Two Bosses Enter: The ICC-ToC Season
Two Bosses Enter ... but only One Boss Leaves, in WoW.com's series of fantasy death matches. It's a brand new season and a brand new format, introducing judges from WoW.com and the WoW community at large -- and of course, your votes. Grab a seat, and let's get ready to rumble!
Welcome, welcome, please take your seats ... We're so glad to see you back in the stands at the Two Bosses Thunderdome! The judges have already taken their seats, down in the covered box -- that's right, the one with the red awning. They imported that monstrosity from Silvermoon, you know. The Consortium was in an uproar when they found out the tournament directors had ordered directly from the Sin'dorei. All that brocade ... Such a shame it'll inevitably be marred with the blood and gore of the gladiators. Oh, yes, the judges will get more than their fill of the messy glory; you didn't think those are their best robes, did you? How positively droll of you to assume -- Oh look, here's Dr. Dealgood now, come along to introduce the judges' panel.
Ladies and gentlemen, gnomes and ghouls, welcome to a brand new season inside the Thunderdome ... Where Two Bosses Enter, but only One Boss Leaves! We present for your bloodthirsty pleasure fresh foes from the inner reaches of the five-man instances of Icecrown Citadel, along with seasoned gladiators from the Trial of the Champion. These ferocious combatants will be evaluated by the distinguished panel of judges you see before you, just beneath the blood-red awning in the box below. Let's meet them now.
On the left sits Sir Matthew Rossi, a seasoned veteran of -- well, of everything worth being a veteran of, ladies and gentlemen, a veteran of simply everything. If it can be beheaded with a blade, it's a certainty that Sir Rossi has made its acquaintance. Next to him is Sir Michael Gray, somewhat of an insider on the scene and the renowned impresario of some new Gnomish technology called machimi ... machina ... a very noble project, you can be sure of it. Beside him, you'll find Chef Zapperz of <Time Well Wasted>, who we've heard also dabbles in tales of peoples from far beyond our frontiers -- more Draenei nonsense, I'm sure, there couldn't possibly be other people in the sky, that's just ridiculous ... Nothing against Sir Zapperz, you understand ... And finally, ladies and gentlemen, a man of the people, your very own Sir Sky Paladin, rising to represent you from the very stands of the Thunderdome!
Don't forget, ladies and gentlemen, that your votes serve as the fifth voice from the judging box. Be sure to present your ballot before leaving the Thunderdome.
And now, allow us to present the latest season in this spectacle of carnage: The Five-Man Bosses of Icecrown Citadel and Trial of the Champion.
Match 1: Bronjahm vs. The Black Knight
Match 2: Devourer of Souls vs. Forgemaster Garfrost
Match 3: Krick and Ick vs. Scourgelord Tyrannus
Match 4: Falric vs. Argent Confessor Paletress
Match 5: Marwyn vs. ToC PvP champions
March 6: Eadric the Pure vs. Lich King
Should your favorite find defeat on the Thunderdome's demanding floor, despair not. The Thunderdome will allow a popular vote to bring back one defeated contestant to fight again in the quarter-finals. Play your vote carefully, friends -- and take your seats, for the first match is ready to begin: Bronjahm versus The Black Knight!
The Laws of the Thunderdome
The Two Bosses Thunderdome 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 Thunderdome, 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.
And so, with no further ado: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls ... Dyin' time's here.
In Corner One: Bronjahm
More souls to power the engine! Finally ... a captive audience!
The Godfather of Souls is the first boss of the Forge of Souls within Icecrown Citadel. He must be killed in order to power down the forges and continue through the area.
Bronjahm casts Shadow Bolt and Corrupted Soul, a Drain Soul-like spell creating a Corrupted Soul Fragment that heals Bronjahm as long as he is within range of it. At about 30% health, Bronjahm teleports to the center of the room and casts Soulstorm around the edges of the room, into which he attempts to fear opponents.
Read more about Bronjahm's battle tactics, or review reports from those who've faced him in battle.
In Corner Two: The Black Knight
Did you honestly think that an agent of the Lich King would be bested on the field of your pathetic little tournament? I've come to finish my task.
The Black Knight is the final boss of the Trial of the Champion in the Crusaders' Coliseum. Opponents must face him in three sequential forms: corporeal form, skeleton form and ghost form.
Corporeal Form
Raise Dead Raises either Arelas Brightstar or Jaeren Sunsworn
Skeleton Form
Corporeal and Skeleton Form
Ghost Form
Study more of The Black Knight's battle tactics, or review the observations of those who've faced him in the past.
Inside the Thunderdome
Two Bosses Enter matchups are about substance and style, not game play and mechanics. 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-mechanic nitpicking!
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Set aside the world order -- let the Thunderdome determine who's the champion of Icecrown! Come back next week to find out who is the victor of the Icecrown-Trial of the Champions season of Two Bosses Enter, One Boss Leaves.
