Ascendant Venomstones are a late-season WoW Midnight Season 2 upgrade material introduced through Patch 12.1.5. They let you push specific high-end items beyond their normal upgrade limit, but the system is much narrower than the regular gear upgrade system: Venomstones work only on eligible weapons, trinkets and necklaces.
Current status — October 9: Ascendant Venomstones are not obtainable yet. Patch 12.1.5 launches during the October 13/14 reset. Orin Straylight will then offer Ancient Depths, Ancient Venom. After his research finishes during maintenance the following week, he offers Ascending with Venomstones, which unlocks Ascendant Venomstone drops.
The expected live unlock is therefore the week of October 20 in North America / October 21 in Europe. Once unlocked, every eligible Heroic or Mythic raid boss, Mythic+ +10 or higher, Tier 11 Bountiful Delve and Nightmare Prey Hunt Champion gear chest can award an Ascendant Venomstone.
It costs 10 Ascendant Venomstones to upgrade one eligible fully upgraded Season 2 Hero, Myth or maximum-quality Tidal Crafted weapon, trinket or necklace.
When Do Ascendant Venomstones Unlock?
The system does not become fully active on the same day Patch 12.1.5 launches.
| Week | What happens |
|---|---|
| Week of October 6 | Orin's Nebulous Voidcore research and additional weekly bonus-roll system becomes available. |
| Week of October 13 | Patch 12.1.5 launches. Orin offers Ancient Depths, Ancient Venom. |
| Week of October 20 | Orin finishes his research and offers Ascending with Venomstones. Completing it enables Ascendant Venomstone drops. |
| Week of October 20 | The Season 2 crest cap is also removed. |
Do not farm Heroic raid bosses or +10 keys early expecting Venomstones. The eligible activities only begin awarding them after the Ascending with Venomstones unlock is completed.
How to Unlock Ascendant Venomstones
- Wait for Patch 12.1.5.
The quest chain begins during the maintenance week of October 13. - Go to Orin Straylight in Silvermoon City.
Orin stands next to the Catalyst and manages the Season 2 Voidforge systems. - Complete Ancient Depths, Ancient Venom.
This starts Orin's Ascendant Venomstone research. - Wait for the following weekly maintenance.
Orin's research finishes during the week of October 20. - Complete Ascending with Venomstones.
This activates the ability to acquire Ascendant Venomstones from eligible Season 2 content.
Where to Get Ascendant Venomstones
Once the unlock is active, Blizzard lists four acquisition routes.
| Content | Requirement | Venomstone source |
|---|---|---|
| Raid | Heroic or Mythic | Every eligible raid boss |
| Mythic+ | Keystone +10 or higher | Qualifying dungeon completion |
| Delves | Tier 11 Bountiful Delve | Qualifying Bountiful Delve |
| Nightmare Prey | Champion gear reward | Champion gear chest |
Heroic and Mythic Raid Bosses
Heroic and Mythic raid bosses become direct sources after the system unlocks. This makes raiding one of the most predictable routes because each eligible boss can contribute toward the next 10-stone upgrade.
Normal and Raid Finder bosses are not listed as Ascendant Venomstone sources.
Mythic+ +10 and Higher
Mythic Keystone dungeons at +10 or above qualify. This creates the most repeatable acquisition route for players who can consistently complete higher keys.
A +9 does not meet the published requirement. You should therefore not spend time farming lower keys specifically for Venomstones.
Tier 11 Bountiful Delves
Only Tier 11 Bountiful Delves are listed. Standard lower-tier Delves and non-Bountiful runs should not be treated as equivalent sources.
This gives solo-focused players a high-end acquisition route without requiring raid or Mythic+ groups.
Nightmare Prey Hunt Champion Gear Chests
Nightmare Prey Hunts provide another route through their Champion gear chests. The chest is the relevant source, rather than every Prey activity automatically granting a stone.
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What Gear Can Ascendant Venomstones Upgrade?
This is the most important correction to older pre-release information.
Weapons, trinkets and necklaces.
Fully upgraded Season 2 Hero or Myth items.
