Secret Lair of the Snowmen

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Enter the wintry Secret Lair of the Snowmen to restore their leader, Freezie.

— In-game description

Secret Lair of the Snowmen

Secret Lair of the Snowmen map.jpg
Map of Secret Lair of the Snowmen

Secret Lair of the Snowmen loading screen.jpg
Loading screen

Image(s)

Secret Lair of the Snowmen.jpg

Click to enlarge.

Map location of the entrance to the Secret Lair.

The Secret Lair of the Snowmen is a strike mission[1] that was introduced for A Very Merry Wintersday in 2018 with the December 11, 2018 update and is available during Wintersday.

Getting there[edit]

  • The portal for entering the Secret Lair of the Snowmen, guarded by Cob, is located in Divinity's Reach in The Crown Pavilion, southwest of the Waypoint (map icon).png Crown Pavilion Waypoint.

Objectives[edit]

  • Use snow to free the frozen snowman.
  • Liberate Freezie's snowmen from their armor of ice!
    Event bar empty2.jpg
  • Repeat the rescue: melt more minions!
    Event bar empty2.jpg
  • Watch for ice on the bridge!
    Event bar empty2.jpg
  • Thaw the ranks and get Jolly Donny to the door.
    Event bar empty2.jpg
  • Speak to Jolly Donny to proceed.
  • Players in Strike Mission: x (if public)
  • Engage Freezie
  • Defrost Freezie!
    • Freezie
      Event bar.jpgEvent boss (tango icon).png
    • Crack Freezie's icy shell.
      Event bar.jpgEvent boss (tango icon).png
      • Freezie's Frozen Heart
        Event bar empty2.jpgEvent shield (tango icon).png
      • Freezie's Shell Refreezing
        Event bar empty2.jpg
    • Time remaining: 10:00

Walkthrough[edit]

Upon entering the dungeon, players will be greeted by a frozen snowman, Jolly Donny. Use the nearby Snowball Pile to throw snowballs at him with your special action skill - each snowball counts for 0.75% of his health. Once he reaches full health, he'll be released and will head down the cavern. Along the path, there are several frozen snowmen, they will transform into Ice Crushers and Ice Spikers, the former being melee and the latter ranged combatants. Defeat them and continue, fighting another couple of snowmen just ahead.

Clusters of icy veins on the bridge.

Climbing up the steps, you will come across an icy bridge. The bridge will soon be riddled with icy vein-like lines that cause damage and chilled if stepped on. On the opposite side is group of Ice Spikers and an Ice Dart Turret, which periodically shoots three icy snowballs at players that can cause knock back. It is advised to dispose of the turret first, while being careful not to step on the icy lines, before finishing off the nearby icy foes.

Further in, finish off the remaining two groups of icy snowmen ahead, while avoiding a large snowball sliding down. This snowball leaves a slippery trail, causing players to lose bit of traction and glide (it can be seen again during the final battle). Head to the large double-doors at the end and talk to Jolly Donny to unlock it. Once inside the large room, head down the frozen hole to fight Freezie.

Freezie[edit]

Health: 5,898,600
Enrage Timer: 10 minutes
Enrage Effect: [verification requested]
Fixation Mechanic: None

Freezie is a legendary ranked boss capable of dealing both melee and ranged damage. Periodically during the fight, a member of the squad will be fixated by a large snowball chasing them, so it's advised to lead it away from the main group when being chased. Once Freezie reaches zero health, he will start regenerating and a Freezie's Frozen Heart will spawn next to him. In order to damage it (by healing it), players must grab snowballs from Snowball Piles from either killing enemies around Freezie or piles generated by Jolly Donny (spawn locations indicated by green circles), and throw them at the heart, much like the first part of the strike. Try to throw as many snowballs as they can, because Freezie will soon regenerate full health thanks to the Icy Protectors providing him health. Players will have to damage Freezie down to zero health a number of times (depending on how much health the heart has after each phase). Using the action hotkey (typically the hyphen key) will allow players to throw snowballs without retargeting, which offers a significant speed boost.

In later phases, as the frozen heart's health increases, Freezie will gain new attacks and abilities.

Phase 2, when the frozen heart's heath is ≥ 33% and < 66%, adds the following:

  • A large purple laser wall (between Freezie and the edge of combat area) that will sweep across the area, following a fixated player (furthest). The speed of the sweep will increase in tandem with the frozen heart's health. This laser can be dodged, but moves faster than the typical player. Ideally, the fixated player should dodge thru the boss so that the laser becomes on the opposite end of the area.
  • Creates a giant snowflake drawn with icy lines on the ground. The lines will do a sizeable amount of damage, but can be jumped over. These lines also converge beneath Freezie, and standing on top of him or traveling through him is a near-guaranteed down, if not death.

Phase 3, when the frozen heart's heath is ≥ 66%, adds the following:

  • Summons a powerful gale of wind that will push players away from Freezie and create red AoE damage circles around him. The wind effect does not do damage or cause knockback.
  • Applying a cold, slippery AoE at the outer edge of the combat area. The initial application of the AoE may do damage, but does not have any damage over time. It is safe to enter to resurrect players in.

Once the heart has been fully healed, Freezie will turn allied and the strike will be concluded.

