The Weekly Route: Tyrannical, Bolstering, Storming, and Prideful
This week’s affixes are Tyrannical, Bolstering, Storming, and Prideful.
It’s also the first week of Patch 9.0.5! This marks the addition of Valor Points to the game, which are a powerful incentive to run Mythic Plus - you’ll earn these points from both Mythic Plus Dungeons and from Callings, and you can use them to upgrade M+ items (except those earned before the patch) up to a maximum item level of 220 if you have the Keystone Master achievement for having every +15 done in time.
Because of this system, there will be a lot of people doing dungeons this week, either for Valor Points or for the gear to upgrade with them. The latter players will often be looking for specific dungeons to drop specific items they plan to upgrade, while the former will be looking for the quickest and easiest dungeons, and between those two categories the net result is that almost any Keystone you might have will likely be quite desirable, and you’ll find many overqualified applicants if you list it in the LFG system. The flipside is that this week will likely be harder than ever to get invited if you’re applying rather than creating the groups, so definitely consider listing your own key, especially if you’re not extremely high item level.
Because of Bolstering, many routes have been adjusted for this week, and several dungeons have received changes in Patch 9.0.5, which we’ll detail in their respective segments.
This dungeon will be an extremely popular farm target due to its sought after trinkets: Blood-Spattered Scale and Inscrutable Quantum Device! It didn’t receive any changes with the patch, and though it’s not a fantastic Tyrannical dungeon it’s not an especially bad Bolstering or Storming choice.
Read more on De Other Side Dungeon Abilities.
There are a few pulls where you’ll need to be careful to avoid Bolstering - most notably Toiling Groundskeepers, which should be either pulled separately or brought in as the previous pull is getting low. This dungeon did see a change in the Patch - mind controlled Gargoyles now last for 45 rather than 30 seconds, but do 50% less damage.
Read more on Halls of Atonement Dungeon Abilities.
Though there aren’t necessarily especially desirable items from this dungeon, it will be a very popular choice for players looking to farm Valor Points as quickly as possible, so this will also be an extremely valuable keystone that you can very quickly fill with overqualified players from LFG.
Read more on Mists of Tirna Scithe Dungeon Abilities.
This is a tricky Bolstering dungeon where it’s impossible to avoid pulls that require finesse. It’s worth mentioning that Gushing Slimes in the first boss room do bolster, and need to be potentially pulled as two or three pulls rather than one giant pull unless you’re confident in your damage prioritization.
Read more on Plaguefall Dungeon Abilities.
The Venthyr covenant bonus in this dungeon got substantially buffed with Patch 9.0.5 - the lanterns now stay open for 60 rather than 45 seconds, and the buff they grant lasts 75 rather than 60 seconds. Furthermore, they’ve moved the lantern that was near the patrol so that it’s not a threat to be accidentally pulled anymore. If you’re without a Venthyr, this dungeon has received no new changes however, and will continue to be tricky, especially with Storming in the narrow corridors and several naturally different health enemies in pulls.
Read more on Sanguine Depths Dungeon Abilities.
This dungeon saw no changes with the patch, but though Tyrannical and Bolstering do both pose serious challenges throughout the entire dungeon, it does contain the Overcharged Anima Battery trinket which will potentially be somewhat desired for the purposes of upgrading with Valor Points.
Read more on Spires of Ascension Dungeon Abilities.
If you can afford to, this dungeon should be pulled carefully and slowly this week, with weapons used on the very hardest of trash pulls only if absolutely necessary and otherwise saved for the bosses. This strategy will eventually be made impossible by the timer, but for most groups it will provide the best chance of success against Bolstering and Tyrannical.
Read more on The Necrotic Wake Dungeon Abilities.
In addition to a duration bump from 5 to 6 minutes for the Necrolord banner buffs in this dungeon, there’s also the rather odd change of the removal of Xira the Underhanded from the dungeon entirely. If you don’t know who she was, you’re not alone - she was the rogue that would stun players during the first boss encounter, something which you’ll never need to worry about happening ever again!
Read more on Theater of Pain Dungeon Abilities.
It’s also the first week of Patch 9.0.5! This marks the addition of Valor Points to the game, which are a powerful incentive to run Mythic Plus - you’ll earn these points from both Mythic Plus Dungeons and from Callings, and you can use them to upgrade M+ items (except those earned before the patch) up to a maximum item level of 220 if you have the Keystone Master achievement for having every +15 done in time.
