Thunderhead Keep

From Guild Wars Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search
Disambig icon.png This article is about a mission. This name is also used for an outpost and a Zaishen mission.
Thunderhead Keep
Thunderhead Keep map.jpg
Campaign Prophecies
Region Southern Shiverpeaks
Type Cooperative
Party size 8
Duration Long
Preceded by Iron Mines of Moladune
Followed by Final Blow

The Deldrimor Dwarves have lost the Keep, and they need your help to retake it from the Stone Summit and defend it against the Mursaat.

Contents

[edit] Mission information

[edit] Objectives

Retake Thunderhead Keep.

  • Clear the City.
  • Clear the Fort.
  • Kill Dagnar Stonepate.
  • Help King Jalis Ironhammer hold Thunderhead Keep.
  • Speak with King Jalis Ironhammer.
  • *BONUS* Light the beacons to draw additional Mursaat forces into Thunderhead Keep.

[edit] Rewards

Normal Mode Rewards
Mission
1,000 XP
1 Skill-point-tango-icon-20.png
Bonus
1,000 XP
Hard Mode Rewards
Mission
2,000 XP
500 Gold
 1 Skill-point-tango-icon-20.png
Bonus
2,000 XP
500 Gold
 1 Skill-point-tango-icon-20.png

[edit] Walkthrough

The goal is to recover the Deldrimor Dwarves' capital city and fort while protecting King Jalis Ironhammer. The mission is divided into four stages: getting to the capital, clearing it of foes, breaching the fort, and then defending it against a siege.

Reaching the city is straightforward: you have two paths and the one you want is to cross the bridge and then head north-west. There is an incoming patrol at the end of this bridge, so pull the first group towards the bridge and kill them before the other one arrives.

Once inside the city, defeat all eight groups of Stone Summit (they will ping on the compass in yellow). Two are stationary behind the northern walls, the rest patrol small areas. Clear the outer groups first and close-in slowly to avoid over-aggro. Proceed to the gate at the eastern side of the city and King Jalis Ironhammer will open it with Claim Resource. Now follow the path leading to the fort.

Inside the fort, defeat the Stone Summit lead by Dagnar Stonepate, triggering a cinematic, the final, siege stage of the mission, and the bonus. Once the last attacker dies, the quest log will update, and a quest marker will appear over Ironhammer's head.

During the siege, waves of White Mantle and Mursaat spawn from a Mursaat teleporter in the north, and make their way towards the fort. Some will enter through the west gate and others through the east as they attempt to reach and kill the king. During their approach, you can soften up these mobs by firing the ballistae (on the walls) to fire at the fields outside. Foes standing in the applicable strike points (darkened areas on the map) will be severely damaged, although it can take up to four shots to kill some of them. For most people, the safest defense is to defend the king inside the fort.

The siege consists of three phases.

  1. Waves of Stone Summit Dwarves and Enslaved Frost Giants, including one of the six bosses.
  2. Waves of Mursaat and Jade constructs, including one of their bosses.
  3. Waves of White Mantle; the final wave is a large group led by Confessor Dorian.
Time markers during the final wave

The mission takes at least 30 minutes because the spawns are tied to a script. You can use the king's remarks as a rough guide to the remaining amount of time:

  • (~17 minutes before the final wave) "The Mantle followed you! Stand fast friends! This will be our finest hour!" (about 17 minutes left until Confessor Dorian arrives)
  • (~12 minutes remaining) "Be on your guard. The left hand of Grenth himself comes for us."

[edit] Bonus

The bonus requires you to prevent the death of Dwarven allies located outside the fort by lighting two Storm Beacons with torches that are directly in front of the beacons, which draw enemies to the fort and away from the unprotected Dwarves. Both beacons are on opposite sides of the fort, on the east and west walls.

There is enough time for a single player without speed boosts to light both beacons, by using the torch set just in front of each beacon (otherwise the bundle slows the runner down too much). With more players on the team, you can send one to each beacon.

Unfortunately, the quest log does not update to confirm the Dwarves' survival or alert you to their deaths. The only indication that you have failed the bonus is if you hear them cry out, "[t]he end is here! Great Dwarf save us!" If you do not see that text in party chat, then you have an indirect confirmation of success.

[edit] Strategies for defending the fort

There are three main techniques for successfully defending against the siege, based on where you confront the mobs: at the gates, with the king, or by taking the fight to the teleporter.

Defend the gates

Split the team into two groups to block each gate; this keeps the King safely away. The courtyard's width prevents the two teams from working together, but they will be close enough that one or two members can run back and forth to assist. Ranged characters can fight from atop the walls. Use the ballistae to weaken foes before they reach a gate.

  • Pro: The King is never at risk.
  • Con: The split groups are weak against strong assaults.
Defend the king

Hold your ground between the center beacon and the King. Regardless from which gate these small groups enter, they always converge at the top of the stairs. However, if enemies enter the King's aggro area, he will join the fight, which makes him difficult to protect as he will not move back.

  • Pro: The party outnumbers enemies. Easier to manage with heroes and henchmen.
  • Con: The King will be at risk.
Attack at the spawn point

Parties with strong firepower can push back the incoming waves to their spawn point to the north since they all pass through a choke point. Players will stand at full force while keeping the King completely away from battle. Jades along the way (not the ones that spawn) can be ignored, as they are part of the bonus and will not attack the King. Single foes that split during this procedure can be killed by Smoke Phantom allies.

