Rumors suggest that Deathwing himself carved out the subterranean labyrinth that allows the Twilight's Hammer to secretly transport elementals from the majestic Mount Hyjal to Blackrock Mountain. A vital hub of this shadow network is Blackrock Caverns, site of the cult's blistering forge and some of its most heinous experiments, including the transformation of cultists into twilight drakonids.
In the bowels of Blackrock Mountain, beneath the more traversed paths of the mountain's spire, the Twilight's Hammer puts this hope into practice. Surrounded by boiling spouts of magma and burning rock - as well as the dangerous elementals that call Blackrock home - the cult will reforge their devoted in the image of the world they work to destroy.[1]
Blackrock Caverns is the first of two new wings in Blackrock Spire introduced in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. It is designed as a 5-man instance for players level 80 to 81. It is a series of tunnels created by Deathwing from the Twilight Highlands to Blackrock Mountain. Here the twisted Twilight's Hammer clan is transporting their supplies back and forth from the Highlands and practicing the mysterious dark arts that transform the zealots into dragonspawn. The forces here are led by the Ascendant Lord Obsidius.
Players need to be level 80 and find the entrance to Blackrock Caverns in order to use the Dungeon Finder for the instance, but only need to be level 77 and own Cataclysm to enter Blackrock Caverns via the instance portal. The entrance is just off of the main ring in Blackrock Mountain on the non-jumping path to Blackrock Spire. Head to the eastern side of the ring to see the summoning stone for Blackrock Spire and follow the path. As it turns north there is a blockade blocking the way. Look right to see the instance line.
Normal: Attack Chains of Woe when Rom'ogg summons them, then move at least 12 yards away until he finishes casting The Skullcracker. Move out of Quake spots.
Heroic: AE the Angered Earth that appear from each Quake spot.
Normal: Tank Corla between the two kneeling Zealots. Two ranged DPS (or one ranged DPS and the healer) interrupt the beams to the Zealots. When the debuff reaches 80 stacks on you, back out of the beam (perpendicular to the beam, away from Corla). Once the debuff wears off you (15 sec), step back into the beam. Interrupt every Dark Command.
Heroic: There are 3 Zealots instead of 2. If you only have 1 ranged DPS, tank Corla so that a melee DPS can interrupt one of the beams.
Normal: Everyone stands on the central platform, inside the circular metal grate. Stay off the grate at all times. Tank drags Karsh through the column of metal until he has 5-7 stacks of the debuff. (Start pulling him out at 4 stacks.) When the debuff wears off, repeat; or, if your group is good enough/geared enough, drag him back in for 1-2 more stacks on each cycle until he dies. AE heal when debuffs are being stacked, as each new stack emits a Heat Wave pulse of (1500 * number of stacks on Karsh).
Heroic: Offtank, kill, or AE the Bound Flames that spawn after the debuff wears off. Add 1-2 stacks instead of letting the debuff wear off to avoid spawning Bound Flames.
Normal: The three pups can be pulled and killed individually without aggroing Beauty. Move out of the Lava Drool spots the pups leave on the floor. Beware of Beauty's knockback/fear abilities sending you to aggro Runty, the fourth pup in the back. Do not kill Runty before Beauty. Try to stay near the cave entrance.
Heroic: Only two pups, but they're linked with Beauty. The pups can be CC'd, though. Move away from players with Magma Spit on them.
Normal: If undergeared/underleveled, one player should aggro the two Shadows and kite them around. They cannot be harmed, and chase whoever put threat on them last, ignoring normal threat mechanics. Dispel Twilight Corruption (magic) if possible. At 2/3 and 1/3, Obsidius switches places with one of his Shadows.
Heroic: There are three Shadows instead of two. Kiting is less optional in Heroic.
Cataclysm to enter Blackrock Caverns via the instance portal. The entrance is just off of the main ring in Blackrock Mountain on the non-jumping path to Blackrock Spire. Head to the eastern side of the ring to see the summoning stone for Blackrock Spire and follow the path. As it turns north there is a blockade blocking the way. Look right to see the instance line.
