With Shadowlands come several new dungeons in World of Warcraft. One that has particularly stuck in the memory of MeinMMO author Benedict Grothaus is the Mists of Tirna Scithe. Even though he likes the dungeon a lot, he is sure that you will curse it and that it will cost you many nerves and time.
Which dungeon is it about? The Mists of Tirna Scithe is a dungeon in Ardenweald, one of the new areas of Shadowlands. It is actually a sanctuary of the Night Fae, one of the covenants in Shadowlands. However, the mists are also affected by the drought that threatens the realm of the dead.
In the current Beta of Shadowlands, I have already played the mists, and the dungeon itself is quite small and short. Only three bosses await here, and the actual area is not particularly large. However, the paths are convoluted and even attempt to mislead you at times.
This is part of the fantasy of the dungeon, as uninvited intruders are supposed to be confused and never find a way out again. This very idea necessitates a mechanic that I am already sure will drive you to the brink of madness.
Spoiler alert: If you want to be surprised (and probably frustrated), you should stop reading here. Spoilers and descriptions of the new dungeon and one of the core mechanics follow.
Mechanic in Mists of Tirna Scithe Costs Nerves
What is so bad about it? After the first boss, Ingra Maloch, you will encounter a labyrinth of mists on the way to the Mistcaller, the second boss. This labyrinth can cost you a lot of time, as
- it consists of several sections with groups of enemies
- you find different symbols and three possible exits from each area
- only the correct symbol opens the way forward
- as soon as a player from the group touches a wrong symbol, you have to go back the whole way – every time
Especially annoying is that even already solved puzzles trigger this mechanic. If the path is already clear, but a player touches a wrong mist wall, the whole group has to start over.
The Mistcaller mocks you even. 
The symbols are the clues you need to pay attention to. 
Which way is the right one? 
Even the Mistcaller uses the mechanic.
Moreover, the Mistcaller herself uses this mechanic for her ability “Guessing Game”. In this ability, she creates clones that deal increasing damage to you and additional damage to the group if the wrong clone dies.
Meanwhile, she doesn’t do anything else – except in mythic mode. There she stays in the fight and takes 100% less damage. If you do not kill the right clone in time or even kill the wrong one, it is almost a guaranteed wipe.
How do I play with the mechanic? The trick is to find the symbol that differs from the others. The first symbol you see (in the areas or when fighting the boss) serves as a reference:
- only one of the symbols is an outline, all others are filled
- only one is a leaf or a flower
- only one has a border or does not have one
It is not always easy to immediately find the right symbol, especially under time pressure. The images from Icy Veins give you examples of how these different symbols can look:
A beautiful dungeon with challenge
That’s why I love the mists anyway: In my first run through the mists, we were certainly stuck in the labyrinth for a quarter of an hour while the Mistcaller mocked us. However, I think that fits perfectly with the fantasy of the dungeon.
After all, the fairies are playful and known as tricksters. Additionally, the design of the dungeon in its blue, green, and brown tones is extremely coherent, bringing across the idea of an enchanted forest. Also, if Cortyn has to play Venthyr after the cinematic, I am definitely leaning towards the Night Fae thanks to the Mists of Tirna Scithe.
After defeating the Mistcaller, she is not quite in a good mood. 
A Drust is the first boss – Connections to Gorak Tul from BfA?
However, the mechanic itself has also captivated me. It is refreshing and makes me really enjoy that I cannot just brute force my way through a dungeon. In the mists, I have to think and pay attention to the mechanics; otherwise, I will not get ahead. Unless, of course, I invest an hour in “trial and error” attempts.
What else does Shadowlands offer? The Mists of Tirna Scithe are just one of eight upcoming dungeons, all of which have pretty cool mechanics. Additionally, with Castle Nathria, the first raid with ten bosses will be released.
The expansion will be released on October 27. If you haven’t received an invitation to the beta yet, you will soon be able to play anyway. If you want to get informed in advance, you can find all the information about features and story of Shadowlands in our article here.
