Greetings, adventurer! Are you ready to delve into the fiery depths of Blackrock Foundry, the heart of the Iron Horde's war machine? Whether you're seeking coveted transmog, that elusive mount, or just want to experience a classic Warlords of Draenor raid, this guide will get you there. Prepare yourself, for the journey is about to begin!
How to Get to Blackrock Foundry: Your Definitive Guide
Blackrock Foundry (BRF) is a raid from the Warlords of Draenor expansion, housing 10 challenging bosses and some of the most iconic Tier 17 gear sets. While it was once a formidable challenge for full raid groups, it's now highly soloable by most max-level characters. Let's forge your path to victory!
Step 1: Ascend to Draenor - The Gateway to the Foundry
Before you can set foot in Blackrock Foundry, you must first reach the world of Draenor. If you're a seasoned veteran, you likely have this unlocked already. If you're new or returning, here's how to get there:
Sub-heading 1.1: The Ashran Portal Method (Fastest)
- For Horde Players: Head to the Orgrimmar Portal Room. Look for the portal to Ashran. Stepping through this will transport you directly to Warspear, the Horde's main hub in Draenor.
- For Alliance Players: Travel to the Stormwind Portal Room. Locate the portal to Ashran. This will take you to Stormshield, the Alliance's primary base in Draenor.
Once you arrive in Ashran (Warspear or Stormshield), you're officially on Draenor!
Sub-heading 1.2: The Garrison Hearthstone Method (If You Have One)
If you've established your Garrison during the Warlords of Draenor expansion, you'll have a handy Garrison Hearthstone. Using this item will teleport you directly to your Garrison in your faction's starter zone (Frostfire Ridge for Horde, Shadowmoon Valley for Alliance). From there, you'll still need to travel to Gorgrond, but it's a viable starting point.
Step 2: Journey to Gorgrond - Pinpointing the Foundry's Location
Blackrock Foundry is located in the northern region of Gorgrond. Once you're on Draenor, your next objective is to reach this zone.
Sub-heading 2.1: Flight Path Navigation
The most convenient way to reach Gorgrond is by utilizing flight paths.
- From Warspear (Horde): Take the flight path from Warspear to Iron Camp or Grimfrost Hill in Gorgrond. These are the closest neutral flight points to the Blackrock Foundry entrance.
- From Stormshield (Alliance): Take the flight path from Stormshield to Everbloom Wilds or Highpass in Gorgrond. Again, these will put you in close proximity.
Sub-heading 2.2: Ground Travel (If Flight is Unavailable)
If for some reason you don't have the Gorgrond flight paths unlocked (perhaps you're on a fresh character who skipped the questline), you can travel by ground.
- From Frostfire Ridge (Horde), head south through the main path leading into Gorgrond.
- From Shadowmoon Valley (Alliance), head north through Talador and then into Gorgrond.
Be prepared for some hostile mobs along the way if you're traveling on foot!
Step 3: Locating the Entrance - The Massive Industrial Gate
Once you're in Gorgrond, you'll need to find the specific entrance to Blackrock Foundry.
Sub-heading 3.1: Coordinates and Visual Cues
The entrance to Blackrock Foundry is situated in northern Gorgrond at approximately coordinates 51.4, 28.7.
Look for a colossal, imposing industrial gate built directly into the side of a mountain. It's an unmistakable landmark, surrounded by the harsh, mechanical aesthetic of the Iron Horde. You can't miss it once you're in the general area.
Sub-heading 3.2: Closest Flight Point & Repair Considerations
The closest flight point to Blackrock Foundry's entrance is Arcanist Windlebop, which is a neutral flight point. However, be aware that there are no repair vendors immediately nearby the raid entrance. If you plan on doing multiple runs or farming, consider bringing a repair mount (like the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth or Grand Expedition Yak) or utilize the nearest town for repairs before heading into the raid.
Step 4: Entering the Foundry - Stepping into the Heart of the Iron Horde
With the entrance found, simply walk through the massive gate to enter the Blackrock Foundry raid instance.
Sub-heading 4.1: Difficulty Selection
Upon entering, you'll have the option to select the raid difficulty.
- Raid Finder (LFR): Easiest difficulty, often used for transmog farming.
- Normal: A step up in difficulty, offers better gear and transmog.
- Heroic: More challenging, provides even better rewards.
- Mythic: The hardest difficulty, available only in 20-man size, and the only way to obtain the Ironhoof Destroyer mount from Blackhand.
For solo farming, Normal or Heroic is typically sufficient for transmog. If you're after the mount, Mythic is your target.
Sub-heading 4.2: Understanding the Wings
Blackrock Foundry is divided into four distinct wings, each with its own set of bosses:
- Slagworks: Contains Gruul, Oregorger, and Blast Furnace.
