Midnight Patch 12.1.5 Overview

WoW Midnight 12.1.5 Overview Quick Overview:

1. The new single-boss raid is called The Unbinding of Kith’ix
2. Labyrinths are a new type of Delves that are much bigger than regular ones
3. Zul’Aman and Eversong areas are now being invaded by Aqir, with multiple public events and a boss fight
4. Venomstones replace Voidcores in the gear upgrade system, with their own questline
5. The new Sporebearer Fungal Strider mount can be customized with different utilities.

Can't afford the new Sporebearer mount with all the utilities? Buy WoW Gold at Skycoach and get the needed amount to get that new limited-time mount that can be fitted with different NPCs and services!

 

 

 

Midnight Patch 12.1.5.The Story So Far

I bet most of you got caught up in the grind and have maybe lost the thread of the story with all the activities that we usually do. So, here’s a story recap that covers what happened after the culmination of the March on Quel’Danas raid.

So, Patch 12.1.5 continues several storylines left unresolved across Midnight, especially those involving Quel’Thalas, the Amani, Ula’tek, and Kith’ix.

At the end of Midnight’s main campaign, Xal’atath reaches the Sunwell and corrupts it with L’ura, transforming it into the Void-infused Darkwell. Azeroth’s forces later defeat L’ura during the March on Quel’Danas, while Sylvanas unexpectedly returns and helps force Xal’atath to retreat.

The elves then cleanse the Darkwell and transform it into the Dawnwell, ending the immediate threat to Quel’Thalas. Xal’atath, however, remains at large, and many Void creatures appear to have passed deep beneath Azeroth before the portal was closed.

At the same time, events in Zul’Aman begin creating another crisis. Zul’jan becomes obsessed with finding an ancient power that once helped the Amani defeat the C’Thraxxi general Kith’ix. That power turns out to be Ula’tek, a massive serpent originally summoned from the Rift of Aln.

Manipulated by Hex Lord Malacrass, Zul’jan eventually breaks the seal on the Coiled Isle and helps unleash Ula’tek’s forces. After realizing he has been used, Zul’jan turns against Malacrass, but is captured and transformed. The heroes ultimately defeat Malacrass, Zul’jan, and Ula’tek inside the Venomous Abyss.

As it always happens in this game, Ula’tek’s death solves one problem but creates another. She was also helping keep Kith’ix imprisoned beneath the Vaults of Ula’tek. With her gone, the ancient C’Thraxxi begins to awaken.

That leads directly into Patch 12.1.5 and The Promise of Tomorrow. Quel’Thalas and Zul’Aman now face the same ancient threat, forcing the two sides into a tenuous peace as Kith’ix and the aqir begin to emerge once again.

Delve Labyrinths in Midnight Patch 12.1.5

Labyrinths are a new long-form Delve mode coming in Patch 12.1.5. Blizzard describes them as the “mega-dungeons” of Delves. They keep the solo-friendly exploration and companion gameplay of regular Delves, but expand it into a much larger adventure with its own progression and rewards.

The first one is The Labyrinth of Kindo’jan, an ancient Amani funeral complex sealed for centuries. Looters and the Vilebranch are now searching its halls for relics. Meanwhile, the disturbed spirits buried inside are not happy about their arrival. Valeera Sanguinar serves as your companion while exploring the Labyrinth.

Unlike a normal Delve, the Labyrinth does not need to be cleared at once. Players can complete it in one long session or progress through it piece by piece. Current PTR data shows that Kindo’jan contains nine Chambers, making it several times larger than a standard Delve.

The nine Chambers also act as reward checkpoints:

• Every 3 Chambers grant two Heavy Trunks and one Bountiful Coffer.
• Each 3-Chamber milestone also provides Great Vault progress.
• Heavy Trunks provide double Crest rewards inside the Labyrinth.
• Completing at least 3 Chambers unlocks the next difficulty tier.

This means players do not have to finish all nine Chambers every time to make meaningful progress. Going deeper simply increases the total rewards available during the run.

Kindo’jan appears to serve as the Labyrinth's main Nemesis encounter. Defeating him in a Tier 8 or higher Labyrinth currently grants additional Great Vault credit once per week per character.

Labyrinths will also have their own character progression. Four new glove enhancements have already been datamined. These provide permanent combat bonuses while inside Delves and Labyrinths. Their exact acquisition method is not yet confirmed. One example, Falco Strike, gives attacks a chance to deal additional Nature damage to a nearby enemy.

