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Ascendant, Tyrannical
Welcome to The War Within Season 2!
For Week 1, the following dungeon routes are based on PTR testing. As the Season progresses, we’ll update the routes to reflect what the majority of players are doing at the same keystone level as you, thanks to data aggregated from millions of Mythic+ runs through Raider.IO Stats and Mythic+ Heatmaps!
The weekly-alternating affixes are Xal’atath’s Bargain: Ascendant in keystone levels +4 to +11, and Tyrannical in keystone levels +7 to +9. Fortified is added at keystone level +10, and Xal’atath’s Guile replaces Xal’atath’s Bargain: Ascendant at keystone level +12. Here’s a refresher on The War Within’s affix system:
So, which dungeons may be easier to target for rewards? The graphs below will populate throughout the week to show the relative difficulty of all of the dungeons, as well as spec popularity so far this Season – stay tuned:
Each dungeon has a different timer and requirements for +2 and +3 rewards:
| Dungeon | Timer | +2 | +3 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cinderbrew Meadery | 33:00 | 26:24 | 19:48 |
 Darkflame Cleft | 33:00 | 26:24 | 19:48 |
 Mechagon Workshop | 32:00 | 25:36 | 19:12 |
 Operation: Floodgate | 33:00 | 26:24 | 19:48 |
 Priory of the Sacred Flame | 31:00 | 24:24 | 18:48 |
 The MOTHERLODE!! | 39:00 | 31:12 | 23:24 |
 The Rookery | 31:00 | 24:24 | 18:48 |
| Theater of Pain | 34:00 | 27:12 | 20:24 |
Find the dungeons at the following locations:
All set? Grab our dungeon routes + boss guides below and start grinding that IO!
Bookmark The Weekly Route for our updates to top routes every Tuesday!
Table of Contents
BREW: Cinderbrew Meadery DFC: Darkflame Cleft WORK: Mechagon Workshop FLOOD: Operation: Floodgate PSF: Priory of the Sacred Flame ML: The MOTHERLODE!! ROOK: The Rookery
TOP: Theater of Pain Cinderbrew Meadery
Bloodlust Timings
First pull, I’pa, and Benk Buzbee
Special Dispels to Bring:
| BLEED | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Venture Co. Patron | Mean Mug |  Evoker →  Paladin →  Dwarf → |
| Worker Bee (trash) | Shredding Sting | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Ravenous Cinderbee (boss mob) | Shredding Sting | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
Darkflame Cleft
Bloodlust Timings
Special Dispels to Bring:
| BLEED | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Menial Laborer | Crude Weapons | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| DISEASE | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Pack Mole | Nasty Nibble | Evoker →  Monk → Paladin → Priest → Dwarf → |
Mechagon Workshop
Bloodlust Timings
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You DO NOT wish to use Invisibility Potions or have a Rogue for skips
- You are in a PUG without voice comms
- You’re in a lower key and won’t be too impacted by going over on enemy forces count
Bloodlust Timings
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You wish to use Invisibility Potions or have a Rogue for the two skips
Bloodlust Timings
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You’re working on a really high key that’s pushing the top of the Leaderboard
- You’re in a highly coordinated group (voice comms, friends, etc.)
- You have a Night Elf Vengeance Demon Hunter for the final skip towards the last boss
Operation: Floodgate
Bloodlust Timings
Special Dispels to Bring:
| BLEED | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Venture Co. Diver | Harpoon | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Venture Co. Architect | Nailed | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
Priory of the Sacred Flame
Bloodlust Timings
1st pull, on cooldown, and Prioress Murrpray in Phase 2
Special Dispels to Bring:
| BLEED | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Fervent Sharpshooter | Caltrops | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| War Lynx | Grievous Rip | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Sergeant Shaynemail | Lunging Strike | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Captain Dailcry | Pierce Armor | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
The MOTHERLODE!!
Bloodlust Timings
Notes
This dungeon will likely have some risky skips to avoid the trash towards the final boss in higher keys as Season 2 progresses, but for now we are providing one route that’s safe and efficient for a variety of keystone levels and group needs.
Special Dispels to Bring:
| BLEED | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Taskmaster Askari | Heavy Slash | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Earthrager | Jagged Cut | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Azerite Extractor | Puncture | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| POISON | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Venture Co. Alchemist | Caustic Compound |  Druid → Evoker → Monk → Paladin →  Shaman → Dwarf → |
| Hired Assassin | Toxic Blades | Druid → Evoker → Monk → Paladin → Shaman → Dwarf → |
The Rookery
Bloodlust Timings
1st pull, on cooldown, and Voidstone Monstrosity
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You do not wish to do any skips
- You are not in voice comms / prefer to do something simple and safe
Bloodlust Timings
1st pull, on cooldown, and Voidstone Monstrosity
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You’re doing competitive higher keys and want to do skips
- You’re in a coordinated group (voice comms, friends, etc.)
Special Dispels to Bring:
| CURSE | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Corrupted Oracle | Seeping Corruption | Druid → Evoker →  Mage → Shaman → Dwarf → |
Theater of Pain
Bloodlust Timings
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You want a simple and straightforward route for a lower key or a PUG
- You are not in voice comms
Bloodlust Timings
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You want an efficient route that utilizes some skips
- You’re in a coordinated group (voice comms, friends, etc.)
Bloodlust Timings
Notes
Choose this route if:
- You want to replicate what some of the highest key pushing groups did in Shadowlands
- You’re in a highly coordinated group (voice comms, friends, etc.)
- You want to carefully optimize Bloodlust timings for high keys
Special Dispels to Bring:
| BLEED | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Bone Magus | Bone Spear | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Gorechop | Jagged Gash | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Shambling Arbalest (boss mob) | Jagged Quarrel | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| Advent Nevermore / Harugia the Bloodthirsty | Ricocheting Blade | Evoker → Paladin → Dwarf → |
| CURSE | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Nefarious Darkspeaker | Curse of Desloation | Druid → Evoker → Mage → Shaman → Dwarf → |
| Portal Guardian | Shadow Vulnerability | Druid → Evoker → Mage → Shaman → Dwarf → |
| DISEASE | ||
|---|---|---|
| NPC | Ability | Requirements |
| Blighted Sludge-Spewer / Diseased Horror | Decaying Blight | Evoker → Monk → Paladin → Priest → Dwarf → |
| Rancid Gasbag | Vile Eruption | Evoker → Monk → Paladin → Priest → Dwarf → |
| Disgusting Refuse | Withering Blight | Evoker → Monk → Paladin → Priest → Dwarf → |
Links
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About the Author
VitaminP (VP) is the Content Manager of Raider.IO. VP holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and has worked for Raider.IO since the formation of its News Section in November 2018. VP specializes in tanking classes and has loved doing competitive Mythic+ on and off since early Legion.
About the Editor
Gogogadgetkat has been playing WoW since late BC, and has been the GM of her guild Propaganda since its creation in 2014. As a career healer, Kat has a number of CEs and old-school heroic kills under her belt, all on a variety of healing classes and specs—she’s a serial altoholic! In addition to Mythic raiding and a little Mythic+, creating safe, inclusive spaces in gaming is her longtime passion; Kat has been an admin for the Perky Pugs community since late BfA, and is also a founding council member and the Executive Director for the DEIBAJ initiative VISAGE. She is excited to bring her wealth of experience and love of writing to the Raider.IO team.
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