Ruins of Lordaeron Dungeon Guide: Bosses, Loot, and Best Route
Ruins of Lordaeron is the second new dungeon in WoW Forever, tuned for level 15-20 players. The dungeon is set in the abandoned palace district of the Forsaken capital, telling the story of the Forsaken reclaiming their lost home. This guide covers all bosses, loot, the dungeon narrative, and the optimal leveling route.
For other Forever dungeons, see our Hall of Thanes Guide (level 13-18) and Excavation Site Guide (level 24-29).
Quick summary: Ruins of Lordaeron is the best XP-per-hour dungeon for levels 17-20. Three bosses + a final encounter with strong thematic loot. The final boss drops the Crown of the Forsaken — best caster head pre-20. Recommended party: tank, healer, 3x DPS.
Dungeon basics
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Level range | 15-20 (14 accepted) |
| Bosses | 4 + 1 final |
| Estimated clear time | 28-38 minutes (fresh), 20-25 (optimized) |
| Recommended party | Tank, Healer, 3x DPS |
| Final boss loot | Crown of the Forsaken (caster head) |
Location
Ruins of Lordaeron is accessed through Tirisfal Glades, just south of the Undercity entrance. The dungeon entrance is a partially-collapsed stone archway at coordinates (52, 67).
For Alliance players, the run is through Hillsbrad → Tarren Mill → into Tirisfal. Expect hostile NPCs on the way. Use stealth or invisibility potions.
Quests inside
There are 5 dungeon quests available from the entrance NPC and Forsaken quest board:
- “The Reclaimers” — kill all bosses (main quest)
- “Forsaken Relics” — collect 8 relics from mobs
- “The Traitor’s Pendant” — drops from second boss
- “Lost Lordaeron Lore” — found in a hidden room
- “The Forsaken Crown” — turn in the trinket to start a chain quest
Doing all 5 quests nets roughly 4,000 XP bonus plus Undercity reputation.
Boss guide
Boss 1: Reclaimer Saren
HP: ~7,200 | Level: 17 Recommended level: 16+
Mechanics:
- Shadow Bolt — main attack
- Curse of Weakness — debuffs melee damage
- Raise Dead — summons a skeleton add at 50% HP
Strategy:
- Dispel Curse of Weakness on melee
- Interrupt Shadow Bolt when possible
- Burn skeleton add fast
- AoE group the skeleton if adds multiply
Loot:
- Saren’s Shadow Robe (Cloth chest, +12 Spell Power)
- Traitor’s Pendant (Neck, +10 Spell Power)
- Reclaimer’s Wand (Wand, +12 Spell Power)
Boss 2: Warden Mordis
HP: ~8,100 | Level: 18 Recommended level: 17+
Mechanics:
- Whirlwind — melee AoE, hits all in range
- Mortal Strike — reduces healing on tank
- Battle Shout — buffs nearby mobs
Strategy:
- Tank moves away during Whirlwind
- Save cooldowns for Mortal Strike phase
- Burn mobs before they reach the boss
- Healer pre-casts big heals after Mortal Strike
Loot:
- Mordis’s Helm (Plate head, +12 Strength)
- Warden’s Battle Plate (Plate chest, +15 Stamina)
- Sword of the Warden (1H Sword, +10 Strength)
Boss 3: Apothecary Vex
HP: ~8,800 | Level: 19 Recommended level: 18+
Mechanics:
- Shadow Bolt — main attack
- Healing Potion — self-heal (interruptible)
- Plague Cloud — AoE damage over time
- Summon Plague Hound — adds 2 dogs at 50% HP
Strategy:
- Interrupt Healing Potion immediately
- Spread out for Plague Cloud (don’t stack)
- Burn Plague Hounds fast (they multiply damage)
- Dispel disease effects if available
Loot:
- Vex’s Apothecary Ring (Ring, +12 Spell Power)
- Plague Sample (Trinket, +20 Shadow Damage for 20 sec, 2 min CD)
- Apothecary’s Cloak (Back, +10 Spell Power)
Boss 4: The Forsaken Champion
HP: ~10,500 | Level: 20 (Rare Elite) Recommended level: 19+
Mechanics:
- Death Coil — high damage on random target
- Forsaken Might — +25% damage for 10 sec
- Soul Drain — drains HP from all party members
- Summon Fallen Hero — adds 3 ghost warriors at 30% HP
Strategy:
- Dispel Forsaken Might when applied
- Save healer cooldowns for Soul Drain
- Burn the Fallen Hero adds quickly
- Focus the boss, ignore adds after they’re down
- Pre-cast Shadow Protection potions
Loot:
- Crown of the Forsaken (Cloth head, +25 Spell Power) — best caster head pre-20
- Forsaken Champion’s Blade (2H Sword, +20 Strength)
- Champion’s Pauldrons (Plate shoulder, +15 Strength, +10 Stamina)
- Soulcrystal (Trinket, +30 Spell Power for 20 sec, 3 min CD)
Dungeon narrative
The Ruins of Lordaeron tells the story of the Forsaken attempting to reclaim their former home from the Scourge. Key narrative beats:
- The Reclaimers — Forsaken agents attempting to secure the ruins
- The Traitor — One of the Reclaimers has been compromised by the Lich King
- The Plague — The Apothecary has been experimenting with new plague strains
- The Champion — A fallen hero turned by the Lich King now serves as the dungeon’s final boss
The story is told through quest text, NPC dialogue, and dungeon environment. Players who pay attention will get more out of the experience.