Rewards go beyond the usual Delve loot. PTR data currently points to a six-step weekly questline that eventually awards two Myth-track armor pieces of your choice. There are also Amani-themed transmog pieces, toys, achievements, several titles, and the Loa-Blessed Wayfarer mount.

The hardest rewards are aimed at solo players. Defeating Kindo’jan alone on Tier 11 during Midnight Season 2 rewards the Loa-Blessed Wayfarer. Clearing all nine Chambers and defeating him without losing a life awards the Lone Raider title. There is even a limited first-week challenge for defeating Tier 11 Kindo’jan solo before the first reset, rewarding the Fabled Vanquisher of Kindo’jan title.

New Raid, The Unbinding of Kith’ix, in Midnight Patch 12.1.5

The Unbinding of Kith’ix is a new single-boss raid coming in Patch 12.1.5. It serves as the final confrontation of the current Quel’Thalas and Zul’Aman storyline. Kith’ix has awakened beneath the Vaults of Ula’tek, and players descend into his prison alongside Lady Liadrin to put the C’Thraxxi general down for good. Blizzard describes the encounter as the battle that caps this part of Midnight’s story.

This is not a new raid tier. Instead, it is a focused mid-season encounter similar in concept to smaller one-boss raids Blizzard has used before. The raid currently supports the usual Raid Finder, Normal, Heroic, and Mythic difficulties, while PTR data also points to Story Mode for players mainly interested in finishing the campaign.

How the Kith’ix Fight Works

Kith’ix is currently a two-phase encounter, with Lady Liadrin actively participating rather than simply appearing as a story NPC.

During the first phase, Kith’ix repeatedly summons aqir through Voidswarm portals while attacking the raid with Void magic. When he reaches 100 Energy, Suffocating Darkness begins closing around the raid. Liadrin responds by creating a protective area with her Light before eventually clearing the darkness and stunning Kith’ix with Divine Radiance. Any aqir left alive when the darkness arrives become significantly more dangerous.

The encounter changes at 25% health. Kith’ix absorbs his remaining minions and begins Eightfold Eclipse, turning the final stretch into a race against time. Liadrin uses Last Light to restore the raid and grants Luminous Grace, doubling damage and healing. Players then need to kill Kith’ix before the final eclipse extinguishes Liadrin’s Light and wipes the raid.

The complete encounter has many more mechanics across the different difficulties, so these are only the main ideas behind the fight.

The Unbinding of Kith’ix Item Levels

Kith’ix has an unusual loot table. Gear starts at 3/6 on its respective upgrade track, while Mythic drops are already at the maximum Myth upgrade level.

Difficulty	Item Level	Upgrade Track
Raid Finder	285	Veteran 3/6
Normal	298	Champion 3/6
Heroic	311	Hero 3/6
Mythic	344	Myth 9/6

That makes Mythic Kith’ix particularly noteworthy. Its gear drops directly at item level 344, putting the boss among the strongest gearing sources available during the current Midnight season.

Unique Kith’ix Cantrip Gear

Raw item level is not the only reason to raid Kith’ix. The boss has four special Cantrip armor pieces, with one available for each armor type:

• Voidweaver’s Vestments - Cloth Chest
• Leggings of Palpable Terror - Leather Legs
• Aberrant Commander’s Gauntlets - Mail Hands
• Corroded Hulk’s Skullcap - Plate Head

All four occupy Tier Set slots. Importantly, they can currently be converted through the Catalyst while retaining their Cantrip effects, allowing players to combine the special bonus with their class set.

These effects also gain additional benefits when paired with Venomcursed gear from Ula’tek, creating a direct gearing connection between The Venomous Abyss and the new Kith’ix raid.

Kith’ix also drops two weapons, a Cantrip ring, and three role-specific trinkets covering DPS, healing, and tanking. This gives the encounter considerably more gearing relevance than its one-boss size might suggest.

Kith’ix Collectible Rewards

There are a couple of non-gear rewards as well. Current PTR data lists Kith’ix’s Seal as a Housing Decor item and the Shadeweaver’s Hearthstone as a new Hearthstone toy dropped by the boss.

Overall, The Unbinding of Kith’ix is much more than a short story encounter. It closes the current Quel’Thalas and Zul’Aman arc while adding another meaningful source of Season 2 gear. Its maximum-level Mythic drops and Cantrip items should give raiders a reason to keep returning even after completing the campaign.

