How to Kill Hrungnir

This is a complete guide on how to kill Hrungnir, along with strategies and descriptions.

Location

Hrungnir is huge undead ogre in the North West corner of the Murky Vaults where the lizards are. The area that he is in is hidden behind a waterfall, and is inhabited by undead ogres. Go all the way to the West, across the bridge to find him.

Hrungnir is in the far West of the area against the wall. There are two Shambling Hulk adds North of him, two to the south, and two to the East on the bridge.

He is a level 185/6* boss.

Respawn is 2-4 days.

Skills

Hrungnir does quite a few skills, and you must know how to counter them

Shambling Strike - Troll single target heavy damage.
Stoneshield - Energy shield skill. Hrungnir takes no damage while it is active.
Furious Rampage - Troll heavy area damage. AoE is not directional.
Life Drain - Attack target dealing 5000 damage, restoring mob's health by same amount.
Spread the Plague - Sewer boss AOE sewer pox. Countered with Smuggler's Tonic.
Berserk - Hrungnir break bolas skill.
Fetid Feast - Hrungnir healing skill. At low life, will heal for 50,000 hp.
Boss Rage - Heavily increase boss power after time limit is exceeded. Hrungnir enrages after 15 minutes.

Shambling Hulk Skills (Adds)

Shambling Strike - Troll single target heavy damage.
Spread the Plague - Sewer boss AOE sewer pox. Countered with Smuggler's Tonic.
Life Drain - Attack target dealing 2000 damage, restoring mob's health by same amount.
Hulk Rage - Troll add rage after time limit is exceeded

Withering Pox

Sewer bosses, specifically Hrungnir and his adds, do a skill called "Spread the Plague." This skill gives you a powerfull damage over time (DoT) debuff that lasts for 3 minutes. If it is not removed it will kill you, and that's a problem because it's cast very often.

The only way to remove it, and prevent it from being cast on you is to use a Smuggler's Tonic. You can get these by doing the Stolen Cargo quest at the Aldington Camp in Dunskeig Sewers. This quest is given by Finlow the Smuggler. If you collect 5 Cargo Chests, he will give you one Smuggler's Tonic. This quest is repeatable.

Use a Smuggler's Tonic before you engage Hrungnir or his adds to resist the Withering Pox debuff.

Strategy 1: Tanking

You will need a strong tank and at least a few druids in the group. The other groups should be filled with DPS classes. You should have a lure mage, and at least one rogue with smoke and expose. All warriors should have shield bash. If you have mages with Freeze, that will work as well.

The fight starts by DPS groups killing all the adds to the North, South, and on the bridge. Once the adds are dead, the main tank will engage Hrungnir in front of the bridge and pull him off to the South side as far as he can go. This will make it so Hrungnir will not call adds from the bridge and the North side. Druids start healing the main tank. Once the tank has aggro, the DPS groups start attacking Hrungnir. All players should be using Smuggler's Tonic at this point.

Mages and rangers can attack from out of range of Hrungnir's Furious Rampage, but Warriors, Rogues, and Druids will still be in range.

As you are fighting Hrungnir, the adds will respawn. When someone sees an add respwn they should call it out in clan chat, so that the DPS classes can go kill it. Offtanking the adds is not very effective because they are powerful, and they enrage after 15 minutes.

As you are fighting Hrungnir, he will cast Stoneshield, which shields him from all damage for a short time. During this time it is possible to recover your life/energy with sigils if you do not attack.

At about 20% life, Hrungnir begins to cast the Fetid Feast skill which restores 50,000 HP to him. You will see a warning that he will cast it in the chat window in orange letters. When this happens, your warriors will need to use shield bash on him to interrupt the skill. The mage Freeze skill also works. This is where Expose Weakness is important because if Shield Bash is evaded, Hrungnir will regain a lot of life.

Strategy 2: Ranged DPS with Roots

This strategy is good if you don't have a strong enough tank. This is how we began killing Hrungnir before we became powerful enough to tank him.

