WoW TWW: The Stonevault Mythic+ Guide

The Stonevault, located in The Ringing Deeps, is one of the eight Mythic+ dungeons available in Season 1 of The War Within. In this dungeon, players are tasked with preventing High Speaker Eirich, corrupted by the Void, from reclaiming power within the Stonevault facilities.

The Stonevault’s route is relatively linear, with few variations aside from grouping strategies due to its straightforward layout. Known for its high difficulty this season, the dungeon demands strong healing output, along with effective use of crowd control, interrupts, and dispels. This guide will cover the optimal strategies for bosses and trash mobs, as well as routing options for players tackling The Stonevault in The War Within.

The Stonevault Mythic+ Route

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In The Stonevault, most routes lead through the same trash packs due to the dungeon’s linear layout, which directs players along a set path. The main variations between routes come from the way packs are grouped for each pull, which may vary depending on players’ skill levels, experience, and class composition. Although the pulls aren’t particularly complex, the trash packs and bosses are relatively challenging compared to some of the other dungeons in Season 1.

There are several routes players can follow; the route above is just one of many variations. Players can use the Addon Mythic Dungeon Tools (MDT) to plan and customize their own routes. They can also use it to import existing ones, including the one mentioned above. This guide will reference trash pulls using groupings assigned by MDT.

The Stonevault: E.D.N.A

Trash

For the first pull, it’s common to engage all mobs in the initial hallway (G1, G2, and G3) at once, using Bloodlust/Heroism to burst them down quickly and put it on cooldown. Depending on key level and group skill, players may also include Pull 2 (G-3) in the initial Bloodlust/Heroism pull, provided the healer and DPS can handle the extra damage from two Ground Pounds.

It’s recommended to pull G5 next, allowing the boss RP (roleplay) timer to start while players handle G4. Players can also opt to pull G5 and G4 together, but this requires the tank to position near a wall so the DPS and healer can line-of-sight (LOS) the three Ground Pounds.

Notable trash mobs and their abilities in the area before the first boss include:

• Earth Infused Golems are immune to crowd control (CC).
  • Seismic Wave is a frontal that tanks need to point away from the group and side step.
  • Ground Pound deals large AoE damage and applies a slow. Although this can be LOS-ed, it may not be convenient to do so within the hallway. Pop defensive and healing cooldowns for this.
• Ghastly Voidsoul casts Howling Fear, which will inflict fear on all players within 45 yards. Prioritize interrupting this cast.
• Cursedheart Invader puts Void Infection on random players, which can only be removed with a Curse Dispel by classes like Shaman. Groups without a curse dispel need to use defensive and healing cooldowns to prevent overlap with Ground Pound from killing them.
  • Arcing Void deals cleaving damage. Use spare interrupts and stops to reduce group damage.
• Repurposed Loaderbot leaps to a random player with Pulverizing Pounce. Avoid the circle indicator for this ability, as it will one-shot anyone caught within it.

E.D.N.A

E.D.N.A is the first boss in The Stonevault, presenting a healing-intensive encounter.

• Volatile Spikes: E.D.N.A summons three spikes underneath players that explode upon contact, dealing damage and applying a DoT.
• Refracting Beam: The boss shoots a line of fire at each player one at a time. These beams can be used to break Volatile Spikes.
• Earth Shatterer: The boss slams the ground to deal group-wide nature damage and destroy any existing Volatile Spikes.

The main challenge for players is balancing how many Volatile Spikes to handle with Refracting Beams versus allowing the boss to destroy with Earth Shatterer. This strategy depends on the healer’s healing profile and how many Volatile explosions they can safely manage at once. For example, Shamans can often handle three explosions simultaneously, while Druids may prefer only two. Since Volatile Spikes deal significant damage and DoT on eruption, avoid letting the boss destroy too many at once to prevent damage overlap with Earth Shatterer.

• Seismic Smash: A tank-buster that deals a significant amount of physical damage and applies a magical DoT called Seismic Reverberation.
• Seismic Reverberation: A magical DoT that lasts 30 seconds and provides a significant damage reduction to the tank when it is dispelled.

