Mastery Of The Charge

WotLK Classic Northrend Leveling Guide

Quest 1 of 3 in the Aspirant Training Group

Alliance • Icecrown • Level 80 • Argent Tournament Grounds

Speak with Rugan Steelbelly and Charge two vulnerable Charge Targets.

Rugan is at the same training area east of the Aspirants' Ring, so run this alongside the other two mastery quests rather than making a second trip. The word vulnerable is doing real work in that objective. The targets hold Defend, so Shield-Breaker first to strip it, then Charge while the stack is down. Charge will not fire from melee range or from too far out, which is why it looks broken the first time. Back off to mid-range and it works. That two-step is the entire combat model for every joust you will fight from here to Crusader.

Vikstone's Classic Expedition

Rugan Steelbelly's position was that charging involves rather more than reaching full speed and shouting. The targets came apart regardless, and it was the first thing on those grounds his arms already knew how to do.

“Your strongest attack in mounted combat is undoubtedly the charge. Take this lance and mount the stabled Quel’dorei steed just outside the pavilion. Once you’re mounted, speak with Rugan Steelbelly. He’s on the northern edge of the tournament grounds at the training area east of the Aspirants’ Ring.

Rugan will tell you how to use this powerful ability and teach you some basic strategies.”

-Avareth Swiftstrike

Objective

LEVEL

80

Requires level

77

Start

Avareth Swiftstrike

END

Avareth Swiftstrike

Equip your lance and mount the Stabled Quel’dorei Steed outside the pavilion. Speak to Rugan Steelbelly and Charge 2 vulnerable Charge Targets, then return to Avareth Swiftstrike at the Argent Tournament Grounds.

Rugan Steelbelly‘s advice
Charge vulnerable Charge Target (2)

Location: Argent Tournament Grounds, Icecrown (coordinates 71, 19).
Objective: Practice charging at targets using a tournament mount.
NPC: Rugan Steelbelly (72, 18) provides guidance for the quest.
Equip Your Lance:
Equip the Alliance Lance or Horde Lance in your main hand.
Mount a Steed:
Head to the Aspirants’ Ring (71, 19) and mount a Quel'dorei Steed (Alliance) or Sunreaver Steed (Horde).
Locate Rugan Steelbelly:
Speak to Rugan Steelbelly at 72, 18 for instructions on charging. — **Location:** Avareth Swiftstrike (Alliance) or Amariel Sunsworn (Horde) – Faction tent, Argent Tournament Grounds, Icecrown
**Mount a Steed:** Ride to the Aspirants’ Ring and speak with Rugan Steelbelly [72, 18] for his instructions on charging.

Icecrown Storyline

Reward

You will be able to choose one of these rewards:

Amulet of the Crusade

The Severed Noose of Westwind

Emeline’s Locket

Reinforced Titanium Neckguard

You will also receive:

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

6,100 experience

75 reputation with The Silver Covenant

Walkthrough

Quest Giver: Avareth Swiftstrike (Alliance) or Amariel Sunsworn (Horde) – Faction tent, Argent Tournament Grounds, Icecrown

Objective: Equip a lance, mount a faction steed, speak to Rugan Steelbelly, and Charge 2 vulnerable Charge Targets. Return to your faction quest giver.

Quick Facts

Location: Aspirants’ Ring, Argent Tournament Grounds [~71, 19]
Rewards: Completes the jousting tutorial alongside Mastery of Melee and Mastery of the Shield-Breaker. Completing all three mastery quests unlocks Up to the Challenge (and the Aspirant dailies).
Chain Position: Part of the 3-quest jousting tutorial. Runs parallel with Mastery of Melee and Mastery of the Shield-Breaker.

Walkthrough

Equip a lance from any lance rack near the faction tents.
Mount a Stabled Quel’dorei Steed (Alliance) or Stabled Sunreaver Hawkstrider (Horde) outside the pavilion.
Ride to the Aspirants’ Ring and speak with Rugan Steelbelly [72, 18] for his instructions on charging.
Target a Charge Target in the ring. The targets start with a Defend buff, so you need to make them “vulnerable” first:
- Use Shield-Breaker (ability 2) from range to strip the target’s Defend stack.
- Once the target is vulnerable (Defend removed), use Charge (ability 3) on it. You need to be at range (8-25 yards) for Charge to activate.
- Repeat on a second Charge Target. Two successful charges completes the quest.
Return to your faction tent and turn in.

Efficiency Tips

This teaches a core jousting combo. The Shield-Breaker > Charge sequence is the fundamental pattern for every jousting encounter going forward. NPC jousters in the Aspirant’s Challenge and Valiant’s Challenge both maintain Defend stacks that must be stripped before Charge deals full damage.
Complete all three mastery quests in one trip. If you picked up Mastery of Melee and Mastery of the Shield-Breaker at the same time, you can knock out all three training objectives without leaving the ring.
If Charge or Shield-Breaker won’t fire, check your range. Charge requires 8-25 yards (too close or too far and it greys out). Shield-Breaker requires 5-30 yards.

Explore Icecrown’s hidden easter eggs, lore mysteries, and connections across Warcraft history in Vikstone’s Icecrown Chronicles, along with the complete quest storyline.

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

1,220 experience

10 reputation with Knights of the Ebon Blade

Vikstone's War Journal

Avareth Swiftstrike had the lance ready.

Vikstone Portrait Act 3 — Illustrated by Christian DiBari and Simon Gough.

“Your strongest attack in mounted combat is undoubtedly the charge. Take this lance and mount the stabled Quel’dorei steed just outside the pavilion. Once you’re mounted, speak with Rugan Steelbelly. He’s on the northern edge of the tournament grounds at the training area east of the Aspirants’ Ring. Rugan will tell you how to use this powerful ability and teach you some basic strategies.”

Rugan Steelbelly sat that horse better than most men stand on the ground.

“Well then! A mounted Charge is about more than just kickin’ yer mount ta full speed an’ hollerin’ yer lungs out… Use Shield-Breaker on a Charge Target. Follow up with Charge while the target is vulnerable.”

You cannot charge a man who still has his guard up. The lance skips off him and you go by. First you take the guard away from him, and then the charge is worth something, and not a moment sooner.

I have spent this entire campaign being the guard, standing where the blow was going to land so that somebody behind me could get his work done. Rugan spent a morning teaching me how to strip that off another man, and he was cheerful the whole time.

“With a teacher like Rugan, you’ll be an expert at mounted combat in no time,” Avareth said.

Charging a target somebody else had already softened up is only half a lesson, and Scout Shalyndria has the other half waiting in Mastery Of The Shield-Breaker.

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Objective

LEVEL

80

Requires level

77

Start

END

Icecrown Storyline

Reward

3 Gold

70 Silver

6,100 experience

75 reputation with The Silver Covenant

Walkthrough

1,220 experience

10 reputation with Knights of the Ebon Blade

Vikstone's War Journal

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The Making of the Guide

Solo PvP Guide

Star Wars Galaxies Chronicles

The Guide to SWGEmu