Two Bosses Enter: LK voted back in, stalks ToC faction champs
by Lisa Poisso 
May 5th 2010 at 1:00PM
Despite a campaign by Judge John Zakour to bring back Eadric the Pure in last week's vote (offering to give away two Zakour books to readers if Eadric was voted back in), there will be no running away in the Thunderdome again this season. The Lich King stalked predictably back into contention with a lead of just 0.9% -- a mere 21 more votes than Eadric. As Judge Sky Paladin put it, "The difference between victory and defeat was less than a raid group." The spectator decision throws the Lich King back into the Thunderdome today in the first match of the semi-finals.
Two Bosses Enter Semi-Finals
The Five-Man Bosses of Icecrown Citadel and Trial of the Champion
Match 1: ToC PvP Champions 50.1% vs. Lich King (Halls of Reflection version)
Match 2: Scourgelord Tyrannus 60.7% vs. Argent Confessor Paletress 60.7%
Instead of holding the judges' decisions for after the fight as we have in previous matches, we're going to share their votes with you now, before the reader poll so that you can use their rationales to help you consider your vote. Now, let's settle back for the first match of the semi-finals, the Trial of the Champions PvP Champs versus Lich King (HoR version). Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls ... Dyin' time's here.
As in previous Thunderdome matches, we're going to pull out all five of the Trial of the Champions grand champions at once. (Players face only three of the champs during a given encounter.) There are no Argent Warhorse or lances here; the battle will follow the Lich King's Halls of Reflection encounter mechanic, and everyone will be on foot for the duration of the match. This is the five-man, Halls of Reflection version of Arthas. The ToC PvP Champs do not have to defeat the Lich King, merely stay out of reach long enough to escape his grasp at the end of the gauntlet.
In Corner One: ToC PvP Faction Champions
- Lana Stouthammer/Deathstalker Visceri Eviscerate, Fan of Knives, Poison Bottle
- Colosos/Runok Wildmane Chain Lightning, Earth Shield, Healing Wave, Hex of Mending
- Marshal Jacob Alerius/Mokra the Skullcrusher Bladestorm, Intercept, Mortal Strike, Rolling Throw, Whirlwind
- Jaelyne Evensong/Zul'tore Disengage, Lightning Arrows, Multi-Shot, Shoot
- Ambrose Boltspark/Eressea Dawnsinger Blast Wave, Fireball, Haste, Polymorph
Read more about the Grand Champions encounter.
In Corner Two: The Lich King (Halls of Reflection 5-man version)There is no escape!
Death's cold embrace awaits.
How long can you fight it?
Remorseless Winter, Fury of Frostmourne, Summon Ice Wall, Summon Raging Ghoul, Summon Lumbering Abomination, Summon Risen Witch Doctor.
Read about the Halls of Reflection encounter with the Lich King and hear comments from adventurers who've sought him out.
Judge Matthew Rossi
Victory: ToC PvP Champions
Well, my reasoning for why Tyrannus could escape the LK was that he had the tools to deal with the LK's add spawns in time to get the walls down and lead whoever he was escorting to safety. If that's the case, then the ToC 5 champs (especially all five of them) are even more well suited. They have healing, tanking, plenty of DPS; it shouldn't be difficult at all for them to mow down the LK's waves and burn through the adds.
Reader-Judge John "Zapperz" Zakour
Victory: ToC PvP Champions
The Lich King is feeling extra cocky now, after being brought back from the jaws of utter defeat. He now feels he is the big bad, the guy Dick Cheney goes to for advice. What he fails to take into account is that the PvP Champs have been inspired. They easily dispatch of the LK's adds. After downing each add, they yell, "For Eadric!"
The Lich King loses his minions, but he doesn't care. He's a star now; entourages are easy to come by. As the Lich King slowly meanders towards the PVP champs, he happens to catch his reflection in a nearby puddle. He stops to admire himself. He starts thinking about endorsement deals. Maybe he needs to hire an agent? That thought makes him shudder. While the Lich King is busy contemplating his next career move, the PvP Champions escape for an easy victory.