Tanks should use a major defensive cooldown for the first Seismic Smash in the fight. Healers should hold off on dispelling the Seismic Reverberation debuff until just before the next Seismic Smash, allowing tanks to benefit from the 6-second damage reduction that remains from the debuff. Seismic Smash coincides with Refracting Beam, so healers must be attentive to group healing and time their dispel for the tank carefully. Without the damage reduction from Seismic Reverberation, tanks are at risk of dropping quickly to Seismic Smash in higher keys.

Tanks should avoid using immunities for Seismic Smash. Otherwise, it will prevent them from receiving Seismic Reverberation, which is crucial for damage reduction.

The Stonevault: Skarmorak

Trash

After defeating E.D.N.A, proceed down either passage. Heading left is generally recommended to align the next Bloodlust/Heroism for Skarmorak, widely considered the dungeon’s most challenging boss. The grouping of packs in this hallway can be adjusted based on team comfort. A general rule is to avoid more than one Void Bound Despoiler per pull, and only pull as many Void Bound Howlers as the group can effectively interrupt.

For a more advanced pull, consider combining G6 and G14, the packs near each hallway entrance. In this pull, the tank should grab G14 first, as the Despoiler in G6 will begin casting Void Outburst shortly after entering combat.

Notable trash mobs and their abilities in the area before Skarmorak include:

• Void Bound Despoiler is immune to CC.
• Void Bound Howler: Casts Piercing Wail, which deals substantial AoE physical damage and increases damage taken from additional Piercing Wails.
  • Prioritize interrupting this cast to prevent lethal overlaps, especially with Void Outburst.
• Turned Speaker: Casts Censoring Gear, dealing Shadow damage and applying a 3-second silence.
  • Use spare interrupts or CCs on this ability, particularly if it targets the healer, though it is fine to let it go through on DPS or tanks.
• Void Touched Elemental: Casts Crystal Salvo, generating multiple purple swirlies that players must dodge. On higher keys, this ability can one-shot non-tank players.

For Pull 8, choose either G11 or G13, based on the location of the patrolling G12 Despoiler. Always pull the pack furthest from the Despoiler and use LOS behind the doorway to bring the mobs back safely.

Skarmorak

Skarmorak is one of the most healing-intensive bosses in Season 1 and requires decent group coordination. Using the second Bloodlust/Heroism on this boss is highly recommended. The encounter revolves around destroying Crystal Shards and collecting Unstable Fragments to break Skarmorak’s Fortified Shell during Void Discharge.

• Crystalline Smash: A tank buster that deals heavy Physical damage and drops three Crystal Shards in the area.
  • This ability occurs twice before each Fortified Shell, producing a total of six shards.
• Unstable Crash: Deals AoE Shadow damage around Skarmorak and places a swirly under each player, which spawns Unstable Fragments upon explosion.
  • Players must move out of the swirly to avoid damage, then collect the Unstable Fragments.
• Unstable Energy: Each Unstable Fragment picked up grants a stacking buff, increasing the player’s healing and damage to Skarmorak’s shield for 15 seconds while applying a stacking DoT.
  • Unstable Crash happens twice before each Fortified Shell, generating a total of 10 Unstable Fragments for each shield phase.
• Fortified Shell: Skarmorak creates a damage-absorbing shield, strengthened by any remaining Crystal Shards. Breaking the shield will stun Skarmorak.
• Void Discharge: After Fortified Shell, Skarmorak pulses AoE Shadow damage, increasing by 10% every 2 seconds. Use group defensives, like Priest’s Power Word: Barrier, here. Breaking Fortified Shell is the only way to interrupt this ability.

It is of the utmost importance to kill off all six Crystal Shards before each Fortified Shell to prevent the shield from getting too big. However, destroying a shard triggers Crystalline Eruption, which deals AoE Shadow damage and applies a 2-second vulnerability debuff. To manage this, kill one shard at a time, allowing the debuff to fall off before destroying the next.

