Welcome to WEEK 20 of The War Within Season 1!

The Weekly Route Series showcases Mythic+ strategies tailored towards Beginner and Intermediate levels of Mythic+. We aim to hit a sweet spot between speed and safety, ensuring you hit the right enemy force count while keeping up the pace – particularly in pick-up-groups (PUGs).

Let’s dive into this week’s challenges and start pushing those keys!

Table of Contents

Routing Tips

We’ve designed each route to balance safety and speed. Larger pulls are great for hitting forced percentage milestones quickly, but don’t hesitate to break them into smaller packs if that’s better for your group. We’ve noted these options in MDT/Keystone.Guru to grant flexibility based on your group’s strength, composition, and cooldowns.

You’ll notice some exciting changes this season with the introduction of Xal’atath’s Bargains. These 4 affixes rotate weekly and show up from keystone levels +2 to +11. They can shake things up a bit, but don’t worry — they won’t drastically change your routing, especially at lower keystone levels. What’s more critical is how your group handles each dungeon’s challenges.




At keystone level +10 and above, both Tyrannical and Fortified will be in play, which will affect your Bloodlust timings and pull strategies. Stick with the route but adjust your Bloodlust timings according to the Tyrannical and Fortified challenges. If you’re short on major cooldowns during a big pull, breaking it down a bit might help, but aim to pull the same packs noted in the route to hit the percentage targets.

Bargain of the Week (+2 to +11): The Xal’atath’s Bargain of the week is Devour. Xal’atath periodically casts Void Rift on each group member. Void Rift is a healing absorb that can be removed by healing it off or dispelling it. This absorb persists for 15 seconds; if it is not removed before the duration expires, the shield will explode, healing enemy mobs. If the shield is removed before expiration, players will gain Lingering Void, which grants stacking health and Crit for 30 seconds.



Base Affix of the Week (+4 to +9): Fortified – enemy forces (trash mobs) are empowered.

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ARA-KARA, CITY OF ECHOES

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Poison Dispel	Druids   Evoker   Monk   Paladin   Shaman

Be ready for Ravenous Crawlers and their deadly Ambush. Nakt’s Call of the Brood is overtuned, so use personal defensives as needed and have health potions at the ready.

Dispelling the Venomous Spit from Engorged Crawlers is top priority, as it can quickly overwhelm the group. Bloodstained Webmages use Revolting Volley, which can be avoided with good interrupt coordination; this is especially important when pulling Hulking Bloodguards alongside Webmages, as early Volley kicks will keep your team safe during the Bloodguards’ Slam stun. Keep an eye on packs containing a Sentry Stagshell, because you’ll need to crowd control the Alarm Shrill to avoid summoning additional Hulking Bloodguards.

In the final boss room, watch out for the Winged Carriers’ Dashing Strike, which can be lethal without careful cooldown management from the tank. Coordinate with your healer to mitigate this damage, as the run-back is long and punishing. Additionally, avoid being rooted by Blood Overseer’s Erupting Webs.

Players with Level 25 Tailoring can interact with the dead Discordant Attendant mobs scattered around the dungeon. Tailors can use Silk Thread to stun enemies for 10 seconds, which is a powerful crowd control tool for dealing with key mobs.

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CITY OF THREADS

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Poison Dispel	Druids   Evoker   Monk   Paladin   Shaman

Starting with the Royal Swarmguard, prioritize using a personal damage reduction to manage the damage from Ravenous Swarm — a heavy AoE ability that can quickly overwhelm the group. Be prepared to dodge the Swarmguard’s Earthshatter. Confident groups pull the Royal Swarmguard alongside the Herald of Ansurek, but your team should be prepared for heavy burst damage if you choose to face the two mobs together. Healers will need to quickly dispel Shadows of Doubt, ensuring the afflicted party member is a safe distance away from the group to avoid additional group damage from the resulting projectiles.

Remember that your healer will need to save their dispel for Orator Krixvizk’s Shadow of Doubt debuff, and Vx’s Ice Sickles, leaving DPS responsible for handling Devour during those fights.

In the mini event after Orator Krixvizk, follow the purple shadow figures to reveal and defeat the Eyes of the Queen: there will be one in each of the three “zones”. To start the boss RP, someone must get into proximity of the yellow dot in the West Zone (see figure below).



