Upper Blackrock Spire is the top of the Blackrock orc fortress in Blackrock Mountain, where Warchief Rend Blackhand and the black dragonflight of General Drakkisath prepare for war. It is the hardest dungeon before raids in WoW Forever: it needs the Seal of Ascension to enter, it was built for larger groups, and it holds key steps of the Onyxia and Blackwing Lair attunements. The dungeon is tuned for levels 58 to 60.
Upper Blackrock Spire is not open on the WoW Forever beta yet, so this guide covers the original version of the dungeon: how to get in, every quest, all bosses and the loot. The Forever database already shows changes, such as new defensive stats on Draconian Deflector and Gyth's Skull and a reworked Potion of Demon Slaying reward. We describe everything known so far and will add the rest after the November 4 launch.
Upper Blackrock Spire shares its entrance with Lower Blackrock Spire. Fly to the Burning Steppes or the Searing Gorge, enter Blackrock Mountain, turn left at the giant dwarf statue holding a chain and climb to the balcony with the instance portal. Inside, the route to the upper part goes up a ramp to a locked door. Only a player with the Seal of Ascension can open it, and the rest of the group can follow.
The Seal of Ascension comes from the quest Seal of Ascension in Lower Blackrock Spire. In Classic, Upper Blackrock Spire allowed groups of up to ten players. The group size in WoW Forever is not confirmed yet.
Upper Blackrock Spire has fewer quests than most dungeons, but they matter a lot: they pay strong level 60 rewards and include steps of three attunement chains. The quests to prioritize are General Drakkisath's Demise for Alliance and For The Horde! for Horde.
Both Alliance quests pay well. Where the Forever data still hides a reward, the table shows the Classic one:
| Quest | Level | Quest Giver | Objective | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Drakkisath's Demise | 60, requires 55 | Marshal Maxwell in the Burning Steppes, after General Drakkisath's Command from Overlord Wyrmthalak in Lower Blackrock Spire | Kill General Drakkisath | Classic: Mark of Tyranny, Eye of the Beast or Blackhand's Breadth |
| Delivery to Ridgewell | 60, requires 57 | Mayara Brightwing in the Burning Steppes | Bring Doomrigger's Clasp from the room of Pyroguard Emberseer to Count Remington Ridgewell in Stormwind | Classic: Swiftfoot Treads or Blinkstrike Armguards |
The Horde quests mirror the Alliance ones:
| Quest | Level | Quest Giver | Objective | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For The Horde! | 60, requires 55 | Thrall in Orgrimmar | Bring the Head of Rend Blackhand | Classic: Mark of Tyranny, Eye of the Beast or Blackhand's Breadth |
| The Darkstone Tablet | 60, requires 57 | Shadowmage Vivian Lagrave and Apothecary Zinge in the Undercity | Bring the Darkstone Tablet from the Rookery | Classic: Swiftfoot Treads or Blinkstrike Armguards |
These quests lead to Molten Core, the dragon armor quests and Blackwing Lair:
| Quest | Level | Quest Giver | Objective | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eye of the Emberseer | Not listed | Duke Hydraxis in Azshara | Bring the Eye of the Emberseer from Pyroguard Emberseer | Next step of the Molten Core water quests |
| The Matron Protectorate | Not listed | Awbee inside Upper Blackrock Spire | Talk to Haleh in Winterspring | The chain leads to the Chromatic dragon armor quests |
| Finkle Einhorn, At Your Service! | Not listed | Finkle Einhorn, who climbs out of The Beast | Talk to Malyfous Darkhammer in Everlook | Next step of the chain |
| The Demon Forge | Blacksmiths only | Lorax in Winterspring | Kill Goraluk Anvilcrack, use the Blood Stained Pike on his body and find the Unforged Rune Covered Breastplate | Plans: Demon Forged Breastplate and the Demon Kissed Sack with five Potion of Demon Slaying |
| Blackhand's Command | Not listed | The letter from the Scarshield Quartermaster outside Blackrock Spire | Start the Blackwing Lair attunement, which ends at the orb behind General Drakkisath | Access to Blackwing Lair |
Finkle Einhorn, At Your Service! has its original name back in the Forever data instead of the later Pip Quickwit version.
