Cataclysm Dungeon Guide: Vortex Pinnacle
by Matt Low 
Dec 6th 2010 at 8:30PM
Ahh, the Vortex Pinnacle, for whenever I want to go hit up an instance that involves jumping in cyclones (or tornadoes) that toss you from platform to platform.
This 5-man instance is the ... pinnacle of the Skywall complex in the Uldum zone. You can find it just southeast of the shores. Make sure you go the right direction or else you might end up in the Throne of the Four Winds raid instance. Oh, and you're going to need a flying mount. The forces of Al'Akir are waiting to storm Uldum and the rest of Azeroth. Our mission, if we choose to accept it, is to clear out the place and prevent them from really establishing a foothold on our lands.
At a glance, here's the gist of the instance.
This 5-man instance is the ... pinnacle of the Skywall complex in the Uldum zone. You can find it just southeast of the shores. Make sure you go the right direction or else you might end up in the Throne of the Four Winds raid instance. Oh, and you're going to need a flying mount. The forces of Al'Akir are waiting to storm Uldum and the rest of Azeroth. Our mission, if we choose to accept it, is to clear out the place and prevent them from really establishing a foothold on our lands.
At a glance, here's the gist of the instance.
- three boss encounters
- levels 82-84
- average item level 272 recommended (according to dungeon finder)
This instance has a fair share of elementals within it and any kind of crowd control that can assist with that will be a big plus to have in the group. Watch out for knockback effects, and make sure that you are facing a direction that is parallel to the platform you're standing on -- in other words, watch which way you're facing, or else you might get knocked off the ledge.
Trust me, I found out the hard way.
Grand Vizier Ertan
The Grand Vizier is the first boss who will be in your way. Big thing about this windbag is the fact that he has a bunch of mini-cyclones that whirl around him. You can call it the Cyclone Shield. He'll retract and expand it periodically throughout the fight. Don't stand too close to it or else you'll be zapped. Keep the Vizier centered, and make sure the group stays fairly close to each other in the middle.
Once you're done, head up to the platform behind him and look for a tornado you can jump into. They look like this:
Note to Blizzard: Do away with flying mount taxis and just establish a chain of cyclones throughout all of Azeroth. You have not lived until you've traveled by cyclone.
Loot drops
Biting Wind (heroic)
Fallen Snow Shoulderguards (heroic)
Red Sky Pendant (heroic)
Stratosphere Belt (heroic)
Headcover of Fog (heroic)
Altairus
Altairus is a type of dragon. Specifically, he is a storm dragon. Now what exactly does a storm dragon do? Like all dragons, they breathe. This particular dragon breathes frost damage in lieu of fire damage (Chilling Breath). Ergo, if you are not the tank, do not stand in front of Altairus. On heroic mode, he tosses in Lightning Blast.
Oh, and before I forget, Altairus has a chance to drop the Reins of the Drake of the North Wind on both normal and heroic mode.
Loot drops
Skyshard Ring (heroic)
Amulet of Tender Breath (heroic)
Axe of the Eclipse (heroic)
Hail-Strung Belt (heroic)
Mantle of Bestilled Winds (heroic)
Asaad
Asaad is the final boss of the instance. He's a djinn. Watch out for his Chain Lightning. It'll chain onto five targets, so stay spread out.
Now, Asaad has an incredibly damaging ability called Supremacy of the Storm whereby the entire combat area gets struck by massive lightning. How does one survive this storm ability? Before Asaad calls upon the storm, he is going to channel a spell called Unstable Grounding Field. He is going to literally draw and connect three points anywhere in the immediate area. All you need to do is stand within the three points. If your party can do that, they'll be able to withstand the hit.
See the screenshot below for clarity. Notice how the three points have been made. That point on the bottom is going to link up with the point near it completing the triangle, and that's your cue to enjoy the light show about to hit the platform.
Now, Asaad has an incredibly damaging ability called Supremacy of the Storm whereby the entire combat area gets struck by massive lightning. How does one survive this storm ability? Before Asaad calls upon the storm, he is going to channel a spell called Unstable Grounding Field. He is going to literally draw and connect three points anywhere in the immediate area. All you need to do is stand within the three points. If your party can do that, they'll be able to withstand the hit.
See the screenshot below for clarity. Notice how the three points have been made. That point on the bottom is going to link up with the point near it completing the triangle, and that's your cue to enjoy the light show about to hit the platform.
Oh yes, and watch out for Grounding Field. It will redirect any spells targeted at anything standing within it. It looks like a dark, purple swirling void zone (the right side of the above screenshot).
On heroic, he has an additional ability called Static Cling, and it can be dispelled. The spell will root targets to the ground for 18 seconds, so be sure to get affected players free.
There is also a quest that involves taking out Asaad. Vengeance for Orsis can be picked up by Itesh right at the entrance.
Loot drops
Shadow of Perfect Bliss (heroic)
Lunar Halo (heroic)
Gloves of Haze (heroic)
Lightningflash (heroic)
Legguards of Winnowing Wind (heroic)
Billowing Cape (heroic)
Heart of Thunder (heroic)
Leggings of Iridescent Clouds (heroic)
Ring of Frozen Rain (heroic)
Captured Lightning (heroic)
That's Vortex Pinnacle, in a nutshell. Good luck!
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion (available Dec. 7, 2010), from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Garnlok Dec 6th 2010 8:34PM
The Grand Vivier should be named Jeffar.
Erzfiend Dec 7th 2010 12:16PM
*Jafar
DarkFinch Dec 11th 2010 1:03PM
Blizz always mispells or 'mixes up' names in the game.. See 'Floyd Pinkus,' 'Haris Pilton,' etc..
