Are you ready to delve into the heart of the Iron Horde's industrial might? Blackrock Foundry beckons, a crucible of steel and fire where Warlord Blackhand himself oversees the forging of weapons intended to annihilate Azeroth. Whether you're chasing that elusive Ironhoof Destroyer mount, a specific transmog set, or simply want to experience a classic Warlords of Draenor raid, getting there is the first step. And I'm here to guide you, every fiery inch of the way!
Navigating the Path to Blackrock Foundry
Blackrock Foundry is located in Gorgrond, a harsh and untamed jungle zone on the world of Draenor. As such, your primary objective will be to reach Draenor first.
Step 1: Reaching Draenor – Your Gateway to the Iron Horde
Before you can even dream of setting foot in Blackrock Foundry, you need to get to Draenor. This can be done in a few ways, depending on your character's progress and faction.
Sub-heading 1.1: For New or Returning Players (Horde)
- The Tanaan Jungle Intro Questline: If you're a new character or haven't completed the Warlords of Draenor intro, this is your standard route. You'll get a quest that leads you to the Blasted Lands, through the Dark Portal, and into Tanaan Jungle. Complete this short questline, and you'll establish your Garrison in Frostfire Ridge.
- Portal from Orgrimmar: Once you've completed the Tanaan Jungle intro and established your Garrison, a portal to Warspear (Ashran) will become available in the Orgrimmar Portal Room. This is by far the fastest and most convenient method for Horde players. The portal room is usually located in the Cleft of Shadow, near the Ragefire Chasm instance entrance.
Sub-heading 1.2: For New or Returning Players (Alliance)
- The Tanaan Jungle Intro Questline: Similar to Horde, Alliance players will start a questline in the Blasted Lands, going through the Dark Portal into Tanaan Jungle. This will lead to establishing your Garrison in Shadowmoon Valley.
- Portal from Stormwind: After establishing your Garrison, a portal to Stormshield (Ashran) will appear in the Stormwind Portal Room. This room is typically located in the Mage Quarter.
Sub-heading 1.3: Alternative (and Quirky) Methods
- The Timeless Isle Campfire Trick: This is a fun, albeit less direct, method for some. Head to the Timeless Isle in Pandaria (portal from Orgrimmar/Stormwind to Jade Forest, then fly or swim east to the Timeless Isle). In the southeastern corner, near some frogs, there's an underwater cave with a campfire and chairs. Sit on a chair, and you can right-click the campfire to be teleported to an island in Gorgrond, Draenor. This can even bypass the Tanaan intro for new characters!
- Ask a Mage: Mages can conjure portals to both Warspear (Horde) and Stormshield (Alliance). If you're feeling lazy or can't access the portals yourself, find a friendly mage!
Step 2: Journeying to Gorgrond – The Heart of Industrial Might
Once you're on Draenor, your next step is to reach Gorgrond.
Sub-heading 2.1: From Your Garrison (Frostfire Ridge/Shadowmoon Valley)
- Flight Path: The easiest way to get to Gorgrond from your Garrison is by using a flight master. Look for the flight path to Arcanist Windlebop, which is a neutral flight point located between Everbloom Wilds and Highpass in Gorgrond. This is generally the closest flight point to Blackrock Foundry.
- Ground Mount: If you prefer to travel by ground or haven't unlocked the flight paths, simply ride towards Gorgrond. It's the zone directly north of Frostfire Ridge (Horde) and northeast of Shadowmoon Valley (Alliance).
Sub-heading 2.2: From Ashran (Warspear/Stormshield)
- Flight Path: Again, the flight master is your best friend. Fly directly to the Arcanist Windlebop flight point in Gorgrond.
- Ground Mount: If you're feeling adventurous, you can ride northeast from Warspear or northwest from Stormshield to enter Gorgrond.
Step 3: Locating the Blackrock Foundry Entrance – The Gates of Iron
You're in Gorgrond! Now for the final approach to the raid entrance.
Sub-heading 3.1: Specific Coordinates
The entrance to Blackrock Foundry is located in northern Gorgrond at approximately coordinates 51.4, 28.7. It's a truly massive, imposing industrial gate built right into the mountains, so it's hard to miss once you're in the right area.
Sub-heading 3.2: Visual Cues and Landmarks
- The Pit: The entrance is just east of a large, open area known as "The Pit."
- Massive Iron Gates: As you approach the coordinates, you'll see colossal iron gates and the distinct architecture of the Iron Horde. Look for the massive structures and smokestacks dominating the landscape.
- Meeting Stone: Like all raid entrances, there will be a Meeting Stone nearby at approximately 51.7, 29.0.
Step 4: Entering the Foundry and Setting Difficulty
You've made it to the entrance! Now to prepare for your delve into Blackhand's domain.
Sub-heading 4.1: Interacting with the Entrance
Simply walk up to the giant gates. There will be a green "instance portal" swirling that you can walk through to enter the raid.
Sub-heading 4.2: Setting Raid Difficulty
- Right-Click Your Portrait: Before you walk in, right-click your character's portrait (usually in the top left of your screen).
- Select Raid Difficulty: In the dropdown menu, hover over "Raid Difficulty" and select your desired mode:
- Raid Finder: The easiest difficulty, designed for casual groups. You'll need to queue for this via an NPC. For Warlords of Draenor raids, this NPC is typically found in your Garrison (after completing some quests to set it up) or in the capital cities.
