Elemental Shaman Artifact Weapon: The Fist of Ra-den

By Wowhead Updated: 2025/10/17

The Fist of Ra-denThe Fist of Ra-denThe Highkeeper's Wardoriginal Legion expansionLegion: RemixAppearances and TintsArtifact CalculatorLegion Dressing RoomThe Fist of Ra-denLight's ChargeStormkeeperForged for BattlePower RealizedPart of HistoryThis Side UpEarthspeakerImproving on HistoryUnleashed MonstrositiesKeystone MasterGlory of the Legion HeroFist of the Fallen ShamanThe PrestigeCrest of HeroismCrest of CarnageCrest of DevastationRehgar's LegacyThe Highlord's ReturnPrestige of the AmaniLost Codex of the AmaniTransmog Recommendationssave and share an Outfit with this ArtifactReghar's Champion + Tier 11Default + Tier 16Empowered + Tier 18Lava + Tier 5Fallen Shaman + Dungeon GearArtifact AcquisitionThe Fist of Ra-denYouTube Artifact Acquisition PlaylistThe Elements Call...

The gladiator Rehgar knows of a powerful weapon that may aid us against the Legion.

After the Pandaren Campaign, the weapons of the storm god Ra-den were discovered beneath the Throne of Thunder.

They were placed in the care of the White Tiger, who will give them only to the one who is worthy. Rehgar will help you prove your worth!

The Coming StormThe Codex of Ra

Xuen says: "Few mortals know the history of the Highkeeper Ra, his mastery over the elemental planes, and his relation to the mogu empire.

"If you seek to wield the weapon of the storm lord, venture within, and learn of his deeds and his unmaking."

Xuen says: "Together with the Titan-forged sorceress Helya, Highkeeper Ra created four elemental realms in which to imprison the wayward elemental lords.

"He embedded the key to these realms into his shield, The Highkeeper's Ward. Ra walked among the elemental planes as both their jailor and master.

"When it came time to war against the Black Empire, Highkeeper Ra created an army of stone to do his bidding. These creatures were called the "Mogu," and they called their god "Ra-den," or "Master Ra."

"The Mogu proved to be Ra-den's undoing. Many ages later, corrupted by the curse of flesh and led by Lei Shen, the Thunder King, the Highkeeper was overthrown.

"In ages long past, before the era of the mortal races, Highkeeper Ra reigned over southern Kalimdor.

"The Titan Aman'Thul bestowed upon the Highkeeper a fist of light, a claw forged in the heavens that spoke the language of the storms and placed the power of lightning within Ra's clenched fist.

"Shaman, the Thunder King took up the weapons of Ra-den, but he could not wield them.

"Lei Shen could match the Highkeeper's storm and fury, but not his mastery over the elements themselves. Perhaps you have that power.

"Your companion waits for you. Return to me at my temple. We shall see if you can succeed where the Thunder King failed."

The Voice of Thunder

Rehgar says: "This way, friend. I will coach you through the trials as best I can."

Xuen says: "Do you seek the weapons of the storm God? Step forward, shaman."

Rehgar says: "Stormstout! You seek the weapons of the storm as well?"

Chen Stormstout says: "I do. "Storm, Earth, Fire..." that's kind of my thing."

Xuen says: "Many seek the artifacts of the Keep of the Storms. None have passed the trials. Come, and be judged!"

Rehgar says: "You're in good hands, friend. Did I mention I trained King Wrynn for the arena?"

Xuen: "A true hero never fights alone. The next trial is a test of teamwork. You must choose a partner."

Rehgar says: "I will be the second for my champion! Who will we fight?"

Chen Stormstout says: "I believe I am next."

Rehgar says: "Stormstout!? Hah! I've been waiting for a chance to get you into the arena. Take you down a peg or two."

Chen Stormstout says: "Is that so? We shall see who the real "Hero of the Storm" is around here. But first, I need a partner."

Li Li says: "Ready for adventure!"

Chen Stormstout says: "Oh no no Li Li, I don't think—"

Li Lie says: "This is gonna be great!

Xuen says: "Only through teamwork will you triumph. 3... 2... 1... FIGHT!"

Rehgar says: "Ignore your pride—take out thePandaren girl first!"

Chen says: "Let's roll! You are fast, Orc. But not fast enough!"

Rehgar says: "You've bitten off more than you can chew, Pandaren—and that's a lot.

"Focus the healer!"

Chen says: "Li Li, look out!"

Li Li says: "These guys don't play nice!"

Chen says: "You have bested me. Rehgar, this may be the most powerful fighter you've ever brought to the Arena."

Rehgar says: "I know a champion when I see one."

Xuen says: "The tools of the Keeper of the Storms are so powerful, even the Thunder King himself dared not wield them."

"The Fist of Ra-den is your final challenge. If you can wield it and live, the weapon is yours to command."

Rehgar says: "I believe in you, shaman!"

Li Li says: "Yow! Watch it!"

Rehgar says: "Focus, champion!"

Chen says: "Hm. Maybe we should do this outdoors."

Rehgar says: "Stay focused, champion. You were born to command these elements. You can do this."

