Noxxion

Noxxion is a bloated, poisonous elemental that guards the Foulspore Cavern wing of Maraudon, the centaur burial caves under Desolace. The satyr Lord Vyletongue made it as a servant and pet for Princess Theradras, and it carries half of the scepter that opens the way to her chamber, which makes it a required kill for anyone on the Celebras quest chain.

Background

Maraudon is the holy ground of the centaur and the lair of Theradras, an earth elemental whose corruption turned Desolace into a wasteland. When the satyr lord Vyletongue arrived, the princess did not trust him. He won her over by breeding monsters for her, and Noxxion was his showpiece: a living lump of the cave's poison, made to keep her company and to spread rot into the parts of the caverns that were still healthy.

Noxxion sits in a fungus-choked pool at the end of the orange-crystal side of the outer caves. A huge, twitching growth on the ceiling above it drips into the water, and the growth dies with the boss. The walking plant Razorlash roams the same cave.

Abilities

All of Noxxion's damage is Nature damage, so armor does little against it.

• Toxic Volley: a burst of poison that hits everyone nearby and keeps ticking for 15 seconds.
• Uppercut: a heavy punch that knocks its target back.
• Summon Noxxion's Spawns: Noxxion splits into five Noxxion's Spawns and cannot be attacked for up to 20 seconds. When the spawns are dead, or the time runs out, it pulls itself back together.

Strategy

Noxxion is a simple fight that punishes groups without area damage. In Classic most groups did this:

• Tank it in its pool and keep the healer topped up through Toxic Volley. A priest or shaman who can cure poison, or a druid, saves a lot of mana. Nature resistance gear helps whoever tanks.
• When it splits, kill the five spawns quickly with area attacks such as Consecration, Arcane Explosion or a warrior's Thunder Clap, or have the tank pick them up. Loose spawns go for the healer.
• Uppercut can knock the tank out of position; tank with your back to the cave wall.

Patch 1.3 made the encounter easier for groups with little area damage, and by patch 1.12 it was one of the gentler fights in the dungeon.

Loot

Noxxion always drops the [Celebrian Rod], and like most bosses here it often drops a [Theradric Crystal Carving]. Its three blue (rare) items each drop about a third of the time in our data.

The Noxious Shooter is a wand that deals Nature damage, a rarity at this level. The Heart of Noxxion is a trinket that cures one poison when used, which suits a fight like this one.

Quests

• Legends of Maraudon: Cavindra, a centaur waiting in the outer caves, asks you to recover the two halves of her brother's scepter. Noxxion carries the Celebrian Rod; Lord Vyletongue carries the Celebrian Diamond. The quest ends with Celebras the Redeemed after you defeat Celebras the Cursed, and leads to The Scepter of Celebras, which gives everyone the [Scepter of Celebras].
• Twisted Evils: Willow in Desolace wants 25 Theradric Crystal Carvings, which Noxxion and the other bosses drop.

Later history

When Cataclysm (patch 4.0.3a) rebuilt Maraudon for lower levels, Noxxion's level dropped to 37. Patch 8.0.1 gave it a new model.

Sources

• Noxxion - Warcraft Wiki
• Lord Vyletongue - Warcraft Wiki