Review of Cataclysm: Darkshore. Ancient Dragonslayer Heroic and Mythic

Bosses drop item level 810 on Normal difficulty, item level 825 on Heroic, and item level 840 on Mythic.

In addition, players have a small chance to get tempered items with an increased level (up to +5). At the start of the expansion, the maximum level is 850.

Dungeon loot can also be obtained from quests, including dungeon-related quests, as well as quests to kill elite monsters.

Bosses in the Eye of Azshara are arranged in a circle, and players can go in any direction. We recommend following the standard route (clockwise), killing the bosses in the following order: Warlord Parjesh, Lady Hatecoil, Viper, and King Wavebeard.

To fight the final boss, you must defeat them all. During the battle, Naga Summoners will attempt to empower the Wrath of Azshara, which is protected by a magical dome.

Coral Strike is a cone attack that inflicts a bleed effect on all targets in front of the caster.
Tanks need to turn warriors away from the group.
When a Hatecoil Warrior drops below 50% health, he goes into a frenzy, increasing his melee attack speed.
Warriors have the lowest priority.

Stormweaver spells need to be knocked down as often as possible.

Of all the weaver spells, Flash Lightning has the lowest priority.
Weavers also use Arc Lightning, which strikes a random target, dealing damage to them and spreading to other targets.
In addition, they have Tempest in their arsenal, which deals heavy damage to all players within a 10m radius for 12 seconds.
Storm and Arc Lightning must be interrupted.
If the Tempest fails, the tank must move the pack out of the area of effect, and his allies must follow him.

Crushers deal heavy melee damage and attack the tank with Mighty Strike.

Mighty Strike deals physical damage, which can be reduced by armor and active absorption mechanisms.
Crushers follow each Mighty Strike with a Thundering Stomp .
Thundering Stomp deals moderate damage and knocks all players back.
The rumbling stomp must be knocked down.

Shepherds attack the tank with a Throw Spear that deals moderate damage.
In addition, they periodically pin random players in place with a Hook Web, which makes it difficult to dodge the weavers' attacks.
The main ability of shepherds is called.
Deals moderate damage to the whole group and taunts nearby (neutral) Turtles that go into Enrage and attack players.

Turtles have a large supply of health and in a state of Enrage deal additional damage.

They apply Crunch Bite to the tank, which reduces armor by 20%. The effect is cumulative.
Turtles are a serious threat to the tank, especially if they are part of a large pack.
In addition, they are periodically protected by Spiked Carapaces. This spell casts for 6 seconds and cannot be interrupted.
While Spiked Shell is active, Turtles take less damage from player attacks and deal damage back to them.
While Spiked Shell is active, you need to stun turtles or switch to other targets.

It cannot be knocked down, so players should kill the shepherds first, stunning them if possible while casting Lightning Goad.

Shell Crusher deals moderate melee damage and uses Rolling Roar .
Wave Tamer will cast Heal on a random player and heal allies.
Players must interrupt Healing as it restores an impressive amount of health to the boss.

After 5 sec. he throws a Piercing Spear at the target player.
The direction of the flight of the Piercing Spear is marked with an arrow.
The spear pierces the first target it hits, be it the player or the boss's assistant. Players hit by Piercing Spear take damage and are knocked back.

If one of the boss' minions is still alive at the time of the throw, the player targeted by the spear must position themselves so that the Piercing Spear hits the mob. The spear applies the debuff of the same name to the target, increasing damage taken and allowing them to be quickly eliminated. If there are no helpers, the player should stand so that the spear does not hit any of the allies, and use defensive cooldowns to take as little damage as possible.

About once every 30 seconds. Warlord Parjesh dashes forward and casts a Crushing Wave that deals Frost damage to all players in its path.

Players who are in close proximity to the boss at the time of the use of Crushing Wave should move away from him in order not to receive unnecessary damage.
Tanks should turn Parjesh away from allies so that Crushing Wave goes in the opposite direction.

In addition, Parjesh periodically applies a damage over time effect, Throw Javelin, to a non-tank target. At such times, the roll target must use personal defensive cooldowns, if available.

When Parjesh's health drops to 30%, he goes into a frenzy and begins to attack with melee attacks faster. At this point, you can use Bloodlust / Heroism / Time Warp to quickly kill the boss and protect the tank.

Tank Responsibilities:

After Calling for reinforcements, quickly pick up the mob. In order for the Wave Tamer to move, interrupt her spell or silence her.
Beware of Piercing Spear.
Avoid damage from Crushing Wave by stepping to the side in time.
If possible, interrupt Tamers' Healing and Crusher's Rolling Roar.
When the boss goes into Enrage (30% health), actively use defensive cooldowns and spells to actively absorb damage.

Fighter Responsibilities:

Focus on Warlord Parjesh, only switching to his lieutenants after Piercing Spear.
If you are targeted by Piercing Spear
Avoid Crushing Wave
If possible, interrupt Tamers' Healing and Crusher's Rolling Roar.

Physician's Responsibilities:

In this fight, your group will take targeted burst damage.
Heal players with Throw Javelin.
If an ally is targeted by Piercing Spear, use targeted spells, healing over time spells, and defensive cooldowns to keep them alive.
If you are targeted by a Piercing Spear, position yourself so that it hits one of the mobs.
If there are no mobs, run away from allies and use a defensive cooldown.
Avoid Crushing Wave by taking a few steps to the side while casting the spell.
Players hit by Crushing Wave will require a large amount of healing.
During Enrage, the tank will require a lot of healing and defensive cooldowns.

On Heroic and Mythic difficulty, Call for Reinforcements summons two mobs at the same time. Players should focus on the Tamer so that she doesn't heal the boss, and finish off the Crusher with Piercing Spear.

If the Crusher manages to read Roaring Roar , it gains Motivation and deals additional damage. The effect lasts 30 seconds. and summed up.

All sorceress abilities are spells that can be interrupted.
The Water Cannon creates pillars of water under the player's feet that erupt from the ground, dealing moderate damage and knocking targets into the air.
The sorceresses also apply Arcane Ricochet to the current target, dealing moderate Arcane damage and spreading to other enemies within 5 yards.
They also use Polymorph: Fish , changing the appearance of random targets for 8 seconds.
All of these spells can be interrupted, but Water Cannon has the highest priority.
To neutralize the effect of the Magic Ricochet, you need to stand dispersed.
Healers can dispel Polymorph: Fish .

