Tripping the Rifts Tripping the Rifts was an achievement only obtainable during the Cataclysm launch event . Players must destroy one of each elemental rift in order to get the achievement . Rift Locations . WARNING : The elemental rifts around the lake by Altar of Rhunok and Zim ' torga in Zul ' drak , Northrend , do not count towards this achievement . Earth . Rumbling Elemental s can be found at the Earth Elemental Rifts . Note : Rumbling Elementals are immune to nature magic . Fire . Searing Elementals can be found at the Fire Elemental Rifts . Note : Searing Elementals are immune to fire magic . Water . Surging Elemental s can be found at the Water Elemental Rifts . Note : Surging Elementals are immune to frost magic . Wind . Gusting Elemental s can be found at the Wind Elemental Rifts . Note : Gusting Elementals are immune to nature magic . Continent maps . Note that the coordinates displayed on the maps are for the continent , not for the zone in which the spawn locations can be found . On the maps below , represents Earth , represents Fire , represents Water , and represents Wind Rifts . Details . This is the limited time event achievement added for the Cataclysm Pre - release Events . EVENT WENT LIVE NOVEMBER 1st , 2010 To get this achievement , whether you are Alliance or Horde you need to have had at least one each of the buffs ( Fire , Water , Earth , Wind ) since the event began on November 1 , 2010 . These buffs are not required to be active at the same time . You obtain one of the buffs when you take part in sealing an elemental rift . These buffs last an hour unless dispelled . You can have all the buffs active at the same time . You will be able to loot Mysterious Objects ( Daily ) if and only if the zone is level appropriate for your character . Extra Details . Rifts will be appearing all over the game world . This includes Northrend AND Outland . Elemental Rifts lose health when one of their elemental creatures is killed . If the rift has 10 Health , killing 10 of the elementals it spawns will kill / close it . These Elemental Rifts are level specific in relation to the item they drop . So , for example , all level 80 characters will have to kill rifts in Northrend locations to get the daily quest item that spawns when the rift dies , while level 60 characters can kill rifts in Silithus , Western Plaguelands , or other level appropriate zones that spawn rifts . If you are not in a area specific to your characters level when a rift appears then , even if your character does see the rift , the rift will disappear as your character approaches that particular Elemental Rift . Rifts have a 60 minute respawn timer and a 10 minute despawn timer ( i . e . if not killed within this time from appearing , it goes away for an hour ) . Rift Loot . Each time a rift closes , it leaves behind a loot - able floating item called Mysterious Device . If your character level is appropriate to the area then the Mysterious Device gives a daily quest called Hammering It Out that rewards some XP and / or gold . Buff Details : Earth Powered - Each melee attack , ranged attack , harmful spell or healing spell has a chance to heal you for 2 % of your maximum health . Fire Powered - Each melee attack , ranged attack or harmful spell has a chance of engulfing the target in flames , dealing X damage over 15 sec ( scales with level ) . Stacks 5 times . Water Powered - Each melee attack , ranged attack , harmful spell or healing spell has a chance to increase your Energy , Rage , Mana or Runic Power gain by 15 % . Wind Powered - Each melee attack , ranged attack , harmful spell or healing spell has a chance to increase your haste rating by X for 10 sec . - WoWHead poster : tmptfate on 07 / 15 / 2010 ( Patch 3 . 3 . 5 ) http : / / www . wowhead . com / achievement = 4887 # . Notes . The name is a reference to the television show " Tripping the Rift " . Attribution . This article uses material from the " Tripping the Rifts " article on Wowpedia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike License .