

The Gurubashi Arena (or The Arena[1] (LoC 56)), is located in the northern jungles of the Cape of Stranglethorn (Stranglethorn Vale), north of Booty Bay. The Arena is an old relic of the mighty Gurubashi Empire, which once controlled vast tracts of land in the southern regions of the Eastern Kingdoms.

Contents show]

Background

This is one of the few places one can visit in Stranglethorn Vale and not expect to be immediately captured and killed. The ancient Gurubashi trolls built a huge gladiatorial arena many years ago, and it stands in ruins now — though the remaining Gurubashi still hold games within the Arena. Some of the participants are volunteers, and some are captured travelers or adventurers who were sold to the Arena by other troll tribes. The more well known gladiators are very popular, and much can be won and lost (including one's life) in gambling over these games.

While the Arena is relatively safe compared to the other areas of Stranglethorn Vale (uncommon races such as humans, dwarves or high elves will not be immediately snared and eaten), it is not a friendly place. Desperate people will cut another's throat or their purse to pay a gambling debt, and thugs working for the Arena will snatch people if the competition needs some variety. Still, it is a good place to stock up on weapons and supplies from the several goblin merchants in the area. The Arena has the region’s most diversified population. Most of the Horde races make their home here; the orcs like the competition of the Arena, and the Darkspear trolls will stay where the orcs do.[1] (LoC 56)

The sub-region "Gurubashi Arena" covers a wide area around the arena itself. Within the actual arena, the stands and that area are a contested area not technically part of Stranglethorn Vale called The Great Arena, but in the actual ring (which is technically part of Stranglethorn Vale that is called Stranglethorn Vale) PvA is enabled; players may attack or be attacked by any players from either faction, except those within your party.

The arena is still in use for the Gurubashi Arena Booty Run. This arena was built by Gurubashi Empire, but endured the long ages from its fall. In these times, it is often used by pirates for entertainment: Every 3 hours starting from midnight, the pirate captain places a chest with some precious booty into the middle of arena and the crew is then entertained by the bloody battle that occurs. Any adventurer can join the battle! A universal PvP flag is enabled when you enter the floor of the arena.

Gurubashi Arena Booty Run

The Bloodsail Pirates have a penchant for illicit after-hours activities, especially those involving mass combat and treasure. To see that his crew has its nightly fill of extracurricular entertainment, a lone pirate captain will drop a chest in the center of the Arena starting at midnight, and again every three hours so at 3 a.m. 6 a.m. 9 a.m. 12 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 9 p.m. and back to midnight the chest drops. The Gurubashi Arena is located in Stranglethorn Vale just north of Booty Bay. Be the first to get to the chest and loot it - while fighting off everyone else trying to do the same - and you'll reap the reward it holds. Of course, the arena is a PvA area, so there might be other players who are trying to open it first...[2]

Time of Occurrence

While the Gurubashi Arena is a PvA area at all times, the Arena Treasure Chest that contains rewards for the victors spawns every 3 hours from 12 am, Pacific Standard Time.[citation needed] The times that the chest spawns daily are:

12 am

3 am

6 am

9 am

12 pm

3 pm

6 pm

9 pm

When the chest is about to be spawned at the aforementioned times, the NPC Short John Mithril will yell out to a zone-wide message to alert thrill-seekers: Arrr, Me Hearties! I be havin' some extra Treasure that I be givin' away at the Gurubashi Arena! All ye need do to collect it is open the chest I leave on the arena floor!

Daylight savings time

Because of the fact that the Gurubashi Arena Booty Run is set every 3 hours instead of at certain times (the server does not check the time, it simply counts out 3 hours), during Daylight savings time, the chest will not spawn at the normal time, but either 1 hour later or 1 hour earlier than usual, until the following Tuesday when maintenance is performed and servers are restarted.

Rewards

Within Arena Treasure Chest adventurers can frequently find Superior Healing Potions, Greater Healing Potions, Greater Mana Potion and Mana Potions. Rare as well as uncommon equipment can also be found inside the chest. Some notable equipment exclusive to the treasure chest are:

In addition, through the quests [55] Arena Master and [55] Arena Grandmaster, the rare trinket [Arena Grand Master] can be obtained. Adventurers must hand in 12 Arena Masters to Short John Mithril inside the arena to obtain the rare trinket. The trinket is really good for use with a level 19-20 twink, but getting it is not straightforward (quest is recommended for level 55, but appears to have no minimum level requirement).

Both the [Arena Grand Master] and the [Arena Master] are Bind on Pickup, and the Arena Master requires level 35 to use.

You can get the achievements Gurubashi Arena Master and Gurubashi Arena Grand Master when looting [Arena Master] and completing the quest for [Arena Grand Master].



See also: Arena Treasure Chest.

Winning in the arena

First and foremost, the item is BoP. Be ready to click "OK" when you loot the chest to quickly acquire the trinket. If you don't click in time, you might end up with everything except the trinket.

There are several strategies that are useful to winning at the arena. First, arriving at off-hours (3am and 6am server time) will minimize the competition. Rogues and druids will often lurk in the stands; if the arena appears empty when the chest appears they will try to grab it, if there's a single or two opponents they might try to eliminate the competition, and if things appear too competitive they will either wait until the others have killed each other or slip away unnoticed. Classes not capable of stealth typically have their best chance in the off hours if they work in pairs.

At times of day when opponents are more likely, it is best to bring as many friends as possible. Remain in a group. When you are in a group you will not be affected by their attacks, so misfires are impossible. Be sure when recruiting allies that they are not the kind to backstab you and take the trinket for themselves. Bringing large numbers of friends can often have a chilling effect on your competition. If you are forming a Zul'Gurub raid, there will sometimes be an opportunity to grab a trinket while the raid finishes forming.

Unless you have a large group with you, it is best not to hang around in the arena, as even a group of 80's will act as a PvP magnet. Instead, wait nearby outside until the announcement is made that the chest is about to be dropped. It will take about a minute for the chest to actually appear, which is plenty of time to ride in. A stealthed rogue or druid can help scout for the main group.

One final tactic is to corpse-run to the arena on the day that a server first opens. By sitting in the arena and collecting a trinket every three hours, it is possible to collect enough trinkets to gain the Grand Master trinket long before anyone is high enough level to be adventuring in Stranglethorn Vale normally.

Notes

Gallery

Patch changes

Patch 1.4.0 (2005-05-05): There is now a regular event in Gurubashi Arena in Stranglethorn Vale. Every three hours starting at midnight, a pirate with too much treasure on his hands will drop a chest in the center of the arena. Whoever can open the chest first gets the contents! Of course, the arena is a PvP Free for All area, so there might be other players who are trying to open it first... Players no longer will get stuck in a location at Gurubashi Arena in Stranglethorn Vale.



Patch 1.2.0 (18-Dec-2004): The arena in Stranglethorn Vale has been changed so that free-for-all PvP will only take place on the floor of the arena, and no longer in the stands or on the entrance ramp. Please keep in mind that on PvP realms, members of the opposite faction can still attack you anywhere in the arena because Stranglethorn Vale is a contested area.



References



