Hobart Grapplehammer

Hobart Grapplehammer
Title	Engineering Supplies, Doctor, Keelhaul-In-A-Box
Gender	Male
Race	Goblin (Humanoid)
Reaction	Alliance Horde
Affiliation(s)	Bilgewater Cartel, Kirin Tor
Occupation	Tinker
Location	Various
Status	Alive
Companion(s)	Greely (assistant)

Hobart Grapplehammer is a famous goblin inventor of the Bilgewater Cartel.

History

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

He is first seen in the KTC Headquarters on Kezan experimenting with new products. When the place is destroyed by the volcano he escapes with the rest of the survivors to the Lost Isles and then is later found at the Southern Rocketway Terminus in Azshara.^{[50.5, 74.7]}

He will not offer his quests until the player has completed  [5-30] Befriending Giants and is eligible for  [5-30] Azsharite Experiment Number One. He will then solicit the player's help. Hobart is also one of the dozens of past NPC's encountered by adventurers to assist in killing the elementals at Sethria's Roost.

This section concerns content related to Legion.

During the Burning Legion's third invasion, he traveled to Dalaran where he sold engineering supplies. To fight the demons, he made a lot of guns. However, since Azeroth's heroes were finding artifacts all over the world, his weapons become useless, so he decided to get rid of them. As such, he supplied Fargo Flintlocke with guns and ammo. Later, he tried to turn guns into useful tools, creating a gun that shot bandages. He continued working with Fargo, sending him to Stormheim for some materials for his new type of wormhole generator.

Later, Hobart sent Fargo to test his new gunshoes and gunpacks to Azsuna. The dwarf wasn't very satisfied with the inventions as they kept exploding. Subsequently, he requested the Runestone of Vitality from Odyn and used its power on a pile of gun parts. He intended to mass-market the gun parts as toys for children.

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

On the Banshee's Wail

During the Fourth War, Hobart was a part of the Horde's forces in Drustvar. After Krazzlefrazz Outpost was established, Hobart joined the Horde adventurer's team as an engineer. He accompanied the Horde into the Great Sea on the Banshee's Wail, and provided the Speaker of the Horde with a diving helmet to withstand the water pressure, instructions to use the said helmet, and communicate with them as they carried out their mission to acquire the body of Marshal M. Valentine. However, the Banshee's Wail was infiltrated by the Alliance champion, forcing Hobart to put on his mechanical suit, ready to knock the invader off the ship. Subsequently, WIldhammer Gryphon Riders were seen throwing lightning hammers at him.

Unaware of the Alliance attack, the Speaker killed the wildlife to help charge the communication network within the helmet, and while the Alliance was driven back. With communication secured, Hobart ordered the Speaker to kill the undead dragon Daenistrasz in order to claim Valentine's body. With the dragon slain, Hobart ordered the Speaker to return to the Banshee's Wail with Valentine's body and anything else of value. Thus, the Speaker discovered and brought the body of Derek Proudmoore to the ship as well.

After this, Hobart appeared in Plunder Harbor in Tiragarde Sound with his flying machine. He can also be seen in the Motherlode.

Unlike his fellow champion Rexxar, Hobart sat out the conflict between Varok Saurfang and Sylvanas Windrunner.

Goblins exalted with the Bilgewater Cartel were later sent to deliver a  [Mysterious Package] to Hobart Grapplehammer only to discover that Trade Prince Gallywix has not only used forgery to get Hobart under contract but has managed to buy all of Crapopolis within the Motherlode. Upon discovering that Hobart had no intention of giving him the X-52 Personnel Armor, Gallywix and Hired Scoundrels attacked Hobart's workshop only to be driven back. Despite this minor setback, Gallywix returned with greater numbers and took Hobart prisoner, with the intention of claiming the armor as his own. However, Hobart stubbornly refused to yield to Gallywix to the point of giving the X-52 Personnel Armor to Gallywix's old rival. The resulting fight between old rivals ended with Gallywix trapped his own armor and forced to renegotiate his contract with Hobart, whose shaking him down actually impressed the Trade Prince.

