Naxxramas Ancient Secrets

Ancient Secrets within Naxxramas represent a variety of collectibles and lost transmog pieces that can be unlocked by completing the achievement Wards of the Dread Citadel.

In this guide we'll go over how to empower your Argent Dawn Commission to unlock a new portal to Naxxramas, and get access to collectible items such as Tier 3 transmog pieces, the lost Glacial transmog sets, the Reins of Valiance mount, and more!

Memory of Scholomance

For the first step of this secret you have to unlock Memory of Scholomance by performing a ritual with Eva's Journal. Completing the achievement grants access to the original Scholomance dungeon, which was removed in the Mists of Pandaria pre-expansion patch.

Auction House Purchase List

Before starting this secret, purchase the items listed below from the Auction House. This will save you time by avoiding multiple runs back and forth.

Argent Dawn Commission

  • Enter Scholomance and jump off the platform to the left without killing the two Risen Guards.
  • Open the Iron Gate, turn left, and proceed to the Great Ossuary to defeat Rattlegore downstairs.
  • Once inside the room, loot the Cracked Argent Dawn Commission from the top of the bone pile by the stairs.
  • Click on the item to repair the insignia and equip the Argent Dawn Commission trinket from your bags.

  • Loot Rattlegore for the Viewing Room Key, then walk upstairs and turn right to return to the starting room.
  • Use the key to unlock the Viewing Room Door, open the Iron Gate to the left and head downstairs to the Headmaster's Study room.
  • Clear all 6 rooms (3 rooms on each level) and Darkmaster Gandling will spawn in the center, yelling "School is in session!".
  • Defeat Darkmaster Gandling and loot Darkmaster's Scourgestone to start the quest Darkmaster's Scourgestone.

Darkmaster's Scourgestone

Turn in the quest Darkmaster's Scourgestone to Duke Nicholas Zverenhoff at Light's Hope Chapel to learn Scourgestones - Unlocks the ability to acquire Invader's Scourgestones while wearing the Argent Dawn Commission for all characters on your account. Replacement Argent Dawn Commissions can be acquired at Light's Hope Chapel.

/way #23 75.7 53.8 Duke Nicholas Zverenhoff

Stratholme Walkthrough

  • Equip the trinket Argent Dawn Commission and enter the Stratholme dungeon in Eastern Plaguelands.
  • Do not walk to the Festival Lane in the eastern side of the dungeon. In case you do so by mistake, reset the dungeon.
  • Loot 2 Stratholme Holy Water from supply crates. One of them will be used later, when we get to Naxxramas.
  • Find a stealthed Eye of Naxxramas ghost (it will yell "The living are here!"). Kill it and loot Ward of Naxxramas.
  • If you can't find any Eye of Naxxramas, just aoe random packs of mobs and walk through the dungeon until you find one.
  • Destroy the Ward of Naxxramas to gain Truesight, a buff that lets you see a Dread Ward Portal in front of the gate in Crusaders' Square.

Stratholme Gauntlet Speedrun

Warning: The next part involves a 5-minute timer during which you will need to speedrun through the Stratholme Gauntlet. Read everything in this section before starting the gauntlet!

  • Throw the Stratholme Holy Water at the portal to destroy it and alert the Hand of Naxxramas "The Living? Here?!".
  • A five minute timer will now start: Sleight of Hand - The Hand of Naxxramas is aware of your presence and will soon flee.

Speedrun through the Stratholme Gauntlet without looting anything.

  • Walk through the Festival Lane in the eastern side to enter the Gauntlet.
  • Defeat the bosses and the 5 Thuzadin Acolytes inside each of the 3 ziggurats.
  • Clear the Slaughter Square by killing all nine abominations.
  • Defeat Ramstein the Gorger as soon as it spawns in the Slaughter House.
  • Kill all the Mindless Undead npcs as they come from the southern gate.
  • Defeat the 4 Black Guard Sentries in the Slaughter House.
  • Defeat Aurius Rivendare inside the Slaughter House.
  • Exit the building, run south through the tunnel and use the extra action button To Dust.