You will need a group of druids in the group, all with Grasping Roots. The other groups should be filled with DPS classes. You should have a lure mage, and at least one rogue with smoke and expose. All warriors should have shield bash. If you have mages with Freeze, that will work as well.

The fight starts by DPS groups killing all the adds to the North, South, and on the bridge. Once the adds are dead, the druids will engage Hrungnir in front of the bridge by casting grasping roots on him. At this point, ranged DPS groups start attacking Hrungnir. The melee DPS classes, Warriors and Rogues, should not attack Hrungnir. They should patrol for adds and make sure they stay dead. All players should be using Smuggler's Tonic at this point.

As the ranged DPS classes hit Hrungnir, Druids should be spamming Grasping Roots on him. The object is to make sure that Hrungnir is not near enough to anyone to attack them. If he is, he will cast Furious Rampage which will damage everyone. Expose Weakness is important because Grasping Roots needs to stay on Hrungnir at all times, so he does not escape.

Bolas will not work on Hrungnir because of his Berserk skill. This skill breaks any bolas that are cast on him. This is why Grasping Roots is so important. You will not have enough DPS to kill Hrungnir before he enrages, so make sure you keep Grasping Roots on him at all times so he does not wipe your party.

As you are fighting Hrungnir, the adds will respawn. When someone sees an add respwn they should call it out in clan chat, so that the DPS classes can go kill it. Offtanking the adds is not very effective because they are powerful, and they enrage after 15 minutes.

As you are fighting Hrungnir, he will cast Stoneshield, which shields him from all damage for a short time. During this time it is possible to recover your life/energy with sigils if you do not attack.

At about 20% life, Hrungnir begins to cast the Fetid Feast skill which restores 50,000 HP to him. You will see a warning that he will cast it in the chat window in orange letters. When this happens, your warriors will need to run in and use shield bash on him to interrupt the skill. They should run away immediately after bashing him. The mage Freeze skill also works. This is where Expose Weakness is important because if Shield Bash is evaded, Hrungnir will regain a lot of life.

Hrungnir Loot

Hrungnir always drops three items: 1 bracelet, 1 ring (damage or armor), and 1 helmet or 1 skull weapon.

The bracelets add bonuses to three stats, and do not bind on equip. Although each bracelet is meant for a certain class because of the bonuses to damage abilities, they are not specifically class bound
Rings come in either damage or protection varieties. The damage rings only add 60 to 90 damage for one damage type (heat/cold/magic/poison). The protection rings add a bonus to armor, a damage resist, and an avoidance type. These rings all bind on equip.
Helmets add 6 to 10 skill points to the skill listed in the helm's description, and also 100 to 200 points to one stat. They also add a direct bonus to a skill as well. Helms are designed to be equipped by a specific class, but are not specifically class bound. Each class has a variety of three skills that the helm could possibly boost (see table below for skill list). Helms are not bind on equip.
Skulls are weapons that are available to only mages and druids. Their biggest features are a bonus to energy (500/750/1000), a bonus to a skill (9/12/15), and a reduction in casting time of that skill (20%/25%/30%). Skulls do not bind on equip.

Hrungnir Bracelet Overview:

Hrungnir Damage Ring Overview:

Hrungnir Armor Ring Overview:

Hrungnir Skulls Overview:

Hrungnir Helm Overview:

Hrungnir Backstory

Schemes in the Dark story

The undead troll king Hrungnir has escaped his prison within the cavernous Dunskeig Sewers. How did he escape, and where does the beast now roam? Read on to find out...

