Delves are a new game mode in WoW introduced in The War Within expansion. This mode provides players with a fun, alternative means to gear up with 1 to 5-man runs with either players or NPCs. We’ll discuss the mechanics of each Delve and what you can earn from completing these.
Season 1 of Delves presents a particular issue that you and your NPC companion need to solve by completing Delves. There are many seasonal goals that each provides a unique reward upon completion like achievements, new titles, and some skins for the new Delver’s Derigible mount. As you clear Delve runs, you’ll also earn other rewards, including Delver’s Dirigible schematics, currency, and gear. One of the best rewards for completing Delves are Restored Coffer Keys that can be used to open Bountiful Coffers for some currencies, upgraded Curios, and powerful gear.
Questline for Starting Delves
This season, some big nasty monster has been running rampant in the Delves, and you, the player, need to take care of it. You can start this questline by heading to Dornogal, in the Delver’s Headquarters and speak to Brann Bronzebeard to initiate the questline.
Seasonal Start
Check out the basics of your Delve Season.
Delve Hunter
Hang out for a minute to hear Naleidea Rivergleam’s story.
Zekvir, Hand of the Harbinger
You have to do something! Track down this foe.
The Key to Success
Quest will drop while undergoing a Delve.
These quick quests reveal that Zekvir is not only causing Mayhem in the Delves, but that he’s also the Hand of the Harbinger, and Xal’atath is up to something…
The Delver’s Journey Reward Track
The Delver’s Journey is the seasonal reward track that is filled by earning the Delver’s Journey currency. Rewards are earned at intervals during Journey progression, culminating in a capstone reward for completing the Journey. Delver’s Journey is earned by opening the following chests at the end of a run:
- Bountiful Heavy Trunk: the reward chests found at the end of Bountiful Delves.
- Bountiful Coffer: the special reward chest in a bountiful Delve that requires a Restored Coffer Key to open.
- Hidden Trove: Found at the end of a Delve by using a Delver’s Bounty.
Bonus rewards will be added to chests that reward Delver’s Journey whenever your party defeats mobs empowered by Zekvir’s Influence.
The periodic rewards include schematics for the Delver’s Dirigible toy, Resonance Crystals, and a bounty of Restored Coffer Keys. The schematic and toy rewards can be purchased from Reno Jackson for 10 each. Sir Finley Mrrgglton sells the Restored Coffer Keys for 2000 (before discount) and the Warbound Equipment for 500 to 5000, depending on the piece. Both can be found at the Delver’s Headquarters in Dornogal.
Delver’s Journey Rewards:
- Level 1: Delver’s Dirigible Schematic: Lantern Wing
- Level 2: Delver’s Dirigible Schematic: Exhaust
- Level 3: Delver’s Dirigible Schematic: Front-Mounted Lantern
- Level 4: Delver’s Dirigible Schematic: Zeppelin Delver’s
- Level 5: Delver’s Dirigible Schematic: Brown Paint
- Level 6: Trusty Hat
- Level 7: You can now purchase Restored Coffer Keys for 2000 Undercoins
- Level 8: Hidden Stash from Deep Within that rewards 5000 Resonance Crystals
- Level 9: Warbound Equipment Set leveled at item level 580
- Level 10: Restored Coffer Keys can now be bought at a 50% discount.
NPC Party Mates
If you ever need someone to fill the role of either a healer or DPS, Brann Bronzebeard can accompany you on Delves and will be a useful party member.
Brann has these abilities available for either support or DPS roles:
DPS Role Abilities
- Steel Traps
- Brann hurls steel traps that snaps shut on the first enemy that approaches, wounding them for moderate Physical damage instantly and additional Bleed damage over time.
- Gryphadin’s Battle Harness
- Brann summons his loyal gryphon companion to bombard nearby enemies for significant damage every 1 sec for 10 sec.
- Trusty Whip
- Brann uses his whip to lash the enemy, interrupting enemy spellcasting and preventing any spell in that school from being cast for 3 sec.
- Brann’s Epic Egg
- Brann summons a devilsaur egg.
- Gathering Tools
- Brann uses his gathering tools to help players find additional gold, ore, herbs, fish, leathers, and treasures.
- Ice Trap
- After 3 or more enemies attack a player, Brann will hurl an ice trap at them, reducing their movement speed by 50% and occasionally freezing them in place for 3 sec. Trap lasts for 15 sec.
- Kill Shot
- Brann executes enemies that have less than 30% health. The health threshold for this effect is reduced to 5% for boss creatures.
- Ancient Weapon Oil
- Brann temporarily enchants a nearby player’s weapon for 10 sec, causing their spells and abilities to deal additional damage as fire, as long as they remain in combat. When the enchantment is removed, the effect is given to a nearby ally.
- Monkey Leash
- Your spells and abilities have a chance to call Glibb to your side for 15 sec, bananas in hand.
- Aspect of the Monkey
- Glibb empowers you with bonus Speed, Avoidance, and Leech stats.
- Bad Monkey
- Glibb throws a temper tantrum, inflicting tremendous Physical damage to nearby enemies with a chance to stun them for 3 sec.
