Secret Lair of the Snowmen

“

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

— In-game description

Secret Lair of the Snowmen

Map of Secret Lair of the Snowmen

Levels

80

Type

Strike Mission

Region

Shiverpeak Mountains

API

1306, 1352

Loading screen

Image(s)

Click to enlarge.

Map location of the entrance to the Secret Lair.

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

Getting there

• 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  Crown Pavilion Waypoint — .

Objectives

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

Walkthrough

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

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

Each completion of the strike will grant the following:

• 37,338  or 14.7% of a level
• Wintersday Gift (30)

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

• 1 piece of equipment of ERare or higher quality , typically Piece of Rare Unidentified Gear
• Chance at one of the following:
  • Wintersday Gift (10)
  • Mini Freezie
  • Mini Wintersday Cheer Freezie
  • Mini Magical Reindeer
  • Mini Mystical Snowflake
  • Giver's Wintergreen Axe
  • Giver's Wintergreen Dagger
  • Giver's Wintergreen Focus
  • Giver's Wintergreen Greatsword
  • Giver's Wintergreen Hammer
  • Giver's Wintergreen Longbow
  • Giver's Wintergreen Mace
  • Giver's Wintergreen Pistol
  • Giver's Wintergreen Rifle
  • Giver's Wintergreen Scepter
  • Giver's Wintergreen Shield
  • Giver's Wintergreen Short Bow
  • Giver's Wintergreen Staff
  • Giver's Wintergreen Sword
  • Giver's Wintergreen Torch
  • Giver's Wintergreen Warhorn
  • Wintergreen Custom Candy Cane Hammer

NPCs

Allies

• Freezie's Frozen Heart
• Frozen Snowman / Jolly Donny
• Snowman

Services

Anvil

Foes

• Ice Crusher
• Ice Spiker
• Ice Stormer
• Icy Protector
• Freezie (boss, turns to an ally once defeated)

Objects

• Dwarven Skeleton for the The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Pitcher of Joy — Throw 101 snowballs in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (1) and the The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Polar Bones — Discover the remains of an ancient king in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (3) - 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

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!

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!

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.)

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!

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!

All right, let's save Wintersday.

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!

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?

Yes.

Not right now.

Related achievements

Location of the skeleton

• The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Pitcher of Joy — Throw 101 snowballs in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (1)
  • Permanent piles of snowballs will remain in the arena after completing the strike, which may be chucked at Freezie to complete the achievement at your leisure.
• The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Polar Bones — Discover the remains of an ancient king in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (3)
  • Can be found by the wall at ground level in the northeast side of the initial area.
• The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Straight to the Heart — Help Freezie within three heart phases in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (5)
• The Wondrous Workshop of Toymaker Tixx: Wintersday's Guardian — Confront Freezie in the Secret Lair of the Snowmen and remind him of the true meaning of Wintersday. (10)
• Wintersday Daily: Saving Wintersday — Protect the Infinirarium from rampaging toys, or bring the cheer of Wintersday to the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (0)
• Wintersday Daily: Daily Bonus Rewards: Infinirarium and Secret Lair — Protect the Infinirarium from rampaging toys, or bring the cheer of Wintersday to the Secret Lair of the Snowmen. (0)

Notes

Bug:

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.

Anomaly:

You can't use mounts inside the Strike, but neither  Mounts Disabled nor  No Mount Use are shown on the bar.

• You can't glide inside the Strike,  Gliding Disabled is in effect everywhere.
• Upon its introduction during A Very Merry Wintersday in 2018, the Secret Lair of the Snowmen was originally referred to as a group instance because strike missions had not been officially introduced into the game yet. Since its return on A Very Merry Wintersday in 2019, it is labeled as a strike mission.

Trivia

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Secret Lair of the Snowmen.

• 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

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Strike Missions

Living World Season 1	Old Lion's Court
The Icebrood Saga	Shiverpeaks Pass Voice of the Fallen and Claw of the Fallen Fraenir of Jormag Boneskinner Whisper of Jormag Forging Steel Cold War
End of Dragons	Aetherblade Hideout Xunlai Jade Junkyard Kaineng Overlook Harvest Temple
Secrets of the Obscure	Cosmic Observatory Temple of Febe
Wintersday	Secret Lair of the Snowmen (temporary)