Two Bosses Enter: Mannoroth vs. Lord Godfrey
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.
Oh ho ho ho, this promises to be quite the matchup, ladies and gentlemen. Can the pit lord general and his wacky elf sidekick take down gunslinger extraordinaire Lord Godfrey in a duel to the presumable death? I'm excited. Get excited! I've got Mannoroth taking this one in an early and decisive victory. Sorry, Godfrey fans -- I call 'em like I sees 'em.
Last week's matchup was a doozy that took me by surprise. I did not expect a win for Murozond because I thought that Azshara would have a more loyal following. Much like her misguided and tainted Highborne, her followers were not strong or numerous enough to cinch the win. Sorry, lady, you're out.
Now it is time to vote. You heard me -- vote! Who will advance to the next round? Choose! I can't push to any more than I already have.
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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: Mannoroth
Mannoroth has a lot going for him. Not only is he a demon and awesome, but he's huge and imposing. Godfrey is just a little dude! A little, brittle, undead dude, at that. Mannoroth has traveled across the cosmos, left ruin in his wake, and now stands before this pitiful little creature. It's almost insulting, isn't it?
That's what I would be saying if I had some sort of agenda, now wouldn't it? But I don't have any agenda, so back off. It's all the fel energy around here, man. It's screwing with my sense of, well, everything. Damn you and your delicious blood, Mannoroth.
The biggest crack in Mannoroth's armor is going to come from Godfrey's ability to adapt to many situations. Those ghouls are going to be tricky, especially since they are just so damned useful in a million different ways. I'd like to see Mannoroth throw anything at Godfrey that ghouls couldn't cure.
Read up on all of the abilities of the Mannoroth fight at Wowhead, since there are a zillion of them. Remember, after Varo'then dies (or is eaten/consumed/sacrificed), his blade can be used to pierce Mannoroth.
In Corner Two: Lord Godfrey
Let's be honest -- Godfrey went up against Arcurion for his first match. That's some amatuer hour right there. The forgettable ascendant was easily dispatched by Godfrey, a cakewalk for the seasoned killer. This man shot Sylvanas in the face, after all.
But what of Godfrey's chances against Mannoroth? While the adds and such don't seem like they would be a problem for Godfrey and his little army of ghouls, Mannoroth himself could be a different story. Since Godfrey has to be standing still to cast some of his signature, powerful moves, the raining fire could prove dangerous for the sharpshooter.
The odds are good that Godfrey will pull out a win based on his popularity, but anything is possible. After all, Vanessa VanCleef didn't win last season, now did she?
Godfrey's abilities include:
Last Week's Winner: Murozond
I am surprised, readers, that you chose to go with Murozond in this fight. Azshara seemed like she would be a fan favorite from the very beginning, but it appears that I was wrong. There is more staying power to Murozond than I had originally thought, so good for him! I'm proud of you, little corrupted aspect. All grown up and infinite ...
Honestly, I voted for Murozond as well. The combination of AoE damage and just plain ruthless Murozond is felt too overpowering for Azshara's servants. The mind controlling mechanic seems avoidable, and Murozond could easily make the ground Azshara was standing on, if she's in the fight or not, inhospitable. Concentrating on the puppeteering might be a problem.
Nonetheless, Murozond took home a pretty significant win with 61.5% of the vote, with a really great turnout for mid-season preliminary fights. I am really proud that the popularity of this column has grown, and that's thanks to all your imaginative posts, comments, and stories. So, thanks all. Maybe I'll see if Alex has any extra loot codes to toss around for some of the best comments about the fights ...
Oh, he said yes. Well, then. Next week, I'll pass out some loot codes.
Let's see what you guys came up with for last week's matchup.
Telwar hit the nail on the head with comments about Azshara's flunkies. These guys are enamored with the beauty of their queen, not necessarily the brightest of the bunch. I'll let Telwar explain it:
It's not Azshara that Murozond is fighting, it's her flunkies. That's the key.
Remember, Azshara sits doing her nails and is invulnerable during the fight, as it's beneath her. So, Murozond has to just interrupt her Total Obedience, and he's golden.
Because the mages in her court? They're like every idiot you've ever grouped with who couldn't actually get out of the fire or get the interrupt or switch to the add. Literally, they're watching their meters, because they're sure having the highest dps will impress the queen.
I love the idea that those guys are played by people who are awful at WoW. Breaks my heart at the same time. Murozond is such an imposing force as well that Azshara's followers just might rout at the sight of a dragon like Murozond. It's a fearsome fight, to say the least.
Let's face it -- Azshara's mages aren't the brightest bulbs in the box. Murozond makes short work of this fight, in my mind.
Perry's account of the battle doesn't really take place during the battle. Actually, it takes place at several key moments in history before the battle, as Highborne mages spend their time studying and galavanting about in study. Books, lectures, tests, and exams dot the collegial landscape of the Highborne dormitories. Kuri Starfollow is throwing a Lantern Party for the House Drassil homecoming celebration. Under the stars, a druid sleeps as a bear under a tree, and a brother begins his dark descent -- a long time before the battle Murozond's influence took early hold.
But...but...he IZ Aspeckt.
All seriousness aside, he was prepared for this fight with Azshara. Throughout their measly existence, Murzond has been undermining the mages' lives. From removing pelts from bears before they could be looted to phasing the herbs they needed for the queen's cocktail, Murozond has been preparing his enemies for failure. That magic teacher that taught them a spell that "should" nullify time-magic but actually amplifies it? An Infinite Tutor. That tailor who sewed their boots with an automatic shoelace-tying mechanism? An Infinite tailor. At the most probable moment in this fight, Murozond will collapse this great ball of wibbley-wobbley timey-wimey stuff around their throats.
For these mortals, time...has run out. /dragonsunglasses
Oh, dragon sunglasses, where would we be without you? So many dragons would be squinting during important lore moments or reveals.
So we stand at another crossroads, friends. Who will advance to the next round of Two Bosses Enter, further proving their ultimate worth and pride to their respective factions, masters, races, or otherwise? Will Lord Godfrey's pistol power and cunning be enough to fell the great pitlord Mannoroth, enslaver of the orcs and one of the most powerful demons in the universe? Who wins? You decide!
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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.
