Gaining the Upper Hand is a Horde-only quest for level 50. It is step 8 of 13 in The Strike on Boralus storyline. It rewards 1 reputation reward, 8,500 experience and money.
We need to retrieve the Abyssal Scepter and get out of here before the Kul Tirans break our line in Plunder Harbor.
I did some research while you were gone. I believe I uncovered the location where the ritual must take place.
When you are ready to go, we can make our way over.
TheWoWDB
/way #895 74.6 40.2The highest voted Wowhead comments for this page. They are community notes, not TheWoWDB comments.
Don't forget to talk with Zelling before you go out.
Exit the basement and turn right, take the first stairs into the building.
You need to begin the ritual in the basement. (don't go upstairs)
/way Boralus 71.29 82.64 Door to the basementGaining the Upper Hand quest video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmNNU-2HGjY
This quest is part of the Horde War Campaign (gated behind the [faction=2157] reputation).
The Strike on Boralus questchain of the Ready for War <= more info and rep requirement inside.89The Strike on Boralus[npc=135691]Zuldazarhttps://youtu.be/AX24I23YKzw912The Strike on Boralus[npc=140485]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/FZBnUWzCF-I92The Strike on Boralus[npc=140485]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/FJ85Qp99pdU953The Strike on Boralus[npc=140487]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/99975Cte1Cg96The Strike on Boralus[npc=140487]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/JmNNU-2HGjY97The Strike on Boralus[npc=140487]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/Fc8rggNETzw99The Strike on Boralus Cutscene[npc=140485]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/mq6AvgTop08100The Strike on Boralus [currency=1553][npc=135691]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/fYM_2Xy92GE
Id column is approximate quest № In Kul Tiras storyline (Ready for War <= for more info about order)
# is additional ordering info. Can take multiple quests at the same time if you see a number there
The ritual you need to perform is in a basement - but it is NOT the same basement as the one where you start out. (That is: it is NOT the basement with the portal). This may seem a bit confusing because on the minimap it looks like your target location is in the room where you start out. But it isn't!
In order to get to the second basement (the one where you will perform the ritual), first talk to Thomas Zelling (to get him to follow you). Then go up the stairs out of the basement. You will then need to get to a different building, and I have included a screenshot here showing where you need to go. As you can see in the screenshot, you will need to turn right and then go up a short staircase into another building. Then once inside that building you will see stairs leading down into yet another basement. Go down those stairs and at the back of the room will be a clickable bowl for you to start the ritual.
Check whether you have already completed it in-game: /run print(C_QuestLog.IsQuestFlaggedCompleted(52190))
The highest voted Wowhead comments for this page. They are community notes, not TheWoWDB comments.
Don't forget to talk with Zelling before you go out.
Exit the basement and turn right, take the first stairs into the building.
You need to begin the ritual in the basement. (don't go upstairs)
/way Boralus 71.29 82.64 Door to the basementGaining the Upper Hand quest video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmNNU-2HGjY
This quest is part of the Horde War Campaign (gated behind the [faction=2157] reputation).
The Strike on Boralus questchain of the Ready for War <= more info and rep requirement inside.89The Strike on Boralus[npc=135691]Zuldazarhttps://youtu.be/AX24I23YKzw912The Strike on Boralus[npc=140485]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/FZBnUWzCF-I92The Strike on Boralus[npc=140485]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/FJ85Qp99pdU953The Strike on Boralus[npc=140487]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/99975Cte1Cg96The Strike on Boralus[npc=140487]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/JmNNU-2HGjY97The Strike on Boralus[npc=140487]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/Fc8rggNETzw99The Strike on Boralus Cutscene[npc=140485]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/mq6AvgTop08100The Strike on Boralus [currency=1553][npc=135691]Tiragarde Soundhttps://youtu.be/fYM_2Xy92GE
Id column is approximate quest № In Kul Tiras storyline (Ready for War <= for more info about order)
# is additional ordering info. Can take multiple quests at the same time if you see a number there
The ritual you need to perform is in a basement - but it is NOT the same basement as the one where you start out. (That is: it is NOT the basement with the portal). This may seem a bit confusing because on the minimap it looks like your target location is in the room where you start out. But it isn't!
In order to get to the second basement (the one where you will perform the ritual), first talk to Thomas Zelling (to get him to follow you). Then go up the stairs out of the basement. You will then need to get to a different building, and I have included a screenshot here showing where you need to go. As you can see in the screenshot, you will need to turn right and then go up a short staircase into another building. Then once inside that building you will see stairs leading down into yet another basement. Go down those stairs and at the back of the room will be a clickable bowl for you to start the ritual.
For anybody curious what the ritual chant was:
Thomas Zelling says: Tides that churn and ties that bind...
Thomas Zelling says: The oceans will remain long after mankind.
Thomas Zelling says: Yet your power permit us to harness, to use...
Thomas Zelling says: Though punish us whilst against your will we abuse.
Thomas Zelling says: Grant me your might to put down our foes...
Thomas Zelling says: Then your boon I shall restore to the powers below!
| Type | Reward | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | XP | 8,500 |
| Money | Gold | 46g 80s |
| Reputation | The Honorbound | +150 |
A special delegation of the Horde army, focused on disrupting Alliance operations in Kul Tiras.
Reputation group: Battle for Azeroth.
Item facts are the current retail client’s (ItemSparse); the specialisations for a pick-one item are the ones the Blizzard quest API lists; faction and currency text is the client’s own. Lowest listed price = the US commodity auction house now.
| Objective area | Tiragarde Sound | 5 mapped points |
|---|---|---|
| Objective area | Boralus |
Pins are the quest’s own POI points from the current retail client, projected onto the in-game zone map. The game marks one blob as the quest’s turn-in; the rest are objective areas. Points that fall outside a map’s window are dropped rather than guessed at.
Objective areaObjective areaObjective areaObjective areaObjective areaIn-game waypoint: /way #895 74.6 40.2
/way #895 74.6 40.2/way #895 74.6 39.6Map coordinates of the pins above. An area the client draws as a shape is given by the centre of its points.
Other quests whose map markers the client places on Tiragarde Sound.
Horde flight points closest to the quest’s first objective area marker on Tiragarde Sound:
Straight-line distances in yards between the quest’s own map markers (QuestPOI) and the client’s flight-point positions (TaxiNodes); flight paths and terrain are not modelled.
Part 8 of 13.
We now have the perfect bait to draw the Kul Tiran military away from their capital city of Boralus. This will buy us time to obtain our ultimate goal: the Abyssal Scepter.
Previous: Forfeit Souls · Next: Return to the Harbor
Storyline order is the client’s own QuestLine data from the current retail build.
Taken from the storyline's own step order.
The tidesages here have given in to dark magics. They have submitted themselves to powers they do not understand, and my people have suffered for it. I knew them once, my brothers and sisters in the tides. But now they are lost. I guess I am too. Redeem the name of the tidesages!
Taken from the storyline's own step order.
With the scepter in hand, let us return to the portal. I believe Stone would agree with me when I say that it is best for us to get away from Kul Tiras for a while.
The Strike on Boralus has 13 steps, from When a Plan Comes Together to A Cycle of Hatred.
Maps its steps are placed on (steps per map): Tiragarde Sound (8), Boralus (2), Zuldazar (2), Orgrimmar (1).
Steps of this storyline count toward:
Steps, storylines and map placement from the client’s QuestLine, prerequisite and QuestPOI data; neighbouring quest text is Blizzard’s own (quest API), shortened to its opening sentences.
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