Reader-Judge Sky Paladin
Victory: ToC PvP Champions
I feel that the PvP champs will pull this one off. For the most part, they physically outnumber their opponents and have the high damage needed to burn them down quickly. They also have a healer for recovering from hits, high AoE damage for dealing with ghouls, two ranged DPSers for dealing with vrykul and a tank for dealing with the abominations. With all the right tools for the job and even opportunities to recover from mistakes, this one's in the bag for the faction champs.
Judge Michael Gray
Victory: Lich King
The Lich King will trounce the PvP Champions. This has nothing to do with abilities or awesome factor or style. No, as anyone in the 5v5 arena bracket will tell you, Shadowmourne makes the days of Skillherald look like a time of fairness and balance. With Shadowmourne tearing up the arena brackets like a rampaging puppy chewing on homework, the PvP Champions stand no chance.
The laws of the Thunderdome
- The Two Bosses Thunderdome is considered neutral territory, where both combatants are able to access their usual encounter mechanics and abilities. If you can't visualize it inside the Thunderdome, visualize it someplace else -- but you must take into consideration all of each bosses' abilities and mechanics.
- Assume that each opponent is intelligent and capable of strategic thinking.
- All of the competitors' abilities work on their opponents, including crowd control and other effects to which bosses are usually immune (with apologies to considerations of lore on this point).
- Assume that the opponents share similar levels, health pools and comparative overall damage output.
- Don't get caught up in gameplay mechanics and what actual players might do in each encounter.
- Don't neglect style, story and scale. Everything is a factor; seeking balance is your goal as a spectator and judge.
| The Lich King wins (the ToC champs die) | |
|---|---|
| The ToC PvP Faction Champs win (they escape) | |
| Tie (something else happens) |
The Five-Man Bosses of Icecrown Citadel and Trial of the Champion
Round One
Match 1: Bronjahm vs. The Black Knight
Match 2: Devourer of Souls vs. Forgemaster Garfrost
Match 3: Krick and Ick vs. Scourgelord Tyrannus
Match 4: Falric vs. Argent Confessor Paletress
Match 5: Marwyn vs. ToC PvP champions
Match 6: Eadric the Pure vs. The Lich King
Quarterfinals
Match 1: Scourgelord Tyrannus vs. Lich King (5-man, HoR version)
Match 2: ToC PvP champions vs. Devourer of Souls
Match 3: The Black Knight vs. Argent Confessor Paletress
Match 4: Vote back your favorite defeated gladiator
Semifinals
Match 1: ToC PvP Champions 50.1% vs. Lich King (Halls of Reflection version)
Match 2: Scourgelord Tyrannus 60.7% vs. Argent Confessor Paletress 60.7%
Set aside the world order -- let the Thunderdome determine who's the champion of Icecrown! Come back next week to find out who'll be returning for the semi-finals of the Icecrown/Trial of the Champions season of Two Bosses Enter, One Boss Leaves.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Lore, Two Bosses Enter
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Nathanael May 5th 2010 1:03PM
Site's broken for me: no drop down menu at the top anymore. Running Firefox 3.6.3 on Mac OS 10.6.3
Nathanael May 5th 2010 1:05PM
No option to delete posts? Seriously??
Ah well, issue "resolved" - site wasn't completed loading due to ad redirect hanging for a loooong time...
Angus May 5th 2010 5:57PM
We can vote, but I have to ask, what's the point of having us vote?
Previously we at least had a reason, as if it was tied, we were the tie breaker. But we all know the champs have already won.
The fight was over before we cast a single vote.
Ravasha May 5th 2010 1:05PM
Nice paint
RetPallyJil May 5th 2010 1:17PM
In the end, all must serve the one true king.
raspybunk May 5th 2010 1:23PM
Uh oh, I heard faction champs have saronite bombs and very low integrity when it comes to respecting fight mechanics.
niko May 5th 2010 1:32PM
Where is Michael Gray coming from? I have no idea wth he's talking about. Shadowmourne? Arena? What does any of this have to do with ToC Faction Champs and LK from HoR and the matchup on the table here? Who's using Shadowmourne in this matchup?
oh yeah. No one is.
