core bosses will now only drop items from the lower tier class sets. However, some of the items from those sets were not previously dropping in Molten Core. These missing class set items will now drop in Molten Core, allowing players to complete their lower tier class sets.
- Patch 1.3.0 (2005-03-07):
- Players who have completed the Molten Core discovery quest can now port directly to the zone, bypassing Blackrock Depths.
- Fixed an issue that was causing the first Firelord to stop moving.
- Line of Sight checks removed from many creature abilities in Molten Core.
- Patch 1.2.0 (2004-12-18): If you die in Molten Core, you will now be able to retrieve your corpse at the Blackrock Depths instance line.
External links
| ||||||||