In the far reaches of the Tower District stands the Cloak Tower. You dont want to miss out on any secrets, so be sure to read our dungeon guide before you descend into its depths.
Overview and Basic Tips
The Cloak Tower is the first group dungeon you'll have access to. Its
designed for a group of five characters ranging in level from 14 to 20. An
average group of players level 15-18 should have no problems completing
the dungeon. You can queue up to run with a random group of four other
players anywhere you're out running around, or gather a hand-picked party
and battle your way through to the front door and enter there. The queue
system has various level restrictions, but the guts-and-glory method of
bashing skulls on your way to the entrance has no limits, either in level
or in how few people you bring.
Unlike later dungeons you'll encounter in your travels, this one has no
puzzles that have to be solved nor any real strategy systems that have to
be used in order to defeat the bosses you'll find within. In your
explorations, youll encounter plenty of enemies, two puzzles you can
unravel for extra loot, two secret doors to discover for even more loot,
and plenty of traps. All this while you attempt to make your way down to
the bottom level in search of a particularly brutal Orc, Vansi Bloodscar,
Commander of the Many-Arrows Tribe. This is a very good introduction to
group play and dungeon tactics for players getting their first taste of
such endeavors as the higher level dungeons get much more... involved very
quickly.
Upon entering the Tower, you'll find yourself standing by a fire pit for
healing and a merchant allowing you to sell any loot you may have that's
cluttering your inventory at the moment. You'll also be able to purchase
class profession kits from him (Arcane, Religious, Thievery,
Dungeoneering, and Nature). Whichever skills you do not have (every class
has one), you want to make sure you have at least 5 of each other kit any
time you enter a dungeon or other instance. These kits will allow you to
loot a wide assortment of crafting materials found throughout the dungeon.
Don't be caught short. Also, be sure to pick up any health potions you may
need; they're the only thing that's going to save your life when the
blades start flying and the spells start slinging. This is especially true
if you queued in with a pick-up group (PUG) and find yourself without a
Cleric.
There's No Turning Back Now
While the majority of the Orcs you'll fight inside the Tower have the
same look and names of their Tower District brethren, don't be fooled into
thinking they're as easy to kill. They're faster, stronger, and more
powerful in many ways (it's true - we have the technology). Casters may
have been a nuisance in the past, but inside a dungeon, it's critical to
get rid of them first. For example, the longer you leave that Eye of
Grummish Orc standing, the more Drudge Orcs he's going to summon to take
part in the bloody festivities. Red warning indicators will show up on the
floor during the various battles you engage in. Do your Cleric (or
yourself if you don't have a Cleric) a favor and get out of them. You'll
have time, and ignoring them will take large chunks of health from you in
a hurry. The combat will be Fast and Furious and although I'm sure Vin
Diesel would love to be bashing Orc skulls right there with you, he's
probably not, so the fights are up to you to finish on your own. Fight
smart and you'll be fine.
Bosses
There are 3 bosses within the Cloak Tower. You have no choice but to
fight Makred the Foul (the first boss) and the previously mentioned Orc
Commander, Vansi Bloodscar (the final boss). There is an optional boss in
between these, named Throg the Ravenous. Each boss will drop a rare (blue)
piece of equipment for the party to roll on. They will also drop a pile of
Lion Seals that all players can collect that can be used to purchase
special equipment from a vendor back in town. While each battle can be
survived with just some skill and perseverance, there are some distinct
strategy suggestions we can suggest. Be aware that anything that would
normally affect a targets movement or ability to attack will have no
effect on these bosses. They are immune to any form of knockback, stun,
freeze, etc. You have been warned.
Name: Makred the Foul
Class Type: Caster
Known Loot: Tribal Bracers (Arms - Level 16 - Trickster
Rogue)
Makred the Foul is a twisted caster with a taste for blood. He has no
aversion to stabbing you with a vicious spear whenever he's not casting
demonic spells with the assistance of his skull-covered focus. As with any
battle, dodging is going to be the name of the game with Makred. He
doesn't summon a lot of adds (mostly Drudge Orcs), so a group should find
this battle relatively easy. If things start going badly, the party should
focus on clearing the adds and trying to burn down Makreds health as fast
as possible in between summons.