Aqir Invasions in Midnight: Patch 12.1.5

Aqir Invasions are new zone-wide public events coming in Patch 12.1.5. With Kith’ix awakening, his insectoid armies begin erupting from the earth and striking across Eversong Woods and Zul’Aman. The introductory quests describe the attacks as unpredictable, with the aqir capable of emerging almost anywhere as Quel’Thalas is still recovering from its war against Xal’atath.

Each invasion lasts only 10 minutes and occurs every hour. During that window, players move between a series of public objectives spread across the active zone. Completing as many as possible eventually leads to a final boss encounter. Blizzard specifically encourages players to work together, since the number of objectives completed during those ten minutes affects the event’s rewards.

 

 

How Aqir Invasions Work

There are six different Aqir Invasion scenarios, split evenly between combat and non-combat activities. Current PTR achievement data names all six:

• Disrupt Aqir
• Aid Defenders!
• Aqir Nesting Grounds
• Whack the Aqir
• Aerial Assault
• Reinforce Defenses

Their objectives vary considerably. Aerial Assault involves taking down airborne aqir forces, Reinforce Defenses has players preparing local defenders for an incoming attack, while Whack the Aqir involves ejecting invading aqir from an objective point. PTR data also contains invasion stages involving swarms, nesting grounds, monstrosities, and expanding aqir forces.

The event can also escalate directly into attacks on important locations. PTR data includes an Aqir Attack on Silvermoon City, where players rescue civilians, reach the city gates, and eventually help Lor’themar defeat an Aqir General.

The important distinction from most World Events is the timer. Aqir Invasions are less about completing one fixed objective and more about seeing how much of the invasion the zone can clear before those ten minutes expire.

Aqir Invasion Affixes

The three combat-focused scenario types can also be modified by one of eight Aqir Invasion affixes. These change enemy behavior rather than simply increasing enemy health or damage. Blizzard currently lists the following modifiers on the PTR:

Affix	Effect
Void Protection	An Aqir Voidweaver can appear and shield nearby aqir.
Aqir Burrower	Burrowing aqir move underground and launch nearby players upward.
Void Sphere	Moving Void Spheres attempt to trap players.
Astalor’s Anguish	Anguish Crystals explode, damaging both players and aqir.
Swarms!	Normal aqir are replaced by larger numbers of smaller enemies.
Aqir Elites	Enemy numbers fall, but each aqir becomes considerably stronger.
Void Infestation	Infested aqir explode after entering combat and can infect others.
Web Weavers	Aqir Webweavers can immobilize players unless their channel is interrupted.

This should give repeat invasions some variation even after players have seen all six scenario types. The exact tuning may still change during PTR testing.

Aqir Research Enclave and Rewards

Aqir Invasions also appear to have their own progression attached. Patch 12.1.5 adds the Aqir Research Enclave, a new faction connected to the Silvermoon Court. PTR text describes them as paladins dedicated to studying the Aqir so Silvermoon can better prepare for future attacks.

Several account-wide Feats of Strength have already been datamined:

Achievement	Requirement
No Hives Left Standing	Complete all six Aqir Invasion scenarios.
Driving Back the Swarm	Complete 10 Aqir Invasions.
Aqir Research Associate	Reach Exalted with the Aqir Research Enclave.
Bane of the Swarm	Complete the major Aqir Invasion activities.

Completing the meta achievement currently awards the Bane of the Swarm title.

There are also several Aqir-themed collectibles in the 12.1.5 PTR data. The most notable is the Corrupted Swarmer Skyriding mount. Three new battle pets, Aqir Scuttler, Aqir Wingreaver, and Aqir Razorwing, have also appeared. Their final acquisition methods are not completely settled yet, although the Corrupted Swarmer has been linked to Aqir Invasion rewards in current PTR coverage.

Ascendant Venomstones in Midnight: Patch 12.1.5

Ascendant Venomstones are Season 2’s successor to Ascendant Voidcores. They let players push some of their best gear beyond its normal upgrade limit, giving high-end characters another way to squeeze more power from weapons, trinkets, and, for the first time, necklaces.

The system begins with Orin Straylight, who has taken over much of Decimus’ work with the Voidforge. Find him beside the Catalyst in Silvermoon and start Ancient Depths, Ancient Venom. Blizzard says Orin will need time to complete his research after the quest, suggesting Venomstones will unlock later rather than becoming immediately farmable on patch day.

