Rusted Proto-Drake

Rusted Proto-Drake is an epic flying mount of the proto-drake family, added in patch 3.1 of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. The Rusted Proto-Drake is awarded for completing the meta-achievement Glory of the Ulduar Raider, which requires finishing 13 special achievements in the Ulduar raid. The mount can also appear on the Black Market.

The Rusted Proto-Drake is a massive dragon with a distinctive brown, rusted coloration and titanic runes on its wings. The model is identical to the Ironbound Proto-Drake but differs in color scheme. The drake has small vestigial forelimbs and a powerful jaw with pale teeth.

• Iconic status — the Rusted Proto-Drake is one of the most recognizable mounts in WoW history. It is associated with the golden age of raiding in Wrath of the Lich King and the Ulduar raid, which many players consider the best raid in the game
• Guaranteed acquisition — the mount does not depend on luck. Complete all 13 achievements and it is yours. No random drop
• Fully solo — at max level (90 in Midnight) all achievements can be completed solo in a single run. The Ulduar bosses are level 30, so most of them die within seconds
• Two mounts at once — completing the single Glory of the Ulduar Raider meta-achievement now awards both the Rusted Proto-Drake and the Reins of the Ironbound Proto-Drake. They used to be handed out separately for the 10- and 25-player versions
• Unique model — proto-drakes visually differ from standard dragons with their massive build and primal appearance. The rusted variant looks imposing and memorable

The main way to obtain it is by completing the meta-achievement Glory of the Ulduar Raider. This requires finishing 13 achievements, one for each Ulduar boss (except Algalon).

1. Create a max-level character or use an existing one
2. Head to Ulduar in The Storm Peaks (Northrend)
3. Set the raid size to 10 or 25 players — it does not matter for the achievement
4. Clear the raid, completing all 13 achievements (it can be done in a single run)
5. After completing the final achievement, the mount will automatically appear in your collection

Alternative Method: The Black Market

Reins of the Rusted Proto-Drake periodically appear at the Black Market Auction House. The starting bid is 20,000 gold, but the final price can reach the gold cap (10,000,000 gold) depending on competition on your server. This method is not recommended, since the mount is obtained for free and guaranteed through the achievement.

Ulduar is located in the northern part of The Storm Peaks in Northrend. A flying mount is required to enter the raid.

Quick Route

1. Use the portal to Dalaran (Northrend) from the portal room of your capital city (Stormwind or Orgrimmar)
2. From Dalaran, fly north into The Storm Peaks
3. Ulduar is in the northernmost part of the zone — a huge titanic complex you cannot miss
4. The raid entrance is at the top of a terraced staircase. There is a flight point nearby (coordinates 44.4, 28.2 in The Storm Peaks)

Below is each boss and its achievement in the order the raid is cleared. At max level the entire raid is cleared in 30-40 minutes.

1. Orbit-uary — Flame Leviathan

Achievement: Orbit-uary — kill Flame Leviathan without destroying any of the four defense towers.

How to complete: When you enter Ulduar, the road to the Leviathan lies ahead of you. Four towers stand on the sides. Do not destroy them — just run past. Get into a siege vehicle (Demolisher) and attack the boss. At max level he dies within a few seconds, despite the buffs from the towers.

Difficulty: Easy. The boss dies instantly.

2. Iron Dwarf, Medium Rare — Razorscale

Achievement: Iron Dwarf, Medium Rare — kill 25 Dark Rune Guardians with Razorscale's flame breath.

How to complete: This is the only achievement that requires a special approach. The problem is that at max level you kill the mobs in one hit, not letting Razorscale burn them.

Solution:

• Use the Whole-Body Shrinka' toy to significantly reduce your damage output
• If you don't have the toy: remove your weapon and all items that can deal damage. Start the fight, wait until all four harpoons are ready, and wait 10-15 minutes until at least 25 Guardians appear
• Alternative: die outside the raid, get the "Resurrection Sickness" debuff (-75% to stats) and quickly return to the boss
• Once enough Guardians have gathered, use the harpoons to pull Razorscale down. She will use a flame breath in an area, killing the dwarves

Difficulty: Medium. Requires preparation and patience.

3. Stokin' the Furnace — Ignis the Furnace Master

Achievement: Stokin' the Furnace — kill Ignis in under 4 minutes.

How to complete: Just attack the boss. At max level he dies in a second.

Difficulty: Easy.

4. Heartbreaker — XT-002 Deconstructor

Achievement: Heartbreaker — destroy the heart of XT-002, activating hard mode.

How to complete: Attack the boss down to 75% health. He will open his chest and expose the heart. Quickly switch to the heart and destroy it. After this the boss activates hard mode (increased health and damage), but at max level it does not matter — finish him off.

Important: Do not kill the boss too quickly, or he will die before he reveals the heart. Use auto-attacks or weak abilities.

