Introduction
Are you ready for a thrilling adventure in the world of Azeroth? Prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey to the vast underground world of Zaralek Cavern, the new outdoor activity zone introduced in Patch 10.1, Embers of Neltharion. This captivating new zone is the central hub for the latest content, offering players many exciting activities and breathtaking landscapes. In this introductory guide to Zaralek Cavern, we’ll provide all the essential information to make your experience enjoyable and rewarding.
Zaralek Cavern: A Realm of Wonder and Exploration
Nestled within the heart of Patch 10.1, Zaralek Cavern is an enthralling zone teeming with life and adventure. As you venture deeper into the caverns, you’ll uncover myriad activities, such as unlocking the majestic Dragonriding mount, discovering the secrets of the Niffen, hunting down rare spawns, and much more. With so much to explore, you’ll never run out of thrilling experiences in Zaralek Cavern!
Why Should You Visit Zaralek Cavern?
There are countless reasons to set foot in Zaralek Cavern during Patch 10.1, including:
- Grind the new Renown reputation with the Loamm Niffen and unlock their exclusive rewards.
- Collect Flightstones to upgrade your Dragonflight Season 2 gear for enhanced performance.
- Add many collection items to your inventory, including mounts, toys, transmogs, achievements, and your own snail pet.
More about current activities and updates you may read in our Dragonflight Patch 10.1: Embers of Neltharion Guide.
Will I be able to fly in the Zaralek Cavern zone?
One of the most exciting features of Zaralek Cavern is the ability to fly using your Dragonriding mounts. From the moment you enter the zone for the first time in Patch 10.1, you can soar through the skies and explore the whole zaralek cavern map’s mysterious depths. With a vast landscape similar to Zereth Mortis from Shadowlands, this enthralling new zone has no shortage of ground to cover.
Unlocking Zaralek Cavern: Your Gateway to Adventure
Zaralek Cavern is readily accessible when you log in to Patch 10.1. To unlock the zone’s main features, such as World Quests and the Loamm Niffen faction, you must first complete Chapter 1 of the Embers of Neltharion storyline, Breaking Ground. Upon logging in reach zaralek cavern for the first time in Patch 10.1, you will receive the initial quest for the 10.1 Campaign, The Land Beneath.
Once you have completed Chapter 1 with at least one character, all main features are unlocked account-wide. Although there is no current skip for the Embers of Neltharion storyline, this account-wide feature ensures you won’t have to repeat the entire process on your alts.
Reaching the Zaralek Cavern Zone
Zaralek Cavern can be accessed through three different entrances in Dragon Isles. Each offers a unique entry point to the underground zone. The entrances to Zaralek Cavern lie
in the following areas:
- The border of Thaldraszsus and Ohn’ahran Plains
- Ohn’ahran Plains
- Azure Span
All three entrances can be easily spotted on the Ohn’ahran Plains map. The most common way to Zaralek Cavern lie through Cascades Canyon, which is a short flight away from Valdrakken, making it a convenient access point for players.
Flight Paths: Your Aerial Connection to Zaralek Cavern
In addition to the enormous cave system entrances, three flight paths connect Zaralek Cavern to the Dragon Isles overworld. These flight paths are located at:
- Loamm
- Dragonscale Camp
- Obsidian Rest
To access these paths, open the Flight Path menu and click on the map in the lower right corner. This will allow you to toggle between Zaralek Cavern and the Dragon Isles, ensuring a smooth transition between the zones.
Flightstones and Shadowflame Crests Farming
Embark on an exciting journey in the Zaralek Caverns and upgrade your gear to new heights with the introduction of Flightstones and Shadowflame Crests in Patch 10.1. This article will provide you with a thorough understanding of the gear upgrade system in Zaralek Caverns, including how to obtain and use Flightstones and Shadowflame Crests effectively.
