The Hunter’s Vale is a Level 40 Dungeon in Warhammer Online: Return of Reckoning that rewards players with the Vale-Walker Armor Set. Set within the sacred domain of Kurnous, the Elven God of the Hunt, this dungeon is a test of skill, patience, and tactical precision. It is designed to punish indiscriminate attacks while rewarding players who understand the flow of the hunt.

 

Entering the Dungeon

The dungeon’s entrance is located in Ellyrion, with specific portals for each faction. Once discovered, the location will be marked on your in-game map by an antlered head icon.

• Order Portal: Coordinates 56.6k / 54k
• Destruction Portal: Coordinates 26.7k / 33k

Remember to accept the repeatable quests from the NPCs at the dungeon’s entrance to begin earning your Vale-Walker gear.

 

Dungeon Mechanics & Rewards

• Speed Run Timer: This dungeon features a Public Quest (PQ)-style speed run timer. Completing the dungeon within the time limit grants additional rewards from a bonus chest.
• Unique Environment: The forest is a living entity. Randomly attacking non-threatening mobs like birds or deer will enrage the forest, spawning additional hostile mobs to attack your party.
• Mob Behavior: Many Treekin mobs will split into two smaller mobs upon death, requiring careful AoE management.
• Vale-Walker Gear: The Vale-Walker set is acquired through repeatable quests available at the dungeon entrance. This gear requires the player to have equipped the Beastlord Set as a prerequisite. Unlike other endgame sets, it does not require Wards (e.g., Conqueror, Vanquisher). The quests require players to kill both PvE bosses and enemy players in Open RvR or scenarios.
• Influence Rewards: As of the May 2024 re-launch, The Hunter’s Vale offers unique influence rewards:
  • Basic: Ellyrian Hunter’s Satchel (Consumables)
  • Advanced: Sacred Stag Hide (A DPS-focused cape with a talisman slot)
  • Elite: (Currently a secret, to be added in the future)
• Dungeon Weekly Influence: The dungeon grants a total of 8,000 influence towards the Dungeon Weekly, with Thanan Tree Lord and The Cadathaine Lion each granting 2,000, and the Spirit of Kurnous granting 4,000.

 

Lore: The God of the Hunt’s Rage

The Elven God of the Hunt, Kurnous, has been a figure of reverence for High Elves since time immemorial. The annual sacred hunt was a way to honor him and test the skills of mortal hunters. However, with the onset of the Age of Reckoning, this ancient tradition has faltered. Hardened soldiers now slaughter indiscriminately, leaving their prey to rot and dishonoring the sacred rites. Kurnous’s patience has worn thin. The hunter’s moon has risen, the horn has sounded, and the god demands a reckoning.

 

General Dungeon Guide & Tips

The Hunter’s Vale is comprised of six major boss encounters. While the standard 2-2-2 party composition (2 tanks, 2 DPS, 2 healers) is always effective, the short nature of the dungeon allows for more aggressive compositions like 1-3-2 or even 1-4-1 for confident groups.

General Tips:

• Tanks: Equip the “Menace” tactic for double aggro generation. Use Taunt and Challenge consistently.
• Healers: The “Subtlety” tactic can reduce aggro generation. Use detaunts to lower incoming damage on yourself during AoE fights. Be aware that most parry debuffs, incoming heal debuffs, and DoTs are cleansable.
• DPS: Utilize an aggro meter add-on (e.g., Aggrometer) to monitor threat levels.
• All Roles: Many boss abilities can be shattered, stripped, or cleansed by all players, regardless of their class.

Boss 1: Durthu Wood-Treekin & Wildwood Treekin

This is a dual-boss encounter that sets the tone for the dungeon. As your party approaches the clearing, Kurnous will appear as a stag, transform, speak, and start the dungeon timer.