- The Black Forge: Houses Hans'gar & Franzok, Flamebender Ka'graz, and Kromog.
- Iron Assembly: Features Beastlord Darmac, Operator Thogar, and Iron Maidens.
- Blackhand's Crucible: The final wing, containing only Warlord Blackhand.
You'll generally need to clear the first three wings to unlock access to Blackhand's Crucible.
Step 5: Conquering the Foundry - Soloing Tips and Tricks
While most current max-level characters can easily solo Blackrock Foundry on lower difficulties, a few mechanics can still catch you off guard, especially on Mythic.
Sub-heading 5.1: General Soloing Advice
- High Damage is Key: The quicker you defeat bosses, the fewer mechanics you'll have to deal with.
- Awareness of Mechanics: Even if you can overpower bosses, some abilities can still reset fights or cause unexpected deaths. A quick read of boss abilities (found on sites like WoWHead or Icy Veins) can save you headaches.
- Self-Healing/Sustain: Classes with good self-heals or damage mitigation will have an easier time.
- Repair Mount/Vials of the Sand: As mentioned, no repair vendor inside. Be prepared!
Sub-heading 5.2: Noteworthy Boss Mechanics for Solo Play
While a full boss guide is beyond the scope of this "how to get there" post, here are a few bosses with mechanics that might require slight adjustments for solo runs:
- Blast Furnace: This can be tricky on Mythic. You need to interrupt adds that grant shields to the boss and properly handle the "Engineers" that drop bombs. Focus on interrupting the "Security Guards" and dropping bombs on the furnace to remove its shield. Damage everything quickly.
- Hans'gar and Franzok: On Mythic, if you kill one brother too fast, the other might reset. Try to keep their health relatively even.
- Kromog: You'll be locked in a grip periodically. If your damage isn't high enough to break out quickly, you'll take heavy damage.
- Iron Maidens: This council fight involves three bosses. They don't share health, so you'll need to defeat all three. One will periodically jump to a ship, and you may need to follow depending on the difficulty and your damage.
- Blackhand: The final boss has phases where he breaks the floor, causing you to fall. Don't panic; just continue the fight. Avoid his "Shattering Smash" and "Slag Bombs."
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to get to Blackrock Foundry from Stormwind?
You can get to Blackrock Foundry from Stormwind by first using the Ashran portal in the Stormwind Portal Room, which takes you to Stormshield in Draenor. From there, fly or travel north to Gorgrond.
How to get to Blackrock Foundry from Orgrimmar?
From Orgrimmar, take the Ashran portal in the Orgrimmar Portal Room to Warspear in Draenor. Then, travel or fly south to Gorgrond to reach Blackrock Foundry.
How to find the exact entrance of Blackrock Foundry?
The entrance to Blackrock Foundry is a very large, imposing industrial gate built into a mountain in northern Gorgrond, around coordinates 51.4, 28.7.
How to unlock Blackrock Foundry?
Blackrock Foundry does not require any specific attunement quests. Once you can access Draenor, you can enter the raid.
How to skip bosses in Blackrock Foundry?
Generally, you cannot skip bosses in Blackrock Foundry on your first clear of the week on a specific difficulty, as certain bosses must be defeated to unlock subsequent wings and the final boss, Blackhand. However, there was a quest called "Sigil of the Black Hand" that, once completed, allowed direct access to Blackhand on subsequent runs for that difficulty.
How to solo Blackrock Foundry on Mythic difficulty?
Soloing Mythic Blackrock Foundry requires a high-level character (typically max level) with good gear and understanding of boss mechanics. Some encounters, like Blast Furnace, may still require specific strategies or very high burst damage.
How to get the Ironhoof Destroyer mount?
The Ironhoof Destroyer mount has a chance to drop from Warlord Blackhand, the final boss of Blackrock Foundry, only on Mythic difficulty.
How to farm transmog in Blackrock Foundry?
To farm transmog, you can repeatedly run Blackrock Foundry on any difficulty (LFR, Normal, Heroic, Mythic) that drops the desired appearance. Lower difficulties are quicker to clear.
How to reset Blackrock Foundry after a run?
To reset Blackrock Foundry (or any raid instance), exit the instance, right-click on your character portrait, and select "Reset All Instances." This will reset the bosses and trash, allowing you to run it again if you haven't hit the weekly lockout.
How to get the Tier 17 armor sets from Blackrock Foundry?
Tier 17 armor pieces drop from various bosses throughout Blackrock Foundry on all difficulties. Specific pieces drop from specific bosses (e.g., Helm from Kromog, Chest from Flamebender Ka'graz, Gloves from Iron Maidens). Blackhand drops a token that allows you to choose a tier piece.