The Valiant’s Challenge

WotLK Classic Northrend Leveling Guide

Quest 2 of 2 in the Valiant Chain (Finale)

Alliance • Icecrown • Level 80 • Silver Covenant Pavilion

Have Squire Danny call out an Argent Champion, then defeat them in the ring.

Danny is at the Valiants' Ring on the western edge at 68.6, 21.0, not the northern ring where David was. Lance and steed from the stables outside the pavilion, three stacks of Defend up before you talk to him. This opponent holds Defend and puts it back, so a single Shield-Breaker is rarely enough before you commit to a Charge. Stripping him fully from range before closing is slower and safer, and worth doing if the melee exchanges are going badly. Expect a couple of attempts. Losing costs nothing but the walk back to Danny.

Vikstone's Classic Expedition

Jaelyne's send-off was that they would speak of the outcome once the battle was concluded, which left room for either result. The Argent Champion held his stacks better than any valiant had, and afterward she told him he would ride the grand melee with the city's pennant at his back.

“You are nearly ready to compete on behalf of Darnassus in the grand melee. To prove yourself worthy to enter the lists on behalf of our city, you must defeat a champion of the Argent Crusade. Go to the stables outside the pavilion, equip your lance, and mount up. Speak to Squire Danny at the Argent Valiants’ Ring on the western edge of the grounds. The squire will call out your opponent when you’re ready.

After the battle is concluded, we will speak of the outcome.”

-Jaelyne Evensong

Objective

LEVEL

80

Requires level

77

Start

Jaelyne Evensong

END

Jaelyne Evensong

Speak with Squire Danny to summon your opponent. Once you have defeated the Argent Champion, return to Jaelyne Evensong at the Argent Tournament Grounds. If you lose your lance, you can get another from any of the Lance Racks near the stables or in the Silver Covenant Pavilion.

Argent Champion defeated

Location: Argent Tournament Grounds, Icecrown (Squire Danny at 68.6, 21.0)
Objective: Defeat the Argent Champion in a mounted jousting duel to prove your worth and become a Champion of your chosen faction.
Preparation:
Equip your [Alliance Lance] or [Horde Lance] in your main hand.
Mount your faction’s tournament steed from the stables.
Starting the Fight:
Speak to Squire Danny to summon the Argent Champion.
The Champion will approach from outside the arena and walk to the center. Wait for them to be in position before starting your attacks. — **Quest Giver:** Your city’s grand champion delegate. For Darnassus: Jaelyne Evensong. Each Alliance/Horde city has its own version.
**Starting the Fight:** Squire Danny is at [68.6, 21.0] in the Valiants’ Ring, which is a different ring from the Aspirants’ Ring where you fought before. He’s on the western edge of the grounds, where Squire David’s Aspirants’ Ring was to the north.

Icecrown Storyline

Reward

You will be able to choose one of these rewards:

Drape of Munificence

Dusk-Linked Leggings

Gold-Plated Coldsteel Girdle

Worgskin Shoulders

You will receive:

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

1,220 experience

250 reputation with Darnassus

250 reputation with The Silver Covenant

Walkthrough

Quest Giver: Your city’s grand champion delegate. For Darnassus: Jaelyne Evensong. Each Alliance/Horde city has its own version.

Objective: Speak with Squire Danny to summon an Argent Champion, then defeat them in a jousting duel to earn the rank of Champion for your chosen city.

Quick Facts

Location: Valiants’ Ring, Argent Tournament Grounds [68.6, 21.0]
Rewards: 250 reputation with your chosen city and Silver Covenant/Sunreavers. Grants the “Champion of [City]” achievement and title. Unlocks Champion-tier dailies (first time only). Awards 10 Champion’s Seals and an Argent Squire (Alliance) or Argent Gruntling (Horde) companion pet (first Champion completion only).
Prerequisite: Turn in The Valiant’s Charge with 25 Valiant’s Seals.

Walkthrough

Before the Duel

Equip a lance and mount your faction steed.
Stack Defend to 3 before speaking to Squire Danny. Same as the Aspirant’s Challenge, but more important here because the Champion hits harder.
Squire Danny is at [68.6, 21.0] in the Valiants’ Ring, which is a different ring from the Aspirants’ Ring where you fought before. He’s on the western edge of the grounds, where Squire David’s Aspirants’ Ring was to the north.