Key Mechanics:

• Alternating Invulnerability: As you damage Durthu, he will harden his bark and become invulnerable, at which point the Wildwood Treekin will become active. Damaging the Treekin will cause the opposite to happen. The goal is to damage each boss in turn until both are defeated.
• Tank Positioning: Tank both bosses with your back to the rock wall to prevent their powerful AoE Punts from launching the party into a dangerous position.
• Adds: Adds will periodically join the fight. The tank must use Challenge to pick these up for the DPS to AoE down.
• Healer Debuff: Durthu applies a 20% parry debuff to his target, which healers should be prepared to deal with.

 

Boss 2: Spellbiter

Spellbiter is an angry Sprite who summons adds to his aid. Players have two primary strategies for this fight.

Key Mechanics:

• Solo Target Strategy: Focus all damage on Spellbiter and kill him as quickly as possible while ignoring his adds.
• AoE Strategy: The tank uses Challenge to hold all adds, and DPS use AoE to cleave down both the boss and his summoned minions.
• Threat Management: Regardless of the strategy, the tank must use CHALLENGE before DPS begins their attack to ensure threat is properly established.
• Optional Boss: If you choose to skip this boss, the Spites will appear in later parts of the dungeon, increasing the difficulty.

 

Boss 3: Thanan Tree Lord

Thanan Tree Lord is a giant Treekin guarded by four Dryads. The fight begins by engaging and defeating the Dryads.

Key Mechanics:

• Dryad Splitting: Upon death, the four Dryads will split into smaller adds. Tanks must quickly use AoE skills like Challenge to pick up the new adds.
• Tank Positioning: Tank Thanan with your back to the Giant tree behind him to prevent his CC from throwing you around the arena.
• Add Management: As the fight progresses, waves of adds will rush into the fight. The tank must use Challenge to secure aggro, and DPS should use AoE to cleave them down.
• Damage Spikes: Thanan has a powerful AoE attack that deals defendable damage, and a “True Damage” attack that deals 20% of the target’s HP. Healers should be prepared for these spikes.
• Cleansable Debuff: The boss applies a DoT with a 50% incoming heal debuff. Healers must cleanse this immediately.

Upon victory, the giant tree behind Thanan will create a bridge, allowing the party to cross to the center of the dungeon.

 

Boss 4: The Three Mothers

After crossing the bridge, you will encounter vines blocking the path. Interacting with these vines begins the Trial of the Three Mothers, a unique public quest-style event.

Key Mechanics:

• Rush Phase: Once the vines are opened, waves of adds will constantly spawn. Your party should rush past these adds, only stopping to clear them if they threaten to overwhelm the tank.
• Mother Hound: The first boss encountered is the Mother Hound. Killing her will stop the hound mobs from spawning. She has a 30% HP True Damage attack.
• Mother Wolf: The second boss is the Mother Wolf. Killing her will stop the wolf mobs from spawning. She has a 35% HP True Damage attack.
• Mother Lionness: The final boss is the Mother Lionness. Killing her will stop the lion mobs from spawning. This will allow you to open the final set of vines and proceed.

 

Boss 5: The Cadaithaine Lion

This fight is a straightforward encounter with a unique add management mechanic. A portal will open at the far end of the bridge after this fight, allowing players to quickly return to the puzzle area.

Key Mechanics:

• The Lioness: As the Lion’s health decreases, a Lioness will spawn and randomly target party members. Do not kill the Lioness, as this will enrage the Lion and wipe the party.
• Lioness Kiting: The Lioness must be kited or CC’d. Moving her through an “Oakfall Snare” will snare her by 40% for 20 seconds. If she chases a player into the rock, she will stun herself for 4 seconds.
• Protect the Pride: The Lioness’s damage is increased by 50% if she is within 15 feet of the Lion, so players kiting her must keep their distance.
• Minor Adds: Additional small adds will appear. These can be killed, but players must be careful not to accidentally hit the low-HP Lioness with AoE damage.
• Cleansable DoT: The Lion has a “Gushing Wound” DoT that all healers can cleanse.

