1.
Introduction to Delves
Delves are bite-sized, role-agnostic, replayable world instances that allow you toengage in quick yet rewarding adventures. Delves can be experienced solo or in a groupof up to 5 players alongside a customizable NPC companion. In this guide,we will cover everything you need to know about Delves in the War Within.
2.
What Are Delves?
Delves are short, 10-15 minute scenarios designed to fit into your gameplayschedule and contribute to your character's progression, as they provide credittoward the Great Vault rewards in the War Within.
Unlike dungeons and raids, Delves can be completed solo or with a group ofup to 5 players. The flexibility combined with their role-agnostic nature makesDelves accessible to all types of players.
3.
Key Features
Delves are designed to be replayable, with varying levels of difficulty and rewards.The season companion can be customized to fit your playstyle, whether you needa healer, a damage dealer, or a support character. Delves have 11 Tiers of Difficulty,providing a challenging experience for players of all skill levels.
4.
Navigating Delves: Finding Entrances on the Map
When exploring Khaz Algar, you will find each delve marked on yourMap with a unique cave icon, making it easier to locate them asyou travel through the zones.
As you approach the icon on the Map, check your surroundings forcave openings, ruins, and other visual cues in the environment.
5.
The Delve Locations in Khaz Algar
Khaz Algar contains 13 Delves in total at launch. The 13th Delve is a secret seasonal onethat is difficult but offers unique rewards!
Isle of Dorn | The Ringing Deeps | Azj-Kahet | Hallowfall |
Earthcrawl Mines | The Waterworks | The Spiral Weave | Skittering Breach |
Kriegval's Rest | The Dread Pit | Tak-Rethan Abyss | Nightfall Sanctum |
Fungal Folly | Deepwalker Hold | Zekvir's Lair (13th secret delve) | The Sinkhole |
Mycomancer Cavern |
6.
Understanding the Delves UI Window at the Entrance
When you approach the entrance to a Delve, you will be greeted bya special User Interface window that provides important informationto prepare you for your run.
At the top of the UI, the name of the Delve is displayed. Beneath it,you will find a dropdown menu that lets you select the Tier of difficulty.Higher tiers are more challenging but also give you better rewards.
The UI also provides a brief description of your main objectives in a Delve.For example, your task is to free miners from spider webs, kill Nerubians,and so forth. Make sure to read this before entering so you areaware of the primary goals.
On the right side, the UI lists the rewards you will receiveupon completing the Delve. Rewards typically include Experience for yourcompanion and the treasure room contains chests that you can open for gear, Resonant Crystals,
Radiant Echo,
Titan Disc Fragments,
Valorstones, and
Undercoin.
7.
Meet Brann Bronzebeard, Your Season 1 Delve Companion
In the War Within, each new season introduces a fresh companion to aid youin your Delve runs, starting with Brann Bronzebeard in Season 1. Your NPCcompanion comes with a fully customizable Talen Tree, allowing you to tailorhis abilities to best support your journey through the various Delves inKhaz Algar.
To make the most of Brann's abilities, check out our comprehensive guideto Brann Bronzebeard, where we dive deep into his Talent Tree, best curios to equip,and strategies for optimizing his performance in your Delve adventures.
Brann Bronzebeard Companion Guide for Season 1
8.
Understanding Bountiful Delves in the War Within
Bountiful Delves have glowing icons compared to regular Delves and offerincreased rewards because they provide access to Bountiful Coffersfound at the end of your run. These special chests can be opened with Restored Coffer Keys that you can get by collecting
Coffer Key Shards from world activities and quests. A timer willbe displayed indicating the remaining time before another Delvebecomes Bountiful.
You should always prioritize completing Bountiful Delves over regular Delvesto get better loot.
When you reach max level, you will receive the Bountiful Delves questin Dornogal, which requires you to obtain a Restored Coffer Key andfind a delve that offers a
Bountiful Coffer.
9.
Gearing in Delves: Earn Progress Towards the Great Vault
While regular Delves only drop Item Level 554 gear that cannot be upgraded,Bountiful Delves offer better gear with increasing difficulty.
- Tiers 1-11 Regular Delves provide Item Level 554 Non-Upgradeable Gear;
- Tier 1 Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 561 1/8 Explorer Gear;
- Tier 2 Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 564 2/8 Explorer Gear;
- Tier 3 Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 571 3/8 Adventurer Gear;
- Tier 4 Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 577 4/8 Adventurer Gear;
- Tier 5 Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 584 5/8 Veteran Gear;
- Tier 6 Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 590 6/8 Veteran Gear;
- Tier 7 Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 597 7/8 Champion Gear;
- Tier 8+ Bountiful Delve offers Item Level 603 8/8 Champion Gear;
Once per week in Season 1, you will loot Delver's Bounty, an item thatguarantees a Hidden Trove at the end of your next run. Using the itemresulted in Item Level 610 1/6 Hero gear in Tier 8.
It is also worth noting that revives impact your chance at loot, so the moreyou die, the less likely you will receive loot.
One of the significant benefits of running delves is the opportunityto earn endgame gear that contributes to your overall character progression.Not only do delves offer valuable loot, but they also grant credit towardsunlocking rewards in the Great Vault, making them a very importantpart of your weekly activities.
For more details about the item level of gear found in the Great Vault,check out our separate guide.
Great Vault Guide
10.
Delves Difficulty
Delves are divided into 11 tiers of difficulty, with Tier 1 being the easiestand Tier 11 the most difficult.
During Early Access and at War Within launch, players will only haveaccess to Tiers 1, 2, and 3. Higher tiers starting from Tier 4 are unlockedwhen Season 1 begins on September 10, when your character earns the War Within Delves: Endgame achievement.