Flightstones: The Currency for Gear Upgrades
Introduced in Patch 10.1, Flightstones is a new currency utilized to upgrade gear in Dragonflight Season 2. You can acquire Flightstones from various content in Zaralek Caverns, including World Quests, zone events, looting rares, and treasure chests. For a detailed guide on Flightstones and the new upgrade system in Patch 10.1, check out our Flightstones Farm Guide!
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Unearthed Coins and Shadowflame Crests: Upgrading Adventurer, Veteran, and Champion Gear
Unearthed Fragrant Coins are added in Patch 10.1, obtained from completing world events in Zaralek Cavern. These coins purchase chests containing Shadowflame Crest fragments or converted into Coveted Baubles for cosmetic items. You can purchase chests with coins once a week.
Shadowflame Crests come in two types: Whelpling’s Shadowflame Crest and Drake’s Shadowflame Crest. These Crests upgrade higher-level Adventurer, Veteran, and Champion gear.
Spinsoa in Loamm sells the Shadowflame Crest Fragment chests and converts coins into Coveted Baubles. Saccratros sells cosmetic goods for Coveted Baubles.
Shadowflame Crest Fragment Chests and Costs:
| Item | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Whelpling’s Small Chest | 2 Unearthed Fragrant Coin | Converts into 5 Whelpling’s Shadowflame Crest. |
| Whelpling’s Hefty Chest | 4 Unearthed Fragrant Coin | Converts into 10 Whelpling’s Shadowflame Crest. |
| Whelpling’s Bountiful Chest | 10 Unearthed Fragrant Coin | Converts into 15 Whelpling’s Shadowflame Crest. |
| Drake’s Small Chest | 5 Unearthed Fragrant Coin | Converts into 5 Drake’s Shadowflame Crest. |
| Drake’s Hefty Chest | 10 Unearthed Fragrant Coin | Converts into 10 Drake’s Shadowflame Crest. |
| Drake’s Bountiful Chest | 15 Unearthed Fragrant Coin | Converts into 15 Drake’s Shadowflame Crest. |
To gain further insight, view our exhaustive Dragonflight Season 2 Crests Guide.
Meet the Loamm Niffen: The Friendly Traders of Zaralek Cavern
Nestled within the depths of Zaralek Cavern, you’ll discover the niffen town of Loamm. Known for their warm hospitality, exceptional sense of smell, and intriguing trade system, the Loamm Niffen play a significant role in the Embers of Neltharion expansion.
As mole-like creatures with limited vision, the Niffen rely on their acute sense of smell to navigate their surroundings and go about their daily lives. The Loamm Niffen serve as the fifth Major Renown faction of Dragonflight, and if you’re keen to learn more about them, be sure to check out our dedicated Renown guide!
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You’ll unlock various rewards and achievements as you progress through the Loamm Niffen Renown ranks. Reaching the maximum Renown rank of 20 with the Loamm Niffen unlocks the achievement There’s No Place Like Loamm.
What to do in Zaralek Cavern
Zaralek Cavern offers a diverse range of activities for players to participate in, including:
- Reputation farming with the Loamm Niffen through events like Researchers Under Fire and other zone events.
- Treasure hunting with Sniffenseeking and exchanging bartering currency with Ponzo.
- Collecting Flightstones by killing rares and completing World Quests.
- Hunting for mounts, pets, toys, and appearances.
You may read how to gear up in Zaralek Caverns in our WoW 10.1 Gear Ilvl Guide.
Weekly Quest – A Worthy Ally: Loamm Niffen
A Worthy Ally: Loamm Niffen, a new weekly task in Zaralek Caverns, asks players to gain 1500 Reputation with the Loamm Niffen. This quest becomes available after completing Chapter 1 of the 10.1 storylines, Six Hundred Feet Under.
Earn Loamm Niffen’s reputation by completing World Quests and zone events in Zaralek Cavern. The rewards for completing this weekly quest include:
- 500 Reputation with the Loamm Niffen (BoA token if at max Renown)
- A Scentsational Niffen Treasures, containing:
- ~1500 Gold
- 200 Flightstones
- A Lost Dig Map for One Sniffleseeking Trip
- An ilvl 402, Veteran 1/8 piece of gear
- A chance at an Obsidian Flightstone, granting 100 Flightstones
Weekly Event – Researchers Under Fire
The new weekly event, Researchers Under Fire, occurs in central Zaralek Cavern at the Ruins of Drekazera. You may help the Loamm Niffen and Dragonscale Expeditions by fulfilling various duties throughout this event.
