Hall of ThanesNew in Forever

Hall of Thanes: the dwarven crypt beneath Ironforge

The Hall of Thanes is one of the new dungeons of WoW Forever and, according to Blizzard, lies directly beneath Ironforge. The group finder lists it as „Hall of Thanes"; map and zone are called „The Hall of Thanes". In the beta article Blizzard gives level 13 to 18; the client's dungeon list only knows content level 13. According to fan sites the bosses are level 16. What applies to every Forever dungeon: enemies give around 20 % more experience, dungeon quests give 50 % less bonus XP, and the penalty for low-level enemies depends only on your own level.

Approach

Per the quest text you descend into the caverns beneath Old Ironforge and enter the hall there. There is no coordinate for the portal in our data; we will add it once it has been measured in the game. For the Alliance the way is short: two quest givers stand in Ironforge itself, one in Dun Morogh. The group finder knows no faction binding for this dungeon. How the Horde gets into the Alliance capital and down into the hall is not described in our data.

Quests before and inside the dungeon

The English quest names come from the fan addon data (dungeons.json); for this dungeon our quest files carry the German names only, so the English names still need to be checked against the enUS client after launch.

• The Restless Dead (96394; Afadra Dunwall, Ironforge 33 / 48, Alliance, level 15, from 10): defeat 15 of the apparitions and 10 of the souls named in the German objective text (no English names for these two enemy types in our data) and put the spirit of Anvilmar to rest. Choice of Dusty Belt or Cryptwalker Bracers.
• Important Heirlooms (96403; Thom Filch, Ironforge 32.4 / 44.8, level 15, from 10): collect 8 Dwarven Heirlooms (item 274289) in the hall. In the quest text the gnome calls them „loot" once and quickly corrects himself. Reward of your choice: Dwarven Tome or Tomb Robber's Gloves. Whether the quest is for both factions is contradictory in our data (addon: both, our own quest data: Alliance).
• An Ancient Grudge (96395; Ghostly Attendant inside the Hall of Thanes, level 15, from 10, no faction given): put Faldrim Anvilmar to rest and return. Choice: Catacomb Cloak or Deepgrave Trousers. You only pick this quest up inside the dungeon, so do not forget it before the first boss.
• Old Ironforge Incursion (96393; Earthseer Farsen, Dun Morogh 64.8 / 58.4, Alliance, level 16, from 9; per the quest chain it requires „Map of the Underground" (96391, level 15, started from the Dark Iron Map)): fetch Durgen Dirgehammer's Head and bring it to King Magni Bronzebeard in Ironforge (39.4 / 55.8). Choice: Calibrated Blunderbuss, Ironforge Greathammer or Deepblaze.
• The Treaty of Understanding (98423; Alliance, level 16, from 9): starts from the item „Treaty of Understanding" (281030), a tablet in a chamber of the dungeon. Turn-in at King Magni Bronzebeard; our data name no item reward.

The bosses

Faldrim Anvilmar. Per our beta tactics the undead thane wanders through his crypt surrounded by undead dwarves. His spell Anvilmar's Curse is in the client: it turns the target's skin to stone, reduces attack speed and casting speed, and makes the target immune to Poison and Bleed effects for the duration. Anyone who can remove curses takes it off the tank first and then off melee players who rely on bleeds or poisons. He is also said to cast Mind Blast (unconfirmed tactics text). Clear an area beforehand so no crypt dwellers join the fight. This is where you finish „An Ancient Grudge" and the last part of „The Restless Dead".

Infurnus (still „Magmatus" in the addon). The fire elemental puts Combust on random targets; the spell description in the client still names the old boss name Magmatus: it ignites the target and deals Fire damage immediately and over time. Per the tactics a Fire Nova comes on top, hitting everything near him. The tank pulls him away from the group; ranged players and the healer keep their distance. A patrolling Dark Iron summoner is said to walk nearby (unconfirmed tactics text); take it out first.

Plunder („Schleppweg" in the German addon text). Per the tactics the golem hurls players back with Knock Away; the spell exists in the client as a strike with knockback. Tank him with your back to a wall or in a corner and clear the surroundings first so nobody flies into the next pack.

Durgen Dirgehammer. Per the tactics the leader of the Dark Iron dwarves in the lower vaults puts players in Fear and puts Rend, a bleed effect, on the tank. The boss falls first, then his two small stone golems (unconfirmed tactics text). In the dungeon's level range only the shaman's Tremor Totem helps against the fear, which per the game data is available from level 18. Fear Ward is out, because all priests only get it at level 20. His head is the quest item for Earthseer Farsen's order.

Notable loot by role

We have no values for the boss loot yet, so we only name slot and armor type. The assignment to the bosses comes from the fan addon.

• Cloth: Aetherwisp Bracers (wrist) and Spiritwraith Drape (back) from Faldrim Anvilmar, Robes of the Disgraced Thane (chest) from Durgen Dirgehammer.
• Leather: Flamefist Grips (hands) from Infurnus, Direhammer Leggings (legs) from Durgen Dirgehammer.
• Mail: Kindlegem Girdle (waist) from Infurnus, Golemguard Chest (chest) and Treads of the Protector Golem (feet, per the addon scan item level 18, wearable from level 13) from Plunder.
• Jewelry: Ephemeral Choker (neck) from Faldrim Anvilmar.
• Weapons: Fang of Magmatus (dagger) from Infurnus, Golemheart Stave (staff) from Plunder, Durgen's Crescent Axe (axe) from Durgen Dirgehammer.
• Quest rewards: Calibrated Blunderbuss, Ironforge Greathammer and Deepblaze from „Old Ironforge Incursion" cover gun, two-hander and wand.

Tips by role

Tank: Pull packs one at a time; per the tactics the hall is demanding in places for level 13 to 18. At Plunder you stand with your back to the wall. At Durgen Dirgehammer you pick the boss up again right after the fear, before he goes looking for the healer.

Healer: At Infurnus the Combust targets need ongoing healing, not just the tank. At Durgen Dirgehammer, Rend keeps ticking on the tank even while everyone is running around feared. So top the tank off before every fear.

Damage: Anyone who removes curses helps more at Faldrim Anvilmar than a few percent of damage. Ranged players stay outside the Fire Nova at Infurnus. Count the apparitions and souls for Afadra Dunwall on the side and collect the heirlooms, especially in the vaults near the final boss.

Group

Tank, healer and three damage dealers are the usual plan; there is no official Forever statement on group size. Add, if possible, someone who removes curses and a shaman with Tremor Totem for the final fight. Pick up the Alliance quests in Ironforge and Dun Morogh before the run and remember the Ghostly Attendant and the tablet with the treaty inside the dungeon. All five quests can be completed in one run.