You do not need to unlock tiers for each delve separately. When youcomplete say Earthcrawl Mines Tier 7, Tier 8 will unlock for all Delves.
It is important to note that loot scales only up to Tier 8. Tiers 9-11are for bragging rights only, and they do not offer better loot.
11.
Recommended Item Level for Delve Tiers
The Delves UI at the beginning of the run provides you with the recommendeditem level for each Tier of difficulty.
- Tier 1: Recommended item level: 515+.
- Tier 2: Recommended item level: 532+.
- Tier 3: Recommended item level: 545+.
- Tier 4: Recommended item level: 548+.
- Tier 5: Recommended item level: 567+.
- Tier 6: Recommended item level: 574+.
- Tier 7: Recommended item level: 587+.
- Tier 8: Recommended item level: 600+.
- Tier 9: To be added.
- Tier 10: To be added.
- Tier 11: To be added.
12.
Delve Mechanics Overview
Delves feature various mechanics that improve the depth and complexityof each run. Below are key elements you will encounter during your runs.
12.1.
Explorers' League Supplies
At the beginning of each delve and at its checkpoint, you will findExplorers' League Supplies. This interactive object allows you to repairyour gear or set up talents for your NPC Companion.
12.2.
Delve Objectives
Most delves consist of 2-3 scenario-like objectives that must be completedbefore you can face the final boss. These objectives will change every time youenter a delve. There are multiple variations of objectives for each delve.
In Earthcrawl Mines, you need to rescue Webbed Lamplighters and survive a Nerubian ambush.
12.3.
Sturdy Chests
Inside delves, you will come across Sturdy Chests hidden in variouslocations. These chests contain Companion Experience and Resonant Crystals.
12.4.
Mislaid Curiosities
Mislaid Curiosities are small bags found on the ground that containCompanion Experience.
12.5.
Rare Elites and Special Powers
Often, you will come across Rare Elites that grant you Torghast-likepowers when defeated or other collectibles. These are completely optional, but thepowers are great as they increase your likelihood of succeeding in a Delve,which is important when doing higher tiers.
The special powers are temporary and only last for the duration of the Delve.
12.6.
Checkpoints in Delves
As you progress through delves, you will find checkpoints strategicallyplaced close to the final objective before the boss encounter.
When you die, you will respawn at the checkpoint and not at the beginningof the delve.
12.7.
Revives in Delves
When you enter a delve, you will notice a "Revives Remaining" counterin the Delve UI. The counter shows how many times you and your party memberscan die and respawn inside the same delve. Every time a player releases theirspirit after death, one revive is subtracted from the total.
The number of revives remaining at the end of the delve directly impactsthe quality of the rewards you receive at the end of your run, so it isvery important to play cautiously.
In Tiers 1-3, there is no death limit. For Tier 4-11, you have a maximumof 5 revives for each run.
12.8.
Final Boss
At the end of the delve, you must fight a boss to unlock the treasureroom and reap rewards. The final boss will always be the same for each delve.
12.9.
Delver's Determination Buff
For each death while facing the final boss, you will receive a stack of Delver's Determination. It increases your health, damage dealt, andhealing received by 5% per stack.
12.10.
Treasure Room
When you defeat the final boss, you will reach the Treasure Room, whichconsists of multiple loot chests.
12.11.
Bountiful Coffer
Found only inside Bountiful Delves, Bountiful Coffer is an epic chestthat contains the best loot. It requires Restored Coffer Keys to open.It also has a chance to provide you with
Radiant Echo for theWorldsoul Memory event, and other rewards.
12.12.
Bountiful Heavy Trunk
The rare chest contains Titan Disc Fragments for the weekly quest.You will also receive
Undercoins,
Valorstones andCompanion Curios.
13.
Delver's Journey in The War Within Season 1
Completing delves in The War Within Season 1 grants credit towarda progression system called Delver's Journey. Upon reachingcertain milestones, you will unlock additional customization optionsfor the Delver's Dirigible mount and other rewards.
Check out our Delver's Journey guide for more information.
Delver's Journey Guide for Season 1
14.
Delver's Headquarters, Your Base of Operations in the War Within
Delver's Headquarters is located in central Dornogal. Brann Bronzebeardhas a base set up here, which serves as the main Delves hub and vendor locationin the expansion.
To learn more about the Delver's Headquarters and the vendors you will find there,check out our dedicated guide linked below.
Delver's Headquarters Guide
15.
Weekly Delves Quest
Every week, you will receive a quest from Brann Bronzebeard at the Delver's Headquartersthat offers 1 Pinnacle Cache, a weekly cache containing materials for upgrading, gear,gold, and more. To earn the cache, you must complete 2 Tier 6+ Delves.
16.
Delver's Dirigible Mount
Delver's Dirigible is a mount from delves that you receive shortly afterreaching Level 80 in the War Within expansion. We cover its acquisition and customizationoptions on a separate page.
Delver's Dirigible Guide
17.
Delver's Bonus Event
A new bonus event is coming in the War Within expansion tied to delves. During the event,you will receive better rewards from delves. The first event is slated for October 1, 2024.
Delves Rewards
Every Season, you can earn different rewards from delves. From transmog to the Ivory Goliathus mount, we have you covered with our dedicated guide!
Delves Rewards Guide
18.
Delve Rankings
We have prepared a tier list of the best classes for Delves. You will find it below.
Delve Rankings
19.
Changelog
- 24 Aug. 2024: Reduced the number of headers in ToC.
- 23 Aug. 2024: Updated with Delve Rankings and interlinking.
- 20 Aug. 2024: Guide added.
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