Two Bosses Enter: Yorg Stormheart vs. Archmage Aethas Sunreaver
In Two Bosses Enter, WoW Insider's series of fantasy death matches, bosses, leaders, and powerful figures of World of Warcraft face off in the squared circle. Your vote determines who wins and claims the season title.
This, my friends, is a powerhouse match. The Injuries in Icecrown. The Rumble in the Halls of Reflection. The Gore in the Glacier. The Damage in Dalaran. Yorg Stormheart, immovable king of the Frostborn dwarves, strides into the arena to battle one of the single most powerful mages from one of the single most powerful families of elves, Archmage Aethas Sunreaver. Horde or Alliance, Sunreaver or Frostborn, we are all getting a ridiculously awesome match tonight.
In our last exciting episode of Two Bosses Enter, Ishanah of the Aldor priests had the horrible misfortune of going up against Brann Bronzebeard, expert explorer and mega-fan favorite of the tournament. There wasn't any chance in hell for Ishanah to escape from this massacre, so let's go look at the scoreboard just to make sure it wasn't an embarrassing defeat, at least.
Guess not. Ishanah, you're out of here, pal.
Now's your chance to pitch in and make this world a better place by choosing who you feel wins the match between Yorg Stormheart and Archmage Aethas Sunreaver. Your vote decides the fate of us all.
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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: Yorg Stormheart
When Yorg took his victory against Voren'thal the Seer, many Scryers fans wondered how such a powerful mage could be defeated by an easily kited dwarf warrior. I mean, really. Mages, you are the bane of my existence, of all warriors' existence, no matter race or creed. Not bitter.
Yorg smashed his way into this bracket with a penchant for defeating mages in the ring. His next matchup is a tough one, however, and no matter what he believed Voren'thal was capable of, he hasn't seen anything yet.
Something that always struck me as a fun story element with the dwarves in Warcraft lore was their utter resilience. They just don't stop. It's not about strength or whatever but about a weird innate tenacity or fortitude. Things just don't bother them as much as other races, and that also applies to their durability. I don't know ... It's always been one of my more favorite aspects of the dwarves.
We reached out to Yorg (or as he is known as more commonly, Muradin Bronzebeard), one of the three rulers on the Council of Three Hammers, for a pre-fight statement:
WoW Insider: Muradin, what do you think about going toe-to-toe with one of the most powerful mages in existence? His mastery of the arcane is unbelieveable.
Muradin: I've been dealing with the arcane for a long time, lad, and it never caused me any problems. Ye can learn magic. Ye can't learn what I got.
WI: He's like, really good though.
Muradin: So am I, lad. So am I.
Will Yorg Stormheart conquer his next opponent and make it into the final match? You'll decide soon, won't you?
In Corner Two: Archmage Aethas Sunreaver
As Yorg Stormheart has proven that he is adept at besting mages in the ring, so too has Aethas Sunreaver proven he is a warrior's worst nightmare. After besting the leader of the Northrend taunka Roanauk Icemist, Aethas enters this next matchup with the tools and wisdom of finishing off melee champions.
It is no accident that Aethas has made it to the next round of the tournament. His Horde ties and proud blood elven status make him a crowd favorite as well as one of the coolest heroes of Wrath of the Lich King. Not only was his armor totally badass, but you knew this guy was something special when you only got to see him in images and projections all during Dragonblight. He was everywhere you were and more. Aethas, you're pretty cool in my book.
One day, when all is quiet and the world is at peace again, Aethas Sunreaver will be able to return to Silvermoon and make mages proud to be at the helm of the blood elves again. After all, there are rumors that Aethas just might have what it takes to follow in the footsteps of another very important blood elf member of the Kirin Tor.
Last Week's Winner: Brann Bronzebeard, duh
Yeah, he won. To be completely honest, I love how these fights with Brann have been progressing in people's accounts of the fight. Ishanah is completely, utterly outmatched by the accidental destruction of something precious, or Brann just tosses people random artifacts to hold that melt them, send them to another dimension, or put them out of commission long enough for Brann to be declared the winner. If you go up against Brann Bronzebeard, prepare to be destroyed by luck, chance, and being around Brann.
Psiwave's comment was very telling, especially about the nature of the fights in this exhibition season. Many players' loyalties lie with their trusted companion and friend even though his stature and power don't really dictate his winning potential. Spoiler alert -- this is all fake and it's just for fun:
Bran can't win this, there's no way he can win this.... Can't bring self to vote against bran....
Not even for the lore.. Or the /waggle
Votes bran
Sobs.
Reader Lokanaya had two awesome scenarios for how this fight would play out, each with its own fun flavor. The first pits Brann against Ishanah during Brann's lunch time and -- well, you'll see:
Ishanah and Brann glare at each from across the Arena. All of a sudden, Brann declares, "I'm getting a wee bit peckish." and pulls out his lunchbox. Ishanah blinks in surprise and attacks him with the Light while Brann is digging through his lunch.
"Oops!" he says as the attack hits him. He fumbles and drops his lunchbox. As it hits the ground, Old Gods, Titan constructs, and every ancient evil ever comes out and conviently attacks Ishanah. She doesn't stand a chance. After a bit, Brann calmy walks over and picks it up. As all the ancient evils vanish, all Brann can think is, "Wait until the boys in Ironforge hear about this!"
Classic Brann! Always keeping his most powerful artifacts and finds in his lunch box. The second scenario hits a little closer to home, because I think that damn dwarf tricked me into doing similar things as I've adventured around with him. What a needy guy.
"Brann, knowing your tendency to attract Old Gods," Tirion says. "We've decided that any victory that you achieve via ancient evils will disqualify you."
"But how am I supposed to win now? Ye know that's what I'm best at!" Brann complains.
"If that's all you're able to do, then perhaps you should not be here. The stadium can't take any more attacks from Titans or Old Gods." Tirion replied. "Now, begin!"
"Your dungeon-delving ways end here, dwarf. Without those "accidents" you do not stand a chance!" Ishanah proclaimed.
"Hmm... I think I know another way." The dwarf pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something on it before putting it into an envelope and sending it off. The priestess watched curiously against her better judgement.
Not 30 seconds after it had disappeared, a dull roar began, gradually getting louder. Ishanah cocked her head curiously. "What is--" She began to say before a mob of adventurers of all races and classes mowed her over. In the chaos, a copy of the letter Brann had written was blown over. Chuckling softly, he picked it up and read it again. Basically, it said that Ishanah had powerful equipment and anybody who participated in killing her got one of the many, many weapons Brann had just lying around at his house. Well, it wasn't any forbidden, ancient whatever, was it?
Still chuckling, he walked out of the arena and went back to digging to deep, until next fight that is!
Well, there you have it. Brann Bronzebeard moves on to the final round. Who will be his opponent? Decide for me, please, because I don't want to have to make this call. Anything you guys choose will be a fun ride, but choose wisely!
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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.
