Loot Hunting Week: Soloing Cataclysm Heroics for Gold - Part 4 - Blackrock Caverns

During the first Loot Hunting Week, I'll be posting gold tips after experimenting with all Cataclysm Heroics to find out which of them is the best when it comes to solo gold farming. Now that the worst dungeons are behind, it's time to tackle the first promising Heroic: the Blackrock Caverns, which already was visited in the past, but in normal mode. Let's see how much wow gold you can get in Heroic mode!

Solo Farming Heroic Blackrock Caverns for Gold
This instance can be done both in Normal and Heroic, and the drops aren't that much different. In fact, on some realms it's more profitable to run this instance in normal mode instead to get those yummy level 77 Cata greens that often sell for 200-500g each. On heroic mode the lowest greenies will be level 82, which are worthless unless disenchanted. Exception is BOE blues though, they are mainly level 78. They sell nicely, but there's usually a lot of them for sale. Better to vendor in most cases!

To get to Blackrock Caverns, you need to go to Blackrock Mountain which is located between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes. Once inside, circle around the main platform until you find a large doorway. Then hug the right wall and you can find the portal. You know it's the right path if there's a few mobs and barricades in the way.

Solo Tactics
The fights are very simple and easy too, but you should pay attention to a few spells and mechanics.

For Evolved Twilight Zealots, you should interrupt their Shadow Strike or they will unleash a second attack that deals 60% health damage. Not nice! Though if your dps is good enough, they don't have time to cast it.

During the second boss fight, Corla, three beams will focus on three unkillable mobs during the fight. Should the beam hit the mob for too long, the mob will evolve into an Evolved Twilight Zealot. If you stand between the beam and the mob, the beam hits you instead. You should start the fight by intercepting one beam for 10-15 seconds and then switch to one of the other beams. Don't let the debuff from the beam get to 100 though, or you will evolve instead and get mind controlled. Just nuke the boss and no Zealot should have time to Shadow Strike you.

After the third boss, you will encounter Twilight Obsidian Borers which like to cast Shadow Prison on you. This can kill you if you don't stop and wait for the debuff to fade. It can be dispelled though.

Blackrock Caverns Achievements
There's 4 achievements to get here. Some of them are a bit trickier to get though when soloing.

Crushing Bones and Cracking Skulls: You cannot solo this achievement. Need at least 2 players.

Arrested Development: Your dps needs to be good and you need big self heals. You will get to eat multiple Shadow Strikes, and each will take 60% of your total health. You can interrupt at least one of the Zealots, so you will take "only" 120% of total health damage in a short time.

Too Hot to Handle: Simply attack the boss in the fire until 15+ stacks. Your health pool is large enough to handle it easily.

Ascendant Descending: This is tricky. You need to have AOE slows, as you must kite the the adds around the room, not getting hit. Do not let a pet hit the adds if you want this achievement.

Stealing all the loot
This instance is fun to farm. Lots of mobs means lots of drops! Like always, I pull all trash that I can find. I do not use Potions of Treasure Finding, but you should to get even more loot.

If you have the Golden Fleece, it's a good idea to equip it for this dungeon, as the mobs are high enough level to give experience. One missing trinket does not affect your farming performance, and you will be getting more gold in exchange. You can click on the item to see where you can get it.

To get even more loot in the room with the first boss, you should either clear the room before killing the first boss, or alternatively attack the remaining mobs in the room before Raz the Crazed finishes them off. Otherwise you can't loot the mobs he kills. The Evolved Zealots on the bridge do not award loot even if you solo them completely.

There's also lots of Troggs in the room with the third boss. They die super fast and drop Embersilk Cloth often.

Here's the details and results of a single run

• Time: About 11 minutes
• Farmer: 548 Windwalker Monk
• Drops: 22 gold
• Vendor junk (Epics, greys, green weapons): 147 gold
• DE'd greens & Lockboxes: 130 gold
• Embersilk: 2½ Stacks
• Other valuables: 3 gold
• BOE Blues: 160~ gold (Not included in total)

Grand total:  352 gold (Varies by realm and RNG)

Score: ✮✮✮
"Lots of trash means lots of gold!"

Previous Cataclysm Heroics:

• End Time ✮✮
• Well of Eternity ✮
• Hour of Twilight ✮