WoW Classic Upper Blackrock Spire Location, Quests, Bosses, & Rewards

WoW Classic Upper Blackrock Spire Dungeon Guide
  • Author: Luxrah
  • Date: February 8, 2025
  • Updated: February 8, 2025
  • Expansion: WoW Classic

Upper Blackrock Spire is the upper portion of the Blackrock Spire instance, and is mainly used to house the stronger, more elite orcs of the Dark Horde known as the Blackhand Legion. Unlike any other dungeon in the game, Upper Blackrock Spire is actually a 10-man instance and requires attunement. Despite that, it is one of the most popular dungeons for the great loot it provides.

Location & Map

There are two ways to reach the portal from the main path through the mountain. One way is by entering the door that is next to the Blackrock Spire meeting stone and following the path upward. You’ll have to deal with some elite enemies via this route. The alternative is to climb the large chain and follow the wall toward the balcony where the gnome NPC Bodley is standing and jump onto it. This will put you directly in front of the dungeon portal without needing to deal with any mobs.

When you enter the portal, you’ll be inside Lower Blackrock Spire. To enter the Upper Blackrock Spire portion of the instance, you’ll need to open the door that is upstairs to the left from the entrance. This requires obtaining the Seal of Ascension from a quest in Lower Blackrock Spire. At least one person in your group will need this item in order to open the door and allow everyone inside.

blackrock mountain map
upper blackrock spire map wow classic

Quests

There are a handful of quests inside Upper Blackrock Spire for both factions, and a few that are faction-specific.

Quest Name
Acquired From
Shareable
Wow Alliance Crest Doomrigger’s Clasp
Mayara Brightwing (Burning Steppes)
Yes
For The Horde!
Thrall (Orgrimmar)
No
The Darkstone Tablet
Shadowmage Vivian Lagrave (Badlands)
Yes
Egg Freezing
Tinkee Steamboil (Burning Steppes)
No
Egg Collection
Tinkee Steamboil (Burning Steppes)
No
Eye of the Emberseer
Duke Hydraxis (Azshara)
No

Wow Alliance Crest Alliance Quests

Doomrigger’s Clasp

There is an optional breadcrumb quest that leads to this one, Mayara Brightwing, which is given by Count Remington Ridgewell in Stormwind Keep.

Mayara Brightwing offers this quest at Morgan’s Vigil, the main Alliance hub in Burning Steppes. To complete the quest, make your way through Upper Blackrock Spire until you reach The Rookery, the room that is full of dragon eggs. Around the middle of the room you’ll see Doomrigger’s Coffer, a large chest that is tucked between a standing pillar and a fallen one. Loot it to get Doomrigger’s Clasp, which you can turn in to Mayara Brightwing for your reward.

There is a follow-up quest, Delivery to Ridgewell, that sends you to Stormwind City and awards your choice of Blinkstrike Armguards or Swiftfoot Treads.

upper blackrock spire quests mayara brightwing
Mayara Brightwing in Burning Steppes
upper blackrock spire quests doomrigger's coffer
Doomrigger’s Coffer in Upper Blackrock Spire

Horde Quests

For The Horde!

This quest chain starts with Warlord’s Command from Warlord Goretooth in Kargath, Badlands. That quest is covered in our Lower Blackrock Spire guide. After handing it in, you’ll get the quest Eitrigg’s Wisdom, which directs you to speak with Eitrigg inside Grommash Hold in Orgrimmar. When you’ve done that, you can turn in the quest to Thrall on the other side of the same room. He’ll then give you this quest.

To complete the quest, make your way through the Upper Blackrock Spire dungeon until you encounter Warchief Rend Blackhand. Kill him to loot the Head of Rend Blackhand. Bring the head back to Thrall to complete the quest. Turning in the head will trigger a world buff, Warchief’s Blessing, to go out to every character in Orgrimmar, as long as no one has triggered it within the last hour.

