Friday, July 5, 2013

Post-MFF'13


Since there were little to no changes, again, made to this holiday, I was about to completely skip out on doing any of the event again. Near the end of the holiday though, I knocked out the Pandarian flames on Paragon, Railene, and Laviana. I used Xardion to gather up the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor flames to push him into his next level, and then logged on to the Horde Paladin and cleared out all of the bonfires but Vash'jir, Deepholm, and Pandaria due to level restrictions and blocks, she also gained 3 levels off of it, so it was a pretty solid undertaking with awesome rewards!

Paragon: Flame Warden of '09. Honored and Desecrated Northrend and Cataclysm in '12. Honored and Desecrated Pandaria in '13.

Railene: Flame Warden of '09. Honored and Desecrated Northrend and Cataclysm in '12. Honored and Desecrated Pandaria in '13.

Laviana: Flame Warden of '11. Honored and Desecrated Northrend and Cataclysm in '12. Honored and Desecrated Pandaria in '13.

Sollexi: Flame Warden of '12. Did not Honor or Desecrate Pandaria. 100% possibility of completion in '14.

Xardion: Flame Warden of '11. Did not Honor or Desecrate Pandaria. 100% possibility of completion in '14.

Arcia: Flame Warden of '10. Honored and Desecrated Northrend and Cataclysm in '12. Did not Honor or Desecrate Pandaria. 100% possibility of completion in '14.

Monk: Unofficial Flame Warden of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 90-95% possibility of completion in '14.

Shaman: Unofficial Flame Warden of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 75-80% possibility of completion in '14.

Hunter: Unofficial Flame Warden of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 25-50% possibility of completion in '14.

Warrior: Unofficial Flame Warden of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 85-90% possibility of completion in '14.

Warlock: Unofficial Flame Warden of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 15-25% possibility of completion in '14.

Warrior II: Unofficial Flame Warden of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 15-25% possibility of completion in '14.

Paladin: Unofficial Flame Warden of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 15-25% possibility of completion in '14.

Horde Paladin: Unofficial Flame Keeper of '09. Did not Honor Cataclysm, Honor or Desecrate Pandaria, or ice Ahune due to level restrictions. 95% possibility of completion in '14.

Horde Warrior: Unofficial Flame Keeper of '09. No progress made on any achievements. 75-80% possibility of completion in '14.
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Midsummer Fire Festival '13

Despite having this blog for multiple years and basically only posting about the holiday events that occur in World of Warcraft, I have yet to actually successfully update with a Midsummer Fire Festival guide. That all changes this year. I also completely failed at getting the guide put together before the holiday was practically over, but with this guide now built that means that next year will be finished beforehand!

The Midsummer Fire Festival starts on the real world date of the northern summer solstice. This year the events runs from June 21st through July 5th. Much like the Lunar Festival back in January, the Midsummer Fire Festival necessitates tons of travel time to get through all of the achievements, as you travel around the multiple continents (even Pandaria included now) to honor your faction's flags and desecrate those of the opposite faction. All the while gaining Burning Blossom, which is this holiday's currency.

The Burning Blossom also have a secondary function that I'd like to go over here before we get into anything else. If you use a Burning Blossom near a festival fire, all surrounding players will gain the Fire Festival Fury buff, which scales with your level. And if you happen upon a bonfire that's been desecrated and use a Burning Blossom on it, you will activate the zone-wide buff of Bonfire's Blessing, which scales by 10 per level.

The Midsummer Fire Festival also comes with a holiday boss; The Frost Lord, Ahune. His loot tables have already been updated this year to include level 90, item level 480 epic cloaks. He also has some other drops that we will get into later on when we get to the Ahune section of the guide. Until then, we're going to start with the holiday quests!