- Explorer’s Ammunition Journal
- Brann’s combat mastery grants him 5% increased damage done by his spells and abilities.
Healer Role Abilities
- Dwarven Medicine
- Brann throws healing potions near injured players that restore a moderate amount of health upon walking through them.
- Relic of Uldum
- Brann brandishes a powerful ancient relic that radiates Holy energy, providing significant healing every 1 sec for 20 sec.
- Thirty Yards of Rope
- Brann throws his rope to free players from stuns, bonds, and snares, and grants immunity to all crowd control effects for 4 sec.
- Brann’s Epic Egg
- Brann summons a devilsaur egg.
- Gathering Tools
- Brann uses his gathering tools to help players find additional gold, ore, herbs, fish, leather, and treasures.
- Cleansing Salve
- Brann cures an infected player removing all Poison and Disease effects or purges an enemy target removing 1 beneficial magic effect.
- Emergency Supplies
- When any player falls below 30% health, Brann will instantly heal them for 25% of their maximum health. Can only occur every 3 min.
- Aegis of Ironforge
- Brann hurls a shield at all players, reducing their damage taken by 20% and preventing loss of control effects for 12 sec.
- Monkey Leash
- Your spells and abilities have a chance to call Brann’s pet monkey Glibb to your side for 15 sec, bananas in hand.
- Aspect of the Monkey
- Glibb’s presence empowers you, increasing Speed, Avoidance, and Leech stats.
- Bad Monkey
- Glibb throws a temper tantrum, inflicting tremendous Physical damage to nearby enemies with a chance to stun them for 3 sec.
- Explorer’s Medical Journal
- Brann’s combat mastery grants him 5% increased healing done by his spells and abilities.
Choose carefully what role you want Brann to take, as he can greatly fill the gaps of your party. He has no tank roles though, so make sure to bring a tank with you on your Delves.
Brann’s Selectable Curios
When binging Brann along, you can select one Curio that he can carry to provide you and your party some passive bonuses for the duration of the Delve. Many provide some combat bonuses, while others provide some utility to make delving a bit easier.
- Idol of Final Will
- During combat, Brann designates a player to guide his shot for 4 sec before firing towards their location and dealing tremendous Physical damage to the first two enemies hit.
- Porcelain Arrowhead Idol
- Brann’s spells and abilities have a chance to weaken enemies, increasing the chance to critically strike them by 50% for 5 sec.
- Unbreakable Iron Idol
- When any player’s health falls below 40% health during combat, the idol awakens dealing moderate Physical damage to nearby enemies and taunting them for 10 sec. Can only occur every 2 min.
- Idol of the Earthmother
- Brann’s spells and abilities have a chance to awaken the idol, shielding an injured player for 70% of their missing health.
- Rage-Filled Idol
- Brann enters an intense rage while in combat, periodically increasing his damage done by 5% every 2.5 sec for 10 sec. Brann also suffers 3% of his maximum health in damage every 1 sec while this effect lasts.
- Light-Touched Idol
- When any player uses a defensive ability with a cooldown of 30 sec or longer, the idol activates and heals them for 4% of their maximum health every 1 sec for 10 sec.
- Relicblood of Zekvir
- Randomly while in combat, a bloodbeast will attach itself to Brann, periodically launching morsels of itself near players, granting Bloodstained Blessing upon walking through them. Bloodstained Blessing Increases damage and healing done by 2%, and reduces maximum health by 3% for 1 min.
- Olden Seeker Relic
- When Brann uses Gathering Tools, there is a 50% chance to unearth up to 2 powerful artifacts that grant your party a powerful Boon.
- Gathering Tools
- Brann uses his gathering tools to help players find additional gold, ore, herbs, fish, leather, and treasures.
- Time Lost Relic
- Brann’s spell and abilities have a chance to create bursts of energy, warping the flow of time for all nearby units by 30% for 12 sec. Casting, movement, periodic effects, cooldowns, and attack speeds are affected while time warping.
- Amorphous Relic
- Upon entering combat, players gain either the Massive or Miniature buff until combat ends. Massive increases your size by 20%, maximum health by 20%, and damage and healing done by 12%. Miniature reduces your size by 20%, increases movement speed by 20%, and your haste by 12%.
- Streamlined Relic
- While out of combat, the party’s movement speed is increased by 40%. Upon entering combat, the party’s haste is increased by 20% for 8 sec.
- Lifeless Necrotic Relic
- The idol draws upon unholy energy to prevent fatal damage on players, instead healing them for an amount equal to 100% of their maximum health and turning them Undead. While Undead, they cannot be healed, lose 5% of their maximum health every 1 sec, and gain 12% damage and healing done.
- Relic of Sentience
- When a Steel Trap is activated, there is a chance for Brann to throw an additional trap.
Delve Mechanics
For Season 1, there are a few modifiers that are added from certain Delve tiers onwards. Tackling these modifiers head-on will give you extra rewards.
