Blackrock Depths

Blackrock Depths (aka Blackrock Deeps) is the deepest part of Blackrock Mountain, ruled by the Dark Iron dwarves who are led by Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. Several minions of the Firelord Ragnaros also make their home in these lava-lined depths. Blackrock Depths is currently the largest 5-man instance in the game, and is likely to remain so, making it a true wonder of the World of Warcraft. The average time to complete the entire instance is 4–6 hours due to its complexity: a large amount of mobs and bosses, several scripts, and many quests. The enemy level range is 48-56, and the minimum level requirement to enter is level 40.

Although the minimum requirement is level 40, it generally isn't a good idea to enter BRD before around level 53, since a player's pull circle will likely be too wide for the mobs within the instance. The Anvilrage Military are not to be underestimated either, particularly the Officers (who have Divine Shield) and the Medics who can heal their troops.

BRD is not visited as often these days as it used to be, since most players choose to level to 58 as fast as possible, and then go to Outland. The rewards for Outland's initial quests also render any of BRD's gear obsolete, so the drops here are only of interest to twinks. Farming for Fiery Weapon enchanting recipe may still be useful, since it is commonly used with low level twinks.

In Wrath of the Lich King, Blackrock Depths attracted more interest, mainly because of the instance clearing achievement. Also, the schematic for Field Repair Bot 74A is wanted, since the famous 4th generation repair bot Jeeves requires 2 of them.

The instance is almost entirely soloable (for Rogues or Hunters, at least, and probably most melee classes) by about tier 5 (level 70), although it is not economically efficient to do so. While there is money to be made here (especially for miners), the sheer size of the instance and the comparatively low level of the mobs mean that there are better instances for farming (notably Scholomance). By level 80, the instance is easily soloable.

In the opinion of the person who wrote this sentence, BRD (and the rest of the Blackrock Mountain complex) is well worth at least one visit. These instances represented the original game's endgame content, and were made with a high level of quality.

History

 * Once the capital city of the Dark Iron dwarves, this volcanic labyrinth now serves as the seat of power for Ragnaros the Firelord. Ragnaros has uncovered the secret to creating life from stone and plans to build an army of unstoppable golems to aid him in conquering the whole of Blackrock Mountain.  Obsessed with defeating Nefarian and his draconic minions, Ragnaros will go to any extreme to achieve final victory.


 * The RPG also gave a description of the Depths, but it seem to have been retconned:

One of the more talented masons of the Dark Iron clan, Franclorn Forgewright, created this dungeon under Blackrock Spire fortress after Ragnaros was summoned. Rumor has it that Ragnaros dwells here with the remaining Dark Iron dwarves who do his bidding. No one can get inside, though any who try and manage to survive babble about armies made of moving stone. One wonders what Ragnaros plans to do with this army once he retakes the fortress from the draconic forces that control the upper levels.

Also known as the Blackrock Deeps

Location
Blackrock Depths is located at the bottom of Blackrock Mountain. To reach it, you will need to cross the chain to the central island, then follow the path downward to a ledge just above the lava. Follow the ledge into and through the quarry to find the instance portal.

Dungeon Finder Tips
If you encounter BRD when you enter it through the Dungeon Finder, you can be dropped into 2 parts: The Lower City and the Upper City. There is no way of knowing which you have entered but killing the endbosses of the parts.

For those who don't know how to get to BRD or need to retrieve their corpses, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J8C2LP2aQ8 for a video on how to get to the instance.

Lower City
To complete the Lower City, you go straight forward into the cellblocks, and take to the right and kill High Interrogator Gerstahn. She is the Boss who drops the Satchel. This Part is normally done while still at lower levels.

Upper City
To complete the Upper City, you have to kill the Emperor.

If you have already killed High Interrogator Gerstahn, you will not get the Satchel on killing the Emperor. You will instead get it by mail. There have been no reports as to what happens to the bonus XP you are supposed to get.

Tip: If your group consists of mostly lvl 52+ chars and Upper City is yellow, while Lower City is green - go for the Emperor without killing High Interrogator Gerstahn.