The two sorceresses, standing in intricate runes, have satellites - the Tidebreakers of the Hatecoil clan and the Storms Reviving.

Tempests use the Fountain, creating roaming whirlpools near players.
The fountain deals damage to all enemies in its path and knocks them back, so it is recommended to avoid collisions.
Tidebreakers cast Water Arrows on the current target and periodically buff themselves with Bubble Shield .
The Bubble Shield absorbs incoming damage and increases your spell casting speed.
If players manage to break through the Bubble Shield , the Vanquisher will receive the Backlash effect, stunning her and doubling her damage taken.
The Bubble Shield can also be removed with dispel spells, but the Backlash effect will not trigger.
Vanquishers also use Call Water to create Water Elementals.
Elementals attack targets with Water Balloons.
Kill Priority: Animated Storm, Hatecoil Wavebender, Hatecoil Sorceress.

By carefully moving along the path, players can avoid collision with other mobs. In most cases, groups kill the left sorceress and then move past the trees to the shore without engaging the Relentless Wave.

In the forest and on the shore, try not to touch the neutral Sand Snails. They have a lot of health and slowly chase players, preventing them from getting out of combat. The snails also periodically use Hard Slime, which is a cone attack that deals damage to all targets in the area of effect.

Before engaging in a fight with Lady Hatecoil, it is necessary to clear the waters and the shore of Seawater Particles. When the particles die, they explode (Splash), slowing and damaging the affected players. At the moment of the simultaneous death of several particles, the damage can be huge.

Stand on a sand dune to avoid lightning damage

Lightning Nova deals heavy damage and stuns players standing in water.
This mechanic can be completely ignored by standing on a sand dune.
The ring of lightning is cast for 4 seconds. Stay close to the dunes to be able to quickly jump out of the water.
After 15 sec. after Lightning Nova, Lady Hatecoil uses Lightning Focus.
When the spell ends, the boss unleashes a powerful lightning bolt that destroys nearby dunes.
While casting Focus of Lightning, players must stand in the water.
Focused Lightning also triggers Excess Lightning if players are too close (less than 5m) to each other.
The combined damage from these spells can be fatal, so you need to be spread out while Focused Lightning is active.

To handle the Lightning Nova/Lightning Focus mechanic, you need to stand in the water near the dune most of the time, climbing up when Lady Hatecoil uses Lightning Nova, and moving back at the first opportunity. If Focused Lightning destroys too many dunes, players won't be able to handle the damage from Lightning Nova!

Like Seawater Motes, Seawater Drops only attack in melee.
Upon death, the drop explodes (Splash).
The explosion deals minor damage to nearby players and reduces their movement speed.
The tank should pick up the drops that spawn in melee range and keep them away from allies.
Ranged players can drive their blobs towards the tank, but not during Lightning Focus.

Lastly, Lady Hatecoil periodically casts Witch's Curse on players.

Witch's Curse is applied to a different number of targets each time.
Within 12 sec. the curse does not harm the players in any way.
When the Witch's Curse dissipates, it creates a huge cone in the direction the player is facing.
The zone deals no damage, but knocks back all players caught in it.
This effect causes a lot of inconvenience during the action of Lightning Nova or Lightning Focus. Players affected by Witch's Curse are advised to turn away just before the effect ends.
Players who are able to remove curses (shamans, druids) are not recommended to do this without prior agreement with allies.
The cone attack also destroys small opponents, so it can be used to clear drops.
However, this is quite a risky task. It will be better to entrust it to a melee fighter or a tank.

Players affected by the Witch's Curse are advised to turn away just before the effect ends.

Damage cooldowns are best used early in the fight when the need for movement is minimal. In addition, you can start the fight while standing on the dune, because. Lightning Ring is always used first.

Tank Responsibilities:

Lightning Ring
The focus of lightning.
Collect the drops that appear after Calling the Storm.
Aim Witch's Curse at the remaining drops.
Crackling thunder.

Fighter Responsibilities:

Stand on the dune when Lady Hatecoil uses Lightning Ring to avoid being stunned.
Move away from the dunes and other players when Lady Hatecoil uses Focused Lightning .
Witch's Curse.
Do not leave the pool with the boss, because. attempting to stand ashore will take damage from Crackling Thunder .

Physician's Responsibilities:

Dispel the stun effect from players who didn't make it to the dune in time.
Use cooldowns after Focusing Lightning.
Stand on the dune when Lady Hatecoil uses Lightning Ring to avoid being stunned.
Move away from the dunes and other players when Lady Hatecoil uses Focused Lightning .
If the drops attack you, lead them to the tank.
Turn away from other players when hit by the Witch's Curse.
Do not leave the pool with the boss, because. attempting to stand ashore will take damage from Crackling Thunder .

Heroic and Mythic modes

On Heroic and Mythic difficulty, Lady Hatecoil gains the Monsoon ability.

The monsoon is a small whirlwind that slowly follows the nearest player.
On contact with a target, Monsoon launches them into the air.
If Monsoon collides with a dune, they are both destroyed.
Players who are targeted by Monsoon must move him away from the dunes or lead him to the furthest dunes in order to destroy him.

Snake

Notable trash

Near several craters in which Snake lives, there is a lot of trash. Players will have to clear the shore almost completely, because when diving, the boss dives into one of the sinkholes and appears in another (random). If there are monsters near her, players may die.

There are five types of monsters living near the Serpentine: Surf Crabs (in groups), Hardshell Poppy Wounds, Stilts Poppy Wounds, Storm Disturbed Hydras (single) and neutral Seagulls.

Surf crabs roam the shore in flocks (5 each).

They attack the primary target with Jagged Pincers , dealing moderate physical damage to them and leaving a weak damage over time effect.
Jagged Claws stack fairly quickly, given that the effect comes from five enemies at once.
Combined with melee attacks, Serrated Claws pose a serious threat to the tank.
AoE stuns and other CCs can reduce the amount of damage a tank takes.

Hardshell Mac "wounds are quite dangerous, so you should not engage in battle with them in the presence of other monsters.

