Utgarde Keep boss one down!

[Starbuck_Jones]

After 7 wipes, I was finally able to down Prince Keleseth in UK. My toons are level 71. Paladin and 4 druids. Our gear is nothing special, quest greens and a few blues. My druids are sitting on 7.2k hp/mp and around 530 spell power. My Paladin when buffed just clears 10k hp and about 4k mp.

It wasnt easy. 2 of the wipes I went down in like 15 seconds after the battle began. Couple times I managed to get him down about half life, and this morning I managed to survive long enough to get him to about 15k hp. The fight before I beat him was one of the super wipes. I think my tank was dead before the skeletons even spawned. When I did beat him I pretty much gave up on any kind of heal/dot rotation target the frost tombs strat and just spammed my dps button as fast as I could and maintained the instant cast rejuvination on the tank every 15 seconds instead of both HOT's. For the skeletons when they poped I just tossed the holy wrath and that was more than enough to take care of them.

Now one of my druids is the proud owner of the +233 spell power blade of evocation! Just 3 more to get and 4 hats!

[Tonyx]

Grats.

Despite being the first Northrend istance UK is definitively not easy for a group coming in quest items. Not only the bosses, but the trash is kinda hard too.

Keep going.. two more bosses to down!

[Starbuck_Jones]

Yea, the trash hit like trucks. My tank has taken over 4k on crits. Im lucky that I have not had any deaths to them yet. Those proto drakes with 80k hp are like fighting bosses from Outlands. Other than killing the last guy to get his head for a quest, im not too concerned about the other bossses as their loot tables dont have anything I want unlike the frist boss. With the dagger and cloth helm combined will give my druids 284sp (thats more than half of what I have now) 48sta, 73int, 74spirt.

I did pick up a very nice belt for my paladin off of a wandering rare mob. Soul-Sealed belt of the Champion. 1k+ ac and +34 Strength, +52 Stamina, +34 Defense Rating. I think ill be wearing that for a long time.

[daviddoran]

I got my team a bit of gear in outland before I started dungeons in northrend. My pally was partially raid geared, and was probably at the level to start Main Tanking Kara (Pre Nerf) so that definately made it easier. I am still wearing some of my epics tho, and I am 77... Weapons are easy northrend upgrades, but my chestpieces are still 70 epics. If I were you I'd fine some bored 80s and get them to run you through Kara once a week. Its a fun place, you get gear, badges, and gold.

But its up to you. I had a hard time in northrend dungeons, so I went back and did outland heroics to replace my quest rewards, and then I had a much better time.

[Starbuck_Jones]

Level 74 seems to be the magic number for Tank armor. Did a bit of research and found the following lists of quests that are not to far off or available now to me.

Level 72 29def Hands Expelling Gauntlets - Quest, Don't Forget the Eggs!
Level 73 32def Shield Bulwark of the Tormented God - Quest, Ursoc, the Bear God
Level 73 50def Legs Leggings of Forceful Purification - Quest, Ursoc, The Bear God
Level 73 28def Shoul Bone-Polished Iceplate Shoulders - Quest, Hour of the Worg
Level 73 19def Ring Kurzel's Warband - Quest, Search and Rescue
Level 74 19def Wep Hammer of Quiet Mourning - Quest, Wanted: Ragemane's Flipper
Level 74 17def Neck Betrayer's Choker - Quest, Betrayal
Level 74 25def Ring Solid Platinum Band - Quest, For Posterity
Level 74 52def Chest Clutch of the Storm Giant - Quest, The Storm King's Vengeance
Level 76 41def Helm Bronzed Dome Protector - Quest, Dreadsaber Mastery
Level 76 21def Back Cloak of the Hardened Tortoise - Quest, Making Peace

Belt Soul-Sealed belt of the Champion +34def

367 def total at 76. 305 at 74 and that's not too shabby on just quest gear, no rep or enchants. Past that everything else really are level 80 required upgrades. But if I get all that quest gear, it will prolly make levels 74-80 much easier if I continue to dip into dungeons

[Fizzler]

I was frustrated with that instance and ended up leveling my tank to 80. Problem solved :)

[Hachoo]

Level 74 seems to be the magic number for Tank armor. Did a bit of research and found the following lists of quests that are not to far off or available now to me.

Level 72 29def Hands Expelling Gauntlets - Quest, Don't Forget the Eggs!
Level 73 32def Shield Bulwark of the Tormented God - Quest, Ursoc, the Bear God
Level 73 50def Legs Leggings of Forceful Purification - Quest, Ursoc, The Bear God
Level 73 28def Shoul Bone-Polished Iceplate Shoulders - Quest, Hour of the Worg
Level 73 19def Ring Kurzel's Warband - Quest, Search and Rescue
Level 74 19def Wep Hammer of Quiet Mourning - Quest, Wanted: Ragemane's Flipper
Level 74 17def Neck Betrayer's Choker - Quest, Betrayal
Level 74 25def Ring Solid Platinum Band - Quest, For Posterity
Level 74 52def Chest Clutch of the Storm Giant - Quest, The Storm King's Vengeance
Level 76 41def Helm Bronzed Dome Protector - Quest, Dreadsaber Mastery
Level 76 21def Back Cloak of the Hardened Tortoise - Quest, Making Peace

Belt Soul-Sealed belt of the Champion +34def

367 def total at 76. 305 at 74 and that's not too shabby on just quest gear, no rep or enchants. Past that everything else really are level 80 required upgrades. But if I get all that quest gear, it will prolly make levels 74-80 much easier if I continue to dip into dungeons

Eh....

You can buy your tank the entire set of green cobalt armor at level 70 and it gives you something like 490 defense (at 70 - obviously if you keep the same gear at 80 it will be much less overall defense)... also tons and tons of stamina. This tank set will last you until at least 76 or 78 and costs next to nothing.

Edit: from wowinsider:

It's not technically a set in that it doesn't have a name or set bonuses, but it's 8 pieces of crafted armor, made by Blacksmiths at 375 skill and equippable at level 70, that provides tons of strength, stamina, and defense. It won't get you to the level 70 Defense cap of 490, but it will come pretty close, close enough that if you can pick up a piece of defense jewelry or a trinket or two, you'll be set for tanking up until the mid 70s or so.

[wowphreak]

What helps on that boss is Shadow Resistance Aura and have everyone /tar Frost Tomb

Ingvar the Plunderer is giving me problems I want his head on a silver platter :P

[jono]

I struggled loads with this instance but after first successful run I've had no wipes. i just cleared the dragon room, ran out and reset for best xp. get around 450k/hr rested, nice if casual player.

[Khatovar]

We never did /tar Frost Tomb. The shammies usually took it out with nova totems and CL jumps. Hunters just dropped explosive trap + 2 consecrates. Buying time by pulling him out of the room and into the hallway was very useful for gathering the adds, Consec + hurricane may be useful for the pally/druid team if you simply can't heal through the ice tomb.