Dungeon Denizens

 * Bats
 * Beetles
 * Centaur (one, Malgen Longspear)
 * Crypt fiend (one, Anub'shiah)
 * Darkhounds
 * Dark Irons
 * Dire troll (one, Grizzle)
 * Dwarves
 * Fire elementals
 * Flamewaker (one, Ambassador Flamelash)
 * Forsaken (one, Volida)
 * Ghosts
 * Gnolls (three, Rotfang, Slobbermouth, and Snaggletooth)
 * Gnomes
 * Goblins
 * Golems
 * Humans
 * Hyena (one, Gnashjaw)
 * Lava elemental (one, Lord Roccor)
 * Leper gnome (one, Plugger Spazzring)
 * Molten giant (two, Bael'Gar and Magmus)
 * Ogre (one, Ograbisi)
 * Ogre mage (one, Ok'thor the Breaker)
 * Oozelings
 * Orcs
 * Quilboar (one, Snokh Blackspine)
 * Scorpids
 * Skeletons
 * Spiders
 * Succubus (one, Mistress Nagmara)
 * Tauren
 * Thunder lizards
 * Troll (one, Va'jashni)
 * Wildhammer dwarf (one, Dughal Stormwing)
 * Worgen (one, Eviscerator)
 * Worms

Minor NPCs
The depths are inhabited by Dark Iron Dwarves, their demonic bloodhound pets, their golem protectors, and their fire elemental allies. There is also a contingent of Twilight's Hammer ambassadors inside the city and the detention block area.

The dwarves in the Depths consist primarily of warrior and priest types. Outside the Shadowforge City, the dwarves are all elite. Inside the city, one can find groups of one or two elite dwarves or Twilight cultists surrounded by a cadre of non-elite citizens. Some other humanoid races appear in the city and in the Ring of Law.

The demonic bloodhounds in the Depths are renowned for their ability to sniff out stealthed rogues and druids. They will sometimes be grouped into their own pack, and sometimes included in a group with humanoid allies. All of the dogs are non-elite, but their damage capability in large numbers is not to be underestimated.

The golems and fire elementals in the Depths generally fit the stereotypes of their races. The golems are strong and well-armored melee attackers, though some exceptional specimens have the ability to release area-of-effect fire spells. The fire elementals cause large amounts of fire damage with melee attacks and ranged fire spells.


 * Anvilrage Military
 * Anvilrage Medic: casts Heal, Prayer of Healing, Mind Blast, Power Word: Fortitude
 * Anvilrage Officer: casts Holy Light, Divine Shield, Backhand, Battle Shout, Shoot
 * Anvilrage Marshal: casts Holy Strike (deals holy damage on next melee strike), Devotion Aura, Holy Light
 * Anvilrage Overseer: casts Strike, Haste Aura
 * Anvilrage Warden: casts Shield Bash, Hooked Net
 * Anvilrage Soldier: casts Hamstring, Cleave
 * Anvilrage Footman: casts Dual Wield (passive), Kick, Strike (deals extra damage on the next melee strike)
 * Anvilrage Guardsman: Disarm, Shield Block, Sunder Armor
 * Anvilrage Reservist: casts Shoot and Sunder Armor
 * Anvilrage Captain: casts Mortal Strike


 * Twilight's Hammer Cultists
 * Twilight Emissary: casts Arcane Explosion (1.5 sec cast), Frostbolt, Fireball, Arcane Bolt (direct damage arcane spell), Frost Nova, Fury of Ragnaros (increases target's spell damage by 25 for 30 mins) 
 * Twilight's Hammer Ambassador: casts Curse of Weakness, Earth Shock, Flame Shock, Frost Armor, Flame Shield (surrounds the caster in flames, dealing fire damage to nearby targets every three secs for 30 secs)
 * Twilight Bodyguard: casts Cleave, Pummel (Deals physical damage and interrupts spells for 5 secs.), Fist of Ragnaros (Stuns the target for 4 secs.)
 * Twilight's Hammer Torturer: casts Shadow Word: Pain, Wracking Pains (Curse debuff, periodically stuns the target. Stuns lasts 5 secs)
 * Twilight's Hammer Executioner: casts Cleave


