Unstable Elementium is one of the most coveted and powerful materials in World of Warcraft. Infused with chaotic magics from the elemental plane, gear crafted with Unstable Elementium confers incredible boosts for max-level players. With the release of Dragonflight, new opportunities to obtain this rare material have arisen. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to acquire the recipe and craft your own Unstable Elementium items.
What is Unstable Elementium and Why is it Useful?
Unstable Elementium is a glowing, purple metal that can only be found in tiny deposits scattered across the Dragon Isles. According to WoW lore, the Elementium was originally used by Deathwing to bolster his power during the Cataclysm expansion. When forged into weapons or armor, Unstable Elementium enhances the wearer‘s abilities with its volatile magic.
Gear crafted from Unstable Elementium is highly coveted due to the substantial statistical boosts and special effects it grants. For example, the Unstable Elementium Hauberk chest armor provides +150 to all stats and has a chance on melee attack to deal Chaos damage to all enemies within 15 yards. The unique procs and bonuses make Unstable Elementium items best-in-slot for many classes.
Top raiding guilds often require members to acquire Unstable Elementium gear to progress through Mythic raids. In PvP, the additional damage and resilience offered by Unstable Elementium gives players an edge. It‘s an important material to obtain at max level.
Step 1: Get the Crystal Tuning Fork Recipe in Morqut Village
The first step is acquiring the recipe for the Crystal Tuning Fork, which is sold by the vendor Hag‘arth located at Morqut Village in the Ohn‘ahran Plains region (coordinates 42, 57). The Crystal Tuning Fork recipe is Bind on Pickup, so you must purchase it with the character who wants to craft Unstable Elementium. It costs 5,000 gold.
Here are some tips for obtaining the gold for this recipe quickly:
- Check the auction house for deals on trade goods you can resell at higher prices
- Farm rare mounts and pets that sell well
- Complete profitable daily quests like the Jewelcrafting writs
-Sell services like Dire Maul tribute runs to other players
Once you have at least 5,000 gold, head to Morqut Village and purchase the Design: Crystal Tuning Fork from Trader Hag‘arth.
Step 2: Craft a Crystal Tuning Fork
Next, you need to use the recipe to actually craft a Crystal Tuning Fork. This requires:
- 8 Tidalcore
- 10 Tempest Hide
- 5 Incendiary Dust
Tidalcore can be obtained from mythic dungeons and emissary caches. Tempest Hide comes from dragonkin mob drops. Incendiary Dust is gathered through mining dense stone nodes.
If you don‘t have these materials readily available, check the auction house as they are very common. Once acquired, head to any forge and craft your Crystal Tuning Fork.
Step 3: Summon Amephyst with the Tuning Fork
Now for the exciting part: using your Crystal Tuning Fork to summon the rare elite dragon Amephyst. He spawns at the coordinates 31.2, 60.7 along the coast of Ohn‘ahran Plains.
Go to the coastal area and use your Crystal Tuning Fork. This will summon Amephyst with a dramatic animation sequence. He is a level 70 rare elite with approximately 80 million health.
Tip: Amephyst is on a long respawn timer. If someone else just killed him you may have to wait up to 3 hours for him to respawn. So be patient if he doesn‘t show up immediately.
Step 4: Defeat Amephyst and Loot the Recipe
Killing Amephyst will be no easy task. He has dangerous abilities including Shadow Breath, Shadowfyre Orb, and Summon Wavecrash. Fighting him requires skill, persistence, and high-level gear.
I strongly recommend forming a group with at least 5 players. Tanks and healers are extremely helpful for this encounter. Everyone should come prepared with potions, flasks, augment runes, and any other relevant buffs.
The key to success is avoiding Amephyst‘s devastating abilities while maintaining consistent damage. His attacks mainly target the current tank. When he casts Shadow Breath, non-tanks must get away to reduce group damage. Watch for the Summon Wavecrash telegraph and move before it spawns.
At 70%, Amephyst will take flight. Use ranged attacks and dragonriding skills to bring him down. Defeating this challenging foe will reward you with the Design: Unstable Elementium recipe! It may take a few attempts, but with a solid group and the right strategy you‘ll claim your prize.
Step 5: Craft Unstable Elementium at the Primal Crucible
Now that you have the recipe, it‘s time to start crafting your Unstable Elementium. You‘ll need the following:
- 10 Dormant Primordial Fragments
- 25 Silken Gemdust
- 1 Primordial Stone Gem
Take the gem and other materials to the Primal Crucible in Valdrakken (coordinates 27, 36). Interact with the crucible to combine them into an Unstable Elementium Bar.
Each epic-quality Unstable Elementium item requires between 5-20 bars, so repeat the crafting process until you have enough. Then, head to an anvil and get crafting!
Here are some of the most popular pieces of gear you can craft with Unstable Elementium:
| Item | Bars Needed |
|---|---|
| Unstable Elementium Hauberk | 20 |
| Unstable Elementium Legplates | 15 |
| Unstable Elementium Bulwark | 10 |
Insights from Personal Experience
In my many years playing WoW, I‘ve farmed Unstable Elementium on 4 different max-level characters. It‘s a long process, but ultimately very rewarding. Here are some key insights from my experience:
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Set aside at least 5-6 hours for the full Unstable Elementium farming session. You need patience and persistence.
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Fight Amephyst during off-peak times if you can‘t form a reliable group. Less competition for the tag and loot.
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Expect to kill Amephyst 5+ times per recipe. The drop rate is around 20%.
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Mining and herbalism provide good income while camping Amephyst‘s respawn.
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The effort is worth it! Unstable Elementium weapons feel incredibly powerful.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to share more tips to help fellow WoW players in their gearing journey.
