One of the notable changes in the Patch 10.2 PTR build was the reduction of periodic damage caused by the Ghostly Retainers' Soul Blade. Previously, this spell could be punishing for groups without dedicated dispels, but the developers reduced the damage by 25%. This adjustment gave Mythic+ teams tackling Black Rook Hold more room to handle Soul Blade without emergency cooldowns.
The Ghostly Councilors' Soul Blast received a 7% damage increase, raising the difficulty of those pulls in counterbalance. Groups that handled Ghostly Retainers cleanly found the Councilor gauntlet the new pressure point.
In addition, Lord Etheldrin Ravencrest's Soul Echoes damage increased by 10%, and his Spirit Blast also went up by 10.7%. These changes made the Lord Etheldrin encounter meaningfully harder, requiring more precise movement and interrupt timing from the group.
The Tarspitter Grub's Strike Down damage amplification increased to 30%, up from 20%. This adjustment put a premium on positioning and quick dispels during the trash phase leading to the Amalgam of Souls.
The Amalgam of Souls received increases on both Soul Burst (up 9%) and Soul Echoes (up 10%), making this encounter a meaningful DPS and survivability check in Season 3.
Lady Velandras Ravencrest's Glaive Toss damage increased by 25%. Her encounter became one of the higher-skill checks in the dungeon when these PTR changes shipped.
The Patch 10.2 PTR tuning made Black Rook Hold a more demanding Mythic+ run when these changes went live in Dragonflight Season 3. Ghostly Retainer pulls became more forgiving for groups managing dispels, while Lord Etheldrin Ravencrest, the Amalgam of Souls, and Lady Velandras Ravencrest all dealt meaningfully more damage — rewarding coordinated groups that prepared interrupt and cooldown plans in advance.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 against Patch 10.2 Guardians of the Dream — Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.
