Val'anyr [Legendary Mace] Information

[Ghostbeezy]

Val'anyr - Hammer of the Ancient Kings

A new legendary weapon has been added to the game with Ulduar: Val'anyr, Hammer of the Ancient Kings. This is a One-Hand Mace and even if the stats aren't known yet, it should only be available in a healer version.

The only stat known to this day is the On Equip effect:

* Val'anyr Hammer of Ancient Kings - Equip Effect - Your healing spells have a chance to cause Blessing of Ancient Kings for 15 seconds allowing your heals to shield the target absorbing damage equal to 15% of the amount healed. (This is only on Spellcast not HoTs)

The mace itself won't drop from any boss, players will be able to rebuild it through an Atiesh-like questline started by the Shattered Fragments of Val'anyr dropped by most of the bosses in Ulduar-25. You will need 30 Fragments to reforge the Hammer of Ancient Kings, just like the quest item you can drop Fragment of Val'anyr from most of the bosses in the 25-man version of the instance.

Reforging the Mace
This is done during the fight against Yogg-Saron (the final boss of the instance) through the Val'anyr Hammer of Ancient Kings quest. We can assume that Yogg-Saron uses Deafening Roar during a late stage of the fight.
Spell
Deafening Roar
Deals 7600 to 8400 physical damage and silences enemies for 4 sec. 2.3 sec cast
In the Maws of the Old God
Throw the fragments of Val'anyr into Yogg-Saron's maw while he's performing Deafening Roar. 20 yd range, Instant

Quests
There are two quests related to the Val'anyr, the first one is Ancient History started by the Shattered Fragments of Val'anyr, followed by Val'anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings.
Ancient History
Bring the Shattered Fragments of Val'anyr to the Archivum Console in the Archivum in Ulduar.

Description
The pieces fit together to form an elegant hammer. Its construction appears to be at least partially Titan in nature. The console inside the Archivum might have some information regarding this artifact.

Val'anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings
Throw the Shattered Pieces of Val'anyr into Yogg-Saron's maw while he's casting Deafening Roar and defeat Yogg-Saron and recover the Reforged Hammer of Ancient Kings.

This can only be completed in Heroic mode and only if at least one Ulduar Watcher is not assisting you.

Description
The Archivum Console has hinted at a possible way to rebind the fragments of Val'anyr: you must get the fragments inside the physical form of the being known as Yogg-Saron.

It sounds like a long shot, but for an artifact of such power you think the risk might just be worth it.
Feat of Strength
Description
Val'anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings
Owner of Val'anyr, Hammer of Ancient Kings

Below is a picture of it, equipped on a pally.

[caitlyn]

The ease/difficulty of this is going to be almost solely determined by whether the fragments have a chance to drop off of all of the bosses in both 10 and 25 man, on both normal and hard difficulties (if applicable). I know that as a guild back getting the Atiesh Greatstaff in vanilla Wow, we barely barely got one (granted we did not full clear, and we spent time finished AQ).

[Ghostbeezy]

They only drop in 25 man. (confirmed)

It HAS to be completed on 25 man HARD mode.

They drop on hard mode for sure, there is no evidence of them dropping on normal yet.

You also have to figure the Equip use really isn't for Druids/Priests (they don't heal hard enough) and druids (a hot would trigger the bubble for a 1-4 k heal or hot).

[Bastosa]

They only drop in 25 man. (confirmed)

It HAS to be completed on 25 man HARD mode.

They drop on hard mode for sure, there is no evidence of them dropping on normal yet.

You also have to figure the Equip use really isn't for Druids/Priests (they don't heal hard enough) and druids (a hot would trigger the bubble for a 1-4 k heal or hot).

So if you wipe on the attempt where you throw them at the boss, does that mean you lose the shards? It kind of sounds like it.

I can see who this would be less desirable for a druid, but I think it would be useful for priests.

[Ghostbeezy]

PoM doesn't trigger it, neither does a Pain suppression bubble. AoE heals don't trigger it either. Only on the TARGET, so Circle of Healing doesn't trigger. It will also only trigger on the first target of a Chain heal (totems don't trigger it).

That being said rumors are going around for this being anywhere from 550 - 650 spellpower. So that part would be useful for anyone.

Also you don't lose your shards on a failed attempt, it's typical to any other encounter. You will be able to attempt it over and over again.

[Bastosa]

PoM doesn't trigger it, neither does a Pain suppression bubble. AoE heals don't trigger it either. Only on the TARGET, so Circle of Healing doesn't trigger. It will also only trigger on the first target of a Chain heal (totems don't trigger it).

Also you don't lose your shards on a failed attempt, it's typical to any other encounter. You will be able to attempt it over and over again.

So you are saying it should only go to a pally...

I'm sure there is no conflict of interest there.

[Ghostbeezy]

No, But I am saying it VASTLY benefits a shaman who can sort of Single Target or Chain, and Pallies.

I mean if HALF your spells from a priest or a druid don't trigger the effect then that kind of handicap's the equip. Shamans can throw a crap ton of chain heals out, which really does show how strong it is for them. It'll all be moot if the stats on it are Crit or Haste. They'll kill pallys with haste, they'll kill shamans with crit. Honestly if the stats arent above 550sp it means we ALL can get a weapon close to as powerful off of KT, So the stats on it will be really tell tale on the mace and who it's geared toward. Homoginazation could really hurt this item.

Sure i'm Biased towards Paladins, but so is the storyline/quests/gear. Lets be honest, WoTLK is about a pally turned undead pally (DK) and the Pally's who fight back against him.

[caitlyn]

I both agree and disagree with you Ghost. I do agree that it is all but useless for druids, since the vast majority of their healing is from hot rolling. Also it seems that healing staves are very well itemized for druids. I think that it is equally useful for shaman and priests. Both tend to use main hand offhand itemization. While some spells that a priest use would not proc the ability, the one that I would use most as a priest, both holy or discipline, would likely be flash heal and penance. I believe that both of these abilities proc the ability. It is absurdly useful for pallies, since pally healing to me seems to be a lot of spamming quick, light heals, EACH of which can trigger the ability.

We need to see more information about the stats on the item to really make a judgment on use. However, I do not ever see it being useful for a druid. The effectiveness also depends on whether there is an internal cooldown on the proc. If it has a high chance of proccing and any internal cooldown, it becomes equally useful for everyone but druids.

[Ghostbeezy]

It is absurdly useful for pallies, since pally healing to me seems to be a lot of spamming quick, light heals, EACH of which can trigger the ability.

It's categorically the opposite (which is why you see such different pally stats).. My smallest average heal on a raid is 11k. Our WoTLK strat is biggest heals as quickly as we can. Penance does trigger it, and flash heal does trigger it. It'll be 15% of whatever your penance hits for initially. As of right now it STACKS with Sacred Shield (pally talent). So I could mitigate with Shield + Ancient kings.

I think the bubble is on person and persists till damage drains, and would be on anyone it proc's on. So if you get a lucky streak, you could get 4 or 5 people with one of those. (Those are all conjecture on my part, No reason to put a CD on it since it's a chance to get the bubble on someone).

Either way, it's fucking sexy. I want it, I wont even front. I want that so FUCKING bad.

[Randalthorr]

Clearly, it looks like a mage weapon. Expect to see it in Randal's inventory sometime in the future.