Adventures in Beta: Holy whomping axe, Batman!
by Elizabeth Wachowski 
Jan 8th 2007 at 12:30PM
Oh, man, and you thought the Arcanite Reaper was classic. Jones, of the guild Paradox on Eredar, posted this image today, and the forums have been set alight with speculation on whether this is a real item or a clever fake.
The full story is that someone called Ronnie claims to have datamined up Illidan's loot table. Now, datamining is bad and wrong, but that doesn't stop people from doing it and then posting the information for everyone to see (how do you think the Tier 5 graphics got out there?) Aside from the "Betrayer's Spaulders", the "Quel'Dorei Greatstaff of Destruction", the "Soulslayer" and Illidan's head, Ronnie's screenshots show a 156.2 DPS legendary axe called "Grom'ogh, Edge of Hellscream." This bad boy has 82 strength, 74 stamina, a 35 hit rating and an 80 crit rating. Not only that, but it also grants the wielder immunity to fear and has a chance on hit to increase attack power by 700 and make you immune to stun and movement impairing effects.
Detractors say the item can't be real - it's too powerful, the immunity to fear is ridiculous, Illidan may not die at the end of the Black Temple, and how would Illidan get Grom's axe anyway? Other people note that the model of the axe is unique, it doesn't look photoshopped, and 156 DPS weapons are completely within the realm of possibility in the expansion.
Is it real or is it fake? If it is real, who should use it and will the immunity to fear be game-breaking in PVP? If it's fake, what kind of legendary SHOULD Illidan drop?
Filed under: Items, Screenshots, The Burning Crusade
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Risse Jan 8th 2007 12:47PM
IMHO, It's photoshopped. It's too powerful, and complete immune to fear? Bah.
Also, the headline in the stats box seem to have black border across the letters.
Brudus Jan 8th 2007 9:42PM
I don't play the game anymore. But this makes my warlock sense tingle.
Dahlaine Jan 8th 2007 3:40PM
A legendary has never dropped from any boss, short of the Molten Core neclace that was a programming error and immediatly taken off the tables forever. There has always been a deep lore connection to every Legendary, and although I admit that Grom's Axe holds quite a bit of significance, there would almost certainly be a serious quest involved in its aquiring. So, I'm throwing my weight behind the nay-sayers. Feel free to prove me wrong by stomping your way through a zone even Blizzard has admitted is very unfinished and currently on the backburner.
Anyways, I was hoping that the Legendary axe would be the one once weilded by Broxxigar and now in the possesion of Thrall. It was created by Malfurion and imbued with power by Cenarius and was the only weapon known to have actually wounded the Dark Titan Sargeras. Much cooler imo.
Kai Jan 8th 2007 1:01PM
a) its a private server, the link is real but the item doesn't exist. Just coded in to their own mpq files.
b) the model is allready in use in axe's mounted on orc environments and walls and is used for some other axe i forget the name of.
c) Its too powerful, and grom's axe is called ...wait...i forgot but its not that...its a single word :P
d) We dont kill illidan, its been said before...so why would we be able to link the head of illidan? Or is that the lesser known illidan...the terrible hamster monster of goldshire.
In conclusion....useless and stupid.
spek Jan 8th 2007 1:22PM
if its true will be the warriors dream
if its not true we will know it sooner or later
Seper Jan 8th 2007 8:40PM
i was under the understanding that their were orange super rare hardly ever drop 1 in 2 billion chance items. Not everybody posts everything they get.
If thats photoshopped its probably someone from blizzard. Cause it looks perfect i cant see a flaw. Anyone whos ever tried to crop out txt from an image would know that is amazingly hard to do. Then to replicate the background and put your own txt in is even harder.
Unkle Jan 8th 2007 3:22PM
IF it is true, i'll take one for my hunter please. kthxbye.
Zotiko Jan 8th 2007 2:04PM
/agree
Otherwise warriors may actually be able to touch casters once in a while.
Mike Schramm Jan 8th 2007 4:30PM
I know it's not real. But I so want it to be.
Barod Jan 8th 2007 2:35PM
Even if it is fake at least it makes me even more eager to see what we actually will be getting in the expansion. Maybe a legendary for hunters for once?!
Shat Jan 8th 2007 2:38PM
If it's true, it still doesn't make you immune to Roflcoil :)
Kyle Jan 8th 2007 2:49PM
#2: I have heard Grom's axe referred to as Gorehowl, is that what you're thinking of?
Anyway, I'm leaning toward fake. For one, why would Illidan have it? Grom died next to Thrall, one would think Thrall would have his axe. And two, as has been pointed out, the Head of Illidan? We've been told in the past that we won't kill him, merely "get in his way." Killing him is a pretty big way to get in his way, heh.
battledrill Jan 8th 2007 3:47PM
We are now at the point were "video or it didn't happen" is neccessary. Damn digital age.
Chibitoo Jan 8th 2007 5:44PM
Guys, it was never said that Illidan drops this, he was just datamining.
Razhlok Jan 8th 2007 7:25PM
Its definitly not photoshopped. That model is in the game! I actually had this axe in Beta! True stroy. My 64 Hunter is currently wielding this axe. Although its a blue that drops from the last boss in Blood Furnaces not a legendary that drops from Illidan:
http://thottbot.com/beta?i=2303
Brian Moore Jan 9th 2007 10:32AM
This is comparable to the Sword of One Thousand Truths from Southpark, lol. About the only thing it is missing is the instant mana burn (replaced by immunity to fear it appears). 150 dps, instant mana burn and an enchantment that boosts stamina plus 80 was considered too powerful for any man to posess so it was stored on a one gig flash drive by Saltzman in accounting. Looks like someone may have broke into Saltzman's petty cash box and found another one gig flash drive if this is real.
Rayze Jan 9th 2007 11:10AM
@ #9: Warcraft knowledge buff FTW! I love reading about warcraft lore...the real stuff - not fans' speculations on their take of 'side stories' lol
Serenity Jan 14th 2007 2:46AM
It could be real. Anyone ever suspected Blizzard of dropping Red Herrings?