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World of Warcraft: Dragonflighthas added a myriad of interesting features to the long-standing MMO powerhouse. One of the more revolutionary features has been the reintroduction of removed older versions of dungeons and raids, providing adventurers with the opportunity to relive those experiences. While these historical versions of content are still accessible inWorld of Warcraft: Classic, being able to explore beloved removed areas with its different gameplay systems has been beneficial to many players.
Whether you are a newer player who missed out on these experiences or an older one who was there originally, revisiting them provides the firsthand learning or relearning of lore, and perhaps most importantly, the looting of treasures lost to the sands of time.
The Treasures Within Classic Naxxramas
One of the old raids to receive this reintroduction is the Classic version of Naxxramas, the seat of power for the Lich King’s right-hand man, Kel’thuzad. Although Naxxramas has never been outright removed from the modern game, during the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, the floating necropolis was moved from its original location.
Originally above Stratholme in the Eastern Plaguelands, its current haunt is above Wintergarde Keep in Dragonblight. It was also re-tuned to become an appropriately leveled raid for the expansion, rather than remaining at the level of Classic endgame difficulty.
While a few minor character and dialogue changes were made during this reworking to fit with the ever-evolving story of Warcraft, the most significant change wasthe removal of the original Argent Dawn quests and associated gear from the raid. These sets had unique appearances, and while some other formerly removed Naxxramas gear appearances have been made available again over the years, the crafted Sapphiron’s Bane sets were some of the treasures lost to the sands of history.
Unlike some of the other reintroduced dungeons, like the old versions of Scholomance and the Scarlet Monastery,the Sapphiron’s Bane sets and some other old recipes for armor and weapons were added back into the game through the return of “Classic Naxxramas”, rather than the original instance itself.
As Naxxramas itself remained virtually unchanged, with only Baron Rivendare replacing Alexandros Mograine in the Four Horseman encounter, the previously lost content is entirely cosmetic and loot-based. Nonetheless, be prepared for an adventure if you wish to wrest these treasures from the grasp of history.
If you are already Honored, Revered, or Exalted with the Argent Dawn faction, you can skip this first step.
Your journey to “Classic Naxxramas” begins in the region where the dread necropolis once menaced from above, the Eastern Plaguelands. If you lack any reputation with the Argent Dawn faction, which you probably will if you started playing World of Warcraft during the Cataclysm expansion or later,a quick quest chain will help you.
It involves the Worgen Fiona and her caravan traveling into the heart of this ravaged region and joining the Argent Crusade. This willboost you straight to Reveredreputation with the Argent Dawn.
To find Fiona and begin the quests that start the chain,head to the southwest edge of the Eastern Plaguelands, where a bridge crosses the Thondroril River into the Western Plaguelands. She will be standing right near said bridge, and will offer youtwo quests: Tarenar Sunstrike and Gidwin Goldbraids. These involve tracking down, helping, and returning her Paladin Pals, the eponymous blood elf and dwarf, Tarenar and Gidwin.
Once you complete these for her, she will offer you to accompany the caravan further east on their journey to Light’s Hope Chapel.The point in the quest chain you want to reach is Argent Call: The Trial of the Crypt, which will be given to you by Lord Maxwell Tyrosusonce you quest to Light’s Hope Chapel with Gidwin and Tarenar.
After you overcome the trial by defeating the ghost of Lord Raymond George, you will be rewarded with enough Argent Dawn reputation to go from Neutral to Revered, which will allow you to move forward on your journey.
Your standing with the Argent Dawn will not be important until the end of your journey, but we highly recommend getting this step out of the way first if you haven’t completed it already.
How To Reach Old Scholomance
Bring a Righteous Orb and four Truesilver Bars with you for this step. These items can be bought from the auction house should you not have any.
The next step in your search for the historical treasures of Naxxramas willtake you into the Western Plaguelands, to the isle of Caer Darrow within Darrowmere Lake. Here you will find the horrifichome of the human noble House Barov: Scholomance.
As Scholomance is another one of the instances that had its older version added back into the game during Dragonflight, as it was revamped entirely as part of the Mists of Pandaria expansion,having access to its older iteration is necessary for you to proceed further on your journey.
If you do have unlocked it on your account, go to Eva’s Enchanted Journal to relive the memories of the past and enter Classic Scholomance.
Your first goal in Scholomance is to get to the Great Ossuary, which is where the skeletal boss Rattlegore resides. When you enter this room, you want to look immediately to your left, asthe Cracked Argent Dawn Commission that lies atop the pile of bones closest to the gate you entered throughis what you are here for.
The Commission itself is very hard to see, but it sticks out enough that mousing over it will let you interact with it. The above image includes a helpful circle highlighting the Commission’s location on the bone pile should you struggle to find it. Once you do find and loot it, the Cracked Argent Dawn Commission item will let you use one Righteous Orb and four Truesilver Bars to restore it to its former state.
Once restored, you will have the Argent Dawn Commission trinket. Additionally, before you leave the Great Ossuary,remember to kill Rattlegore, because you will need the Viewing Room Key he dropsin order to get to your final objective within Scholomance.
Defeat Darkmaster Gandling
The final boss of Scholomance,Darkmaster Gandling, the notorious headmaster of this school of necromancy, is your final target within the dungeon. To get to him, you need to unlock the viewing room door with the key you looted from Rattlegore, and then clear out the six rooms leading out from the two levels of The Headmaster’s Study that lies beyond it.