”Fool!” shouted Slurgrim the Acolyte as he paced back and forth across the wet slabs of the cavernous cistern room. His apprentice, Olrom, shifted uncomfortably in front of him, awaiting Slurgrim’s next outburst. “I took part in the rituals to resurrect Hrungnir. I helped create the wards that confined the troll king to this room. And what do you do? You tell me that he’s escaped! He’s a hundred foot tall troll, Olrom – I can see he’s escaped!”
”It’s her power,” said Olrom nervously. “The power of chaos. It’s growing in these lands day by day. It must have given Hrungnir the strength to break free.”
”That may be so, but it matters little now. What I am concerned with is what the Master will say when he returns to find his favourite creation missing, and the two of us – who were supposed to be guarding the beast – with nothing to offer save for mewling apologies?”
”I’m sorry, Slurgrim!” whimpered Olrom, “I didn’t know…”
”Quiet, you snivelling worm! I have a plan that may save our skins from the Master’s wrath.” Slurgrim pulled a charm from the folds of his dark cloak, a grotesque woven mass of animal bones, teeth and hair, wrapped in a circle of fraying cloth. He held the charm up, and the two men watched intently as it slowly spun in the soft, rank breeze blowing through Dunskeig Sewers. “Ah, I see…” Slurgrim muttered cryptically, before placing the foul object back in his robe.
”What is it?” asked Olrom excitedly. “What did you see?”
Slurgrim wheeled around to face his apprentice, his mouth pulled into an wicked grin. “I saw where Hrungnir has gone. He lurks in the other great cistern room in the northwest of these sewers. And now it’s up to you to get him back.”
Olrom looked shocked. “Up to me? But how…”
”I’ll let you decide that, Olrom. Just remember – should you require some motivation in this task – that however terrible you think Hrungnir may be, he will pale in comparison to the Master when he hears of your failure.”

Later, as Slurgrim watched his apprentice make his way out into the sewers, he reflected on what he had said. Of course Olrom would perish as soon as he walked into Hrungnir’s chamber. His apprentice had little skill in magic, and would never be able to capture Hrungnir and bind him with the necessary wards and spells, but he would soon be something much more valuable to Slurgrim. He would be bait.

The Darkness Returns story

It was the most hallowed night of Samhain, when the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead had fallen, and finally, the acolytes of Efnisien the Necromancer had succeeded in their goal – the master had heeded their call and had returned to Dal Riata. Beyond the sight of mortal eyes, deep beneath the earth, the acolytes gathered around the Necromancer to hear of his experiences in the land of the dead, and his plans to conquer the world of the living…

“… and that, master, is why Hrungnir isn’t here.” Slurgrim finished talking, and realised that his eyes were already closed in anticipation of the killing blow. But nothing fell – no arcs of lightning, no blast of eldritch energy to strip the flesh from his bones… nothing. Slowly, Slurgrim opened his eyes to see his master, Efnisien the Necromancer, towering over him. Efnisien looked dreamy, almost distracted.

Slurgrim coughed. “Er… master? Are you not angry with me?”.

Efnisien looked down and focused on his servant. His voice, when he spoke, was like no other – it was like a mournful wind blowing through dead leaves, and though it was quiet, and didn’t even echo in the vastness of the cistern room, it nevertheless was laden with wisdom and authority. “Slurgrim… why would I be angry with you? You, who have served me for so long?”

Slurgrim took a sideways glance at the other acolytes standing next to him. Acherus and Eugaan looked eager – eager, he thought, to see his blood spilled on the cold stone. He looked back up at the Necromancer. “Well… because I… that is, my foolish helpers let your prize creation escape.”

“Oh, do not worry about that. Hrungnir was a fine experiment, but now I have been to the land of the dead, now I know truths of life and death privy only to Arawn himself.” He looked around at the acolytes arrayed below him. “And all of you have been loyal in my absence. Have kept the flame of our work burning even when hope of my return seemed bleak. Well I hope you have not forgotten one of my most important lessons – faith… is rewarded.”

Slurgrim couldn’t believe it – not only had he escaped punishment, but he was being rewarded! He looked on in awe as Efnisien stepped back and began to weave a spell, his clawed hands becoming surrounded by a pulsing aura of dark energy. Again, he glanced at his fellow acolytes, their rapt faces bathed in the light of the master’s spell. “If only they weren’t here” thought Slurgrim. “The master should reward me – me alone! If only…”

His thoughts were interrupted as once again the deathly whisper of Efnisien’s voice filled the air. “Now, my faithful followers” he said. “Long have you waited, and finally it is time for your reward. I will make you greater and more powerful than you have ever been. In death, you can serve me forever!”