Hardshells attack with Heavy Claws , causing their melee attacks to deal additional damage that is shared between all players within 5m of the primary target.
If the target dodges or parries the attack, they still take Heavy Claw damage.
Players in addition to the tank should not stand in front of Hardshells, so as not to receive unnecessary damage.
Hardshell Mac "wounds also use the Armor Shell, hiding behind a powerful shield that absorbs incoming damage.
If players manage to break through the Armored Shell , it explodes into Armored Shell Shards and deals damage to the entire group.
Armored Shell's active effect cannot be dispelled.
As such, players must interrupt Armored Shell casting to prevent the shield or Armored Shell Shards from spawning.

Stilts Mac "wounds are also quite dangerous.

They periodically hit the primary target with a Sandblast.
The sand jet is a strong damage over time effect with a 30m range.
Players other than the tank are not recommended to stand in front of the stilts.
When Sand Jet is triggered, tanks are advised to take a step to the side so as not to take unnecessary damage.
Stilts also cast Sandstorm on random targets (including tanks).
Sandstorm deals no damage, but applies Blinding Sands, reducing hit chance by 33%.
Players with Blinding Sands should run back and wait for the effect to wear off.
Sandstorm is a magical effect that any healer can handle.

Storm-disturbed Hydras deal avoidable damage. They use Seething Storm and Chaos Storm.

These spells summon electric balls that deal damage to players in the area of effect.
Hit zones are marked with large pillars of light and animations on the ground.
The seething storm is a conical attack in the direction of the hydra's gaze.
Players other than the tank should not be standing in front of the mob, and the tank itself can simply step to the side.
Storm of Chaos spawns at random locations around players.
Try not to stand in the affected area.

Storm-disturbed Hydras also use Tail Slash, which deals heavy damage to players behind them. The tail slash also knocks the affected players back, as a result they can provoke a fight with additional monsters or the boss itself.

Even though seagulls are neutral by default, their route covers a large area and they can enter combat with a random AoE. Seagulls deal moderate melee damage and periodically disorient the enemy with their Blinding Beak Strike . During the fight, this effect can lead to the death of the entire group, so before the fight with the boss, it will be better to kill all the seagulls.

During this phase, the tank must always follow Serpent's head to avoid Rampage.
Ranged DPS should interrupt Rampage if Serpentine spawns too far away from the group.

Kill Blazing Hydra Spawns as quickly as possible. Thanks to the Hydra Head effect, the boss takes damage along with them. Thus, killing hydras speeds up the killing of the boss. During the Dive phase, it is recommended to apply damage over time effects to all available targets.

After the death of the heads, the first, simpler phase is repeated.

Use strong cooldowns (e.g. Bloodlust / Heroism / Time Warp) at the start of the fight or during the first Dive (depending on your party composition).

Tank Responsibilities:

After Snake uses Dive, quickly find the main head and stay close to it to prevent Rampage.
Stop reading Rampage.
Targeted by Poison Spit
Get out of Poison Pools that spawn under the feet of players with Toxic Wound .
Be prepared for the fact that when moving to a new head, trash mobs can join the battle.

Fighter Responsibilities:

When targeted by Poison Spit , move out of the area.
Targeted by Poisoned Wound Poison Pools Poisoned Wound will not dissipate.
When Snake uses Dive, quickly look for additional (red) heads and switch to one of them.
Remember that neutral mobs roam the area with the boss, and do not move too far from the healer.
If you can interrupt spells from afar, watch out for Rampage and stop the boss from casting it.
Interrupt Flame Burst as often as possible.
After killing one head, switch to the second, and then to the boss itself.
While both heads are alive, use personal defensive cooldowns.

Physician's Responsibilities:

When targeted by Poison Spit , move out of the area.
When targeted by Toxic Wound , move away from other players, spread Toxic Pools in a safe area, and keep moving until the Toxic Wound dissipates.
At the start of the Dive, the group will take heavy AoE damage.
Stand in the center of the court to reach all allies and use your cooldowns to keep them alive.

Heroic and Mythic modes

On Heroic and Mythic Difficulty, instead of one additional head, another one (purple) appears.

It's called the Magic Spawn of the Hydra.
Arcane Spawn of the Hydra uses Arcane Blast and deals moderate Arcane damage to a random enemy.
Each successful cast of Arcane Blast grants the head an Arcane Charge .
Each Arcane Charge increases Arcane Blast damage by 50%.
Disrupt the cast of Arcane Blast as often as possible.

These murlocs inflict Rending Bite on the target, increasing damage taken by 10%.
The tank needs to quickly collect the murlocs, preventing them from attacking other members of the group.
Rending Bite stacks, so damage through the tank skyrockets.
Use the AoE stun and various cooldowns to help the tank survive.

There are also packs of six Bitterwater Raboms in the cave and on the shore.

Slaves poison targets with various poisons.
There are three types of poisons, the effects of which are cumulative.
Lethargy Toxin reduces movement speed by 10%.
The numb toxin reduces your attack and casting speed by 10%.
Sea Toxin applies a moderate damage over time effect.
In a battle with these mobs, the tank takes very heavy damage. Use AoE stuns and healing cooldowns.
Druids, monks and paladins who can remove poisons can save the tank from unnecessary damage.

You should not engage in battle with murlocs and slaves at the same time, because. the total damage can be fatal.

After leaving the cave on the shore, players will encounter two types of skrogs: breakwaters and breakers.

Sometimes a lone seagull can be seen near King Wavebeard. It is recommended to kill her before the boss fight.

The Call of the Seas summons several moving water vortices.
While standing in the whirlwinds, players take minor Frost damage every 0.3 sec.
Since there are many eddies from the Call of the Seas, and they are all moving, it is almost impossible to escape from them.
If whirlwinds are approaching you, and there is not much health left, run.
Otherwise, the damage will not be too great, so it can be ignored.

However, the most important combat mechanic is , which spawns right after Earthquake and every 33 seconds thereafter.

applied to two random players (excluding the tank).
absorbs a large amount of incoming damage and lasts 20 seconds. (or until the target takes enough damage).
If dispersed naturally, a gas explosion will occur.
The gas explosion deals very heavy damage to the entire group.

Do not panic!
There is always an Earthquake before every potential explosion.
Wait for the Earthquake and get into the rift before Aftershock.
Earthquake / in the aggregate successfully break through.
It is not worth chasing the whirlwinds of the Call of the Seas, because. they do not deal enough damage, and during the dashes you will not be able to effectively complete your tasks.
It is also possible to pierce with Lightning Strike, but this only works if your party is the fourth to kill King Wavebeard.