Researchers Under Fire follow a specific schedule, with inactive, active, and final phases. The event’s rewards depend on the number of tasks completed during Phase 1:
- Completing at least three tasks: Researcher’s Gift (250 Loamm Niffen reputation, 15 Unearthed Fragrant Coins, an ilvl 396 piece of gear, and a chance at the Devourer Lobstrok Battle Pet).
- Completing at least six tasks: Appreciative Researcher’s Gift.
- Completing at least nine tasks: Thankful Researcher’s Gift.
- Completing all 12 tasks: Indebted Researcher’s Gift.
You can find more about this event and rewards you may read in our Researchers Under Fire Event Guide.
Unlocking Sniffenseeking
Players must finish Chapter 1 of the Embers of Neltharion campaign to unlock Sniffenseeking. Once unlocked, players can speak to Myrrit in Loamm to embark on a Sniffenseeking adventure, provided Dig Maps are available. Myrrit can hold up to three Dig Maps at a time, with one free map awarded weekly and two additional maps obtained from other sources:
- Lost Dig Map: Obtained from the weekly Loamm Niffen quest, A Worthy Ally: Loamm Niffen.
- Bartered Dig Map: Purchased from Ponzo with bartering once a week.
Using Myrrit’s Abilities in Sniffenseeking Adventures
During Sniffenseeking adventures, players must utilize Myrrit’s abilities to solve puzzles and find the key to open a locked chest containing valuable loot. Myrrit’s abilities include:
- Burrow: Follow Myrrit underground, hiding from enemies and uncovering treasure. While burrowed, use two additional abilities:
- Emerge: Burst out of the ground.
- Dig: Unearth treasures nearby.
- Sniff: Have Myrrit search for unique smells.
- Put Down Myrrit: Leave Myrrit at a specific location.
- Niffen Friend: Have Myrrit follow you.
- Escape: Exit the dive, resetting progress if the dive isn’t completed.
Rewards and Achievements
Completing a Sniffenseeking dig nets players a bag containing Zaralek Glowspores, 250 Reputation with the Loamm Niffen, Dragon Isles Supplies, and the possibility to get Profession reagents. Players can also work towards the Sniffenseeking meta-achievement, A Niffen’s Best Buddy, which grants the title %s, Sniffenseeker:
- Sniffen Sage: Sniff out all possible special items in Sniffenseeking adventures.
- He’sSss All Mine: Obtain the Battle Pet Salverun by completing the Ouroboros Tablet ritual (items obtained from Sniffenseeking reward bags).
- Can You Dig It?: Complete 50 Sniffenseeking digs with Myrrit.
New World Boss – Zaqali Elders
Zaralek Cavern has one new World Boss, which can be found at the end of the Zaqali Caldera in western Zaralek Cavern. The Zaqali Elders are Vakan and Gholna. World Boss drop item level 415 equipment.
Getting Started Bartering with Ponzo
In the depths of Loamm, the underground town in Zaralek Cavern, you’ll encounter Ponzo, a unique Niffen who loves to barter. This guide will introduce you to Ponzo’s fascinating world of trading, detailing the currencies he accepts, the items he offers, and how to make the most of your bartering experience. With the help of this guide, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of bartering with Ponzo in no time.
To begin bartering with Ponzo, reach Renown 3 with the Loamm Niffen faction and complete the “Get Rich Quick quest.” After finishing this questline, you can purchase various wares from Ponzo using the unique currency known as Barter Bricks. You can obtain Barter Bricks by participating in activities throughout Zaralek Cavern, including looting treasure chests, completing world quests, and successfully finishing Sniff’N Seek digs.