Best route through the dungeon
The fastest route is left path → right path → central throne:
- Pull #1-3: Trash in the entrance courtyard
- Boss 1: Reclaimer Saren in the eastern library
- Pull #4-6: Trash in the central hall
- Boss 2: Warden Mordis in the western barracks
- Pull #7-9: Trash in the apothecary wing
- Boss 3: Apothecary Vex in the lab
- Pull #10-12: Trash in the upper gallery
- Boss 4: The Forsaken Champion in the throne room
Skip the optional side rooms unless your group is over-leveled or doing quests.
Recommended party composition
| Role | Class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tank | Warrior (Prot) or Paladin (Prot) | Best threat generation |
| Healer | Priest (Discipline) or Druid (Restoration) | Strong throughput |
| DPS 1 | Mage (Frost) | Strong AoE for trash |
| DPS 2 | Warlock or Hunter | Pet utility + ranged safety |
| DPS 3 | Rogue or Warrior (Fury) | Strong single-target |
XP per run estimate
| Level | XP gained (full clear) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | ~7,000 XP | 32 min |
| 16 | ~6,500 XP | 30 min |
| 17 | ~6,000 XP | 28 min |
| 18 | ~5,500 XP | 26 min |
| 19 | ~5,000 XP | 24 min |
| 20 | ~4,500 XP | 22 min |
Ruins of Lordaeron is best XP/hour from 17-20. After 20, switch to Hall of Thanes if under 18, or Excavation Site if 24+.
Loot priority
| Loot | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crown of the Forsaken (head) | Must-have for casters | Best caster head pre-20 |
| Soulcrystal (trinket) | Must-have for casters | Strong burst trinket |
| Champion’s Pauldrons | High | Strong plate shoulder |
| Plague Sample (trinket) | High | Strong shadow trinket |
| Other drops | Medium | Replace at 25+ |
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Cost | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Forgetting to interrupt Healing Potion | Wipe | Always interrupt on Boss 3 |
| Standing in Plague Cloud | Death | Spread out |
| Not dispelling Forsaken Might | +25% boss damage | Dispel immediately |
| Skipping the lore | Missing story | Read the quest text |
| Not doing quests | ~4,000 XP lost | Pick up quests before run |
FAQ
What level should I queue for Ruins of Lordaeron?
Level 15+ for full XP scaling. Level 14 works but XP is reduced.
How long does Ruins of Lordaeron take?
28-38 minutes for a fresh group, 20-25 for an optimized group.
What is the best loot from Ruins of Lordaeron?
Crown of the Forsaken for casters — best caster head pre-20.
Can I solo Ruins of Lordaeron?
No. The Forsaken Champion has mechanics that require a full group (Soul Drain needs healing, Fallen Hero adds need to be burned).
Final verdict
Ruins of Lordaeron is the best XP-per-hour dungeon for levels 17-20, and the Crown of the Forsaken is mandatory for any caster pre-20. Queue as a tank or healer for instant pops.
Do all 5 dungeon quests for bonus XP. The trinket chain quest is also worth starting — it leads to a level 30 quest reward.
Run this dungeon at least 3 times while leveling 17-19. The trinket and gear drops carry you to level 25 easily.
For the next dungeon in your leveling path, see our Excavation Site Guide (level 24-29).