Efnisien extended his talon-like fingers, arcs of black lightning erupting from his hands to strike Acherus in the chest. Slurgrim and Eugaan watched, aghast, as their fellow acolyte fell to the ground, dead. Efnisien pointed at the fallen acolyte, and uttered a single word: “Rise.”

Slowly, and with jerky, spasmodic movements, Acherus got to his feet. But it was not the Acherus that Slurgrim remembered. His flesh already showed signs of decay, while two glowing, baleful lights stared out of empty eye sockets. As if in a trance, Acherus walked in a stumbling gait to the side of his master.

Eugaan turned and ran for the exit back into the sewers, but he was not fast enough. Once more the arcs of energy leaped from the Necromancer’s hands and plunged into the fleeing acolyte. Slurgrim watched as, like Acherus, Eugaan rose to his feet, and dragged his broken form across the room to stand at Efnisien’s side. Slowly, Slurgim raised his eyes to meet those of his master, looking down upon him, and saw Efnisien slowly moving his hand to point in his direction.

“Wait!” said Slurgrim. “Wait a minute! You… you don’t want to do that to me!”

“Why ever not?” asked Efnisien. “Look at your brothers, Slurgrim. Look how happy they are.”

To Slurgrim, they looked anything other than happy, though what was left of their faces was hardly capable of expression. Frantically, he searched for words that would keep him from suffering the same fate.

“Oh, master, you are too kind! But this gift is wasted on a worthless worm like me. Surely, I can be of more use in other ways.”

Efnisien lowered his hand, and the corona of magical power that surrounded it seemed to dim slightly. “Explain” he said.

“Well” said Slurgrim, “While I was awaiting your return, many adventurers came to talk to me. They seemed to be on some kind of mission to cleanse these sewers of evil. A foolish task, I’m sure, but they seem set on it, especially if there is the opportunity for some sort of reward. Many of them are seeking a challenge of some kind, you see – a great battle to prove their strength. You could be that challenge.”

Efnisien’s eyes glowed angrily, and the air seemed to shake when he spoke. “You would lead these heroes to me, Slurgrim? You would see me slain? I will devise a fate for you worse than a thousand deaths!”

“No, no!” said Slurgrim desperately, “that’s not what I mean! Master, who is more powerful than you? Even Hrungnir bows to your might! I would lead heroes to you, true, but I would lead them into a trap. You would be prepared for them, and they would easily fall before you. Then, once they are dead, they could be raised once again as soldiers for a new army. Think of it master – no more using the long-dead bodies of crofters from the local graveyard, but trained fighters. A grand army of death!”

Efnisien made a cryptic gesture in the air, and the aura of dark energy that he had summoned faded entirely. “Your plan has merit, Slurgrim… and perhaps… perhaps also you are right and you are, as you say, not yet worthy of the gift I have bestowed upon these two.” He nodded at the undead acolytes beside him, whose vacant eyes still stared into nothingness. “So be it. Prove yourself to me, Slurgrim. Bring these adventurers to me, and watch as they fall to my might. For who could stand against me. I, who have control over life and death. I am the greatest necromancer of all. I am Efnisien!”

As Slugrim walked away, he considered what the future might bring. The master might vanquish all who came before him, but equally… if he could find some heroes that were strong enough… then Efnisien might himself be defeated, and then it would be time for a new master.

A master called Slurgrim.

Notes

When Hrungnir was first added he was in the Northeast waterfall room where the Necromancer currently is. The story above is the reason why he moved.
When Hrungnir was added, he had no loot and was overpowered so that no one could kill him.
Despite that, clan Revenge on Rosmerta was the first to kill Hrungnir, and did so before he was nerfed to his current stats http://celtic-heroes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39752&p=296446