TheWoWDB
Dungeon - Cataclysm
The Vortex Pinnacle
3 encounters and 41 drops. Every drop links to its item page; tradeable drops carry a live Auction House price.
Located in Uldum
The Vortex Pinnacle exists within the elemental plane of Skywall. Its elegant structures, crowned with bronze and gold, sit atop platforms bridged by pure air. Yet behind its exterior beauty, the pinnacle harbors Neferset tol'vir, as well as Al'Akir the Windlord's merciless elemental legions. As long as the barrier between Skywall and Azeroth remains open, terror will rain down on Uldum from the skies.
Quick Facts
| Type | Dungeon |
|---|---|
| Expansion | Cataclysm |
| Located in | Uldum |
| Encounters | 3 |
| Drops | 41 |
| Item level | 30 to 37 |
| Tradeable drops | 0 |
| Difficulties | Normal, Heroic, 10 Player, 25 Player |
Difficulties and Lockouts
The Vortex Pinnacle has 2 difficulties in the game data: Heroic resets daily; Normal can be run again at any time.
| Difficulty | Players | Lockout |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 5 | None |
| Heroic | 5 | Daily |
3D Model
First-party render from the game files. Model © Blizzard Entertainment.
Instance Map
The Adventure Guide places 3 bosses of The Vortex Pinnacle on 1 map. Numbers follow the encounter order; each links to that fight below.
1Grand Vizier Ertan2Altairus3Asaad, Caliph of Zephyrs- 1 Grand Vizier Ertan 55.0, 44.8
- 2 Altairus 52.0, 82.2
- 3 Asaad, Caliph of Zephyrs 30.0, 38.0
Encounters
NNormalHHeroic10P10 Player25P25 Player
Grand Vizier Ertan
Ertan defends the Vortex Pinnacle under the command of her master, Asaad, against any ground-dwellers who dare intrude on the realm. To fulfill her duties, the elemental noble has been granted mastery over the primal forces of lightning and wind.
Abilities & Strategy
Cyclone Shield
Grand Vizier Ertan surrounds herself with 8 cyclones at the beginning of the fight. These cyclones rotate slowly around her in a circle. Periodically Ertan calls the cyclones close to her, then after a few seconds the cyclones return to their regular orbit. Players that touch a cyclone are dealt Nature damage and have their movement, attack, and casting speed reduced by 0% for 8 sec.
Storm's Edge
Lightning Bolt
Grand Vizier Ertan blasts her current enemy target with lightning, inflicting Nature damage.
Summon Tempest
Grand Vizier Ertan periodically calls a Lurking Tempest to join the fight. They appear on the edge of the Ertan's circular platform.
Lurking Tempest
The Lurking Tempests will only attack players if no one is looking at them.
Lightning Bolt
The Lurking Tempest blasts its current enemy target with lightning, inflicting Nature damage.
Loot
10 drops · item level 36 to 37 · 5 slots (Head, Neck, One-Hand, Shoulder, Waist) · all Bind on Pickup
Altairus
The immense storm wyrm Altairus maintains an unyielding vigil over the hovering platforms of the Vortex Pinnacle. The very energies of the storms pulse through this being, and he is said to command the wind currents that buffet the elemental fortress.
Abilities & Strategy
Call the Wind
Altairus periodically calls to the wind, creating a constant wind in one of four cardinal directions. Depending on the direction of the wind, the player's location, and Altairus' location, the player receives either the Upwind of Altairus effect or the Downwind of Altairus effect.
Upwind of Altairus
If the prevailing wind blows over the player before reaching Altairus, then the player has their attack and casting speeds increased by 0% and movement speed increased by 0%.
Downwind of Altairus
If the prevailing wind blows over Altairus before reaching the player, then the player has their attack and casting speeds decreased by 0% and movement speed decreased by 0%.
Chilling Breath
Altairus chooses a random player, then turns and casts a Chilling Breath in their direction. The breath inflicts Frost damage to all enemy targets in a frontal 120 degree cone from Altairus.
Lightning Blast
Any player not standing on Altairus' platform is blasted with an immense blast of lightning, inflicting Nature damage.
Twisting Winds
Altairus' platform fills with fast moving twisters. Any player that touches a twister is dealt Nature damage and knocked straight up.
Loot
11 drops · item level 30 to 37 · 5 slots (Finger, Neck, One-Hand, Shoulder, Waist) · all Bind on Pickup
Asaad, Caliph of Zephyrs
The fearsome elemental Asaad was named guardian of the Vortex Pinnacle by Al'Akir himself. With Siamat, Lord of the South Wind, imprisoned by the Neferset tol'vir, Asaad believes he may ascend to the Conclave of Wind if he performs his duties well.
Abilities & Strategy
Unstable Grounding Field
Asaad uses his command of lightning to form a triangular field at a random location on the platform. Any spell targeting a unit standing within the boundaries of the field is redirected away.
Supremacy of the Storm
Asaad calls down an immense storm of lightning, inflicting Nature damage every 0.5 second on every player on the platform for 6 sec.
Chain Lightning
Asaad unleashes a lightning bolt at a random enemy player, inflicting Nature damage. The bolt then arcs to additional players within 40 yards, with each subsequent player taking 50% less damage from the the lightning.
Skyfall Star
Asaad periodically calls a Skyfall Star to join the fight.
Arcane Barrage
The Skyfall Star launches a ball of Arcane energy at a random enemy player, inflicting Arcane damage.
Static Cling
Asaad creates a static field along the ground, causing any player touching the ground when his casting completes to be immobilized in place for 18 sec.
Loot
20 drops · item level 36 to 37 · 7 slots (Back, Finger, Hands, Head, Legs, Ranged +1 more) · all Bind on Pickup
Billowing CapeBillowing Cape
Gloves of HazeGloves of Haze
Heart of ThunderHeart of Thunder
Leggings of Iridescent CloudsLeggings of Iridescent Clouds
Legguards of Winnowing WindLegguards of Winnowing Wind
LightningflashLightningflash
Lunar HaloLunar Halo
Ring of Frozen RainRing of Frozen Rain
Shadow of Perfect BlissShadow of Perfect BlissThundercallThundercallAchievements
6 achievements tied to The Vortex Pinnacle, worth 60 achievement points in total.
Heroic: The Vortex Pinnacle Guild RunDefeat Asaad in the Vortex Pinnacle on Heroic difficulty while in a guild group.10- The Vortex PinnacleDefeat Asaad in the Vortex Pinnacle.10
- Heroic: The Vortex PinnacleDefeat Asaad in the Vortex Pinnacle on Heroic Difficulty.10
- Protocol Inferno: The Vortex PinnacleDefeat Asaad in the Vortex Pinnacle on Heroic Difficulty while Protocol Inferno is active.10
No Static at AllCompletely avoid the Static Cling effect during the Asaad encounter in the Vortex Pinnacle on Heroic Difficulty.10
Extra Credit Bonus StageCollect 5 Golden Orbs in a single visit to the Vortex Pinnacle on Heroic Difficulty.10
More Cataclysm Dungeons
Other dungeons from the same expansion.