The Black Knight (tactics)

The Black Knight is the final boss of the Trial of the Champion in the Crusaders' Coliseum.

He is encountered by all players, after they have defeated three grand champions of the opposite faction, and Argent Confessor Paletress or Eadric the Pure.

He's voiced by Matthew Mercer.

''The Lich King is cunning and will use treachery to thwart his enemies. To that end, he has dispatched the Black Knight to eliminate promising candidates from Highlord Tirion Fordring's army. The undead's mere presence defiles the Crusaders' Coliseum, and those who prevail against him will prove their worthiness.''

• Phase 1 & 2:

• Phase 1 only:

• Phase 2 only:

• Phase 3:

Each phase is about killing The Black Knight once:

Phase 1: Corporeal form

The Black Knight will end his introduction and engage in combat. The Tank should immediately start building threat while melee and ranged begin their dps. A few seconds after the Black knight begins his attack an add will spawn that should quickly be picked up by the tank. The Black Knight has an attack that sends a targeted team member flying back, much like the one he uses on the NPC at the beginning. Once the add is dead DPS can resume on the Black Knight. The ghoul add can also be kept completely out of the fight by a priest with Shackle Undead, a hunter using Ice Trap, or a Paladin using Fear Undead. Once the Black Knight dies in phase 1, the ghoul will explode on its own.

Phase 2: Skeleton form

The raid should group up on the corpse of the Black Knight before he spawns into his second form. Upon respawning he will cast an "Army of the Dead" spell. The risen ghouls Have very low HP and if killed fast enough, their explosive aoe spell can be bypassed.

In a very AOE heavy group this can be achieved simply by AOEing in a tight group, this will ensure that all the adds are evenly AOED and die at relatively the same time.

An alternate strategy for these adds is a quick focus fire order in which a DPS member can be focused to burn down each add down fast enough to avoid any explosion damage.

In either of these strategies The Tank must make sure to give off as much initial threat pull as possible without damaging them to the point where their aoe explode spell begins to channel.

After the ghouls are dead, finish off the flesh wounded Black Knight. Don't bother Desecration since it does negligible damage.

If you have a death knight in your group, it is HIGHLY recommended that you have them cast Army of the Dead during phase 2. This makes this phase very easy.

Alternatively, you can just focus killing the Black Knight and leave the ghouls up. At the end of the phase, they will all explode. Make sure no players are standing next to them at the end, or too many explosions could be fatal.

Phase 3: Ghost form

Keep an eye on the player who receives the Marked For Death debuff since he gets definitely the most damage. No adds in this Phase, simply finish off The Black Knight.

If there is a paladin in your party, it is very helpful to use Shadow Resistance Aura for the entire fight, especially in the third phase, due to the stacking of Death's Bite.

If there is a priest in your party, phase 3 healing is trivialized by the use of Divine Hymn followed with spamming of Prayer of Healing.

• Trial of the Champion (Alliance) or Trial of the Champion (Horde)
• Heroic: Trial of the Champion (Alliance) or Heroic: Trial of the Champion (Horde)
• Heroic: Trial of the Champion Guild Run
• I've Had Worse

You've impressed everyone here today with your skills in the arena. It is now time to be recognized before all as a champion of the tournament.

• Intro
• yell
• The Black Knight spawns on his gryphon by the roof. The herald turns in his direction, looking up.
• say
• The Black Knight circles down to the floor and lands near the herald to dismount.
• say
• ''The Black Knight casts Death's Respite on the herald, killing him.
• yell
• say
• say
• yell
• yell

• Aggro
• yell

• Phase 2
• yell
• The Black Knight raises <Arelas Brightstar/Jaeren Sunsworn> as a ghoul.
• say

• Phase 3
• yell

• Killing a player
• yell
• yell

• Death
• yell

• Outro
• yell
• yell
• yell
• yell

OR

• Exiting the coliseum
• emote
• emote