Need some help finding the Sunken Temple in WoW: Season of Discovery?
A remnant of the ancient Gurubashi Empire's civil war, the Temple of Atal'Hakkar, is an iconic dungeon of Azeroth that has been reworked as a leveling raid for World of Warcraft: Classic's Season of Discovery.
After learning of the looming threat of the Loa of Blood entering into Azeroth, the Green Dragonflight took action and sent the temple into the depths of the swamp, and assigned their own sentries to monitor it and its inhabitants. However, the Atal'ai were not destroyed, and they now threaten the world again, this time with the corrupted stewards who once opposed them.
Where To Find The Sunken Temple
After being exiled from the Gurubashi Empire's capital of Zul'Gurub long ago, the followers of the dark loa Hakkar the Soulflayer relocated to the Swamp of Sorrows in the southwestern reaches of the Eastern Kingdoms.
Bordered by the Blasted Lands to the south, Deadwind Pass to the west, Redridge Mountains to the north, and the Forbidding Sea to the east, the Swamp of Sorrows is a murky valley, and the place where the Horde and Alliance first clashed. Thus, despite being a remote zone, it is one with a long and bloody history.
The sunken Temple of Atal'Hakkar itself sits in the Pool of Tears at the eastern end of the Swamp of Sorrows. Despite being mostly submerged, the tallest parts of the structure peek out of the stagnant waters, forming a staging point for adventurers to begin their raid on the temple.
How Horde Characters Reach The Temple
The st Horde settlement to the Temple of Atal'Hakkar is the orcish outpost of Stonard within the Swamp of Sorrows.
As the only intact remnant of the Old Horde's holdings from the First War, it has been reestablished as the main hub of Horde power and refuge in this area of the world, and serves as the perfect base for Horde adventurers to strike out against the Atal'ai from.
This is the ultimate place to reach if you wish to have access to the Sunken Temple on your Horde characters.
Starting From Grom'Gol Base Camp
Prior to the Cataclysm, the only reliable land route into the Swamp of Sorrows was through the barren Deadwind Pass. Due to this, the easiest way to begin your journey to the Sunken Temple with a Horde character is to start from Grom'Gol Base Camp on the shores of Stranglethorn Vale.
Situated near the northern border of this jungle, it is the st Horde flight post to Deadwind Pass on this side of the continent.
If you are venturing to the Swamp of Sorrows from Kalimdor, Grom'Gol hosts a zeppelin tower where a zeppelin from Orgrimmar docks. This tower also services a zeppelin from the Undercity of Tirisfal Glades, providing free and quick transport between the northern and southern ends of the Eastern Kingdoms for Horde citizens.
Additionally, if you have discovered Grom'Gol's flight point , Thysta, the town's flight master, will greet you when you land from wherever on the continent you flew in from.
From Stranglethorn Vale To Duskwood
Once you land at Grom'Gol Base Camp, you want to leave through its east or north gates. You can either trek through the jungle or follow the road, but you must head north to the pass to Duskwood.
When you get to the northern end of Stranglethorn Vale's road, take a right, as that road will lead into Duskwood.
Don't make a left at the end of the road, as that will lead into the Alliance's Rebel Camp outpost.
Through Duskwood
Upon entering Duskwood, follow the road north until it forks, and take a right, heading east. Keep following the road until you see a town up ahead, as that is Darkshire, and it is a major Alliance settlement.
Instead of following the road through the town, push through the underbush and rocky landscape northeast so you can avoid the town. Eventually, you will find yourself on another road, and you must follow it further east toward Deadwind Pass.
As Duskwood is Alliance territory belonging to the human kingdom of Stormwind, be careful of both enemy players and NPC guards.
Through Deadwind Pass
Now, you should be within the treacherous peaks and canyons of Deadwind Pass. Luckily, you will be here only for a short time, as you must follow the road east. You will cross a natural stone bridge, and on the other side, the road will continue into the Swamp of Sorrows.
To Stonard
When exiting Deadwind Pass, you will descend a slightly winding road that brings you into the humid muck of the Swamp of Sorrows. Here, it is simple enough to follow this road east until you reach Splinterspear Junction. At this Horde watchtower, the road splits in two, with one path leading north, and the other south. Take the south one and continue east to Stonard.
When you reach Stonard, remember to discover its flight point from the flight master in the middle of town; Breyk. From here, you can find fellow adventurers to head farther east into the swamp with, and enter the Temple of Atal'Hakkar.
How Alliance Characters Reach The Temple
While the Alliance had yet to establish any settlements within the Swamp of Sorrows prior to the Cataclysm, they maintain their fortress in the nearby Blasted Lands.