The Duel

The Argent Champion is a significant step up from the Aspirant’s Challenge Valiant. They start with 3 Defend stacks and actively re-apply them, making Shield-Breaker management much more important.

Combat Strategy

The same jousting loop applies, but tighter execution is required:

Keep Defend at 3 stacks. This remains your top priority. The Champion hits hard enough that dropping to 1-2 stacks can cost you the fight.
When the Champion runs away: Fire 1-2 Shield-Breakers to strip Defend, then Charge for heavy damage. Turn around immediately and close to melee.
In melee range: Spam Thrust. Get as many Thrusts in as possible before the Champion creates distance again.
When the Champion charges you: You’ll lose a Defend stack. Reapply immediately.
The kiting option: Instead of charging back in after the Champion runs, some players find it effective to stay at range and fire multiple Shield-Breakers to fully strip the Champion’s Defend before committing to a Charge. This is slower but safer, as it minimizes the time you spend in melee taking hits.

If You Fail

Mount a new steed, re-stack Defend, and talk to Squire Danny again. Unlimited retries, no cooldown.

Efficiency Tips

This is harder than the Aspirant’s Challenge. Don’t be surprised if it takes 2-3 attempts your first time. The Champion actively maintains their Defend and hits significantly harder.
Squire Danny is in the Valiants’ Ring, not the Aspirants’ Ring. Danny is west and David was north, on opposite sides of the grounds. This is a common source of confusion.
You repeat this duel for each city you champion. After becoming Champion of your first city, you choose another city, do 5 days of Valiant dailies, and fight this duel again. The opponent difficulty doesn’t change between cities.
First-time Champion rewards are the best. Your first Champion completion awards 10 Champion’s Seals (two days’ worth of dailies in one quest) and the Argent Squire/Gruntling companion pet. Subsequent Champion completions for other cities don’t repeat these bonuses.

Lore Context

Winning this duel formally certifies you as a Champion of your chosen city, authorized to compete in the tournament’s highest tier and purchase that city’s exclusive rewards. The quest text frames it as a formal recognition: you’ve proven your mounted combat skills against the best the Argent Crusade has to offer.

The companion pet you receive (Argent Squire/Gruntling) carries the banner of whichever city you first championed. You can later change which banner it carries as you champion additional cities.

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

Quest Series (2):

80 The Valiant’s Charge
Learn more
80 The Valiant’s Challenge
Learn more

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

2,000 experience

10 reputation with Valiance Expedition

Vikstone's War Journal

“You are nearly ready to compete on behalf of Darnassus in the grand melee. To prove yourself worthy to enter the lists on behalf of our city, you must defeat a champion of the Argent Crusade. Speak to Squire Danny at the Argent Valiants’ Ring on the western edge of the grounds. The squire will call out your opponent when you’re ready.” Then, with no encouragement attached to it: “After the battle is concluded, we will speak of the outcome.”

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

Not good luck. We will speak of the outcome.

Squire Danny works the western ring. Another boy with a job.

The Argent Champion came out and everything I had learned in five days against other cities’ valiants stopped being useful. His guard went up before mine did and came back the instant I took it off him, and his Shield-Breaker arrived exactly when I had a defense worth stripping.

We traded charges. It ended because he made one bad decision about distance and I had already started moving when he made it.

“You have proven yourself worthy of the title of champion, Vikstone. You will compete at the tournament’s highest level on behalf of Darnassus, riding in the grand melee with your weapon at the ready and our mighty pennant at your back.”

Champion of Darnassus buys a pennant and a place in the lists, and the Crusade spends it immediately by sending Vikstone back out to the Conflagration for A Valiant’s Field Training.

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The Valiant’s Challenge

Objective

LEVEL

80

Requires level

77

Start

END

Icecrown Storyline

Reward

7 Gold

40 Silver

1,220 experience

250 reputation with Darnassus

250 reputation with The Silver Covenant

Walkthrough

2,000 experience

10 reputation with Valiance Expedition

Vikstone's War Journal

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The Guide to SWGEmu