If you have successfully defeated the Hand of Naxxramas, the following message will appear in chat:

As the Hand of Naxxramas burns into a pile of ash, it is clear that recent events have escalated such that someone should be made aware of them.

Archmage Angela Dosantos

Leave Stratholme and speak with Archmage Angela Dosantos at Light's Hope Chapel. If you do not see her over there, she may be at the gates or fountain at Tyr's Hand (depending on your Eastern Plaguelands storyline progress).

Archmage Angela Dosantos Locations

/way #23 75.5 52.8 Archmage Angela Dosantos
/way #23 72.6 74.8 Archmage Angela Dosantos
/way #23 76.0 75.4 Archmage Angela Dosantos

Archmage Angela Dosantos Dialogue

> Frantically explain the recent events to Angela as though your life depended on it!

Scourgestones? Fleeing shades? Murder mysteries in Caer Darrow?

While I appreciate your sense of urgency in a time seemingly so dire, I assure you that neither Kel'Thuzad nor the Lich King himself are of any threat to us now.

I do admire your creativity and commitment to this story. If there is a shred of truth to what you are saying, I may be able to help you.

Argent Dawn Reputation

Depending on whether you are honored, revered or exalted with Argent Dawn, a quest variant of The Dread Citadel - Naxxramas will be available from Archmage Angela Dosantos. Purchase the materials from the Auction House (if needed) and complete the quest to empower your Argent Dawn Commission!

If you need to earn reputation with Argent Dawn, then you can speak with Fiona to start the Eastern Plaguelands questline. Check this wowhead comment for a walkthrough!

Wards of the Dread Citadel

Completing the quest The Dread Citadel - Naxxramas will grant you the achievement Wards of the Dread Citadel and the spell Empower Commission.

This unlocks the ability to discover ancient secrets and acquire Corruptor's Scourgestones within Naxxramas for all characters on your account.

/way #23 35.7 22.9 Revealed Portal to Naxxramas

Makeshift Grappling Hook

To create the Makeshift Grappling Hook you will need the following items:

  • Construct's Hook - Found in the second room of the Construct Quarter. The hook is attached to the first slime container to the right side of the room.
  • Abomination's Chain - Fished from slime pools in the Arachnid Quarter.
  • Faerlina's Sewing Kit - Drops from Grand Widow Faerlina.

Zackett Skullsmash

Zackett Skullsmash is a goblin vendor located in the rafters in the Halls of Reanimation in the Construct Quarter. To reach him you will have to use the Makeshift Grappling Hook to grapple onto specific points throughout the room.

Before making your way to Zackett Skullsmash, make sure you have 1 Stratholme Holy Water and the following items:

Zackett Skullsmash has a debuff initially: Bored to Death - Unable or unwilling to acknowledge the existence of life. Use Stratholme Holy Water to wake him up!

Zackett Skullsmash yells: YEEEEOOWCH!
Zackett Skullsmash says: I have been napping for over a decade, what could I have possibly done to you to deserve that?!

Pick up the quest Inconvenience Fee and turn it in, provided that you have the materials listed above. Once the quest is completed, Zackett Skullsmash will relocate to the central ring in Naxxramas, next to the portal to Eastern Plaguelands.

Death's Bargaining Chips

Zackett Skullsmash sells a variety of items for Death's Bargaining Chips, which can be earned by turning in Corruptor's Scourgestones and Invader's Scourgestones.

Item Cost Description

Dented Raider's Helmet

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Helmet.

Dented Raider's Spaulders

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Spaulders.

Dented Raider's Chestpiece

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Chestpiece.

Dented Raider's Bracers

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Bracers.

Dented Raider's Gauntlets

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Gauntlets.

Dented Raider's Belt

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Belt.

Dented Raider's Leggings

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Leggings.

Dented Raider's Boots

3 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random old world transmog or Lamented Crusader's Boots.

