WoW: Forever raids and dungeons: Onyxia attunement, December 9 unlock and the 9 new dungeons

Blizzard has laid out the endgame of World of Warcraft: Forever. The game launches on November 4 with nine new five-player dungeons from level 13 to 60, and three level 60 raids unlock about five weeks later, on December 9: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia’s Lair. Onyxia keeps her classic attunement, so the Drakefire Amulet is the one thing worth planning for early.

The three raids and when they open

• The Barrow Deeps (10 players, level 60). The prison beneath Kalimdor that held Illidan for 10,000 years. It has entrances through Mount Hyjal, Winterspring and the Blackmaw Hold dungeon, and eight bosses inside.
• Hyjal Summit (20 players, level 60). At the top of Mount Hyjal near Nordrassil. It opens with a fight against an ancient guardian, then lets the raid choose between several paths, above and below ground, before the final encounters. 13 bosses in total.
• Onyxia’s Lair (40 players, level 60). In Dustwallow Marsh. A three-phase fight with heavy fire damage, and Blizzard recommends building fire resistance before you go in.

All three unlock on December 9. Blizzard says the gap after the November 4 launch is there so players can reach level 60 and form groups. The sizes are fixed (10, 20 and 40), so a guild that wants to see all three needs to plan rosters for each one.

How the Onyxia attunement works

Every player in the raid needs the Drakefire Amulet to enter Onyxia’s Lair. It only has to be in your inventory, not equipped. You get it from a faction-specific quest chain that runs through Blackrock Depths and both wings of Blackrock Spire, with elite quests along the way, so Blizzard’s advice is to start early and bring friends. The attunement is per character at launch, so alts have to do it again.

Alliance chain

1. “Dragonkin Menace” from Helendis Riverhorn in the Burning Steppes, then six quests all called “The True Masters”.
2. Marshal Maxwell at Morgan’s Vigil sends you into Blackrock Depths for “Marshal Windsor”, then back for “Abandoned Hope”.
3. Loot “A Crumpled Up Note” from enemies in Blackrock Depths and take it to Windsor in his cell.
4. “A Shred of Hope”: get Windsor’s lost information from Golem Lord Argelmach and General Angerforge.
5. “Jail Break!”: escort Windsor out of Blackrock Depths and report to Maxwell.
6. “Stormwind Rendezvous” with Squire Rowe at the Stormwind gates, then “The Great Masquerade” with a group.
7. Highlord Bolvar Fordragon sends you on “The Dragon’s Eye”, which leads to “Drakefire Amulet”: kill General Drakkisath in Upper Blackrock Spire for the Blood of the Black Dragon Champion and receive the amulet.

Horde chain

1. “Blood and Thunder” from Warlord Goretooth in Kargath (Badlands), then “Warlord’s Command” in Lower Blackrock Spire.
2. Report to Eitrigg and Thrall in Orgrimmar, then “For the Horde!”: bring back the head of Warchief Rend Blackhand.
3. “What the Wind Carries” with Thrall, then find Rexxar on the roads of Desolace for “The Champion of the Horde”.
4. “The Testament of Rexxar” to Myranda the Hag in the Western Plaguelands, then “Oculus Illusions” for Black Dragonspawn Eyes.
5. “Emberstrife”: use the Amulet of Draconic Subversion to reach the drake Emberstrife in Dustwallow Marsh.
6. Four “The Test of Skulls” quests: Scryer, Somnus, Chronalis and Axtroz.
7. “Ascension…” gives the Dull Drakefire Amulet. Take it to Rexxar, who sends you after General Drakkisath in Upper Blackrock Spire (“Blood of the Black Dragon Champion”). Return to Rexxar for the Drakefire Amulet.

The nine new dungeons

All nine are five-player dungeons available from launch. Six are in the Eastern Kingdoms and three in Kalimdor.

Dungeon	Levels	Location
Hall of Thanes	13-18	Beneath Ironforge, Dun Morogh
Ruins of Lordaeron	15-20	Ruins above the Undercity, Tirisfal Glades
Excavation Site	24-29	Above Whelgar’s Excavation, Wetlands
City of Dalaran	28-33	Alterac Mountains
The Drowned City	35-40	Off the coast of Stranglethorn Vale
Krol’dok Stronghold	40-45	Riverglades
Alcaz Prison	48-53	Alcaz Island, Dustwallow Marsh
Blackmaw Hold	55-60	Azshara
Shaper’s Terrace	58-60	Un’Goro Crater

• Hall of Thanes sits inside Ironforge, so it is easy for the Alliance and a trip into enemy territory for the Horde. Ruins of Lordaeron is the mirror case, next to the Undercity.
• City of Dalaran has its own attunement. Alliance starts with “An Alarming Request” from Emissary Jacques in Southshore. Horde starts with “Key to the City” and “Prison Break-In” from Magus Wordeen Voidglare in Tarren Mill.
• The Drowned City is reached by diving west of Grom’gol, and the weather turns into a storm as you push to the last boss.
• Blackmaw Hold is a large max-level furbolg city with several routes, and it connects to the Barrow Deeps raid.
• Shaper’s Terrace uses power crystals you collect in Un’Goro Crater on consoles inside the dungeon, so gather them while you quest.

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What to do before December 9

• Pick your realm type first: our realm types guide explains the rulesets.
• Level through the new zones and dungeons. Our level 30 to 60 guide covers Riverglades and Mount Hyjal.
• Start the Onyxia chain as soon as you can run Blackrock Depths, and keep fire resistance gear you find on the way.
• Check the November 4 launch times, the beta guide and why the datamined mounts are not coming to Forever.

Sources

• World of Warcraft: Forever Raid Overview: Locations, Raid Sizes, and Attunement, Blizzard News (October 20, 2026).
• Explore the New Dungeons of World of Warcraft: Forever, Blizzard News (October 20, 2026).

More WoW and WoW: Forever coverage on our World of Warcraft page.