This quest is part of the lengthy chain that leads to Onyxia Attunement.

upper blackrock spire quests eitrigg
Eitrigg in Orgrimmar
upper blackrock spire quests thrall
Thrall in Orgrimmar

The Darkstone Tablet

There’s an optional breadcrumb quest that leads to this one, Vivian Lagrave and the Darkstone Tablet from Apothecary Zinge at the Apothecarium in Undercity.

You’ll find the Darkstone Tablet leaning against a fallen pillar in The Rookery, the big room with all of the dragon eggs inside Upper Blackrock Spire. Loot it and return to Shadowmage Vivian Lagrave for your reward.

blackrock depths quests shadowmage vivian lagrave
Shadowmage Vivian Lagrave in Badlands
upper blackrock spire quests darkstone tablet
Darkstone Tablet in Upper Blackrock Spire

Neutral Quests

Egg Freezing

There’s an optional breadcrumb quest that leads to this one, Tinkee Steamboil, which can be picked up from Felnok Steelspring at Everlook in Winterspring

This is the first quest in a lengthy chain, and it begins at Flame Crest in Burning Steppes, a Horde flight location that has neutral NPCs. You’ll find Tinkee Steamboil there, who offers this quest.

To complete it, make your way through Upper Blackrock Spire until you reach The Rookery, the room full of dragon eggs. Carefully approach some eggs and right-click the Eggscilloscope Prototype, and then you’ll be able to click on a Rookery Egg and freeze it. You don’t need to get super close to reach them, so stay back so you don’t accidentally hatch them and summon a bunch of whelps. Return to Tinkee at Flame Crest and she’ll give you the quest below, which must be done in The Rookery (if you have a patient group, you can knock both out in one run). 

scholomance quests tinkee steamboil
Tinkee Steamboil in Burning Steppes
upper blackrock spire quests egg freezing
A frozen egg in Upper Blackrock Spire

Egg Collection

This quest continues from the one above. You’ll need to head back to The Rookery inside Upper Blackrock Spire and use the Eggscilloscope to freeze some more eggs. This time, you’ll have to collect the frozen eggs with the Collectronic Module. You’ll need to be a little closer to the eggs to use the Collectronic Module than the Eggscilloscope, but luckily, once the eggs are frozen they do not hatch when you get close. Collect 8 eggs this way and head back to Tinkee for your reward.

Continuing this quest chain will lead you to a quest for the Scholomance dungeon.

scholomance quests tinkee steamboil
Tinkee Steamboil in Burning Steppes
upper blackrock spire quests egg freezing
A frozen egg in Upper Blackrock Spire

Eye of the Emberseer

  • Shareable: No
  • Level Required: 56
  • Chain Start: Duke Hydraxis on an island in the Bay of Storms in Azshara
  • Quest Start: Duke Hydraxis on an island in the Bay of Storms in Azshara
  • Finish: Duke Hydraxis on an island in the Bay of Storms in Azshara
  • Objectives: Obtain the Eye of the Emberseer inside Upper Blackrock Spire
  • Rewards:
    • 8300 experience
    • 4 gold 98 silver

This is part of the Hydraxian Waterlords quest chain. The first quests in the chain can be obtained from Duke Hydraxis, who you’ll find on an island in the Bay of Storms in Azshara. He offers two quests, Poisoned Water and Stormers and Rumblers.

To complete Poisoned Water, head to Eastern Plaguelands and look for Blighted Horrors, green-tinted water elementals who inhabit Blackwood Lake around the center of the map as well as the waters of Northdale in the northeast. Use the Aspect of Neptulon on them to transform them into Discordant Surges, then kill them to loot Discordant Bracers from them. Bring 12 of these items to Duke Hydraxis to complete the quest.

To complete Stormers and Rumblers, travel to The Crystal Vale in northwest Silithus and kill elementals. You’ll need to defeat 15 Desert Rumblers and 15 Dust Stormers.

When you’ve turned in the two quests above, you’ll be able to pick up this quest and head to Upper Blackrock Spire. There you must kill the first boss, Pyroguard Emberseer, and loot Eye of the Emberseer from him. Return this item to Duke Hydraxis to complete the quest.

