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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsTwo Bosses Enter: Ishanah vs. Brann Bronzebeard
by Mathew McCurley 
Dec 12th 2011 at 3:00PM
To the cheers of a roaring crowd, Archmage Aethas Sunreaver stands triumphant against the noble taunka leader Roanauk Icemist. No amount of prayer and reverence to the elements could stem the tide of the arcane powers of the Archmage. What makes me happy is that we will have a blood elf in the semi-final matchups, a situation that I would not have expected to happen this go around.
Our featured matchup this week pits two first-round winners against each other in the first semi-final bout in the Two Bosses Enter exhibition season. From her high seat of power atop Aldor Rise, High Priestess Ishanah commands the gifts bestowed upon her by her naaru allies. From the depths under a forgotten tomb, Brann Bronzebeard lurks in musty corridors, searching for long-lost artifacts. Who is advancing to the next round of Two Bosses Enter?
| Ishanah (The Aldor) | |
|---|---|
| Brann Bronzebeard (The Explorer\'s League) |
The rules of the ring
- The WoW Insider Ring 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 squared circle, 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, including crowd control and other effects to which bosses are usually immune, work on their opponents (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.
As leader of the Aldor priests, Ishanah is no stranger to adversaries, danger, and a good fight. When Ishanah took on her first opponent, Tae'thelan Bloodwatcher, I underestimated the amount of people who knew Ishanah for what she was in The Burning Crusade -- leader of a faction that only a portion of the player base got to interact with. Ishanah and Voren'thal both hold very important places in World of Warcraft for me because of their respective factions being one of the coolest aspects of The Burning Crusade.
Ishanah won the hearts and minds of the crowd through her connection to the Light and demon-fighting prowess. Nothing that the Two Bosses Enter tournament could throw at Ishanah would be more dangerous or threatening than an intergalactic demon army.
Here ares some cool things about Ishanah:
- She replaced Velen. Velen was a damn strong dude. Replacing him and being successful at it is sort of a rough spot to fill.
- She's been in space fights. She serves at the head of an organization that is engaged in intergalactic war with demons. I'd say that's pretty cool.
- The naaru have not forgotten us. The Aldor have put aside a lot of hate to work hand-in-hand with the Scryers to benefit the naaru. That's a lot of humility.
The Bronzebeard brothers sure like finding themselves in the worst situations that could befall Azeroth. Brann's is a special kind of attitude, one that ignores the mundane and lets Brann continue his search, damn the consequences. Sure, sometimes fellow adventurers get caught up in his crazy schemes, but wouldn't that only be half the fun? The journey is half the fun.
Brann's first matchup against Vereesa Windrunner, esteemed ranger and sister to the other two important Warcraft Windrunners, went horribly for the high elf. Brann's wits, charms, and penchant for discover lead to many a comical outcome where Brann would accidentally unless a horrible evil, besting his opponent by accidentally raising a fist. It just goes to show you -- there is little that can sway the vote in a contest than a lovable character.
Here are some cool things about Brann Bronzebeard:
- He's a dwarf. Probably the best Alliance race, no contest.
- He's got a fantastic beard. See above.
- He's a great explorer. He's seen things that you've had to wait to see, always one step ahead of even the greatest adventurers. This guy knows where evil lurks and he is not afraid to throw himself at it, head first.
- He stands his ground. Well, when he isn't standing his ground, he is the best retreater in the history of Azeroth.
- He's Brann. And he's been around forever. He isn't going anywhere.
When I put so many blood elves into this tournament, I did so because of my love of the race, my attachment to the elves of Silvermoon, and because I wanted to make my audience choose between elves and dwarves. You know I still love you guys, right? Well, you voted, and a blood elf is continuing the fight toward Two Bosses Enter champion status.
The arcane is something that comes naturally to Aethas Sunreaver, and challenge was never a question. Many players imagine the reserved Aethas to be none other than the redeemed form of once-beloved Kael'thas, but that rumor is completely unsubstantiated.
GhostWhoWalks gave the match to Aethas, citing his ability to be in multiple places at once, multitasking like a magic pro. His great delegation skills make him a menace on the battlefield.
This one was a difficult call. Both are awesome characters; Aethas wields impressive political influence and is apparently skilled enough with magic that he can hand out quests in Angmar's Hammer while still sitting in on Council meetings, while Roanauk's appearance is short-lived but leaves a lasting impression.Reader Omegan01 gave a wonderful and detailed account of who would win the battle, eventually giving it to Aethas due to his tenacity and ability as part of the most elite group of mages in the entire world. Read Omegan01's entire comment for more in-depth information about this choice -- it's a good read!
In the end, I have to give the vote to Aethas, since Roanauk isn't around long enough to give more credibility to his badassery.