After killing all the mobs within all six rooms(The Coven, Hall of Secrets, Hall of the Damned, The Shadow Vault, Barov Family Vault, and Vault of the Ravenian), Gandling will spawn at the base of the stairs in the middle of the room.
Do not forget to equip your Argent Dawn Commission trinket before you kill him,as you need to have it equipped for the Darkmaster’s Scourgestone to drop from him.
Once you loot this item, it will begin a quest of the same name, sending you back to Light’s Hope Chapel. Once there, report toDuke Nicholas Zverenhoff. He is where you complete said quest (Darkmaster’s Scourgestone)and gain the ability to loot Scourgestones from the Scourge mobs in all versions of Scholomance, Stratholme, and Naxxramas while you have the Argent Dawn Commission trinket equipped.
How To Get A Ward Of Naxxramas
After gaining the ability to loot Scourgestones from Scourge enemies,head to the main entrance of the ruined city of Stratholme for your next objective.
Within this dungeon,your first goal is to find and kill an Eye of Naxxramas shade and loot a Ward of Naxxramas from it. You also want topick up a Stratholme Holy Waterfrom one of the many glowing crates littering the streets you’ll find yourself on.
Eyes of Naxxramas look like a typical shade, as pictured above. Remember to have your Argent Dawn Commission equipped before you kill one.
An Eye of Naxxramas will eventually spawnin the center on your map of Stratholme (in King’s Square)after you kill enough trash mobs in the dungeon. Once one does spawn, and you kill it,take its Ward of Naxxramas and your Stratholme Holy Water and head to Crusader’s Squaredeeper in the city.
How To Kill The Hand Of Naxxramas
When you arrive,don’t enter the Scarlet Bastion, and instead head to the closed portcullis south of Crusader’s Square. Prepare to use all your movement abilities, and while standing in front of the closed portcullis,use the Ward of Naxxramas,which will cause it to appear on the ground in front of you.Use your Stratholme Holy Water on it, and begin running east back through the burning city.
You will now have afive-minute debuff called Sleight of Hand cast upon you. Your new goal is to reach the gate in Festival Lane,leading to the other half of the dungeon, The Gauntlet, which is usually entered through the Service Gate entrance in the open world.
Upon reaching The Gauntlet,you will need to kill the three ziggurat bosses(Nerub’enkan, Baroness Anastari, and Maleki the Pallid) very quickly,as well as the necromancers within the ziggurats they guard,as that will allow access to Slaughter Square, along with the death of Magistrate Barthilas.
Within Slaughter Square,quickly kill the abominationsmilling about the place, thendo the same to Ramstein the Gorgerwhen he spawns,then the swarm of Mindless Undeadthat spawns from the tunnel to the south,then the Black Guard Sentries, andthen Lord Aurius Rivendare within The Slaughter House.
If your Sleight of Hand debuff hasn’t ended yet,race to the tunnel where the swarm of Mindless Undead came from, on the northwestern side of the map. You should find another shade,the Hand of Naxxramas, behind a closed portcullis looking as if it’s about to enter a swirling portal of purple and green.
When you approach,an extra action button will appear on your screen called ‘To Dust’.Use it to kill the Hand of Naxxramas. After you do so, the following message should appear in your chat:
“As the Hand of Naxxramas burns into a pile of ash, it is clear that recent events have escalated such that someone should be made aware of them.”
How To Find Archmage Angela Dosantos
The Hand of Naxxramas' death message is a clue toyour next objective: Archmage Angela Dosantos of the Argent Crusade. Depending on what quests you have completed within the Eastern Plaguelands, she can be foundsitting on the stoop of Light’s Hope Chapel reading a scroll, or standing with her Brotherhood of the Light comrades at the gates of Tyr’s Handto the south of the Chapel.
Once you locate and speak with her,select the “Frantically explain the recent events to Angela as though your life depended on it!“dialogue option in her dialogue box. This will prompt her to offer theWards of the Dread Citadel - Naxxramas questto you.
This is where your reputation with the Argent Dawn comes into play.You need to be at least Honored with the faction to be offered and complete this quest.
Additionally, each rank (Honored, Revered, Exalted) will cause the quest requirements to be slightly different. At Honored and Revered, you will need different amounts of a few reagents you’re able to buy from the auction house, and a sum of gold, with the Revered rank requiring less of each material. At Exalted, the reagents and gold sum aren’t needed at all, and you can instantly complete the quest.
How To Access Naxxramas
After completing Angela’s Wards of the Dread Citadel - Naxxramas quest, she will empower your Argent Dawn Commission, allowing you to loot Scourgestones from the Scourge in Naxxramas, Stratholme, and Scholomance without needing to equip it, and awarding you the Wards of the Dread Citadel achievement.
This achievement opens up the Revealed Portal to Naxxramasin the Plaguewood of the Eastern Plaguelands for you.
The achievement and empowerment of your Commission are both account-wide, letting you benefit from them on all of your characters.
By interacting with this portal, as well as entering Naxxramas the usual way back in Dragonblight, you can enter a permanently enhanced version of the necropolis.
This allows for the collection of the aforementioned Scourgestones and other items, which will allow you to obtain the weapon and armor appearances that were previously lost to history, as well as other treasures, such as the skeletal horse mount Valiance.
