A new Raid called Crucible of Storms is about to release with the latest Patch 8.1.5 and will open its gates on April 16th on Normal and Heroic difficulties. Mythic and LFR difficulties are expected to become available on April 23. The new Raid has only two Boss encounters, takes place beneath the Shrine of the Storm Dungeon in Stormsong Valley zone, and is dedicated to Old Gods.
Lore
Warning! Spoilers ahead!
YES! I WANNA KNOW EVERYTHING
The House of Stormsong used to be devoted to the Kul Tiran but changed sides by joining the Old Gods and Queen Azshara. During the main Questline in this zone, Players find out that the tidesages sacrifice souls inside the Shrine of the StormDungeon using forbidden magic. The Hero has to investigate those rituals and face lots of different and powerful foes.
The next part of the pre-Raid quests introduce the Player to Xal’atath, the Blade of the Black Empire the Shadow Priest Artifact Weapon from the Legion Expansion. This Questline sets up the story for Crucible of Storms Raid, guiding the Player inside and leaving them with three ancient relics they found earlier as Xal’atath had requested. After the cut scene, Players are given the Gift of N’Zoth, which takes the form of a twitching eyeball forever crowning a Player’s head. Upon returning to the Capital city, your Champion may choose to keep or cleanse this gift. Keeping it forever marks a Player, allowing them to see the same marks of other Players and NPCs who have been gifted in service to N’Zoth, and for them to see theirs in return. Removing the gift removes the ability to see those marks, but leaves Players – with the toy Twitching Eyeball, allowing the owner to restore the gift for a short period of time.
No one yet knows whether the gift will have any future ramifications, aside from creating a secret society of those who chose to aid the Old God and retain his gift, but given that the Crucible of Storms is supposed to be a story tie-in to Patch 8.2: Rise of Azshara, it’s very likely that the presence of this gift could lead to special interactions.
There are lots of different speculations concerning the role of the Champion of Azeroth in the Old God’s plan. The new Raid may easily be just a test set up by N’Zoth, similar to how the Trial of Valor was a test set by Odyn in Legion. So when Heroes defeat both bosses, they prove their worth in the eyes of the Old God so he might use them in the future as he likes.
Together with other items, Players will loot two out of three relics – Trident of Deep Ocean and Void Stone. Both have the same visual effects that they had in the Raid. The third relic, the Tempest Crown, is yet unaccounted for; however, it may play a large role in the future actions and the N’Zoth whisper gives us some clues concerning this matter: The veil wanes. His crown will open the way… Speaking of whispers, by the way, throughout the raid, Players may hear the whispers of the Old God which look more like a new round of terrifying predictions implicating Sylvanas, Alleria, Tyrande, Cosmic Forces, and much more. This is a complete list of those moralisms:
The Light has struck a bargain with the enemy of all.Six seats at the high table. Six mouths that hunger. One will consume all others.The veil wanes. His crown will open the way.The fall of night reveals her true face. She will bring only ruin.When the arrow finds its mark, the last fetter will fall away.I alone can save you from what is to come.It grows hungrier... bolder. Alas, your eyes are closed.He gave himself to the deep places. He gave himself to me.She is not the last, but the first. Drown her and you will see.Ahh... you think you know power.The storm holds strength... but there is a price to be paid.Harness your fury... make your hatred a weapon.Children... the depths are my domain.Deeper, ever deeper...Let the tides draw you into my dream...At last... embrace the truth of shadow.Yes... you draw closer... ever closer.With every choice, you become more my servant.Mere baubles decay beneath the gaze of a god.
In case you are interested in the guess-works the community has made, check this article. There are spoilers in the text, so read it at your own risk.
Raid Overview
TheCrucible of Storms Raid is home to a fragment of N’Zoth and has two Boss encounters as it was said above – Restless Cabal and Uu’nat. Those who defeat them will be able to get unique loot with Old God-based effects, though they mostly don’t have secondary stats at all. Players might remember a similar situation in the Dragon SoulCataclysm Raid where a number of weapons and trinkets had specific procs and effects as well. However, unlike the Cataclysmic loot, these ones have both positive and negative effects. Some of them might even kill the owner!
The whole setting of the Raid reminds of Old Gods. Dozens of slavering jaws gape hideously; hundreds of eyes watch the intruders from every wall; thousands of enormous fangs are ready to break weak Characters’ bones. Luckily not everything moves in there, otherwise, the feeling of being inside a creepy monster would be complete. The game designers did a great job; hail to them!
Unfortunately, there won’t be any special armor sets related to this Raid, but the weapon loot and its effects have the same design idea; tentacled beings sitting on the Character’s head are included. A perfect example of remarkable weapon appearances may be the Pillar of the Drowned Cabal. The Staff has a visual effect in addition. But there won’t be any Azerite armor from the Crucible of Storms.
Boss Encounters
The first Boss encounter of a new Raid is Restless Cabal. They were called from the depths to retrieve three relics of ancient power. They are bound to serve the Old God N’Zoth and attend to his will. One of them, Zaxasj The Speaker, proclaims promises and power while another one Fa’thuul The Feared crushes his foes with brute force.