- Normal: The standard difficulty, flexible for 10-30 players.
- Heroic: A more challenging version, also flexible for 10-30 players.
- Mythic: The hardest difficulty, locked to 20 players. This is the only difficulty that drops the Ironhoof Destroyer mount from Blackhand.
Important Note: For Normal, Heroic, and Mythic difficulties, you set the difficulty before entering the raid portal. Once inside, you're locked to that difficulty for the week until the weekly reset.
Step 5: Preparing for Your Raid – Tips for a Smooth Run
Whether you're soloing for transmogs or going with a group, a little preparation goes a long way.
Sub-heading 5.1: Essential Supplies
- Repair Mount/Vendor: Blackrock Foundry is quite isolated and does not have repair vendors nearby. A repair mount (like the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth or Grand Expedition Yak) is incredibly useful. Otherwise, stock up on repair kits or be prepared for long runs back to civilization if your gear breaks.
- Potions & Flasks: While not strictly necessary for soloing older content on a max-level character, if you're attempting a challenging difficulty or just want to speed things up, combat potions and flasks can make a difference.
- Food & Water: Again, largely for convenience, especially if you're a class that relies on mana regeneration.
Sub-heading 5.2: Understanding the Layout
Blackrock Foundry is comprised of four wings, each with its own set of bosses:
- Slagworks: Gruul, Oregorger, Blast Furnace
- The Black Forge: Hans'gar & Franzok, Flamebender Ka'graz, Kromog
- Iron Assembly: Beastlord Darmac, Operator Thogar, The Iron Maidens
- Blackhand's Crucible: Blackhand (the final boss)
The first three wings can be tackled in any order, allowing for some flexibility in your approach. The fourth wing, Blackhand's Crucible, only unlocks after the first three are cleared.
Sub-heading 5.3: Soloing Considerations (Especially for Mythic)
While most older raids are easily soloable at max level, Blackrock Foundry, particularly on Mythic, can have a few tricky mechanics. Some bosses might require specific strategies or a minimum amount of damage to bypass certain phases. If you find yourself stuck, a quick search for a solo guide for that specific boss can be invaluable. The Ironhoof Destroyer mount from Mythic Blackhand requires you to kill him on that difficulty.
Congratulations! You're now fully equipped with the knowledge to conquer Blackrock Foundry. May your loot be plentiful and your journey epic!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to get to Blackrock Foundry for transmog farming?
To farm transmog, follow the steps above to reach the entrance in Gorgrond (Draenor), then set the raid difficulty to Normal, Heroic, or Mythic via your character portrait before entering. Mythic offers the highest item level gear and the rare Ironhoof Destroyer mount.
How to change raid difficulty for Blackrock Foundry?
Right-click your character's portrait (usually top-left of the screen), hover over "Raid Difficulty," and select your desired difficulty (Normal, Heroic, or Mythic) before entering the raid portal.
How to get the Ironhoof Destroyer mount from Blackrock Foundry?
The Ironhoof Destroyer mount has a small chance to drop from the final boss, Blackhand, only on Mythic difficulty. Follow the guide to get to Blackrock Foundry, set the difficulty to Mythic, and defeat Blackhand.
How to get to Gorgrond in World of Warcraft?
You can get to Gorgrond from your Garrison in Frostfire Ridge (Horde) or Shadowmoon Valley (Alliance) via flight path (Arcanist Windlebop is closest) or ground mount. Alternatively, take the portal to Warspear/Stormshield in Orgrimmar/Stormwind and then fly or ride to Gorgrond.
How to skip the Tanaan Jungle intro questline to get to Draenor?
The primary way to skip the Tanaan Jungle intro is by using the Timeless Isle campfire trick (found in an underwater cave at the SE corner of the isle). Sitting in a chair near the campfire allows you to teleport to Gorgrond, bypassing the intro entirely.
How to find the Orgrimmar/Stormwind portal to Draenor?
After completing the Warlords of Draenor introductory questline, a portal to Warspear (Horde) will appear in the Orgrimmar Portal Room (Cleft of Shadow), and a portal to Stormshield (Alliance) will appear in the Stormwind Portal Room (Mage Quarter).
How to solo Blackrock Foundry?
At max level, Blackrock Foundry is largely soloable on all difficulties. Ensure your gear is good, and be aware that some bosses (especially on Mythic) might have mechanics that require quick movement or burst damage to overcome. Research specific boss solo guides if you get stuck.
How to get Tier 17 gear from Blackrock Foundry?
Blackrock Foundry drops Tier 17 set pieces. Specific pieces drop from different bosses: Helm (Kromog), Shoulders (Operator Thogar), Chest (Flamebender Ka'graz), Gloves (Iron Maidens), and Legs (The Blast Furnace). The item level of the gear depends on the raid difficulty.
How to repair gear inside Blackrock Foundry?
There are no repair vendors directly inside Blackrock Foundry or immediately outside its entrance. It's highly recommended to use a repair mount (like the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth or Grand Expedition Yak) or carry repair kits before you enter.
How to tell which wing of Blackrock Foundry to go to first?
The first three wings of Blackrock Foundry (Slagworks, The Black Forge, and Iron Assembly) can be cleared in any order. The final wing, Blackhand's Crucible, only becomes accessible after the other three are complete.