Because of this system, there will be a lot of people doing dungeons this week, either for Valor Points or for the gear to upgrade with them. The latter players will often be looking for specific dungeons to drop specific items they plan to upgrade, while the former will be looking for the quickest and easiest dungeons, and between those two categories the net result is that almost any Keystone you might have will likely be quite desirable, and you’ll find many overqualified applicants if you list it in the LFG system. The flipside is that this week will likely be harder than ever to get invited if you’re applying rather than creating the groups, so definitely consider listing your own key, especially if you’re not extremely high item level.
Because of Bolstering, many routes have been adjusted for this week, and several dungeons have received changes in Patch 9.0.5, which we’ll detail in their respective segments.
The Weekly Routes
De Other Side [back to top]
This dungeon will be an extremely popular farm target due to its sought after trinkets: Blood-Spattered Scale and Inscrutable Quantum Device! It didn’t receive any changes with the patch, and though it’s not a fantastic Tyrannical dungeon it’s not an especially bad Bolstering or Storming choice.
Read more on De Other Side Dungeon Abilities.
Halls of Atonement [back to top]
There are a few pulls where you’ll need to be careful to avoid Bolstering - most notably Toiling Groundskeepers, which should be either pulled separately or brought in as the previous pull is getting low. This dungeon did see a change in the Patch - mind controlled Gargoyles now last for 45 rather than 30 seconds, but do 50% less damage.
Read more on Halls of Atonement Dungeon Abilities.
Mists of Tirna Scithe [back to top]
Though there aren’t necessarily especially desirable items from this dungeon, it will be a very popular choice for players looking to farm Valor Points as quickly as possible, so this will also be an extremely valuable keystone that you can very quickly fill with overqualified players from LFG.
Read more on Mists of Tirna Scithe Dungeon Abilities.
Plaguefall [back to top]
This is a tricky Bolstering dungeon where it’s impossible to avoid pulls that require finesse. It’s worth mentioning that Gushing Slimes in the first boss room do bolster, and need to be potentially pulled as two or three pulls rather than one giant pull unless you’re confident in your damage prioritization.
Read more on Plaguefall Dungeon Abilities.
Sanguine Depths [back to top]
The Venthyr covenant bonus in this dungeon got substantially buffed with Patch 9.0.5 - the lanterns now stay open for 60 rather than 45 seconds, and the buff they grant lasts 75 rather than 60 seconds. Furthermore, they’ve moved the lantern that was near the patrol so that it’s not a threat to be accidentally pulled anymore. If you’re without a Venthyr, this dungeon has received no new changes however, and will continue to be tricky, especially with Storming in the narrow corridors and several naturally different health enemies in pulls.
Read more on Sanguine Depths Dungeon Abilities.
Spires of Ascension [back to top]
This dungeon saw no changes with the patch, but though Tyrannical and Bolstering do both pose serious challenges throughout the entire dungeon, it does contain the Overcharged Anima Battery trinket which will potentially be somewhat desired for the purposes of upgrading with Valor Points.
Read more on Spires of Ascension Dungeon Abilities.
The Necrotic Wake [back to top]
If you can afford to, this dungeon should be pulled carefully and slowly this week, with weapons used on the very hardest of trash pulls only if absolutely necessary and otherwise saved for the bosses. This strategy will eventually be made impossible by the timer, but for most groups it will provide the best chance of success against Bolstering and Tyrannical.
Read more on The Necrotic Wake Dungeon Abilities.
Theater of Pain [back to top]
In addition to a duration bump from 5 to 6 minutes for the Necrolord banner buffs in this dungeon, there’s also the rather odd change of the removal of Xira the Underhanded from the dungeon entirely. If you don’t know who she was, you’re not alone - she was the rogue that would stun players during the first boss encounter, something which you’ll never need to worry about happening ever again!
Read more on Theater of Pain Dungeon Abilities.
Links
- Find Dratnos on RaiderIO, Twitch, Twitter, or Youtube
- Download the WeakAuras Addon
- Download the Prideful/Spiteful WeakAura
- Download the Mythic Dungeon Tools Addon
About the Author
Dratnos hosts the The Titanforge WoW Podcast. He’s also an Officer in the World 36th guild poptart corndoG, and a commentator for events such as the MDI and the Race to World First! He streams on Twitch, where he likes to review his friends’ logs.
