Attention all Warriors of Azeroth! The time has come; the ice-cold halls of Icecrown Citadel are echoing with the whispers of power, prestige, and an unparalleled weapon that stands above all others. Yes, we’re talking about Shadowmourne, a legendary axe that has become an obsession for many in the upcoming Phase Four of WoW Classic. But with Icecrown Citadel’s reign expected to last only 150 days, obtaining this awe-inspiring weapon is a race against time. Not everyone will have the chance to wield its might. In this article, we will delve deep into the mysteries of Shadowmourne and unveil the secrets that determine its priority. From the DPS titans to the unexpected contenders, we’ll explore everything you need to know to make the most strategic decision for your guild. So, buckle up and prepare for an epic journey into the heart of Icecrown Citadel. The road to Shadowmourne begins now.
The Road to Shadowmourne
First, you need to prepare yourselves for one of the most epic quests in all of Azeroth. If Shadowmourne’s call resonates within your bones, you’ll need to be a Death Knight, a Warrior, or a Paladin. Your journey starts by aligning yourself with the Ashen Verdict and embarking on the sacred and the corrupt quest. High Lord Darion Mograine awaits you in the icy depths of Icecrown Citadel, ready to set you on a path filled with peril and promise. You’ll brave the harsh Dragonblight to obtain Light’s Vengeance and face the grotesque Fester Gut and Rotface inside ICC for their blood.
But that’s just the beginning, adventurers. You’ll also need 25 Primordial Saronite, obtainable from boss drops or by spending 23 Emblems of Frost. Beware, these will cost potentially over 10,000 WOTLK gold each at the beginning of Phase Four. You’ll need the support of your guild, be it through donations of Primordial Saronite or a hefty guild bank filled with at least 300,000 gold. Fear not, for the rewards are unparalleled. Your quest will then take you back into Icecrown, facing down trash mobs and iconic bosses like Professor Putricide, Queen Lana’thel, and the chilling Sindragosa.
Sindragosa’s icy breath demands special attention, and investing in 213 Icebane armor pieces will serve you well in this frosty battle. Once you’ve completed these quests, you’ll have the privilege of looting Shadow Frost Shards. These have approximately a 75% drop rate per boss in Heroic Icecrown. You’ll need a whopping 50 of them. That means the typical Shadowmourne will take between six and seven weeks to complete, not factoring in the weeks of normal modes and progression struggles that will likely lower your Shard count per week.
With a predicted 21-week phase duration before Phase Five, you’ll likely only be able to complete two Shadowmournes in a typical raid before Phase Five, unless you want to spend most of your Shadowmourne time fighting Halion in Ruby Sanctum.
Shadowmourne Priority Discussion
The first thing everyone’s going to say about Shadowmourne priority is that you should give the legendary weapon to the most loyal person in your raid, the one who has been putting in the most time and effort over the expansion. However, the whole point of giving out gear is to prioritize the players who will have the biggest impact to make the raid smoother and more consistent for everybody. Whether you’re speedrunning, parsing, or just looking to do progression raiding, it comes down to giving the right gear to the right classes.
ICC is predicted to be extremely challenging, and it’s not even guaranteed that most guilds will have cleared Heroic Lich King by the time their first Shadowmourne is crafted. That means Shadowmourne will play an essential role in actually clearing the raid for the majority of guilds. Guilds will also have at least four months remaining until Cataclysm, which means giving the best weapon to the wrong choice will impact raid consistency and speed for multiple months. Shadowmourne is not just a token weapon given out to the player who makes the raid rosters; it’s a weapon that should be given to the classes that gain the most from it.
One other note on Shadowmourne’s priority is the topic of the Shadowmourne curse. The Shadowmourne curse is a common situation where someone obtains a Shadowmourne and then promptly stops wanting to play the game anymore. To avoid the Shadowmourne curse, one solution would be to have goals for your guild beyond just obtaining Shadowmourne. For example, setting a guild-wide goal to reach a specific speed runtime in the final weeks of Phase Four.
Shadowmourne Priority List
Now, let’s jump into the Shadowmourne priority list. We’ll start with the classes and specs that are the least priority for obtaining Shadowmourne and work our way up to the top priority.
- Tank Specs: All tank specs are at the bottom of the priority list. While Shadowmourne is a powerful weapon, its primary focus is on DPS. Tanks should prioritize gear and weapons that enhance their tanking capabilities rather than seeking Shadowmourne.
- Frost Death Knights: Frost Death Knights might seem like a good choice for Shadowmourne, as they scale extremely well and can push high damage numbers. However, using a two-handed weapon as Frost in PvE might not be the optimal choice, and other specs benefit more from Shadowmourne’s stats.
- Arms Warriors: Arms Warriors typically perform better in PvP, but they can still benefit from Shadowmourne in PvE. They’ll do around 14,000 DPS on a 180-second Patchwerk-style fight, making them a viable option if other higher-priority classes don’t need it.
- Unholy Death Knights: Unholy Death Knights have the potential to benefit significantly from Shadowmourne, with an estimated damage increase of over 900 compared to their second-best option. However, they face competition from dual-wield builds, which might limit their priority.
- Blood Death Knights: Blood Death Knights might not be the first class that comes to mind when you think of Shadowmourne, but they can actually benefit from it. Without Shadowmourne, they’ll do about 13,900 damage per second in a single-target scenario. With Shadowmourne, their damage increases by six percent to 14,750 DPS.
- Retribution Paladins: Retribution Paladins gain the second-highest damage increase from Shadowmourne compared to their second-best option. With Shadowmourne, they can deal a whopping 16,000 damage per second in a raid encounter.
- Fury Warriors: Fury Warriors have a strong claim to Shadowmourne priority. Every aspect of Shadowmourne, from the armor penetration to the gem slots to the weapon damage, suits Fury Warriors perfectly. Their damage theoretically increases by 8.7 percent, making them one of the top priorities for the legendary weapon.
- Priority for Shadowmourne – Fury Warriors: The top priority for Shadowmourne in Phase Four of WoW Classic is Fury Warriors. They benefit the most from the weapon, with their damage increasing significantly, making them invaluable for raid progression and consistency.
Conclusion
In the race to obtain the legendary weapon Shadowmourne, careful consideration of class and spec priorities is essential. While loyalty and commitment are important, it’s equally crucial to ensure that the legendary weapon goes to the classes that will make the most significant impact on raid performance. The road to obtaining Shadowmourne is arduous, and the stakes are high. As Icecrown Citadel’s reign looms, guilds must make strategic decisions to secure the most potent weapon in the game. Shadowmourne is not just a reward; it’s a game-changer that can determine the fate of a guild’s progression and success in WoW WOTLK Classic. Choose wisely, and may your journey into the heart of Icecrown Citadel be epic and victorious.
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