There are some bread crumb quests that will lead you to some festival camps outside of the capital cities, as well as bread crumbs that lead to the camps located inside the capitals. We'll start off with the quests located outside of the cities.
  1. The Master of Summer Lore/The Spinner of Summer Tales: The true bread crumb quest. All capital cities will have commoners who will send you on your way to the Fire Festival Camps outside of the capital cities. These quests are mostly for flavor to announce the beginning of the Festival, but you do get a Burning Blossom out of it.
  2. Incense for the Summer Scorchlings/Incense for the Summer Scorchlings: You will be given some Summer Incense and told to drop it off at the nearby Summer Scorchling. Be sure to stick around for a bit after turning it in and collecting your Burning Blossom, as there is a small little scene involving the Scorchling.
    • Now that you're done with the quests at the Festival Camps outside of the city, it's time to speed on inside of the capital itself and head to the Festival Bonfire.
      • Stormwind: To the left of Stormwind Stockades and past the cooking daily.
      • Ironforge: At the entrance to the Hall of Explorers.
      • Darnassus: Inside the Warrior's Terrace on the way inside from Teldrassil.
      • Exodar: On the right side of the Crystal Halls.
      • Orgrimmar: Up past the flight master on the Valley of Wisdom.
      • Thunder Bluff: On the edge of the Spirit Rise, near the zeppelin dock.
      • Undercity: Just inside the Ruins of Lordaeron.
      • Silvermoon City: Inside the Court of the Sun, near the fountain before the Sunfury Spire.
  1. Torch Tossing/Torch Tossing: The Master Flame Eater of your respective faction will offer up this quest near the bonfire. You will need to use Practice Torches and throw them at the targeted brazier nearby. It is very simple and you don't always have to land the torch directly on the brazier, either, which makes it slightly easier for those with slower reaction times.
  2. Torch Catching/Torch Catching: The Master Flame Eater of your respective faction will also offer up this quest. You will need to throw one of the Unlit Torches and follow it's shadow to toss it up again. This quest, and subsequent daily, can be very irritating due to other people, lag, or having some of your graphic settings on lower values, adjust according and even switch cities if necessary to complete. Knocking out this quest will open up its daily, as well as reward you with x5 Juggling Torch which will come in handy later.
With the little quests unlocked and those two dailies unlocked, it's time to complete and unlock the other daily, as well as delve into the holiday boss fight information. First off, since you're still in your capital city near the bonfire, I think it's time to mention the ribbon pole. At every bonfire, you will find the ribbon pole, which your character will twirl around. Doing so grants you the Ribbon Dance buff, which stacks every 3 seconds to a total of a 1 hour buff. This buff stacks with rested experience as well.

Now it's time to speak to the Earthen Ring Elder! (If you're tracking Low Level Quests, you'll see this bad boy, if you aren't tracking it.. Well.. Surprise?!)
  1. Unusual Activity: Get your Totemic Beacon from the Elder and head out for Ashenvale. You're going to the Zoram Strand, in the very north-western corner of the Ashenvale map. Your mission is to kill Twilight Cultists until you get your hands on the Twilight Correspondence. With it in hand, use the Totemic Beacon to summon the Earthen Ring Guide, who will continue your quest.
  2. An Innocent Disguise: Use the given Orb of the Crawler to spy on Ice Caller Briatha and company, on the banks of the Zoram Strand, further along than where you killed cultists for the Twilight Correspondence.
  3. Inform the Elder: Head back to an Earthen Ring Elder at a capital city to complete the questline. There used to be a few more quests, but they were removed with the introduction of the LFD and queue system. Finishing this series of quests opens another set of dailies which all reward x10 Burning Blossom  these will depend on your level, much like the Love is in the Air dailies:
With all of those quests finished, it's time to throw down against the holiday boss; The Frost Lord Ahune. Before you we go any further, please note that you need to be level 89-90 to even access this boss. Not there? Either level quickly or try again next year. You can either queue through the LFD UI by selecting Frost Lord Ahune in the drop-down menu option, or you can speak with any Earthen Ring Elder to be queued up as well. Making a trip out to the Slave Pens will not spawn the boss.
  1. Emerged Phase (Phase 1): When dealing with this stage (hopefully not too many times), you are not able to directly assault Ahune. You have to deal with his adds and dodge ice spikes. He spawns three separate adds each emerged phase, two of which constantly spawn.
    • Lord Ahune
      • Ahune's Shield: This cannot be broken through any means by the player.
      • Cold Slap: When a player gets too close to Ahune, he will use this ability, launching them back away from him, dealing damage and fall damage. Stay off the ice and you should be fine. Amusingly, you will receive a Snowball in your bags every time you get hit by this ability.
      • Ice Spear: Ahune casts this under the feet of a random player. If they don't move in time, they will get launched into the air and sustain fall damage, unless they move or prevent the damage through abilities.
    • Ahunite Hailstone - Focus this add.
      • Chilling Aura: This ability can cause upwards of 60% of the total damage done for the fight. These adds need to be focused immediately once the tank has aggro.
      • Pulverize: As long as the tank has aggro, this ability should not be an issue.
    • Ahunite Coldwave - Requires little attention.
      • Bitter Blast: Let the tank get aggro to avoid taking damage from this, or simply burn them as soon as they spawn.
    • Ahunite Frostwind - Requires little attention.
      • Lightning Shield: Works the same way as a Shaman's own ability. Let the tank take the hits to avoid taking extra damage, or burn it down as soon as it spawns.
      • Wind Buffet: One of the most annoying spells in existence for anyone with a cast bar.
  2. Core Phase (Phase 2)
    • Frozen Core - Ahune submerges into this state.
      • Ahune's Shield fades, Cold Slap and Ice Spear are disabled, and there are no adds that spawn. Ignore the ones that are up, if there are any, when he submerges. Blow your cooldowns and burn him. If you don't strike him down in one attempt, he will re-emerge after 30 seconds and you will have to repeat Phase 1.
  3. Satchel of Chilled Goods - Only available on your first kill per day.
  4. Ice Chest (Loot Phase)
      1. Shards of Ahune: You get to pick between one of the two available tabards.
        • Tabard of Summer Skies
        • Tabard of Summer Flames
        • If you wish to acquire both tabards, there is a simple method in which to do so. Simply place the tabard of your choice into your Void Storage. Speak with a Tabard Vendor and select the opposite choice as the one you lost to have both.
Now that we've gone over the basic quests and tore apart Ahune and his minions, it's time to dig into the real meat of this holiday. Much like the Lunar Festival, the Midsummer Fire Festival requires quite a bit of traveling to make sure you get your hands on enough Burning Blossom to be able to purchase all the necessities to complete all of the achievements and get the vanity items. Your job is to traverse the Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Northrend, the Outlands, and now Pandaria to honor and desecrate the bonfires.