The chain continues with a series of quests for the Molten Core raid.

duke hydraxis sod
Duke Hydraxis in Azshara
upper blackrock spire quests pyroguard emberseer
Pyroguard Emberseer in Upper Blackrock Spire

Bosses

There are eight bosses in Upper Blackrock Spire, including two bosses who are either summoned by quests, or do not always appear.

Pyroguard Emberseer

Pyroguard Emberseer is the first boss in Upper Blackrock Spire, and is mandatory to move forward in the instance. The boss drops the highly sought after pre-bis physical DPS Truestrike Shoulders. The boss is summoned by having 3 or more group members click the Blackrock Altar in the room. Initially your group will have to defeat a few waves of Incarcerators, but they have low health and will easily be killed with AoE damaging abilities.

pyroguard emberseer

Strategy

  • Tank: Fight Pyroguard Emberseer away from your ranged group while maintaining the primary threat position.
  • Healer: Be aware that your melee group will be taking damage from Fire Nova. Stand away from the boss and focus your healing throughout the melee group while focusing the tank.
  • Damage Dealers: AoE down the adds before Emberseer spawns. Ranged DPS should stay away from Pyroguard Emberseer to avoid being hit with Fire Nova. Do not overtake your tank from the primary threat position.

Loot

Solakar Flamewreath

Solakar Flamewreath is a special boss that only spawns during the Father Flame event in the Rookery of UBRS. The boss spawns some adds who need to be managed.

solakar flamewreath

Strategy

  • Tank: Tank the boss against the wall where it spawns. Pick up adds as they spawn, and ensure they do not attack your healers. Maintain threat on the boss while your DPS burn it down.
  • Healer: Stand away from the boss to avoid War Stomp. Keep your group members topped off while focusing on healing the tank.
  • Damage Dealers: Focus down the adds when they spawn. Otherwise, focus all damage output on the boss. Ranged should stand away from the boss to avoid War Stomp.

Loot

Goraluk Anvilcrack

Goraluk Anvilcrack is a basic melee encounter that is completely optional and often skipped. The boss does drop some significant Blacksmithing Patterns, like Plans: Invulnerable Mail.

goraluk anvilcrack

Strategy

  • Tank: Tank the boss away from the group. The off tank should get aggro or Taunt the boss when the Main Tank is stunned from Backhand.
  • Healer: Focus on healing your Main Tank while standing away from the boss. Your tank will require extra healing when stunned from Backhand.
  • Damage Dealers: This fight is a tank and spank. Do not overtake the primary threat position from your tanks.

Loot

Warchief Rend Blackhand

Warchief Rend Blackhand is encountered standing next to Nefarian on an unreachable ledge, where they watch you defeat waves of drakes and dragonkin until Rend decides to take you himself. The boss enters the room with his mount, Gyth. Both Rend and Gyth need to be defeated in order to progress in the raid.

warchief rend blackhand

Strategy

  • Tank: Have the Main Tank stay on Gyth while the Off Tank picks up Rend. The raid will focus down Gyth then switch to Rend. The Main Tank should avoid being in range of Rend’s Whirlwind or Thunderclap while both mobs are alive.
  • Healer: Assign a healer to each tank, being mindful that some raid healing will be needed throughout the fight. Stay at maximum range to avoid being hit by Rend’s Whirlwind or Thunderclap abilities.
  • Damage Dealers: Once the two together are brought down to 20% and become two separate mobs, focus down Gyth first, then switch to Rend. Stay behind Gyth to avoid being hit with Corrosive Acid Breath or Flame Breath. Melee DPS should avoid Rend’s Whirlwind as best as possible. Ranged DPS should stay at maximum distance to avoid being hit by Whirlwind or Thunderclap.