Rewards[edit]

Each completion of the strike will grant the following:

Additionally, players will receive a daily Wintersday Chest containing the following:

NPCs[edit]

Allies[edit]

Services[edit]

Reinforce Armor (map icon).png Anvil

Foes[edit]

Objects[edit]

  • Dwarven Skeleton for the The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx (2017).png The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Pitcher of JoyThrow 101 snowballs in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (1Achievement points) and the The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx (2017).png The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Polar BonesDiscover the remains of an ancient king in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (3Achievement points) - once Freezie has been defeated, use the endless snowball piles to throw repeatedly at Freezie to get the Pitcher achievement, then climb up the snowflake ladder back to the top ring. Carefully make your way back down the long hall - you may have to dodge a large snowball - through the area with the cracked ice (remember the ice cracks can hurt you so avoid them best you can). Head back towards the entrance where the portal can be seen. Once that is in sight, jump or slide down into the water and head to the small ice ledge along the water's edge, to the right. Follow this around, keeping to the right, heading towards the little beach area. Continue following around the slight wall outcropping on your right and you'll see a partially buried skeleton you can rummage. Rummage the bones to earn the Polar Bones achievement.
  • Endless Snowpile
  • Ice Dart Turret
  • Snowball Pile

Dialogue[edit]

Upon entering
Frozen Snowman: Uh, little help here? Just throw a couple snowballs at me, please and thank you.
After freeing the Frozen Snowman
Jolly Donny: Now, that's more like it. I was on my way to find help for Freezie. A broken heart has turned his snowy joy to cruel ice.
Jolly Donny: We've got to thaw his heart and give him back the cheer of Wintersday.
Freezie: This day is mine, this lair is mine. You dare to challenge me? Minions! Freeze them out!
Talking to Jolly Donny
Jolly Donny: It's not too late to save my friends! Bust their icy shells to free them!
Talk more option tango.png What happens after we free your friends?
Then we just have to go help Freezie. His heart's become ice, but some loving snow should thaw it!
Talk end option tango.png Let's do it!
Upon rescuing Snowmen (random chance at one of the following)
Snowman: (joyful giggling)
Snowman: Thanks for the thaw!
Snowman: Hooray, hooray! It's Wintersday!
At the beginning of "Repeat the rescue
melt more minions!"
Freezie: Who are you to judge what we became once Dwayna abandoned us? I lead the snowmen! I give them purpose!
At the beginning of "Watch for ice on the bridge!"
Freezie: The force of my dominion is greater than any joy. Not just on Wintersday, but on every day to come.
At the beginning of "Thaw the ranks and get Jolly Donny to the door."
Freezie: We waited so very long for the call... But no longer! We are made of stronger stuff than flimsy flurries.
Talking to Jolly Donny
Jolly Donny: Freezie's more cheerful most of the time, really! He's just a little too cold this year. Let's warm his heart with some holiday fun!
If public:
(Advancing will lock your party and prevent any other players from joining the Strike Mission.)
Talk ready option.png All right, let's save Wintersday.
Your party has been locked.
No new players will be able to join the Strike Mission. Work with your party to complete the goal!
Talk end option tango.png We're still waiting for more people to show up.
Jolly Donny: Freezie's more cheerful most of the time, really! He's just a little too cold this year. Let's warm his heart with some holiday fun!
Talk more option tango.png All right, let's save Wintersday.
Talk end option tango.png I need more time.
When Jolly opens the door
Jolly Donny: Freezie isn't evil, he's just wounded. Let's crack his cold shell and heal my friend!
A snowball appears
A giant snowball is chasing <Character name>!
At the beginning of "Defrost Freezie!"
Freezie: Come! Face the greatest snowman ever made!
During heart phase
Jolly Donny: Quick! Use these to heal his heart!
Freezie: No! I need the bitter ice. Minions, restore me!
After heart phase
Freezie: What have you done? My heart feels...warmer.
When Freezie performs Cold-Hearted Aura
Freezie: Freeze over!
After defeating Freezie
Freezie: Friends, thank you for mending my heart. Sorry for being such a jerk.
Freezie: It feels good to be all snow again. I'm full of Wintersday joy, and it's time to share it 'round!
Freezie: Merry Wintersday, friend! I was so focused on Dwayna's absence that I nearly forgot what I was protecting. Thanks for reminding me!
Talk end option tango.png Merry Wintersday, Freezie.
When throwing snowballs at Freezie
Freezie: Oh! I see you'd like to play!
Speaking to Jolly Donny after completing the strike mission
Jolly Donny: Do you want to return to Divinity's Reach?
Tick green.png Yes.
Talk end option tango.png Not right now.

Related achievements[edit]

Location of the skeleton

Notes[edit]

After leaving an unsuccessful instance and returning you are sometimes added to an already locked instance. If that happens your character will be defeated instantly near the entrance. You can be revived by another player, provided they haven't all been locked already in Freezie's pit. Attempting to use a waypoint while in this state claims you're in combat. Logging out and in again will take you to Divinity's Reach near the Lair's portal in a defeated state, but if you revive and re-enter the Lair you will be instantly killed again. Entering the Lair on any other character on the same account also puts that character in the same situation. You have to wait for the instance to finish but if at least one player stays alive and keeps kiting Freezie the instance can last for a long time.
You can't use mounts inside the Strike, but neither Mounts Disabled.png Mounts Disabled nor Mounts Disabled.png No Mount Use are shown on the bar.

Trivia[edit]

  • The bones found as part of the Polar Bones achievement belong to King Hundar, who once hid his greatest treasure—fine ale—within these caves.
  • The instance is located to the west of Frostgorge Sound, but will not be visible on the main map.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b A Very Merry Wintersday 2019, GuildWars2.com
  2. ^ A Very Merry Wintersday 2018, GuildWars2.com