There are a total of 110 Bonfires to locate and collect and honor/desecrate. Please note that most of these are not in an order for fastest completion or ease of travel. I will eventually create a "travel guide" for both Lunar Festival and the Midsummer Fire Festival.

EASTERN KINGDOMS
Silvermoon City: Court of the Sun (70, 43) [Alliance]
Eversong Woods: North Sanctum (46, 50)
Ghostlands: Tranquillien (46, 26)
Western Plaguelands: Chillwind Camp (43, 82)
Western Plaguelands: The Bulwark (29, 57)
Tirisfal Glades: Brill (57, 52)
The Undercity: Ruins of Lordaeron (68, 9) [Alliance]
Silverpine Forest: The Sepulcher (50, 38)
Hillsbrad Foothills: Tarren Mill (55, 50)
The Hinterlands: Aerie Peak (14, 50)
The Hinterlands: Revantusk Village (76, 74)
Arathi Highlands: Hammerfall (69, 42)
Arathi Highlands: Refuge Pointe (44, 46)
Wetlands: Menethil Harbor (13, 47)
Twilight Highlands: Thundermar (47, 28)
Twilight Highlands: Bloodgulch (53, 46)
Loch Modan: Thelsamar (32, 40)
Dun Morogh: Kharanos (54, 45)
Ironforge: Hall of Explorers (64, 25) [Horde]
Badlands: New Kargath (24, 37)
Badlands: Dragon's Mouth (19, 56)
Burning Steppes: Flame Crest (51, 29)
Burning Steppes: Morgan's Vigil (68, 60)
Redridge Mountains: Lakeshire (24, 53)
Swamp of Sorrows: Bogpaddle (76, 14)
Swamp of Sorrows: Bogpaddle (76, 14)
Blasted Lands: Dreadmaul Hold (46, 14)
Blasted Lands: Nethergarde Keep (58, 17)
The Cape of Stranglethorn: East of Booty Bay (501 70)
The Cape of Stranglethorn: East Booty Bay (50, 70)
Northern Stranglethorn: Fort Livingston (51, 63)
Northern Stranglethorn: Grom'gol Base Camp (40, 51)
Westfall: Moonbrook (45, 62)
Duskwood: Darkshire (73, 55)
Elwynn Forest: Goldshire (43, 65)
Stormwind City: The Canals (49, 72) [Horde]
KALIMDOR
Azuremyst Isle: Azure Watch (44, 53)
The Exodar: The Crystal Hall (41, 26) [Horde]
Bloodmyst Isle: Blood Watch (55, 69)
Teldrassil: Dolanaar (54.8, 52.9)
Darnassus: Warrior's Terrace (63, 47) [Horde]
Darkshore: Lor'danel (49, 23)
Winterspring: Everlook (59, 35)
Winterspring: Everlook (62. 35)
Mount Hyjal: Nordrassil (63, 23)
Azshara: Bilgewater Harbor (60, 53)
Orgrimmar: Valley of Wisdom (47, 38) [Alliance]
Durotar: Razor Hill (52, 47)
Ashenvale: Forest Song (87, 42)
Ashenvale: Silverwing Refuge (51, 66)
Northern Barrens: The Crossroads (50, 55)
Stonetalon Mountains: Sun Rock Retreat (53, 62)
Stonetalon Mountains: Mirkfallon Lake (49.5, 51.1)
Desolace: Nijel's Point (65, 17)
Desolace: Shadowprey Village (26, 76)
Thunder Bluff: Spirit Rise (21, 26) [Alliance]
Mulgore: Bloodhoof Village (51, 59)
Feralas: Camp Mojache (72, 47)
Feralas: Feathermoon Stronghold (47, 44)
Silithus: Cenarion Hold (60, 33)
Silithus: Cenarion Hold (51, 41)
Un'Goro Crater: Marshal's Stand (59.8, 62.9)
Un'Goro Crater: Marshal's Stand (56, 66)
Uldum: Vir'naal Oasis (53.4, 31.9)
Uldum: Vir'naal Oasis (53, 34)
Tanaris: Gadgetzan (49, 27)
Tanaris: Gadgetzan (52, 29)
Southern Barrens: Desolation Hold (41, 68)
Southern Barrens: Fort Triumph (48, 72)
Dustwallow Marsh: Brackenwall Village (33, 30)
Dustwallow Marsh: Theramore Isle (62, 40)
OUTLAND
Hellfire Peninsula: Honor Hold (62, 58)
Hellfire Peninsula: Thrallmar (55, 40)
Terokkar Forest: Allerian Stronghold (55, 55)
Terokkar Forest: Stonebreaker Hold (52, 45)
Shadowmoon Valley: Wildhammer Stronghold (40, 55)
Shadowmoon Valley: Shadowmoon Village (33, 30)
Nagrand: Telaar (50, 70)
Nagrand: Garadar (51, 34)
Zangarmarsh: Telredor (69, 52)
Zangarmarsh: Zabra'Jin (36, 52)
Blade's Edge Mountains: Sylvanaar (42, 66)
Blade's Edge Mountains: Thunderlord Stronghold (50, 59)
Netherstorm: Area 52 (31, 63)
Netherstorm: Area 52 (32, 68)