Difficulty: Easy, but watch your damage.

5. I Choose You, Steelbreaker — The Iron Council

Achievement: I Choose You, Steelbreaker — kill Steelbreaker last of the three members of the Iron Council.

How to complete: Kill Stormcaller Brundir first, then Runemaster Molgeim, and only then Steelbreaker. At max level they all die instantly, just follow the order.

Difficulty: Easy. Just kill them in the right order.

6. Disarmed — Kologarn

Achievement: Disarmed — destroy both of Kologarn's arms and then kill him.

How to complete: Do not hit the boss's body directly. First destroy one arm, then the other, and only then finish off the body. At max level the problem is that AoE damage can accidentally kill the body.

Solution: Use only single-target abilities. Hit the right arm first, then the left, then the body.

Difficulty: Easy, but use only single-target.

7. Crazy Cat Lady — Auriaya

Achievement: Crazy Cat Lady — kill Auriaya without killing any of the Sanctum Sentries.

How to complete: Auriaya has four guardian cats. Do not hit the cats — attack only the boss. At max level use only single-target abilities so you don't accidentally kill the cats with AoE damage.

Difficulty: Easy, but avoid AoE.

8. I Could Say That This Cache Was Rare — Hodir

Achievement: I Could Say That This Cache Was Rare — kill Hodir in under 3 minutes (hard mode).

How to complete: Just attack the boss. At max level he dies instantly.

Difficulty: Easy.

9. Lose Your Illusion — Thorim

Achievement: Lose Your Illusion — reach Thorim in under 3 minutes, activating hard mode with Sif.

How to complete: Start the fight and immediately run into the tunnel (the corridor to the right of the arena). Pass through it quickly, killing mobs along the way, and reach Thorim. At max level the mobs die instantly, so you'll easily fit within 3 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy, just don't waste time in the tunnel.

10. Knock, Knock, Knock on Wood — Freya

Achievement: Knock, Knock, Knock on Wood — kill Freya without killing any of the three Elders.

How to complete: Three Elders (Elder Brightleaf, Elder Stonebark, Elder Ironbranch) stand in Freya's hall. Do not touch them — go straight to Freya and kill her. The Elders empower Freya, but at max level it does not matter.

Difficulty: Easy.

11. Firefighter — Mimiron

Achievement: Firefighter — kill Mimiron after pressing the red button (hard mode).

How to complete: Before the fight begins, find the big red button on the floor in front of Mimiron and press it. This activates hard mode — fires will fly around the room, and the boss's health and damage will increase. At max level just attack the boss through all three phases.

Difficulty: Easy.

12. I Love the Smell of Saronite in the Morning — General Vezax

Achievement: I Love the Smell of Saronite in the Morning — kill General Vezax without destroying any Saronite Vapor cloud. 8 clouds must merge into the Saronite Animus.

How to complete: Start the fight and wait for the 8 Saronite Vapor clouds to appear. Do not touch the clouds. When 8 clouds gather, they will merge into the Saronite Animus. Kill the Animus, then finish off Vezax.

Important: At max level you may kill the boss too quickly, before all the clouds appear. Remove your weapon or use auto-attacks to stretch out the fight.

Difficulty: Medium. You need to control your damage.

13. One Light in the Darkness — Yogg-Saron

Achievement: One Light in the Darkness — kill Yogg-Saron with only one Keeper left active.

How to complete: In the room before Yogg-Saron stand four Keepers (Freya, Hodir, Thorim, Mimiron). Talk to only one of them (Freya is recommended — she provides healing pools). Do not activate the others. Start the fight and kill Yogg-Saron.

Critically important: Do not talk to the Keepers before this moment. If you accidentally activated dialogue with a Keeper after killing his boss version earlier in the raid, he may count as active. Walk past the Keepers on your way to other bosses without clicking on them.

Difficulty: Easy at max level, but watch the Keepers.

Time for a Full Clear

At max level a full clear of Ulduar with all achievements takes 30-40 minutes. The bulk of the time is taken up by:

• Iron Dwarf, Medium Rare (waiting for 25 dwarves to appear) — about 10-15 minutes
• I Love the Smell of Saronite in the Morning (waiting for 8 clouds) — about 5 minutes
• Moving between bosses — about 10 minutes

Which Class Is Best to Farm On

All classes handle it equally well. However, for achievements that require damage control, it is more convenient to play a class that can remove its weapon and deal minimal damage with auto-attacks.

Important Warnings

• Do not click on the Keepers after killing their boss versions (Hodir, Thorim, Freya, Mimiron). They appear in the common hall as friendly NPCs. If you accidentally activate them, it may interfere with completion
• Do not use AoE on Kologarn and Auriaya — it can fail the achievements
• All achievements can be completed in a single run — there is no need to come back the following week