If you’re still losing time seeking out the Eyes of the Queen, take a peek at our RIO Snapshot full of handy little tips to sniff these spies out quickly:



Keep an eye on the Covert Webmancers in order to interrupt their heal, Mending Web. Dodge frontals from Royal Venomshell and be ready for Venomous Spray, which is a group-wide poison attack that expels ground swirlies and includes a nasty DoT component. For the final trash pack, focus on interrupting Elder Shadeweaver’s abilities and rotate cooldowns to mitigate burst damage.

If you have Rogues, Priests, or Khaz Algar Engineers with 25+ skill in your group, make sure they interact with the Queen Ansurek Shadecaster podiums for a handy Stolen Power buff, which boosts DPS, HPS, and movement speed for everyone in your party. Check out our RIO Snapshot to learn the easiest Shadecaster locations – don’t waste this valuable buff opportunity!

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THE DAWNBREAKER

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Curse Dispel	Druid   Evoker   Mage   Shaman

The flying sections in The Dawnbreaker can make it easy for your team to get separated, so try to travel as a group and not engage mobs until your party is together.

Remember that your healer will need to save their dispel for Nightfall Ritualist’s Stygian Seed debuff and Speaker Shadowcrown’s Burning Shadows, leaving DPS responsible for handling Devour during those fights.

The Nightfall Ritualist is a priority target, so focus it down to avoid taking extra damage from Tormenting Ray. The Nightfall Commander requires tanks to be alert, as it deals heavy melee damage from Tainted Slash and often buffs surrounding enemies. Use interrupts on Abyssal Howl.

When facing Ixkreten the Unbreakable, positioning is critical. This miniboss has abilities that deal massive area damage with Terrifying Slam on tanks. Ascendant Vis'coxria will test your group’s ability to endure heavy pulsing AOE damage. Be sure to coordinate cooldowns to mitigate damage from Shadowy Decay and Abyssal Blast. The final mini boss, Deathscreamer Iken’tak, specializes in shadowy bowling mechanics with Dark Orb, which can cause a very swift wipe if not managed correctly. Positioning yourself away from any walls with your back down a long, clear pathway can minimize the damage burst from the deadly bowling ball.

Finally, the Nightfall Dark Architect is a threat due to its AoE damage and its fondness for summoning annoying adds with Usher Reinforcements. There are scary damage overlaps with Dark Scars, so be sure you’re spread out, and don't be afraid to use lust and all your cooldowns here.

If you're having trouble flying off the boat and following Rasha’nan’s flight path while collecting orbs, there's a simpler way! You can actually fly directly to the safe platform like this:

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GRIM BATOL

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Curse Dispel	Druid   Evoker   Mage   Shaman
De-Enrage Ability	Druid   Evoker   Hunter   Monk   Rogue

The Twilight Destroyers use Umbral Wind, a knockback ability that can disrupt positioning. Tanks should keep them away from ledges or environmental hazards, and players should be ready to line of sight around a corner as soon as the cast begins. The Twilight Overseer is particularly dangerous due to its Reckless Tactic, as this will empower an already Fortified mob.

Near the beginning of the dungeon, you’ll free a Battered Red Drake and ride it through the trash up to the first boss. While on the drake, you only get two abilities: one with limited charges called Engulfing Flames, and another you can use an unlimited number of times during flight called Searing Ember. Whether you choose to wait and see how your group kills off adds before using your Engulfing Flames, or you plan out Red Drake usage with your group, be sure you have a plan to maximize the use of this powerful ability!



For those of you who are dedicated puggers, you may want to consider the Grim Batol Flight Sim weakaura we featured in a recent RIO Snapshot, as it may help you avoid overkilling trash with your drake:



Assign players to handle the Twilight Beguiler’s crowd control abilities like Sear Mind and Chained Mind, which can stun and disrupt your team. Avoid heavy fire damage from Twilight Flamerender by spreading out and positioning carefully.

