Two Bosses Enter: King Ymiron vs. Mal'Ganis
Two Bosses Enter ... but only One Boss Leaves, in WoW.com's series of fantasy death matches. Welcome to Round Two of the five-man Wrath of the Lich King season. Grab a seat, and let's get ready to rumble!
Lorehounds should have plenty of material to root through in the playbills of this week's Two Bosses Thunderdome matchup, as King Ymiron (Utgarde Pinnacle) takes on Mal'Ganis (The Culling of Stratholme). King Ymiron enters the ring after a close battle against King Dred, while Mal'ganis is undoubtedly still riding high after an easy defeat of Omorok the Tree-Shaper earlier this season.
Listen up for the ground rules:
All of the competitors' abilities, including crowd control and other effects to which bosses are usually immune, work on their opponents.
Assume that the opponents share similar levels, health pools and comparative overall damage output.
This deathmatch takes place in neutral territory, which shall in no way hinder either opponent from using his usual resources. Get creative in your scenario, if necessary, but make it work in spirit.
Don't get caught up in gameplay mechanics and what actual players might do in each encounter.
Don't neglect style, story and scale.
Let the Thunderdome gates open, and let the contestants come forward. As Dr. Dealgood would say: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls ... Dyin' time's here.
King Ymiron (Utgarde Pinnacle)
You invade my home and then dare to challenge me? I will tear the hearts from your chests and offer them as gifts to the death god! Rualg nja gaborr!
King Ymiron is the slumbering king of Northrend's Vrykul, the leader of the Dragonflayer clan who lies sleeping within Gjalerbron. Fanatically adored by his people, the now undead king has proven his worth to the Lich King.
Like the kingly Vrykul he is, King Ymiron hits like Thor's hammer. Normal hits are hard, and his Dark Slash cuts down 50 percent of the target's health. The king protects himself with Bane and complicates matters with the random cast of Fetid Rot.
Periodically during battle, King Ymiron's Screams of the Dead paralyze opponents for 8 seconds. During this time, he runs to one of the four longboats in the room to channel a spell from a Vrykul ancestor there. He will use that ability until the longboat burns shortly thereafter. Spectators may choose a different scenario for the sake of this match's neutral setting, but Ymiron will continue to have access access to the usual longboat abilities.
Longboat abilities include:
Summons an orb that causes AoE shadow damage and moves around the room.
Summons minions
Read more about King Ymiron's abilities, and look over comments from players who've battled the king.
Mal'Ganis (The Culling of Stratholme)
As you can see, your people are now mine. I will now turn this city, household by household, until the flame of life has been snuffed out forever.
Mal'Ganis is not merely the last boss in The Culling of Stratholme – he's one of the Nathrezim sent by Archimonde to head up the plot to turn Prince Arthas to darkness and make him the Lich King's greatest champion.
Note that while we do allow minions into the ring with our Two Bosses Enter competitors, Prince Arthas Menethil will not be in attendance inside the Two Bosses Thunderdome. As with the usual Culling of Stratholme mechanics, it will not be necessary for King Ymiron to "kill" Mal'ganis, merely to "defeat" him and cause him to escape.
Read more about Mal'ganis and his usual methods of dealing with intruders, and then check up on comments from players who've fought him.
The smackdown
Two Boss matchups are about substance and style, not game play and mechanics. No player-tactic or game-mechanic nitpicking! Vote for the spirit of the battle as set forth above. Set aside differences in opponents' health pools, game level and actual damage output.
Who wins, and why? We'll see you down below in the comments – can you come up with a convincing scenario that will sway other readers to your point of view?
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Cast your vote in this match of
Round Two of the five-man Wrath of the Lich King season to help us determine who rocks Wrath's five-man world.