By the time of the formation of the Horde Council, Gallywix had left the Horde and the Bilgewater Cartel, and it is unknown how this affected Hobart's contract with him.

Inventions

Hobart Grapplehammer's original appearance.

Hobart Grapplehammer claims to be the genius behind many products brought to the Kajaro Trading Company, such as Kaja'Cola, the Poultryizer, Town-In-A-Box, Lab-In-A-Box, the Ingenious Cap of Mook Foolery, KTC Train-a-Tron Deluxe, the Amazing G-Ray, Never-Deflating Pool Ponies, The Big Ones, Warrior-Matic NX-01, and the gilgoblins.

Before the eruption of Mount Kajaro, Hobart was working on two new projects, the Micro Mechachicken and Subject Nine. While on the Lost Isles he designed and built the greatest fighting submersible of all time, the Mechashark X-Steam.

Along with Jastor Gallywix, Hobart developed a massive bomb out of azsharite that would later be used on Thal'darah Grove in Stonetalon Mountains. In Drustvar he created the Wolfercycle, though it quickly crashed.

Other items belonging to Hobard include  [Hobart's Ingenious Cap of Mook Foolery],  [Hobart's Prototype Gunshoes], and  [Hobart's Spare Hubcap].

Veracity of his inventions

He's been advised not to claim he created the gilgoblins by his counsel, due to a negligence case brought up over them. It was also later revealed by Lenu Gillbrack that Hobart's claims of inventing them was a lie. In fact, it seems he may not have been forthright about his "inventions" and is possible he didn't create some of them.

Locations

Please add any available information to this section.

Notable appearances
Location	Level range	Health range
Kezan (starting zone)	6	90
Lost Isles	10	141
Azshara	18	488
Dalaran	105	611,763

Abilities

Great Sea

•  Grapplehammer Blast — Blasts an enemy, knocking them backwards and damaging them for 50% of their maximum health.

Sells

Item	Cost
["Twirling Bottom" Repeater]	11 85
[Bent Copper Tube]	4 80
[Blacksmith Hammer]	18
[Boon of the Builder]	150
[Bronze Framework]	24
[Bronze Tube]	8
[Chaos Blaster]	21 8
[Coarse Blasting Powder]	48
[Depleted Leyflame Burner]	27 99
[Designs of the Grand Architect]	8000
[Durable Flux]	30
[Engineer's Ink]	20
[Felgibber Shotgun]	17 33
[Fireworks Instruction Manual]	50
[Forgotten Schematics of the Broken Isles]	1000
[Gyrochronatom]	30
[Hair Trigger]	90
[Heavy Stock]	20
[Light Parchment]	15
[Loose Trigger]	2 50
[Mining Pick]	81
[Oversized Blasting Cap]	1 15
[Rough Blasting Powder]	16
Schematic: Auto-Hammer	35
Schematic: Deployable Bullet Dispenser	35
Schematic: Double-Barreled Cranial Cannon	35
[Schematic: Failure Detection Pylon]	35
[Schematic: Gunpack]	35
[Schematic: Intra-Dalaran Wormhole Generator]	135
Schematic: Ironsight Cranial Cannon	35
Schematic: Pump-Action Bandage Gun	35
[Schematic: Reaves Module: Bling Mode]	9
Schematic: Sawed-Off Cranial Cannon	35
Schematic: Semi-Automagic Cranial Cannon	35
[Schematic: Titanium Toolbox]	8
[Silver Contact]	1
[Sniping Scope]	5 75
[Strong Flux]	20
[Surface-to-Infernal Rocket Launcher]	45
[Technique: Glyph of the Goblin Anti-Grav Flare]	35
[Tinker's Kit]	2
[True Iron Barrel]	8 95
[Walnut Stock]	5
[Weak Flux]	1
[Wooden Stock]	2

In the Motherlode

[Barely Stable Azerite Reactor] 30,000

Quests

Hobart as he appeared in Battle for Azeroth content between patch 8.0 and 8.3.

