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A fiery halo! That makes the whole festival worth it, in my book. |
The Midsummer Fire Festival is running from 21st June - 4th July and I’m looking forward to completing the Northrend and Cataclysm achievements, which I missed out last year because they didn't contribute to the meta and my sanity was in danger.
EDIT: Frigid Frostling is mine! Keep running it if you haven't got lucky yet, and remember that pets are going account-wide with
Mists so run it on every character that's 84 or 85!
In case it’ll help you get one meta closer to
What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been, here’s my guide (it's the same as the
2011 one, with some updates).
Achievements needed for the meta:
Burning Blossoms needed for achievements: 405-435 (see below)
The Fires of Azeroth and
Desecration of the Alliance/Horde
I used the 2011
Wowhead guide co-ordinates to get me started last year, so the location credit goes to them. All of the co-ordinates for the meta have been visited and double-checked by me personally, and I will be checking the Northrend and Cataclysm ones during the first couple of days this year.
I found some bonfires in my travels that weren't part of the meta achievement but will still give the same rewards. These are marked with asterisks if you want to skip them. My route is from an Alliance perspective so may not be as convenient for Horde players I'm afraid!
Eastern Kingdoms:
Zone | A/H/N | Location | Co-ordinates |
The Cape of Stranglethorn | A | East of Booty Bay | 51, 67 |
The Cape of Stranglethorn | H | East of Booty Bay | 50, 70 |
Northern Stranglethorn | A | Fort Livingston | 51, 63 |
Northern Stranglethorn | H | Grom’gol Base Camp | 40, 51 |
Westfall | A | Moonbrook | 45, 62 |
Duskwood | A | Darkshire | 73, 55 |
Blasted Lands | A | Nethergarde Keep | 55, 15 |
Blasted Lands | H | Dreadmaul Hold | 46, 14 |
Swamp of Sorrows* | A | Bogpaddle | 70, 14 |
Swamp of Sorrows | H | Bogpaddle | 76, 14 |
Redridge Mountains | A | Lakeshire | 24, 53 |
Burning Steppes | A | Morgan’s Vigil | 68, 60 |
Burning Steppes | H | Flame Crest | 51, 29 |
Badlands* | A | Dragon’s Mouth | 19, 56 |
Badlands | H | New Kargath | 24, 37 |
Loch Modan | A | Thelsamar | 32, 40 |
Dun Morogh | A | Kharanos | 54, 45 |
Wetlands | A | Menethil Harbor | 13, 47 |
Twilight Highlands* | A | Thundermar | 47, 28 |
Twilight Highlands* | H | Bloodgulch | 53, 46 |
Arathi Highlands | A | Refuge Pointe | 44, 46 |
Arathi Highlands | H | Hammerfall | 69, 42 |
Hinterlands | H | Revantusk Village | 76, 74 |
Hinterlands | A | Aerie Peak | 14, 50 |
Hillsbrad Foothills | H | Tarren Mill | 55, 50 |
The Sepulcher | H | Silverpine Forest | 50, 39 |
Tirisfal Glades | H | The Undercity | 68, 9 |
Tirisfal Glades | H | Brill | 57, 52 |
Western Plaguelands | A | Chillwind Camp | 43, 82 |
Western Plaguelands* | H | The Bulwark | 29, 56 |
Ghostlands | H | Tranquilien | 46, 26 |
Eversong Woods | H | North Sanctum | 46, 50 |
Eversong Woods | H | Silvermoon City (Court of the Sun) | 70, 43 |
Kalimdor:
Zone | A/H/N | Location | Co-ordinates |
Bloodmyst Isle | A | Blood Watch | 55, 69 |
Azuremyst Isle | A | Azure Watch | 44, 53 |
Teldrassil | A | Dolanaar | 55, 53 |
Darkshore | A | Lor’danel | 49, 23 |
Winterspring | A | Everlook | 61, 47 |
Winterspring | H | Everlook | 58, 47 |
Mount Hyjal* | N | Nordrassil | 63, 23 |
Azshara* | H | Bilgewater Harbor | 60, 53 |
Durotar | H | Orgrimmar (Valley of Wisdom) | 47, 38 |
Durotar | H | Razor Hill | 52, 47 |
Northern Barrens | H | The Crossroads | 50, 55 |
Ashenvale | H | Silverwind Refuge | 51, 66 |
Ashenvale | A | Forest Song | 87, 42 |
Stonetalon Mountains* | A | Mirkfallon Lake | 49, 51 |
Stonetalon Mountains | H | Sun Rock Retreat | 53, 62 |
Desolace | A | Nijel’s Point | 65, 17 |