The Forever database already lists the dungeon with its loot and quests. Most quest rewards are still hidden, but several changes are visible.
Upper Blackrock Spire has eight bosses, one of them summoned. In Classic, groups ran it with up to ten players, so the fights below assume a group that can split tanks and healers.
Click the Blackrock Altar in the first hall to release Pyroguard Emberseer. The Blackhand Incarcerators around him have low health, so kill them with area damage first. Tank Emberseer away from the group to keep his fire nova off the healers. He drops Wildfire Cape, Flaming Band, Truestrike Shoulders and the Eye of the Emberseer.
Walk along the northern wall of the Rookery to Father Flame and start the event. Kill the Rookery Hatchers first, before they break more eggs, and tank the Rookery Guardians against the eastern wall. Then focus Solakar Flamewreath from range to avoid his War Stomp. He drops Crystallized Girdle, Dustfeather Sash and Nightbrace Tunic.
Jed Runewatcher is a rare that does not always spawn. Tank him against a wall and keep the group at range. He drops Starfire Tiara, Serpentine Skuller and Briarwood Reed.
Goraluk Anvilcrack is a simple fight: tank him against the wall away from the group. He drops Blacksmithing plans like Plans: Arcanite Champion and Plans: Invulnerable Mail, and he is the target of The Demon Forge.
The Gauntlet is the big event of the dungeon: seven or eight waves of orcs and dragonkin enter the arena, so interrupt the Flame Tongues' Fire Nova and use area damage. Then Rend arrives on Gyth. The main tank faces Gyth away from the group. At 20% health Rend dismounts: the off-tank picks him up while the group finishes Gyth, then everyone switches to Warchief Rend Blackhand and melee avoid his Whirlwind and Cleave. Gyth drops Gyth's Skull and Dragoneye Coif. Rend drops Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge, Warmaster Legguards, Battleborn Armbraces and the Head of Rend Blackhand.
The Beast charges, fears and knocks players back with Flamebreak. Tanks keep the highest threat for its charges and face it toward a wall, and the group stays at maximum range and spreads out against the fear. It drops Pip's Skinner, Blademaster Leggings and Blackmist Armguards.
Lord Valthalak is a bonus boss summoned with the Brazier of Beckoning in the room of The Beast. He drops Lord Valthalak's Staff of Command and Pendant of Celerity.
General Drakkisath fights with two Chromatic Elite Guards. Some groups let a Hunter kite Drakkisath back to the room of The Beast while the tanks handle the guards, other groups tank everything in place and crowd control the guards. Face Drakkisath away from the group because of his flame breath. He drops Draconian Deflector, Painweaver Band, Tooth of Gnarr and Brigam Girdle.
Upper Blackrock Spire drops some of the best items before the first raids. These are the drops worth farming:
| Role | Best Items |
|---|---|
| Tank | Draconian Deflector, Gyth's Skull, Brigam Girdle, Warmaster Legguards |
| Melee damage | Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge, Truestrike Shoulders, Painweaver Band, Blackcrow |
| Caster damage | Wildfire Cape, Starfire Tiara, Pauldrons of Elements |
| Healer | Lord Valthalak's Staff of Command, Crystallized Girdle, Briarwood Reed |
These small things save the most time and the most wipes in Upper Blackrock Spire:
For the full list of dungeons on the way to level 60, see our WoW Forever dungeons overview.
If you would rather skip the group search, our WoW Forever Dungeons Tour clears Upper Blackrock Spire and the other Forever dungeons in one order with an organized team, with quests, loot and experience included.
These are the questions players ask most often about Upper Blackrock Spire.
Upper Blackrock Spire is tuned for levels 58 to 60 and is meant for fully geared level 60 characters.
Not yet. This guide covers the original version of the dungeon and the changes already in the Forever database. We will update it after the November 4 launch.
One player in the group needs the Seal of Ascension from the Seal of Ascension quest in Lower Blackrock Spire to open the door at the top of the ramp.
In Classic, up to ten. The group size in WoW Forever has not been confirmed yet.
So far, item stats and one reward: tank and melee items got Defense and Hit ratings, and The Demon Forge now gives five Potion of Demon Slaying. Most quest rewards are still hidden.
These guides help you plan the dungeons around Upper Blackrock Spire:
