Brewmaster Monk Mage Tower Tank Challenge Guide - Highlord Kruul - The War Within 11.2.7

By Sinzhu Updated: 2026/01/18

Talent PageBrewmaster Monk Mage Tower Challenge Transmog RewardTomb of SargerasMonk - Xuen’s BattlegearWhat is the Brewmaster Monk Mage Tower Challenge? - The Highlord's ReturnThe Highlord’s Return

Surviving bursts of damage

Mitigating sustained damage

Dealing damage

Picking up spawning adds

Dodging knockbacks

Interrupting important casts

Dodging even more knockbacks

Never stop dodging

Prophet VelenInquisitor VarissSmoldering InfernalHighlord KruulHighlord KruulBest Brewmaster Monk Gear for Mage Tower ChallengeBest Brewmaster Monk Stat Priority for Mage Tower Challenge

Sockets >>>>>>> Agility > Versatility = Critical Strike > Mastery >= Haste

NOTE:Best Brewmaster Monk Consumables and Enchants for Mage Tower ChallengePotion of Unbridled Fury

Type

The War Within Option

Best Option

Flask

Flask of Alchemical Chaos

Greater Flask of the Currents

Health Potion

Algari Healing Potion

Coastal Healing Potion

Damage Potion

Tempered Potion

Potion of Unbridled Fury

Drums

Thunderous Drums

Weapon Buff

Ironclaw Weightstone/Ironclaw Whetstone

Food

Beledar's Bounty

Slot

Best Enchant

Cheaper Version

Weapon (Main Hand)

Enchant Weapon - Authority of the Depths

Frozen Writ

Weapon (Offhand)

Enchant Weapon - Authority of the Depths

Sophic Writ

Helm

Incandescent Essence

Cloak

Enchant Cloak - Chant of Leeching Fangs

Enchant Cloak - Whisper of Silken Leech

Chest

Enchant Chest - Crystalline Radiance

Bracers

Enchant Bracer - Chant of Armored Leech

Enchant Bracer - Whisper of Armored Leech

Belt

Shadowed Belt Clasp

Legs

Stormbound Armor Kit

Dual Layered Armor Kit

Boots

Enchant Boots - Defender's March

Enchant Boots - Watcher's Loam

Ring

Enchant Ring - Radiant Versatility

Enchant Ring - Glimmering Versatility

Gem

Deadly Sapphire

Best Brewmaster Monk Trinkets for Mage Tower Challenge Chipped Soul PrismUnstable Arcanocrystal

Trinket

Drop Location

]

Ulgrax the Devourer (Nerub-ar Palace)

]

Nexus-Princess Ky'veza (Nerub-ar Palace)

]

Queen Ansurek (Nerub-ar Palace)

]

Ara-Kara, City of Echoes

Best Brewmaster Monk Talents for Mage Tower ChallengeSummon Black Ox StatueBlack Ox BrewHealing WindsEscape from RealityTranscendence: TransferSmashFatal TouchBounce BackBrewmaster Monk Strategy & Walkthrough for Mage Tower ChallengeAnnihilate Cooldown OrderAnnihilateHoly WardCelestial Brew

No CD, just Purifying Brew after.

Celestial Brew, Purifying Brew quickly after.

Dampen Harm, CC Kruul with Holy Ward, Celestial Brew, and Purifying Brew quickly after.

Fortifying Brew, try to bring his remaining health lower than your max health (~15k with Fortifying Brew) so you can insta-kill with Touch of Death! Keep applying CC with Holy Ward & Leg Sweep, and Celestial Brew before quickly using Purifying Brew afterward! It is very possible to finish off Kruul before this cast, which should be your goal.

Zen Meditation if you didn't already, Celestial Brew, and Purifying Brew quickly after. If you are still around at this point, it's time to look at improving your damage output.

