Two Bosses Enter: Temple Guardian Anhuur vs. Daakara
In Two Bosses Enter, WoW Insider's series of fantasy death matches, the bosses of World of Warcraft face off in the squared circle. Your vote determines who wins and claims the season title.
Another Troll boss bit the dust last week when Hex Lord Malacrass fell to Vanessa VanCleef. This week, the Troll who inherited Zu'Aman in Cataclysm is up to bat: Daakara. Can Daakara pull out a win against Titan construct Anhuur?
%Poll-68053%
Follow along for the details of this week's matchup, as well as discussion on last week's match.
The rules of the ring
The WoW Insider Ring is considered neutral territory, where both combatants are able to access their usual encounter mechanics and abilities. If you can't visualize it inside the squared circle, visualize it someplace else -- but you must take into consideration all of each bosses' abilities and mechanics.
Assume that each opponent is intelligent and capable of strategic thinking.
All of the competitors' abilities, including crowd control and other effects to which bosses are usually immune, work on their opponents (with apologies to considerations of lore on this point).
Assume that the opponents share similar levels, health pools, and comparative overall damage output.
Don't get caught up in gameplay mechanics and what actual players might do in each encounter.
Don't neglect style, story, and scale. Everything is a factor; seeking balance is your goal as a spectator and judge.
In Corner One: Temple Guardian Anhuur
Beacons of light, bestow upon me your aegis!
Anhuur's buddy Setesh performing surprisingly well earlier in the tournament, knocking Halazzi right out. Whether that's a testament to Setesh's strength or to Halazzi's lack of popularity, who knows? The question now is can Anhuur follow it up?
Anhuur's toolkit includes:
Shield of Light Yes, the Two Bosses Enter arena has been outfitted with a pair of switches (and probably snakes, too).
You can read more about Temple Guardian Anhuur on Wowpedia.
In Corner Two: Daakara
This is why they call me ... invincible!
Daakara is the new warlord of the Amani after the fall of Zul'jin, which means comparisons between the two will always be drawn. Is Daakara a dangerous dude or just a poser mimicking the old boss's slick moves?
Daakara's spread of abilities includes ... oh, who am I kidding, there's like a million of them. Check it on Wowhead.
Can Daakara break the cycle? Can he be the first Zandalari ally to win in this season of the tournament? I'd say his chances are pretty good.
Last Week's Winner: Vanessa VanCleef
Last week marked Vanessa VanCleef's first legitimate win of the Two Bosses tournament. Hex Lord Malacrass put up a good fight, but Vanessa has already won the hearts and minds of the population at large.
Of course, Vanessa's a pretty stabby gal, and sometimes stabby isn't the most exciting thing to read about, is it? That's why reader Rai pitched a Malacrass win:
"Vanessa, why are you STILL here? You've made a mockery of this entire event!"
The leader of the Defias shrugged, letting out a yawn and smirking at Tirion, who was growing ever so bored of her presence.
"Because, I am the best, Highlord. There's apparently nothing you can throw at me to stop me. At this rate you'll have to fight me yourself, and I just don't think you-"
There was an ominous beating of drums as the stadium doors opened and the intimidating form of Hex Lord Malacrass strode in, looking very confident and waving to a crowd of trolls who was dancing and cheering in the stands. Vanessa raised an eyebrow at a chuckling Tirion, before hopping down from the stands and giving the Hex Lord the eye.
"Dere be much darkness in ya, missy. Malacrass gonna enjoy dis!"
"I hate trolls."
The giant troll lumbered towards Vanessa, cackling and raising his weapon. There was a puff of smoke at two points in the arena behind him, as the hissing form of Slither and the demonic form of Gazakroth appeared. Vanessa drew to a halt, waving her arms.
"Wait a minute! I've done intel on you! Why couldn't you bring the elf or that Raadan guy?"