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

The Lost Isles

•   [1-20] Hobart Needs You
•   [1-20] Cluster Cluck
•   [1-20] Invasion Imminent!
•   [1-20] The Biggest Egg Ever
•   [1-20] Who's Top of the Food Chain Now?
•   [1-20] A Goblin in Shark's Clothing
•   [1-20] Rocket Boot Boost
•   [1-20] Children of a Turtle God
•   [1-20] Volcanoth!
•   [1-20] Escape Velocity

Azshara

•  [5-30] The Terrible Tinkers of the Ruined Reaches
•  [5-30] A Hello to Arms

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Dalaran

•   [10-45] Aww Scrap!
•   [10-45] Resupplying the Line
•   [10-45] Fire and Forget
•   [10-45] It's Not Rocket Science
•   [10-45] Wibbly-Wobbly, Timey-Wimey
•   [10-45] 'Locke, Stock and Barrel
•   [10-45] 'Locke and Load
•   [10-45D] Halls of Valor: Trigger Happy
•   [45D] Court of Stars: Revamping the Recoil
•   [45D] Time for a Recharge
•   [45D] Boon of the Builder
•   [45] A Harsh Mistress

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

•  [60] Biolumi-Nuisance
•  [60] Grab and Go
•  [60] Seafloor Shipwreck
•  [35-60] Champion: Hobart Grapplehammer
•  [35-60] Krazzlefrazz Outpost
•   [50-70] A Simple Experiment
•   [50-70] A Special Delivery
•   [50-70] Blunt Force Testing
•   [50-70] Buyers Wanted!
•   [50-70] Fun With Landmines
•   [50-70] I've Got What You Need
•   [50-70] Let's Rumble!
•   [50-70] Shopping For Parts

Objective of

•  [35-60] I Hope There's No Witches in the Mountains

Quotes

Kezan

Good to see you, <name>!

I just wanted to make sure that you appreciate all of the products that my genius has brought to the Kajaro Trading Company?

These include, but are not limited to: Kaja'Cola, the Poultryizer, Town-In-A-Box, my Ingenious Cap of Mook Foolery, KTC Train-a-Tron Deluxe, the Amazing G-Ray, Never-Deflating Pool Ponies, the Big Ones, Warrior-Matic NX-01, and gilgoblins. No strike that last one. Under advice of counsel, I had nothing to do with them.

Anyway, I'm working on a few more things here that I think you'll find interesting, such as the Micro Mechachicken and a little something I like to call Subject Nine.

Kezan, experimenting on the Micro Mechachicken event

Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Prepare the Micro Mechachicken!

Assistant Greely says: You don't have to yell, Hobart, I'm standing right here. Sheesh!

Assistant Greely says: There. One Micro Mechachicken. I'll never understand how you come up with these names.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: There's a great deal that you do not understand, my dear Greely. That is why you are the assistant and I... I am Hobart Grapplehammer!

Greely sighs and rolls her eyes.

Assistant Greely says: Yes, Doctor Grapplehammer.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Excellent. Now back away from the Ultra Concave Fissionable Testing Platform. Slowly, if you please.

The assistant shakes her head.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Thank you. Now behold as I stabilize the highly unstable miniaturization process.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: I am going to end the horrible problem of food storage cutting into the profits of the Bilgewater Cartel!

Hobart Grapplehammer says: I'll soon be revered as the greatest goblin tinker of all times! Besides, that negligence case involving the creation of the gilgoblins will never stick.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Flip the switch!

Greely coughs.

Assistant Greely says: Um, Hobart, you're at the controls.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Quite right, Greely. You passed today's pop quiz.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: I am now flipping the switch!

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Greely, can you feel it? My moment of success is at hand!

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Grocery store owners everywhere will owe me a percentage of their profits!

Hobart Grapplehammer says: I'm flipping the second switch!

The micro mechachicken begins to grow and Greely starts sneaking away from the machine.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Wait... something's wrong!