Never casts on tanks, but they have to dodge the ability on a regular basis.

read 2.5 sec. and creates a huge danger zone around the tank.
When the spell ends, the boss deals heavy damage in the marked area.
ignores armor, so a tank that enters the affected area without additional protection is likely to die.
Tidebeard stands still during the cast, so the tank can run out of range.

When King Wavebeard reaches 30% health, he goes into a frenzy and attacks at twice the speed. As a result, the tank takes massive damage and must use various cooldowns to survive.

Tank Responsibilities:

Don't stand in the area of the Ground Slam.
Exit Rifts with Aftershock that appear after Earthquake .
Save powerful defensive cooldowns for the last phase of Frenzy.

Fighter Responsibilities:

Don't stand too close to allies to avoid spreading Earthquake damage to them.
Exit Rifts with Aftershock that appear after Earthquake .
If you are targeted by a Gas Bubble, do not chase the Call of the Seas eddies. Wait for the Earthquake and step into the rift to take damage from Aftershock .
Don't stand in front of the boss to avoid being hit by Ground Slam.

Physician's Responsibilities:

During the Earthquake, the group will take heavy damage. Heal allies who have not managed to get out of the rifts.
If someone fails to pierce , immediately after the explosion, apply a healing cooldown (such as Tranquility or Divine Anthem).
When the boss goes into Frenzy, the tank will take heavy damage. Focus your attention on him to help him survive.
Don't get too close to your allies to avoid taking extra damage from the Earthquake.
Exit Rifts with Aftershock that appear after Earthquake .
If you are the target for

· Orc · Forsaken · Tauren · Troll · Blood Elf

Darkspear Trolls

Available classes	Warrior, Mage, Shaman, Hunter, Rogue, Priest; Death Knight , Druid , Warlock , [ localization required] Barbarian , Wild , Potions Dock , Stalker , Curse Master , Berserker , Shadow Hunter , Witch Doctor , Bounty Hunter , Bat Rider
Language	Zandali, Common, Orchi
starting zone	echo islands
race leader	Dark hunter Vol "jin
Capital	Orgrimmar, Zuldazar (capital of all trolls)

For the player-accessible race, see: Troll (player-accessible)

Dark Spear- a tribe (sometimes a clan) of jungle trolls (according to some sources - island trolls) rescued by the orc leader Thrall and entered the Horde during the Third War.

Story

The Darkspear Tribe broke away from the Gurubashi Empire after the defeat of Hakkar the Soul Flayer. Various tribes established themselves in the vast territories of Stranglethorn, but soon they began to war with each other. The Darkspear tribe, the smallest of most of the other tribes, was completely forced out of the continent and settled on remote uninhabited islands, which were called the Darkspear Islands (it is believed that these islands are part of the Broken Isles). Before the outbreak of the Third War, Thrall managed to free his people from the prisons of Lordaeron and, at the direction of the prophet Medivh, he went to the lands of Kalimdor. But on their way to their destination, Thrall's fleet was caught in a violent storm near the Maelstrom, which forced the Horde to seek shelter in a nearby island's bay. The elderly leader of the Darkspear trolls, Witch Doctor Sen "jin, welcomed the arriving orcs who came to him in visions.

Trolls feel indebted to the orcs, over time, fighting alongside the tauren, they became friends with this race as well. They are suspicious of the Forsaken and the blood elves, but, however, show them a tolerance that is unusual for the race.

The Darkspear tribe doesn't actually hate the Alliance races, but their loyalty to the Horde and their bloodlust makes the Alliance a potential enemy. However, their respect for Thrall prevents them from waging war against Theramore. The Alliance races do not trust trolls at all, especially after the Second War, in which they fought the forest trolls, although the Darkspear tribe before meeting with Thrall had never fought the Alliance races for at least such a reason that they had not met before. Darkspear trolls look down on other uncivilized trolls with disdain.

The Darkspear does not have the bloodthirst attacks that its brothers do. The inhabitants of Theramore and the night elves are extremely reluctant to thank the trolls for their support at the Battle of Mount Hyjal, but the rest of the Alliance races outside of Kalimdor were not present at this battle, and do not see the difference between the Darkspear trolls and other trolls.

Faith and Magic

Upon joining the Horde, many Darkspear trolls learned about shamanism from orcs and tauren. This path seemed worthy and valuable to them, but most follow their ancestral faith - voodoo witchcraft. This harmful practice includes strange drugs, ritual dances and music, and the creation of small dolls. Voodoo calls for the dark nature that other races prefer to avoid. Trolls, especially those skilled in voodoo, become witch doctors or dark hunters. In voodooism, trolls worship the Loa pantheon. The Dark Lance is known to worship the Loa Gurubashi, as were once part of that empire, with the exception of Hakkar the Soul Flayer, as well as Loa Bwonsamdi and Gonku. In addition, the druids of the tribe came into closer contact with the nature spirits, learning from the Loa and, according to some, directly from the Emerald Dream.

Technology

The jungle trolls do not consider technology to be a science, but simply another form of magic. For them, constructing a technological device is tantamount to creating a talisman or amulet, only more actions are needed for this. And the use of the power of steam is only an alternative way to bind the spirits of air and water and submit to one's will. Most of the inventions of the jungle trolls are a combination of the use of natural and alchemical components with the application of a scientific approach. Specialization in a narrow area is not typical for trolls, as is the case with orcs and weapons. Instead, trolls study whatever application of science they find most interesting. Some trolls even claim that spirits communicate with them in their dreams, suggesting new ways they can be called upon through technology. The trolls' inventions include the poison extractor, the swamp walker's shoes, and the dart grenade.

Names

Trolls have their own naming system, which is simple on the one hand, but surprisingly complex on the other. Their language, Zandali, is largely syllabic, and various syllables may be added to the beginning or end of a troll's name to signify status or ability. The suffix "Jin", for example, refers to a tribal leader or elder, while the prefix "zul" means a voodoo master. However, trolls mainly use one or two syllables from the name in order to facilitate pronunciation. Troll naming practices also vary with their species, tribe, and sometimes family. Darkspear trolls, given their jungle troll roots, use the following system:

Male names: Ox, Ros, Mig, Gal.

Female names: Shii, Mis, Hai, So.

