The Ruins of Lordaeron is WoW Forever's new early-level Horde dungeon and one of the two you can already play in the beta, which goes up to level 20. It sits in what's left of Lordaeron's capital, above the Undercity: the Forsaken are trying to reclaim the city while a necromancer is plotting something from inside. It's the Horde counterpart to the Alliance's Hall of Thanes, but the Alliance has quests here too.
This guide puts together what you need before going in: the nine quests and where to get them, the six bosses and what each one drops, with stats. The data comes from the beta client and Wowhead's Forever database; what isn't known yet, we say.
In short
| Level | 15-20 according to Blizzard. The quests are level 21-22 and the final boss is level 20 |
| Where | Above the Undercity, on the left as soon as you enter the ruined city, in Tirisfal Glades |
| Faction | Horde, with four Alliance quests picked up inside |
| Bosses | 6, in any order: Witherfang, the Baron, Viktor the Vile, The Abandoned, Bjork and Rath'mael |
| Quests | 6 for the Horde and 4 for the Alliance (one exists on both sides), from level 15 |
| Experience | Almost all of it from quests: 3,500 to 9,750 each |
The key point: it's non-linear and has secrets. One boss only appears if you activate an object after some waves, and it's easy to leave without ever seeing him.
The quests: pick them up before you go in
Horde. Four are picked up outside and two inside:
| Quest | Level (from) | Given by | What it asks | Reward to choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Frightened Request | 22 (15) | Tabitha Heartweaver, at the Sepulcher (Silverpine Forest) | Find out what happened to her husband Edward, who went looking for their son in the ruins | Edward's Knife (dagger, 15.6 DPS, +4 Agility, +4 Stamina) · Tabitha's Cuffs (cloth bracers, +6 Intellect, +3 Stamina). Plus 7,050 experience and Undercity reputation |
| The Wrath of Rath'mael | 22 (15) | Deathguard Kristof, in Brill | Kill Rath'mael | Forsaken Greataxe (two-handed axe, 20.5 DPS, +8 Strength, +4 Stamina) · Gnarled Necromancer's Staff (staff, 15.2 DPS, +10 Intellect, +26 spell power). Both give 2% movement speed in Silverpine Forest and Hillsbrad Foothills |
| Light's Justice | 22 (15) | Morbin Lightbane, in the Undercity | Collect 25 Intact Limbs | The Stitcher (one-handed mace, 10.4 DPS, +6 Stamina, up to +48 healing and +16 spell damage) · Spare Part Bindings (leather bracers, +3 Agility, +5 Stamina, +3 Spirit) |
| The New Plague | 22 (16) | Theodore Griffs, in the Undercity | Bring back the Highly Toxic Strain from Witherfang | Plaguefang (its stats can't be read yet) · Blight Gloves (cloth gloves, +7 Intellect, +5 Spirit, +3 Nature Resistance) |
| Unending Torment | 21 (16) | Starts from the Abominable Head, inside | Take the head to the Undercity | According to Wowhead, the same ring as the Alliance Baron quest |
| Crest of Lordaeron | 22 (16) | Starts from the Crest of Lordaeron, inside | Take the crest to Oran Snakewrithe, in the Undercity | Small Sack of Gems and 8,300 experience |
Alliance. All four are picked up inside. Captain Truman is friendly to the Alliance and hostile to the Horde:
| Quest | Level (from) | How it starts | What it asks | Reward to choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abominable Creatures | 21 (16) | Captain Truman, inside | The Head of the Baron | Monstrous Cleaver (two-handed sword, 19.7 DPS, +10 attack power, +9 against Undead, +9 Stamina) · Grave Shroud (cloak, +3 Strength, +2 Agility, +5 Stamina) · Slain Baron's Signet (ring, +2 Defense, +5 Stamina) |
| Bloodied Insignia | 22 (16) | An item in the dungeon | Gather 10 Bloodied Insignias and take them to General Marcus Jonathan in Stormwind | Duty Bound Leggings (leather legs, +6 Agility, +9 Stamina, +6 Intellect) · Remembrance Armor (mail chest, +5 Strength, +9 Stamina, +6 Spirit) |
| Crest of Lordaeron | 22 (16) | The Crest of Lordaeron | Take it to Lady Dena Kennedy in Stormwind | Small Sack of Gems |
| Remember That I Love You | 22 (15) | The Blood-Stained Letter | Take it to Orphan Matron Nightingale in Stormwind. Not sharable | Tarnished Locket (necklace, +5 Stamina, +4 Spirit) |
Wowhead notes the quests show red at level 17, but the dungeon is doable at that level. All of Forever's new quests, with every item's tooltip, are on the quests page.
Which group to bring
One tank, one healer and three damage dealers. The trash is packed tight and it's easy to pull two packs at once, so crowd control helps a lot. With the level it's learned at in Forever:
- Almost everything is undead: the priest's Shackle Undead arrives at 20. Paladins have a great time here with Exorcism, also learned at 20.
- Crowd control for the packs: the mage's Polymorph (8), the rogue's Sap (10) and Gouge (6), the warlock's Fear (8) and the druid's Hibernate (18) for beasts.
- Interrupts and stuns (you'll need them against The Abandoned): the shaman's Earth Shock (4), the paladin's Hammer of Justice (8), the rogue's Kick (12), the warrior's Shield Bash (12) and the druid's Bash (14).