After much consideration, I've decided to toss my vote in to Aethas. Roanauk, for all his impressive feats of strength, strikes me as a bit of a big fish in a small pond. The taunka were isolated from the world at large for a long time, and as a result their strength, population, and prestige is comparatively small. Aethas, however, not only thrived but rose to the very top of the biggest heap of mages in the world, even despite the wars that erupted and the racial hatred he had to face.For me, Aethas Sunreaver wins this fight hands down. As a member of the Kirin Tor, his skills and ability are already top notch. Roanauk is powerful and brave, to be sure, but his fights have been against physically powerful Scourge, not arcane-powered mega-mages. Aethas Sunreaver is a powerhouse of a mage.
Now it's time for you to make the ultimate call, readers. Who wins this round of Two Bosses Enter? Will Brann Bronzebeard continue his offbeat and unexpected luck, or will Ishanah and the power of the Light strike down the adept explorer and put his next expedition on hold? Only you can decide!
| Archmage Aethas Sunreaver (The Sunreavers) | |
|---|---|
| Roanauk Icemist (The Taunka) |
Set aside the world order -- let the WoW Insider Ring determine who's the champion! Your votes determine the outcome in WoW Insider's series of fantasy deathmatches, Two Bosses Enter, One Boss Leaves.
Filed under: Two Bosses Enter
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Awesome McAwesome Dec 12th 2011 3:59PM
This seems like an unfair fight.
Nadia Dec 12th 2011 4:03PM
Note Well: I am a long-time Priest player, even have 2 at max level. I love them, they're my favorite class ever.
Braan is a Rogue. Rogues have multiple stuns, interrupts, and poisons that slow cast times.
Ishana is a Holy Priest. Those don't do well against Rogues at all.
Even if he weren't a legendary artifact hunter, Braan would beat Ishana hands down just because he is a Rogue.
Al Dec 12th 2011 4:08PM
Isn't he a Hunter? Granted, we haven't seen his pet since Silithus.
Nadia Dec 12th 2011 4:15PM
In HoO, he has an energy bar. He is uses stealth in there, and also in Halls of Stone.
Al Dec 12th 2011 4:15PM
"Ishanah, sensing his corruption, unleashes massive levels of Holy energy at the advancing Dwarf. Brann slowly rose to his feet in determination, before she channeled her faith in the Naaru and finished him off with a second blast. 'Traitor, you will no longer "accidentally" unleash any more Old Gods upon your own people.' Ishanah announced, returning to her temple."
/looks at the votes... "Oh.. I mean, go popular character, yay?"
ittesi259 Dec 12th 2011 4:28PM
Bran would NOT simply walk into Mordor....he'd turn into a 5-10 minute instance event that is required to reach the end boss and make parties of heroes do it OVER...and OVER again!
Therefore Brann wins, his unlisted mechanic *summon party of 5 players.....point at opponent and yell "THERE'S THE LOOT!"
Gimmlette Dec 12th 2011 4:36PM
"Bran would NOT simply walk into Mordor....he'd turn into a 5-10 minute instance event that is required to reach the end boss and make parties of heroes do it OVER...and OVER again!"
ROFLMAO. I choked on my afternoon tea at this. How many, many, many times have I wanted to scream, "I BEEN HERE BEFORE! Just open the danged doors!"
Caz Dec 12th 2011 4:29PM
This is a joke, right? Brann is winning - it must be a joke.
Saf Dec 12th 2011 4:59PM
I see the fight going like this...
Brann ambles into the arena where Ishanah is already waiting. The announcer gives the introductions and the fight begins.
Ishanah powers up a massive Holy Fire; while Brann ducks down to pick up a half-buried coin that caught his eye during the introductions.
Ishanah's Holy Fire hits the Highborne Mirror that is tucked into Brann's belt, reflects off, and hits Ishanah right in the forehead, knocking her out cold.
Brann stands up after picking up the coin, starts to study it, and only looks up from it after the applause from the crowd break his concentration.
Brann wins with a knock-out... Without having to do a thing... Again.
Lokanaya Dec 12th 2011 5:54PM
Ishanah and Brann glare at each from across the Arena. All of a sudden, Brann declares, "I'm getting a wee bit peckish." and pulls out his lunchbox. Ishanah blinks in surprise and attacks him with the Light while Brann is digging through his lunch.
"Oops!" he says as the attack hits him. He fumbles and drops his lunchbox. As it hits the ground, Old Gods, Titan constructs, and every ancient evil ever comes out and conviently attacks Ishanah. She doesn't stand a chance. After a bit, Brann calmy walks over and picks it up. As all the ancient evils vanish, all Brann can think is, "Wait until the boys in Ironforge hear about this!"
OR
"Brann, knowing your tendency to attract Old Gods," Tirion says. "We've decided that any victory that you achieve via ancient evils will disqualify you."
"But how am I supposed to win now? Ye know that's what I'm best at!" Brann complains.
