Cover art of Shadowfang Keep
HC Guides

Shadowfang Keep

    Dungeon Overview

    Shadowfang Keep is open to players up to a max level of 30 in Hardcore mode, and the recommended level is 24+. Shadowfang Keep is located in Silverpine Forest south of the Sepulcher and just northeast of Pyrewood Village and is inhabited by Archmage Arugal and his Worgen minions. The dungeon is set up linearly and is very beneficial for Horde players due to its quick run time, ease of access from the Sepulcher, and quest rewards. Alliance players still run it, but the travel time, lack of quest exp, and treacherous journey turn many away.

    Estimated Completion Time: 30-45 mins

    Getting There

    As a Horde player, simply travel south from Sepulcher to reach the dungeon.

    As an Alliance player, travel west from Southshore. Likely, you will not have the Southshore flight path at the typical level for SFK. There are 2 options for traveling to Southshore.

    The first option is by running along the road from the Wetlands to Arathi Highlands and finally into Hillsbrad. The main concern with this route is the Forsaken Courier. She patrols with 4 adds along the road in Arathi Highlands and into Hillsbrad. Unfortunately due to the level 30+ mobs near the road in Arathi, you may have to walk very slowly behind them until a safe opportunity arises to pass.

    The second option is more risky but is faster. You can swim from the northwestern coast of the Wetlands to Southshore. As you approach Southshore, there will likely be level 30+ Naga and Murlocs guarding the coast unless there are other player killing them. Fortunately, there are several quests to kill these mobs, so there is a solid chance that there will be an opening for you to swim through.

    Route from Wetlands to Southshore

    Things to Look Out For

    In the courtyard after the NPC unlocks the door, the Shadowfang Moonwalkers cast Anti-Magic Shell which can be a nuisance depending on your group comp.

    Make sure you kill the Fel Steeds in the courtyard stables as they have a chance to drop Fel Steed Saddlebags, a 10 slot bag!

    Wailing Guardsmen cast Screams of the Past, an AoE 5 second silence. The way the tank pulls these mobs is important as pulling them into a spot where the healer has to walk into range of the silence to heal can lead to difficult situations.

    When entering the room after the Tormented Officers, be very careful. It is recommended that the tank pulls everything back to the base of the spiral staircase. When heading to the ramp, the upper area can pull and chain everything else with it if you do not hug left and jump onto the ramp. Fortunately there is an easy escape out of the dungeon if the upper area pulls. Run back up the spiral staircase you descended earlier and travel out on the roof. Jump onto the shingles and you should see the instance portal below. You can jump off the roof and head out the instance portal to safety.

    Escape from Roof

    Archmage Arugal is the deadliest encounter in the dungeon. Be very mindful of his spellcasts and utilize line of sight to prevent damage. Also he has a mindcontrol, so CC the players that get mindcontrolled and continue LoSing.

    Evade spots are fairly common throughout the dungeon. Here are some examples:

    This evade spot is tricky as they mobs will still melee you if there isn't enough distance between you.

    Courtyard corner

    In the room with the ramp after the Guardsmen, the ledge around the room is an evade spot.

    Ledge in ramp room

    On the balcony above Fenrus. Useful if the Arugal fight goes wrong.

    balcony evade spot

    Quests

    Deathstalkers in Shadowfang - Horde

    This quest is picked up at the Sepulcher in Silverpine Forest from High Executor Hadrec. To complete the quest, talk to the forsaken laying on the ground in the courtyard of Shadowfang Keep.

    Deathstalkers in Shadowfang

    Reward:

    The Book of Ur - Horde

    This quest is picked up in the Apothercarium of the Undercity from Keeper Bel’dugor. The book is found on the shelves in the library where Fenrus the Devourer resides.

    Book of Ur

    Rewards:

    Arugal Must Die - Horde

    This quest is picked up at the Sepulcher in Silverpine Forest from Dalar Dawnweaver and requires you to kill and loot the final boss Arugal. The ring is very powerful and is potentially worn until 60 by melee classes.