Society and culture

Although the Darkspear trolls have joined the Horde and turned their backs on the jungle trolls' bloodthirsty past, they have a hard time adjusting to their new way of life. They grew up in an evil and cruel world around them, and their nature can be quite described in the same words. Changes in mind don't happen all of a sudden, and there's a lot more that trolls need to get used to. Their first change was to stop eating the flesh of their fallen enemies.

Another, more difficult step for the Darkspear trolls was to change their own social order. The life of the troll community is permeated with rituals and rituals, some of which are quite cruel. For example, the rite of initiation of children for adoption into a tribe: when a child was six years old, he was taken to remote areas of the forest and left there. If the child returned, he was considered accepted into the tribe. Other rites are a fight to the death for the desired object, duels with blunt weapons during the marriage ceremony to establish dominance in the marriage, and fights between the youth and the old to give the old a noble death in battle. This practice of weeding out the weak gave the trolls very strong warriors, but left no compassion within society. The orcs and tauren worked alongside the Darkspear shamans to eradicate these barbaric practices, and together they had quite good success. Traditions still remain, but the trolls are trying not to use the most bloodthirsty.

A few trolls have agreed to live within the orc cities. These trolls have completely abandoned their old wild life and seek to learn from the orcs and tauren. They sometimes do not understand how it is possible to be a strong warrior and, at the same time, noble, but Thrall embodies such a noble warrior for them, and they strive to comprehend the concept of "honor".

The trolls are very eager to help the Horde. They learn new ways of shamanism and begin to lead a less immoral lifestyle. They like to be part of something more than just a handful of warring tribes, for the sake of which they are ready to change everything in their lives. Relations with the orcs and tauren began to change the savage nature of the Darkspear trolls. These trolls seek to find themselves in the world, to get a chance to develop and prosper.

Philosophies

Within the tribe, two philosophies predominate.

Living in the future.

Do what it takes

The Darkspear was in big trouble, but then Thrall saved them. The tribe swore allegiance to him and joined the Horde, but some still cling to the old ways. They value their elaborate, structured culture, but they know the Horde disapproves of it. These trolls have decided to do what needs to be done. They maintain the illusion of all-encompassing shamanism, but either practice voodoo traditions in secret, or mix the two into a strange mixture. The Blackspears, who have not completely renounced their association with voodoo, do not see this as treason against the Horde. They serve Thrall with extreme loyalty, but remain pragmatic. If the Horde fails the trolls, they will be left with their traditional faith to replace shamanism. Trolls who do what needs to be done also follow the path of witch doctors, but carefully avoid the darker aspects of this path (at least when other races are watching).

Location

The Darkspear trolls nevertheless managed to snatch the Echo Islands from the clutches of the sorcerer Zalazane, and now they have re-established themselves there, although they have not abandoned the village of Sen "jin. But often trolls can be found in the same place as the orcs, and from the village of Sen" jin to the orc The town of Razor Hill is literally within reach.

As members of the Horde, the tribe's trolls have established settlements throughout Kalimdor. The largest troll-built city in the Horde is Shadowprey Village in Desolation. The medicine man Jin "zil built a small outpost of Malak" Jin in the Stonetalon Mountains. Together with the orcs, the trolls built a fishing outpost

Trolls are the oldest race available to players (with the possible exception of the Draenei). The Darkspear trolls in particular are just one tribe, a handful of representatives of a huge race. While the orcs, undead, tauren, and blood elves were busy solving some of their own issues, the Darkspear trolls quietly dealt with their internal problems without outside help.
Most of the trolls living today are the descendants of two powerful empires that once existed: the Gurubashi, located in the southeast of Kalimdor, and the Amani in the central regions of the continent. There were other tribes not related to these two empires - the Gundrak trolls in the north, but most of the tribes could be attributed to either the Gurubashi or the Amani. Before the Great Sundering, trolls were a huge part of the population of Azeroth. Even though the Gurubashi and the Amani didn't particularly like each other, there was little conflict between the two troll empires. Wise rulers preferred to fight with common external enemies than with their relatives. Such an external enemy at that time were aqirs - humanoid insects. Both empires fought them for thousands of years without ceasing, and as a result, the Aqir Empire split into two city-states - Azjol "Nerub" in the north and An "Qiraj in the south. When the aqir were finished, the trolls returned to their normal lives, greatly expanding their borders.

However, there are some ancient records that say that there was a third race of trolls. She broke away from the Amani, made her way to the heart of Kalimdor, founded her own settlement there, and discovered the Well of Eternity, which gave these trolls great power. Legends say that these trolls were the ancestors of the current night elves, but there is no confirmation of this, just as there is no unambiguous refutation of the conjecture. Using magic never seen before, the night elves began to hunt down and slaughter the trolls until they were only a pitiful shadow of what they once were.

Thus, the night elves began to rule the territory of Kalimdor. But their reign did not last long. Since the magic of the elves was truly great, it attracted the attention of the Burning Legion. He, in turn, launched the events of the War of the Ancients, which eventually led to the Great Rift, which literally split the single continent into three parts. After the Breaking, the trolls were cut off from each other. The Amani were lucky, as most of their people were nearby - in the north of the Eastern Kingdoms. But the Gurubashi Empire was less fortunate. The once powerful state broke up into separate tribes that settled in the jungles of Stranglethorn and in the deserts of Tanaris.

The misfortunes of the trolls did not end there. Desperate and still dreaming of resurrecting the great Gurubashi empire, the priests turned to the Old Gods they once worshipped. Hakkar the Soul Flayer, one of the most vicious and bloodthirsty spirits, answered the call. While Hakkar gave the Gurubashi people great power, he demanded daily sacrifices in return, intending to fully penetrate the physical world. Seeing the disastrous fruits of this bloody alliance, the Zandalar tribe managed to convince the others to abandon the dangerous undertaking before it was too late. They succeeded in destroying the avatar of Hakkar, and his Atal'ai priests were driven north to the Swamps of Sorrows.

Meanwhile, the internal conflicts of the Gurubashi people were gaining momentum. Internecine wars raged unceasingly between the tribes in the jungles of Stranglethorn. The Darkspear tribe soon found themselves outside the jungle that was their home. They had to move to the islands, where they lived quite well for several years. Like all their kind, the Darkspear trolls were cunning and cruel savages. Darkspear trolls are the smallest tropical trolls yet the most intelligent of their kind. The troll race as a whole is notable for its particular cruelty, propensity for wars and conflicts. Almost all tribes practice ritual sacrifice and cannibalism, as well as black magic and voodoo magic. At that time, the Darkspear Tribe was no exception.

