Mordresh Fire Eye

Mordresh Fire Eye is a skeletal fire caster in Razorfen Downs, one of the lieutenants of the lich Amnennar the Coldbringer. He was once an orc shaman sent to find out what was happening in the Downs; the Scourge killed him and raised him as one of their own. He is a level 39 elite who dances on a heap of bones above a crowd of skeletons, and the fight is known for being simple and chaotic at once.

Background

When strange things began happening in the quilboar burial grounds of the Downs, the Horde in Orgrimmar sent the shaman Mordresh to look into it. He never returned: he was slain in the Downs and raised as a servant of the Scourge, which had taken over the burial grounds with the help of the Death's Head quilboar.

Amnennar, the lord of the Downs, judged the elements, a shaman's usual power, too unreliable for a servant of the Scourge, so he filled Mordresh with burning fel energy instead. As a mockery of his old role as a spiritual leader, Mordresh now stirs lesser undead into a frenzy. When idle he tells the skeletons around him that the Scourge will spread across the Barrens, enslave the quilboar and in time rule the world.

Abilities

• Fireball: a Fire bolt on one player.
• Fire Nova: Fire damage to everyone close to him.
• Skeletons: a large group of non-elite undead stands around his bone pile and joins the fight.

Strategy

Mordresh stands on a pile of skulls and bones in the Downs, dancing, with a crowd of lesser skeletons below him. When he sees the group, he orders them to attack in the name of the Scourge.

• The skeletons are weak but numerous. Area damage is the answer: mages, warlocks and paladins can clear them quickly while the tank holds Mordresh.
• If the group lacks area damage, pull some of the skeletons away first and kill them before engaging him.
• Interrupt Fireball and step back from Fire Nova. Melee should be ready for its damage.
• Priests can use Shackle Undead on a skeleton or two if things get out of hand.

Loot

All three are caster items. The Glowing Eye of Mordresh is a necklace and Mordresh's Lifeless Skull an off-hand item, both with Spirit. The Deathmage Sash is a cloth belt with 15 Intellect.

Later history

Cataclysm raised his level to 45. Warlords of Draenor (patch 6.0.2) rebuilt Razorfen Downs; there, Death Speaker Blackthorn rekindles Mordresh's soul and he fights with lava and fire elementals. He now uses the model of a Forsaken rather than an orc skeleton. Mordresh is also a legendary card in Hearthstone. The original encounter returned with World of Warcraft Classic in 2019.

Sources

• Mordresh Fire Eye (Classic), Warcraft Wiki
• Mordresh Fire Eye, Warcraft Wiki
• WoWDB NPC and loot data for patch 1.12