"If that's all you're able to do, then perhaps you should not be here. The stadium can't take any more attacks from Titans or Old Gods." Tirion replied. "Now, begin!"
"Your dungeon-delving ways end here, dwarf. Without those "accidents" you do not stand a chance!" Ishanah proclaimed.
"Hmm... I think I know another way." The dwarf pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something on it before putting it into an envelope and sending it off. The priestess watched curiously against her better judgement.
Not 30 seconds after it had disappeared, a dull roar began, gradually getting louder. Ishanah cocked her head curiously. "What is--" She began to say before a mob of adventurers of all races and classes mowed her over. In the chaos, a copy of the letter Brann had written was blown over. Chuckling softly, he picked it up and read it again. Basically, it said that Ishanah had powerful equipment and anybody who participated in killing her got one of the many, many weapons Brann had just lying around at his house. Well, it wasn't any forbidden, ancient whatever, was it?
Still chuckling, he walked out of the arena and went back to digging to deep, until next fight that is!
Jìnx Dec 12th 2011 5:59PM
I lol'd in real life.
djsuursoo Dec 12th 2011 6:29PM
your second scenario is beautiful.
Jìnx Dec 12th 2011 5:57PM
I don't think Deathwing is the bringer of the end. It surely is Brann Bronzebeard. Certainly, if you combine the spontaneous about of mayhem that swirls around him on a daily basis, combine it with his awesome beard of mighty awesome-ness, sprinkle in a little obliviousness, and stir that all together, you surely have a cocktail made for disaster.
For every moment that Brann "accidentally" discovers the booby-trap, I have already been screaming, "It's a trap!" because I know what will happen with Brann and the shinies he can't help but inspect. The poor Aldor priestess, as powerful as she may be, would hesitate before commencing an attack upon Brann, and by then, Brann's already sprung at least half of the mysterious traps laid about him.
As a hopeful archaeologist to be, I find Brann's character to be both fitting and a little offbeat. Fitting, in that he depicts how an archaeologist can become instantly swooned by the sights around them, the context of the artifacts, and then perhaps immediately spring the temple's defense systems. He's offbeat because he never gets hurt (because there's a magical group of five people who will begrudingly say, "Oh, there he goes again! That devilish old dwarf!" and save the day), whereas a real archaeologist would probably be killed several times over.
But that's a topic for another day.
The question is, who exactly is more oblivious than Brann Bronzebeard, and thus, could out-oblivious the king of obliviousness?
Ben Dec 12th 2011 7:34PM
Am I the only one that finds Brann's horrible (HORRIBLE!) 'Scottish' accent incredibly annoying? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the character but I really don't like the voice acting. It's the reason I haven't ever been able to get a dwarf toon past lvl10.
That being said, employing a real Scotsman to do the voice wouldn't have been the answer as it needs to be comical to fit the bill in my opinion. I think an accent more like Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons would have been awesome.
I don't know, just my 2 cents. Anyone else feel the same?
rodmin Dec 12th 2011 7:37PM
I have a big feeling that the brothers will meet soon enough.
I advise everyone to bring couches, popcorns, and hammer-in-the-face-accidents insurance.
And i only say hammers because bran's side is so dangerous that no insurance company is going to cover his...findings.
Angus Dec 12th 2011 8:41PM
"FORDRING! WHERE'S MY OPPONENT?!"
Highlord Fordring merely pointed to a sign by a tunnel that read: "Warning, Archeology at work"
Climbing down the Draenai stepped over the corpse
of an Elf holding an elaborate rod and walked up to the dwarf. "Today Dwarf."
"Hold yer horses, lass. I found the missing link between the Nerubians and tha Silithid! This will rock the archeology world. 'Ere lass, hold this Nerubian pain stick. "
The Aldor leader deftly avoided an item eerily similar to the one the dead elf was holding. "Nice try, Brann, but you will find me not quite that easy to beat."
"Beat? Oh you are going on about da tournament. Look lass, I've no stomach for fights, just tell Fordring you lost and go home."
"Why would I tell him I lost?" "If ya tell him I lost he'll tell me ta leave, can't have that lass."
"We appear to be at an impasse, one that I intend to win." With that her hands began to glow with holy fire.
"Lass, before ya go making threats and wielding fire, ya should check for unexplored goblin demolition charges left over from when they made tha foundation to this place." The sad dwarf shook his head as an explosion rocked the coliseum.
As the dust cleared a stone form Brann shook his head. "Ach!! The lass blew up me missin link."
Demeternoth Dec 13th 2011 8:18AM
I have never liked Brann. I feel he is likely responsible in some 'digging too deep' way for most of the trouble we encounter in Azeroth, every time he turns up you know you're in trouble. If they were going to 'off' a Bronzebeard it should have been him, not Magni.