Zul'Farrak

Zul'Farrak is the walled city of the Sandfury trolls in the deserts of Tanaris. It is an open-air dungeon for characters around level 44 to 54, known for its sacred pool, where players can summon the giant hydra Gahz'rilla, and for a battle on the steps of a pyramid as waves of trolls attack the group.

Background

Tanaris was once jungle, part of the realm of the Gurubashi Empire, and Zul'Farrak was one of its cities. When The Sundering broke the ancient continent, the region dried into desert. The Farraki trolls left behind adapted to the heat and sand and became sand trolls. The Sandfury tribe that rules Zul'Farrak is known for its cruelty and its dark magic.

In the time of World of Warcraft, the Sandfury are raising an army of undead trolls from their graveyards to reclaim the region. Rumor says the two halves of an old troll sword, Sul'thraze the Lasher, are hidden inside the city. A band of goblin mercenaries fleeing Gadgetzan wandered into Zul'Farrak and was captured. And in a sacred pool at the city's heart sleeps Gahz'rilla, a many-headed hydra the trolls worship as a demigod.

Bosses

The two halves of the old sword drop here: [Sang'thraze the Deflector] from Antu'sul and [Jang'thraze the Protector] from Chief Ukorz Sandscalp. Combined, they form [Sul'thraze the Lasher], a two-handed sword of epic quality usable at level 50 that can be a strong weapon for several more levels.

Gahz'rilla only appears if a player strikes the gong by the sacred pool with the [Mallet of Zul'Farrak]. To make the mallet, players take the [Sacred Mallet] from Qiaga the Keeper at the troll city of Jintha'Alor in The Hinterlands and use it on the altar atop the city.

Quests

• Gahz'rilla: Wizzle Brassbolts at the Shimmering Flats in Thousand Needles wants a scale from Gahz'rilla. The reward is a choice of [Speedy Racer Goggles] or [Carrot on a Stick], a trinket that makes the wearer's mount faster.
• Divino-matic Rod: Chief Engineer Bilgewhizzle in Gadgetzan wants the Divino-matic Rod back from Sergeant Bly. Rewards: [Masons Fraternity Ring] or [Engineer's Guild Headpiece].
• Tiara of the Deep: Tabetha in Dustwallow Marsh wants the Tiara of the Deep from Hydromancer Velratha.
• Troll Temper: Trenton Lighthammer in Gadgetzan wants 20 vials of Troll Temper.
• Scarab Shells: Tran'rek in Gadgetzan wants five Uncracked Scarab Shells.
• The Spider God (Horde): Master Gadrin in Sen'jin Village wants the name of the Witherbark spider god, found on the Tablet of Theka.
• Nekrum's Medallion (Alliance): Thadius Grimshade in the Blasted Lands wants Nekrum's Medallion.
• The Prophecy of Mosh'aru: Yeh'kinya in Tanaris wants two tablets from the city. The chain continues into the Sunken Temple with the [Egg of Hakkar].

Strategy notes

Zul'Farrak is mostly outdoors. Large packs of trolls stand in the open, and careless movement pulls several at once.

• Antu'sul waits in a basin full of basilisks to the side of the city. He summons more basilisks during the fight and heals himself.
• Theka the Martyr turns into a giant scarab partway through his fight.
• Witch Doctor Zum'rah raises Zul'Farrak Dead Heroes from the graves around him. Fight him away from the graves if possible.
• Gahz'rilla uses Freeze Solid, which locks a player in ice, and Gahz'rilla Slam, which throws players into the air.

The pyramid event is the dungeon's set piece. The Sandfury Executioner carries the [Executioner's Key], which opens the cages of Sergeant Bly and his crew at the top of the pyramid. Once they are freed, waves of Sandfury trolls swarm up the stairs from below, followed by Nekrum Gutchewer and Shadowpriest Sezz'ziz. Groups usually hold a corner at the top and use area-of-effect damage. After the fight, the goblin Weegli Blastfuse can blow open the door to the inner city. Sergeant Bly and most of his crew then turn on the players, so the escort ends in one last fight.

Past the door, Chief Ukorz Sandscalp and his bodyguard Ruuzlu wait on a raised platform.

History

Zul'Farrak was part of World of Warcraft at launch in November 2004.

Later history

Cataclysm (patch 4.0.3a) retuned Zul'Farrak along with the rest of the old world. Lore after that expansion says the city became a wasteland and that the surviving Sandfury joined the Zandalari. The 1.12 version returned with World of Warcraft Classic in 2019.

Sources

• Zul'Farrak, Warcraft Wiki
• Sul'thraze the Lasher, Warcraft Wiki
• Mallet of Zul'Farrak, Warcraft Wiki
• WoWDB quest and loot data for patch 1.12