Established at the end of the First War, Nethergarde Keep was built to keep watch on the d Dark Portal, acting as a sentinel of the Kingdom of Stormwind should it open once more and the Horde spill out. Manned by humans, gnomes, and dwarves alike, Nethergarde Keep is the ultimate destination to reach if you want reliable and convenient access to the Temple of Atal'Hakkar on your Alliance characters.
Starting From Darkshire
As the Blasted Lands is only accessed through a break in the mountains in southern Swamp of Sorrows, Alliance characters need to start their journeys in Darkshire.
Located in the northeast corner of Duskwood, this gloomy human town is not only Stormwind's st settlement to the southeastern reaches of the Eastern Kingdoms, it is also the Alliance's nearest flight point to the Swamp of Sorrows and the Blasted Lands.
If you have discovered the Darkshire flight point, the town's flight master, Felicia Maline, will welcome you upon your arrival.
If you haven't been to Darkshire before, it is just a short run or ride south from Stormwind City, through Elwynn Forest and across the Nazferiti River. Once here, you can begin your journey to the Sunken Temple.
From Duskwood To Deadwind Pass
From Darkshire, you will need to leave the town by way of its eastern road, heading into the mountains and Deadwind Pass.
Through Deadwind Pass
Upon entering the bleak landscape of Deadwind Pass, you simply need to follow the road east. It will take you across a natural stone bridge, and then into the Swamp of Sorrows.
Through The Swamp Of Sorrows
When you descend into the murky vale that is the Swamp of Sorrows, follow the road east until you near Splinterspear Junction. Don't get too to this orcish watchtower, as many Horde NPCs mill about it.
Instead, the most direct way to continue is through the bogs south of the junction, which will allow you to avoid the watchtower and rejoin the road that heads east. Eventually, this road will split, and you must take the branch that leads south into the Blasted Lands.
Don't continue east on the southern road past the point where it splits, as it will lead you straight into the Horde town of Stonard.
To Nethergarde Keep
This road will lead through a break in the mountains, and into the desolate realm of the Blasted Lands. Now in the homestretch of your sojourn, the quickest and safest path to Nethergarde Keep is to leave the road and head east.
Once you are directly south of the mountains, ascend a small hill and pass the mines staffed by human miners. You should see Nethergarde Keep directly ahead of you.
Upon entering Nethergarde Keep, remember to discover the fortress' flight point, which is slightly hidden in the southeast corner of it. The flight master is named Alexandra Constantine, and she resides atop a small wooden tower in that corner.
Now, you can find fellow adventurers to depart back into the Swamp of Sorrows with, on your quest to raid the Sunken Temple.
Entering The Sunken Temple Raid
Once you have reliable access to your faction's nearby settlements in the Swamp of Sorrows or Blasted Lands, you can group up with other players and trek to the Temple of Atal'Hakkar raid itself.
With the instance's entrance located deep within the tunnels of the Sunken Temple's overworld structure, you and your raid group need to traverse the labyrinthine corridors to find it.
There will be many elite mobs wandering these halls, so stay to your group, so you can all benefit from safety in numbers. Additionally, if you play on a PVP server, be ready for a brawl if any enemy players start anything.
The Descent Into The Sunken Temple
When you and your companions reach the temple in the middle of the Pool of Tears, you will find the entrance to its depths atop its pinnacle. Descend the stairs of this ruined sanctum to access the passage to the raid's entrance.
The Broken Hall
At the bottom of the initial stairwell into the temple's depths, lies The Broken Hall. It may look like a dead-end as it is completely flooded, but don't be fooled. Simply dive into the water and swim forward, and you will reach an underwater passage into the next passageway.
The Hall Of Masks
Beyond The Broken Hall lies a small room with a stairwell on the right side, leading down into the next chamber. Said chamber is the Hall of Masks, which acts as a nexus for these sunken corridors. Upon entering this hall, you will see an exit in the middle of the right wall. Go to this exit and take the passage to your left.
The Den Of The Caller
This passage will take you past The Butchery, and around a sharp right turn into the Den of the Caller. When you enter this room, you will see another hallway straight ahead of you, but don't enter it. Instead, sharply turn to your left and enter that hallway. This will wind into the homestretch of your delve into the temple's depths.
The Hall Of Ritual
The next passage is the Hall of Ritual. This corridor, lined with troll faces carved out of stone, leads to the final chamber before the Sunken Temple's raid entrance. This straight hall leads into a smaller corridor with turns left to that final room.
The Hall Of Bones
Finally, you will have arrived in the Hall of Bones, where the stairway into the instance entrance portal can be found.
When you enter this chamber, take a sharp right down a small flight of stairs. Then, at the bottom of the stairs, turn left and walk to the far side of the chamber. You will see an ornate exit in that far wall, and therein lies the instance portal at the bottom of another set of stairs.
