Phat Loot Phriday: Orb of the Blackwhelp

This is the perfect hefty loot item -- it's easy enough for almost anyone to get, but relatively secret enough that most people don't know exactly where it is. When I came across it leveling up my Hunter this week, I knew it belonged right here.
Name: Orb of the Blackwhelp (Wowwiki, Thottbot, Wowhead)
Type: Common Consumable
Damage/Speed: N/A
Abilities:
The actual quest has you meeting with an NPC and then leaving, but if you hurry (the costume only lasts three minutes), you can run over and also chat with another NPC on the opposite side of the cavern from the quest target. The NPC is called the "Wyrmcult Provisioner," and if you're in costume, he'll be friendly, and act as an actual vendor. Among a few other general goods (I stocked up on bullets while there), he also sells this item for a mere 2g 50s.
And the good news is that even if you've done the quest already, you can go back, murder more Wyrmcultists for more Costume Scraps, and go visit the provisioner again. So even if you didn't catch this the first time around, it's still waiting for you in Blade's Edge.
The Provisioner also sells the Wyrmcultist's Cloak, which is a nice Fire Resistance cloak, especially since it's so easy to get.
Getting Rid of It: It's only got 3 charges, so use those and it's out of your life forever. You could also sell it back for 62s 50c, but unfortunately it's BoP so no auction house profits off of this one.
Name: Orb of the Blackwhelp (Wowwiki, Thottbot, Wowhead)
Type: Common Consumable
Damage/Speed: N/A
Abilities:
- Transforms you into a helpless Blackwhelp dragon for up to 15 minutes. You can't attack or cast spells while transformed.
- In fact, it's pretty limiting -- you can't even take damage while in this form. You can use self-buff abilities and drink potions and such (rumor is that Winterfall Firewater looks funny while the Orb is on), but the disguise is pretty fragile.
- And Wyrmcultists will see right through you in this disguise, as will any other mobs. We'll get to why that's important in a second.
- Oh, and coincidentally, Blizzard's item ID number for this item is 31337. Cute.
The actual quest has you meeting with an NPC and then leaving, but if you hurry (the costume only lasts three minutes), you can run over and also chat with another NPC on the opposite side of the cavern from the quest target. The NPC is called the "Wyrmcult Provisioner," and if you're in costume, he'll be friendly, and act as an actual vendor. Among a few other general goods (I stocked up on bullets while there), he also sells this item for a mere 2g 50s.
And the good news is that even if you've done the quest already, you can go back, murder more Wyrmcultists for more Costume Scraps, and go visit the provisioner again. So even if you didn't catch this the first time around, it's still waiting for you in Blade's Edge.
The Provisioner also sells the Wyrmcultist's Cloak, which is a nice Fire Resistance cloak, especially since it's so easy to get.
Getting Rid of It: It's only got 3 charges, so use those and it's out of your life forever. You could also sell it back for 62s 50c, but unfortunately it's BoP so no auction house profits off of this one.
Filed under: Items, How-tos, Quests, Humor, Phat Loot Phriday, NPCs






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
peagle Aug 1st 2008 7:02PM
The main grief I have with this item is it's unique, so you can't stack up on them. Having to collect all those costume scraps just for one set of 3 time charges is a bitch.
Derek Aug 1st 2008 6:36PM
You never explained why it's good that mobs can see through the wyrm disguise.
Chris Anthony Aug 1st 2008 7:43PM
I don't think it's good so much as important - a lot of people will assume that Wyrmcultists will allow a whelp to go through just like someone in a Wyrmcult outfit, and will be surprised when the cultists see right through the whelp disguise.
Rakan Aug 1st 2008 7:00PM
I now hate you Mike Schramm. WHY DON'T YOU JUST GIVE THEM ALL MY SECRETS AND TEACH THEM HOW TO SV HUNT AS WELL!?!?!!?!?!
Rakan
Anonymous Aug 1st 2008 7:10PM
I've always loved this item. And I can't wait for when Illusionary Tactics does a post about this one, and the comments are full of nerdrage about how this has already been covered, learn to factcheck wowinsider, no journalistic integrity!
Sephrenia Aug 1st 2008 7:38PM
You can do this quest thing again - just don't complete the quest, collect more scraps, make another disguuise and buy another Orb once you've used up your first one.
I love being a Mummy Whelp with my Dark Whelpling with me :)
Chris Anthony Aug 1st 2008 7:42PM
...as Mike points out in the post, right? >_>
Alveredus Aug 1st 2008 7:52PM
The scraps still drop even if you complete the quest.
taow Aug 1st 2008 8:34PM
rogues can sprint in disguise, i assume many other non combat class abilities don't break it either. have a blast.
Poleleboo Aug 1st 2008 11:18PM
You forgot to mention that it debuffs when you jump in water. I thought I would hover above like a wisp...no luck :S
Sl0th Aug 2nd 2008 2:51AM
What's fun is to use the costume then drink the stuff from the Midsummer Festival that makes you breath fire. That really confuses the hell out of people watching.
tehvoid Aug 2nd 2008 6:19AM
And Illusionary tactics revealed itself to be useless if you're doing articles about transformation items (see Orb of deception, Orb of the Sin'Dorei, Dartol's).
And personnaly, I'd rather have an article in PLP about an other item and let I T taking care of transformation items...
Anyway, great article!
Birdfall Aug 2nd 2008 1:16PM
I've always wondered how to get that. :) Thanks for this! I'm not sure if I'll try it for myself, but I'll definitely tell my friends.
Busilak Aug 2nd 2008 2:48PM
Hah! I just got it last night and love it!
Type in /SLEEP and the dragon just freezes in mid air. People kept on ignoring me until then. lol