Along with several other tribes, the people of Darkspear believe in spirits. Believes that spirits are present in the world in the same way as other living beings. Spirits can be greedy, hostile, and dangerous, but they can also be benevolent and merciful. Trolls believe that their ancestors, after death, linger in the world of the living under the guise of spirits and require appeasement through bloody sacrifices. Cannibalism is also a ritual directed against enemies. Devouring the flesh of their enemies, they also devour their souls. Thus, the souls of the enemies they killed will no longer be able to return to this world to take revenge. The Darkspear tribe held these beliefs throughout the time they lived on the abandoned islands.

The Darkspear tribe was ruled by the powerful healer Sen "jin, who was known for his ability to communicate closely with spirits. And although there was no urgent need to protect the settlement on the abandoned islands, this does not mean that there were no threats at all. The islands were inhabited by murlocs - small toothy creatures, usually wandering in small groups along the coast.Murlocs are cautious creatures - they prefer not to attack first and attack only if they are provoked to aggression.But, in addition to the murlocs, other troubles awaited the trolls, which completely changed the fate of the tribe.Firstly, on the islands people from the kingdom of Kul Tiras landed and established a settlement here, pushing Darkspear even deeper into the jungle.Secondly, not aggressive by nature, the murlocs suddenly began to attack the trolls from all sides with inexplicable fury.

A terrible creature - the Sea Witch - has caused sudden attacks by murlocs. The Sea Witch was a deity worshiped by murlocs. It was a dead banshee naga who had taken control of the Forsaken Isles. Powerful and merciless, she demanded daily sacrifices from the murlocs, which led to attacks on the trolls. Sen "jin and his tribe found themselves between two fires: on the one hand, the people of Kul Tiras, and on the other, the murlocs of the Sea Witch. Both enemies posed a real threat to the existence of the tribe in the future. And then one night, Sen" jin received a vision from the spirits - the image of a young an orc who could drive the humans away, lead the people of Darkspear from the isles, and bring hope to a new destiny.

Shortly after the vision, another party visited the Forsaken Isles - Thrall traveled with his few forces to Kalimdor in search of his destiny at the behest of the Prophet Medivh. Thrall's horde stole ships from Kul Tiras to cross the sea, but underestimated the dangers of the Maelstrom and nearly lost all of their ships. Thrall was forced to temporarily land on the Forsaken Isles. Sen "jin approached him to warn about the settlement of people nearby. Thrall, who had already dealt with people in the Eastern Kingdoms, believed the healer and agreed to help. He did not have warm feelings for the human race, and Sen" jin seemed to be friendly and even offered his people to help.

All this story took place in the campaign of the original part of Warcraft III. Thrall managed to push back the human forces, but he and his people were captured by the murlocs. Thrall, Sen "jin and a group of orcs with trolls were dragged underground to be sacrificed to the great Sea Witch. While Thrall was trying to free himself and his people, Sen" jin was taken to the murloc high mage in the deepest part of the lair to be sacrificed. Thrall managed to free himself and, with a group of his people, he made his way to the place where Sen "jin was kept. Unfortunately, it was too late - the healer was dying. With his last breath, he told Thrall about his vision and asked to withdraw the Darkspear tribe from the island.

The Sea Witch was furious. Not only was her sanctuary defiled, but her servants were mercilessly killed. She summoned a mighty storm, and huge waves rolled over the Forsaken Isles. Her desire was to take revenge on the orcs and end the thorn in her side that the Darkspear trolls had been.

Sen "jin died, but his legacy will live on. The medicine man's son, Vol" jin, led the tribe. In memory of Sen'jin's prowess, Thrall offered the Darkspear tribe a place in the Horde and a refuge in the kingdom he intended to create. In gratitude for the Horde's generous offer and in memory of Sen'jin's last words, Vol'jin and his people swore loyalty to Thrall. The orcs managed to repair the ships and they sailed to Kalimdor, taking some of the population of the Darkspear with them. Vol "jin remained on the islands with the remaining trolls to gather the survivors and cope with the consequences of the wrath of the Sea Witch. A year later, they arrived in Durotar already as part of the great Horde. Note that this does not mean that the trolls did not take part in the Third War at Mount Hyjal at all - some of those whom Thrall took with him helped him faithfully gain a foothold in Durotar and during the subsequent war. However, most of the people of Darkspear remained on the sidelines.

Upon arrival in Durotar, Vol "jin and his tribe settled on the Echo Isles (possibly named for their resemblance to the Forsaken Isles - the former home of the trolls) and created a settlement, which was soon attacked. The brave fleet of Kul Tiras found the Horde and by order of Grand Admiral Daelin The Proudmoore trolls were sentenced to death. And again, Vol "jin and his people managed to escape, this time thanks to three heroes - the half-orc Rexar, the hunter Rohan and Chen Stormstout (a pandaren, whom the Horde picked up along the way). Forced to leave the Echo Isles, Vol "jin continued to help Rexxar and Rohan and advised to bring tauren and ogres to his side in the fight against people.

When the threat of Kul Tiras was over, Vol "jin and his people moved back to the Echo Isles with the intention of living here peacefully and happily. Unfortunately, his dreams of peace this time were not destined to come true. Peace was absent in the ranks of the Dark Spear. Witch Doctor Zalazane, formerly one of the elders responsible for training the young priests and mages of the Darkspear, was dissatisfied with the alliance with the Horde and captured many of the trolls on the island. Vol "jin had no choice but to hastily retreat with the remaining forces. After reaching the coast of the mainland, Darkspear settled in a small fishing village, which became a refuge from the threat of Zalazane. The village was named in honor of the father of Vol "jin - the Village of Sen" jin. The village of Sen "jin is very small and looks more like an ordinary outpost. Master Gadrin is in charge here - one of Vol" gin's most devoted advisers. Gadrin is determined to find Zalazane and return the Echo Isles to Darkspear once and for all. All Horde players who have arrived in the village are tasked by Gadrin to find Zalazane, as well as end the threat from the nearby centaurs who are raiding the village.

