WoW Forever First Raids: Requirements and Preparation Guide
WoW Forever's first raids open December 9. Check raid sizes, Onyxia attunement steps and what Blizzard has not confirmed before you plan your group.
Pre-launch guide. Last checked: November 4, 2026. WoW: Forever launches on November 4, and Blizzard has dated its first three raids for December 9. The facts below come from Blizzard's published posts rather than live raid testing, so this guide covers access and preparation instead of boss tactics.
The first raids are Barrow Deeps for 10 players, Hyjal Summit for 20 players and Onyxia's Lair for 40 players. All three are level 60 raids. Onyxia's Lair is the only one with a published attunement: every member of the raid must carry the Drakefire Amulet. That amulet takes a long questline and several high-level dungeon trips, so it is the one requirement worth starting well before December 9.
The first raids at a glance
| Raid | Raid size | Bosses | Location | Published access rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow Deeps | 10 players | 8 | Within Mount Hyjal, with entrances connected through Mount Hyjal, Winterspring and Blackmaw Hold | Level 60 raid, no attunement described |
| Hyjal Summit | 20 players | 13 | Summit of Mount Hyjal, near the World Tree Nordrassil | Level 60 raid, no attunement described |
| Onyxia's Lair | 40 players | Onyxia, a three-phase encounter | Dustwallow Marsh | Level 60 raid, Drakefire Amulet for each member |
These details come from Blizzard's Forever raid overview. Blizzard lists the sizes but does not say whether a smaller group can enter, so plan around the full number.
Required, advised and still unknown
It helps to keep these three lists apart. A rule you must meet is different from advice, and neither tells you what Blizzard has yet to publish.
What Blizzard requires
- A level 60 character. Blizzard describes all three as level 60 raids.
- The same ruleset and faction as your group. You can only raid with players on your ruleset, and Horde and Alliance cannot group. Moving to another ruleset means creating a new character there. Blizzard's ruleset post
- The Drakefire Amulet for Onyxia's Lair. Keep it in your inventory. You do not have to equip it to enter.
What Blizzard advises
- Build fire resistance before facing Onyxia. Her fire attacks are the threat Blizzard singles out, though it does not give a target number.
- Start the attunement early. Expect elite quests that call for friends, plus repeat visits to high-level dungeons.
- Choose the raid that fits your group. The three sizes are different commitments, so start with the one you can fill.
What is not published yet
As of November 4, we could not find a Blizzard statement on any of the following:
- The time of day the raids unlock. Blizzard gives only the date.
- A minimum item level or gear requirement.
- A fire resistance target for Onyxia.
- Difficulty modes or a recommended split of tanks, healers and damage dealers.
- Boss abilities, loot tables or the names of tier set items. Blizzard's panel recap connects Hyjal Summit and Barrow Deeps to new tier sets and a legendary reward, without revealing them in full.
- Lockout rules beyond the weekly reset, which Blizzard describes as "currently planned."
- Whether Barrow Deeps or Hyjal Summit has any extra entry condition. The overview describes none, but it does not explicitly rule one out.
A missing requirement does not mean any gear or group will be enough. Recheck Blizzard's news before December 9.
Choose your first raid
Pick the raid your group can realistically fill on the night.
- You can gather 10 reliable players: Barrow Deeps has eight bosses and several ways in. Agree on one entrance before anyone starts traveling, and check the route in-game, since Blizzard does not spell it out.
- You can gather 20: Hyjal Summit opens with a battle against an ancient guardian, then lets the raid choose between paths above and below ground. Thirteen bosses is a bigger ask, so agree in advance how far your group plans to go in one session.
- You can gather 40 and all of them are attuned: Onyxia's Lair asks the most before the first pull. Every member needs the amulet, and your raid should have worked on fire resistance beforehand.
Travel is part of the plan. Blizzard's recap confirms Forever has no flying mounts, so set a meeting point and leave time for players crossing zones on the ground.
How to get the Drakefire Amulet
The questline depends on your faction, and Blizzard's raid overview lists every step.
- Alliance starts with "Dragonkin Menace" in the Burning Steppes and goes through Blackrock Depths and Upper Blackrock Spire.
- Horde starts with "Blood and Thunder" in the Badlands and goes through Lower and Upper Blackrock Spire.
- Both finish with the blood of General Drakkisath in Upper Blackrock Spire.
Our Onyxia attunement guide has both chains step by step. It also marks which details are still unconfirmed for Forever and covers how to plan dungeon runs and alts.
A simple plan for the weeks before December 9
December 9 is five weeks after launch. This schedule is our suggestion, not a Blizzard timetable.
- Before launch: Settle your region, faction and ruleset with the people you plan to raid with.
- While leveling: Use our Forever leveling guide to keep moving, and decide who wants which role. Blizzard lists Blackmaw Hold and Shaper's Terrace among its level 55–60 and 58–60 dungeons, which may be worth a visit once you are close to the cap.
- Once the attunement dungeons suit your level: Start the amulet chain and group several players on the same step, so one run can move everyone forward.
- About two weeks out: Make a list of who is level 60 and who holds the amulet. Look at what fire resistance options your class can use. Treat any number copied from Classic as unconfirmed.
- In raid week: Check Blizzard's news for an unlock time, convert it for your group, confirm the meeting point and make sure everyone has room in their bags.
Same names, different game
Onyxia's Lair may sound familiar, and an old raid guide can be interesting background. It is not evidence of how the encounter works here. Blizzard presents Forever as its own continuing game with new zones, quests, dungeons and systems, and Barrow Deeps and Hyjal Summit are described as raids being added for it.
Do not copy old boss strategies, loot lists, resistance targets or dungeon group sizes into your plans until they have been checked against Forever. Once the raids are live, prefer dated guides that clearly name the game they tested.
Frequently asked questions
When do the first WoW Forever raids open?
Blizzard says December 9. It has not published a time of day, so allow for a difference between regions.
Do I need attunement for Barrow Deeps or Hyjal Summit?
Blizzard's raid overview describes an attunement only for Onyxia's Lair. It does not explicitly state that the other two have no conditions, so check again closer to the unlock.
Does the Drakefire Amulet have to be equipped?
No. Blizzard says it only has to be in your inventory. Each member of the raid needs one.
How much fire resistance do I need for Onyxia?
Blizzard has not given a number. It only advises players to build fire resistance before entering.
Can Alliance and Horde players raid together?
No. Factions stay separate, and cross-ruleset grouping is not supported either.
Do Forever raids reset weekly?
That is the current plan according to Blizzard. Full lockout rules were not published when this guide was last checked.
Getting help with a raid
Many players will want to organize every pull themselves. If you have less time to build a group, HideBoost lists separate services for Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair. The raids do not open until December 9, so contact support to check availability and timing before ordering. Specific item drops are not guaranteed.
Blizzard prohibits buying or selling in-game services for real money, and involved accounts may be penalized. Account sharing also violates Blizzard's rules. Consider those risks and review Blizzard's policy information before purchasing a third-party service.