Loot

The Beast

The Beast is a challenging boss that is located in The Furnace area of Upper Blackrock Spire. Be sure that all surrounding adds are cleared, and be aware that stealth Blackhand Assassins may be in the room.

the beast

Strategy

  • Tank: Stay at the top of the threat meter so that The Beast will return to a Tank after charging another member of the raid. Tank The Beast with your back facing a wall so that you are not tossed around by the knockback portion of the Flamebreak mechanic.
  • Healer: Be aware of who is being charged by The Beast so you can give them a little extra healing. The Tanks and Melee group will take AoE damage from Flamebreak, so try to keep everyone topped off. Stay at maximum distance to outrange the Fear and Flamebreak mechanics.
  • Damage Dealers: Ranged DPS need to be at maximum distance to outrange the Fear and Flamebreak mechanics. You are going to be charged by The Beast at some point, so use some self healing to take stress off the healers.

Loot

General Drakkisath

General Drakkisath is the final boss in Upper Blackrock Spire, and is accompanied by two Chromatic Elite Guard adds. The boss drops the chestpieces for each of the classes Tier 0 sets, and is required for attunement to both the Onyxia and Blackwing Lair 40 man raids. This fight is the most difficult in UBRS, and is typically approached by assigning a Hunter using Aspect of the Cheetah or a confidant Mage using Blink on cooldown kiting Drakkisath back around The Beast’s room before returning to the raid.

general drakkisath

Strategy

  • Tank: One tank should be assigned to each of the two Chromatic Elite Guards. The Main Tank’s Guard should be killed first so that they can be ready to pick up Drakkisath when he comes back around. Face the boss towards a wall and away from the group to avoid unnecessarily spreading damage from Flame Breath or Cleave. When Drakkisath casts Conflagration, the off tank needs to Taunt the boss onto him.
  • Healer: Assign a healer to your Tanks and make sure someone is spreading out HoT effects on the raid. Do not cast any spells on the player who is kiting Drakkisath because you will end up generating threat and pulling the boss back in the room. The first tank that engages Drakkisath will eventually be hit by Conflagration and take lots of damage. Heal them up and also start healing the off tank who is now the focus of threat.
  • Damage Dealers: Focus down whichever Chromatic Elite Guard is assigned to your Main Tank, then move on to the other Chromatic Elite Guard. When both are dead, move on to Drakkisath. One DPS, typically a Hunter, needs to kite Drakkisath back around The Beast’s room before returning to the raid. Stay behind Drakkisath to avoid being hit by Flame Breath or Cleave. Ranged DPS need to be at maximum distance to avoid being hit by Conflagration and Thunderclap.

Loot

Jed Runewatcher (Rare)

Jed Runewatcher is a rare, optional boss that spawns, patrolling the same room as Goraluk Anvilcrack. Jed drops the Briarwood Reed, a highly sought after pre-raid BiS on-use trinket for casters.

jed runewatcher

Strategy

  • Tank: Tank the boss against a wall and maintain the primary threat position.
  • Healer: Focus your healing on the tank throughout this encounter.
  • Damage Dealers: This fight is a tank and spank – allow your tank to hold threat.

Loot

Lord Valthalak (Quest)

Lord Valthalak can be summoned in The Beast’s room of The Furnace in Upper Blackrock Spire by using the Brazier of Beckoning provided by the Tier 0.5 questline. This is the final encounter in this questline and is by far the most difficult.

lord valthalak

Strategy

  • Tank: Tank the boss in the middle of the room and maintain threat. Save defensive cooldowns for the last 20%, when Valthalak becomes more powerful.
  • Healer: Your primary target for healing should be the Main Tank. Other players should not take damage aside from the occasional Shadow Bolt Volley.
  • Damage Dealers: Melee DPS need to focus down the adds when they spawn, immediately. Their channeled ability will kill its target no matter their health if the channel is completed. Utilize mana drain effects on Valthalak. Once the boss is at 40%, adds will stop spawning and Valthalak will start firing Shadow Bolt Volley at the group. Save all cooldowns for the last 20%, when Valthalak becomes more powerful.

Loot

Quest Rewards & Loot

Quest Rewards

Boss Drops

 

About the Author

Luxrah

I've been playing World of Warcraft on and off since vanilla, usually as a healer or caster and often as a guild leader. I play both retail and classic. I also love RPGs, sandboxes, and sims.
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