Golemagg the Incinerator

Golemagg the Incinerator is the greatest of the molten giants in Molten Core, a huge rock-and-lava brute who keeps two of Magmadar's offspring as pets. The fight itself is simple, a long test of the tank and healers, but Golemagg's loot made him one of the most important kills in the instance: Tier 1 chest pieces, the [Azuresong Mageblade], and the [Sulfuron Ingot] that blacksmiths need for Sulfuras.

Background

Molten giants are the most feared soldiers of Ragnaros's elemental army, and Golemagg is the strongest of them. Warcraft Wiki's account says his power is so great that he has tamed two Core Ragers, whelps of the great core hound Magmadar, and uses them as his hounds. Magmadar hasn't forgiven him for it, though the hound has yet to act on his anger.

Golemagg stands guard over the Rune of Theri in a cave deep in the Core, in front of a glowing furnace. Behind him, the path leads on to Sulfuron Harbinger and the lava lake where Majordomo Executus waits. Warcraft Wiki notes that raiders liked to tell newcomers the furnace behind him was where they could see Ragnaros; it actually burns anyone who walks too close.

Abilities

Golemagg is a melee fight that gets harder the longer it lasts:

• Magma Splash: a stacking debuff on his target that melts its armor and burns it over 30 seconds. Over a long fight the stacks become the main danger to the tank.
• Pyroblast: a fire blast on a player, with damage over time.
• Earthquake: when Golemagg drops below 10% health, he shakes the ground and damages everyone near him.
• Golemagg's Trust: a buff on his Core Ragers while they stand near him, raising their damage and attack speed.

The Core Ragers can't be killed while Golemagg is alive. They use Mangle, a bleed that also slows its target.

Strategy

Warcraft Wiki calls this the most uneventful fight in Molten Core, and most raids agreed. Two off-tanks take the Core Ragers well away from Golemagg, far enough that his Trust buff no longer reaches them. Since the dogs can't die, nobody attacks them; the off-tanks simply hold them for the whole fight. Warlocks found a use for Curse of Weakness on them, and for draining health from them.

The main tank needs fire resistance to soften the Magma Splash stacks, and healers have to manage their mana over a long fight. Many guilds rotated two tanks on Golemagg, letting the first recover when the stacks got too high. At 10% the melee back away and ranged attackers finish him to avoid the Earthquake. When Golemagg dies, the Core Ragers die with him.

Loot

Drop chances are from our database (patch 1.12). Golemagg drops Tier 1 chests for every class.

The [Azuresong Mageblade], a one-handed caster sword, and the [Staff of Dominance], a caster staff, were two of the most sought-after weapons for spellcasters before Blackwing Lair. The [Blastershot Launcher] is a gun for hunters. The chest pieces include the warrior's [Breastplate of Might], the paladin's [Lawbringer Chestguard] and the mage's [Arcanist Robes].

Quests

The [Sulfuron Ingot] is the Golemagg drop that has a quest. A blacksmith in good standing with the Thorium Brotherhood takes it to Lokhtos Darkbargainer in Searing Gorge for A Binding Contract, which rewards the [Plans: Sulfuron Hammer]. The [Sulfuron Hammer] that results is the base for [Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros]: combined with the [Eye of Sulfuras] that Ragnaros sometimes drops, it becomes the legendary mace.

Trivia

• Golemagg's name likely combines "golem" and "magma", as Warcraft Wiki notes.
• His model was updated in patch 4.2, so later screenshots show a black-and-red rock giant instead of the furred red giant of Classic.

Sources

• Golemagg the Incinerator - Warcraft Wiki
• Molten Core (Classic) - Warcraft Wiki