The Order Rocks ICC: Part 3

Having put an end to the Professor, two more wings were left before we could challenge the Lich King himself. The first of these was the Crimson Hall, where old foes were resurrected, and one of the more fun fights of the citadel was to be found. First up was the Blood Council, three blood princes previously fought: Keleseth from Utgarde Keep, Valanar from Naxxanar, crashed on the Borean Tundra, and Taldaram from Ahn'Kahet: the Old Kingdom. None of the three posed much of a challenge when first fought (save perhaps Taldaram on heroic AK though he was the easiest fight. But that's just because heroic AK sucked balls), and the fight was no challenge now. Tactically, there is little to do but attack the one with health. Ranged dps got to play beach ball while this was going on (don't let them touch the ground!) and we easily defeated them.


Following the Three Stooges, we got to face Blood Queen Lana'thel, leader of the blood elves that joined Arthas' service upon the fall of Kael'thas. This fight is fun! She bites a player who then turns into a vampire and for the next 60 seconds goes on a no threat, self healing, dps spree. at the end of that time they have to bite another player or be mind controlled. Aside from that, dodge the fire, high five the other player when you're connected by a beam, watch for the fear, and don't stand in the tornadoes and you're golden! We downed her after a glorious battle.


With the death of the Blood Queen, we found ourselves on the last stretch before the Lich King: The Frostwing Halls, center of the dreaded frostwyrm host. The first boss here, Valithria Dreamwalker, is unlike any other raid fight we had ever done. She is an emerald dragon, trapped while asleep (they always seem to do that don't they? Why does ANYONE go into the Emerald Dream anymore?) and chained by necromantic energies. The goal is to heal her back to full health at which point she just sorta kills everything without effort. Maybe she could have put forth some effort when they captured her? Oh yes, she was sleeping while the scourge roamed the earth.


She opens portals to a special stage that the healers go into in order to boost healing done by swimming around collecting orbs as depicted below:


This fight got a little chaotic as we were going for the achievement of entering all portals. Unfortunately, the first time through, portals spawned just as she reached full health and thus we did not get the achievement. The second time through we got it though!

The final fight before the Lich King himself was the queen of the frost brood, Sindragosa. This bad ass huge dragon was easily the hardest fight next to Arthas. Stacking debuffs at the slightest provocation that you have to let wear off or they will reach such a height that they would kill even the mightiest tank (Sgthatred is among these incidentally).


She also casts ice prisons that trap two raid members at random (and anyone standing too close) before she rises into the air and AOEs the hell out of everything not behind the ice blocks. The combination of watching your own stacks, running away when appropriate, dodging ice bombs, and avoiding being ice blocked when not targeted as well as an incredible looking boss and an overzealous voice actress makes this for a fun and difficult fight.


Having succeeded in destroying all the bosses in our way, the portal to the Frozen Throne itself opened, allowing us to descend to the very base of the glacial fissure upon which the Ice Crown Citadel is built to challenge our quarry... the Lich King himself! Tune in for The Order Rocks ICC: Part 4!