 * Shadowforge Dwarves
 * Shadowforge Citizen: casts Shoot and Shadowbolt
 * Shadowforge Senator: casts Shoot, Shadowbolt, Fireball, Holy Smite, Frost Nova, Slow, Curse of Agony (55-60 shadow damage every three secs for 24 secs), Flame Shield (surrounds the caster in flames, dealing fire damage to nearby targets every three secs for 30 secs)
 * Shadowforge Peasant: casts Fury of Ragnaros (increases target's spell damage by 25 for 30 mins), Fireball, Shoot, Heal, Strike (Normal damage plus extra damage to the target.), Throw Dynamite (Deals fire damage to all enemies in a selected area.) (This mob has a random combination of the spells above.)


 * Golem Mechanics
 * Doomforge Dragoon: casts Shoot, Exploding Shot (deals fire damage to the target and other people around the target), Cleave
 * Doomforge Craftsman: casts Shoot, Rebuild (heals the target golem for 100 damage per sec for 10 secs), Bomb (AoE fire damage on a target area), Throw Wrench (1.5 sec cast, physical damage ranged attack)
 * Doomforge Arcanasmith: Arcane Bolt (direct damage arcane spell), Arcane Explosion.
 * Weapon Technician: Frost Shot (movement slowed by 30%),Multi-Shot, Shoot


 * Fire Elementals
 * Fireguard: casts Fireball
 * Blazing Fireguard: casts Scorch ,Fire Blast and Immolate
 * Fireguard Destroyer: casts Fireball Volley (AoE spell)


 * Golems
 * Ragereaver Golem: casts Uppercut (knocks the target into the air), Flurry (increases the caster's attack speed) and Enrage (increases caster's attack power.)
 * Molten War Golem: casts Fire Blast, Immolate and Flame Shield (passive spell, deals additional fire damage to targets that hit it)
 * Wrath Hammer Construct: casts Flame Cannon (direct-damage fire spell)
 * Warbringer Construct:


 * Darkhounds
 * Bloodhound: casts Rend, Dire Growl (reduces Strength and Agility by 47)), Ravenous Claw (normal damage plus extra)
 * Bloodhound Mastiff: casts Rend,Dire Growl (reduces Strength and Agility by 47), Blood Leech (deals damage to the target and heals the caster for 3 times the damage), Ravenous Claw (normal damage plus extra)


 * Creatures of the Ring of the Law
 * Non-elite creatures such as oozes, bats, worms, or scorpids.
 * Elite mini-bosses such as Anub'shiah (a crypt fiend), Eviscerator (a worgen), Gorosh the Dervish (an orc), Grizzle (a dire troll), Hedrum the Creeper (a spider), and Ok'thor the Breaker (a two-headed ogre).

This list is not complete.

Common bosses

 * High Interrogator Gerstahn is in the center of the Detention Block.
 * Bael'Gar is found at the western end of the Dark Iron Highway.
 * Lord Roccor appears in the open area adjacent to the Detention Block. (Rare-spawn boss prior to patch 1.10.0)
 * Houndmaster Grebmar hangs out with his dogs underneath the arena.
 * Pyromancer Loregrain near F.F.F.'s statue. (Rare-spawn boss prior to patch 1.10.0)
 * Lord Incendius guards the Black Anvil, at the eastern end of the Dark Iron Highway.
 * Warder Stilgiss guards the Black Vault with his darkhound Verek.
 * Fineous Darkvire wanders the Halls of Crafting.
 * General Angerforge can be found down some stairs to the south of the Manufactory.
 * Golem Lord Argelmach is found in the Manufactory.
 * Hurley Blackbreath, Ribbly Screwspigot, Phalanx, and Plugger Spazzring are found in the Grim Guzzler.
 * Ambassador Flamelash resides alone in the Chamber of Enchantment.
 * The Seven ghosts are found in the Summoners' Tomb. The individual ghosts are: Anger'rel, Hate'rel, Dope'rel, Seeth'rel, Vile'rel, Gloom'rel, and Doom'rel
 * Magmus can be found in the Iron Hall.
 * Emperor Dagran Thaurissan and Princess Moira Bronzebeard can be found in the Emperor's Seat.