In pug groups, aim to pick up one Unstable Fragment each time Unstable Crash occurs. This way, the second fragment refreshes the first’s duration, allowing each player to have two stacks of Unstable Energy going into each Fortified Shell phase. Unstable Fragments will eventually disappear, so collect the first set promptly.

The Stonevault: Master Machinists

After defeating Skarmorak, take the mine cart in the boss room to return to the central area and proceed to the opposite hallway to face the Master Machinists boss. As with the previous hallway, pull sizes and pack combinations can be adjusted based on the group’s comfort and composition. In addition to new enemies, Cursedheart Invaders and Repurposed Loaderbots also appear in this area. Although there are some routing options here, it’s generally advised to avoid pulling the double Forge Loaders (G22) due to their high damage output.

Trash

Notable trash mobs and their abilities in the area before Master Machinists include:

• Forgebound Mender
  • Restoring Metal: Restores 40% of an ally’s health. Prioritize interrupting this ability.
  • Alloy Bolt: Deals Nature damage to a random player. Use spare interrupts and CCs to reduce group damage.
• Engine Speaker
  • Concussive Smash: Hits the tank with Physical damage and applies a slow debuff. This debuff can be removed by Magic dispels or abilities like Blessing of Freedom from Paladins.
• Aspiring Forgehand’s melee attacks have a chance to apply Fracturing Blows to the tank, increasing their damage taken by 5% per stack.
  • When the stacks get too high, tanks should consider kiting to avoid lethal damage.
  • Employ AoE slows and CCs, such as Chaos Nova, to help the tank when they have high stacks.
• Forge Loader is immune to CC.
  • Lava Cannon: Fires a lava ball at a random player. Non-tank players should avoid its path as it can one-shot them in higher keys.
  • Molten Mortar: Targets two random players with fire damage, applying a heavy Fire DoT. Targeted players should use defensives, and healers should closely monitor them.

The DoT from Molten Mortar can stack, so beware of pulling more than one Forge Loader at a time.

Players can pick up the Imbued Iron Bar, granting a 10% Versatility buff for 10 minutes, from atop an anvil next to G28 (pull 15). Activating this buff requires a Warrior, a Dwarf, or a player with at least 25 Skill in Khaz Algar Blacksmithing. This buff is incredibly valuable for reducing damage taken during the Master Machinists encounter.

Master Machinists

The Master Machinists encounter involves two bosses, Speaker Brokk and Speaker Dorlita. They must be killed simultaneously to avoid Silenced Speaker, a deadly enrage effect that increases their damage and pulses fire damage every 3 seconds. This encounter is also quite healing-intensive, but much easier to handle than Skarmorak once players recognize the fight pattern. If Bloodlust/Heroism is off cooldown at this point, it is a good idea to use it on Master Machinists rather than save it for the last boss. Here’s a breakdown of key abilities to watch out for:

• Scrap Song: Brokk leaps to one end of the room and sends a massive cube across its center, which kills anyone caught in its path.
• Exhaust Vents: Three of the four vents in the room’s corners ignite, dealing constant fire damage to players on them and creating lava puddles. Make sure to quickly identify the safe vent so that players can reposition there.
• Blazing Crescendo: Dorlita drags a cube into the room’s center, heating it to deal area-wide fire damage and applying a Fire DoT. It also shoots waves of lava from each face, which can be fatal if players are caught. Use group defensives during this, such as Anti-Magic Zone from Death Knights.
• Molten Metal: A cast that deals fire damage and slows the target by 50%. This ability is extremely dangerous and must be interrupted.
• Lava Canon: Dorlita fires a ball of lava toward a random player. Avoid its path.
• Igneous Hammer: A tank buster that deals fire damage from Dorlita. Tanks should pop a defensive cooldown for this.