To see what your group covers at your level, try the group planner.
The bosses, in any order
The dungeon isn't linear: all six bosses can be done in any order.
Witherfang
An easy beast. The only thing to watch is not pulling him together with the packs along his path: clear his route first. He carries the Highly Toxic Strain that The New Plague asks for.
| Loot | Slot | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Atrophic Girdle | Waist (mail) | +5 Strength, +5 Stamina |
| Witherbite Bracers | Wrist (leather) | +4 Agility, +3 Intellect, +3 Spirit |
| Segmented Spider Leg | Staff | 17.5 DPS, +5 Strength, +9 Agility |
The Baron
An undead whose Knock Away can kill your tank very quickly. Stun him as much as you can and keep the tank topped up. His head is what Abominable Creatures asks for.
| Loot | Slot | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Meathook Slicer | Dagger | 13.6 DPS, +4 Agility, +3 Stamina |
| Abomination Bones | Chest (mail) | +9 Strength, +4 Intellect, +2 Stamina |
| Leftover Abomination Skin | Chest (cloth) | +7 Spirit, +8 spell power |
Viktor the Vile
The easiest one to miss. He isn't in plain sight: you first have to defeat five waves of enemies and then click a Kindled Flame. He hits hard, so let the tank hold him. In the beta he sometimes doesn't spawn because of a bug.
| Loot | Slot | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Vilewalkers | Feet (mail) | +7 Strength, +5 Stamina |
| Bloodied Chestwraps | Chest (leather) | +9 Agility, +4 Stamina, +4 Intellect |
| Vileblood Scimitar | One-handed sword | 14.6 DPS, +4 Strength, +2 Agility |
The Abandoned
He appears on Market Street after three waves. He has Frost Nova and a chill effect, but what matters is his Drain Life: stun or interrupt him before the cast finishes and it never goes off.
| Loot | Slot | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Rotmender's Leggings | Legs (cloth) | +8 Intellect, +5 Stamina, +5 Spirit |
| Grip of Fear | Hands (mail) | +5 Strength, +4 Agility, +5 Stamina |
| Scepter of the Abandoned | One-handed mace | +5 Strength, +24 spell power |
Bjork
The easiest of the lot: he only casts a very short Anti-Magic Shell.
| Loot | Slot | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Bonerust Leggings | Legs (mail) | +7 Strength, +6 Agility, +3 Spirit |
| Tuskwrap Belt | Waist (cloth) | +5 Intellect, +5 Stamina |
| Corpse Chopper | Two-handed axe | 18.2 DPS, +11 Strength |
Rath'mael
The necromancer, level 20, and the target of The Wrath of Rath'mael. He casts Flamestrike on the ground: when you see it, move somewhere else.
| Loot | Slot | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Mirror of Rath'mael | Shield | 547 armor, 11 block, +4 Strength, +4 Stamina, +3 Intellect |
| Rotmender's Treads | Feet (cloth) | +4 Intellect, +7 Stamina, +4 Spirit |
| Coldspire Staff | Staff | 15.1 DPS, +13 Spirit, +26 spell power |
There's also a rare, the Lordaeron Captain, with the Haunting Blade (two-handed sword) and Phantom Armor (mail chest); for those two we only have their Classic stats.
Who each piece is for
- Tanks: Mirror of Rath'mael, Atrophic Girdle, Grip of Fear and Vilewalkers.
- Physical damage: Forsaken Greataxe, Monstrous Cleaver, Corpse Chopper, Segmented Spider Leg, Edward's Knife, Meathook Slicer, Bloodied Chestwraps and Duty Bound Leggings.
- Casters and healers: Gnarled Necromancer's Staff, Coldspire Staff, Scepter of the Abandoned, The Stitcher, Rotmender's Leggings, Rotmender's Treads, Leftover Abomination Skin, Tabitha's Cuffs and Blight Gloves.
To see it slot by slot for your class and role at level 20, with what comes from this dungeon and where each item drops, check the BiS.
What we don't know yet
- The exact level range. Blizzard's official table said 15-20; Wowhead's guide says 16-23, which matches the quest levels. We're sticking with the official one until the game says otherwise.
- Drop rates. The beta database doesn't have enough data yet.
- Plaguefang's stats. The beta client ships it encrypted.
- Whether Viktor the Vile always spawns. In the beta he sometimes doesn't.
Anything that changes with each beta build will go to the dungeon page and this guide.
Frequently asked questions
What level is the Ruins of Lordaeron in WoW Forever?
According to Blizzard, 15 to 20. The quests are level 21-22 and available from 15; the final boss, Rath'mael, is level 20.
Where is the Ruins of Lordaeron entrance?
Above the Undercity, in Tirisfal Glades: as you enter the ruined city, on the left.
How many bosses does the Ruins of Lordaeron have?
Six, in any order: Witherfang, the Baron, Viktor the Vile, The Abandoned, Bjork and Rath'mael. Viktor only appears after five waves of enemies.
Can the Alliance do the Ruins of Lordaeron?
Yes. They have four quests picked up inside: Abominable Creatures, Bloodied Insignia, Crest of Lordaeron and Remember That I Love You.
How do you spawn Viktor the Vile?
Defeat five waves of enemies and then click the Kindled Flame. In the beta he sometimes doesn't spawn because of a bug.
