WoW Cataclysm Classic Grim Batol guide: Boss tactics, loot, Heroic & more

In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic, Grim Batol is one of the most interesting and varied dungeons introduced in the expansion. With the Twilight Hammer and the Old Gods to defeat, here’s everything you need to know to make it through.

Grim Batol is a huge fortress, the former home of the Wildhammer Dwarves. In Cataclysm, it has been taken over by a sinister cult known as the Twilight Hammer. Under the watchful leadership of the ogre Cho’gall, they continue to propagate evil magic and wreak havoc.

As with most dungeons, there are four bosses to conquer, with access to Grim Batol available from Level 84 onwards.

Grim Batol entrance location

Grim Batol is found in the far West of the Twilight Highlands, with the region itself found directly East of the Wetlands. The instance itself is an ancient Dwarven fortress and the portal can be found at its entrance, heading along the Western path from the center of the region.

As a Level 85 dungeon, it will likely be one of the last that players conquer in this first part of the expansion.

Boss encounters guide

Boss One: General Umbriss

General Umbriss is an interesting proposition as a boss fight, mainly because players must all be aware of the same abilities to come out on top. Initially, Tanks will need to be healed against Bleeding Wound’s damage-over-time effect. If Healers can get Tanks back above 90% health, it also removes the debuff.

The big ability that everyone in the group needs to be aware of is Blitz. This sees Umbriss choose a random player from the party to charge toward before dealing huge Physical damage as well as a knock-up, both of which affect anyone within six yards of the attack’s location.

To avoid this, everyone needs to get out of the way of the chosen player by running out of range. The chosen player can also do this, but they should wait as long as possible before doing so to avoid running in the same direction as others.

The other concern is Ground Siege. This ability is also targeted randomly and will cause Umbriss to use a directional ground attack that inflicts massive damage and a four-second stun on anyone within the cone-shaped attack. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to get out of the way, just make sure to keep an eye out.

Umbriss will also call Troggs down to aid him during the battle, but these are relatively easy to deal with on Normal difficulty. Make sure to keep aggro as the Tank and DPS these enemies down quickly.

Boss Two: Forgemaster Throngus

Throngus is a cool fight for those who farm dungeons regularly, largely due to its immense replayability. How the fight will play out is mostly dictated by which weapon the character picks from those at his disposal.

The only standard ability that players need to look out for, regardless of weapon choice, is Mighty Stomp. This causes the walls of Grim Batol to begin to cave in and stones to fall around the players. Simply avoid the area of effect of these, and you should be good to go.

The breakdown of what to be aware of for each weapon is as follows:

Shield: This is the most comfortable choice. Throngus will use Personal Phalanx, which causes him to face a random player with his shield deployed. It is the job of that player to face the boss away from the rest of the party. This will allow them to deal full damage, as damage dealt while facing the shield is reduced by 99%.

At the same time, archers fire flaming arrows from above, so keep your eyes peeled for those and avoid them where possible.

Dual Swords: Disorienting Roar affects all players, reducing attack and cast speeds by 150%. This can be dispelled or removed using abilities, so make sure to do so as soon as possible to keep DPS high. Dual Blades and Thrash are strong attacks that Tanks will largely have to take, and Healers will have to heal through.

Mace: The Mace is arguably the most frightening choice of the lot, but it’s not particularly varied and easily dealt with if you know what to do. The first of two effects is a simple passive, slowing the boss down by 70% but upping his damage by 200%.

The only active ability to look out for is Impaling Slam, which sees Throngus jump toward a random target and deal significant damage over time to those it hits. This is tough to avoid, so most will heal or bubble through when targeted.

Boss Three: Drahga Shadowburner & Valiona

Drahga Shadowburner is a two-phase fight that shouldn’t prove too challenging to well-prepared groups. The first phase is relatively easy to keep on top of, with Shadowburner mainly making use of the Burning Shadowbolt ability to inflict damage. This can be healed through or interrupted.

