Notable Changes and Updates

(January 2025) A number of Quality-of-life updates and balance changes were added, including:

• New Tank ‘Swap!’ ability added for Order’s Ebon Keep and Destruction’s All the King’s Men. This is a granted ability that lasts for two minutes, and is given only to Tank classes.
• Order’s Ebon Keep Boss adds had their HP and damage toned down as they were notably stronger than the Destruction equivalent.
• Order’s Ebon Keep Boss ability: “Surging Flames” is now always visible for players, so they can clearly see when to taunt / interrupt it.
• Destruction’s All the King’s Men boss adds had their HP slightly reduced, and the Game Object health slightly increased, to better mirror Order’s PQ.
• All White Bags now grant two +24 or equivalent Talismans, instead of just one.

Chapter 22 is a series of 24-man Public Quests that are built as a raid for 24 Players.

These Public Quests were updated and re-launched in September 2024 with new mechanics.

At the time of writing this page, Chapter 22 now features the most mechanic-heavy fights in Return of Reckoning.

For a guide on the basic mechanics of each Chapter 22 PQ, please see below.

Public Quest Stages

Each Chapter 22 Public Quest features either four or five stages.

The first stages of each Chapter 22 PQ are generally straightforward, with the final bosses featuring unique mechanics and enrage timers that require efficient teamwork to complete.

It may be possible to bypass or ignore some mechanics, but most are specifically designed in ways that give each member of the warband (and each class) very clear roles.

Chapter 22 Rewards

After successfully completing any Chapter 22 PQ, your warband will roll on bags that grant top-tier rewards, like Onslaught Gear and boxes of random best-in-slot Talismans.

• Chapter 22 is the only place to acquire Onslaught Gear, a special PvE set that grants the Vanquisher Ward. (As part of the 2024 Re-work, Onslaught Gear was upgraded to Vanquisher Ward, given new pieces and set bonuses, and had its Renown requirement removed.)

Additionally, new Cosmetic Capes were added to Onslaught, each with unique looks that may be a draw for many Fashion hammer aficionados.

• The Chest, Helmet, and Shoulders Onslaught pieces drop exclusively from Gold Bags.

It is possible for players who do not need these to Opt Out of the PQ Gold Bags specifically to help players who need these get their gear. Make sure to remind your warband as you enter the final stage to do this, just to be safe.

• 2025 Update: To combat solo players leeching bags from the organizing warbands, now only members of the largest Warband participating in the PQ will get the top rolls. Players not in the Warband will roll at the bottom of the list.

These players can still take white bags if a player in the main Warband opts out of “All” Bags, but opting out of simply Gold should guarantee that a player in the main warband gets at least a White Bag.

Chapter 22 New Mechanics Guide

Below you can find a full guide for the key mechanics that exist in each Chapter 22 PQ.

These PQs are generally mirrored by Race. (This means that High Elf mechanics are similar for the Dark Elf PQ; Dwarf mechanics are similar for the Greenskin PQ, etc.)

There are a few rules for Mechanics that are followed by all six Chapter 22 PQs.

General Mechanic Rules:

• A red light on a player means that an AOE will soon drop on their location
• A red light on a boss means that the boss is empowered, and dealing bonus damage (it is always possible to remove this)
• A white light on a Game Object means that the Game Object is important, and can be destroyed
• A white light on a player means that a special mechanic has activated on them (see the Dwarf and Greenskin guide for examples)
• Every final boss has a 12 Minute Enrage Timer, which you can see on them as a buff. If the boss is not defeated before this time, they deal massive damage and wipe the raid.

Before you Begin: General Advice

• The final Lord of every PQ is specially built to deal significant damage. It is highly advised for Main Tanks and Off-Tanks to run maximum avoidance (block/parry) and builds that boost their survival.
  • Many 2H / DPS-leaning Tank Builds may be strong in other PvE content, but might melt considerably faster against these bosses.
• The amount of adds (extra enemies that spawn) is high in some of these raids. In many cases, a designated group to handle these is advised.
• Besides healing the raw damage, Healers should keep eyes out for cleanses and debuffs to remove from their party. All of these debuffs are special, and can be cleansed by any healer class.
• Many bosses have active channels or skills that can be interrupted by DPS or by a tank’s Taunt ability. Players should watch for and interrupt these as often as possible.
• Many bosses have buffs that can be stripped or removed by players. Keep an eye out for these and strip constantly if you see a chance to do so.