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Dungeon - Legion
Black Rook Hold
4 encounters, 31 boss abilities and 52 drops, with the Adventure Guide’s own ability and strategy notes for each fight. Every drop links to its item page; tradeable drops carry a live Auction House price.
Carved from the greatest mountain of Val'sharah by ancient elven masons, Black Rook Hold stood as a bulwark against the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients. The nigh-impregnable fortress is also the ancestral home of Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest, one-time mentor of Illidan himself. But since the latest Legion attack, a strange dark energy emanates from the Hold, and restless dead plague the surrounding lands.
Quick Facts
| Type | Dungeon |
|---|---|
| Expansion | Legion |
| Encounters | 4 |
| Boss abilities | 31 |
| Drops | 52 |
| Item level | 50 to 250 |
| Tradeable drops | 0 |
| Difficulties | Normal, Heroic, Mythic, Mythic Keystone, Timewalking |
Difficulties and Lockouts
Black Rook Hold has 5 difficulties in the game data: Mythic saves you to a weekly lockout; Heroic resets daily; Normal, Mythic Keystone and Timewalking can be run again at any time.
| Difficulty | Players | Level range | Lockout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 5 | 10 to 45 | None |
| Heroic | 5 | 45 | Daily |
| Mythic | 5 | 45 | Weekly |
| Mythic Keystone | 5 | None | |
| Timewalking | 5 | 10+ | None |
Mythic+ timer, Black Rook Hold: 36:00 (+2 at 28:48, +3 at 21:36).
Loot Table Value
Every one of Black Rook Hold’s 52 drops is Bind on Pickup, so none of this loot can ever reach the Auction House. The table below the bosses is the complete reward list; its value is item level, not gold.
Where It Is
The entrance to Black Rook Hold is in Val'sharah at 37.1, 50.2.
Legion AssaultEntrance 37.1, 50.2Val'sharah, from the game’s own world map art. The framed marker is the Adventure Guide entrance; gold diamonds are the zone’s landmarks.
3D Model
First-party render from the game files. Model © Blizzard Entertainment.
Instance Map
The Adventure Guide places 4 bosses of Black Rook Hold on 4 maps. Numbers follow the encounter order; each links to that fight below.
Black Rook Hold
1The Amalgam of Souls- 1 The Amalgam of Souls 39.2, 61.5
Black Rook Hold
2Illysanna Ravencrest- 2 Illysanna Ravencrest 61.1, 59.1
Black Rook Hold
3Smashspite the Hateful- 3 Smashspite the Hateful 77.1, 23.2
Black Rook Hold
4Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest- 4 Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest 37.4, 45.3
Encounters
NNormalHHeroicMMythicM+Mythic KeystoneTWTimewalking
The Amalgam of Souls
Immense soul energy was released when Gul'dan conducted the ritual to sever Illidan's soul from his body at Black Rook Hold. This energy brought the souls of the Ravencrest clan back to their ancestral home - and residual soul energy has merged them into a massive monstrosity.
Abilities & Strategy
Overview
The Amalgam of Souls battles players until reaching 50% health, at which point it ruptures, splitting into the tortured souls of the Ravencrest ancestors.
Damage Dealers
- Keep moving and avoid other players while afflicted with Soul Echoes.
- When targeted by Swirling Scythe or Glaive Toss, move to avoid placing it in an inconvenient location.
Healer
- Keep moving and avoid other players while afflicted with Soul Echoes.
- When targeted by Swirling Scythe or Glaive Toss, move to avoid placing it in an inconvenient location.
- Reap Soul will deal high damage to the tank if it hits.
Tank
- Move out of the way of Reap Soul to avoid heavy damage.
Stage One: The Amalgam of Souls
Reap Soul
On Heroic difficulty and higher, this effect stacks.
Swirling Scythe
Soul Echoes
On Mythic difficulty, players damaged by Soul Echoes also flee in fear.
Stage Two: The Call of Souls
Loot
13 drops · item level 50 to 250 · 8 slots (Back, Chest, Feet, Hands, Shoulder, Trinket +2 more) · all Bind on Pickup
Illysanna Ravencrest
The daughter of Lord Ravencrest, imprisoned for millennia in the Vault of the Wardens shortly after the War of Ancients, found herself free after Maiev released the demon hunters from their prison. Returning to her ancestral home, she has sacrificed everything - including her very soul - to defend what she could not during the War of the Ancients.
Abilities & Strategy
Overview
Illysanna fights players on the ground as her Fury bar builds. When it fills, she leaps into the air and unleashes deadly eye beams as she calls her risen guards to dispatch the party. Each eye beam partially depletes her Fury, and when she can no longer use eye beams to attack the party, she lands, re-engaging on the ground.
Damage Dealers
- Players targeted by Dark Rush should gather together to minimize the amount of Felblazed Ground.
- Otherwise, players should spread to avoid Brutal Glaive bouncing to them.
- Interrupt Risen Arcanists' Arcane Blitz.
Healer
- Players targeted by Dark Rush should gather together together to minimize the amount of Felblazed Ground.
- Otherwise, players should spread to avoid Brutal Glaive bouncing to them.
- Vengeful Shear deals heavy damage to tanks.
Tank
- Use defensive abilities for Vengeful Shear to reduce damage taken.