Unlocking Barter Boulders
Once you reach Renown 12 with the Loamm Niffen, you will unlock a new currency called Barter Boulders. Like Barter Bricks, Barter Boulders can be acquired through the same activities in Zaralek Cavern. Upon unlocking Barter Boulders, Ponzo will update his list of wares and begin accepting the new currency, offering new items to purchase in return.
Ponzo’s Wares
Below is a table detailing the various items you can buy from Ponzo and their prices in Barter Bricks and Barter Boulders before and after reaching Renown 12 with the Loamm Niffen.
| Item | Price (Before Renown 12) | Price (After Renown 12) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponzo’s Scheming Topper | — | 249 Barter Boulder | Ponzo’s cowboy hat’s cosmetic helm. The Loamm Niffen is only available after attaining Renown 12 with it. |
| Bartered Dig Map | 3 Barter Brick | 1 Barter Boulder | Myrrit can offer you a Dig Map so you can go to another Sniff’ N Seek dig for the week. Myrrit can carry up to three Dig Maps at once. |
| Barter Boulder | — | 3 Barter Brick | After unlocking the ability to collect and utilize Boulders in Bartering at Renown 12, you may convert your Barter Bricks into Barter Boulders with this purchasing option. |
| Winding Slitherdrake: Hairy Brow | 55 Barter Brick | 30 Barter Boulder | Unlocks the Winding Slitherdrake’s Hairy Brow dragonriding customization. |
| Winding Slitherdrake: Cluster Chin Horn | 55 Barter Brick | 30 Barter Boulder | Unlocks the Winding Slitherdrake’s Cluster Chin Horn dragonriding modification. |
| Winding Slitherdrake: Curled Nose | 55 Barter Brick | 30 Barter Boulder | The Curled Nose dragonriding modification for the Winding Slitherdrake is unlocked. |
| Bartered Profession Notes | 35 Barter Brick | 25 Barter Boulder | One-time Profession Knowledge item that grants the profession 5 Knowledge Points. |
| Bartered Professon Journals | 90 Barter Brick | 40 Barter Boulder | One-time Profession Knowledge item that added 5 Knowledge Points to the profession. |
| Ponzo’s Cream | 25 Barter Brick | 10 Barter Boulder | Used to purchase certain 10.1 Profession recipes from Loamm’s Profession Niffen NPCs. |
| Glimmerogg Timeshare Voucher | 80 Barter Brick | 40 Barter Boulder | Used to purchase certain 10.1 Profession recipes from the Profession Niffen NPCs in Loamm. |
| Thimblerig | 85 Barter Brick | 45 Barter Boulder | A snail Critter Battle Pet in green and purple. |
| Boulder Hauler Reins | 170 Barter Brick | 85 Barter Boulder | A brown Zaralek Sporebat mount. |
Snail Racing in Zaralek Cavern
Snail racing is an exciting and entertaining activity in the vast underground world
of Zaralek Cavern, providing players with a unique and fun way to engage with the game world. This guide will provide all the necessary information and tips to become a snail racing expert, from unlocking the activity to maximizing your reputation gains and ultimately obtaining the coveted Big Slick in the City Mount. So, let’s get our own race started!
Unlocking Snail Racing
To unlock snail racing, you must reach Renown 7 with the Loamm Niffen. Once this milestone is achieved, you can participate in daily Glimmerogg with Briggul, granting you 100 Reputation with Glimmerogg Racer for each completed quest. With 2800 reputation required to reach the maximum rank, achieving this goal will take 28 days of daily quests.