Stage 1: Inquisitor VarissDrain LifeSmoldering InfernalNether HorrorSummon Black Ox StatueProvokeRushing Jade WindTranscendenceGoblin Glider KitHoly WardNotable Enemies & Abilities

Inquisitor Variss
Aura of Decay - Inquisitor Variss surrounds himself with an aura. Standing in melee range of him causes you to gain a stacking debuff that reduces your maximum health by 10% per stack. You have to move in and out of the circle periodically. Jump in, deal damage until you have several stacks (5-7 is usually a good stopping point), interrupt, leave, let the debuff fall off, repeat. Using focus macros can help with getting kicks and stuns onto Variss even while dealing with other enemies.

Mind Rend - Variss’ basic damage skill. It’s not all that dangerous on its own, but in conjunction with everything else it can be nasty. It can be worth interrupting if your health is low, but only if you have a crowd-control ability ready to cancel the next skill on this list.

Drain Life - A critical spell. Variss will substantially heal himself if he is allowed to channel this, so it must be interrupted as quickly as possible, either via conventional interrupt or stun/CC.

Tormenting Eye

Inquisitive Stare - A very simple skill, but potentially lethal. If you are not facing the eyeball as the cast ends, you will be knocked back. Don’t let that happen, and make sure to defeat any that spawn while waiting for your Aura of Decay stacks to expire.

Smoldering Infernal

Fel Resonation - The Smoldering Infernals constantly lose health, dealing AoE fire damage. This means they aren’t a priority damage target, but you will need to watch out for their other skill. They stop casting this once their health is low, so be ready to give them a few taps of AoE to bring them down for a little while.

Smash - The Smoldering Infernals’ main ability is a large knockback cone. It has an obvious graphic, but the cast is fairly quick, and once multiple infernals are active, they can stagger out so that dodging one after another is difficult. This is one of the hardest mechanics of the encounter. You must remain vigilant. Don’t get punted off the platform! Be ready to use Transcendence or a glider if you are hit!

Nether Horror

Psytalons - These little guys aren’t very dangerous on their own, but they will zoom directly towards Velen when they spawn, so be sure to gather them all up immediately, and quickly AoE them down during the periods where you are out of melee range of Inquisitor Variss.

Stage 2: Highlord KruulTormenting EyeSmoldering InfernalNotable Enemies & Abilities

Highlord Kruul
Annihilate - This is Kruul’s big hit. It deals a large amount of Physical damage and increases your damage taken from him for the rest of the fight. If you stun or CC Kruul to disrupt his cast, he will attempt to cast it again immediately afterwards. This is a large burst damage skill, but not the most deadly part of phase 2 if you manage cooldowns effectively. Using Celestial Brew and Purifying Brew will negate a majority of this ability's damage. Be sure to layer them with defensive cooldowns such as Dampen Harm, Fortifying Brew, and Zen Meditation as you reach stacks 3 and 4. You should try to kill Kruul before reaching stack 5. That's usually a killer.

Netherstomp - This is Kruul’s other big, dangerous ability. He will instantly leap onto you, leaving a puddle that deals an enormous amount of Fire damage while you are in it and slows you! Be ready to use self-healing and Roll out immediately; don't underestimate how much harder it is to dodge a Smoldering Infernal's Smash while slowed! Also, try not to leave these in the area immediately around Prophet Velen; you don't want these on top of your healing spheres.

Twisted Reflection - Kruul’s critical spell. Interrupting this is absolutely necessary. If he gets a cast off, he will heal with every autoattack, which will quickly fill his health pool back up. If you miss an interrupt on this, try to CC and kite as quickly as possible to pick up one of Velen's orbs, which will clear the debuff. Using focus macros can help with getting interrupts on Kruul even if you are dealing with other enemies.

Purple Beams - Periodically while fighting Kruul, a matrix of purple beams will spawn and sweep across the platform. They will attempt to drag you off the edge, but you can use Transcendence to teleport through them, or Roll to quickly slide through them. Alternatively, moving against their push will gradually allow you to pass through. Kruul loves to use Netherstomp while these are out, so be ready to deal with it.

Smoldering Infernal

Nether Horror

Psytalons - These little guys aren’t very dangerous on their own, but they will zoom directly towards Velen when they spawn, so be sure to gather them all up immediately, and quickly AoE them down.

Brewmaster Monk Mage Tower Tank Challenge Guide - Highlord Kruul - The War Within 11.2.7

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