The Elder Scrolls Online Wolfhunter DLC – March of Sacrifices Preview

The upcoming Wolfhunter DLC for The Elder Scrolls Online will add two new expansive dungeons to Bethesda’s MMORPG. March of Sacrifices, one of these two dungeons, now has a detailed preview article on the game’s official website. The preview introduces us to the dungeon’s setting and encounters, and details the rewards you can find there. A bit on that:

ENTER THE HUNTING GROUNDS

Hircine’s realm, known as the Hunting Grounds, is a world locked in a perpetual contest between predator and prey. Filled with wild creatures both fantastic and mundane in addition to monstrous lycanthropes, it is a mystical wilderness as beautiful as it is dangerous.

“Most of the Deadric realms in The Elder Scrolls Online have a very distinct otherworldly feel to them,” says Mike Finnigan, ESO’s Dungeon Lead. “The Hunting Grounds, however, has a more natural environment, and as such it bears many similarities to Tamriel’s wilds, but at the same time it’s also just a little bit different.”

Father to all of Tamriel’s lycanthropes, the souls of those who accept Hircine’s “blessing” spend eternity stalking the Hunting Grounds. However, on occasion, the Daedric Prince hosts a Great Hunt, giving mortals a rare opportunity to enter the March of Sacrifices and stalk a powerful creature of his choosing. In this case, it is the Great Indrik called Tarcyr. While the hunt is dangerous, the rewards for success more than match the risks, as Hircine promises a boon to any who bring him the Indrik’s heart.

“Hircine is fickle with his favor. His followers enjoy the freedom of the Hunting Grounds to forage, hunt, and kill to their heart’s content, but the ultimate reward, a boon from their patron, is sought after above all else.”

Only the greatest of Tamriel’s hunters are skilled and bold enough to take part in the Great Hunt, as those who fail are doomed to remain within the March of Sacrifices forever, and should you and your companions enter the event, you’ll encounter other teams of hunters who (for their own reasons) are after the same prize.

Perhaps most incredibly, as you navigate the March of Sacrifices, you’ll immediately notice the unmistakable presence of Hircine himself looming over the event, watching your every move.

“Make no mistake, you are very much within the Hunting Grounds for Hircine’s amusement,” says Finnigan. “And what better way to give you that feeling than having the big guy himself looking down on you as you hunt?”

[…]

HIRCINE’S BOONS

Should you complete the deadly trials of the March of Sacrifices and win Hircine’s favor, you’ll earn a host of powerful and unique rewards.

These include collectibles such as a Trophy and Bust for completing the dungeon on both Normal and Veteran Mode, the Bestial personality for those who completed the March of Sacrifices at its hardest difficulty, and a Werewolf Behemoth Sigil memento, earned by completing “The Great Indrik Hunt” Achievement.

When crafting the unique The Great Indrik Hunt Achievement and memento, the team saw an opportunity to do something a little bit different from other dungeons.

“The idea for the Achievement and task was born out of the Tarcyr fight,” says Finnigan. “We love to try and telegraph boss mechanics whenever possible, and that desire lead us to develop a side activity where you can hunt Indrik for fun.”

The goal of this additional task was to give players an opportunity to earn something unique, but not interfere with regular attempts.

“We didn’t want it to be a detriment to players trying to obtain the dungeon’s other Achievements (such as Speed Runs, no Deaths, etc.) but for those that may not want those, it’s a fun distraction with a unique reward.”

In addition to the above collectibles, March of Sacrifices also contains three new and deadly gear sets. These include Hanu’s Compassion light set (pictured below) that gives you and anybody you resurrect a powerful buff, helping you both get back into the fight.

Finally, should you complete March of Sacrifices on Veteran difficulty, you’ll earn the Balorgh monster mask. When coupled with its shoulders, this fearsome set buffs your weapon damage each time you trigger your Ultimate ability, opening up your enemies for some ferocious burst damage – perfect for the beast within.