Xuen says: "Something is wrong...someone is here..."

Rehgar says: "The Legion is attacking!"

Lord Kra'vos says: "Leave the mortals alive. We must find the weapons of their so-called 'Storm-God.'"

Xuen says: "Champion, you saved us... Shaman, no further trials are required. The weapons of the Keeper of the Storms have found their new master."

Rehgar says: "The elements walk in harmony with this one. I've not seen a better shaman since I fought alongside Thrall himself."

Xuen says: "Go forth, champion of the Earthen Ring, with my blessing. Azeroth is under siege, and heroes like you must rise to the challenge."

Artifact Book Text

The Fist of Ra-den and the Highkeeper's Ward

The mythical Highkeeper Ra bore two great items in his battles against the Old Gods. One was the Fist of Ra-den, a weapon infused with the destructive might of storms. The other was the Highkeeper's Ward, a shield pulsing with the primordial elements of fire, earth, air, and water.

No one has successfully wielded these armaments since they passed from Ra's care. Even Lei Shen, Thunder King and emperor of the mogu, could not. Will you succeed where he failed?

The Fist of Ra-den, Part One

It is known that the titan Aman'Thul crafted the Fist of Ra-den. How he did so is another question.

According to one legend, Aman'Thul called on mysterious celestial beings to forge an instrument that would hold sway over the power of storms. These creatures reached into Azeroth's sky and took a single bolt of lightning, which they shaped with their hands as if it were mere clay.

When the craftsmen had finished their work, Aman'Thul encased the captured lightning in stone and branded the rock with titan runes of containment.

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Two

Aman'Thul gave his lightning-infused weapon to Ra, one of the legendary titan-forged. These stone- and iron-skinned giants were created by the titans to liberate Azeroth from the Old Gods.

The Old Gods were immensely powerful, and their minions were beyond count. But never for a moment did Ra and his allies hesitate. Under the guidance of Aman'Thul and the other titans, the noble giants defeated the Old Gods and shackled them in prisons buried deep under the earth.

Ra accomplished many feats during this war. He wielded lightning with the lethal accuracy of a blade, carving through the Old Gods' servants and reducing them to cinders. There was only one enemy who matched Ra's command over storms: the cunning elemental lord known as Al'Akir.

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Three

From an ancient mogu legend detailing the battle fought by Ra and his allies against Al'Akir the Windlord:

"Master Ra and his brethren pursued the Windlord to a mountain so high it scraped the belly of the heavens. All the while, Al'Akir boasted of his coming victory, but his words were as empty as air.

"True, he was great and powerful. True, he could command the storms. But he did not breathe thunder and speak lightning as Master Ra did. He did not wield the fist that breaks the sky.

"Master Ra and his kin turned Al'Akir's own tempests against him until the Windlord faltered.

"To seal Al'Akir's demise, Master Ra slammed his fist into the mountaintop. The heavens split wide, and all the fire and fury they contained crashed down atop the Windlord's head."

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Four

An excerpt from The Banishing of the Elemental Lords, by the historian Llore:

"The elemental lords served as the Old Gods' greatest lieutenants, and the titan-forged had defeated them all. The victory was momentous, but it also presented a unique challenge. The spirits of the elemental lords were bound to Azeroth. If the titan-forged destroyed them, they would eventually manifest in the world again. To prevent this, Highkeeper Ra decided to imprison the destructive beings.

"He worked alongside the titan-forged sorceress Helya to create a pocket dimension that would be known as the Elemental Plane. It included four domains, representing the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Into this prison realm, Ra and Helya banished the elemental lords and almost all of their servants.

"Ra and Helya crafted a shield, the Highkeeper's Ward, to act as a key to the Elemental Plane. It thrummed with the energies of the four elements, which Ra could call upon whenever he desired."

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Five

After the Old Gods were defeated, Ra and his allies created new kinds of titan-forged to protect and reshape Azeroth. Among them were the mighty stone-skinned mogu. Led by Ra, they journeyed to the southern reaches of the world and began their long guardianship.

Aman'Thul and his fellow titans closely watched these events unfold. Confident that Azeroth was safe in the hands of their servants, they eventually departed the world.

On a stormy day, Ra and his mogu followers ascended a colossal mountain to see the titans off. The legends say that the Highkeeper slammed his weapon against his shield, and the elements answered to his will. The rains ceased, and the clouds parted. The mountain at their feet rose higher, and lightning and fire illuminated the skies so that Ra and his followers could better glimpse the titans.

Lastly, the winds howled a sorrowful farewell.

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Six

An excerpt from The Rise of the Thunder King, by the historian Llore:

"Many ages after the titans left Azeroth, a strange affliction called the curse of flesh took hold among the mogu. It weakened their stone forms and transformed them into creatures of flesh and blood.

"The mogu fragmented into warring clans. For years upon years, they fought each other for control of Azeroth's southern lands. From this crucible of violence, one mogu emerged and forged his people into an empire.

"His name was Lei Shen, the Thunder King, and his strength was without equal.

"Many tales exist about how Lei Shen acquired his power. The most widely accepted theory is that he stole it from a legendary being named Ra-den, which means 'Master Ra' in the mogu tongue.

