Wrath's Violet Hold takes us down memory lane
by Alex Ziebart 
Sep 22nd 2008 at 2:00PM
This is why I love the upcoming Violet Hold, too. Dalaran's Violet Hold in Wrath of the Lich King is a throwback to everything we've done so far. To the people who have been raiding since the beginning, this dungeon is going to prompt a great big, "Man, do you remember when..." moment. For the people who haven't been raiding since the beginning, this dungeon will show off a lot of fun mechanics they've never seen before.
The Violet Hold is laid out like Black Morass, but much smaller. The Violet Hold is the high security Dalaran Prison that the Blue Dragonflight has infiltrated, and is releasing prisoners to sabotage the city. Your party has charged in to save the day and give the prison guards some respite. They get out of the way, seal the main gate behind you, and it's your job to be sure that gate holds up. So over time, prison cells are opened up, and the mobs within come your way in waves, just like Black Morass. Except you can replace Medivh's whining with the sweet, sweet silence of a door.
The bosses themselves really are just a nod to the game of yesterday. You have bosses borrowing abilities both from WoW Classic (Viscidus, Jin'do, Magmadar, Azuregos) as well as some abilities and baddies of The Burning Crusade (various Arakkoa and Ethereal bosses, among others). You get two random bosses each time, and then Cyanigosa, a Blue Dragon, is the last boss.
When this dungeon was first implemented in the Wrath beta, there were a lot of complaints that it was Black Morass 2.0. When I first went inside I kind of agreed with that, it almost is the same dungeon. After actually running the dungeon couple of times I realized what it really is. It's a nod to us. A nod to the people that have been around forever. It's saying, "Hey, remember that first week in Molten Core? Remember the first time you fought Magmadar? Yeah, welcome back. Now let's see how you handle it this time." And after you've completed it, you get to fight Heroic Magmadar. Hell yeah!
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Instances, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
darkra Sep 22nd 2008 2:12PM
Ah Magmadar...the first time I had to feardance... tanking for 3 years now, I'm totally mental.
MechChef Sep 22nd 2008 2:21PM
What is this? A lowly gnome? I will do better, oh great one.
sharkeater75 Sep 22nd 2008 2:21PM
blizz has ran out of ideas.
PeeWee Sep 22nd 2008 9:59PM
People have been complaining for two years how all the content from pre-BC has fallen into the pit of oblivion since the expansion.
I assume you kept your mouth welded shut, then?
This is a very good way to not have to re-invent the wheel.
yazah Sep 22nd 2008 2:24PM
The thing I love about it is that it is a lot of fun...more fun than Black Morass, and can be fully completed and reset in 15 minutes.
That and there are around 10 random bosses and two levels (up on the balcony) and so for a 1 room instance, it is really quite engaging.
sharkeater75 Sep 22nd 2008 2:27PM
more mech, fuck more VC more ZF... less BM in our stew. it sucks there, i've done it a million times, and its not the fact its in the middle of no where, some idiot needs it and will summon me to heal it, the point is the waves are gay, ya did it again in hyjal, which was cool it fit the story. they are in fucking prison. they don't get keys with their happy meal. i'll be playing till darkfall comes out, but this tastes like microwaved french fries. if you are going to have us need to go through some gauntlet of bullshit and not control it, there best be an epic feel to it. this has none. Hyjal and maybe even BM were the only ones that did.
sharkeater75 Sep 22nd 2008 2:28PM
mmmm gnomer
Alex Ziebart Sep 22nd 2008 2:31PM
"ya did it again in hyjal, which was cool it fit the story. they are in fucking prison. they don't get keys with their happy meal."
I think you missed the part where the Blue Dragons are busting them out. They're not walking out of their jail cell on their own.
Jamison Sep 22nd 2008 2:31PM
Since no one will be running Black Morass in a couple months I don't see the problem with having a new dungeon with the same mechanic. BM can be a great short instance and a lot of fun. Glad we will have something similar in the new world...