/confused
LiaG May 5th 2010 3:37PM
I was about to post the same thing.
Anathemys May 5th 2010 6:00PM
I thought it was a comparison between Shadowmourne and Frostmourne.
His reasoning is thus: If in 5v5 arena, Shadowmourne absolutely owns and faceroll-wins, Frostmourne would own and faceroll-win in the same situation.
Except, this ISN'T 5v5. This is 5v1. Their not even trying to kill Arthas, they're just running away. The Thunderdome is just about the least arena-y thing in the WoW universe without involving bunnies and pillows (whoa, that sounds ALOT different in writing...).
brian May 5th 2010 10:40PM
I feel that he just didn't want to give the Champions a unanimous win, and just made something up.
Iwanttobeasleep May 5th 2010 1:42PM
The ToC champs have a bunch of DPS and a healer--no way they lose.
aw232 May 5th 2010 1:45PM
I disagree with the logic that the ToC champs have a tank and can act like a regular 5 man. The warrior's on both sides are dps warriors, not prot. I mean, they have Mortal Strike as an ability and bladestorm. Clearly, they are Arms dps warriors. Not tanks.
We've all had experience with some dps warrior trying to skip the queue for the random daily by signing up as a tank and we all know how badly that goes.
I still vote for them winning, but the logic on most of arguments seems to be of the belief that they can act as a regular party.
Sky_Paladin May 5th 2010 4:11PM
This is fair.
My reasoning for counting him 'as a tank' is because, at least the horde champion, Mokra is carrying a shield. Blizzard has previously given odd class abilities to NPC's that shouldn't really have it if they were player characters (e.g. Eadric's Radiance, and Hammer of the Righteous work differently) but I accede that Mokra's abilities are far more in line with the Arms warrior.
However, if you consider how it would be if they had made him a proper tank, most of his abilities would be threat and aggro gaining ones, which don't work on players. I don't think Blizzard has ever done a 'tank' style boss that forces you to attack it, the closest they've ever done is giving shields to various bosses (such as Mokra and, again, Eadric).
Omegan01 May 5th 2010 1:46PM
Let's see...ghoul and abom spam versus...
bladestorm
fan of knives
poison bottle
chain lightning
blast wave
multishot
...yeah.
EaterOfBirds May 5th 2010 1:46PM
i know in the fight it needs unlikely positioning, but still i reckon ''deals 1000000 shadow damage to all enemies'' trumps the faction champs abilities ^ ^
Jack Mynock May 5th 2010 6:57PM
Yes, but if they deal with the adds, the Lich King never gets to use that ability; therefore' he can't win.
Holgar May 5th 2010 1:50PM
What is Michael Gray smoking and why is he doing it while judging? His post had NOTHING to do with ANYTHING related to the fight. There is no shadowmourne involvment, the ToC champs ARN'T going up against the Litch King they are facing his minions, they are PERFECTLY suited to deal with the encounter and on top of all that Stormherald was WAY worse than Shadowmourne.
Josin May 5th 2010 1:59PM
I'm with you on this. Shadowmourne isn't involved in the slightest. Frostmourne is, but even then, Arthas isn't exactly trying to cut anyone down with it.
Its a pointless argument for a fight that isn't happening within the described scenario. Arthas shouldn't have been brought back last week, and he certainly isn't containing the 5 champions with his little ice walls.
Sky_Paladin May 5th 2010 4:14PM
Even in the darkest hour, when all hope seems lost, comments like this bring a little warmth to the black ball of hate that resides in my chest.
robalan May 5th 2010 2:14PM
Lisa seems to be rather confused about who Eadric is. Falric, the first boss of HoR, says "Despair, so delicious", often intentionally misquoted as "This Pear, so delicious". Eadric, however, is a paladin who is one of the second bosses of ToC, probably most famous for his final line, "Excellent work! May I run away now?". I know they have similar names, but Eadric has nothing to do with pears.