Name: Throg the Ravenous
Class Type: Great Weapon Fighter
Known Loot: Club of Ogrekind (Weapon - Level 16 - Great
Weapon Fighter)
Throg the Ravenous can be found by taking the right fork when first
entering the Botanical Garden. This boss is optional and can be bypassed
by going left at the fork instead. If the party decides to take him on, be
prepared for a heavy fight. Throg wields a massive club and will use it to
devastating effect. Aside from Throg having a large pool of hitpoints, the
main danger in this battle is the amount of adds that continue to be
pulled into the fray. The best strategy for Throg is to utilize your DPS
classes to burn him down as fast as possible while the fighters attempt to
keep him and the adds off the casters. As with Makred, if things start
going badly, focus on the adds while avoiding Throg's attacks until you've
whittled the movie extra wannabes down sufficiently to focus on your main
target again.
Name: Vansi Bloodscar
Class Type: Guardian Fighter
Known Loot: Boots of the Chieftain (Feet - Level 16 - Trickster
Rogue)
The moment you see Vansi Bloodscar, you realize this is not going to be a
quick or easy fight. She may not be wielding a shield, but she fights like
a tank and has the hit points and armor to prove it. Her two favorite
attacks are to swing her weapon in wide arcs in front of her and to dash
at an unsuspecting target (often in a direction she's not facing) and stun
them with a bash. Fortunately, as with all the combat in Neverwinter, the
game is very good about giving clear indicators telling you to get out of
the way. She uses these attacks often, though, so there will be times when
you simply will not have the stamina to dodge. In the other two boss
battles, dealing with the adds was optional, but that's not the case with
the Vansi fight. There will be a steady stream of Drudge Orcs (and,
further into the fight, worse Orcs) making their way into battle. A good
way to handle this fight is to take the slow approach. If you have a
Guardian Fighter and a Cleric, let them worry about Vansi while the rest
of the party burns down adds as fast as they can while hitting Vansi
whenever time permits.
Puzzles
In the Labyrinth section of the dungeon, there are two secret doors that
can be opened simply by killing all the Orcs in that area. They can be a
little hard to find (it is a labyrinth after all), but kill them all and
two secret doors will open revealing a chest for everyone to loot.
The two puzzles previously mentioned involve finding three objects for
each within the Tower and placing them on altars in the exit room. One
altar requires three crystals while the other requires three plants. They
can be a little tricky to spot, but as long as your group of fearless
adventurers works together and keeps their eyes open, you'll have no
problems. Since killing Vansi doesn't result in a loot chest (unless
you're playing during a special event), then solving these puzzles is the
only way to make any chests spawn before you leave.
The three crystals (red, green, and blue) are the easiest to find. The
red crystal is on a table in the room where you killed Mazred the Foul.
The green crystal is in that general area. It's on a table within the
Apprentice Chambers. The blue crystal is a little harder to locate, but at
is at the edge of the pool at the bottom of the blue crystal garden. Walk
around the edges of the pool of water and you'll see one crystal out of
all the other blue crystals that has floating dust around it. When you get
to the exit room, place all three crystals on the altar and a chest will
appear.
The three plants are a little easier. The Starflower is on a table, once
again in the room where you killed Mazred the Foul. The glow berries can
be found at the fork in the Botanical Gardens, where going right and down
leads not only to the Throg the Ravenous, but the final plant as well.
Grab the Gingershroom he drops and you're all set. Place all three items
on the other altar in the exit room and a chest will appear.
Ta-Dah!
And there you go! You've now completed your first dungeon and left no
stone unturned. Have anything to say about the guide? Any boss strategies
we may not have listed? Located any other secrets that avoided my old
eyes? Leave a comment and let me know!
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