When dealing with Twilight Enforcer, remove its stacking damage buff ( Ramping Rage) with stuns or de-enrage abilities at 5+ stacks to keep tank damage manageable. Twilight Enforcers are coded the same as Refti Custodian inside Dragonflight’s Uldaman dungeon, in that a well-planned stun will remove their damage ramp buff.

On the way to the last boss, the Twilight Lavabenders will unleash absolute havoc on your key. Spread out with Dark Eruption and dodge frontals. It’s best to fight the Lavabenders with no other trash mobs where possible, and with plenty of room for your group to move freely.

Faceless Corruptors channel Corrupt and will two-shot any player with high Shadow Wound stacks from recently killed Mutated Hatchlings. If needed, this channel can be broken with Feign Death, Vanish, and Shadowmeld.

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MISTS OF TIRNA SCITHE

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Poison Dispel	Druids   Evoker   Monk   Paladin   Shaman

Remember that your healer will need to save their dispel for Drust Soulcleaver’s Soul Split debuff and Drust Spiteclaw’s Dying Breath (excellent idea for Blood Elves to use Arcane Torrent here), leaving DPS responsible for handling Devour when engaging those mobs.

For the Drust Boughbreakers, positioning is critical. These mobs’ Furious Thrashing deals large AOE damage when reaching 50%, so it’s far better to focus single-target damage into one first so that they don’t phase at the same time. The group should also stay spread out to avoid being hit by multiple Bramble Bursts, and the tank should keep the Boughbreakers moving around the first boss room to mitigate risk while healers prepare to heal through the incoming damage spikes.

After the first boss, you will begin the Maze to progress to the second boss. Since the maze is random, your path may encounter one of the following three Fortified mini bosses. The Mistveil Matriarch and Mistveil Nightblossom are both challenging due to their ranged magic attacks and AOE abilities. The Mistveil Matriarch needs to be kited around the room to avoid healing from Pool of Radiance and players must dodge her Radiant Breath frontal. When facing the the Mistveil Nightblossom, pay attention to its Poisonous Discharge ability, which creates harmful zones on the ground that need to be avoided. Healers should be prepared to dispel Triple Bite off the tank at 3 stacks. Lastly, if your group paths into the Mistveil Gorgegullet, everyone needs to be quick on their feet to avoid being squashed by Crushing Leap or hit with the frontal Tongue Lashing. Crushing Leap is easily side-stepped, but the actual area of effect spans larger than its visual.


The trash on the way to the last boss can be a fun AOE experience, but keep an eye on the Spinemaw Staghorn – this is a dangerous mob due to its Acid Nova, a large AOE attack that can deal massive damage to the group. Stack defensive cooldowns during this ability and make sure to spread out to avoid taking too much damage. Interrupt the Staghorn’s Stimulate Resistance and Stimulate Regeneration, and burn it down before it can take your team down instead!

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THE NECROTIC WAKE

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Disease Dispel	Evoker   Monk   Paladin   Priest
De-Enrage Ability	Druid   Evoker   Hunter   Monk   Rogue

Remember that your healer will need to save their dispel for Nar'zudah’s Dark Shroud debuff and Nalthor the Rimebinder’s Frozen Binds, leaving DPS responsible for handling Devour during those fights.

Start with the Blight Bags, who blow up, dealing group-wide damage with Disgusting Guts. Using defensive cooldowns and healing to mitigate this stacking debuff is essential. Watch out for the Corpse Harvester, as it uses Throw Flesh, which deals significant damage to a random target. Interrupting or stunning Drain Fluids is imperative.

The Zolramus Necromancer is a priority target since, once it dies, all its surrounding mobs die instantly as well. Interrupt the Necrotic Bolt, which can deal heavy single-target damage. It’s critical to defeat the Necromancer before Animate Dead occurs to prevent overwhelming the tank and healer. Next, the Skeletal Marauder is another high-damage foe, especially with its Gruesome Cleave ability, which will hit anyone in front of it. Be sure you are well away even from the center of this mob’s hitbox, lest you get clipped by its nasty cleave!

For the miniboss, Nar'zudah, you’ll need to be ready for heavy AOE damage. Nar'zudah chooses a random party member for Grim Fate, a heavy-hitting ability that must be healed through, while the entire group dances around to avoid Death Burst swirlies.