Rare bosses
These characters are just as tough as the common bosses, but do not appear in every trip to this instance.
 * Once the event in the Ring of Law is activated, it will spawn one wave of non-elite monsters and then one of these mini-bosses:
 * Anub'shiah
 * Eviscerator
 * Gorosh the Dervish
 * Grizzle
 * Hedrum the Creeper
 * Ok'thor the Breaker
 * Panzor the Invincible sometimes appears in the Mold Foundry.
 * Coren Direbrew, a level 73 elite that is part of a Brewfest daily quest.

Neutral NPCs

 * Plugger Spazzring, found in the Grim Guzzler, has a few interesting items to sell. The grim patrons are neutral once you enter the Grim Guzzler, however they can become enemies.

Friendly NPCs

 * Mistress Nagmara, found in the Grim Guzzler, has a single quest available to both Alliance and Horde.
 * Lokhtos Darkbargainer, also in the Grim Guzzler, has a number of repeatable quests available at level 60 which can increase your faction rating with the Thorium Brotherhood. As your rating increases, he will also serve as a shopkeeper to sell a small selection of high-level alchemy, blacksmithing, enchanting, leatherworking, and tailoring recipes.
 * Kharan Mighthammer is imprisoned in the Detention Block. He is an intermediate quest target/quest giver in the Alliance quest chain which rewards you for killing Emperor Thaurissian.
 * Marshal Windsor is imprisoned in the Detention Block. He is an NPC/quest giver in the Alliance quest chains for Onyxia attunement.
 * Commander Gor'shak is also imprisoned in the Detention Block. He is a quest target/giver for the Horde quest chain involving killing Emperor Thaurissian.

Dark Iron
Blackrock Depths is one of the two places where Dark Iron ore can be mined reliably, the other location being Molten Core. Since patch 1.7, dark iron ore nodes have begun to appear rarely in the Burning Steppes and the Searing Gorge. Blackrock Depths is also the location of the Black Forge and the Black Anvil. The Black Forge is the only place where dark iron ore can be smelted into bars. The Black Anvil is required for most crafting recipes that require dark iron bars. As such, a run in BRD is essential to almost any blacksmithing or engineering work which uses that rare metal.

Blacksmithing
Scattered around Blackrock Depths are Blacksmithing Plans which appear as scrolls that can be clicked on with a gear icon. Only a high level Blacksmith should click on these plans, if anyone without high level blacksmithing attempts to use them the plans will be destroyed. Opening the scroll will give you one of the following BoP plans: As mentioned, anyone can click on the Blacksmithing Plans but without the proper skill you will destroy the plans. Also, the plans within are BoP so you may want to roll before using them if you have multiple smiths.
 * Plans: Dark Iron Mail
 * Plans: Dark Iron Shoulders

Places to find different plans:
 * Beside Golem Lord Argelmach in a room inside the manufactory
 * In the manufactory on a bench on the right
 * In the room before the 7 ghosts, beside the stairs
 * Near General Angerforge on a table
 * On a wall shelf in the northwest corner of the East Garrison area's upper level

Engineering
Several engineering schematics are available only in the Depths.
 * Schematic: Field Repair Bot 74A: appears as a scroll on the ground near Golem Lord Argelmach.
 * Schematic: World Enlarger: drops from the weapon technicians in the Manufactory.
 * Schematic: Gnomish Alarm-O-Bot: drops from the weapon technicians in the Manufactory.
 * Schematic: Dark Iron Rifle: drops from the doomforge craftsmen in the Manufactory.
 * Schematic: Goblin Jumper Cables XL: drops from Plugger Spazzring.

Loot
See Blackrock Depths loot.