NORTHREND
Borean Tundra: Fizzcrank Airstrip (55, 20)
Borean Tundra: Bor'gorok Outpost (51, 12)
Sholazar Basin: River's Heart (47, 66)
Sholazar Basin: River's Heart (47, 62)
Dragonblight: Wintergarde Keep (75, 44)
Dragonblight: Agmar's Hammer (39, 48)
Grizzly Hills: Amberpine Lodge (34, 61)
Grizzly Hills: Conquest Hold (19, 61)
Howling Fjord: Fort Wildervar (58, 16)
Howling Fjord: Camp Winterhoof (48, 13)
Zul'Drak: The Argent Stand (41, 61)
Zul'Drak: The Argent Stand (43, 71)
The Storm Peaks: K3 (42, 87)
The Storm Peaks: K3 (40, 86)
Crystalsong Forest: Windrunner's Overlook (78, 75)
Crystalsong Forest: Sunreaver's Command (80, 53)

CATACLYSM
Vashj'ir: Shimmering Expanse, Silver Tide Hollow (49, 42)
Deepholm: Temple of Earth (49. 51)

PANDARIA
Jade Forest: Dawn's Blossom (47.2, 47.2)
Valley of the Four Winds: Halfhill (51.8, 51.4)
Krasarang Wilds: Zhu's Watch (74, 9.49)
Dread Wastes: Soggy's Gamble (56.1, 69.5)
Townlong Steppes: Longying Outpost (71.5, 56.3)
Kun-Lai Summit: Binan Village (71.1, 90.9)
Vale of Eternal Blossoms: Mogu'shan Palace (77.8, 33.9) - Both Horde and Alliance bonfires.
Once you've gone out and collected all of your blossoms, you're going to need something to spend them on. Head back to your capital city of choice and speak with a Midsummer Supplier/Midsummer Merchant.
    And now that we've gone over ALL of the questlines, for both Alliance and Horde, it's time to look at getting those achievements. Hopefully you still have some time left after traversing multiple continents and separate worlds to get some of these in.

    Completing all of the achievements listed below will net you the meta achievement: The Flame Warden/The Flame Keeper!
      And now for the special bit at the end that needs to be added to appease the pet battlers amongst you.
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