Once unlocked, Ascendant Venomstones come from the hardest versions of Midnight Season 2 activities:

Activity	Requirement
Raids	Every Heroic or Mythic boss
Mythic+	Keystone +10 or higher
Delves	Tier 11 Bountiful Delves
Prey	Nightmare Prey Hunt Champion gear chests

Blizzard specifically states that players receive an Ascendant Venomstone from every eligible Heroic or Mythic raid boss and qualifying endgame activity. Current PTR data also lists the first two Nightmare Prey rewards each week as eligible.

How Ascendant Venomstones Work

You need 10 Ascendant Venomstones for one upgrade. The target item must be a Season 2:

• fully upgraded Hero-track item;
• fully upgraded Myth-track item; or
• highest-quality Tidal Crafted item.

Only weapons, trinkets, and necklaces qualify. Once upgraded, the item gains Ascendant status and cannot receive another Venomstone upgrade.

The addition of necklaces is the major Season 2 change. Ascendant Voidcores in Season 1 only worked on weapons and trinkets. This gives players another high-value slot to improve, particularly when a strong necklace would otherwise fall behind the unusually high item levels available from late-raid bosses.

How Strong Will Ascendant Gear Be?

Blizzard originally said Season 2 Venomstones would push eligible gear up to an item level equivalent to Mythic 8, although the newer 12.1.5 announcement no longer specifies an exact number. Current PTR analysis has suggested the final implementation could potentially reach the higher item levels seen on top-end raid loot, but that has not yet been confirmed by Blizzard.

Either way, the purpose of the system is clear: Venomstones let players keep a particularly valuable weapon, trinket, or necklace competitive even when it did not drop from one of the season’s highest-item-level encounters.

That makes Ascendant Venomstones primarily a late-season optimization system rather than another general gearing currency. Players will want to be selective about which pieces receive the upgrade, especially since each one costs 10 Venomstones.

Sporebearer Fungal Strider Mount in Midnight: Patch 12.1.5

The Sporebearer Fungal Strider is Patch 12.1.5’s new gold-sink utility mount. It costs 5 million gold and comes with useful services built in. However, its biggest feature is something WoW utility mounts have not offered before: customizable passengers.

The mount is sold by Showena in The Den, Harandar. Its default setup provides a repair vendor and mailbox. Players can then purchase more utility options and swap them onto the mount. Only two utilities can be active at once.

Sporebearer Fungal Strider Utility NPCs

Four utility options are currently available on the Patch 12.1.5 PTR:

Utility	Unlock Cost
Mail Courier	Included
Repair Vendor	Included
Transmogrifier	500,000 Gold
Auctioneer	1,500,000 Gold

That puts the mount itself at 5 million gold, or 7 million gold for the mount and every currently available utility.

The mount does not carry every unlocked service simultaneously. Instead, players choose which two they want active. Hoshena in The Den handles those passenger selections. Once an extra utility has been purchased, it can be switched in whenever needed.

For example, a player could travel with:

• Auctioneer + Mail Courier
• Auctioneer + Repair Vendor
• Transmogrifier + Repair Vendor
• Transmogrifier + Mail Courier

This makes the Fungal Strider more flexible than older utility mounts. The player decides which services matter most at that moment.

Blizzard is also considering adding more interchangeable NPCs in future patches. Nothing beyond the Auctioneer and Transmogrifier has been confirmed yet.

 

 

Sporebearer Fungal Strider Is a Limited-Time Mount

There is one major catch. The Sporebearer Fungal Strider can only be purchased during Midnight. Blizzard plans to remove the mount from its vendor when the expansion ends.

That limitation only applies to the mount itself. Blizzard says access to the interchangeable NPC system will remain available indefinitely. Players who own the mount should therefore still be able to purchase and use additional utility options after Midnight ends.

Learning the mount also currently awards the account-wide Fungal Not Frugal Feat of Strength. Its requirement simply reads: “Owner of the Sporebearer Fungal Strider mount, sold in Harandar during Midnight.”

For players interested in the full package, the current cost is:

5,000,000 Gold for the mount
+ 500,000 Gold for the Transmogrifier
+ 1,500,000 Gold for the Auctioneer
= 7,000,000 Gold total

The price makes it one of Midnight’s biggest gold sinks. Its customizable utility system is what separates it from previous expensive vendor mounts. Players planning to collect it have until the end of Midnight, so there is no need to have all 7 million gold ready when Patch 12.1.5 launches.

Read our other WoW guides:

• Midnight Leveling Guide
• Best DPS Rankings
• Best Addons
• Gold Farming Guide

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