- Avoid Risen Vanguard's Bonecrushing Strike.
Stage One: Vengeance
Stage Two: Fury
Loot
9 drops · item level 50 · 7 slots (Back, Feet, Finger, Hands, Head, Trinket +1 more) · all Bind on Pickup
Smashspite the Hateful
A brutal, imposing Mo'arg Lieutenant, Smashspite the Hateful led the Legion's invasion of Black Rook Hold and commanded defense of the keep from the air via his colony of felbats.
Abilities & Strategy
Overview
Smashspite engages players on the ground with heavy physical attacks, periodically calling in felbats to cover the ground in deadly Fel Vomit.
Tank
- Minimize damage taken by Smashspite's melee attacks to slow the rate at which his Brutality bar fills.
- When Smashspite's Brutality bar fills, he will use Brutal Haymaker, inflicting heavy damage and increasing damage taken for a short time.
- Stand between Smashspite and his target to intercept Hateful Charge if they have the debuff from intercepting an earlier charge and you don't.
Healer
- Earthshaking Stomp inflicts heavy damage to the party.
- When Smashspite's Brutality bar fills, he will use Brutal Haymaker on the tank, inflicting heavy damage and increasing damage taken for a short time.
- Stand between Smashspite and his target to intercept Hateful Charge if they have the debuff from intercepting an earlier charge and you don't.
Damage Dealers
- Stand between Smashspite and his target to intercept Hateful Charge if they have the debuff from intercepting an earlier charge and you don't.
Call of the Felbat
Smashspite calls down a Felbat. The frequency of this ability increases as the encounter continues.
Loot
11 drops · item level 50 · 8 slots (Chest, Feet, Finger, Head, Legs, Trinket +2 more) · all Bind on Pickup
Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest
Kur'talos Ravencrest, Lord of Black Rook Hold, was the commander of the Kal'dorei Resistance during the War of the Ancients until he was assassinated by Varo'then under the orders of Queen Aszhara. Millennia later, Gul'dan's foul soul magic has awoken Ravencrest's soul, and those of his ancestors, from their eternal repose. The Legion, seeking revenge, gleefully forced his soul into his body and mesmerized him, forcing him to eternally relive the horrors of the War of Ancients.
Abilities & Strategy
Overview
Ravencrest engages the player while his advisor, Latosius, teleports around the area, attacking with dark magic. Once Ravencrest reaches 20% health, Latosius reveals his true form as the dreadlord Dantalionax. Ravencrest, his vision no longer clouded, now calls on the souls of his ancestors to empower the party to defeat Dantalionax and cleanse the Legion from Black Rook Hold.
Tank
- Unerring Shear will deal heavy damage.
- Kill Stinging Swarms to avoid damage and being stunned by Itchy!.
- Move in a circular pattern to avoid Dantalionax's casts of Dark Obliteration after he splits when using Dreadlord's Guile.
Healer
- Unerring Shear deals heavy damage to the tank.
- Dispel Cloud of Hypnosis.
- Move in a circular pattern to avoid Dantalionax's casts of Dark Obliteration after he splits when using Dreadlord's Guile.
Damage Dealers
- Kill Stinging Swarms to avoid damage and being stunned by Itchy!.
- Move in a circular pattern to avoid Dantalionax's casts of Dark Obliteration after he splits when using Dreadlord's Guile.
Stage One: Lord of the Keep
Stage Two: Vengeance of the Ancients
Loot
19 drops · item level 50 to 250 · 11 slots (Back, Feet, Hands, Head, Legs, Neck +5 more) · all Bind on Pickup
Absolved Ravencrest Brooch
Caged Horror
Cruelty of Dantalionax
Drape of the Raven Lord
Latosius's Blasting Gloves
Legguards of Endless Horrors
Mark of Varo'then
Pauldrons of Ancient Command
Ravencourt Formal Mantle
Ravencrest's Unerring Striders
Ravencrest's Wrath
Raven Filigree Pendant
Raven's Veil Belt
Rook Footman's Legplates
Shadow Archer's Helm
Felbat Leather Leggings
Mardum Chain Wristclamp
Netherwhisper Leggings
Portalguard HelmQuests
1 quest Blizzard’s quest data files under Black Rook Hold:
- Reward:20 gold22 silver
Achievements
7 achievements tied to Black Rook Hold, worth 30 achievement points in total.
Keystone Hero: Black Rook HoldComplete Black Rook Hold at Mythic Level 20 or higher, within the time limit.Max Level Unlock: Teleport to Black Rook Hold- Black Rook HoldDefeat Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest in Black Rook Hold.10
- Heroic: Black Rook HoldDefeat Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest in Black Rook Hold on Heroic difficulty or higher.10
- Mythic: Black Rook HoldDefeat Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest in Black Rook Hold on Mythic difficulty.10
- Black Rook HoldDefeat Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest in Black Rook Hold.Lesser Bronze Cache
- Heroic: Black Rook HoldDefeat Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest in Black Rook Hold on Heroic difficulty or higher.Bronze Cache
- Mythic: Black Rook HoldDefeat Lord Kur'talos Ravencrest in Black Rook Hold on Mythic difficulty.Greater Bronze Cache
More Legion Dungeons
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