Desolace | H | Shadowprey Village | 26, 76 |
Mulgore | H | Thunder Bluff (Spirit Rise) | 21, 26 |
Mulgore | H | Bloodhoof Village | 52, 59 |
Feralas | H | Camp Mojache | 72, 47 |
Feralas | A | Feathermoon Stronghold | 47, 44 |
Southern Barrens | A | Fort Triumph | 48, 72 |
Southern Barrens | H | Desolation Hold | 41, 68 |
Dustwallow Marsh | H | Brackenwell Village | 33, 30 |
Dustwallow Marsh | A | Theramore Isle | 62, 40 |
Tanaris | A | Gadgetzan | 52, 29 |
Tanaris | H | Gadgetzan | 49, 27 |
Un’Goro Crater | A | Marshal’s Stand | 60, 63 |
Un’Goro Crater | H | Marshal’s Stand | 56, 66 |
Silithus | A | Cenarion Hold | 60, 33 |
Silithus | H | Cenarion Hold | 51, 41 |
Uldum* | A | Vir'naal Oasis | 53, 32 |
Uldum* | H | Vir'naal Oasis | 53, 34 |
Outland:
Zone | A/H/N | Location | Co-ordinates |
Hellfire Peninsula | H | Thrallmar | 57, 41 |
Hellfire Peninsula | A | Honor Hold | 62, 58 |
Shadowmoon Valley | A | Wildhammer Stronghold | 40, 55 |
Shadowmoon Valley | H | Shadowmoon Village | 33, 30 |
Terokkar Forest | A | Allerian Stronghold | 55, 55 |
Terokkar Forest | H | Stonebreaker Hold | 52, 43 |
Nagrand | A | Telaar | 50, 70 |
Nagrand | H | Garadar | 51, 34 |
Zangarmarsh | H | Zabra’jin | 36, 52 |
Zangarmarsh | A | Telredor | 69, 52 |
Blade’s Edge Mountains | A | Sylvanaar | 42, 66 |
Blade’s Edge Mountains | H | Thunderlord Stronghold | 50, 59 |
Netherstorm | A | Area 52 | 31, 63 |
Netherstorm | H | Area 52 | 32, 68 |
There are 3 Earthen Ring bonfires which are neutral and award 15 Burning Blossoms each. One is in Mount Hyjal and is part of the Eastern Kingdoms route above. The other two are in:
Vashj'ir, Silver Tide Hollow (49, 42)
Deepholm, Temple of Earth (49, 51)
It's unlikely, but there may be others! Let me know if you find any.
Northrend: These aren’t part of the meta but they do give an achievement and will get you extra experience/gold/blossoms.
Zone | A/H/N | Location | Co-ordinates |
Borean Tundra | A | Fizzcrank Airstrip | 55, 20 |
Borean Tundra | H | Bor'gorok Outpost | 51, 12 |
Sholazar Basin | A | River's Heart | 47, 66 |
Sholazar Basin | H | River's Heart | 47, 62 |
Dragonblight | H | Agmar's Hammer | 39, 48 |
Dragonblight | A | Wintergarde Keep | 75, 44 |
Crystalsong Forest | A | Windrunner's Overlook | 78, 75 |
Crystalsong Forest | H | Sunreaver's Command | 80, 53 |
The Storm Peaks | A | K3 | 42, 87 |
The Storm Peaks | H | K3 | 40, 86 |
Zul'Drak | A | The Argent Stand | 41, 61 |
Zul'Drak | H | The Argent Stand | 43, 71 |
Grizzly Hills | A | Amberpine Lodge | 34, 61 |
Grizzly Hills | H | Conquest Hold | 19, 61 |
Howling Fjord | A | Fort Wildervar | 58, 16 |
Howling Fjord | H | Camp Winterhoof | 48, 13 |
Ice the Frost Lord
You will need to be 84+ to queue for this holiday boss via the Dungeon Finder. The first time you defeat Ahune each day you will get a Satchel of Chilled Goods, which will reward a guaranteed 24 justice points and a
chance at:
Frostscythe of Lord Ahune
Ice Chip (gives you Frigid Frostling)
5-15 Burning Blossoms
There are 5 cloaks that have a chance to drop. These are ilvl 353 (equivalent to epics from Zul’Aman/Zul’Gurub):
Cloak of the Frigid Winds
Icebound Cloak
Shroud of Winter’s Chill
The Frost Lord’s Battle Shroud
The Frost Lord’s War Cloak
Currently there’s nothing in the game files to suggest that these couldn’t drop too:
Formula: Enchant Weapon – Deathfrost
Lord of Frost’s Private Label
The first time you defeat this boss you should receive Shard of Ahune, which starts a
quest rewarding one of two tabards -
Tabard of Summer Flames or
Tabard of Summer Skies. It seems that players who completed this quest before 2009 will not see this item drop, but you can restore the tabard at a tabard vendor if you’ve deleted it (these can be found in the Visitor’s Centre of most cities).