Upon entering the Necropolis, the Corpse Collectors cast a nasty debuff that deals increasing damage if left uncontrolled — use interrupts and crowd control to manage the rot and adds.

Lastly, Goregrind and Rotspew require special attention to avoid heavy AOE. Goregrind does Gut Slice, which can turn to cleave any nearby players, while Rotspew uses Disease Cloud to create hazardous zones for all nearby players. Popping defensives and moving out of Rotspew’s Spew Disease quickly is crucial since this ability scales with key level.

The Separation Assistant and Stitching Assistant are typically lower priority since you can just aim one Throw Cleaver at the other mob for some big friendly fire. Never position yourself in between these mobs to ensure that you don't personally take the Cleaver damage by blocking the other mob. Interrupt their Drain Fluids and run away from Morbid Fixation to keep the pair in control.

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SIEGE OF BORALUS

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Curse Dispel	Druid   Evoker   Mage   Shaman
Poison Dispel	Druids   Evoker   Monk   Paladin   Shaman

Remember that your healer will need to save their dispel for Viqgoth’s Putrid Waters debuff, leaving DPS responsible for handling Devour during this fight.

Prioritize interrupting the Scrimshaw Enforcers’ Shattering Bellow, as it can deal significant group-wide damage. Tanks should position Enforcers away from the group to minimize the risk of the Slobber Knocker frontal assassinating a nearby group member. For the Blacktar Bombers, be ready to interrupt, dodge, and spread out to reduce the damage from Fire Bombs, and quickly stun the bombs to prevent too much damage from stacking up with Burning Tar.



The Ashvane Commander requires solid add control since it strengthens reinforcements with Bolstering Shout. Be sure to focus on taking down any summoned units quickly while keeping interrupts ready to stop heavy attacks. Bilge Rat Buccaneers can be tricky due to their high mobility, so use crowd control abilities to lock them down and prevent them from overwhelming your group. Lastly, Irontide Raiders do a Savage Tempest, which can deal massive AOE damage to anyone in melee range, so DPS should be ready to sprint out of the tempest's area of effect.

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THE STONEVAULT

DISPELS TO BRING	ELIGIBLE CLASSES
Curse Dispel	Druid   Evoker   Mage   Shaman

Remember that your healer will need to save their dispel for Earth Infused Golem’s Ground Pound debuff (however, this should ideally be line of sighted entirely), E.D.N.A’s Seismic Reverberation debuff, and Turned Speaker’s Censoring Gear, leaving DPS responsible for handling Devour during those encounters.

During the first few pulls, the Cursedheart Invader is a big threat with its high-damage ranged abilities. You’ll want to make sure you’re interrupting Void Infection as much as possible to prevent them from overwhelming your group with massive debuffs. Keeping a good distance and staying spread out will help mitigate some of the incoming damage from Arcing Void, too.

The Earth Infused Golem is another bruiser, dishing out heavy area-of-effect (AOE) damage. Stay mobile and avoid standing in the frontal Seismic Wave; making quick work of these mobs is crucial as Ground Pound can become dangerous in no time.




Towards the second boss, the Void-Bound Despoiler places a heavy burden on your healer with Void Outburst dealing rapid pulsing damage to the group. Be prepared to use a personal defensive or health potion if you’re ticking down too low.

The Forge Loader is more of a support mob, but don’t underestimate it. When handling these mobs on your way to the third boss, dodge the large frontal Lava Cannon and play extra safely if you are targeted with Molten Mortar since this DoT hits like an absolute truck.

Meanwhile, the Forgebound Mender and Cursedforge Mender are priority targets for interrupts due to their healing abilities. These mobs will prolong the fight if left unchecked, so it's important to focus interrupts and crowd control on them to prevent them from healing their allies.

Near the final boss room, the Cursedforge Honor Guards’ Shield Stampede will instantly stun you with far less travel time than you may expect! This stun is dangerous since there is a lot of area denial in these final few packs. Ensure your tank is providing your group the breathing room needed to finish off the other threats away from any stairways.

In The Stonevault, Warriors, Dwarves, and Khaz Algar Blacksmiths can interact with Imbued Iron Bars to gain the Imbued Iron Energy buff, increasing Versatility for 10 minutes.

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Links

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