Assistant Greely says: Ya think? Hobart, the Micro Mechachicken is destabilizing. It's expanding!

Hobart Grapplehammer yells: I know... I know! Where's the override? The override?!

Assistant Greely yells: It's the one on the far right! Hurry, Hobart! It's going to eggsplode!

Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Here goes nothing, I always loved you, Greely!

Assistant Greely yells: WHAT?!!!

Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Flipping the override switch now!

The micro mechachicken quickly shrinks back to normal.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Are we still alive?

Assistant Greely says: We're still alive, Doctor Grapplehammer, despite your best efforts.

Hobart Grapplehammer says: Well of course we are, my dear Greely. And look there. The Micro Mechachicken's stabilization appears to be a complete success!

The micro mechachicken flies off into the air and explodes.

Assistant Greely says: Is that egg on your face?

Hobart's jaw hits the ground.

Assistant Greely says: Now what's this about you 'always loved me', Grapplehammer?

Hobart Grapplehammer says: I haven't the foggiest notion what you're talking about, Miss Greely.

Assistant Greely says: We can both agree on that, doctor.

Kezan, while the volcano is erupting

<Name>?! What are you still doing here?

You have to get off of the island, or better yet, into one of my Town-In-A-Boxes!

Don't wait too long, my <boy/girl>! The Cataclysm is upon us!

These exhanges happen in random order.

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: The sky is falling!

Assistant Greely says: Technically speaking, that's not true, doctor. The rocks that fly out of a volcano like Mount Kajaro are called ejecta. It's not the sky. It's molten rock, or tephra. It cools as it decends, becoming lava bombs. Very appropriate, wouldn't you say?

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Deathwing?! The Cataclysm?! We're doomed!! We have to get off of Kezan before Mount Kajaro blows for good!!!

Assistant Greely says: You're going to blow if you don't calm down! Don't you think it was a little bit convenient? The dragon flying over right as the winning field goal for the footbomb finals was kicked into Mount Kajaro?

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: A party? Can you believe it? A party and the whole island is about to explode?! What are they thinking!!!!

Assistant Greely says: Yeah, a real party that I was actually invited to. Why does something always happen and I never get to go? I could use a drink.

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: We have to get off the island! Quick, Greely, grab the schematics! And my toothbrush!

Assistant Greely says: I'm on it, doctor. Schematics, check. Toothbrush, check.

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Whatever you do, don't let me forget my Ingenious Cap of Mook Foolery!

Assistant Greely says: Hmm, I know I saw it around here somewhere, but are you sure? That thing turns the user into a brute instead of projecting an image of one about fifty percent of the time. And then they explode!

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: There's just not enough time to pack all of this stuff up! Grab only the important stuff! Where'd I put my Blastproof Underwater G-Ray Goggles?!

Assistant Greely says: Um, Hobart, you've wearing them.

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Get everything packed! We have to find a way off of Kezan! We'll jump into the closest Town-In-A-Box! They'll load it on the Trade Prince's yacht.

Assistant Greely says: I will, I will. But, Hobart, you have to calm down. Your blood pressure! You're turning deep green!

• Hobart Grapplehammer yells: How are we going to get Subject Nine through customs? I know! Pack her into the Lab-In-A-Box!

Assistant Greely says: Right away. I'll flag the Lab-In-A-Box for deployment in Azhara. I'll pack her little cushion in with her, too. She's so cute.

After completing   [1-20] The Biggest Egg Ever

Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Greely, load The Biggest Egg Ever into the Poultryizer. Mechnuggets for everyone!

Assistant Greely yells: Genius idea, sir. Your brain power never ceases to amaze me!

Assistant Greely yells: This thing is huge! Reverse the polarity on the Poultryizer. We'll have to shove it in throught the outtake.

Assistant Greely yells: There it goes. It should only be a moment now....

The Poultryizer explodes.

Hobart Grapplehammer yells: Shut it down, shut it down! The eggs are bad!!!