"Raadan complain too much. Not summon often." Malacrass explained, raising an arm in the end before firing several spirit bolts at Vanessa, who began cursing, before leaping at Malacrass and stabbing him furiously. Gazakroth the imp began firing fireballs at her, while Slither copied the action with venom bolts.
"Minions! ATTACK!" Vanessa yelled, as three of her Defias cronies appeared from the shadows (which are always conviniently located), the two sword-weilding guards charging for Slither and attacking him, engaging the giant snake. The caster began attacking the imp, drawing his attention from Vanessa.
"It good to have friends!" Malacrass said, facing Vanessa and grunting as her blade thrusts began to perform their toll.
"I have no need for friends! I am more powerful than anyone, including my father!"
The caster assistant conjured a Blood Zone on the ground, which appeared at the other end of the arena. Vanessa facepalmed before shadowstepping, hitting Malacrass once in the back and then running for the Blood Zone, turning and beckoning. There was a furious hiss and a slight burning smell as Slither and Gazakroth killed one of her assistants each, turning to finish the third.
"Ya got baggage, missy. Your heart be dark, and Malacrass wishes for a taste..."
Malacrass roared and a beam of white light connected itself to Vanessa as he began siphoning her soul. She shrugged.
"I have nothing to hide..."
He charged as the Blood Zone faded, raising his weapon once more. Behind him, his friend Slither dropped dead as the imp finished off the third attacker.
"You be a rogue, mon! You have EVERYTHING to hide! Malacrass sees it now. Your father, murdered. Your friends, gone. Forced to hire a puny murloc as a kingpin because everyone else be lackin' the brainpower?"
"Stop it!" Vanessa demanded, attacking him more and more furiously, but his Drain Power spell lowering the damage as it rose.
"Hidin' behind poisons and weaklings, throwin' em to the beasts as they become useless. Ye be washed up, VanCleef and y'know it missy!"
Malacrass began striking her harder and harder as her rogue knowledge echoed through his mind. The siphon ended.
"I am powerful! I am greater than my fath-ARGH!" she screamed as the imp's fireball hit her directly in the back.
"Den your father must have been weak. Puny adventurers be able to kill him!"
Spirit bolts began firing at Vanessa again. Three more of her assistants appeared, all three charging at the imp but it was useless. She knew that this was going to end badly for her. Thinking quickly, she cast Deflection, but the spirit bolts were not reflected, as they killed her assistants, who had just finished off the imp and were preparing to tear him apart.
"I've-I've armed the arena with explosives! Did you really-"
"No you ain't. Shut up, girlie."
As Vanessa was about to drop to the floor, she screamed especially loudly. Malacrass stopped in surprise, but began siphoning her soul.
"Enough! I will not give you the pleasure. My fate is m-"
Malacrass used Blind. Vanessa wandered around on the spot. Somewhere in the distance, Tirion was laughing hard.
"I be disappointed, mon. All that talk of a fun Nightmare Gauntlet, all da exciting exposition, all o' dat! But no, all you managed to do is make this entire thing a farce with your stupid piece o' cardboard! NO MORE!"
He lunged for her, raising his weapon and bringing it crashing down upon her skull. Vanessa's screams echoed throughout the colosseum.
"Dis a nightmare ya don' wake up from!"
Unfortunately for the Hex Lord, it turns out Rai's scenario was just a poison-induced dream. Immediately after his slick one-liner, Malacrass woke from his lovely illusion with a dagger in his back.
%Poll-67647%
The battle begins!
Remember, Two Bosses Enter matchups are all about substance and style, not gameplay, mechanics, and numbers. Don't base your strategies on player tactics, which opponent has been easiest or most difficult for you personally, or the difficulty of each opponent relative to instance progression. Vote for the spirit of the battle as set forth above. Set aside differences in opponents' health pools, game level, and actual damage output. Absolutely no game mechanics nitpicking!
Set aside the world order -- let the WoW Insider Ring determine who's the champion! Your votes determine the outcome in WoW Insider's series of fantasy deathmatches, Two Bosses Enter, One Boss Leaves.