CONFIRMED: It is possible to choose one tabard, equip it, delete it and then restore the other option at the tabard NPC. Once you have equipped that, both will count towards the 25 Tabards achievement! I have just done this successfully :D so delete with an easy mind!
King of the Fire Festival
You get this achievement by completing the quest
A Thief’s Reward. This involves (you already guessed this was coming, I’m sure) going into each of the 4 enemy capitals and stealing their flames. I know you’re too awesome to be put off by that though. Old World Flying will make this much easier than in previous years so find their fire, fly straight down and steal the flames.
You might die, it's true, but as long as you take their precious flames, it matters not! If you do I'd advise taking the rez sickness, going to find yourself some pie to eat and doing the next one later. I’ll probably do mine early in the morning (6-7am) before work. Pie is a valid breakfast food too, you know.
Burning Hot Pole Dance [requires 400 Burning Blossoms]
For this achievement you need the completed
Midsummer Set. This will set you back 400 Burning Blossoms, so get honouring/desecrating those fires! Luckily you’ll be doing that anyway if you want the holiday meta. The good news is that you can collect ~800 blossoms during the holiday so it’ll definitely be possible to buy all 3 parts. Equip them and dance round a ribbon pole for 60 seconds. Voila!
Torch Juggler [requires 5-35 Burning Blossoms]
Juggle 40 torches in Dalaran. Sounds simple…but you have to complete the
Torch Tossing and
Torch Catching quests first.
For these quests, the most sensible-sounding tip I’ve found is to set your camera distance to maximum (type
/console cameraDistanceMax 50 into your chat window) and point it downwards in ‘never adjust’ mode. Follow the shadow and be underneath it when it lands. This is really hard, and took me a lot of tries (plus some generous cussing). The first torch will always go straight behind you and quite a few yards, but torches 2-4 won't go far - the trick is spotting which way they go and getting there in time!
If you're stuck on this, I'd recommend Rades'
awesome guide to catching torches!
So once you've done the quests you’re ready to go and possibly a little fed up. Don't despair! The achievement itself is a lot easier. I used the following strategy for this achievement:
Find a minimal-lag spot in Dalaran. Point the camera straight down, zoomed out. Bind the torches to a hotkey and target the ground under your feet. You should be able to alternate hotkey-click-hotkey-click, catching each torch as it lands.
UPDATE: Use the Purple Parlor!
I never got below 11 torches out of 20 in my bags, so try everything with 10 first. This is down to lag, ultimately. I found that consciously alternating key-click-key-click made the process too slow. In the end, I just hit hotkey
and clicked at the
same time, as fast as possible! So try that first, ok? Because you don't want the air at your desk to be as blue as mine was before I thought of doing that...
They reappear in your bags when caught so many report doing this with as few as 10 torches and I think that would be possible. You earn 5 by doing the Torch Catching quest and stacks of 5 torches can be bought for 5 Burning Blossoms. There is also a chance for 5-15 Burning Blossoms to drop from the Satchel of Chilled Goods. Finally, you can buy them on the AH as they don’t become soulbound. Let me know how many you needed to do it!
Well, that's it. Hopefully you found something helpful in here if you were working towards any of this meta. As always, corrections/suggestions/general comments are welcome and will be edited in as soon as I can!
Good luck!
Ara