Maximum-quality Season 2 Tidal Crafted weapons, trinkets and necklaces can also qualify.
Armor, rings and tier pieces are not part of the published Ascendant Venomstone system. Do not save Venomstones expecting to upgrade helmets, chest pieces, gloves, legs, cloaks, rings or other armor slots.
Item Requirements
Having ten stones is not enough by itself. The item must already be at the correct endpoint of its normal progression.
- Season 2 Hero gear must be fully upgraded.
- Season 2 Myth gear must be fully upgraded.
- Tidal Crafted items must be at maximum quality.
- The item must be a weapon, trinket or necklace.
Ascendant Venomstones are therefore a finishing system, not a shortcut around normal Mistcrest upgrades.
How Many Ascendant Venomstones Do You Need?
Each eligible item upgrade costs 10 Ascendant Venomstones.
| Number of items | Venomstones required |
|---|---|
| 1 item | 10 |
| 2 items | 20 |
| 3 items | 30 |
| Weapon + 2 trinkets + necklace | 40 |
That does not mean every character should upgrade all four immediately. Your best spending order depends on how valuable each item is and how likely it is to be replaced.
Best Ascendant Venomstone Upgrade Priority
For most characters, the sensible default priority is:
Weapons usually provide the largest raw stat gain and are often difficult to replace once you own the correct item.
A strong trinket with a powerful proc or on-use effect can remain relevant for the rest of the season.
Worth upgrading when it is already part of your intended final setup.
Neck upgrades are new to the Season 2 Venomstone system and can be valuable when you already have ideal secondary stats or a special high-end necklace.
Do not follow this order blindly. Simulation results, special item effects and your realistic replacement options matter more than a generic list. A BiS trinket can easily be a better first upgrade than a temporary weapon.
Can You Upgrade Crafted Gear?
Yes, but only specific crafted items qualify.
Blizzard explicitly includes maximum-quality Tidal Crafted weapons, trinkets and necklaces. A crafted armor piece does not become eligible simply because it is high item level.
Where Do You Use Ascendant Venomstones?
After collecting ten, return to Orin Straylight near the Catalyst in Silvermoon City. The system uses the Catalyst/Voidforge area rather than the normal gear-upgrade NPC flow.
The item tooltip itself instructs players to weave the Venomstone's energy into eligible equipment with Orin's assistance.
Ascendant Venomstones and the Crest Cap
Blizzard is intentionally pairing the Venomstone unlock with another major gearing change: the Season 2 crest cap is removed during the week of October 20.
That matters because you need to finish normal Hero or Myth upgrades before an item can become Venomstone-eligible. Removing the crest cap makes it much easier to prepare multiple weapons, trinkets or necklaces for the new system.
Best Preparation Before October 20
- Identify your likely final weapon, trinkets and necklace.
Do not plan around armor because it is not eligible. - Keep promising Hero and Myth items.
A slightly lower item may become much more valuable once it can be fully upgraded and Venomstone-enhanced. - Prepare for +10 keys, Heroic/Mythic raid, Tier 11 Delves or Nightmare Prey.
Those are the four official acquisition routes. - Complete Ancient Depths, Ancient Venom when 12.1.5 launches.
- Finish Ascending with Venomstones after Orin's research completes.
- Only spend your first 10 stones after comparing replacement risk.
Ascendant Venomstones FAQ
Are Ascendant Venomstones available now?
No. On October 9 the system is still locked. The unlock quest chain begins with Patch 12.1.5 during the week of October 13, while actual Venomstone drops begin after Orin's research finishes during the week of October 20.
How many Venomstones does one upgrade cost?
Ten Ascendant Venomstones per eligible item.
Can Ascendant Venomstones upgrade armor?
No. Blizzard currently lists only weapons, trinkets and necklaces.
Can they upgrade crafted items?
Yes, maximum-quality Tidal Crafted weapons, trinkets and necklaces can qualify.
What Mythic+ level drops Ascendant Venomstones?
Mythic+10 and higher after the system has been unlocked.
Do Normal raid bosses drop them?
No. Blizzard specifically lists Heroic and Mythic raid bosses.