    Reward:

    The Test of Righteousness - paladin

    This quest is a part of the paladin class quest chain that leads to the creation of the powerful Vergian’s Fist. Jordan’s Smithing Hammer for this quest is found on top of a box in the courtyard stables.

    hammer

    Bosses

    Rethilgore

    Rethilgore is an elite level 20 Worgen and is the first boss of SFK. He comes with a couple of adds but should not be much of a threat to a full party. He has a drain life ability that has a stun stacked with it, but he often dies so fast that he never gets a chance to cast it. Be sure you talk to the appropriate NPC in one of the cells for them to unlock the door to the courtyard.

    Abilities:

    Loot:

    Freed prisoner

    Razorclaw the Butcher

    Razorclaw the Butcher

    Razorclaw is an elite level 22 Worgen that is found in the kitchen of the keep after clearing the courtyard. He’s a tank and spank with no abilities and decent loot.

    Loot:

    Baron Silverlaine

    Baron Silverlaine

    Baron Silverlaine is an elite level 24 undead human found in the banquet hall following the kitchen. He can cast a strong healing debuff that can be decursed by mages and druids.

    Abilities:

    Loot:

    Commander Springvale

    Commander Springvale

    Commander Springvale is an elite level 24 undead human that can be found after ascending the stairs in the banquet hall and heading left. The room he is situated in can be tricky as the mobs will cast an AoE silence, so it is recommended to pull back out of the room to give you healer and casters space to avoid the silence until most of the room is cleared out. Springvale is more or less a tank and spank besides him casting Divine Shield when he reaches low health.

    Abilities:

    Loot:

    Odo the Blindwatcher

    Odo the Blindwatcher

    Odo the Blindwatcher is an elite level 24 Worgen found in the aviary of SFK. He comes with 2 elite level 22-24 bats that should be focused first as he casts a stacking damage debuff that increases his and his bat’s damage.

    Abilities:

    Loot:

    Deathsworn Captain - Rare Spawn

    The Deathsworn Captain is an elite level 25 undead rare spawn that will sometimes spawn along the ramparts of the keep after the aviary. He can cleave and hamstring but should otherwise be easy to take down.

    Abilities:

    Loot:

    Fenrus the Devourer

    Fenrus is an elite level 25 Wolf that is found in the library near the top of the keep. He is basically a tank and spank with a poison spit that can be dispelled. One thing of note is after he dies, Arugal will appear and summon 4 non elite voidwalkers which can be easily cleaned up.

    Fenrus the Devourer

    Abilities:

    Loot:

    Wolf Master Nandos

    Wolf Master Nandos is an elite level 25 Worgen is the last line of defense for Archmage Arugal that resides in the top floor of the keep with his wolves. The wolves can be pulled without him, but the boss will pull after the wolves are killed. If the fight goes on long enough, he will begin to summon additional wolf adds, but typically he is killed before he summons one.

    Abilities:

    Loot:

    Archmage Arugal

    Archmage Arugal

    Archmage Arugal is an elite level 26 human that is found at the topmost room of the Shadowfang Keep. He casts VERY powerful Void Bolts and has a mindcontrol that lasts 10 seconds. He is by far the most dangerous encounter in the dungeon, but most of his danger can be alleviated by following one of these 2 strategies.

    The first strategy is by far the safer option but is also considerably slower. If you pull the boss and run back through the room that you fought the previous boss Nandos in and line of sight at the door near the spiral stairs, Arugal will follow you and allow you to easily line of sight his Void Bolts as he casts them. He will teleport back to his room as usual, but he will eventually run back to you if you stay put. This gives your healer plenty of time to regen mana and top everyone off. This strategy can be repeated indefinitely.

    Arugal Strat

    The second strategy is fighting him straight up in his room. It is recommended run up to him to build initial threat then avoid Void Bolts by using LoS on the stairs that lead up to his initial position. There are several LoS spots throughout the room that can be used to avoid his Void Bolts as he teleports around.

    Abilities:

    Loot:

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