As for Vol'jin, he was offered a place in the fortress of Grommash, where he could give Thrall useful advice, guided by his wisdom, instinct and cunning, which he inherited from his father. In particular, all these traits are manifested in the leader when speaking When the opportunity arose to start hostilities in Stranglethorn Vale, Vol'jin suggested to the Horde that they should make an effort to return Troll'Kalar. Troll'Kalar was the weapon of the Stormgard Trollbane family. This blade had one interesting property - when the sword struck a troll, the natural healing of wounds, characteristic of all trolls, stopped. At all times when the sword was wielded by a man, the trolls were forced to avoid meeting with him, which made this weapon especially useful in battles with other tribes in Stranglethorn.

Vol "jin and his people do not advertise their past, because they are ashamed of it. They had to change their traditions when they became part of the Horde. The Darkspear tribe understood that the terrible rituals of the trolls cast a shadow on their allies and offend them. Instead of sentient beings, for The trolls began to use witchcraft spells and... desiccated heads to fight the souls of their enemies. .

The trolls gladly greeted the noble tauren, but they only shook their heads at an alliance with the Forsaken, saying how Thrall decides it will be so. Trolls can be understood - they view the undead as evil spirits that will never find rest and therefore bring only pain and suffering to the world. They have to endure the undead, but humility is not easy for them. As for the attitude towards blood elves, there is no unambiguous definition in the game. One can only guess that since the pointy-ears were descendants of the night elves, the trolls should not have excessive sympathy for them. And if we recall the blood elves' excessive addiction to magic and demonic forces, then it is not yet known who - elves or the undead - Darkspear should dislike more.

However, the Horde united all these dissimilar races, so that despite conflicting feelings towards each other, peoples are forced to put up with an unpleasant neighborhood. Throughout the events of Burning Crusade, trolls, like the undead, have remained in the background. They established their massive settlement in the swamplands of Zangarmarsh, and not just to help the Horde gain a foothold in Outland. The Darkspear trolls wanted to connect with the spirits of the mysterious continent.

Meanwhile, Vol "jin still remained in Thrall's chambers in Orgrimmar. In the Wrath of the Lich King addition, the trolls faithfully served the interests of the Horde. Their fighters can be found everywhere in Nodskol. When Sylvanas and her subjects were smoked out of the Undercity, Vol" gin advised Warchief to keep the Forsaken in the Horde, despite his prejudice against the undead. The Darkspear trolls revere Thrall and are ready to give their lives for him without delay. However, it is not surprising. When a powerful medicine man and leader tells you that he has seen a sign, you will certainly follow him. For the Dark Spear, Thrall personifies the salvation promised and predicted by the master Sen "jin. And despite all the seemingly strange guidelines for choosing allies, Thrall is the same orc that Vol" jin will follow even to the edge of Azeroth.

The trolls Zul "Draka" appeared in WoTLK - having no direct connection with the Black Spear - they settled in the Zim "Torga camp and are neutral towards both the Horde and the Alliance. The mystics of Zim "Torg are especially interested in the sudden insanity of the Drakkari people. And even though their brethren can no longer be saved, these trolls are trying to save all the artifacts that they have time to collect. In Northrend, the Darkspear tribe does not pursue any goals of its own - the tribe's fighters can be found wherever there are Horde forces .In the Argent Tournament camp, Darkspear trains warriors to fight the Lich King, along with other nations.

But if you look at the role of the Darkspear in general, while the other races of the Horde were preoccupied with some kind of their own hardships, the trolls simply helped Thrall and followed him everywhere. The trolls can be found at Camp Grom "goal" in Stranglethorn Valley, where they continue to fight the tropical tribes and look for Yenniku, a troll called the "chief's son." Does this mean that Yenniku is the son of Sen "gin" and the brother of Vol "gin, or Is this the son of the current chief of the tribe? Night Hunters, Fort Zoram "gar in Ashenvale and a very small, hidden from prying eyes, village of Malaka" gin in the Stonetalon Mountains.

In Stranglethorn Vale there is a tribe of trolls - the Zandalar tribe, the very one that we have already mentioned. To this day, they oppose Hakkar, who was reborn in the ruins of Zul "Gurub. The Zandalar tribe is indifferent to the Alliance, and is not at all interested in the fate of the Dark Spear as part of the Horde. It is much more important for them to contain the threat of Hakkar's return to this world. These trolls have common roots with trolls Zul "Fight in the north.

Another friendly tribe of trolls lives in the Hinterlands - the Broken Fang. The Brokenfang Tribe was part of the Amani Empire, but was threatened with total annihilation during the Troll War between humans, high elves, and trolls. And although the people of the Broken Fang refused to join the Horde, they found it appropriate to conclude a treaty confirming friendship and mutual assistance between them and the Horde. Therefore, Horde players can freely visit their village in the Hinterlands and complete their quests. Although many Brokenfang trolls died at the hands of the blood elves in the Troll War, the current settlers treat the elves as they treat other members of the Horde.

All this can no longer be said of the Amani Empire. Zul'Amana's trolls, led by Zul'gin, were furious when they found out who Thrall had taken as an ally. It is not surprising if you remember that it was the blood elves who left Zul'jin without an eye and kept him prisoner throughout the Second War, where he fought on the side of Orgrimm and his Horde. Zul'jin swore that he would kill everyone - the Alliance, the Horde - it doesn’t matter because both factions annoyed him. In the Burning Crusade expansion, players were given the opportunity to defeat Zul'gin in Zul'Aman.

It is impossible not to mention the tribe, which few people know, but even fewer have seen. They are the Piercing Spear tribe, living in northern Kalimdor and cut off from the rest of the world by mountain ranges. Piercing Spear lives in a small village (also called Dancing Troll Village) by a lake. Players can only get to them through hidden paths in the mountains from the side of Winterspring and get the opportunity to find themselves at a real voodoo party. They are hostile to the Alliance, but do not attack first. It is very likely that this tribe will play its role already in the Cataclysm. If we take into account that the Dancing Troll Village is located next to Moonglade and Mount Hyjal, then it is quite possible that this is where the druid trolls will start their journey, or they will simply study here.

Although the Brokenfang and Piercingspear tribes are friendly towards the Horde, they are not as friendly as the Darkspear tribe. Even though the trolls currently prioritize the interests of the Horde over their own, the memory of Zalazane's insidious betrayal haunts them. Master Gadrin continues to make plans for Darkspear's return to the Echo Isles. The trolls are the only Horde race that still doesn't have their own capital, and all these 5 years they have been working for the orcs, neglecting their own problems. Now that the Lich King had been dealt with, Vol'jin had apparently decided that it was time to finally take the Echo Isles from Zalazane by force.

