We cleared Normal with no difficulty, as is the new way. Heroic was a better challenge where, after the first four bosses, we were often right on the DPS check edge. The Soul Hunters and Forgeweaver Araz were the funnest fights, with many 1-3% wipes as we were all pushed off the platform on Araz before we cracked it.

Alas we were stopped short of getting a second AOTC by Nexus King Salhadaar when the DPS check outpaced our gear by about 15%. Even with the late nerfs coming in most of us had hit a gear wall and the deadline struck before we could.

As compensation we instead did the entertaining Glory of the Omega Raider achievement instead. A lot of fun, with Soul Hunters again a highlight: everyone in the raid having to be blindfolded for a full minute (thank goodness for being overgeared in Normal!). The most challenging was Fractillus, a doddle to kill normally but the Hard Mode was Breaking the Fourth Wall which meant allowing four walls to build before breaking any. It needed some math and positional genius, and luckily we had one in our raid: thanks Illandri!

A guild group in a row atop blue winged flying mounts, with the Manaforge in the background

A row of handsome Umbral K’arrocs

That closed out the War Within, an expansion that started and ended well, with a skippable middle. Midnight is next and until then I’ll be taking a break from Warcraft.