The main thing the group needs to deal with is the Invocation of Flame, in which the boss creates a portal that summons an Invoked Flaming Spirit. In the first instance, don’t stand near the portal to avoid the Fire damage it puts out. Then the DPS should all switch targets to the Spirit, to take it out quickly before it can reach a player. If it does, it will cast Supernova and inflict huge damage to the player it is near, more than enough to one-shot some classes.

At 25% health, Shadowburner will summon his dragon mount Valiona (who later appears in the Bastion of Twilight raid. As long as the Tank faces the dragon away, DPS classes should find it relatively easy to burn down the boss. The dragon abandons its master at 20% health, then players can simply finish off Shadowburner, who, by this point, is very weak.

Boss Four: Erudax

The final boss in the dungeon is appropriately the most difficult, as players are tasked with taking on Erudax, Commander of Grim Batol. The first of two major mechanics that everyone in the group needs to be aware of is Binding Shadows, which roots and damages players before healing the boss for 3x the amount dealt. Simply move out of the way of this one when the boss targets you to negate its effects.

The other is Shadow Gale, which sees Erudax summon a huge storm. At the start of the cast, a circle will appear on the floor. This is essentially the safe zone, and all players need to stand in it to avoid being killed at the end of the cast. The good news is that the boss takes double damage here, so make sure to continue attacking during Shadow Gale.

After Shadow Gale is over, a Faceless Corruptor enters the room and begins casting Twilight Corruption on Alexstrasza’s Eggs. The Corruptor should be killed quickly before they are able to spawn Twilight Hatchlings, following which they will attack the player anyway.

Tanks and Healers need to be aware of Enfeebling Blow and its subsequent debuff Feeble Body. It’s a huge knockback that renders the victim vulnerable to 200% damage for five seconds. This is a good time to pop cooldowns on the Tank to mitigate its harshest effects. DPS just needs to stay back to avoid drawing aggro when the Tank is bounced back.

Grim Batol gear drops & loot

General Umbriss

• Cursed Skardyn Vest
• Modgud’s Blade
• Skardyn’s Grace
• Umbriss Band
• Wildhammer Riding Helm

Forgemaster Throngus

• Belt of the Forgemaster
• Dark Iron Chain Boots
• Ring of Dun Algaz
• Throngus’ Finger
• Wand of Untainted Power

Drahga Shadowburner & Valiona

• Azureborne Cloak
• Crimsonborne Bracers
• Earthshape Pauldrons
• Red Scale Boots
• Windwalker Blade

Erudax

• Bracers of Umbral Mending
• Circle of Bone
• Corrupted Egg Shell
• Crown of Enfeebled Bodies
• Gale of Shadows
• Mace of Transformed Bone
• Mark of Khardros
• Staff of Siphoned Essences
• Vest of Misshapen Hides
• Wild Hammer

Heroic Grim Batol guide

General Umbriss: The Heroic Umbriss fight is interesting because it does add a significant mechanical layer that players must be aware of. Malignant Troggs will cast Modgud’s Malice when killed, increasing the boss’ damage and transforming Skarydn Dwellers into more Malignant Troggs, if they are within eight yards.

This can quickly spiral out of control, so move Troggs away from others before killing them. Additionally, Modgud’s Malady is a debuff that the Troggs can cast to deal damage to players. On Heroic difficulty, this stacks up to ten times and is more than enough to kill players quickly, so get rid of those Troggs as soon as possible.

Forgemaster Throngus: On Heroic difficulty, Disorienting Roar is the main change. It slows down both cast and attack speed by 150% in the first instance, with that number reducing by 50% each time the player successfully uses an attacking ability.

Drahga Shadowburner & Valiona: Drahga remains largely unchanged on Heroic Difficulty, hitting harder with the same ability set. Valiona now has Devouring Flames, which shoots a huge cone of dragon fire at a random player. Get out of this, if possible, but failing that, head as far away from the dragon as possible, as the flames deal less damage the further the player is from the source.

Erudax: The Erudax fight is largely the same, if a little more difficult on Heroic. The big difference is that the boss summons two Faceless Corruptors after casting Shadow Gale, instead of just one. This is a slightly more difficult juggling act but shouldn’t trouble those with decent DPS too much.

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