 

Puzzle Guide

To access the final boss, you must first solve a puzzle to summon the Eagles that will fly you to the top of the great tree.

Key Mechanics:

• Three Pillars, Six Squares: There are three pillars and six squares in a circle. Each pillar has a symbol, and the squares on the ground also have symbols.
• Death Mechanic: Failing the puzzle by standing on the wrong square will result in a party wipe.
• Hidden Symbol: One symbol on the pillars will not be visible on the ground. It is hidden under a muddy square. This is the correct square to stand on if you cannot find a match.
• Step-by-Step Solution:
  1. One player stands on the empty square in front of a pillar. This illuminates a symbol on the pillar.
  2. A second player finds the matching symbol on the ground and stands on it.
  3. A third player stands on the next empty square in front of a pillar to reveal a second symbol.
  4. A fourth player finds the matching symbol on the ground.
  5. A fifth player stands on the final empty square to reveal the last symbol.
  6. The final player finds the matching symbol (or the muddy square) and stands on it.

After all three pairs of players are correctly positioned, the Eagles will appear. Right-click on them to fly to the final boss.

 

Final Boss: The Spirit of Kurnous

The Spirit of Kurnous is the longest and most challenging fight in the dungeon. The May 2024 update has increased its difficulty.

Key Mechanics (All Phases):

• Spears: Kurnous will cast spears into the air that land on the arena floor. These pulse massive AoE damage, dealing roughly 50% of a player’s HP per hit. Move away from them immediately.
• Cleansable DoT: Kurnous casts “Shock of Nature” on a random party member. This is a powerful DoT that healers must cleanse quickly. A text alert will indicate who is affected.

Gate Phases:

• At specific HP thresholds, Kurnous will retreat into the gates surrounding the arena.
• Damage the Gates: Players must shift their focus to damaging the gates to force Kurnous back into the fight.
• Adds: During the second gate phase (~60% HP), Kurnous will spawn small adds to attack the gates. AoE these adds down before returning to damaging the gates.

Final Phases: Animal Aspects (~50% HP):

• As Kurnous’s health drops below 50%, he will begin to take on the form of a Dog, Wolf, or Lion.
• Rock-Paper-Scissors: A Dog, Wolf, and Lion NPC will appear and run around the arena. The party must click the correct NPC to gain a buff. Clicking the wrong NPC can result in a party wipe. The pattern is:
  • Wolf Beats Hound
  • Lion Beats Wolf
  • Hound Beats Lion
• Kurnous’s Aspect and Correct Choice:
  • If Kurnous takes on a Canine (Dog) Aspect, click the WOLF.
  • If Kurnous takes on a Lupine (Wolf) Aspect, click the LION.
  • If Kurnous takes on a Leonine (Lion) Aspect, click the HOUND.
• New Buffs: The new version of the fight grants each player a specific buff corresponding to their chosen animal aspect. These abilities can be used to support teammates or prevent incoming damage.
• Absorb Shield: Each time Kurnous assumes an animal form, he gains a large absorb shield. Players must use the newly acquired buffs while continuing to damage him to break the shield and progress to the next transformation.
• Final Stand: After completing three transformations, Kurnous will cease taking on animal forms. The party must simply continue to burn him down until he is defeated.

Drops & Secrets

• The Secret Boss: There is a secret boss hidden within the dungeon. This boss has a 100% chance to drop one new blue seed and a 50% chance for a second. It also has a rare chance of dropping two 90-day Stag of Kurnous mounts.
• Stag of Kurnous: Defeating the Spirit of Kurnous has a very rare chance to drop two 90-day Stag of Kurnous mounts.
• New Seeds/Liniments: All bosses, including the optional mini-bosses that drop dyes, have a roughly 10% chance to drop new seeds:
  • The Wild Seed: Grants +60 Initiative and reduces ability cooldowns by 1 second.
  • The Sapling Seed: Grants +1 AP regeneration and +10% incoming heals.