Necros Sep 22nd 2008 2:36PM
I love quick instances with lots of bosses. This will become everyones favorite "badge" farm instance. Youll also farm all the new enchanting mats from this place. And yeah, ive done a lot of the bosses before, but i still love to go hang out back in BWL, AQ40 and the old 20 mans just because they can be fun and everyone wants some cool looking loot for theyre alt or a bug mount.
sharkeater75 Sep 22nd 2008 2:38PM
if you are going by the blue dragons http://www.wowwiki.com/Blue_Dragonflight
quote = Blue dragons are scholars and often learn many languages, posing as mortal wizards and even paladins to better study the magical progress of the younger races. Many strive to impress their master, Malygos. Members of the blue flight value other thinkers such as writers, artist, spellcasters, academic types, and engineers.[5] They have associated with the elves for the centuries, and more recently they study the unique skills of dwarven, gnome, and goblin engineers.[6] They delight in knowledge and in samples of new crafts.[7]
it just doesnt fit man, it seems like a force fed, lore devoid gauntlet, we'll see what they do but the way its built really doesn't seem to fit the lore much.
learned intelligent blue dragons letting loose criminals.. mmmkayyy... fail.
Jackal Sep 22nd 2008 6:08PM
They usually are well-learned and scholarly - however, they've always been the ones who have attempted to stop the misuse of magic. Also, you have to know, that Malygos is batshit insane at this point. And as far as I can tel, all dragons of a flight must obey their aspect. Releasing prisoners is, in fact, a 'clever' thing to do - compared to a straightforward assault. They ARE the "Intellectual" dragonflight - they're going to be sneaky and cunning.
Aldheim Sep 22nd 2008 3:09PM
Yeah, but the Blue Dragonflight storyline in Wrath is that Malygos has decided mortals aren't responsible enough to use magic. Dalaran is kind of the Superbowl Of Bad Things That Happen Because Of Mortal Magic. (Teron Gorefiend stole the Eye of Dalaran from them, which let Ner'zhul blow up Draenor/Outland. Arthas summoned freaking Archimonde into Azeroth using the power contained in Dalaran. So on, so forth.) The Blues are of the opinion that Dalaran needs to go back to being a smoldering crater for the good of everybody- hence unleashing the bosses in the Violet Hold to menace us.
-E
Kakistocracy Sep 22nd 2008 3:10PM
The best way to study is to find someone that knows, right? maybe they feel that the authorities on a subject are those whose solo concern is that subject and not the good of those around them, and those are the sort of people that might need to be busted out of jail.
Ktok Sep 22nd 2008 3:12PM
Obviously you missed the part where they're pissed at Dalaran and will do anything to disrupt/destroy it.
Also, this is your third post trying to say that this instance sucks. Are you even *in* beta? Have you played it yourself? Can you use the shift key to write like a civilized human being? It really doesn't seem like it.
Mitch Sep 22nd 2008 3:11PM
Malygos (leader of the Blue Dragonflight) does not want mortals to have magic and has declared anything (I repeat, anything) should be done to take magic away.
Blue Dragonflight infiltrates Dalaran (magic center of the mortals) and lets loose criminals to help bring destruction to Dalaran (again, magic center of the mortals).
I don't see the problem.
hyde Sep 22nd 2008 3:28PM
You´re forgetting that the blue dragonflight is controlled by Malygos - the Aspect of Magic. Malygos is one of the "enemies" in Wrath, as he is fighting against the magic users which "abused" their power while he was a recluse.
As such, the blue dragonflight being sent to the town with the biggest concentration of magic users to free criminals to generate chaos and misdrection while he plots in relative calm is not really far-fetched.
Shevaresh Sep 28th 2008 1:07AM
Yes, a learned intelligent Dragon freeing criminals. Specifically, a learned intelligent Dragon freeing criminals inside a city that he wants to see destroyed. Hardly a bad plan, since many of these criminals are probably quite powerful.
Braundo Sep 22nd 2008 2:55PM
How about Baron Geddon and Princess Huhuran? Hope you've got room in your bag for a couple full resist sets!
Andy Sep 22nd 2008 3:01PM
BM was a fun, quick instance. I look forward to another one like it. As far as Arc goes though. The best thing it it was the Voice Overs.
* Soccothrates: "Did you call on me?"
* Dalliah: "Why would I call on you?"
* Soccothrates: "To do your heavy lifting now, most likely."
* Dalliah: "When I need someone to prance around like an overstuffed peacock, I'll call on you."
* Soccothrates: "Then I commit myself to ignoring you."
* Dalliah: "What do YOU know about commitment, sheet-sah?"
* Soccothrates: "You are the one who should be-- Wait: we have company."
Need I mention Millhouse Manastorm's "can of whoopass"?