Town-In-A-Box

My genius cannot be contained within a box!

Wait, this isn't Azshara?! What is this place? That's a dormant volcano!

I have half a mind to join the Trade Prince! The other half of my mind is considering the possible weaponization of the clucker eggs!

Azshara

• <Name>! Come here. I have a ... "special project" requiring your assistance.

For dialog with Assistant Greely before takeoff to  [30-35] Twilight Skies, look here.

Legion

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Dalaran gossip

• I notice you're not wearing any earrings. Could I interest you in a pair of bolt-action carbine hoops? They're not very rusty!
• This Oshenko fella' is always using "screwdrivers" on his screws. Hasn't he ever heard of a hammer?
• I haven't exploded anybody yet today. It's a good day!
• Hmm... you didn't see any nuclear bombs on your way in, did you? No? Alright, I'll keep looking.

 Let me browse your goods.

Entering the shop

• Welcome. May I help you find something?
• Greetings, <class>.

Argus appears

• Hey, hey. Come right in! Take a load off for a second, then get back out there and make sure we're still gonna be here tomorrow.
• I don't know what he was goin' on about, but it didn't sound good. And he ain't even the first to do that this week!
• Hey you! Ah, nevermind. We thought you were one of... you know... them.

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

The Banshee's Wail

Anything worth having is worth fitting inside of a box.

Except people, of course! Can't put <name> in a box, right?

<Hobart gets lost in thought for a moment.>

Anyway, I'm just making a few adjustments here. I'll get this suit back up and running in no time... with a few explosive improvements!

Krazzlefrazz Outpost

Looks like you came from the forest. How're the boys doin' down there?

Great Sea

Oh, hey <class>. What's shakin'?

Visions of N'Zoth

Greetings

• A new assistant! Excellent!
• Do you have a question?
• Speak up!
• Yes, what is it?

Farewell

• Ambition is the mother of invention.
• Back to the drawing board!
• Run along now.
• We have field tests to conduct!

In Hearthstone

This section contains information exclusive to Hearthstone and is considered non-canon.

Hobart in Hearthstone.

Hobart appears as a legendary card for the warrior class in the Mean Streets of Gadgetzan for Hearthstone. In Hearthstone lore, he has apparently joined up with the Grimy Goons to serve as a weapon inventor and supplier. His flavor text reads: "Grapplehammer is the horrible mind behind the Automatic Piranha Launcher (banned in 7 districts)!"

Trivia

• He was originally planned to appear in Warlords of Draenor.
• In the Battle for Azeroth beta, Gazlowe was a champion, but he was replaced with Hobart in a later build.
• Hobart's appearance has changed several times over the years:
  • When first added in Cataclysm, Hobart wore a distinctive blue and white outfit with a cloak and simple goggles, an appearance he retained in Legion.
  • Hobart's Hearthstone art does not resemble the aforementioned model at all, with mutton chops, a different hair color and style, different colored goggles, no nose ring, and different clothes.
  • Hobart's Battle for Azeroth appearances initially depicted him with a different outfit in the form of brown leather armor and slightly different goggles, but still retained the same physical appearance as his previous World of Warcraft model.
  • With the launch of patch 8.3, all of Hobart's existing appearances were replaced with a new model more closely resembling his Hearthstone art. His outfit was replaced with a simple tuxedo and more elaborate goggles, and most of his physical features were changed as well: his hair style, hair color, skin color, and nose and ear shape were all altered, and his nose ring was removed.
• Hobart might be a reference to American theoretical physicist, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the "Father of the Atomic Bomb". Hobart shares a similar name and deals with large doomsday bombs.

Patch changes

• Patch 8.3.0 (2020-01-14): All existing appearances updated with a new model and unique click quotes.
  
• Patch 8.0.1 (2018-07-17): New appearance added with a new model.
  
• Patch 7.0.3 (2016-07-19): Added in the Legion version of Dalaran.
  
• Patch 4.0.3a (2010-11-23): Added.
  

External links

• Wowhead
• WoWDB