The Master Machinists encounter follows a predictable rotation, alternating between Scrap Song and Blazing Crescendo, with Exhaust Vents happening before each, except at the start. The sequence always begins with Scrap Song, followed by Exhaust Vents into Blazing Crescendo, and repeats with Exhaust Vents preceding each Scrap Song throughout the fight.

After each Scrap Song and Blazing Crescendo, the tank should reposition the bosses in the center of the room, making it easier for the group to move quickly to an unlit vent. Additionally, a player with a ranged interrupt should be prepared to stop Brokk’s Molten Metal cast, which he uses immediately after each Scrap Song.

The Stonevault: Void Speaker Eirich

After defeating Master Machinists, take the nearby mine cart (next to G21) back to the central area. This mine cart requires a group with hard CC, such as Sap, Imprison, Sleep Walk, Paralysis + Ring of Peace, or Mind Soothe, to bypass the Aspiring Forgehand next to it. Groups without this utility can opt to take the regular route back.

The hallway before the final boss, Void Speaker Eirich, is brief but challenging. Pull 18 can become chaotic due to Shield Stampedes from Cursedforge Honor Guards, particularly for melee-heavy groups. One approach is to handle just G29 and G30 before tackling the rest of Pull 18. It’s generally advised to avoid pulling G32, G34, and G35 together, as managing multiple Rocksmashers and Cursedforge Stoneshapers simultaneously can be extremely challenging.

Players can skip
G29
by having one player lure the pack away and either die or use a vanish effect like

Shadowmeld
(for Night Elves)
to reset aggro. However, this skip requires the group to pick up
G70
in the
Master Machinists
area instead. While effective, this strategy is challenging to execute in pugs and has a significant drawback, as it removes access to the dungeon’s graveyard for the remainder of the run.

Trash

Notable trash mobs and their abilities in the area before Void Speaker Eirich include:

• Cursedforge Honor Guard
  • Shield Stampede: Targets the location of a random player and charges, dealing significant damage and stunning any player hit. Players should position against walls before dodging so that the guards don’t charge too far away.
  • Stonebreaker Strike: Deals heavy Physical damage to the tank.
• Rocksmasher is immune to CC.
  • Avoid pulling more than one Rocksmasher at a time.
  • Smash Rock: Deals heavy Nature damage to all players and knocks them back. Applies a stacking debuff that causes players to take extra damage from subsequent Smash Rocks.
  • Granite Eruption: Creates multiple swirlies that need to be dodged. This is lethal on higher keys.
• Cursedforge Stoneshaper
  • Stonebolt: Inflicts Nature damage on the tank. Use spare interrupts to help the tank.
  • Earth Burst Totem: Summons a totem that explodes after 7 seconds, killing any non-tank player. Ensure these totems are killed off instantly to prevent a wipe.

Void Speaker Eirich

Void Speaker Eirich is the final boss of The Stonevault and relatively easier than the prior three. Despite this, the encounter can get messy due to area denial and ramping DoTs. Eirich starts with two Void Rifts around the edge of the room that pull in nearby players and kill anyone that touches them.

• Unbridled Void: Eirich unleashes a giant cone of Shadow in front of him, dealing high Shadow damage.
• Void Corruption: Eirich applies a ramping DoT to all players, which increases by 25% damage every 3 seconds.
  • The only way to remove this is by moving within 15 yards of a Void Rift, which absorbs the DoT and disappears, before reappearing at another location in the room.
• Entropic Reckoning: Eirich puts an 8 yard circle on each player, which drops a puddle on the ground after a few seconds. Standing in these puddles deals ticking Shadow damage.

Players should be careful with the placement of Entropic Reckonings, as the area denial can make it difficult for players to reach the Void Rifts for Void Corruption removal. Tankier classes, such as Paladins and Death Knights, can attempt to drop them on top of existing puddles to help conserve space.

Due to the high ramping damage of Void Corruption, players should allow squishier classes and the healer to remove their DoTs first, with the tank ideally being the last to remove theirs. It is recommended to establish a removal order before the fight, so the players clearing last can pop defensive cooldowns to help with the healing.