Ras Frostwhisper

Ras Frostwhisper is the lich who oversees everything that happens in Scholomance. A favored pupil of Kel'Thuzad, he taught the men who rose to be the school's headmasters, and he waits in the Laboratory at the far end of the dungeon. A long quest chain lets players strip away his undeath and kill him as a mortal man.

Background

Ras was a human mage from Stromgarde, a hedge wizard who never trained in Dalaran. He was one of the first to join the Cult of the Damned and rose quickly through its ranks. When the Scourge took Andorhal, he led cultists against the Lordaeron camps outside the city, and after the Knights of the Silver Hand drove him off he swore to return with greater power.

He kept that promise in Stratholme. According to Leonid Barthalomew the Revered, who watched it happen, Ras stood in a pentagram in the Slaughterhouse, cut his own throat with a smile, and was raised by the Lich King as a lich on the spot called Menethil's Gift. Unlike most liches, he has no phylactery. His soul still clings to that ground, which is how the quest chain can bring him back to life.

Abilities

• Frostbolt Volley: frost damage and a heavy slow on everyone nearby.
• Chill Nova: frost damage that knocks players back and slows them.
• Freeze: stuns one player and deals frost damage over 15 seconds.
• Fear: sends one player running.
• Knock Away: knocks back players in melee.
• Frost Armor: slows any melee attacker who hits him.

Strategy

Ras has a lot of health and mostly needs a tank who can be kept alive through the volleys and slows. Healers should stay at range and be ready for fears and freezes on other players. Frost resistance helps everyone.

For the quest, one player uses the [Soulbound Keepsake] on him. It channels for 20 seconds from 15 yards and draws threat, so the tank has to hold him the whole time. When it finishes, Ras becomes a mortal human with the same abilities. He still counts as undead for paladin spells.

Loot

Drop chances are from our database (patch 1.12). Since patch 1.4 he always drops at least two rares.

[Alanna's Embrace] is a rare epic robe; [Magister's Mantle] is the mage's Dungeon Set 1 shoulders (see Tier Sets).

Quests

The chain follows the Sarkhoff quests that end with Kirtonos the Herald, and is given by Magistrate Marduke, the ghostly magistrate of Caer Darrow:

1. The Human, Ras Frostwhisper: find the [Keepsake of Remembrance] from Ras's life, in Stromgarde in the Arathi Highlands.
2. The Dying, Ras Frostwhisper and Menethil's Gift: take it to Leonid Barthalomew the Revered at Light's Hope Chapel, then attune it at Menethil's Gift in Stratholme.
3. The Lich, Ras Frostwhisper: use the [Soulbound Keepsake] on Ras, kill him and bring Marduke the [Human Head of Ras Frostwhisper]. The rewards include the [Crown of Caer Darrow] and the [Warblade of Caer Darrow].

Later history

Patch 4.0.3a lowered Ras to level 43 and Mists of Pandaria removed him from the school. He returned in patch 10.1.5 with the Legacy of Scholomance. Warcraft III: Reforged later showed his human life and his transformation.

Sources

• Ras Frostwhisper - Warcraft Wiki
• Menethil's Gift (quest) - Warcraft Wiki