  • Pro: Allows the party to be at full strength.
  • Con: Difficult in Hard mode to reach the Mursaat teleporter or to regroup if any foe slips.

[edit] Hard mode

Although the foes are considerably more difficult in hard mode, the techniques are the same. Keep a more careful eye on the king's health throughout the mission.

[edit] Skill recommendations

  • Ward of Stability to counter Summit Giant Herders's Giant Stomp.
  • Minions/spirits to outnumber foes.
  • AoE skills, especially if using the defend the king method.

[edit] NPCs

[edit] Allies

Dwarves (Deldrimor)

[edit] Foes

Tengu (Avicara)

Dwarves (Stone Summit)

Elementals (Stone Summit)

Giants

Griffons

Humans (White Mantle)

Mursaat

[edit] Bosses

Dwarves (Stone Summit)

Elementals (Stone Summit)

Mursaat

[edit] Interactive objects

[edit] Dialogue

Warning: This key section of the article is incomplete. You can help the Guild Wars Wiki by expanding it.

[edit] Intermediate cinematic

For more information, see Thunderhead Keep (cinematics)
Vizier Khilbron: "You have taken the keep, but your fight is not yet over. The Mursaat and their White Mantle counterparts are headed this way. They drive before them the denizens of the Shiverpeak Mountains. I grant you this boon and the aid of these undead servants. Today you must prevail, for the tale does not end here. Your destiny lies to the west."

[edit] End cinematic

King Jalis Ironhammer: Not even death will save you from my wrath.
Vizier Khilbron: If you will allow me this indulgence, King Ironhammer. Perhaps the confessor can still be of some use to us.
King Jalis Ironhammer: Never give me the opportunity for revenge.
Vizier Khilbron: This is just as it was written in the Flameseeker Prophecies. An opening will be given to the disciples of the Unseen. The peaks and valleys of the Shiverpeaks will be painted in blood. At this time, the Ascendants will rise, and the way to the Door will be clear. The time of our judgment is near. We must prepare. Today's was a great victory, but now your true challenge begins. You must go to the Ring of Fire island chain. In the caldera of the largest volcano you will find the power you need.
King Jalis Ironhammer: The Ring of Fire? A more treacherous land in Tyria there is not.
Vizier Khilbron: True enough, but that is where we will find the Door of Komalie. Behind it lies the secret to defeating the Mursaat.
King Jalis Ironhammer: You're a brave lot, but you'll not make it past the beachhead.
Brechnar Ironhammer: Not without some Dwarven help. I will go with them.
King Jalis Ironhammer: Brechnar, do you know what you are saying?
Brechnar Ironhammer: Yes, brother.
King Jalis Ironhammer: A mission to the Ring of Fire would be suicide.
Brechnar Ironhammer: Then may we meet each other in the afterlife.
Vizier Khilbron: Through this portal awaits your destiny. Do not let it linger. Seize that which you were born to do.
Brechnar Ironhammer: Until we are reunited in the Great Forge.
King Jalis Ironhammer: Go with honor, my brother. Fight bravely in the name of Deldrimor.
Undead Lich: It won't be a long now. Not long at all!

[edit] Notes

  • When facing Dagnar there are two walls which each hold two ballistae. The ballista on the left can be fired to kill a group of eight enemies before killing Dagnar, giving you fewer enemies to fight in the siege.
  • The siege portion of the mission can be managed (even in HM) without effort by a player with 7 heroes/henchmen (i.e. while AFK):
    • Flag heroes at the top of the stairs, somewhat apart.
    • Change their mode to Fight.
    • Ensure you have a balanced team.
  • This is the first of only four missions required to reach the end of the Prophecies storyline.
  • Complete exploration of this area contributes approximately 1.1% to the Tyrian Cartographer title.
    • You can easily explore the north part of the map if you go out the western gate immediately after the cinematic. Once King Jalis' name turns gray, you can map the area without him dying. If you come within range of him again, the monsters around him get triggered to kill him and the mission will end.
    • Alternatively, wait until Confessor Dorian has been killed. No more mobs will spawn after him, and the mission will not end until you speak to King Jalis; you can thus use this approach to explore at your leisure and get credit for the mission.
  • After completing this mission, your party travels to Ember Light Camp using the Mursaat teleporter.
Bug Bug.Sometimes King Jalis Ironhammer will get stuck on a hill near the beginning of the mission. If this occurs, you must restart the mission, and try again.
Bug Bug.Sometimes if you take the bonus the first boss will stay outside the walls. Even if you kill that group the spawns will stop. If this occurs, you must restart the mission, and try again.
Anomaly Anomaly.Some of the foes spawn southwest of the the Mursaat teleporter and run towards it before making their way towards the fort.
Spoiler alert: The following text contains spoilers relating to the story of Guild Wars.



Prophecies missions
The Great Northern Wall » Fort Ranik » Ruins of Surmia » Nolani Academy » Borlis Pass » The Frost Gate » Gates of Kryta » D'Alessio Seaboard » Divinity Coast » The Wilds » Bloodstone Fen » Aurora Glade » Riverside Province » Sanctum Cay » Dunes of Despair and Thirsty River and Elona Reach » Augury Rock » The Dragon's Lair » Ice Caves of Sorrow » Iron Mines of Moladune » Thunderhead Keep » Ring of Fire » Abaddon's Mouth » Hell's Precipice
Retrieved from "http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Thunderhead_Keep"
Personal tools