Mothrim Dec 6th 2010 8:46PM
Awesome, thanks for the look.
VioletArrows Dec 6th 2010 8:46PM
All I heard was storm dragon and mount.
Ilya Dec 6th 2010 8:54PM
You too, huh? :P
Vortex Pinnacle sounds fun, but everything SOUNDS fun the first time -- until it sends you hurtling to your death, your character screaming at the top of their lungs on the way down (Oculus, anyone? Eregos dismountin' ya?). Fun times.
Let's hope VP isn't a headache like Oculus is/was; it looks fun.
Also, seconded on the 'cyclone taxi service'. XD
Martinel Dec 6th 2010 10:22PM
It's a long...
way...
DOWN.
scherbaddie Dec 6th 2010 11:50PM
In the beta if you jumped off the edge the cyclones would catch you and launch you back up. It remains to be seen whether this will continue in the expansion.
In the beta you would also frequently fail to spawn with a flying mount at the GY, meaning you had to drop group after one wipe.
squig_masta Dec 6th 2010 8:47PM
All the science is in. After countless seconds of pouring over the data, examining the charts and convering with the voices in my head, I have concluded that the Drake of the North Wind is by far the most awesome thing in existence.
Tokhand Dec 7th 2010 12:10PM
I rechecked your work and retested your equations and lo, you are incorrect- the Drake of the North Winds is the second most awesome thing in existence.
As the data clearly shows, drakes and dragons are awesome, and riding a drake is thus twice as awesome. So let the math conclude and stand on its own that _Becoming_ a Drake, via the rare alchemy recipe Vial of Sands, is awesome-squared, which is absolutely more than simply awesome twice.
squig_masta Dec 7th 2010 6:07PM
Yes, but you forgot one key element of awesomeness, it blows when you can't have something that's awesome. Because turning into a drake is an alchemy only thing, it suffers major suckage drawbacks to it's awesomness. Furthermore, not all drakes were created equally awesome. The alchemy drake resembles something you'd see in my guady neighbours lawn, probably as a fountain. The North Wind Drake looks like a drake MADE OUT OF A FREAKIN THUNDERSTORM. Once you apply the laws of suckitude and the freakin lightning theorum, you'll see that the 'lawn fountain sky taxi' drake is slightly less awesome then the 'foo i'm a freaking lightning drake' drake.
You clearly did not spend enough time in the school of rock.
Ice Dec 6th 2010 9:48PM
Easiest instance in cata, its even easier than UK/nexus was in heroics.
To take example how easy it is..our tank SOLOED the dragon(Altairus) from 25% to 0% alone with no healer..and the boss has like 6 million health max. Im sure many of you have seen video/podcast from totalbiscuit to hear more of it.
So this is pretty good place to start heroic journey.
agannaio1 Dec 10th 2010 9:48PM
"The forces of Al'Akir are waiting to storm Uldum and the rest of Azeroth"
I see what you did there....
Blanaid Dec 7th 2010 10:16AM
How have parties dealt with the Skyfall Star packs? I was healing a group earlier this morning and our tank didn't even make it to the pack, even with a full set of druid hots. I'm geared pretty well - a mix of ICC 10/25 gear. We tried pulling back to the Grounding Field to no avail. We wiped twice, never really saw how to deal with them and then I had to leave for work. *sadface* We'd blown through BRC and the Temple beforehand.
Ikarus Dec 9th 2010 3:02PM
If you're talking about those things that fire a bunch of Arcane Barrage type attacks, have you figured it out? I went through there last night. We made it, barely, but I'm not really sure how. It be nice to here some strategies if there are any?
Blanaid Dec 9th 2010 3:11PM
Yeah, finally figured it out. The group needs to go in *as one* and dps the stars as quickly as possible. Getting 2 or 3 down in the first few seconds is key. I blew my ToL CD and spammed heals, but the biggest thing is getting the group to go in as one unit so the damage is spread out. My tank in that group was a pally who had taken the run speed talents. I made him slow down a big so as not to get too far ahead. When he did that, he took much more manageable damage. Also, our DPS found that marking the stars helps.
Ikarus Dec 9th 2010 3:46PM
Great, thanks!
squig_masta Dec 7th 2010 6:06PM
Yes, but you forgot one key element of awesomeness, it blows when you can't have something that's awesome. Because turning into a drake is an alchemy only thing, it suffers major suckage drawbacks to it's awesomness. Furthermore, not all drakes were created equally awesome. The alchemy drake resembles something you'd see in my guady neighbours lawn, probably as a fountain. The North Wind Drake looks like a drake MADE OUT OF A FREAKIN THUNDERSTORM. Once you apply the laws of suckitude and the freakin lightning theorum, you'll see that the 'lawn fountain sky taxi' drake is slightly less awesome then the 'foo i'm a freaking lightning drake' drake.
You clearly did not spend enough time in the school of rock.
squig_masta Dec 7th 2010 6:08PM
argh, downgrade. appearently following the email link does not automatically make you reply.
Nicski Dec 9th 2010 8:43AM
Your explanation of the first boss is incorrect. Did this last night and it was almost impossible to run out and heal through the damage when the cyclones converge to the middle, perhaps when better geared.
However, it was noted that the damage from the Cyclone only goes outwards, so all you have to do when the cyclones close in on the center is get on top of the boss, dead easy then. One shotted it when we tried that.
Another tip, at the start of the pull, all run in together. Get inside the circle of cyclones before they spawn. If you send the tank in first, the cyclones spawn and cause massive damage to the rest of the party as they run in.