WoW Forever Raid Guides
Explore Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair. Find boss guides, raid sizes, attunement requirements, loot and level 60 preparation tips.
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Back to all postsExplore our WoW Forever raid guides for The Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit, and Onyxia's Lair. Compare all three level 60 raids, find their locations and group sizes, prepare for bosses and loot progression, and follow the Onyxia attunement questline. Our dedicated walkthroughs cover each raid in more detail as confirmed information becomes available.
The first World of Warcraft: Forever raids unlock on December 9, 2026, rather than at the November game launch. Blizzard has confirmed three opening raids with 10-, 20-, and 40-player groups. They offer different challenges, from exploring an ancient underground prison to confronting Onyxia in Dustwallow Marsh.
WoW Forever Raids: Locations, Bosses and Release
All three opening raids are intended for level 60 characters. Blizzard has confirmed their sizes, locations, and encounter counts, but complete final boss strategies and loot tables are not yet available for every encounter.
| Raid | Players | Bosses | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Barrow Deeps | 10 | 8 | Mount Hyjal, with entrances connected to Winterspring and Blackmaw Hold |
| Hyjal Summit | 20 | 13 | Summit of Mount Hyjal, near Nordrassil |
| Onyxia's Lair | 40 | 1 | Dustwallow Marsh |
All three are scheduled to open on December 9, 2026. Blizzard currently plans weekly raid resets, allowing organized groups to return regularly for progression and loot.
For the confirmed announcement, see Blizzard's official WoW Forever Raid Overview.
Individual WoW Forever Raid Guides
The Barrow Deeps — 10-Player Raid
The Barrow Deeps is a new level 60 raid set in the underground prison where Illidan Stormrage was once held. It contains eight encounters and has access routes connected to Mount Hyjal, Winterspring, and Blackmaw Hold.
The smaller group size makes it a different organizational challenge from the 20- and 40-player raids. Players preparing for a clear should review access information, encounter progression, and any requirements confirmed closer to release.
Read our Barrow Deeps Raid Guide for the known bosses, entrances, raid requirements, and the distinction between confirmed information and beta-client discoveries.
Hyjal Summit — 20-Player Raid
Hyjal Summit takes place near the World Tree Nordrassil on Mount Hyjal. The raid contains 13 boss encounters and allows groups to choose between multiple paths through the area. It is a new Forever raid and should not be confused with the Battle for Mount Hyjal from The Burning Crusade.
Our Hyjal Summit Raid Guide covers the available encounter information, raid structure, preparation, and current limitations of pre-release boss data.
Players unfamiliar with the surrounding area can also use the Mount Hyjal Zone Guide for zone exploration and progression outside the raid.
Onyxia's Lair — 40-Player Raid
Onyxia's Lair returns as a level 60 raid for 40 players in Dustwallow Marsh. Its central encounter features Onyxia, whose fight has three phases and requires the group to manage fire damage, movement, and positioning.
Unlike the other raid preparation topics, Onyxia has an explicit character-specific entry requirement: every player must obtain the Drakefire Amulet through an Alliance or Horde questline before entering.
Follow our WoW Forever Onyxia Attunement Guide for both faction routes, required dungeon visits, and the steps needed to obtain the amulet.
Raid Attunement and Entry Requirements
The most important confirmed attunement requirement for the opening raid tier is Onyxia's Lair. Every member of the raid must carry the Drakefire Amulet in their inventory. The item does not need to be equipped.
Alliance players complete a questline involving Marshal Windsor and Blackrock Depths before progressing to Upper Blackrock Spire. Horde players follow a separate chain involving Warlord Goretooth, Thrall, Rexxar, and several dragon encounters before obtaining the amulet.
Because these chains require multiple steps and dungeon runs, preparing the attunement before December 9 can prevent delays when your raid group is ready.
Do not assume that access requirements from older World of Warcraft expansions apply to the new Forever raids. Refer to the individual Barrow Deeps and Hyjal Summit guides for their current access information.
Pre-Raid BiS Gear and Level 60 Preparation
Preparing for WoW Forever raids involves more than reaching level 60. Class builds, suitable equipment, professions, consumables, and a reliable group roster all influence raid readiness.
Forever includes redesigned dungeon rewards and additional endgame gearing options. A traditional Classic BiS list may not accurately reflect the new item pool, so equipment decisions should account for your specialization, role, and the available Forever rewards.
- WoW Forever Pre-Raid BiS Guide — Gear sources, dungeon equipment, class priorities, and preparation before the first raid tier.
- WoW Forever Class Tier List — Class and specialization comparisons for raid roles, damage, healing, tanking, and other activities.
- WoW Forever Professions Guide — Profession combinations, crafting preparation, consumables, and useful utility.
For a 10-player group, roster availability and role coverage may be the main organizational challenge. Twenty-player raids require more coordination, while Onyxia's 40-player format makes attendance, communication, and preparation especially important. Exact optimal raid compositions should be reviewed after the encounters become playable.
Raid Loot, Tier Sets and Legacy Rewards
Raids provide endgame equipment, including Tier Set progression and valuable boss rewards. Individual item drops are not guaranteed, and complete Forever loot tables must be checked against confirmed live data rather than copied from older Classic versions.
Raiding also contributes to Forever's account-wide Legacy System. Blizzard has confirmed three raid-related Legacy Challenges:
- Defeat all eight bosses in The Barrow Deeps — one Legacy Point.
- Defeat all 13 bosses in Hyjal Summit — one Legacy Point.
- Defeat Onyxia — one Legacy Point.
Each requirement awards one point for completing its challenge, not one point per boss. Learn how these rewards fit into account-wide progression in our WoW Forever Legacy Points Guide.
Blizzard has also teased new Legendary content for Forever. The announced raid rewards and the later Legendary questline should not be treated as one confirmed acquisition path. Our WoW Forever Legendary Items Guide separates official announcements from unreleased and datamined information.
WoW Forever Raid Boosts and Attunement Services
If you need help with raid completion, organized boss kills, or specific preparation objectives, browse our WoW Forever Raid Boosts. The service catalog covers the three opening raids and available assistance with Onyxia attunement.
- Barrow Deeps Raid Boost — Organized 10-player raid completion and available loot options.
- Hyjal Summit Raid Boost — Organized 20-player raid runs and progression.
- Onyxia's Lair Raid Boost — Organized 40-player boss kill and available loot configurations.
- Onyxia Attunement Boost — Assistance with the questline required to obtain the Drakefire Amulet.
Raid runs become available after the raids open on live servers. Pre-orders, play methods, and loot priority options depend on the selected service. Check its description before ordering; specific random loot drops cannot be guaranteed.
For additional guides on leveling, classes, dungeons, and character progression, return to our WoW Forever Guides hub.