"But what of this creature's fabled artifacts, the Fist of Ra-den and the Highkeeper's Ward? Surely, Lei Shen would have taken them as well, but there is very little mention of the Thunder King using them."

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Seven

For all his might, Lei Shen could not harness the energies of the Fist of Ra-den and the Highkeeper's Ward. His inability to do so infuriated him. After all, Lei Shen had conquered the mogu and forged them into an empire. He had defeated Ra. How could two artifacts defy his will?

But defy him they did. The shield and the fist weapon were simply too much even for the Thunder King to control. Every time he tried to use the artifacts, elemental energies lashed out at Lei Shen and overwhelmed him.

Despite these repeated failures, Lei Shen did not give up. One way or another, he would harness the power of these ancient weapons.

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Eight

Lei Shen gave the Fist of Ra-den and the Highkeeper's Ward to a gifted blacksmith, Forgemaster Deng. The Thunder King ordered him to unlock the artifacts' secrets, but he also warned the artisan not to harness their power for himself, or he would suffer grave consequences.

Deng promised Lei Shen that he would follow his command, but he secretly plotted to disobey his master. The blacksmith reasoned that if he could find a way to use the weapon and the shield, something the Thunder King had been unable to do, he could take control over the mogu empire himself.

While Deng was tampering with the Fist of Ra-den, a bolt of lightning tore down from the sky and slammed into him. The artifact absorbed most of the energy, which saved the blacksmith's life.

But Deng did not escape unharmed. The lightning left him forever disfigured.

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Nine

After much experimentation, Deng found a purpose for the Fist of Ra-den and the Highkeeper's Ward. He used the two artifacts to power an immense engine known as the Thunder Forge. This machine churned day and night, creating armaments of exceptional quality for the mogu military.

Lei Shen was pleased by the work, and he ordered Deng to personally craft him weapons and armor that would put all others to shame. The blacksmith toiled over the Thunder Forge to satisfy his master. Deng's labors gave rise to what would be his three greatest creations: a massive spear, a battleaxe, and a mighty helm.

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Ten

In time, Deng and Lei Shen died. The mogu empire crumbled. Seasons passed. The world changed.

A race known as the pandaren came to power in the lands once lorded over by the mogu. The new rulers governed with wisdom and benevolence, unlike Lei Shen and his brutal kin. Under the pandaren, an era of relative peace and prosperity settled over the region.

Thousands of years after the fall of the mogu empire, a group of pandaren guardians called the Shado-Pan discovered the artifacts that had powered the Thunder Forge. These explorers were led by Master Wan Snowdrift, who was unaware of the dangerous energies stored in the items he had found.

Snowdrift took up the Fist of Ra-den, and he was immediately struck by a spear of lightning that seared his flesh and scarred his body.

The Fist of Ra-den, Part Eleven

Though he was injured, Master Wan Snowdrift survived his encounter with the Fist of Ra-den. He and the other Shado-Pan feared that the weapon and its counterpart shield could do grave harm to the world if they fell into the wrong hands. To prevent this, they took the artifacts to Xuen, the White Tiger.

The White Tiger was one of the August Celestials, ancient and incredibly powerful creatures revered by the pandaren. Wise Xuen agreed with the Shado-Pan's assessment of the weapon and the shield. He secured them within his lair, the Temple of the White Tiger, where they would be safe.

Yet Xuen did not plan to keep them there forever. He knew the history of the artifacts. Though the mogu had used them for evil, the titan Aman'Thul had originally created them for good.

Xuen believed it was only a matter of time before a mortal arrived who was fit to wield the weapon and the shield for their intended purpose.

Comments

Comment by 2phite

During the Elemental Shaman artifact quest, on the second trial, you can Hex Chen Stormstout and nuke down Li Li.

Comment by 1210820

The final battle for the Fist of Ra den needs some work,,,getting mugged by 10 or so demons with one big one who basically blocks any camera angles making the fight more or less blind for much of it,made the fight ,,rather the race against self healing feel very wrong,,,that fight could really use a better design to at least allow for a sense of victory rather than a last second assist by the onlookers,,it was confusing to have the fight end suddenly when I felt I was losing badly at best,,,up until the final fight i enjoyed the quest but that last fight was a mess at best.

Comment by radicarl

I boosted my second shaman as Elemental, which I regret because I would've enjoyed doing this questline again (as opposed to the crappy Doomhammer questline).

Comment by Tequima

If you get stuck at Stage 2 (Defeat the Giantslayer) then head back down to /way 69 53 where Sigurd the Giantslayer will appear. The area marked on the map (temple with the locked doors) is for later in the quest chain. Be wary as it is also a no-fly zone.

Speak with Xuen to start the fight.

Comment by Purepayne

Thrall doesn't have a quest for me. The little tornado dude shows up in Dal and leads me to Thrall, and thrall even says the "Shaman, I have an important message for you" but when I click on him he has some text up in the dialogue box, but no quest at all. I have tried EVERYTHING I can think of to start this quest chain but I am having no luck at all.

Elemental Shaman Artifact Weapon: The Fist of Ra-den

Contribute