Snail Racing Explained
To speed up your reputation gains with Glimmerogg Racer, you can show Briggul level 25 Snail Battle Pets. Each pet will grant an additional 100 Glimmerogg Racer reputation, up to 1500 Reputation for all pets. Below is a table detailing the Battle Pets, related quests, and their sources.
| Battle Pet | Quest | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Amethyst Softshell | Snailspiration: Amethyst Softshell | Drop – Amethyst Spireshell in Nazjatar |
| Archetype of Vigilance | Snailspiration: Archetype of Vigilance | Protoform Synthesis craft |
| Blackchasm Crawler | Snailspiration: Blackchasm Crawler | Pet Battle – The Eternal Palace |
| Microlicid | Snailspiration: Microlicid | Protoform Synthesis craft |
| Mudshell Conch | Snailspiration: Mudshell Conch | Pet Battle – Highmountain |
| Predatory Helicid | Snailspiration: Predatory Helicid | Pet Battle – Zereth Mortis |
| Prismatic Softshell | Snailspiration: Prismatic Softshell | Vendor – Speaker Utia – Requires Waveblade Ankoan Revered |
| Rapana Whelk | Snailspiration: Rapana Whelk | Pet Battle – Dread Wastes |
| Rusty Snail | Snailspiration: Rusty Snail | Pet Battle – Ashenvale |
| Scooter the Snail | Snailspiration: Scooter the Snail | World Event – Children’s Week |
| Shelly | Snailspiration: Shelly | Protoform Synthesis craft |
| Shimmershell Snail | Snailspiration: Shimmershell Snail | Pet Battle – Darkshore |
| Silkbead Snail | Snailspiration: Silkbead Snail | Pet Battle – Gorgrond, Spires of Arak, Talador, The Jade Forest |
| Spireshell Snail | Snailspiration: Spireshell Snail | Pet Battle – Nazjatar |
| Zoom | Snailspiration: Zoom | Achievement – Zoom! |
Snail Racing Rewards
After completing the necessary reputation grind and mastering the art of snail racing, you will be rewarded with the unique and sought-after Big Slick in the City Mount. This stylish and entertaining mount is a testament to your dedication and skill in snail racing.
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Zaralek Cavern Zone Events
Zaralek Cavern, a mysterious and captivating location, offers players an array of engaging zone events. These events, comprising various tasks that must be completed within specific areas of Zaralek Cavern, provide exciting challenges and valuable rewards for participants. This guide will detail the different zone events, their rewards, and how to complete them.
Zone Events and Announcements
Zaralek Cavern zone events are announced 30 seconds before they begin, with a map marker indicating the event’s location. Players who finish these events successfully will earn either a Clanging Dirt-Covered Pouch or a Clinking Dirt-Covered Pouch, including various goodies.
Reward Contents:
| Pouch Type | Flightstones | Loamm Niffen Reputation | Unearthed Fragrant Coin | Dragon Isles Supplies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinking Dirt-Covered | 5-9 | 25 | 3-5 | 10 |
| Clanging Dirt-Covered | 11-15 | 50 | 6-9 | 20 |
List of Zaralek Cavern Zone Events
The table below summarizes the numerous zone events found within Zaralek Cavern, along with brief descriptions of each event:
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| Cascades Calling | Destroy 8 Control Pylons, kill the Primalist leader, and defeat the enraged Water Elemental to complete the event. |
| Crystalline Survey | Defeat Agitated Crystallines to contribute to the survey. Event ends once the survey reaches 100%. |
| Conspiracy of Flame | Kill mobs, overload five skulls, and disrupt the ritual to complete the event. |
| Discordant Crystals | Defeat the Discordant Lodestone and its spawned adds to complete the event. |
| Glimmerfish Before It’s Gone | Gather 50 scales from the massive Glimmerfish before it reaches the lava to complete the event. |
| Hungry Hungry Hydra | Feed the hydras by dragging nearby enemies to their location. Feeding them 10 enemies completes the event. |
| Imperfect Balance | Defeat guards, channel summoning circles, and defeat the weakened elemental to complete the event. |