Slime-Covered Scroll

12 Death's Bargaining Chips

Reveals a random BoE Ancient Recipe from Naxxramas.

Phylacterweave

2000 Gold

Its soul-absorbent properties make it a crucial component for purifying Desecrated items.

Plagued Grain

15 Death's Bargaining Chips

Use: Place down a crate of ordinary grain for 3 min. Nobody will suspect a thing.

Rotten Delicious

30 Death's Bargaining Chips

Use: Offer the tasty treat. Required for Reins of Valiance.

Pattern: Cursed Cloth

20 Death's Bargaining Chips

Creates Cursed Cloth - Tier 3 Reagent

Pattern: Languished Leather

20 Death's Bargaining Chips

Creates Languished Leather - Tier 3 Reagent

Pattern: Scourged Scales

20 Death's Bargaining Chips

Creates Scourged Scales - Tier 3 Reagent

Plans: Undeath Metal

20 Death's Bargaining Chips

Creates Undeath Metal - Tier 3 Reagent

Crafting Tier 3 Transmog Pieces

Crafting Tier 3 transmog pieces requires quite a bit of gold and a crafter with the achievement Drop Dead, Gorgeous.

1. Send crafting orders for one of following corrupted materials: Cursed Cloth, Languished Leather, Scourged Scales or Undeath Metal.

Note: If you have the Tier 3 achievement and the appropriate profession (Tailoring, Leatherworking or Blacksmithing), then you can purchase the pattern from Zackett Skullsmash and craft the material yourself.

2. Farm or purchase Lamented Crusader's Pieces from the Auction House.

Tip: You can use the Undermine Exchange website to find cheaper pieces on other realms.

3. Use the corrupted materials to repair the Lamented Crusader's Pieces, which will get transformed into desecrated items.

4. Purify the desecrated items by using Phylacterweave and Righteous Orb.

The cost for purifying the items is the following:

Omarion's Notes

To start searching for Omarion's Notes for the achievement Putting Wilhelm Out of Business, you will first have to find Omarion's Second Handbook inside a cage in the second room of the Military Quarter.

Click on the object to start the quest Omarion's Second Handbook and turn it in to Master Craftsman Omarion at Light's Hope Chapel to learn Forgotten Knowledge - Unlocks the ability to purchase Sapphiron's Bane recipes from Master Craftsman Omarion for all characters on your account. The selection of recipes available will increase as you find and return lost journal pages from within Naxxramas.

/way #23 75.6 52.0 Master Craftsman Omarion

To find Omarion's Notes we recommend you follow along a YouTube video; however, using a written guide should be fine as long as you are familiar with the Naxxramas raid. Once you've obtained all the notes, speak with Master Craftsman Omarion in Light's Hope Chapel to return the notes and complete the achievement Putting Wilhelm Out of Business.

Glacial Recipes

Master Craftsman Omarion sells each glacial recipe for 3 Argent Dawn Valor Tokens, which can be obtained by turning in Corruptor's Scourgestones and Invader's Scourgestones to Duke Nicholas Zverenhoff in Light's Hope Chapel.

Collecting all the transmog pieces from a set awards the achievement Never Bothered, Anyway. Note that you can send in Work Orders for the glacial pieces or purchase them directly from the Auction House!

/way #23 75.6 52.0 Master Craftsman Omarion
/way #23 75.7 53.8 Duke Nicholas Zverenhoff

Reins of Valiance

  • Enter the 10-player version of Naxxramas and purchase a Rotten Delicious for 30 Death's Bargaining Chips from Zackett Skullsmash.
  • Head towards the back of the horse stall in the lower level of the Military Quarter and offer the Rotten Delicious to Valiance.
  • Use the Obedience Crystal to mind control one Death Knight Understudy, run to the horse stall to mount Valiance, and then go back to Razuvious.
  • Break the mind control effect by clicking dismiss on the pet portrait, defeat the Death Knight Understudy and then Instructor Razuvious.
  • Loot Razuvious and Reins of Valiance will be yours!