The loot from this Boss is at least 5 Item Levels higher than the rewards from the Battle of Dazar’alor Raid and is the following:
375 ILevel for LFR difficulty;
390 ILevel for Normal;
405 ILevel in Heroic;
420 ILevel in Mythic.
The second and the final Boss of the Raid is Uu’nat, Harbinger of the Void. Ten thousand years ago Queen Azshara offered him as one of her most devoted followers into the Old God’s service. Now Uu’nat and the crawling masses he commands herald the coming of their new master, as foretold by the stars.
As long as there are only two Bosses in the Crucible of Storms Raid, the loot table is rather small, but almost everything has interesting visual and usable effects reflecting the unstable power of Old Gods, as they offer great benefits with, of course, great and sometimes even fatal drawbacks.
Please note that the figures mentioned in the following descriptions are approximate as they may change according to the Character’s characteristics. And now let’s have a look at the Rewards from both Boss encounters.
Restless Cabal Boss Rewards
Fathom Dredgers. Every 10000 Mana spent grants you a shield absorbing 1350 damage for 8 Seconds, up to a maximum absorb of 13500.
Mindthief’s Eldritch Clasp. Falling below 25% Health instantly restores 53971 of Health. You then take 68841 Shadow damage over 10 Seconds. This effect can only occur once every 3 Minutes. This Item has a visual effect.
Fa’thuul’s Floodguards. While above 90% Health, your damaging abilities have a high chance to send a wave crashing down on your target dealing 3694 Frost damage. While below 90% Health, your damaging abilities have a high chance to restore 5540 of Health. This Item has two visual effects damaging and healing ones.
Gloves of the Undying Pact. Tether yourself to up to 5 allies within 20 yards. After 6 Seconds, you are healed for 25% of the Health restored to tethered allies, up to 68841 total healing. Has 1.5 Minutes Cooldown.
Insurgent’s Scouring Chain. Slaying an aberration inspires 4 allies, granting 38 Critical Strike for 20 Seconds.
Pillar of the Drowned Cabal. Defenses your target for 1.5 Minutes. Taking 45109 damage in a single blow will consume the ward, healing the target for 43662 points. Has 30 Seconds Cooldown and a visual effect.
Zaxasj’s Deepstriders. Your Speed is increased by 200 for every 20% of Health you are missing, up to 600 Speed. This Item has a visual effect.
Abyssal Speaker’s Gauntlets. Your abilities have a chance to grant you a shield absorbing 17170 damage for 1 Minute. While this shield persists, you gain 123 Haste. This Item has a visual effect as well.
Leggings of the Aberrant Tidesage. While above 60% of Health, your damaging abilities have a low chance to bolt your target dealing 11081 Nature damage. While below 60% health, your damaging abilities have a low chance to restore 16627 of Health over 10 Seconds. The Item has a visual effect.
Legplates of Unbound Anguish. If your target has a lower health percentage than you, your damaging abilities have a high chance to sacrifice 2490 of your health to deal 3215 Shadow damage. The Item has a visual effect.
Trident of Deep Ocean. Taking damage has a low chance to form a protective bubble around you for 40 Seconds that absorbs 25% of incoming damage, up to 38581. When the bubble bursts, the Item increases your primary stat by 181 for 1 Minute, stacking up to 3 times. The Item has a visual effect.
Lurker’s Insidious Gift. Embrace N’Zoth’s gift, increasing your Mastery by 882 for 30 Seconds. Every 1 Second gain Suffering, inflicting 409 Shadow damage per application. Reactivate to relinquish N’Zoth’s gift, removing both effects. Has 2 Minutes Cooldown. The Item has a visual effect and may easily kill you, so be very cautious!
Malformed Herald’s Legwraps. Open a fissure to the void beneath you for 12 Seconds, increasing your Haste by 285. Moving out of the fissure will cause it to collapse, dealing 30421 Shadow damage to you. The Item has a 1 Minute Cooldown and a visual effect.
Idol of Indiscriminate Consumption. Feed on seven allies or enemies within 15 yards, devouring up to 6842 Health from each of them. You are healed for 200% of the damage dealt. The Item has a 1 Minute Cooldown and a visual effect.
Void Stone. Enshroud a friendly target in darkness for 12 Seconds, absorbing the next 57132 damage or healing taken. The Item has 2 Minutes Cooldown and a visual effect.
Harbinger’s Inscrutable Will. Your damaging abilities have a chance to launch an oblivion spear at your target, inflicting 18269 Shadow damage. On impact, the spear will shatter towards you. You will be silenced for 1.5 Seconds if struck. The Item has a visual effect.
Grips of Forsaken Sanity. While above 90% health, your damaging abilities have a very high chance to deal 3455 Shadow damage to you and your target.
Stormglide Steps. Your auto attacks grant Untouchable for 15 Seconds, stacking up to 15 times. Untouchable grants 7 Critical Strike. Taking any damage removes all stacks of Untouchable. The Item has a visual effect.
