Blizzard has recently announced some exciting changes to droprates in World of Warcraft's Wrath of the Lich King expansion, specifically for items such as Fragment of Val'anyr, Shadowfrost Shards, 277 tier tokens, and Defiler's Scourgestones. These changes will allow players to gear up more quickly and complete their goals before the Cataclysm expansion hits. Let's take a closer look at the new droprates for raids like Ulduar and Icecrown Citadel.
Droprate Changes for Ulduar and Icecrown Citadel
Starting with the Cataclysm pre-patch, both Ulduar and Icecrown Citadel will see significant improvements in droprates for certain items. Here's a comparison of the old and new droprates:
| Instance |
Item |
Old Droprate |
New Droprate |
| Ulduar |
Fragment of Val'anyr |
5 Guaranteed |
13 Guaranteed |
| Instance |
Item |
Old Droprate |
New Droprate |
| Icecrown Citadel |
Shadowfrost Shard |
5 Guaranteed |
17 Guaranteed |
| Icecrown Citadel (Heroic) |
T10 Tokens |
5 Total (1 per Heroic End Wing Boss) |
11 Total (2 per Heroic End Wing Boss + 3 from Heroic Lich King) |
These changes mean that raid groups will now be able to complete a full Shadowmourne legendary weapon questline in just three weeks, with an extra Shadowfrost Shard to spare. Players will also be guaranteed to obtain 17 Shadowfrost Shards per Icecrown Citadel clear, regardless of Heroic encounters completed. This totals to 51 Shadowfrost Shards in just three clears of the raid, significantly speeding up the process of obtaining Shadowmourne before Cataclysm.
Besides the Shadowmourne questline, raid groups will also benefit from the increased droprate of Heroic tier tokens. With 11 Heroic tier tokens dropping for a full Icecrown Citadel clear, groups can now equip two or even three players with a full 277 tier set per Heroic Icecrown Citadel clear.
How to Obtain Shadowmourne
If you're looking to obtain the powerful Shadowmourne legendary weapon, here's a breakdown of the changes and how it will affect your journey:
The droprate changes for Ulduar are quite substantial. With the new rates, players are now guaranteed to complete the Val'anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings questline with only three clears of Ulduar, assuming they run the raid on all Hard Modes. In some lucky cases, it may even be possible to complete the Val'anyr questline in just two lockouts!
In the latest update, Defense Protocol Gamma bosses now drop 2 Defiler's Scourgestones per boss instead of just 1. This change allows new characters to gear up quickly with 245 and 252 ilvl pieces in preparation for the Cataclysm expansion.
According to a blue post from Blizzard, these droprate changes are temporary and are part of a celebration for the launch of Operation Gnomeregan and Zalazane's Fall, as well as the upcoming release of Cataclysm Classic. The changes will remain in effect until the end of the Cataclysm Classic pre-patch period.
Final Thoughts
These droprate changes in Ulduar and Icecrown Citadel offer an exciting opportunity for players to gear up faster and complete their goals before the Cataclysm expansion arrives. Whether you're pursuing the legendary Shadowmourne or aiming for a full 277 tier set, these changes will undoubtedly speed up the process and make it more accessible to players. Take advantage of these improvements while they last, and make sure to seize the opportunity to gear up and conquer the challenges that await!