| Magmaclaw Matriarch | Kill Magmaclaw, destroy ritual offerings, disrupt the ritual, and defeat the Magmaclaw Queen to complete the event. |
| Monument Maintenance | Find missing statue pieces and fully repair the Crumbling Statue to complete the event. |
| Mortar Warfare | Destroy two Dragonkiller Ballistae using Frothing Lava to complete the event. |
| Seismic Ceremony | Deactivate four earth runes to complete the event. |
| Shellfire | Douse the snail’s fire using buckets of sand to complete the event. |
| Smellincense | Protect the cart, gather dropped incense, and fend off moth attacks to complete the event. |
| Strike the Colors | Replace old banners with Valdrakken Accord banners to complete the event. |
| Smelly Scramble | Gather smelly orbs and deposit them into the cauldron to complete the event. |
| Stress Express | Escort the broken wagon back to Loamm while avoiding attacks to complete the event. |
| The Champion’s Challenge | Earn 100% lifting score in a weight-lifting competition to complete the event. |
| Whirling Zephyr | Deactivate four Lesser Storm Pylons and one Greater Storm Pylon using Hurricane Scepters to complete the event. |
Zaralek Cavern Rare Spawns
Zaralek Cavern is a mysterious and intriguing zone, boasting 25 rare creatures hidden within its depths. These rares offer a unique challenge for adventurers, with some providing valuable loot, including gear, Flightstones, and exclusive collectibles. This guide offers a comprehensive overview of these rare creatures, including their locations, spawn announcements, and special loot drops.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the known rare creatures in Zaralek Cavern:
| Rare | Location | Special Loot | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcanon | 56.90, 73.14 | – | East of Nal Ks’kol, in a cave behind a waterfall. |
| Aquifon | 48.33, 75.09 | Aquapo | In the Cascades Column, near a lake. |
| Brullo the Strong | 41.46, 86.12 | Brul | Initially amiable, but must be approached and challenged. Loot is dropped from the Chest of Massive Gains, which spawns once the rare is reduced to 1 health. |
| Colossian | 48.38, 23.86 | – | To the east of Brimstone Garrison, on a lava lake platform. |
| Dinn | 28.51, 51.11 | Jrumm’s Drum | At the western end of the Zaqali Caldera, near one of the Elder altars. |
| Emberdusk | 31.79, 50.58 | – | In the Zaqali Caldera, on a cliff overlooking the Shadowflame River. |
| Flowfy | 35.86, 43.83 | – | A tunnel in the lava river that runs through the Zaqali Caldera. |
| General Zskorro | 42.63, 18.88 | – | In the Brimstone Garrison, inside a building. |
| Goopal | 68.80, 45.84 | Winding Slitherdrake: Long Chin Horn | In the Throughway, near the edge of the green crystal area. |
| Invoq | 45.65, 33.30 | Molten Lava Pack | The Battlefield Ruins are located at the lava river’s bank. |
| Karokta | 42.20, 65.17 | Cobalt Shalewing | The lava river that comes from Zaqali Caldera is seen from a ledge near the southern end of Zaralek Cavern. |
| Kapraku | 59.58, 39.45 | – | At the northern end of the Deepflayer Nest, near a small water pool. |
| Klakatak | 54.19, 41.77 | – | In Glitterspore Lake, near the center of the lake. Glitterspore Lake is a PvP free-for-all zone. |
| Kob’rok | 64.73, 55.46 | Ridged Shalewing | At the southern end of the Throughway, within a cave. |
| Magtembo | 40.79, 38.29 | – | In Igira’s Watch, by the waterfall at the lava river that flows through the Zaqali Caldera. Be cautious with lava. |
| Professor Gastrinax | 52.83, 18.87 | Winding Slitherdrake: Cluster Horns | Inside a structure north of Obsidian Rest. There are a lot of slimes in the path. |
| Skornak | 36.40, 52.74 | Skornak’s Lava Ball | By the Zaqali Caldera’s southern end. The Zaqali Caldera is a no-fly zone. |
| Subterrax | 38.45, 46.56 | – | At the eastern end of the Zaqali Caldera, on a platform. The Zaqali Caldera is a no-fly zone. |
| Underlight Queen | 57.78, 69.10 | Teardrop Moth | By the base of a mountain just north of Nal Ks’kol. |
| Viridian King | 38.91, 71.58 | – | By the Viridian Throne’s central portion. |