Although Gadrin sent many players to finish off Zalazane, and many even successfully completed this task by bringing Zalazane's head, all these trophies were nothing more than fakes. Painted stones, coconuts with wooden fangs inserted into them, sometimes real troll heads that Zalazane enslaved. Vol "jin is fed up with playing with him and has been persistently looking for a way to end the traitor with the help of his new allies and powerful spirits. And even when he was absorbed in working with Thrall, he continued to carefully plan his attack. So soon he will ask the Horde to help him in return for many years of devoted service... To help find what the trolls have been deprived of since they left the Forsaken Isles - their home.

This is exactly what Vol "Jin craves with all his heart - to provide a home to his people, as his father predicted to them many years ago. Zalazane's betrayal was a spit in the face of the leader of the Dark Spear, Sen" Jin's dreams. The return of the Echo Isles will mean that the Horde will receive another major city that will strengthen its strategic positions, and besides this, the testament of Father Vol "jin will finally come true and tribute will be paid to his memory. The legacy of Sen" jin is exactly what drives Vol " gin - and it will never be forgotten.

The Darkspear tribe is probably the strongest ally the orcs have ever had. Unrequitedly loyal to Thrall, the Darkspear trolls have literally transformed themselves in their desire to please the orcs. They abandoned cannibalism and voodoo - two integral components in their lives before joining the Horde. The shamanism of the orcs was close in spirit to the ideas of the trolls about the values by which they lived. Add to this the vision of Sen "jin, who foretold the fate of the Dark Spear side by side with the Horde and Thrall. In addition, the trolls were imbued with deep feelings and respect for the tauren, whose shamanism was also close in spirit to the magic of the trolls. And even though Thrall's decisions were not always understandable to the Darkspear, faith in him makes the trolls unwaveringly follow the Chieftain.The trolls live by their conscience, and the oath they swore to Thrall will forever remain unbreakable.

Stop...

The Darkspear trolls are 100% loyal to Thrall. For these noble beings, the concepts of "honor" and "oath" are not just words. With the upcoming changes in Cataclysm, Thrall will be replaced as leader of the Horde by Garrosh. How would this affect Darkspear and his role within the Horde, since they had little in common with this orc? Will Vol "jin remain as an adviser or will he return to his Echo Isles to finally take care of the well-being of his people? How will the trolls react to the fact that the orc, who in the prediction of Sen" gin was supposed to be their protector, has retired ? Maybe they will leave the Horde in protest or as a sign of immense respect for Thrall? There are still many more questions than answers. The upcoming events related to the capture of the Echo Isles will surely shed light on many things.

Today we caught up with game designers Luis Barriga and Craig Amai to talk about the changes to the landscape of Darkshore, the fate of Auberdine, and the hard work of overhauling the old zone.

Q. What was the original concept of the zone?
O. Darkshore was one of the territories most affected by the cataclysm. Our main idea was to make the area literally torn apart. That's the approach we took when reshaping the look and feel of Darkshore.

As for the gameplay, we decided to build on changes in the environment and use them in the story of tasks. We've been able to design quests in a way that makes them easier to complete and allows players to spend less time running back and forth.

Q. What levels and factions is this zone intended for?
O. Darkshore is intended for Alliance players - primarily night elves and worgen from level 11 to 20.

Q. What changes have taken place in the zone?
O. Auberdine is destroyed. Some species of creatures died out, and the earth opened up in several places.

Cataclysm also gave nearby enemies - coastal naga, Twilight's Hammer cultists, and enterprising Spearspear trolls - the chance to use gaps in the weakened defenses of the night elf settlements to their advantage.

Q. What happened to Auberdine?
O. Auberdine was literally razed to the ground, and what the cataclysm did not destroy was besieged by air elementals led by the Twilight's Hammer cult. The city is mostly in ruins, but some of its inhabitants managed to survive.

Q. If Auberdine is destroyed, where have the night elves gone?
O. In Lor'danel. This is a small elven town north of the ruins of Auberdine.

Q. Briefly describe the general history of Darkshore.
O. Darkshore was hit hard by the earthquakes in Cataclysm. The night elves barely survive, help the refugees, and fend off the advancing forces of the Twilight's Hammer, naga, and Piercing Spear trolls whenever they can. At the same time, Malfurion Stormrage, who has recently awakened from the Emerald Dream, travels to the epicenter of destruction, where he calls on the ancient power of Cenarius to stop them.

Q. Which of the innovations would you call the most exciting?
O. Without a doubt, this is a giant crater in the center of the zone, where the destructive forces of the cataclysm are fighting against the primordial power of Malfurion Stormrage. Our talented artists and level designers have created for us a truly epic energy vortex, the centerpiece of the picture of destruction. She looks phenomenal!

Q. And how much effort did you spend on such a processing of the zone?
O. To be honest, redesigning Darkshore took a lot more work than we thought. This is one of the zones where everything is built around the consequences of the cataclysm, so we added several tasks on this topic and finalized their general direction. Although at first everything was purely based on visual changes, it soon became clear that we would need a lot more human resources to create stories that would fit with the features of the new area and its history.

Q. What was the most difficult part of implementing these changes?
O. At first we thought that we could use most of the original Darkshore quests, but it turned out that in the context of the new history of the zone, they are meaningless. For example, looking for corrupted animals or studying the remains of sea monsters is not appropriate when everything around is devastated by natural disasters, elementals, nagas, and maybe worse. So, realizing that we have to remove all the old content and create new content from scratch, and then translate these plans into the game, was perhaps the most difficult part of the process.

Q. What happens at the Sword of Dominion? The last time we saw him almost buried in the ground.
O. The Twilight's Hammer cult has recently begun digging out the remains of Soggoth, one of the Old Gods' most powerful servants, from under the Overlord's Sword to bring him back to life. The players will have to interfere with their plans before the new incarnation of Soggoth gains full power.

Q. What's new in the Grove of the Ancients?
O. The Grove of the Ancients was protected by the power of its powerful inhabitants from most of the destruction caused by the Cataclysm. But this required great strength, and therefore most of the ancient guardians fell into a state of hibernation. Players will need to find a way to awaken the ancients to help them in their fight to save life in Darkshore.

Luis and Craig, thank you for taking the time to tell us about the development of the new Darkshore for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm!