We take a look at the first instance awaiting you in World of Warcraft: Legion – the Halls of Valor.
The Gates to Valhalla?
The alpha of World of Warcraft: Legion was recently expanded with two zones, allowing players to finally get a first impression of the Broken Isles. Along with these zones, the first instances were also introduced, such as the Halls of Valor. Story-wise, these halls are not only the gathering place for all warriors in Legion but also a sanctuary of the Vrykul.
A total of 5 bosses await in the instance. At least in normal mode (which is active during leveling), the mechanics are not particularly complex, but they require quick reactions to avoid ending up at the cemetery.
- Hymdall summons dragons that each envelop 1/3 of the combat area in lightning, which becomes deadly after a few seconds, and hurls axes. Both attacks can be avoided by quick movement.
- The Val’kyr Hyrja draws her power from two dead minibosses, granting her different abilities and continuously strengthening her. Players must alternate between the two minibosses to prevent her from becoming too powerful.
- The mighty Wolf Fenryr has so far evaded the greatest hunter of the Vrykul. He alternates between two attacks, a large cleave that splits the damage among all targets and a wild charge towards all players in range. The group must alternate standing close together and then quickly move away from each other.
- The God-King Skovald regularly summons Ragnarok, the end of the world. One player must pick up the shield from Aggramar, while the rest of the group positions themselves behind to avoid damage.
- The final confrontation against Odyn does not end in death but is an “honorable fight.” Players only need to bring the boss down to 80% of his HP. The fight is relatively simple; you just need to avoid his abilities in time (“Spear of Light”) and move away from him when he casts “Radiant Tempest.” The adds he summons seem to pose no problem.
The entire area (as well as the Vrykul themselves) is inspired by Nordic mythology, thus one encounters bosses in the instance like “Fenryr” (Fenrir) or “Odyn” (Odin/Wodan), and themes such as the golden halls of warriors or the great hunt are referenced. The guys from the Youtube channel Fatboss TV have endured the instance in a group of four and provide an overview of all the fights and their impressions.
Although there are currently still some bugs in the instance, as dragons lack texture (making them quite sneaky opponents) and some bosses seem to still have too many hit points, the mechanics seem promising, and the whole ambiance of the instance is cohesive, especially if you enjoy the lore of the Vrykul and Val’kyren.