Zekvir’s Influence
This is an affix that becomes active in Delves starting at Tier 4. A very large shadowy version of Zekvir will appear and will buff several mobs at random. This will empower them with more damage and health. At higher Delve Tiers, the total number of groups empowered increases.
In many cases, these mobs can be bypassed without issue. However, killing them will enhance the end reward for the Delve with additional Undercoins and Delver’s Journey.
Zekvir Random Spawn
While Zekvir is a main boss for Season 1, from Tier 5 Delves and up, players will have the chance for Zekvir to suddenly spawn and fight them as a miniboss.
Encountering Zekvir for the first time, regardless if you live or not, will give you a chance to loot the Hulking Raptorial Claw, which can contain either Radiant Echo, Delver’s Bounty, or many Epic gear items. The Relicblood of Zekvir Utility Curio for your companion is a guaranteed drop the first time you loot the Claw. If killed by Zekvir during this event, you’ll earn the achievement “Heavy Handed” for your trouble.
Zekvir, as a random spawn, is the only source of the Relicblood Curio, so don’t expect it to drop at the end of Zekvir’s Lair.
Tier 9 Minibosses
Reaching further in the Delve to Tier 9 will spawn one of three minibosses:
- Tala and Velo
- Kas’dru and Venombite
- Anub’vir and Guards
Tala and Velo Mechanics
Tala is a caster-type boss, while Velo engages in melee. In the start of the fight, Tala will have a shield that makes her invulnerable, meaning that you must damage Velo first. Interrupt skills are important for this fight as most of their mechanics are deadly but can be stopped midway.
- Tala’s Voidshell
- Tala takes 99% reduced damage while active
- Venom Volley
- This spell deals 1.5 million damage, applying a poison that does 750k every 2 seconds. Can be interrupted.
- Void Slice
- A melee attack that absorbs any healing you take.
- Grasping Darkness
- Pulls all nearby players while dealing heavy damage.
Kas’dru and Venombite Mechanics
Kas’dru and Venombite are a rider and mount, respectively. When first encountered, Kas’dru will be immune to all interrupts and stun effects until Venombite is defeated.
- Venom Volley
- Deals Nature damage immediately and applies a poison DoT to all players. Cannot be interrupted until Venombite is defeated
- Interrupting Shout
- Kas’dru inflicts Shadow damage to all nearby players and will interrupt all spellcasts for 2 seconds.
- Evasive Dance
- Venombite increases its dodge and spell dodge chance by 75% for 8 seconds.
- Venom Bite
- Also has an interruptable cast which applies a poison that deals more damage over time.
Anub’vir and Guards Mechanics
This is a classic boss and mob encounter, as Anub’vir is flanked by 3 Armored Shellguards, a Nerubian Oracle and 2 Webcasters. When fighting this minibosses, players must prioritize the Nerubian Oracle and the Shellguards, as they’ll keep every enemy alive. However, players can pull individual mobs away from the group to prevent buffs from overlapping.
- Anub’vir
- Impaling Spikes: Creates 3 swirly AoEs on the ground.
- Nerubian Oracle
- Zekvir’s Verve: Heals nearby mobs by 4% of their max health every 4 seconds.
- Armored Shellguards
- Shellguard: A channeled spell that grants all mobs 75% damage reduction. Can be interrupted.
- Nerubian Webcaster
- Web Bolt: Launches a web projectile that deals Nature damage while inflicting 50% reduced movement speed for 6 seconds.
Zekvir’s Lair
His lair is the last location for many Delves and comes with two difficulties, which are marked as “?” and “??”. To unlock “?,” players must complete a Tier 8 run while having a revive remaining, while “??” requires a Tier 10 run.
Zekvir Boss Mechanics
Zekvir will have the following skills during his fight:
- Claw Smash
- Zekvir slams the ground that deals damage in a cone, targeting either a random player or Brann
- Angler’s Web
- Launches a webbed line that pulls the first target hit.
- Call Web Terror
- Zekvir summons a web that transforms into a Web Terror if not killed within 15 seconds. The Web Terror gains double the health of the web and casts Web Blast, inflicting a raid-wide stun. Web Blast can be interrupted.
- Enfeebling Spittle
- Short cast that, if not interrupted, inflicts a poison DoT and slows all players for 20 seconds.
- Horrendous Roar
- Zekvir roars, inflicting Fear to all players within 15-meter radius.
Should you face Zekvir on “??” difficulty, he’ll gain a few new mechanics and buffs to his skills.
- Regenerating Carapace
- Zekvir recovers 10% of his max HP after a 3-second delay. Can be interrupted.
- Unending Spines
- Zekvir unleashes swirly AoEs on the ground that deal Nature damage,
After reaching 60% of his health, he’ll enter Phase 2. Zekvir will head to the center of the arena and cast Black Blood, which makes him invulnerable for 10 seconds. Meanwhile, he’ll gain these new mechanics.
- Blood-infused Carapce
- Zekvir recovers 25% of his max HP after a 3-second delay. Must be interrupted.
- Infinite Horror
- Zekvir unleashes cosmic energy in a 15-meter radius around him, inflicting permanent Fear until the inflicted player is damaged.
